Halfway through a decade, what was the best games so far

I was thinking about doing a piece for Gintendo but a question asking what you think was or is the best game so far of this decade. Is more of a discussion piece hence why here.

In the last 5 years we've seen the 3DS, VITA, Wii U, PS4 and Xbox One launch along with Xbox Live shutting on the original Xbox, PlayStation Move be a thing along with Kinect 1 & 2 and stuff like Ouya.

But the main thing all these have in common is games, I could run a vote or something but that would just take to long. So I've put a poll up which includes the best 3 critically received games of each year.

One thing I want to say before picking on the poll if the Space Ark from TRP was real which game would best been shown as an achievement of this decade.

Also discus is there something missing.

Do we have to pick something from the poll list? As surely it would be more fair being able to pick our own/anything within the last 5 years.

Hence why I said discus as there could be some great games missing but thought a little poll of the so called Top 3 games of each now would jog peoples memories of games.

Even with that poll its hard but I went for ME2 as Mass Effect Trilogy wasn't really a option and that's the best of the three.

It's Tomena Sanner.

Mods, /thread.

Very tempted to lock it as a gag, but decided against.

My vote went to Super Mario Galaxy 2, narrowly beating Batman: Arkham City in my mind. The thrill of being Batman is amazing, especially the options given to the player. Arkham City: Armoured Edition (for that is the one I played) is totally magnificent. But SMG2 takes the boundless energy of the outstanding original and adds Yoshi alongside a whole new suite of genius ideas that EAD use once (or twice) to then throw away. A peerless game from a peerless development team.

Good choice, I want to see if the Nintendoness of the site goes SMG2 or will it be The Last of Us as that to me is the hot fav due to it being touted as one of the best games of all time by many.

Top thread idea, not so sure about the poll.  I think Xenoblade would pip SSBU to it, if it were up there.  Also, I thought that DS1 was largely considered as being better than DS2, but it misses out.

The period might not have been the pinnacle of games, but I still think there are too many choices to limit it to a multiple choice poll.

EDIT: Sod off Forumotion.

balla wrote:

Also, I thought that DS1 was largely considered as being better than DS2, but it misses out.

It very much is by all the fans & I was surprised to see it rated lower than DSII on metacritic as well, oh is there no way to add an "other option to the poll?

So if it counts my pick would easily be Dark Souls for reasons that all of you already know.

I can only fit 15 hence Top 3 from each year. I know the poll isn't the best of ideas but thought would get people talking.

Am surprised you don't think SMG2 balla, I soon will find out how good xenoblade actually is.

SMG2 is hamstrung by not being SM64-2 more than anything.  I prefer the exploration-themed "worlds" of SM64 to the SMG games' linear systems of planets, however spectacular they may be.

Don't get me wrong, though, SMG2 is still a blinder of a game.  It'd be in the top ten, but it's behind Ghost Trick as well, and possibly ALBW, MK8...

One of my favourite topics on the NGamer Forums ( ) was the top ten games of the 2000s. No poll and no votes, just folk typing their top ten lists and game-by-game eloquently and lovingly telling everyone why they felt they were so great. I really liked that thread.

Hint hint...

That's perfectly fine Cappa,

Like I said any idea would be great.

I've barely played anything, only 3 from the poll for example.

Voted for Last of Us as would possibly say that was the best game I've played. Games I have played from the last 5 years in the form of a top 5:

1. The Last of Us
2. GTA V
3. Portal 2
4. Super Meat Boy
5. Super Mario 3D Land

Mario Kart 7, Dead Island , Smash Bros 3DS, Halo Reach and Heart Gold (if remakes count) were also contenders.

My top 5 are:
1. Animal Crossing New Leaf
2. Skyrim
3. Minecraft
4. Dark Souls II
5. Link Between Worlds

I'd agree with Jimbob on having New Leaf at #1. I'd need to think about a personal top ten, but with the exception of Sonic Generations it would very likely be an all-Nintendo list.

New Leaf seems such a odd Number 1.

Anyway as were now doing a Top 5 here are Top 5 mine is this

1. Mass Effect Trilogy, It's kinda cheating as 1 came out in the 2000's but to me I see this as one collection like the original star wars trilogy. It's just not the best of the decade but the best of all-time in my eyes and other games could learn a lot from it.

2. Journey, Just a fantastic experience and if we did have to save a game for the space ark this would have to be in there to show poeple that games can be art & not just killing things but emotional as well.

3. Red Dead Redemption, Still rockstars best story in a game. If any game should get a sequel it should be this

4. The Wolf Among Us: Season One, I've only played recently and it was a toss up between TWD and this as there all fantastic pieces of story telling but TWAU I've found to have the best story so far.

5. BioShock Infinite, The 5th pick was hard but I still think this was the best game of 2013. The gameplay might of been a bit muh but the story and atmosphere are fantastic that well worth a spot.

This is what didn't make the cut
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Catherine
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Halo: Reach
Heavy Rain
Binary Domain
The Last Story
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Dishonored
The Walking Dead: Season One / Two
DmC: Devil May Cry
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Fire Emblem Awakening
Tomb Raider
Thomas Was Alone
The Last of Us
Deadly Premonition
Rayman Legends
Transistor
Child of Light
Bayonetta 2

@Dead not sure about remakes as someone could say OoT3D, Wind Waker HD, Resident Evil HD, Okami HD, Jet Set Radio HD for instance for the best games so far this decade which makes it seem like it has been the decade of remakes/ports/remasters.

I'm going to be that really obnoxious hipster and say absolutely nothing from the list would be in even my top five, much less number one of the last five years.  I suppose if I really pushed it Galaxy 2 would scrape in, solely because the first far better Galaxy game doesn't qualify though.  

And then I'm going to continue to be a obnoxious hipster and say that the top three games from the decade are Xenoblade (okay, maybe that one isn't a hipster pick, and thinking about it it's too flawed anyway), Okami HD (the best Zelda in the last ten years, don't care if it's a port), and, hmm, honestly I'm stumped to name a third.  I like a great many of the games I play, but I frankly wouldn't say games I consider worthy of genuine praise of the magnitude such as "best of the decade" come around very often.  Highly polished games that every gamer should play?  Yes.  Games heads and shoulders above the rest of the medium?  Nah.  


If only this had been asked in a years time though, then the answer would be Xenoblade X no question, that game is going to be game of the turn of the century!

You know another game that would be up there for me? You's might be surprised about this one but................




MONSTER HUNTER 4 ULTIMATE!

I'd better try and give my top five...

5. Super Mario Galaxy 2
Just beats out MK8. The second-best Mario game after SM64, cutting the fluff from its predecessor (fluffy flower excepted, natch) and delivering bouncy brilliant levels, this time with Yoshi.

4. The Legend of Zelda: a Link Between Worlds
A masterclass on how to use the 3D, add a new game mechanic to a Zelda, and revamp a classic game all in one.

3. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
One of the best stories I've come across in a videogame. Takumi on top form, and unlike in the Ace Attorney games, some actual gameplay too.

2. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
The best fighter there is, in my opinion. Better fighting than Brawl, better roster than Mêlée, better almost everything that the 3DS version.

1. Xenoblade Chronicles
Juuuuuust beats out SSBU for the top spot. The scale! The fights! The music! The story (in places)! One of the shining stars of its genre, its console, its decade. If X beats this, I'll be a very happy man.

Reason I didn't even consider MK8 or Smash U or Askham City as to me there's better games of the series. And feels silly to say this is the beat game of the decade but there was a better one last decade.

On what could be, if it comes out Last Guardian could be it.

But you did include Infinite?

I'm having a think about mine at the mo. Will hopefully have it straight by tomorrow.

I see Bioshock Infinite kinda as it's own thing just using the Bioshock name to help sale it.

I'd probably go with Mass Effect Trilogy, if it were an option, or Dark Souls. These are the games which have had the most influence and drummed up the most conversation, representing the epitome of the two main directions videogames might go in as a storytelling medium. They're also in my personal favourite games of all time.

My Top 5 list, reeking of hyperbole.

1) Red Dead Redemption - Easily the best open-world game I've played. I didn't expect going into this to have so many great gaming memories created: galloping into Mexico for the first time with that haunting Jose Gonzalez song playing, the emotionally charged ending, the surprisingly solemn story, and all of these moments co-existing with plain ol' Rockstar silliness like tying up a poor women and leaving her on the train tracks for a dastardly achievement, being mauled by a bear whilst you collect some herbs, stupidly fun shootouts on top of trains, a Western Trojan Horse turret section... it's a superb experience.

2) Dark Souls - One of the most deeply frustrating but deeply rewarding games out there, with the best world design in any game I've played. Not even Zelda has managed to mirror the same level of wonder and trepidation as you explore the world of Lordran, slowly but surely improving your skills in combat as you fell colossal beasts. I prefer this over its sequel because I feel the original nailed the world design and difficulty in a way the second game lacked.

3) The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - It's still fresh in my memory, but I feel confident enough to put this in the number three spot. Just as Dark Souls nailed the world design, so too did ALBW nail its dungeon design. Each dungeon is a treat to play through - yes, even the oft-hated water dungeon - and that's a credit to its design. The puzzles and combat are never too challenging to frustrate, but not too easy that you still finish them feeling accomplished. Add in a surprisingly charming story despite its simplicity, and you end up with the best 2D Zelda game.

4) To The Moon - I'm unashamed to say that To the Moon made me cry. I'm unashamed to say that because To the Moon is one of the finest stories in videogaming. There's not much I can say about this as I'll be delving into spoilery territory, but I hope the following blurb ripped shamelessly from a site convinces you to play:

"To The Moon is an Indie RPG/Adventure about two doctors traversing through the memories of a dying man to fulfill his last wish.There exists a technology that allows doctors to weave artificial memories, such that a patient can request attempts to alter their mind, and wake up with memories of things that didn't actually happen.However, since these new memories are permanent, the conflict between them and the existing authentic memories clash in such a way that it ceases the person's ability to properly function.Thus, the operation is only done to people on their deathbeds, to fulfill what they wish they had done with their lives. . . but didn't."

What follows is an emotional rollercoaster of a man's life - a deep storytelling experience concerning itself with fate, mortality, mental health, and in the end, love. Honestly, it's about a fiver on PC and a potato could run it. Play this.

5) X-COM: Enemy Unknown - XCOM is brutal. XCOM does not care if your beloved soldiers die. XCOM will send hulking alien eldritch terrors en masse at you, and you'll like it. Enemy Unknown is a fantastic turn-based strategy title, much in the vein of a Fire Emblem with fewer RPG elements. The juggling act of choosing what to research, choosing what to buy, choosing which country needs the XCOM units' help, all as the aliens get stronger and stronger... it's a supremely satisfying tactical experience, and watching your unit swell from terrified to rookies to a team of utter badasses is so rewarding.

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Fallout New Vegas
3. Xenoblade Chronicles
4. Rayman Legends
5. Pikmin 3

I need to pick up a 360 or PS3 to work through a ton of games. Gave up on Xbox after my third 360 died in 2011.