Top 10 Console Games of the 7th Generation

I have decided to get back into writing after a long layoff.  It’s been a while since its been part of my job description and I need to work my way back into “shape.”  If I am going to be writing during my personal time, I am going to write about something I am passionate about, so I want to continue writing about gaming.  

Rather than go through the machinations of creating a whole new blog, I’m just going to use my old one.  I deleted all of the non-gaming content, so all that’s left is the top 100 games of all time list I did when I was in college.  That was several years ago and its something I would like to revisit at some point. 

Because of the layoff, the number of candidates for that list has grown a ton.  I didn’t even include games from the PS3/Xbox 360/Wii generation (which at this point is the previous generation).  While I have become more of a retro gamer in recent years, I can still safely say I have played enough games from that generation to add them to my list.  Here are the top 10 games from the 7^th (I think) generation.

10. Borderlands – One of the best new IP’s from the 7^th generation, Borderlands is part dungeon crawler, part FPS and all awesome.  Play as one of four characters on a quest to unearth a vault full of treasure.  Each character has a unique play style and all of their abilities are fun to use.  The environments look great, although they are a bit repetitive, and the sheer amount of equipment will keep you playing.

9. Mega Man 9 – More proof that graphics aren’t everything.  After years of getting dumped on by critics for trying to innovate a beloved series, Capcom went back to their roots with a new 8-bit style side scroller.  Many fans consider this to be the best game in the series, with a return to fun robot masters, excellent level design and insane challenge.  

8. BioShock – One of the games that defines the 7^th generation, BioShock showed what these consoles are truly capable of.  This game looks great, but that can only take you so far.  It’s the tight controls, claustrophobic atmosphere and top notch story that make BioShock stand out.  It’s disturbing atmosphere and memorable villain help drive the narrative to and through one of the single greatest plot twists in gaming history.

7. Super Mario Galaxy – The Wii’s motion controls were pretty divisive amongst gamers.  Some thought they were a gimmick, others thought they were revolutionary.  Regardless of how you felt, its impossible to deny the greatness of Super Mario Galaxy.  It managed to make use of the motion controls without completely ruining the Mario experience.  The level design is outstanding and memorable and the challenge is at just the right level.  Mario 64 revolutionized 3D platforming and this game ensured its legacy would continue into yet another generation.

6. Fallout 3 – It’s ugly and full of bugs and the combat is inconsistent, but Fallout 3 set a new standard for open world console games.  Bethesda was able to create a fully realized post apocalyptic version of the Metro D.C. area the likes of which had never been seen in a game.  You could play for hours, fighting off bandits and exploring vaults, without ever touching an actual mission and still feel accomplished.  But the biggest draw is that you get to choose how you play the game.  Every action you take can have consequences down the road.  Any open world console game today (and there are a lot) owes its existence to Fallout 3 and its fantasy cousins Oblivion and Morrowind.

5. Mortal Kombat – THIS is how you reboot a series.  Awesome graphics, a re-vamped fighting engine and a ton of unlockables and game modes make this the best game in the series.  The story mode offers a unique and fresh take on MK and the challenge tower offers a fresh change of pace.  Mortal Kombat has a history of refocusing before going off the rails (compare deadly alliance to Armageddon, or MK2 to any of the weird spinoffs) and it looks like it might be headed that way again, but this edition will go down as a classic.

4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution – When I heard the next Deus Ex game was going to be a prequel, I was a little disappointed.  Sometimes they come out well, other times they don’t but it just seemed like it was headed for trouble.  But the developers nailed it with the story, gameplay and atmosphere.  While it isn’t as good as the first, this game made the Deus Ex series a must play for me.  I think the best part of these games is they give you options and direction at the same time.  It’s easy to get lost in open world games at times, but you don’t want to play something completely linear either.  DX:HR is the perfect balance.

3. The Last of Us – It’s rare for me to say this, but it isn’t the gameplay that got this game so high on my list.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s excellent, with a nice mix of exploration, combat and stealth.  The storyline is extremely memorable, the characters are well written and the atmosphere is great, but even that isn’t the selling point here.  The Last of Us set a new bar for quality when it comes to presentation.  The dialogue sounds real, the people behave like real humans and the world truly makes you feel like you have been dropped into a post apocalyptic USA.  Yes, I know, it’s pretty much “The Road,” but I don’t care.  The Last of Us was the gold standard for quality in the 7^th Gen.  Oh, it also has the best video game ending of all time.

2. Valkyria Chronicles – In many ways, I believe that the 7^th generation is where the gaming industry hit a creative wall.  This has been carried over into the current gen, where it seems like everything is an FPS or an open world adventure.  Many of them are great, but they all have certain “sameness” to them.  On top of that, there are so few new IPs and tons of sequels.  Hell, more than half this list is either sequels or reboots.   Valkyria Chronicles stands out in a world of clones and pseudo clones.  Part turn based strategy, part RPG and part 3^rd person action game, no game in the last 10 years has been this unique.  Of course, that wouldn’t matter if the game wasn’t good…but the gameplay is tight and responsive and the story is excellent.  I really wish more developers would innovate like this.

1. Borderlands 2 – I spent more time on this game than I have on any other in the 7^th generation by a mile.  There was little change in the gameplay from the first game, but the small improvements were very noticeable.  The characters are way more balanced and there’s more variety in enemies.  Presentation wise, however, it’s in a completely different universe from its predecessor.  The story is epic and the villain is one of the best in gaming history.  The same-ish environments of the first game have been replaced with lush varied environments.  There are more guns, more areas, more characters and more of just about everything.  Borderlands 2 is an instant classic and a must play.