In a few weeks it will be the end of the first decade of the 21st century. To celebrate this milestone, we here at Destructoid picked the best fifty games of the last ten years (the best of the ‘00s!). The only rule of this week-long series — other than making sure each game was released between 2000 and today — is that only one game from each series could make the final cut.
Sound the trumpets! Start the parade! The list continues!
Over the last two days, we have been counting down our picks for theTop 50 Videogames of the Decade. We started with thefirst ten(#50-41), moved on to thenext group(#40-31), and are now here at the halfway point:Part Three (#30-21).
Putting this list together was such a wonderful experience. It was immensely challenging, sure, but reading through all the games that were released in the last ten years brought back so many fond memories of playing a lot of them for the first time. It also made all of us realize what an incredibly rich ten years it has been in the world of gaming. In fact, it has arguably been the best decade of gaming ever!
This list is also (not coincidentally) coming at a great time of the year. After reading through all fifty selections, it goes without saying that any gamer on the planet should own, or at the very leastplay, every single game on this list. No question. They are all masterpieces and should not be missed by anyone. So, once all fifty games have been revealed, why don’t you print out the entire list and use it as your makeshift Christmas list!? Trust us, you will not be disappointed ifanyof these games shows up in your glitter and glue-covered stocking.
So, without further adieu, it is our pleasure to present to youPart Three (#30-21)of theTop 50 Videogames of the Decade. Hit the jump! HIT THE JUMP!
There are many items on this list that got the debate juices in the Destructoid offices flowing! (And, yes, that does sound disgusting.) Some games had many stellar installments, and it was very tough to decide which one game would represent thebestof that particular series. One of these wasGrand Theft Auto. One thing wedidagree on: The series is too significant tonotbe included on a list of best games of the new millennium. Heck,Grand Theft Autoalmostdefinedthis last decade (based on media coverage alone)!
As for which is the best in the series,San Andreasjust slips pastVice Cityto win the crown (a crown used to beat hookers to death, naturally). Both have great characters. Both have fully realized, intricately detailed open worlds. Both have creative and over-the-top missions. ButGrand Theft Auto: San Andreashas a few things extra that make it the best the series has to offer. It has an addictive upgrade system that rewards main character CJ with better abilities. It has more ludicrous missions. It has three gigantic cities and even more area to explore in between each of them. There issomuch to do in the corrupt, fantastic world ofSan Andreasthat it is easy to come back to the game at any time and find something completely new to experience.
Dreamcast classicShenmue IIis actually kind of similar toGrand Theft Autoin that it follows around a main character as he goes about his daily life in a large, metropolitan city. The obvious main difference, though, is, asGrand Theft Autois completely over-the-top and set in a fictional world,Shenmue IItakes a brilliant,realistictake on the actions performed by main character Ryo as he solves a mystery around multiple real locations around Hong Kong.
Shenmue IItakes pleasure in the normally mundane. In most games, killing a creature will earn you money. InShenmue II, you have to get an actual job. Used to your character not having to worry about sleeping? Well,Shenmue IIfeatures a complex day and night system. Even the weather effects are realistic! This attention to detail is what makesShenmue IIso special. The clever minigames and abundant QTEs (quick time events) sometimes makeShenmue IIfeel more like a glorified cutscene than an interactive movie, but the one-of-a-kind experience is so fascinating and engrossing that it is easily one of the most unique videogames of the last decade.
WhenLeft 4 Deadreleased last year, we declared it one of the most innovative and revolutionary multiplayer experiences ever created. We still feel the same way.
Even if you are not a fan of zombies, the ingenious way Valve combines the exciting, narrative structure of a single-player game with the chaotic glory of a multiplayer shooter has to be recognized. Instead of randomly throwing an [x] amount of players on a giant battlefield and letting them fight off continually spawning hordes of the undead,Left 4 Deadfollows four specific characters on semi-linear campaigns that perfectly balance a giant open world, multiplayer structure with scripted events straight out of a single-player survival horror game. The game is a nonstop, intense thrill ride — a thrill ride you may even enjoy with three friends!
[Editor’s Note:Left 4 Dead 2may turn out to be a better game than the original, but, at the time this list was finalized, the sequel had not yet been released.]
Skies of Arcadiadoesn’t pretend to revolutionize the role-playing genre. The game is full of many common RPG trappings: random battles, elaborate dungeons, multiple playable characters. WhereSkies of Arcadiashines — and the reason it is still worshipped to this day by anyone who has played it — is in the world it creates.
The main heroes ofSkies of Arcadiabubble over with personality and inhabit a world full of numerous charming characters, brightly-colored locales, and some of the most entertaining use of airships in any game that has ever featured the popular fantasy vehicles.Skies of Arcadiamay be a highly polished role-playing game, but, most importantly, it has a heart.
If you have not playedSkies of Arcadiaand are planning on giving it a try, ensure to pick up the GameCube portSkies of Arcadia: Legends. Sure, it doesn’t have some of the cool Dreamcast-only features (VMU!), but it includes more content and a much fuller story.
BeforeSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Starswas released on the Super Nintendo, people were skeptical about their beloved Mario starring in, of all things, a role-playing game. Lucky for everyone,Super Mario RPGturned out to be one of the greatest games of the 16-bit generation. Cut to years later, when screens of a supposed follow-up toSuper Mario RPGmade their way around the industry. To say people’s excitement turned into fear is an understatement. Gone was the Square-inspired, gritty, isometric look of the original; in place of it was a brand new, completely cartoony art style.
In a surprise to everyone,Paper Mario(a clever change from the original title,Super Mario RPG 2) turned out to not be just a kid’s game, but a robust, lengthy, and incredibly creative role-playing game — maybe even more unique than its inspired predecessor! On the surface, the gameplay is very simple, but once you start to play it,Paper Mariocontains a rich, deep mechanic that requires player interaction duringeverybattle — no more just sitting around idly while the action plays out in front of you.
Even more impressive than the fun gameplay is the gorgeous look. Sporting an art style inspired by a pop-up book,Paper Mariouses the 2D visuals and “Paper” name to its advantage, showing off some of the most creative visual touches ever seen in a videogame (environments unfold, Mario “flips” when turning from side to side, etc.).
ThePaper Mariosequels are great, but the original will always be the best.
AfterSaving Private Ryanhit theaters, movie critics rightfully declared that it was almost pointless for any future director to stage the historic and bloody D-Day invasion, since the one captured in Steven Spielberg’s opus was too visceral and realistic to ever be topped. A similar thing happened withThe Sopranos. Once the series ended, television critics and audiences alike knew there could never be a television show about the mob again — at least, not one even close to as good asThe Sopranos.
The same thing feels to be happening with Naughty Dog’s very recentUncharted 2: Among Thievesfor the PlayStation 3. No other action/adventure game has ever told a story in such acinematicway, it feels very probable that no other game could ever present a similar movie-like presentation and come out even half as polished.Uncharted 2is an extremely tough act to follow. It may be the most perfectly paced videogame ever created, from its first amazing set piece to its last.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed Kingis significant for many reasons. First off, it was the first entry in the highly successful series to be released on the PlayStation 2. Secondly, it was the firstDragon Questgame to contain a completely 3D, cell-shaded world. And, finally, it was the first game in the series to be released in America with the original “Quest” in the title, as opposed to the nameDragon Warriorthat we had all become used to over the years.
All these milestones are important, but the game’s inclusion on this list is for one reason and one reason only:Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed Kingis an excellent game.
Most videogames suffer from having too many retro sensibilities — especially ones of the role-playing variety — but one of the charms ofDragon Quest VIIIis its old school vibe. The game looks and feelsexactlylike aDragon Questgame should, from its familiar enemies to its classic, beautifully scored music. In a way,Dragon Quest VIIIcombines a little piece of every other RPG on this list so far: It has the nostalgia ofLost Odyssey, the charm ofSkies of Arcadia(thanks in part to some stellar voice casting), and the gorgeous art style ofPaper Mario.Dragon Quest VIIIis a classic in every sense of the word.
Cave Storyis the little indie that could.
Created by only one guy (!) over five years (!!),Cave Storywas initially released as Japanese freeware that you could download on the PC. Once people got their hands on it, they were instantly impressed by the game’s design. To this day, many regardCave Storyas one of the most ingeniously designed videogames ever made.
The game itself is a massive adventure in the vein ofMetroidor the recentCastlevaniagames, following a pixellated main character as he explores a huge world, battling numerous enemies and discovering hidden power-ups to access new areas. In addition to the fantastic gameplay,Cave Storyadds a surprisingly interesting story full of a great cast of characters and sharp dialogue (it was translated into English shortly after its initial release). If anything,Cave Storyis an inspiration to anyone wanting to create a game with limited resources. It’s an absolute masterpiece and a testament to the effect indie games have had on the industry this last decade.
The rise of advanced technology in the new millennium brought about the ability for videogame designers to start making their creations full of so much more than just basic gameplay and graphics. Videogames started to display their own voices — their ownsouls. They started to take such beautiful forms that the “games as art” debate hit a fever pitch.
Leading the charge that videogames could be seen as art wasIcofor the PlayStation 2. The minimalist adventure game follows a troubled outcast who teams up with an ethereal girl to escape a massive and stunningly constructed prison. Playing the game almost feels like playing a dream. Each sequence takes on a life of its own — at times relaxing, at other times harrowing. The game almost contains no dialogue, but the relationship formed between the hero and his female companion is unbelievably powerful.
There should be no debate:Icois a work of art.
It goes without saying thatIkarugais amazingly designed. Instead of offering a traditional vertical scrolling experience like most other shooters, the classic Dreamcast shoot ‘em up (or “shmup”) features one of the most complex, yet simple mechanics ever seen in a videogame. With the touch of a button, players can swap polarities on their ship from dark to light, affecting how the ship interacts with enemies. This strategic dance almost makesIkarugafeel like a puzzle game at times. It’s an incredibly well-made mechanic that is taken to dizzying heights in the game’s later levels.
AndIkarugaonly gets more and more impressive as the years go by. The design of the game is so ingenious that it really is hard to wrap your head around the way the opposing polarities are so seamlessly implemented. CouldIkarugabe the greatest shmup ever created? It is a definite possibility.
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What do you think? How is the list shaping up so far? Hit the comments with your thoughts on some ofyourfavorite games of the last ten years. I will save myself the endless replies by telling you I probably loved whatever games you mention. SO MANY GOOD GAMES!
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow forPart Four (#20-11)of our countdown of theTop 50 Videogames of the Decade!
Part One – #50-4150.Metal Slug 349.Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic48.Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney47.Vagrant Story46.Super Smash Bros. Melee45.Team Fortress 244.WarioWare: Twisted!43.Banjo-Tooie42.Psychonauts41.Braid
Part Two – #40-3140.Kingdom Hearts39.Rock Band 238.Marvel vs. Capcom 237.Lost Odyssey36.Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time35.Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 334.Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare33.BioShock32.Katamari Damacy31.Civilization III
Part Three – #30-2130.Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas29.Shenmue II28.Left 4 Dead27.Skies of Arcadia26.Paper Mario25.Uncharted 2: Among Thieves24.Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King23.Cave Story22.Ico21.Ikaruga
