Topic: Your Top 10 Games Of The Decade

Let's do this;

Mass Effect 2
The Last of Us
Persona 4 Golden
Rogue Legacy
Rocket League
Yakuza zero
The Witness
Pro Evolution Soccer 18
Arms
Astrobot

Just my personal favorites in no particular order:

Top 10:
Asura’s Wrath
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
LittleBIGPlanet 2
Monster Hunter World / Iceborne
Persona 5
Sleeping Dogs
The Last Of Us
Uncharted 4
Vanquish
Valkyria Chronicles 4

Honorable mentions:
Borderlands 2
Dragon's Crown
Dragon Quest XI
Horizon: Zero Dawn
NieR: Automata
Overwatch
Spider-man
The Darkness II
The Order: 1886
Uncharted 3

Wanted to add other games like Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), LittleBIGPlanet (2008), Persona 4 (2008) and Uncharted 2 (2008) as well but later realised they were released before 2010.

I was thiiiiiiiis close to listing VC4. Wonderful game. It'd probably make my top 20 games of the decade.

@Ralizah Amazing game but the first Valkyria Chronicles is still my favourite between the two.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Wow, I liked Dragon's Dogma but I'm not sure it would make my top 3 games of the decade!

I completely agree though that the story is a bit rubbish but the gameplay is excellent. I do remember the first time trekking out at night and just getting decimated by enemies and being so nervous about being able to see next to nothing.

The lack of fast travel is annoying, particularly as you spend so long running between two main places, but it does make the game feel more role playing as you get into fights or pick up little subquests along the way. I also liked the Dark Souls feeling that if you could see an area in the distance, you will end up visiting it at some point.

There was also the scope for much hilarity as to who your love interest in the game could be!

1. Resident Evil 2
2. Yakuza 0
3. Marvel Spider-Man
4. God of War
5. Grand Theft Auto 5
6. The Last of Us
7. Super Mario Odyssey
8. Devil May Cry 5
9. Bayonetta 2
10. Horizon: Zero Dawn

Wouldn't have thought I'd ever put a remake at the top of my list but RE 2 is my favorite game of all-time and I think the remake elevates it particularly because they took a crap control scheme and fixed it. This release set the standard for how an old game can be brought back and made relevant for modern audiences. Some story elements are changed but remain true to the original and Mr. X upped the intensity. If it wasn't for this game, Yakuza 0 would've easily topped my list. Wonderful set of characters and story that perfectly balanced serious and humorous moments. The world is large enough without being overwhelming to explore and there's tons of content with all the side missions and mini-games.

Well I just found out that Fallout New Vegas actually came out this decade @Thrillho soooo... -knocks Dragon's Dogma off the podium-

But thinking on all the games I've played... I'm actually finding it a bit difficult to put this list up even with ten years worth of games to choose from! I'm second guessing myself (and overthinking way too much probably) quite a bit on what I really enjoyed 😅

So I might just change my list to like a few others are doing and not try to place them... It's too much mithering 😂

Anyhoo, in no specific order..

Civilization 5 (Mac)
Probably the game I’ve “completed” the most on this list. The base game was fantastic but each DLC pack overhauled the game massively to the point where I couldn’t imagine going back to the base game. An absolute staple on my Macbook.

Mass Effect 2 (PS3)
One of the best games of all time for me. I missed the first game as a Playstation user but the interactive comic was an excellent way to make the core decisions and get you sort of up to speed. An excellent character roster who are all well acted and the excellent ability to play as male or female Shep too (FYI I had a first run, a “perfect” paragon run, and then a renegade FemShep run). Excellent DLC too with the Shadow Broker pack big enough to be its own game and Arrivals setting up the third game perfectly.

The Walking Dead (PS3)
I think it’s easy to forget how fresh this felt when it first came out now that the series has been done to death and that Telltale is now a genre and not just a (mostly defunct) studio. The feeling that choices really mattered (cough cough Mass Effect) and the emotional gut punches that came with them made this really special. And no-one who played this will forget the ending

Bioshock Infinite (PS3/4)
The first of a handful of games on the list that I played on both console generations through the decade. I actually got this as a PS+ freebie (remember when they gave away killer games like this??) and it blew me away. I never played the original games beyond the demo of the first game which didn’t blow me away. The opening sequence to this game is one of the most memorable of all time but the ending is even more special and one of those ones that sticks with you (especially once you’ve read up on WTF has actually gone on).

Borderlands 2 (PS3/4)
Another PS3 PS+ freebie! I played this through to NG++ with some DLC and then went back and did it all again on PS4. The art style is immediately recognisable and the humour utterly puerile but absolutely on my level. This is possibly the game that bought us the looter shooter but I love this game even if I hate what that genre mostly is. The DLC is equally as impressive and the Tiny Tina DLC is an excellent spoof of Dungeons and Dragons.

The Witcher 3 (PS4)
I have to remind myself this was a PS4 game as it feels so long since I played it know. Simply put, this just felt revolutionary with the attention to detail that went into the game and the immense story writing that was put into each mission and subquest. The ability to flit between the heaviness of the Bloody Baron questline to the self-deprecation of the Blood and Wine DLC is quite impressive. Geralt’s limerick remains the pinnacle of the script though. The rest of the cast are well fleshed out and the Blood and Wine DLC wraps up the whole adventure wonderfully as a part of DLC that is longer and more enjoyable than most games.

GTA 5 (PS3/4)
It was a brave move to go to the three person approach in the story but it worked. While the main game was fun (and even more so to replay the game in first person on PS4) but GTA Online was something special. Playing as part of a big group from another forum I use, this is the most fun I’ve had with a game online and certainly the funniest. Completing the online heists with the same crew was also a highlight, especially when one member managed to mess up opening their parachute in the final moment of the final heist, failing us the mission.

God of War (PS4)
Who could have predicted that the series could have evolved from the original trilogy into this? The game was welcoming to those new to the series but had enough little nods to the original games for veterans to get (“Ever been to hell?” “Not this one..”). The combat was fast, fun, and fluid; the lore was used creatively to weave a wonderful story; and Atreus one of the best companions in gaming. The Valkyrie battles were a real challenge and the “continuous shot” camerawork/direction was inspired.

Yakuza 0 (PS4)
The game that introduced me to one of the most heartfelt but bonkers gaming series of all times. While some of the in-jokes and nods to the later games were wasted on me (and wondering who this Majima fella is), everything else about the game was great fun from fighting Yakuza bosses on motorbikes in sewers through to winning a chicken in a game of bowling, this is the game that literally has it all.

Hollow Knight (PS4)
Never before has a game’s artwork and overall style sucked me in as much as this. What starts of as a twee little Metroidvania steadily becomes something darker with a story that is mostly hinted at rather than explicitly explained to you. The combat is simplistic but can be utterly brutal at times; the exploration of the vast and varied levels mesmerising but terrifying; and the enemy type is massively varied. The “Path of Pain” is one of the most difficult combination of platforming and combat sections I’ve ever faced and Nightmare King Grimm is up there as one of my greates boss fight achievements. But the Pantheons were too far for me!

It's impressive how many games on there were all enhanced so much by their DLC; Civ 5, ME2, BL2, Witcher 3, and Hollow Knight all had amazing DLC which I was more than happy to purchase.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy New Vegas was one of the near misses for my list. I simultaneously am highly impressed but highly irritated by how specific your actions had to be to unlock the companions quests. The one from Arcade (For Auld Lang Syne) was a brilliant quest but could so easily be missed.

You're making me regret not putting that in my list the more I think about that game now..

10. Nier Automata

9. Tales of Graces f
No secret that I'm a big Tales fan. The games are comfortable and reliable. This has my favourite battle system of any Tales game.

8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Most will say Breath of the Wild, but for me this is the finest Zelda of the decade.

7. Mass Effect 3
What an epic end to the trilogy!

6. Danganronpa V3
Another shout out for the brilliance of Danganronpa V3. Such a clever, thought provoking game.

5. Dragon Quest XI
Wasn't sure we'd see another console mainline Dragon Quest. I love how traditional the series is, yet XI demonstrates that it's not quite as rigid as many believe, with a raft of QoL changes. As a result feels classic, yet modern. An enormous and satisfying quest, with a vast amount of post-game content (that you'll want to complete in preparation for the true-ending). The characters are great, brought to life by a brilliant localisation and mostly excellent voice acting.

4. Portal 2
Absolutely hilarious. A brilliant puzzle game that builds on and innovates the first Portal.

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2
Such a focused game (take note Mario Odyssey, I love you but you're bloated). Brilliant level design, with smaller galaxies often focusing on a specific gameplay hook. In exchange there are considerably more levels compared to Galaxy 1, always keeping the player on their toes with a new surprise around every corner. Overall, pure joy in gaming form!

2. Persona 5
An excellent story, compelling characters, fun battle system and a smashing soundtrack all coalesce to form one of the finest Japanese RPGs I've played. The story particularly resonated with me - and probably would even more if I were to play it again today. The many quality of life improvements over its predecessors are the icing on the cake.

1. BioShock Infinite
Incredible on almost every level. Brilliant story and world building, excellent characters that I formed an emotional attachment to, sensational voice acting and tight, exciting combat. The game largely does away with the RPG lite aspects of the original BioShock (one of my top games of the last decade) and has less exploration, but in turn the gameplay feels tighter, more focused and has more urgency.

Honourable mentions

A cheeky way of extending my games of the decade. In no order:

Yoshi's Woolly World
Dragon Quest IX
Fallout New Vegas
Dishonored 2
Alan Wake
Far Cry 3
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Final Fantasy XIII
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Kingdom Hearts III

@Ralizah Cuphead looks good from the videos I've seen. Didn't know it was available on PS4, do you just download it from the PSTORE?

@Draco_V_Ecliptic It's not available on PS4, but this thread is for your top 10 games of the decade across all consoles and pc.

@KratosMD Yes, it's that good! 😂 My original no.10 was Smash Bros. Ultimate but I forgot to change it in the honourable mentions. D'oh!

Yeah, Final Fantasy XIII is a special game for me. I was playing it around the time I left home. I actually think XIII-2 is a better game, but I'll always have more of an emotional attachment to XIII. Although I prefer the style of the older FF games, I still found XIII really enjoyable. Some of the general criticisms the game has received over the years are fair and I can always respect difference of opinion, but as is typical for the internet it's sometimes verged on hysteria. The linearity is there (and early on there are literally straight corridors) but it isn't something that bothered me personally.

The battle system is interesting when you start setting paradigms and figure out the best strategies. It truly comes into its own with bosses and hunts. I also really like the story, but to this day cannot get my head round the fal'cie malarkey. Some of the scenes are unintentionally funny, but that just adds to what I love. The cast is a mixed bag, but Lightning is easily one of my favourite Final Fantasy characters. On the PS3 the game is gorgeous. The soundtrack is phenomenal.

@Draco_V_Ecliptic It's not. It is available on Xbone, PC, and Switch, though, so if you own anything else, you likely have access to it. And the Dualshock 4 works natively with Steam now and on Switch with an adapter, so you can still play it with a DS4 if you like. That's how I played it.