There are many games that while they don't have those moments that just blow you away, are solid experiences from beginning to end. I want to go over 10 games (or franchises) that did not make my list but are still remarkable. I'll be doing this list in alphabetical order though.
Dead Space Series
So far, the Dead Space games have been a remarkable example of action-horror for this generation. The first Dead Space set the groundwork for a great potential franchise, and Dead Space: Extraction on the WII and PS3 gave us a competent and fun rail-shooter that acted as a bit of a prologue to the original title.
Dead Space 2 further expanded upon its predecessors, giving Isaac a voice which made him more engaging, giving minor but important tweaks to the gameplay and design, and giving us the same great atmosphere of the first game. Admittedly, Dead Space 2 would have probably made my Top 15 list had I gotten to the particular point in the game before I made the list.
At the moment, the series is on the right track and I cannot wait to see what later titles bring to the table and how it will continue to expand on this great new franchise.
Demon's Souls
Known for its brutal but fair difficulty, Demon's Souls is easily one of the best games on the PS3. A hack-n-slash RPG that refused to hold your hand and give you mercy, but at the same time encouraged you to keep on going, this game is walked away from the norms.
It had a deep customization and character building system all funded with souls. Souls for buying new equipment, upgrades and leveling up your character. Enemies that gave you a hard time at the beginning of the game will be cannon fodder near the end. It's a game that encourages you to get your ass kicked in order to learn by experience and increase your power. Done poorly, it could have been an unfair, annoying mess, but it was done so well.
If you die, it's your own fault. You can't just run in and start hacking away, but there's nothing more rewarding than getting to the end of each stage and conquering its lead demon (boss). The satisfying feeling that gives off is the reason why Demon's Souls is one of my favorite games of this gen and earns its spot on this list.
Dragon Age: Origins
Ah BioWare, when have you ever done me wrong? Well Dragon Age: Origins was meant to be a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series which put BioWare on the map back in 1998. While it wasn't quite as groundbreaking as Baldur's Gate (although not many games are) and the console versions were glitchy as hell, I still loved it.
It had its problems with its tactical and sluggish gameplay, but like every BioWare game it had incredible writing, great characters and an emotionally powerful storyline and remarkable voice acting. The fantasy setting was well-developed and immersive (not to the extent of Mass Effect but still great), and it was an all around enjoyable experience.
With Dragon Age II coming out in less than two weeks, I replayed Origins recently and still love it. If you want a great fantasy RPG with an excellent storyline and complex characterization from this generation, this is the game to pick up.
Fallout 3
I've described Fallout 3 this way before, and I'll do it again. Washington D.C. is...your...BITCH! If my Top 15 list of been of the best game this generation, this game would have been #2 just behind Mass Effect 2. For some reason, I was not a big fan of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Don't get me wrong, it's well done, but I just couldn't get into it. Fallout 3 on the other hand, I fell in love with.
There is so much to explore and the feeling of absolute freedom that the game gives you as soon as you walk out of Vault 101 is nearly unmatched by any other game imaginable. Want to go explore the Washington Monument and kill all the Super Mutants? Go ahead. Capitol building? It's all yours. Hoping to find a certain item or weapon in the Smithsonian? If you can fight your way through, go for it.
On top of that Fallout 3 tells a good story that will keep you progressing and the DLC Broken Steel allows you to play past the ending and gives much more closure. While many of the fans of the original hate Fallout 3, for me it's a remarkable achievement. Bravo Bethesda, Bravo.
Left 4 Dead Series
Valve is awesome. Next to BioWare they currently my favorite company that doesn't make consoles. Half-Life, Counterstrike, Team Fortress, and this gen they added two other franchises. I'll talk about one later on, but let's talk about Left 4 Dead for the moment.
FPS multiplayer, as popular as it, a lot of times devolves into total fragfests with no thought or coordination between teammates at all. The Left 4 Dead have made that their objective, creating a game where teamwork is not only fun but also practically mandatory. Going into Left 4 Dead with other players with an "Every Man For Himself" attitude is the quickest way to get yourself and everyone else killed.
There's no real story to the game but it essentially mocks a lot of the B-movies from the horror genre, with writings on the walls of the saferooms (which I love to read btw) and basically a bunch of cookie-cutter stereotypes. The games are fun, brutally violent, and require teamwork and its an absolute blast.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most iconic and enduring franchises in gaming history for very good reason. With the exception of the crap on the CD-i by Phillips, I don't think this franchise has one black mark on it. Some games are better than others obviously, but they're all quality and Twilight Princess is no different.
One of the titles that launched with the Wii (it's also on Gamecube), in the game Hyrule is being engulfed by a darkness called the Twilight and Link (who turns into a wolf in the Twilight Realm) is aided by Midna (the non-wolf in the image above) who is one of the most popular characters in the series by far. And she is one of the best things about the game. But the level design is still top-notch and while the gameplay is almost completely unchanged from past games, it still is about as enjoyable as you can imagine.
Quite possibly the darkest entry in the series (though Majora's Mask gives it competition), Twilight Princess did the darker and edgier turn correctly with Midna being the most prominent example. But the entire game is just so pleasant to play. The world is enormous, there are tons of items and upgrades to find, and a large amount tasks to complete. Find a good amount of time, get a Wii and this game, and this game will remind you why The Legend of Zelda is so great.
LittleBigPlanet Series
A series of games that are excellent no matter how old you are, LittleBigPlanet is a series that encourages creativity in every shape. You go through the "story" stages to pick up materials and decorations and use said materials and decorations to create your own stages.
The first game allowed you to create your own 2D sidescrolling platforming levels with anything that you found in the main game and either play them yourself or put them online for others to play or both. LittleBigPlanet 2 expanded on this allowing you to create stages of different genres such as puzzle stages and even racing stages. It's very unusual for any game to offer this kind of control and creativity in its package and its what make LittleBigPlanet so enjoyable.
It has floaty controls but those are easily forgiven when looking at the big picture. While there were level creators in 8-bit days and we have things like Forge in the Halo games, they didn't give quite as much room as LittleBigPlanet does. It's just a pleasant game that makes you feel good while playing it.
Portal
Valve, you get another mention. Part of Valve's Orange Box which packaged FIVE FULL games for the price of one, even against the likes of three episodes of Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2, Portal remains a favorite. One of the best puzzle games of all time, it had you go through the Aperture Science Facility and run a course with...well let's call it the Portal Gun.
The game used very innovative and creative level design to give the Portal Gun a sweet environment to work with. The first puzzles are naturally very easy and the difficulty curve is just right. Valve's remarkable physics engine works wonderfully well with this design and gameplay. GLaDOS is easily one of the most memorable characters of this generation, aided by her excellent voice actress and witty, darkly comedic writing from Valve. The only complaint: it's length. I can beat it in 90 minutes. But it's short and sweet in every way.
I am psyched for Portal 2 to come out which you can see if you checked my Top 15 Most Anticipated of 2011 list. New gameplay and design features, increased length, AND co-op? Valve I just have one thing to say to you:
I can't wait.
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
In the words of Tychus Findlay, "It's about damn time." An entire DECADE after the original StarCraft was released, Blizzard finally gave us StarCraft II. Now I know that PCs technically don't have the kind of generations that consoles do, but I'm still counting it as StarCraft II is one of the greatest Real-Time Strategy games ever made.
Excellent balance between the factions and near perfect tactical gameplay make this a must play for anyone who enjoys video games. Set four years after the StarCraft: Brood War expansion, StarCraft II follows Jim Raynor who is still trying to overthrow the Dominion and get revenge on its emperor, Arcturus Mengsk for the events of its predecessor. While the story feels somewhat incomplete, it's still an enjoyable campaign and it's made up for by quite possibly the best multiplayer in the industry. A ladder ranking system and a match-up system so you're put against a player around your skill level make it nearly unmatched.
We've got two expansions coming out soon. While this game focused on the Terrans, Heart of the Swarm will be about the Zerg and Legacy of the Void will be about the Protoss. Until those two are released though, I am more than happy with the package Blizzard has given me. It may have taken close to 10 years, but it was well worth it.
Street Fighter IV
The most important fighting franchise ever, got its fourth official installment (though anyone who knows Street Fighter knows we had about 40 Street Fighter IIs). Street Fighter II revolutionized fighting games back in 91, and so you should always expect something good from this series and Street Fighter IV delivered.
Almost all the great, classic Street Fighter characters are back with a few new additions to the roster. All the classic special attacks are there with a few new additions primarily focus attacks which allow you to absorb the blow and counter it, and ultra combos (no not Killer Instinct). The new fighting elements kept the game feeling fun while still keeping what made the series great in the first place: solid controls, memorable characters, and just all around smooth and enjoyable fighting.
Street Fighter IV hasn't revolutionized fighting games the way Street Fighter II did, but I do feel that it deserves some credit for helping to bring about the current revival of the genre that we're seeing now. It just goes to show that if you make a good game, you are going to have an impact in some way and Capcom being Capcom is usually going to have an impact.
Well those are the 10 games that didn't make my Top 15 list. If you've got the cash or a place to rent them, definitely try them out. And of course there are other great games this generation that weren't mentioned at all. If you want any recommendations from me, feel free to ask. My thoughts on the Dragon Age 2 demo will be put up tomorrow so keep your eyes open.
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