General Gaming D1P's games of the decade

[AbsolutSurgen]

What Mass Effect 2 does effectively, is combine effective storytelling with entertaining action, which is something very few games successfully do.

The is about the interaction of all of the different races, and how they come together to form the party on the Normandy.  The interesting parts of the story are the loyalty missions.

The action has been significantly improved over the first game -- they removed the Mako, the crappy ammunition inventory management, streamlined the weapons, and shifted the gameplay into an action RPG.

 

9 hours ago, Moa said:

Not to mention one note characters defined entirely by their quirks. This is obviously endemic in games writing but it always bothers me when ME2 is held as a high water mark for storytelling in games.

Games, in general, do not do a very good job of storytelling.  What they typically do is provide context for the action, and provide a backdrop for the player to finish the game.  Mass Effect 2's story is one of the better games at doing this.

Most games that are "well written stories" also aren't very much of a game.

The only games that I have played that are as effective at doing this, are the Rockstar games.

[Emblazon]

2 hours ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

What Mass Effect 2 does effectively, is combine effective storytelling with entertaining action, which is something very few games successfully do.

The is about the interaction of all of the different races, and how they come together to form the party on the Normandy.  The interesting parts of the story are the loyalty missions.

The action has been significantly improved over the first game -- they removed the Mako, the crappy ammunition inventory management, streamlined the weapons, and shifted the gameplay into an action RPG.

 

Games, in general, do not do a very good job of storytelling.  What they typically do is provide context for the action, and provide a backdrop for the player to finish the game.  Mass Effect 2's story is one of the better games at doing this.

Most games that are "well written stories" also aren't very much of a game.

The only games that I have played that are as effective at doing this, are the Rockstar games.

Saying it’s a nicer pile of shit, doesn’t make it any less of a pile of shit. 

In regards to storytelling & gameplay, have you not played any of the umpteen Sony first party games over the past decade or so?

[AbsolutSurgen]

50 minutes ago, Emblazon said:

Saying it’s a nicer pile of shit, doesn’t make it any less of a pile of shit. 

In regards to storytelling & gameplay, have you not played any of the umpteen Sony first party games over the past decade or so?

If you think the storytelling in all video games is a "pile of shit" -- not much I can do. 

I find Mass Effect's writing and story telling to be better than majority of big games -- and slightly below the best.

Certainly much better than acclaimed walking simulators like "Gone Home" and Ubi games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, but probably not as good as games like The Last of Us.

 

I have played the majority of Sony's first party games.  Your point?

[Bloodporne]

Some of my most memorable and most played games probably, just off the top of my head real quick:

 

1. Dark Souls

2. Bloodborne

3. Hotline Miami 2

4. Hotline Miami

5. Demon's Souls 

6. Prey 

7. Metal Gear Solid V

8. Resident Evil 2 Remake

???. Zombi (PS4; it's low budget but this game is really memorable to me and no, I don't have a WiiU so PS4 it remains)

 

A ton of others probably that I forgot, who can keep track of these...

 

Edit: I really wish I could've included Sekiro and/or DMC5 in this list but both managed to leave a sour taste in my mouth ultimately. Sekiro is a total shame because I love many aspects of it but something about its gameplay was entirely too frustrating and never became fun for me. Beating bosses, and the endless mini-bosses, just felt like being glad I never had to do that shit again and not accomplishment and excitement. 

 

DMC5, well after Dark Souls 2, is one of the bigger disappointments of the decade for me. A killer combat system wrapped in an absolutely atrocious game. I can overlook a lot for great gameplay but this was dreadful and I can't believe it went so awry. 

 

 

 

 

[Emblazon]

Just now, Bloodporne said:

Some of my most memorable and most played games probably, just off the top of my head real quick:

 

1. Dark Souls

2. Bloodborne

3. Hotline Miami 2

4. Hotline Miami

5. Demon's Souls 

6. Prey 

7. Metal Gear Solid V

8. Resident Evil 2 Remake

???. Zombi (PS4; it's low budget but this game is really memorable to me and no, I don't have a WiiU so PS4 it remains)

 

A ton of others probably that I forgot, who can keep track of these...

 

 

 

 

Zombi was exceptional on Wii U. That controller added a LOT to the immersion and gameplay. That being said, I couldn’t play the game with that controller for more than an hour at a time, so I never got very far in the game. 

[Bloodporne]

2 minutes ago, Emblazon said:

Zombi was exceptional on Wii U. That controller added a LOT to the immersion and gameplay. That being said, I couldn’t play the game with that controller for more than an hour at a time, so I never got very far in the game. 

I'm sure it's a cool experience but I mean, the PS4 had me absolutely hooked and despite its flaws, I thought it was fantastic and super creative. It's a fucking shame there's no sequel. 

[TwinIon]

If we're doing personal favorite games and not "best" or "most important," or anything like that, here's what I came up with without putting too much thought into it.

 

Hearthstone

Lone Echo

Superhot VR

Portal 2

Last of Us

Horizon: Zero Dawn

GTA 5

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Spider-man

Bioshock Infinite

[GameDadGrant]

I'm seeing a lot of repeat mentions of the same games in this thread! Grand Theft Auto 5, Metal Gear Solid V, The Last of Us, Skyrim, etc. These are either some of the best games EVER (some may say so!) or this forum has a fairly homogeneous taste in video games.

 

Or maybe both apply here?

[MeatAndPotatoes]

GTA 5 has a very good possibility of being my all-time favorite game. I enjoyed the story and missions a lot, and the huge open world and amount of detail in everything while being able to play the game in so many different ways is just plain more fun than any other game I can think of. Toss in free to play online which is even better than the story mode, that Rockstar is still constantly updating and adding new content to at no cost, is a fucking triumph and very addicting. I can play this game for hours everyday for several years and still have a blast not running out of things to do. There's no other game I can say that about.

[EternallDarkness]

everyone saying Dark Souls needs to change that to the game that really gave rise to the genre, Demon Souls. 

[skillzdadirecta]

27 minutes ago, EternallDarkness said:

everyone saying Dark Souls needs to change that to the game that really gave rise to the genre, Demon Souls. 

Demon's Souls didn't come out this decade... it came out in 2009. The previous decade.

[Bloodporne]

2 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Demon's Souls didn't come out this decade... it came out in 2009. The previous decade.

But it's so good I decided to just do the 10 year thing instead of this actual decade. 

[skillzdadirecta]

1 minute ago, Bloodporne said:

But it's so good I decided to just do the 10 year thing instead of this actual decade. 

 

I mean that's fine... that's not what I understood the topic to be though. I would have easily added Dragon Age: Origins to my list but it didn't come out this decade. It too came out in 2009 I think. 

[Bloodporne]

6 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

 

I mean that's fine... that's not what I understood the topic to be though. I would have easily added Dragon Age: Origins to my list but it didn't come out this decade. It too came out in 2009 I think. 

Don't make me edit my list and put Death Stranding on it!

[skillzdadirecta]

3 hours ago, Emblazon said:

Zombi was exceptional on Wii U. That controller added a LOT to the immersion and gameplay. That being said, I couldn’t play the game with that controller for more than an hour at a time, so I never got very far in the game. 

 Zombi is cool... I have it for Xbox but never finished it. No offense, but how in the HELL could you be so big on Zombi which at best is a decent B+ game but shit on Mass Effect 2 like it's the worse thing ever made? I get not liking it, especially if you really like the first game... there were changes they made from ME1 to ME2 that I didn't like either (Thermal Clips, Global Cooldowns on powers, lack limited visual customization for squadmates) but it does a LOT of other things right.

 

And to say that your choices have no effect on the game tells me that you probably played the game once or twice and didn't delve to deeply into it. You can't change the overall narrative too much, but who lives and dies at the end of the game comes down to what choices you've made and not JUST whether or not you did a loyalty mission. I've played the HELL out of ME2 and probably have done everything there is to do in the game. People over simplify this game A LOT. It's very deep and very replayable even today.

 

1 minute ago, Bloodporne said:

Don't make me edit my list and put Death Stranding on it!

Feel free... I don't care about that game 

[Bloodporne]

I've never played a Mass Effect game and still have zero clue what they're about/what they entail gameplay wise somehow. Are they RPGs?

[gamer.tv]

1 hour ago, GameDadGrant said:

I'm seeing a lot of repeat mentions of the same games in this thread! Grand Theft Auto 5, Metal Gear Solid V, The Last of Us, Skyrim, etc. These are either some of the best games EVER (some may say so!) or this forum has a fairly homogeneous taste in video games.

 

Or maybe both apply here?

 

That open-world template did lead to some fantastic, story driven, cinematic (and ultimately great games). It did also lead to huge fatigue in the genre and it ending up quite stale and boring. Still though, those games are worth everyone playing at some point. 

[Emblazon]

2 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

 Zombi is cool... I have it for Xbox but never finished it. No offense, but how in the HELL could you be so big on Zombi which at best is a decent B+ game but shit on Mass Effect 2 like it's the worse thing ever made? I get not liking it, especially if you really like the first game... there were changes they made from ME1 to ME2 that I didn't like either (Thermal Clips, Global Cooldowns on powers, lack limited visual customization for squadmates) but it does a LOT of other things right.

 

And to say that your choices have no effect on the game tells me that you probably played the game once or twice and didn't delve to deeply into it. You can't change the overall narrative too much, but who lives and dies at the end of the game comes down to what choices you've made and not JUST whether or not you did a loyalty mission. I've played the HELL out of ME2 and probably have done everything there is to do in the game. People over simplify this game A LOT. It's very deep and very replayable even today.

 

Feel free... I don't care about that game 

I never said Zombi was a game of the decade. And I have an unholy hate for ME2. It’s up there with Unforgiven and Revenge of the Sith for things that are praised which I hate and despise. And there’s not much that I hate... but I seriously fucking hate ME2.

 

If you complete the loyalty mission, the character survives. If you don’t finish the loyalty mission, the character dies. It’s that simple. So you have crappy game mechanics, the removal of exploration, a bunch of loyalty missions with new characters you don’t really care about, and 5 main missions. That’s ME2. All rolled up into a shiny EA package of stiff, emotionless line delivery and the shoddiest of “cinematic” cut backs. And it ends with the literal same shot as the first game. ME2 takes your character from 1, takes everything away, then builds you right back up to where 1 left off. Why does ME2 even exist? Oh, yeah, money. That’s it. 
 

I’d rather subject myself to Superman 64 than ever going back and revisiting ME2. 
 

The hate FLOWS through me with ME2. 
 

 

Ok, I think I’m done. 
 

 

FUCKING FUCK MASS EFFECT 2. 
 

 

 

 

For real this time, I’m done. 

[Bloodporne]

Sooooooo....don't play Mass Effect 2 first, @Emblazon? Is that what you'd tell someone wondering whether to jump into this series at some point?

[CastlevaniaNut18]

I'd have to put more thought into it, but off the top of my head, I'd definitely go with The Witcher 3 and The Last of Us. 

[skillzdadirecta]

1 minute ago, Emblazon said:

I never said Zombi was a game of the decade. And I have an unholy hate for ME2. It’s up there with Unforgiven and Revenge of the Sith for things that are praised which I hate and despise. And there’s not much that I hate... but I seriously fucking hate ME2.

 

If you complete the loyalty mission, the character survives. If you don’t finish the loyalty mission, the character dies. It’s that simple. So you have crappy game mechanics, the removal of exploration, a bunch of loyalty missions with new characters you don’t really care about, and 5 main missions. That’s ME2. All rolled up into a shiny EA package of stiff, emotionless line delivery and the shoddiest of “cinematic” cut backs. And it ends with the literal same shot as the first game. ME2 takes your character from 1, takes everything away, then builds you right back up to where 1 left off. Why does ME2 even exist? Oh, yeah, money. That’s it. 
 

I’d rather subject myself to Superman 64 than ever going back and revisiting ME2. 
 

The hate FLOWS through me with ME2. 
 

 

Ok, I think I’m done. 
 

 

FUCKING FUCK MASS EFFECT 2. 
 

 

 

 

For real this time, I’m done. 

 

No it's not that simple... characters can STILL die even if you completed their loyalty missions. If you didn't upgrade the Normandy's shielding properly, Some characters can die before you even hit the surface of the final mission. Pick the wrong Fire team leader, characters die. Pick the technical specialist or the wrong character to maintain the biotic shield, characters die. Didn't upgrade your teams body armor? Somebody dies. I'm guessing you didn't do a playthrough where EVERYONE survived? Again, it's cool to hate the game (seems a little irrational given your level of hate for it but whatever) but hate it for the right reasons. There's also more missions than "a bunch of loyalty missions no one cares about and 5 main missions". Some missions can only be discovered after buying rare star charts. Some are given to you by various mission givers who contact you on your private line. You're saying things about the game that just aren't factually accurate is my point. Believe me I'm not trying to change your mind. Just pointing out some inaccuracies in your statement.

 

[skillzdadirecta]

7 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

Sooooooo....don't play Mass Effect 2 first, @Emblazon? Is that what you'd tell someone wondering whether to jump into this series at some point?

He's being hyperbolic... I don't know how well ME1 would hold up for someone playing the series for the first time in 2019. It plays A LOT differently than its successors and is more of an RPG than a third person shooter. The subsequent games are the opposite and are more shooters with some RPG mechanics. ME1 is probably my favorite game in the series but since it didn't come out this decade, I didn't add it to my list 

[Emblazon]

10 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

Sooooooo....don't play Mass Effect 2 first, @Emblazon? Is that what you'd tell someone wondering whether to jump into this series at some point?

Oh, most definitely start with ME2. Because then you don’t have anything to base it off of. With ME2, there’s no need to play ME1. 

[Phaseknox]

In alphabetical order:

 

Alan Wake

Alice: Madness Returns

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Assassin's Creed Origins

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Batman: Arkham City

Bayonetta

BioShock Infinite

Bloodborne

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 3

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Darksiders

Dark Souls III

Days Gone

Dead Island

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dagon's Dogma

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Dying Light

The Evil Within

The Evil Within 2

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout 4

Far Cry 3

Final Fantasy XV

Forza Horizon

Ghost Recon: Wildlands

God of War

Grand Theft Auto V

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Hitman Absolution

Horizon Zero Dawn

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

L.A. Noire

The Last Guardian

The Last of Us

Life is Strange

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Mad Max

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Max Payne 3

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Metro 2033

Metro Last Light

Metro Exodus

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Mortal Kombat

Nier: Automata

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

The Outer Worlds

Persona 5

Portal 2

Prey

Ratchet & Clank

Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption II

Resident Evil Revelations

Resident Evil Revelations 2

Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil VII: Biohazard

Saints Row: The Third

Sleeping Dogs

Spider-Man

Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Titanfall 2

Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Until Dawn

Valkyria Chronicles 4

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

XCOM 2

Yakuza 0

[Keyser_Soze]

7 hours ago, GameDadGrant said:

I'm seeing a lot of repeat mentions of the same games in this thread! Grand Theft Auto 5, Metal Gear Solid V, The Last of Us, Skyrim, etc. These are either some of the best games EVER (some may say so!) or this forum has a fairly homogeneous taste in video games.

 

Or maybe both apply here?

 

As the thread says they are the best games released in the last decade. The scope is limited.

[Keyser_Soze]

5 hours ago, Bloodporne said:

Sooooooo....don't play Mass Effect 2 first, @Emblazon? Is that what you'd tell someone wondering whether to jump into this series at some point?

 

Play the first one and then no other ones because the first is the best one.

[EternallDarkness]

On 11/12/2019 at 3:14 PM, skillzdadirecta said:

Demon's Souls didn't come out this decade... it came out in 2009. The previous decade.

 

has it really been that long? Damn does time fly. I wish they'd remastered that one over dark souls. 

[skillzdadirecta]

1 minute ago, EternallDarkness said:

 

has it really been that long? Damn does time fly. I wish they'd remastered that one over dark souls. 

Yeah... there's a rumor that it may be being remastered for PS5 but I don't know how true that is. Took me FOREVER to beat that game and it had a lot of features the Dark Souls series doesn't like the World Tendencies.