Your Games of the Decade

[ThirdDrawing]

2010 - Deadly Premonition

2011 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution

2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles

2013 - Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan

2014 - Drakengard 3

2015 - Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess

2016 - Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse

2017 - Nier Automata

2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2

2019 - Sekiro - Shadows Die Twice

A lot of RPGs, but that's my thing.

[Magical_Isopod]

@Magical isopod: I’m surprised you found 2010 tricky as for me that was one of the hardest as there were so many incredible games released that year!
Bioshock 2, Dead Rising 2, Danganronpa, Deadly Premonition, Fallout:New Vegas, Ghost Trick, God of War 3, Halo:Reach, Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2, Peace Walker, Red Dead Redemption, Rock Band 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Meat Boy and NIER. (I skimmed through the Wikipedia entry for games released in 2010 as I struggled a lot with that year). Not all to everyone’s tastes but there’s plenty of variety there and for me it looks like an outrageously good year.

Of those, Fallout: New Vegas would be a close second to Xenoblade, and Bioshock 2 was a great shooter. Heavy Rain was pretty good too. The rest? I'm really not crazy about. I actively dislike Mario Galaxy and Red Dead Redemption. The former messes with my head - the spherical level design really tweaks something in my brain the wrong way - and I straight-up hated Red Dead. Mass Effect 2 was fine, but it was a step in the wrong direction for that series that ultimately led to 3 and Andromeda.

I haven't played Reach though, I do intend to someday. But few of those are really my jam.

[Magical_Isopod]

Spoiler: show

My list is heavily tipped towards action games of Japanese origin as that's what I've been into the last 10 years. There are a bunch of games I haven't spent enough time with though. For example, I have yet to play through a Dark/Demon Souls-type FromSoft game in full. So this isn't my final word until the end of times.

2010 - Bayonetta

Some damn fine over the top action games came out this year, among which Sin & Punishment 2, but none of them have the substance that the first Bayonetta has.

2011 - Hard Corps: Uprising / The King of Fighters XIII

Arc System Works beautiful redefinition of the 2D run and gun game vs. SNK's beautiful 2D fighter that might just be the game in the genre of the last 10 years that's the most satisfying to play. I can't call it.

2012 - Kid Icarus: Uprising

Unfortunately, I can't force people to overcome the uncomfortable (but otherwise apt) controls of this luxurious and rich 3D action game for a handheld system, of all things.

2013 - The Wonderful 101

Slightly marred by a rushed release and only a single major patch, this is otherwise 2013's true next step in PlatinumGames' pushed evolution of the 3D brawler genre and as joyful and as interesting a game in this genre has ever gotten.

2014 - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

A benchmark for modern 2D platformers.

2015 - DARIUSBURST: Chronicle Saviours

You want highly refined and honed horizontally scrolling 2D shooting with a modern lick of paint? How about some more? And some more? And some more? And some...

2016 - DOOM

Might stick out a bit in my list, but this as just as action packed and substantial and meaty as the games I've listed above.

2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

No ifs and buts about it. Truly a monumental game. EAD, with some help, have done it again, after Ocarina of Time and the original 1986 Legend of Zelda.

2018 - ???

Too early to tell. Currently leaning towards Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.

2018 - ???

Too early to tell. Currently a toss up between Rolling Gunner, Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Astral Chain.

That's a lot of Uprising on your list. The Hard Corps variety is one I keep meaning to get, but keep thinking is a Wii eShop exclusive. The Kid Icarus variety is one I'd def jump on a Switch port for, or maybe even an emulated version with some control tweaks. It's really strange to me how they never even bothered to consider a dual-analog control scheme for this thing, especially considering the Circle Pad Pro already existed by that time, and all New 3DS models have that Nub of Doom.

Also, I can't figure out what Darius Burst even is. I see it on sale on PSN a lot, but the full price is like $67... Is that a complete game? Is that a shell? I know there's a ton of pricey DLC for this thing. I'm a big SHMUP fan, but I don't understand what this game even is.

[ColinAlonso]

2016 - Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

You and someone else around these parts have been pushing this game enough that I now have to get around to it at some point. My favourite JRPGs that I've played this decade have been from previous decades (VC4 excepted).

Best Remaster/Remake - .hack//GU: Last Recode
... Everyone ignored this one, and wrongfully. It's not just anime trash like a Tales game or a Atelier whatever...

I plead guilty as charged, your honour.

[Magical_Isopod]

2016 - Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

You and someone else around these parts have been pushing this game enough that I now have to get around to it at some point. My favourite JRPGs that I've played this decade have been from previous decades (VC4 excepted).

Best Remaster/Remake - .hack//GU: Last Recode
... Everyone ignored this one, and wrongfully. It's not just anime trash like a Tales game or a Atelier whatever...

I plead guilty as charged, your honour.

.hack is cheap now, I frequently see it on for like $25 - even less digital. Both it and Ys feel like older RPGs, in a good way. They're not pointlessly nostalgic, they just didn't abandon JRPG sensibilities. They're pinnacles of the genre.

[Nupraptor]

Bayonetta
Dark Souls
Breath of the Wild

[Michiel K]

That's a lot of Uprising on your list. The Hard Corps variety is one I keep meaning to get, but keep thinking is a Wii eShop exclusive.

No, that's ReBirth. Hard Corps: Uprising should still be available on XBLA and PSN for the previous generation of consoles!

Also, I can't figure out what Darius Burst even is. I see it on sale on PSN a lot, but the full price is like $67... Is that a complete game? Is that a shell? I know there's a ton of pricey DLC for this thing. I'm a big SHMUP fan, but I don't understand what this game even is.

Definitely a very complete game, with tons of content. Lots of different stages and path, lots of different ways to play the game. Plus there is the fanservice DLC that adds tons more.

[Nupraptor]

Full list. Think this is about right for me.

2010 Bayonetta
2011 Dark Souls
2012 Dishonored
2013 The Last of Us
2014 Dark Souls II
2015 Bloodborne
2016 Dark Souls III
2017 Breath of the Wild
2018 Hollow Knight
2019 Sekiro

[Jobobonobo]

My list is very uneven. Some years I barely played anything and others there is too much to choose from. While I could do this year by year I do not think I would be very honest as there are certain games that are so freaking masterful that I cannot exclude them just to make room for one game in 2012 that I kinda liked. So here are my ten games this decade that were not just fun to play but utterly changed how I look at and approach the medium.

2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Spoiler: show

Have not played Odyssey but Galaxy is one of my favourite Mario games ever and the sequel offers some of the finest 3D platforming around. My one big issue with Galaxy was that it was a premise that had a lot of clever potential that I felt was not used to its fullest extent and boy, did Galaxy 2 help realise it. This game is just brimming with creativity with great new power ups, level premises and Yoshi being implemented perfectly. While the story felt remarkably tacked on even for a Mario game, this along with the much more streamlined level select screen meant that you could get into the game straight away and as such if you are all about the gameplay then this is as closest to the 2d Marios as it is possible to get. This, along with its predecessor are the best platformers of the last generation.

2010: Pokémon SoulSilver

Spoiler: show

I never played the original 2nd gen Pokémon games but these remakes were easily the absolute peak of the series. Having two areas in Johto and Kanto to explore with 16 gyms in total made the game an absolute behemoth to tackle and is to this day the Pokémon game I have spent the most time on. My team in this game was a loveable bunch I will never forget and the fact that you can have one following you everywhere does make you more attached to the creatures than ever before. Not to mention, facing off against Red was a very memorable end to this adventure. You could even do rematches against Gym Leaders which were always a reliable way of building up experience points also! This was so packed to the gills with stuff to do that any fan of the series owes it to themselves to check these remakes out. With the lacklustre DS debuts that were Diamond and Pearl, I initially found the 4th gen to be a disappointment. These titles, however, more than redeemed this gen in my eyes.

2010: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Spoiler: show

A compelling story full of twist and turns paired up with ingenious puzzle solving made this one of my favourite point and click type adventure games I have ever played. The puzzles in particular can be challenging but not obscure like so many that this genre can be infamous for. A real highlight of the DS and one of the must-owns for the system.

2011: Portal 2

Spoiler: show

Another sequel but one far more expanded than the original. While many feared that the game could outstay its welcome due to the longer length, it turned out that those fears were displaced. A more deeper story, some great new characters, dialogue as sharp as ever, fantastic performances and some top tier puzzles with some new mechanics sprinkled in made this a fantastic follow up to the clever 2007 original. Also one of the most memorable final bosses I have ever fought against, what a way to finish someone off!

2013: Rayman legends

Spoiler: show

One of the most sublime 2D platformers I played this decade. Absolutely gorgeous graphics, buttery smooth controls and a unforgettable soundtrack. The rhythm action levels are a real standout and while I greatly enjoyed Origins a large chunk of its levels are also available to play in Legends making it the ultimate 2D Rayman experience.

2015: Tearaway Unfolded

Spoiler: show

This was my first ever title I got for the PS4 and I was blown away. Its visuals and way of using the various functions of the dual shock controller to interact with the world evoked a similar sense of wonder as Super Mario 64 did when I ran around outside the castle for the very first time. The fact that you can fill the world with your own creations whether it is hats, scarecrows or flags is a nice way of combining elements of LittleBigPlanet with a more traditional 3D platformer. Also worthy of note is that the final challenge of the game is not an epic battle against a final boss but a series of platforming challenges in order to deliver a message. With its creative set pieces and sweet ending, it is the epitome of charm.

2015: UnderTale

Spoiler: show

Battling monsters by cleaning them up, listening to their problems or helping them hook up with their best friend they have feelings for shows that the pacifist route can actually be the most fun way to play. Turned based battle combined with shmup elements make up one of the most unique battle systems ever seen in a RPG. And then there are the characters and the world they inhabit. This game seemingly came out of nowhere in late 2015 and just took the world of videogames by storm. Indie games were steadily becoming a bigger part of the industry since the last 00s but by the time UnderTale came around it proved that with just enough originality and the right presentation, the little underdog can become one of the true juggernauts of the gaming world.

2017: Horizon Zero Dawn

Spoiler: show

Open world games are a genre I rarely dive into, far too much of a time sink. But the unusual setting of HZD alongside its robo beasts intrigued me enough to want to try it out and so I was eagerly awaiting its release. My curiosity greatly rewarded me as I came across an incredible sci fi story about how robotics enabled by the military industrial complex hastened mass extinction that almost wiped out all Life on Earth and how humanity narrowly survived this apocalypse. Many missions would just involve going into old ruins of corporate headquarters and finding hologram recordings of past events and while the gameplay during these missions was basic the storytelling was so engrossing that these became my favourite parts of the game. While the gameplay itself was pretty standard fare for its genre it mixed and matched the elements from the best of them that a thoroughly enjoyable experience is going to be likely for many players. One of my most intense experiences in any game ever was when I was slowly destroying a Deathbringer with flame arrows while on one health and no recovery items. It was through extreme patience and timing my dodges that I eventually prevailed against the machine. Absolutely exhilarating.

2017: Nier Automata

Spoiler: show

I really enjoyed the effortless combat mechanics and insane giant mech fight when I played the demo so really wanted to try the full game after hearing so much praise for it. So glad I did. What I got was not only some of the most polished movement I have seen in a playable protagonist in quite some time (2B is so much fun to move around) but one with a multi layered story where you have to beat the games multiple times to comprehend. Its philosophy is open to an extent that one can get multiple readings from it and its exploration of humanity and consciousness is one of the most fascinating elements of this title. To me, Nier Automata truly highlights how games can be works of art on their own merits and it represents a tantalising glimpse of the story telling potential of videogames.

2017: Yakuza 0

Spoiler: show

I just finished this game a month ago but my god it was so bloody amazing it had no choice but to be on this list. I adored everything about this game and it has an incredible variety of stuff to do here. Minigames can become substantial games within themselves that one can dedicate countless hours to. Its cast of characters range from utter scumbags to ridiculous buffoons to fonts of charisma. The main story is top notch crime drama while the substories can make you laugh one minute and tear up the next. I am a full convert to this wonderful series and cannot wait to finish the full story of Kazuma Kiryu.

[Jon Cheetham]

@Nupraptor, love your list!

[Nupraptor]

Thanks, Jon Cheetham. It 's not that I only like From games or anything. I've played a lot of other incredible games over the past decade. But in a year with a new From game, it's usually my favourite!

[Jon Cheetham]

Completely understand... It also looked a lot like a list of what I've been playing this year, haha

[Magical_Isopod]

Full list. Think this is about right for me.

2010 Bayonetta
2011 Dark Souls
2012 Dishonored
2013 The Last of Us
2014 Dark Souls II
2015 Bloodborne
2016 Dark Souls III
2017 Breath of the Wild
2018 Hollow Knight
2019 Sekiro

Would you say there's a common thread between all of these games? I ask, because they all occupy the same sort of space in my head - they're all games I like the idea of, but wound up disliking. So I'm curious if there's some commonality that can be identified -- something you decidedly love, and something that I can't quite get on with.

[DomsBeard]

2010. Mass Effect 2
2011. Skyrim
2012. The Walking Dead
2013. The Last Of Us
2014. Alien Isolation
2015 Arkham Knight
2016. Batman VR
2017. Yakuza 0 (special mention Horizon Zero Dawn)
2018. Detroit
2019. Life Is Strange 2 (pipped Death Stranding at the death) *pun intended

[Magical_Isopod]

2017. Yakuza 0 (special mention Horizon Zero Dawn)

If you wanted to be clever, you could put Yakuza 0 as the 2015 game, as that was its original release year. ;D

[Nupraptor]

Full list. Think this is about right for me.

2010 Bayonetta
2011 Dark Souls
2012 Dishonored
2013 The Last of Us
2014 Dark Souls II
2015 Bloodborne
2016 Dark Souls III
2017 Breath of the Wild
2018 Hollow Knight
2019 Sekiro

Would you say there's a common thread between all of these games? I ask, because they all occupy the same sort of space in my head - they're all games I like the idea of, but wound up disliking. So I'm curious if there's some commonality that can be identified -- something you decidedly love, and something that I can't quite get on with.

Hi, Magical Isopod. I dunno about a single common theme. They are all games that completely sucked me in. I love the From games. The gameplay, the atmosphere, the challenge. Hollow Knight is similar. It's the closest that a non-From game has come to capturing the feel of playing Dark Souls and the art style is adorable.

Dishonored. Quite different from the others. Loved the diversity of potential approaches. I had to go pacifist, but even within that, there was a lot of flexibility as to how you approach each encounter. I don't usually have the patience for stealth games, but I loved Dishonored. I don't know anything about the developer, but the game had an oddly 'British' feel to it that really appealed to me.

The Last of Us it was more about the story than the gameplay, but is probably my least favourite game on the list. Thinking a bit harder, I'd probably switch it out for Prey.

Breath of the Wild was just a revelation. Such a beautiful game world. So much freedom and flexibility. Always new things to find around every corner. It was also the first game that I played in a big way with my kids.

Bayonetta. The aesthetic of it is so over the top. The music is incredible. The combat is just so exciting and so much fun. I've loved this kind of game ever since the original Devil May Cry, this one is arguably the apex of that genre though.

Don't know if that helps, but those are some of the reasons why I like these games!

[Flabyo]

Not the easiest list to do this is it? I’ve landed on:

2010 - Mass Effect 2
2011 - Skyrim
2012 - Borderlands 2
2013 - GTA V
2014 - Titanfall
2015 - Splatoon
2016 - Overwatch
2017 - Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
2019 - Outer Wilds

Bring on the next decade!

[Magical_Isopod]

Not the easiest list to do this is it?

I can't remember what my favourite games of each year were, I don't know what year stuff comes out without looking it up. It'd be a bloody nightmare, I'm just gonna sit this one out.

This is precisely why I keep a hyper-curated Top 100 Games list.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... w/htmlview

And a Backlog chart with the estimated How Long To Beat scores.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... I/htmlview

[Alex79]

The man loves a list!

[Stanshall]

I like the format, I'm in. Here we go.

2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2

Spoiler: show

My first year back in the UK and as much as I associate the Wii with life in China, this game makes me think of the first weeks back home, playing it with my bros after probably a decade or more of no gaming together. I didn't follow gaming as closely then as I do these days but I still got this the day it was available (my chipped Wii wouldn't actually play retail discs so I pirated it, to be frank) and it was exactly what I wanted: More of the same with less preamble. The first Galaxy completely blew my mind and while this could never have the same impact, it was like an amazing after party which you remember as fondly as the main event.

2011 - Skyrim

Spoiler: show

Dark Souls is my favourite game ever for many reasons. I still play it now and I still love it. For a good while, between the release of Bloodborne and the arrival of the Switch, I did wonder whether I didn't really like games that much, besides Souls games. I've played hundreds and hundreds of hours across the various titles and explored the lore and builds and thought and read and listened to so much media around the series. And despite that, I'm choosing Skyrim. This sounds like absurd hyperbole but...How does a game have soul? The story is packed with cliché. The gameplay is pure jank. The mechanics have no depth. And yet, I don't think there's ever been a world I've felt so consumed by in any game. I can feel it now. I can feel that atmosphere, the sense of place, of empty space, of exploration, of freedom. It captures a sense of adventure like nothing else, even Breath of the Wild. The music is up there with Final Fantasy VII for me as something beyond my analysis, something which I can't deconstruct and which continues to blow me away and surprise me years on, after hours and hours of listening to the same themes. I still play it regularly in bed on the fairly crap Switch version and it's as transportative and wonderful as ever.

2012 - Far Cry 3

Spoiler: show

This was a game changer for me at the time and it was probably the first game where I did virtually everything, all the collectibles, reset both islands, unlocked everything, all the crafting, all that stuff that was completely new to me and which seemed like depth at the time. It was the first open world game I'd played and a true playground. I remember I kept saying to my then-girlfriend the old favourite "see that mountain/lake/forest, I can actually just go there" and then I'd jump off a cliff with the glider and start going "look at this, look at that" and she would humour me. The stealth felt great, the guns were satisfying, the chaos was always exciting. The first AAA game I played on the PS3 and an enormous leap from the Wii years.

2013 - The Last of Us

Spoiler: show

This is the reason I bought a PS3, though. That early E3 footage blew me away. It was the first time I ever really cared about a story in games. The first characters I felt I knew. I got deep into the lore, the comics, the soundtrack and when I eventually played Left Behind (once only), I couldn't believe their audacity with the walking sim-type half of the game which made me feel at the time that games and movies were being melded together in a wonderful way. I don't feel that any more, really, and going back to TLoU now, I do find the gameplay frustrating and repetitive and clunky, but I can't forget the impact of the story and characters and most of all the environmental storytelling and the incredible details which brought that world to life.

2014 - Dark Souls 2

Spoiler: show

Not the first Souls game I played (Demon's), not the best (Dark) but the first I properly became obsessed with and which I completed and replayed time and time again. Then Scholar came out and I went back for a whole load more. Scholar could almost be my fave game of 2015 but I digress. In trying to find out more about the game, I discovered the now-defunct The Dark Souls Two podcast, which eventually turned me onto Bonfireside Chat which turned me onto Twin Humanities which led me to Cane and Rinse, so it's got that going for it, too! Majula is perhaps my favourite area in all Souls, a place to retire as much as Whiterun, and with much cheaper rent. A beautiful, often misunderstood game with incredible depth and sadness to it. Listen to CJ on the C&R issue for a fantastic, heartfelt expression of many of my own thoughts and feelings.

2015 - Bloodborne

Spoiler: show

The Project Beast trailer appeared in the thick of my Souls obsession and I could not have been more excited. By the time the game was eventually revealed and various YT Souls celebs were invited to play the demo, I was refreshing forums all day every day. I bought a PS4 purely for this. I got my money's worth, having run probably a dozen builds to completion. Special mention for the Kirkhammer L1 'combo' (SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM) and the fully charged Stake Driver (no onomatopoeia comes close to that impact). I could not let the game go. I spent so long in the Chalice Dungeons grinding for gems that I started to feel held by a sickly obsession. I mean it. The themes of the game really got under my skin and increasingly made me feel a queasy existential dread. What was initially a brutal action game became something psychologically quite troubling as I understood the lore better and felt that I was giving this game too much space in my head. I started to feel depressed by the sickness and darkness of the world. I got the Platinum, got the cop out nice ending for the first time and walked away forever. An incredible experience, and one I have no interest in revisiting.

2016 - Forza Horizon 3

Spoiler: show

My first FH experience and one which I instantly fell in love with. Having never played anything like this before, I found the freedom thrilling and the environments consistently stunning. When the 4K HDR update came later for the One X, it didn't look that much more amazing than it had on my One S. While FH4 is one of the best looking games ever made, there's a lot more variety here and the blue skies and rusty deserts gave it more of an arcade feel which really appealed to me. Once I'd reached a certain point, I realised that much of the game is fluff and that it feels quite hollow and meaningless but it's all about the moments, rattling through a jungle with light flickering through the leaves and going into a massive slide as the paintwork gleams, the shrubs and fences get clattered and The Blue Danube swoons in the background as you suddenly launch off a cliff and you hold your breath. That's Forza Horizon 3.

2017 - Breath of the Wild

Spoiler: show

When I started to feel like I was losing interest in where gaming was headed, when I felt like I'd seen everything besides iterations on iterations, BotW (and the Switch) singlehandedly made me fall in love with games again. In many respects, my inklings were correct and the medium does often feel like it's eating itself, and nearly three years on this still stands as a beacon of imagination, creativity and tactile pleasure far beyond anything else in AAA gaming.

2018 - Rolling Gunner

Spoiler: show

Meanwhile, I started getting into shmups after stumbling onto a Dodonpachi Daioujou cab at Arcade Club at some point in early 2018 and nearly being knocked off the stool. While it took me until early this year to finally pick up a 360 and cram it with the best shmup action that Cave and others had to offer, including my own copy of Daioujou, I spent ages trying to recapture that excitement and intensity however I could on the Switch and PS4. While this meant hammering the likes of Ikaruga, Danmaku Unlimited 3 and the Psikyo games to try to scratch that very particular and intense itch, Rolling Gunner was the one to eventually hit the spot. No surprise that it was created by an ex-Cave dev and despite the cheapo graphics, absurd purchasing options for PC (import a physical CD-ROM from Japan) and numerous delays on Switch, it remains an absolute belter and always somewhere in my rotation. I can't wait to see what the Over Power DLC brings.

2019 - ESP Ra.De. Psi

Spoiler: show

I've played some games I've really enjoyed this year, with more detailed reflections to go in the 2019 thread but the vast majority have been very good rather than great, or even disappointing despite their strengths. Overwhelmingly, my year in gaming has been about shmups on the 360, and specifically by Cave, and more specifically Dodonpachi Daioujou Extra and Mushihimesama Futari Black Label. It's no surprise then that, recency bias notwithstanding, this absolutely blinding port/update of 1998's ESP Ra.De. is my GOTY 2019.

It's a game I'd hardly played before because it wasn't ported to the 360 (or anything else) and because, frankly, it seemed a bit weird and finicky. Compared to the technicolor bedazzlement of Futari or the sleek military grit of Daioujou or Ketsui, it's curiously grounded with its Shopping Mall and High School stages, while its more scattered bullet patterns (and anime-style chatter) reminded me of Gunbird or Samurai Aces or some other Psikyo game. I didn't understand the various shots or why there was no autofire and I felt that its spiritual successors, the Espgaluda series, had made it largely redundant. All it took, though, was to give it a fair crack to understand what it was all about. The scoring/multiplier system with the secondary shots is basically genius. It gives the game a completely unique rhythm and one which gets under your skin in a big way. It's very satisfying and never feels as punishing as dropping a Daioujou chain, for example. It just feels great when you pull it off. It's exciting to me to have a 'brand new' Cave game to fall in love with and to compare high scores and strategies in 2019. Unlike Sekiro, Cuphead, Fire Emblem: Three Houses and whatever else, I'll be playing this for years to come.

Edit: 2018 is Red Dead Redemption 2. See podcast thread for further details. An unbelievable experience. I'm still reeling.