Opinion
Our favourite games of the last decade
by Philipp Rüegg
Goodbye Playstation 4 and XBox One! "The game of this generation"
19.10.2020
Translation: machine translated
The eighth generation of consoles is drawing to a close. Which games have characterised this generation? A panel of experts has answered this question for Eurogamer, with some surprising results.
Has it been that long? Seven years ago, Sony and Microsoft launched the eighth generation of consoles. A year earlier, Nintendo had tried to copy the success of the Wii with the Wii U. The project ended in 2017. The Switch, the successor console, hit like a bomb.
Now the website Eurogamer has asked a panel of experts what the game of this console generation is. A panel of experts because the Eurogamer team has already presented its "Games of the Decade". So have we, by the way.
This time, Eurogamer interviewed 19 people from the games industry who either write about games or work for a studio themselves.
Game of the Generation
** 10th The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt **
The epic from "Cyberpunk 2077" developer CD Projekt Red is considered one of the best open-world games. The characters, the side quests and the gigantic world of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" have not lost their appeal even five years after its release. Funnily enough, I still haven't found my way into the game after four attempts because I don't like the combat system.
** 9th Threes **
Is it the Tetris of this generation? Quite possibly. "Threes" is a simple puzzle game in which you push the same numbers together, which then add up. Easy to learn, difficult to master. I've already missed my tram stop while playing the only mobile title on the Eurogamer list.
** 8th Nier: Automata **
An action-adventure-jump-and-run-bullet-hell-shoot'em-beat'em-up with a highly philosophical story and sexy androids... and it all works. For me, one of the biggest surprises of this generation and at the same time a love song and biting criticism of the entertainment industry, artificial intelligence and digitalisation. A great game.
** 7th Slay the Spire **
A deck-building rogue-like that is addictive. You have a deck of cards that you use to defeat opponents, who in turn unlock new cards. As a big fan of "Magic: The Gathering", I spent dozens of hours in "Slay the Spire" slaughtering monsters. The appeal lies in the simple gameplay that combines cards and dungeons.
** 6th Uncharted: A Thief's End **
The fourth instalment in the Uncharted series is a real stunner in terms of storytelling and graphics. I liked "The Last of Us" a little better, but it was originally a PS3 game. What can I say? I'm not a fan of Naughty Dog games and probably never will be, even if I keep trying again and again.
** 5th Titanfall 2 **
This is the best first-person shooter of this generation, period. After the predecessor was a pure multiplayer shooter, Respawn delivered a surprisingly good campaign here. The "pièce de résistance" remains the multiplayer mode. It never gets boring summoning a gigantic robot from the sky and shooting everything to bits with it. Unfortunately, EA released the game at the worst possible time, between the big shooters "Battlefield 1" and "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare", which resulted in low sales figures. EA nevertheless backed the developer Respawn, who later developed the battle royale "Apex Legends". This is also set in the Titanfall universe and became the studio's first major success.
** 4th Kentuck Route Zero **
The adventure game about the disintegration of the USA is spread over five episodes and has been released over the last seven years. The graphic design, the leisurely structure and the mysterious story are the consistent, artistic development of classic adventure games such as "Monkey Island". A road trip, with the emphasis on trip.
** 3rd Outer Wilds **
This indie game is all about trips to foreign planets. You are thrown back again and again because the solar system goes supernova over and over again. At Eurogamer, Chris Plante rightly compares the game to Christopher Nolan's films: "The best Nolanesque experience of this generation doesn't come from Nolan himself." The tragically funny space puzzle in the time loop is a masterpiece of game design. Every 20 minutes, you start all over again to explore the same solar system. Only your experiences and information from the last few trips will bring you closer to solving the puzzle. A game that you have to play to understand.
** 2nd Bloodborne **
The father of "Dark Souls" has made history with this PS4 exclusive title
written. The dark gothic world is filled with bizarre monsters, the difficulty level is murderous and the story is crazy. I couldn't say it better than Erik Wolpaw at Eurogamer: "Soulsborn games are the best games. And this is the best Souldsborn game. Full stop."
** 1.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild**
When the open-world genre seemed almost dead, Nintendo came along and released a game that could have done so much wrong and then did almost everything right. The story is actually a minor matter. Sure, it's about defeating Ganon and freeing Zelda. But you create the story yourself, because the map is free of quest markers, question marks and mini-symbols. It has to be that way, because discovery is the main task. I made notes in a notebook to memorise certain things. While Rockstar Games, the former kings of the open-world genre, force you into an ever tighter corset, in "Breath of the Wild" the world is wide open for you to explore. Bluntly banging away will get you to your goal, as will creative problem solving thanks to the successful physics engine. The open gameplay may be overwhelming for some, as it's often not entirely clear what's coming next. But I absolutely love it.
By and large, the Eurogamer list fits. I would probably replace "Uncharted" with "Rimworld" or "Papers, please", but those are my preferences. Which games are you missing from the Eurogamer list? What is your game of the generation? And which game don't you understand the hype about?
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
Gaming
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
31 comments
later