The gaming industry has changed so much in the past decade. New technologies, higher graphical fidelity, and more interactive worlds have allowed gamers to immerse themselves in worlds they have never before seen.
The next decade will be even bigger for gaming. The rise of esports, the increase of game-related movies, and the maturation of emerging technologies such as VR and game streaming are just some of the things that will take gaming to new heights.
Let’s take a look at some of the best of the past, though. In no particular order, here are 10 of the greatest console games of the past decade.
Red Dead Redemption II- (2018)
Rockstar Games released their long-anticipated sequel to their western-thriller in 2018. This game was well-liked by us and even provoked us to write a fan theory for a potential third entry in the series.
Fortnite- (2017)
Any top gaming list that can include this game probably should. It has merged consoles with cross play, created live experiences inside a game world, launched a new esport, and brought worldwide fame to the new face of gaming. This game also features incredible gameplay, a variety of customization features, and constant updates, solidifying it as one of the greatest games of all time.
Destiny- (2014)
This game was the first major project for developer Bungie after the incredible success of their Halo franchise. It was a truly next-generation shooter for the time and featured expansive worlds, tons of loot, and raid boss campaigns that forged new friendships for many players.
Marvel’s Spider-Man- (2018)
Insomniac Games partnered with Sony Interactive Entertainment and Marvel Games to create the greatest Spider-Man game of all-time. This game’s picture-perfect rendition of New York paired with the near perfect traversal system made for an amazing game already. Add on to it an original story that pleased fans and you have the recipe for one of the greatest games of the decade.
Borderlands 2- (2012)
The original looter-shooter got bigger and better with its second installment. This game featured an insane amount of loot, one of the best villains in all of video games, countless comical moments, and gameplay that kept fans hooked for hours on end.
God of War – (2018)
Santa Monica Studios revamped the God of War series with the critically-acclaimed eighth entry, which ended up winning Game of the Year in 2018. The GoW series follows Kratos, a vengeful Spartan that stops at nothing to get even with the Greek gods. In this game, the Greek mythology is replaced with Norse, Kratos has finally learned the errors in his ways, and now he is the proud father of a son. The combat is fun and easy to learn, but it takes a certain amount of skill to master it. Combine that with the best story in the series and you’ve got one of the greatest hits of the 2010s.
Grand Theft Auto V – (2013)
That’s all because of the enduring impact that the series has on pop culture. Released in 2013, Grand Theft Auto V transported players to the expansive cityscape of Los Santos. The game is filled with wacky characters, a variety of vehicles, weapons, heists, and other kinds of criminal pastimes. To this day, the game still receives free content updates for the multiplayer mode.
The Last of Us – (2013)
Beautiful, horrifying, and all around memorable. The Last of Us is considered to be one of the greatest games to ever release on the PS3 and PS4. The player follows the journey of Joel and Ellie across a zombie-infested America. The game mixes third-person shooter elements with slow-paced survival-horror elements to create an experience that is both cinematic and heavily interactive.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – (2018)
The Assassin’s Creed series has definitely gone through some highs and lows. The recent entry into the series, AC Odyssey, is fortunately one of the highs. The game basically takes all of the elements from AC Black Flag and improves upon it. The naval gameplay is robust, character and ship customization is expansive, and the role-playing features allow the player to carve out their own story. It’s a game that anyone can sink many hours into.
Overwatch – (2015)
Blizzard Entertainment is synonymous in regard to the MMORPG genre, so when they decided to expand into the first-person shooter genre, it was interesting to see what they would bring to the table. Overwatch is a multiplayer game where players can select from a wide roster of unique characters to engage in various game modes, such as Deathmatch and Capture The Flag. The game harkens back to the early days of arena-style shooters, such as Quake and Unreal Tournament, but there’s a heavy emphasis on teamwork, akin to games like Dota 2.
The 2010s saw the release of many incredible games. Honestly, it’s difficult for a list such as this to truly capture all of the greatness that the video game industry has experienced this past decade. There were many games that didn’t make the list, such Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Fallout: New Vegas.
What are some of your favorite games of the past decade?
