2010-2019, This millennium's angst filled years brought about some of the best and some of the worst when it came to video games. But as gaming has evolved and grown over the decade it seems fitting to look back and cherish the ones we got right. Below you will find ten examples of what we at HnR feel are the cream of the crop. These were the games we kept coming back too. The games we felt were near perfect examples of what this medium was able to accomplish.
10. Mass Effect 2 (2011) Bioware
Kicking this list off, we have Mass Effect 2. Easily considered the best game of the series, Mass Effect 2 doesn’t take lightly to being the second title in Bioware’s acclaimed trilogy. Introducing an almost entirely new cast of characters, Bioware does a really great job with their character development, bringing loyalty missions into the game helped players create an emotional connection with these new characters (and we’re not just talking about the space sex). These missions weren’t just for character development either, they tie into the final mission of the game, the suicide mission. Besides excellent character development, the story is incredible. Every mission, every cutscene, and every dialogue option helps to thicken the plot, all the while, driving towards an end result that helps place this game on our list. Mass Effect 2’s ending is a grand finale of sorts and a culmination of everything the player had done since the first game. This conclusion feels like a go hard or go home moment, and really is the pinnacle of final missions. The game heavily suggests throughout the story that the odds of survival for this band of heroes is very low. After spending hours gaining the loyalty of every character, grinding to upgrade everything from The Normandy to your armor and artillery, it is up to you, the player, to keep everyone alive. When you finally enter the mission, you are greeted by chaos. Every second of this mission, the player is reminded that they are not invincible, they’re human, and no one is safe. If a crew member dies, they don’t come back. It’s these consequences, beautiful themes packed with rich emotion, and nail biting intensity that take this game’s ending from being just another video game to defining what an ending to a story can and should be.
9. Madden 12 (2011) EA
You might ask yourself why a sports game is on our list as one of the best games from this decade. Well to put it plainly, video games wouldn’t be here today if it weren't for these Electric Ball Juggling Games. Competition is at the core of why so many of us pick up a controller. Football, Basketball, and the like are large cultural events of competition. It makes sense that someone would gravitate towards sports games. Madden 12 takes the formula and proposes the necessary tweaks to elevate it beyond previous iterations. People argue that sports games, much like the Call of Duty series, are too stagnant, and evergreen. “Oh it’s just a roster update” and “Oh man, now I can see my players with less pixels” are phrases oft thrown around. Madden 12 brought just enough changes to the table to warrant a new release. Madden Ultimate Team was finding its footing as an expansive game mode that promoted replay value and kept the end game interesting. The franchise mode saw many needed improvements from years prior such as the ability to change teams, gameplans that change if a player is injured mid game, and improved AI thinking that help bring the different teams to life. Football is a big sport, and Madden 12 is the way to play it… without getting dirty.
8. The Walking Dead (2012) Telltale Games
It’s not hard to imagine what it would be like to live in a world consumed by the devastating effects of an apocalypse, to some it might actually sound like fun. However, realistically there is a lot of stress and emotional exhaustion that can come from seeing a loved one being eaten alive by your now zombified co-worker Dave...fuck you, Dave. Jokes aside, the apocalypse is brutal and if there is one thing that should be taken from stories like TellTale’s The Walking Dead, It’s that your actions have consequences. In this beautifully crafted, choose your own adventure, you are tasked with not only trying to stay alive, but also protecting a little girl, and eventually an entire group. The story will mold and take shape based off of the decisions the player makes, in some cases that means saving one character’s life in exchange for another. With some of the best character development in its class, You get to witness a criminally charged, Lee, embark on a journey unlike any other. And certainly one he wasn’t expecting. The relationship and bond you form over each episode with your newly found 8 year-old friend, Clementine, carries emotion. From it’s almost innocent beginning moments, all the way through to a climactic, gut-wrenching conclusion, you feel every moment from both perspectives portrayed. The Walking Dead’s “no one size fits all” mechanic is what solidifies this title on our list.
7. Oxenfree (2016) Night School Studios
As Adventure games saw a revival in this decade, Indie games began to thrive. With the help of games like Fez, The Binding of Issac, and Gone Home, independently developed titles saw mainstream success. With that success we would begin to see risks taken across the medium. We went from simplistic arcade-styled games, to more story driven, emotional experiences. Oxenfree takes an approach to story-telling unlike any other. This is a game driven by conversation. Minimal gameplay lends to it’s story being at the forefront of the experience. As you control Alex, you are stuck on an island with 4 of your classmates. You and your group stumble upon supernatural happenings, and have to deal with issues from your past, manifesting as consequences in the present, ultimately deciding your fate and future. Alex goes through the emotional trauma brought on from her brother's death. We also see our group navigate the tribulations of highschool love, crushes, and rumors of such. While “horror” doesn't do well to describe Oxenfree’s overlying theme, “fright” certainly does. There are many things to fear during your time on the island, whether it’s the supernatural beings you encounter, your new stepbrother, Jonas, or the guilt you feel as Alex herself. Oxenfree takes pride in its dialogue. A branching narrative only works if your decisions have weight, and the beauty of Oxenfree comes from its innate sense of direction, or lack thereof. You control how these characters interact. And the choices you make as you converse with the cast impact not only how they respond in the moment, but how they act hours later. Decisions matter, and Oxenfree lets you in on that secret from the jump. Alex, Jonas, Ren, Clarissa, and Nona are some of the best written characters in video games. They don’t feel cheap cliched. You immediately understand the gravity of their situations, how the past has affected them, and what it would be like to grow up under their circumstances. You get to help them grow up as they fight for survival.
6. Rock Band 3 (2010) Harmonix
When Guitar Hero came onto the scene, it took the world by storm. Budding musicians and gamers alike flocked to stores for a plastic guitar that really helped you “feel” the music. As notes fell down the screen you would either fail to press the corresponding buttons, or begin to rise the ranks mastering the difficulties, and playing new songs for a virtual audience and score counter. How could this get better? Well at the tail-end of the century Harmonix would follow up their smash hit with Rock Band, a game similar in concept that brought with it extra instruments to let you and your friends start a virtual band and perform for each other! The addictive gameplay translated to a party-like environment with ease and let you cooperatively feel like a… well… real rock band! Rock Band 3 at the start of the decade combined all the learnings from its predecessors to craft a high-end experience unmatched before and even after it’s release. While you could already play fake drums, strum a plastic guitar, slap a petroleum-based bass, or sing to your heart's content, the third entry in the main series added the addition of a keyboard, and “pro” versions of each instrument that could help you learn to play songs in real life. With the best on-disc soundtrack in the series, and a slew of thousands of additional DLC songs, Rock Band 3 was this series at it’s peak and still helps up your party game any time you bust it out.
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2011) Treyarch
When Call of Duty was reaching its apex, Modern Warfare 2 was the biggest entertainment launch of all time. The follow-up from the Treyarch studio was Call of Duty: Black Ops, a Cold War themed shooter that demanded to be heard. A gorgeously crafted story came to life with performances from Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, James C. Burns, and of course, Ice Cube. Bombastic set pieces felt warranted and balanced wonderfully with engaging and gripping story beats. The campaign story was unlike anything we had ever seen in the franchise and to this day, has yet to be out done. Multiplayer was addictive, with multiple game modes, maps, and class set-ups. You never played the same match twice and with a few simple tweaks you could change up your play style. We saw a vast engagement post launch from the studio with four total map packs each one delivering fresh new ways to play. The cult classic in the making is what helps to place this game on our list. Zombies, a wave-based mode where you are tasked with surviving hordes of the undead, helped to keep the multiplayer grind from becoming stale. Simply traverse the map unlocking more useful perks, upgrading your weapons, and ultimately improving your chances of survival. Or take a stab at the elusive “Easter Egg” on nearly every map you could uncover a secret story by completing unwritten tasks and finding hidden clues. The community that gathered around this mode and propelled it to become a staple in the series are nearly the entire reason you see Call of Duty: Black Ops on this list.
4. Red Dead Redemption (2010) Rockstar San Diego
The wild west saw its fair share of stories come across the silver screen, but there are strangely few examples of a cowboy’s tale told in the video game medium. Rockstar games made more than just a video game when they tackled the west, they crafted a period piece. A world full of charm and intrigue. Filled with a never-ending romp through the desert. You were able to breath in the world that was so lovingly crafted to include deep mountain valleys, marshland you could nearly smell, and even a game changing trek across the border into Mexico that holds one of the most moving uses of music in a video game. Whether you were talking to a looney grave robber, or hunting the last of the buffalo, everything you do feels cohesive. You have a narrative to follow, yet you never feel tied to completing anything. Red Dead Redemption was Rockstar at it’s peak. When they were able to step back in time and tell a story through history, it fared more enjoyable over the usual poke-fun they have with the Grand Theft Auto series relying on its contemporary setting. The jokes are humorous and have the ability to age well, as they don’t depend wholly on pop culture and parody-themed humor. John Marston is one of gaming’s most interesting characters. The writing behind him and the emotional ties you feel to his story ring on well after the credits.
3. Portal 2 (2011) Valve
Potato.
Robot.
Robot Potato.
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) Bethesda Game Studios
Imagine being placed into the middle of a civil war. Now take a moment and picture that same civil war being rudely interrupted by dragons. Honestly, the nerve. But that’s just it. Skyrim had the nerve to throw you into a story brimming with honesty, depth, and fantastical beasts. From the moment you step foot into the world it quickly becomes clear how vast your experience will be. It became a running joke that what you could see, you could travel to. From Riften to High Hrothgar, the differences in environment lend well to the idea of a lived in, breathing world. Skyrim takes you from the lowest swamps to highest mountain introducing you to powerful gods, sympathetic thieves, and beautifully designed dragons. The lore and storytelling on display are second to none. There is a reason Skyrim has come to so many platforms, it’s one of the games that anybody could try and easily enjoy. You can delve as deep as imaginable, or barely scratch the surface and still come out with a complete sense of completion. Skyrim is a prime example of how a simple fantasy can come across as realistic as a trip to your local Target. Being parodied to death, its influence is felt across the industry. Whether in simple mechanics or in attention to detail, Skyrim paved the way for this decade in more ways than one.
1. Minecraft (2011) Mojang
The ultimate sandbox, Minecraft took the world by storm, hitting full release in the summer of 2011. A long-tailed adventure we have yet to see the end of, Minecraft, a game about survival, building, and cooperation, was primed to succeed among the younger generation. It’s simplicity lent to an older crowd at the same time and helped more than any game before to connect families, friends, and strangers alike. Mojang’s masterpiece quickly rose the ranks, becoming the highest selling game of the decade. Minecraft is everywhere, starting on the PC and moving to a release on Xbox 360, Mobile Devices, and most recently the Nintendo Switch, it has merchandise and toys in every department store, and is hands down the entire reason YouTube Gaming exists as a sub-brand. Minecraft has evolved over the course of it’s 10+ year venture and shows no sign of slowing down. We have seen the addition of creative mode, allowing gamers to build to their hearts content with no barrier to entry. Hardcore mode works wonderfully in conjunction with the overlying objection of taking down the Ender Dragon, to give people a sense of direction in an otherwise endless landscape. Minecraft really is the definition of choose your own adventure. Whether you’ve played on peaceful, survived the night on normal difficulty, or built sandcastles in the sand, this clever title cemented itself as one of the greatest video games of all time.
So those were our favorite picks from the last 10 years in gaming. What are your favorites? What are your most disappointed you didn't see here? Let us know over on Twitter @HitNRunGaming We would love to hear from you!
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