Your Top 10 Games of the 7th Console Generation (360/Wii/PS3)

[Wolf Kanno]

With the new Generation of consoles now on the horizon, I feel its time to look back and see what the last generation brought to gaming and let each EoFFer rank their top ten favorite games of this last console generation. To keep this simple, you are restricted to console titles only since PC gaming isn't restricted to generational console limitations. No handhelds either, for the sake of keeping this simple. Just stick to the Big 3 for now.

[NeoCracker]

...No Hand Helds?

[Del Murder]

1. Mass Effect 2
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Assassin's Creed 2
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Uncharted 2
6. Batman: Arkham Asylum
7. Super Mario Galaxy 2
8. Mass Effect 3
9. Batman: Arkham City
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[Bolivar]

Really tough to do, I can imagine this list changing on any given day and the ordering is slightly arbitrary. Plus, knowing the swan songs that have come out at the end of the last two generations, who's to say that the Last of Us won't impress or a really great RPG might drop after the next gen is underway?


10. Assassin's Creed II - This is the only game I'm doubtful to put on this list, because aside from the trippy parts, it never WOWed me like the other games. But if someone wanted to know what this generation was all about, I'd give them Assassin's Creed II.


09. God of War III - A painting in motion, this game showcases its art alongside gameplay that brought the title more in line with the hardcore hack-and-slashers. It also achieves that perfect cross-section of accessibility and depth in its gameplay, puzzles, and story that the series is famed for.


08. Modern Warfare 2 - the only reason this is here instead of CoD4 is variety (also the campaign). With the prestige system and the variety of maps and equipment, you can play this game a very long time before you begin to truly understand the nuances of is customization. It seems like a run and gun n00bfest until you realize it's the complete opposite. The hype and novelty of it all made it a very special movement to be a part of at the time.


07. Heavy Rain - the fight scenes were more intense than any action game and the choices were more pervasive than any RPG. In a generation of imitation and mediocrity, a billion-dollar risk like Heavy Rain has to be on a top 10 list.


06. Demon's Souls - this game came out of nowhere bringing back vintage Japanese game design I didn't think was possible in the HD generation.


05. Killzone 2 - I play the campaign with the HUD off and it looks like a movie. The player weight and gunhandling afford a learning curve and pure finesse that's missing in the rest of the genre. This was also the best class-based multiplayer I played since Team Fortress classic, and the best map design since Counter-Strike. Killzone 2 is essentially a Pixar production, based on my two favorite Valve games, directed by Stanley Kubrick.



04. Gran Turismo 5 - it wasn't just the broadest car list and GT career mode in the series; it was a mosaic in tribute to motorsport. Just look at the partners: Jeff Gordon had a NASCAR school, BMW had a driving academy about German engineering and the infamous Nurburgring, the (real) Top Gear had us racing Volkswagon buses from the 1970s on an airfield and all kinds of crazy stuff. Then there was the rally racing, the cross-European road trip, it's utterly insane. GT5 is a monument.


03. Uncharted 2 - I was skeptical that this game could be great, it was just an action game, but variety was key to the game's success and the gameplay was impossibly smooth. The multiplayer was even able to keep an mp snob like me around for a while.



02. Valkyria Chronicles - A beautiful SRPG that tried to innovate the subgenre. I'm incapable of keeping any game like that off this list.


01. Metal Gear Solid 4 - I replay MGS titles going for 0 Kills and 0 Alerts, and the rest of the series just can't compare to the intensity of MGS4. The game also explored a big hot topic when I was studying political science - the rise of Non-Governmental Actors. The game was filled to the brim with themes and messages Kojima was trying to convey to the player, about the 10-20 year journey we all had been on with Solid Snake. MGO was also way ahead of its time with its community features, and the core gameplay was very fun as well.

[Pete for President]

This was pretty hard but not in the usual way. 10 is pretty close to half the games I bought this generation, and definitely not all of them are favourites. Here goes, from 10 to 1;

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10. Ni No Kuni. This might end up higher on the list, but I haven't finished it yet so it has the most uncertain position on the list. Still, the game has made me smile quite a lot and the creatures and environments' design are inspiring.

9. Where Is My Heart? A cool indie puzzle platformer that totally messes up the way we usually play games. It's big fun and only costs 5 euro's. The music is great too.

8: Little Big Planet. On the couch multiplayer hilariousness. Also very well designed and inspiring.

7: Valkyria Chronicles. Awesome combat system and a very tense game. It's not that high on the list because after a couple playthroughs I noticed some flaws in balance and I would definitely make it less forgiving if it was up to me.

6: MGS4 was incredible when it first came out and I was totally blown away. Unfortunately like Valkyria Chronicles I developed some gripes after multiple playthroughs that keep it from being higher on the list. I'd cut out half the cutscenes if I could. Some of those drag on like crazy. Yes you can skip them, but no that doesn't make the game immersive. Edit: I also feel like every good guy should have died with the exception of Otacon.

5: ModNation Racers. Glorious kart racer that did a ton of things right. I still play this game regularly when hanging on the couch with friends. The racing is balanced, requires skill and it's most definitely hilarious and tense. All plusses!

4: HAWX. HAWX?! Yes. I know it's a mediocre game overall, but dogfighting in the versus mode was one of the most thrilling multiplayer experiences I have had. It was so simple, yet so satisfying. 1 game mode; 4 vs 4 team deathmatch. Put it on hardcore mode and it filters out most of the odds, and skill is all that remains. It was quite common for me and a rival to just duke it out in a 1 on 1, ignoring the other team members completely. Pride was on the line, not the match itself. We were like... KNIGHTS! In the air. Flying jets and shooting missiles YEAH!

3: Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Creative problem solving, interesting themes, morally debatable character motives and a touch of philosophy. I thought the endings were perfect. DE:HR is gold like it's cover.

2: Journey tells a strong story without the use of words. It's a clever game, evokes all kinds of surprising emotions and has such different vision and values compared to the majority of games of today. Plus it is sincerely the best snowboarding game ever made, even if it's not intentional.

1: Dark Souls. I could talk days about this game. About the feeling of solitude when meditating at a bonfire, pride when you battle a dragon to the death, it's characters and their doomed existence or it's knightly co-op and murderish PvP. It's not only my favourite game of the 7th generation, but my favorite game of all time. Over the past 9 months I played this game to the brink of addiction. Luckily Ni No Kuni handed me a break, but like the Dark Lord I will one day return to Lordran muahahaha!

[Depression Moon]

1. LittleBigPlanet - No other game has made neglect the things I needed to do and stay up well past 4 in the morning to make sure my level met my standards and was glitch free. I still won't get LBP2 because I fear that it will cause me to flunk out of school.


2. Uncharted 2 Among Thieves- My first game in the series and it left such a stupendous impression on me. The gameplay, voice acting, and writing were da bomb!


3. Batman Arkham City- Story-wise I think Asylum was better, but the game improved on Asylum on just every other level. Combat was improved, stealth was improved, got actual sidequests, Riddler trophies actually involved using your brain rather than just your eyes, and lots more challenge rooms.

4. Batman Arkham Asylum - The game that showed that there can be an excellent licensed game. You felt like you were in a batman flick playing this game. It was so beautiful.

5. Super Mario Galaxy- Best mario game in the series if you ask me.

6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl- I don't care what anyone says I love this game. I've spent a lot of time getting a lot of those trophies and not to mention it's just plain fun.

7. Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception - Not sure if it's as good as 2, because I was dissappointed by the game's ending. I didn't feel as nearly as completed as I did when I beat Among Thieves. Multiplayer is still excellent.

8. Portal - A neat pussle game, but short.

9. Skullgirls - My dude Mike Helped build a very fun and balanced cast of likeable characters. There aren't many fg characters that sit with me like my girl Cock does.

10. Dead Nation - Playing this the the fam it was a very fun and arduous experience. Had some old school level type of difficulty which I loved.

[Old Manus]

[MW2] seems like a run and gun n00bfest until you realize it's the complete opposite.

Tell me more.

[Bolivar]

[MW2] seems like a run and gun n00bfest until you realize it's the complete opposite.

Tell me more.

I played the game for a very long time, but I didn't start attaining the higher killstreaks until I began approaching it as a marksman. Taking caution, anticipating approaches, and making careful, disciplined shots were the true keys to success. Underneath the bells and whistles, the relentless rewards and nonstop explosions, MW2 was a sharpshooter's game.

[ShinGundam]

Easy.
1- SRW OG 2nd
2- SRW OG 2nd
3- SRW OG 2nd
4- SRW OG 2nd
5- SRW OG 2nd
6- SRW OG 2nd
7- Metal gear Rising
8- SRW OG 2nd
9- SRW OG 2nd
10-SRW OG 2nd

[Slothy]

I'm going to limit myself to one entry in any given series so I'm not forced to snub some deserving games. In no particular order:

Metal Gear Rising
Uncharted 2
Assassin's Creed 2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Portal
TF2 (I'd never play it on a console, but I'll use this loophole in the rules to get it on here )
Vanquish
Dark Souls
Valkyria Chronicles
The Walking Dead

I was considering including Heavy Rain because I love it, but then I remembered the Walking Dead counts and did everything it did but better.

[Loony BoB]

Really tricky to do this while at work, I'm going completely from memory rather than my game collection...

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Easily my first choice.
2. Journey - Easily my second choice.

And then it gets tricky...

3. Far Cry 3
4. Portal 2
5-6. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
7. Mass Effect
8. Left 4 Dead / Left 4 Dead 2 These two games are so insanely similar I'm going to count them as one.
9. Final Fantasy XIII-2 - If only the ending were better.
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Honourable Mentions: Halo 3, FFXIII, inFamous, Flower, Lost Odyssey, Resistance: Fall of Man, Wipeout 2093, Batman: Arkham City, Far Cry 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Tomb Raider not mentioned as I've not yet completed enough of it to make a decision.

[Xannidel]

10 Bioshock
9 Uncharted 2
8 Batman Arkham Asylum
7 Resistance 3
6 Fallout New Vegas
5 Silent Hill Downpour
4 Final Fantasy XIII-2
3 Infamous
2 Ni no Kuni
1 Heavy Rain

[leader of mortals]

Well, I don't have too many games from this generation, so this list is probably gonna have some crap on it. I'm also going to base this list off of how I felt about the games the first time I played them, because some of these games have definitely lost their touch for me.

10. Brutal Legend: This game was just pure fun. I never played a whole lot of it, but, from what I played, I really enjoyed. The heavy metal theme of the game was played out perfectly. The game did get a bit boring to me, because there wasn't quite enough variety. Maybe I just didn't get enough into the game, I don't know. I'll have to revisit it some time.

9. Crackdown: This game was a big reason that I wanted an Xbox 360 to begin with. I saw the review for this game on Xplay(Damn, that's a long time ago), and it looked so amazing that I NEEDED to play it. After playing it, it did live up to the hype for me, and it was a fun game, but not a game that I would revisit.

8. Mario Kart Wii: Having not played any of the other Mario Kart games, I have no basis of comparison, but this game was a lot of fun for me, and it was always a lot of fun for me and my brother to face eachother in the game. Truthfully, it probably wasn't as much the game that I enjoyed, but the fact that I was playing with my brother. Good memories, nonetheless.

7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl: I played Melee for the Gamecube every once in a while, and I always enjoyed it, so, when I got a wii, you better believe that I wanted to get brawl. I had tons of fun with this game, but I haven't touched it in a long time. Still, at the time, it was great fun.

6. Infinite Undiscovery: This is not a better game than the previous games that I've stated, but I did enjoy it a lot more. This game is a lot of missed potential, and it's a shame, but it's made by the same team(Tri-ace and Square-Enix) that made Radiata Stories, which is still probably one of my top 3 favorite RPGs of all time, and it carries on a lot of the charm and fun of that game. There are way too many characters in the game, and most of them are entirely overshadowed, but, if you speak to them in the towns throughout the game, each character DOES have character. When I first played this game, I became very enveloped in the story, and I laughed and cried and I was left in suspense for a good chunk of the story. It was a good game, and very underrated, even with its many flaws.

5. Infamous: I've yet to fully beat this game, but it is a great game. I have a ton of fun playing this game, and, honestly, I don't know what else to say about it. It's a pretty generic game, to me, and it doesn't stand out all that much, but it's still a whole lot of fun. I spent a lot of time in the game just exploring, because the city is pretty well set-up.

4. Resident Evil 4: I tried to play this game on the PS2 back a little after it came out, and, for some reason, I could not get used to the aiming and shooting. It seemed to me that it was an overly difficult and annoying to play game, and I did not see the appeal. When I saw it was for the Wii, however, I decided to give it another try, because I figured that having the Wii-mote to aim would be a whole lot better, and it sure was. The game was still fairly difficult, but it was playable to me, and I had so much fun playing the game. Sure, the game didn't have the scares that made me run away from the television screen when I was 5 or 6 years old playing RE1, but it was still thrilling, and I'd be pretty tense while playing it. The extra difficulty mode is always nice, as well.

3. Dragon Age: Origins: Another game that I haven't beaten yet, but not because of loss of interest, it was always from something getting in the way(Dammit, life!). This game is a great RPG. Honestly, that sentence could sum up a review for this game. Think of what a great RPG is and it is this game. Great story, great and epic battles, great character development, great settings, great atmosphere, all present in this game. It's an amazing game and it has multiple openings, and multiple openings or endings are always a draw for me.

2. Red Dead Redemption: This game was absolutely amazing. The ending was a huge shock to me, the battles were epic, the freedom was sublime. This game took everything good about Grand Theft Auto and put it into a western setting, and did it perfectly. I honestly can not say anything more about this game than it is perfect in nearly every way.

1. Fallout 3: Although I would admit RDR is a better game than Fallout 3, the fact is that I had more fun playing Fallout 3. I didn't so much like the ending(Really, who did?), but the game as a whole, the freedom that you're given, like in any bethesda game, to do whatever you want before the main story, the dark and amazing atmosphere, left me in pure wonderment. This game has it's flaws, and I'd admit that RDR is a better game in nearly every respect, but Fallout 3 just has something about it that makes it so much more enjoyable to me.

[Laddy]

I did a Top 6. EVerything after this is more or less irrelevant.

6. Heavy Rain: In retrospect, a very flawed game. But I enjoyed it and few games come along that attempt to innovate the industry such as this.

5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: This game is flawed in some respects, yes, but its engaging story, loads of style, and delightfully nonlinear way for players to find solutions to problems made it one of the more notable titles of the generation.

4. Skullgirls: This indie fighter was fun, exciting, and all-together a breath of fresh-air. With a presentation that was knowingly and delightfully exploitative, original and inventive characters, and deep and engaging play style, Skullgirls emerged as a favorite to many fighting game enthusiasts.

3. Team Fortress 2: More RTS than FPS, imo. Team Fortress 2 is a silly, over-the-top game with a deep strategic element and loads of playstyles to adapt to. If more FPS'es moved towards this direction, I'd enjoy the genre immensely more.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles: Really the most logical next step for JRPG's, I amazed it took so long for the genre to reach this level. With a great storyline and likable characters reminiscent of sci-fi novels, an amazingly fresh, fast, and strategic battle system, and a wide and original world to explore, Xenoblade is a landmark for the genre.

1. Fallout New Vegas: Fallout 3 was a major letdown, as I felt it betrayed what made Fallout what it was, turning a largely political series into a morally black-and-white Hollywood explosion-fest. New Vegas largely fixed those problems, and was one of the most though-provoking, well-written, and all-together enjoyable experiences in years.

This generation was, for the most part, awful when you're not a very action-oriented gamer such as myself. Making me not include handhelds or PC on this list was downright cruel. Yes, I am a gaming curmudgeon, but I was thoroughly angry that games felt the need to become so overwhelmingly cinematic and action-based, largely throwing out the innovations previous years have made in the industry in the hopes of making an interactive Hollywood.

[Slothy]

6. Heavy Rain: In retrospect, a very flawed game. But I enjoyed it and few games come along that attempt to innovate the industry such as this.

I would highly recommend playing The Walking Dead since you enjoyed Heavy Rain.