The Best 30 Games of the Decade

As 2009 winds down, the aughties, double zeros, or whatever you like to refer this decade as, heads towards its end as well. Its incredible to think that it has been a whole ten years since Y2K, but it has. The 2000s will be remembered in the gaming industry as the decade where gaming went mainstream. No longer is gaming a fad or a niche. Instead, video gaming has become a culture, and a part of everyday entertainment. The DAMNLAG Team has decided to take you down memory lane, and rank the best thirty gaming experiences to come from this great gaming decade. Commentary and rankings were all done by Jaleel Boone, Chris Holmes, Connor Beaton, Zack Rovinsky, and myself. Enjoy guys, we worked pretty hard on this one. We promise you it will be epic.

30. Gears of War
Release Date: November 9th, 2006

Steve says: No matter what you may think of the game’s community, or perhaps the lack of substance that the game represents in this industry, Gears of War was a tour de force of sheer entertainment. Unlike some of those who played the game, Gears of War did not take itself seriously. Epic Games knew their objective and what its players expected from it. We wanted to kill aliens, and we wanted it to be fun to do so. Gears delivered immensely, and deserves its spot as the first game to be listed on our list.

Example of Greatness: Gears of War is known for its executions, but the chainsaw stands above the rest. The Gears chainsaw is one of the greatest weapons to come out of this decade.

29. Ninja Gaiden
Release Date: March 2nd, 2004

Jaleel says: Just when gamers were starting to get confident about our collective skill, Tomonobu Itagaki and his game from hell had to come and knock us down a few pegs. Calling it difficult is an understatement. Parts of Ninja Gaiden could make even Gandhi want to choke a bitch. But if one were to preserve past the rage, and those “how the fuck am I supposed to beat that?!” moments, the feeling of victory on the other side was priceless. Spot-on controls meant that no matter how hard you raged you knew you could get those bastards if you tried just one more time. Cheap ass bastards.

Example of Greatness: The pure state of nirvana after opening up a can of whoop ass on that boss you’ve been stuck on for three weeks.

28. Kingdom Hearts
Release Date: September 17, 2002

Jaleel says: No game has as many equally rabid fans and haters as Kingdom Hearts. Some call it a button masher, others say it’s one of the greatest of all-time. Your opinion on the game is all personal. If for nothing else, we think it deserve props for making Disney and Final Fantasy a believable reality. As batty as the concept sounds on paper, Kingdom Hearts blends the universes in a way that’d make you swear they were soulmates. The game plays like an extended Disney ride, and Square’s attention to theme and detail would make Walt proud. Even the most jaded of souls has to appreciate the love put into the Disney worlds featured. Square took a risk, and because of that. Kingdom Hearts carved out it’s own following and solidified it’s place as one of industry’s triple-A franchises.

Example of Greatness: Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud and Hades from Disney’s Hercules talking to each other. Nothing is weird about that conversation.

27. Fable
Release Date: September 14th, 2004

Zack says: At times it seems RPGs are constructed to be complicated, and that’s part of the appeal. They’re made by people who grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons and older RPGs to fit into some sort of line of succession. That’s what makes Peter Molyneux so goddamn weird. He makes his games to make sense in the real world not as games as we know them. That’s also what makes Fable so goddamn weird: it’s an RPG that makes a conscious effort to shed a lot of the bullshit that either weighs down or fluffs up other RPGs. It functions more like a life simulator for an epic hero in a traditional fantasy setting. Yeah, the combat and the questing is there but you can also get married, buy property, and fuck with the thick-headed NPCs that populate the land. Is that greatness? I couldn’t tell at the time and I still can’t. At least it’s unique.
Example of Greatness: Gay marriage; how progressive.

26. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Release Date: April 28, 2001

Jaleel says: The Playstation 2 was the weakest console hardware-wise last generation. It’s ridiculous then that one of the prettiest games of the decade dropped within months of the console’s release. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is the godfather of racing sims. The realism is nearly ridiculous at times. The game has over 150 cars, all of which drive differently according to their real-life counterparts. With the Logitech racing wheel made in conjunction with the game, there was nothing closer to actually driving the vehicles. The graphics rival anything else in the generation and became Polyphony’s calling card after 3. All this hype surrounding Gran Turismo 5? It started with A-Spec’s awesomeness. Recognize.

Example of Greatness: GT3 introduced endurance racers where you could race NASCAR style multi-hour events, complete with pit stops and tire management.

25. Soulcalibur II
Release Date: July 30th, 2002

Zack says: The whole idea of bringing the arcade experience home is something that goes in and out of fashion in video games, and the genre that is best served by that idea is fighting games. The Soul Calibur series has done perhaps the best job of any fighting game franchise of bringing that old-school arcady experience to a living room, as anyone who has ever played pass the controller in a room full of friends shouting “next” and calling you a bitch for playing Sophitia can attest. It may not be the deepest or most balanced fighter ever, but something about Soul Calibur 2′s combination of swords, tits, and accessibility captured the zeitgeist. Which is more than a lot of fighting games can say nowadays.

Example of Greatness: Gamecube owners may not have had the most popular system, but they knew they got the best exclusive character in Link.

24. Shadow of the Colossus
Release Date: October 18th, 2005

Steve says: Shadow of the Colossus is as much a game as it is a display of art. Colossus showcased that games did not have to be just mediums for entertainment, but rather, they can become a new medium for artistic endeavors. With Colossus, you were given an extremely refined and beautiful package, one that I really think is unmatchable. The sense of isolation seen in Wander, the sense of beauty portrayed by the land, and the pure power of the Colossi were elements that stayed in gamer’s hearts (especially this one) for years. Not to mention, not only were Colossus’ titular boss fights some of the most exhilarating in video game history, but just some of the best stand alone experiences in all of gaming.

Example of Greatness: Argo, Wander’s horse. Never before had a horse been so integrated with a game’s core design, putting Argo in the same echelon as Epona (and probably higher) when it comes to gaming horses.

23. World of Warcraft
Release Date: November 23, 2004

Connor says: It was widely known as the mark of the geek and an internet addiction. Today, it’s renowned for bringing together over eleven million casual and hardcore gamers. It’s hard to describe the power of the World of Warcraft, the huge MMORPG developed by Blizzard, the company who already captivated gamers with StarCraft and Diablo. But what’s so great about World of Warcraft? Well, by today’s standards, it’s a fairly regular online experience. It’s only thanks to the game’s innovation upon its release, and the high penetration rate it achieved that it remains one of the most played games of all time, and one of the most timeless spawns of this decade.

Example of Greatness: Raids. Warcraft’s raids are incredibly fun, and the best example of what’s special about multiplayer RPGs compared to single-player adventures.

22. Rock Band
Release Date: November 20th, 2007

Zack says: If countless tell-all books, documentaries and Behind the Music episodes are to be believed being in a band is fun. So fun in fact that it has to be limited to people with actual musical talent and a devotion to their craft or else the whole world would descend into hedonistic chaos and half the population wouldn’t make it past 27. After having their wildly successful Guitar Hero franchise sold out from under them, Harmonix realized that by expanding their tried and true music game formula to encompass a full band they could capture some of that fun and bring it down to us mortals like Prometheus bringing fire down from on high. Thus was born Rock Band: the ultimate party game that could snare not only the fiddly fingered guitarist types but also your thick headed cousin, your girlfriend, and your friend who isn’t as good as you at guitar. It’s a wonderful thing.

Example of Greatness: Putting on a subpar drunken show and not having to hear from that jackass at the record company in the morning.

21. Fallout 3
Release Date: October 30th, 2008

Zack says: I’m still amazed that something referred to as a “wasteland” can be full of so many interesting places and things. In the DC wasteland there is almost always something over the next hill that can provide a fresh visual, occupy your time, and tell a story. That has always been a great strength of the Fallout universe, it’s an inherently interesting place, but showing it through a first person perspective brings the ruins alive in a way the old top-down strategy style never could. From forgotten vaults to dilapidated national monuments, to the hole in the ground that used to be the White House; there’s always something worth exploring both inside and outside the city that springs to an eerie life as it passes under the light of your Pip Boy 3000. Judging by Fallout 3: the best part of the apocalypse is what gets left behind.

Example of Greatness: Tranquility Lane, that’s all I have to say.

20. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Release Date: June 12th, 2008

Chris says: MGS4 was an emotional title. Snake’s day as the series’ current protagonist was finally finished. The storyline may have gotten ridiculous by the point of the game’s release (Liquid staying alive after having his arm grafted on to Revolver Ocelot was the icing on the cake of unbelievability), but Metal Gear Solid 4 was in one word, epic. The cutscenes showed that this was a labour of love to the fans and a perfect farewell to the Solid story. Also, this MGS was accessible to those who weren’t blessed with any tactical espionage experience (i.e. Xbox gamers, thanks to Kojima). The voice acting and presentation piled on the emotional angle until we were left paralyzed.

Example of Greatness: The Octocamo. Being able to see Snake in cutscenes look like a pink curtain is one of the highlights on the PS3.

19. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Release Date: November 26, 2007

Steve says: When the DAMNLAG Team began ranking this list, we all wanted a Call of Duty game somewhere. Deciphering which one to put on was hard, but after much debate (and yelling at Chris), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare appeared to not only be the best option, but the only option. Call of Duty 4 took an already respected franchise to a level no other war game has ever reached. What was once a classic World War II franchise became the most mainstream game in all of video gaming, and quickly established the series as the biggest in the industry. Yet despite all of the game’s success, Call of Duty 4 was at its core, an incredible experience; one that every gamer should get a chance to play.

Example of its Greatness: Prestiges. No multiplayer rewards system has ever been as addictive as Modern Warfare’s prestiges, keeping gamers attached to the game for months (and for some….years) after its release.

18. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Release Date: November 19th, 2006

Steve says: Quite frankly, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a disappointment (as evidenced by its spot on this list.) It’s hard to properly enjoy a game that everyone expects to be one of the greatest of all time BEFORE it is even released. Twilight Princess probably had some of the most unfair expectations a game has ever had, but now that we can look back at the game in retrospect, it’s impossible to say this game was not an amazing experience. For a game that was expected to build upon Ocarina of Time, it accomplished its goal in stride. Everything about Twilight Princess is a better than its eminent predecessor, and that should not go unnoticed. From the beautiful Twilight Realm to the incredible dungeons, Twilight Princess was an excellent modern adaption of a classic.

Example of Greatness: Midna. Many gamers thought the Hyrule of Twilight Princess was a cold one, lacking the famous characters and supporting cast of past games. While it’s impossible to deny that, Midna was an absolute gem of a character, expressing a layer of depth to her emotions never before seen from a Zelda game. Also, she was a badass little nymph.

17. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Released: January 31st, 2008

Connor says: The Nintendo of this generation hasn’t been so kind to the “hardcore” gamers, and it’s difficult to blame them for that. The casual demographic has been more than happy to part with wads of their cash in exchange for games with a focus on fitness, family fun and cheap minigames. Key franchises forgotten, Nintendo’s development team moved onto bigger and better things – or did they? The Super Smash Bros. franchise, first realised on the Nintendo 64, features characters from every major Nintendo franchise pitted against each other in a variety of locations all based on those from the same games. With replays, online and a fun single-player mode, it’s truly a hilariously fun Wii experience designed for the hardcore gamer. If there are any qualms that Nintendo does not care about our demographic, one just has to look towards Brawl to end any doubt.

Example of Greatness: The character roster is simply the best thing about Brawl. While previous iterations pulled Nintendo characters together, the presence of Sonic and Solid Snake makes the fighter oh-so-much more fun.

16. Pokemon Gold and Silver
Released: September 4th, 2000

Chris says: Pokemon Gold/Silver was the best game to come from the Pokemon series by and large. The games added a lot to the Pokemon formula which advanced the series far past its predecessor (new Pokemon, a time system, hold-able items, specialised Poke Balls, and Pokegear). Also, the wealth of content on offer here was staggering, thanks to Johto being joined with Kanto from Pokemon Red/Blue, rewriting the concept of end of game bonuses forever. The face off against Red atop Mt. Silver was an epic way to end an already huge game, offering a wonderful sense of finality.

Example of Greatness: The legendary dogs. They are the trickiest legendaries in any Pokemon game and the satisfaction of grabbing one without using the masterball is unmatched.

15. God of War
Release Date: March 22nd, 2005

Steve says: There is only one word that should be used to describe God of War: epic. The scope of God of War is epic. The boss battles in God of War is epic. The music in God of War is epic. Kratos is unbelieviably over-the-top epic. The entire game itself is based off of Greek epics. And you know what else? The game was fucking incredible. From the huge scale, to the smallest of details, everything about God of War felt clean, refined, and entertaining. The core gameplay mechanics of the game are unmatched by any adventure game as far as I’m concerned, and the meticulous attention to detail in the game’s levels is some of the best designing in any medium. For a game that appears so massive, it is the small things that stand out the most.

Example of Greatness: Kicking the shit out of the game’s mythological bosses. There’s no feeling like tearing Medusa and the Minotaur a new asshole.

14. Final Fantasy X
Release Date: December 20th, 2001
Jaleel says: If someone today asked me to what an RPG is, I’d point them straight to Final Fantasy X. An adventure spanning hours, a multi-faceted plot worthy of a novel, and the party of characters who develop over the course of what. FFX did all of this with a system over a decade old. By going back to its roots with traditional turn-based system, FFX’s learning curve is minimal. Both Square’s and the player’s focus turns to everything else about the game, and then the developer brings the heat. The enemies are unique and the music might be the series’ best. The characters are likeable (yes, even goofy Tidus)  and you won’t be able to tell where the plot is going until you get there. Final Fantasy X is everything that made us fall in love with the Final Fantasy series in the first place amplified.

Example of Greatness: Final Fantasy X’s success led to Final Fantasy X-2, the first direct sequel to a game in the franchise. Yeah, it got Square to establish a timeline; it was that fucking good.

13. Mass Effect
Release Date: November 20th, 2007

Jaleel says: Mass Effect is BioWare’s way of saying “This is what we would’ve done with KOTOR if Lucas would have let us.” What could have been a lame attempt at trying to be Star Wars stacks up to the quality and attention to detail of the galaxy Georgie built. It’s a universe that’s vastly different from our own while rooted in familiar social interaction and emotional connections. This interaction is where the game truly shines. With engaging plot and a dialog system unmatched in gaming, Mass Effect had you craving more with your Normandy crew long after the credits roll.

Example of Greatness: A scenario in the game had you choose between the lives of two crew members, and it was one of the most difficult decisions in all of  gaming.

12. Psychonauts
Release Date: April 19th, 2005

Connor says: It’s unfortunate that Psychonauts wasn’t a financial success upon its launch in 2006; the idiosyncratic characters and their witty dialogue made for a fun experience on Xbox, PS2 and PC. While the disappointing sales may have incited the resignation of the publisher’s CEO, designer Tim Schafer was certainly not downcast for long, as he returned to design this year’s Brutal Legend. While I’d consider Psychonauts the highlight of his career, it’s encouraging to see such an original designer present in today’s gaming industry. Especially after such an “out there” endeavor like Psychonauts.

Example of Greatness: Psychonauts’ humour is certainly what stands out most, with its dialogue, characters and levels sure to make even the most cold-hearted gamer crack a smile.

11. Bioshock
Release Date: August 21st, 2007

Chris says: Bioshock is one of those games that history tells us we shouldn’t like. The gameplay feels too Metroid Prime like to be original, and backtracking is supposed to be pain in the ass. However, everything in Bioshock is absolutely stunning, even the parts that you would not expect. The concept of Rapture and the art style form a game that has better cinematography than most modern day movies (I’m looking at you, Terminator Salvation). The world is unveiled to us through audio diaries and visual clues, creating a completely immersive and enticing experience. Also, Andrew Ryan’s twist towards the end has gone down in videogame history, alongside the terrifying Fort Frolic. Bioshock is an incredible experience from beginning to end, and deserves an eminent place on our list.

Example of Greatness: The big daddies are the most terrifying enemies of the decade. Fighting them takes so much planning and environmental awareness it makes you feel like you’re playing a strategy game.

10. Portal
Release Date: October 9th, 2007

Chris says: The amount of arguments we had about this game making the list was insane. We had an encounter that could only be described as Hoth-esque, and in the end, we realized that Portal truly was one of the best games to come from this decade.  Its lightning pace was a breath of fresh air in an industry obsessed with long-winded storylines. Who honestly cares about saving Earth from aliens and people with beards? It’s played out now; the Earth cannot always be in trouble. Portal’s concept was mind-blowing in terms of gameplay, and offered a fresh take from traditional puzzle games. Also, GLaDOS’ commentary and “Still Alive” made this already noteworthy game even more memorable.

Example of Greatness: GLaDOS reminiscing about trying to kill you in the flames as you desperately hunt her down across the backrooms of the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre. Nothing in gaming beats quality writing, ever (except cake).

9. Resident Evil 4
Release Date: January 11th, 2005

Connor says: Resident Evil 4 is totally unlike any of the other entries in Capcom’s survival horror series, throwing out the concept of zombies for something altogether more terrifying in its ambiguity. The questions of “What am I shooting at? Are they mad? Are they just foreign?” are hard to answer, and these antagonists were very reluctant to reveal their secrets to Leon (which is odd, because I’d spill my guts to an armed American infiltrating my native village if he didn’t spill them for me first.)

While the controls weren’t perfect in the original GameCube version, they were corrected in the later released Wii port, the PS2 version added extra content. Games from this generation normally don’t get ported to two new platforms post-launch, so that alone says something about the game. The PS2 package also included the legendary chainsaw-shaped Resi 4 controller which, while sometimes clunky, enhanced the experience and introduced the “oh god they play with chainsaws now” vibe to the anti-video game violence arguments. All around, the Resident Evil 4 experience has just been a load of fun.

Example of Greatness: El Gigante. After your first encounter with this boss, you’ll tighten your grip and descend into what can only be described as a breathtaking experience unrivaled in video games.

8. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Release Date: March 20th, 2006

Steve says: The amount of gameplay that Oblivion boasted had never been seen before its release, and by the looks of things, it will be hard to ever reach that same level of depth. I clocked a total of 120 hours playing Oblivion, and I’m sure there are gamers who racked up even more.

Tamriel allowed you to truly be whatever you pleased. One day you could be the champion of the land, and then the next you could be an assassin in the Dark Brotherhood. Even if you stay away from the main quests, there was a countless amount of sidequests and mini adventures to go on for some cash, weapons, and adventure. Combine that with a beautiful score and a luscious visual world, Oblivion was a game that should be revered.

7. Halo: Combat Evolved
Release Date: November 15th, 2001

Chris says: Halo is a type of game that only comes around on console launches. Microsoft used Bungie to create a showpiece title for the Xbox, and Bungie delivered immensely. PC gamers may scorn at a console gamers hyping a FPS, but it brought the genre to a new audience. The fantastic set-pieces coupled with huge levels made it stand out from the competition, a competition that was very small. Halo truly perfected the FPS for console games, opening a new model for developers to follow. Not only that, but the multiplayer was extremely refined and addictive, creating a LAN community that would last all the way up to Halo 2.

Halo really was the ultimate, and still is the quintessential console FPS, and to rank it as the best console shooter from this decade is a deserved feat.

Example of Greatness: Flying a banshee into a room, only for it to be stolen by a cheeky Elite and then being forced to do a mile-long level on foot. Stuff like this is only fun in Halo.

6. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Released: July 15th, 2003

Chris says: We listed Mass Effect earlier on the list, but its Bioware’s predecessor, Knights of the Old Republic, that will be known as the developers best game (from this decade at least). KOTOR was the RPG that put BioWare on the map. Additionally, it was one of the first to be enjoyable on a console, a large feat. For the first time ever, the combat made the round-based system work in modern gaming without feeling slow. However, what made it reach so high on our list was the universe it created, an expansion to the Star Wars galaxy never imagined.

The range of planets that were offered brought inter-stellar gaming into the 21st century. Worlds had their signature environments, technology and characters which gave the scenery increased importance. Most of all, all these elements fed into the game’s central story, which was one of the game’s major highlights. This was a proper Star Wars story with twists and turns, without the fat the recent films introduced. Some of the twists will go down in videogame history, much like the entire game.

Example of Greatness: Being called a ‘meatbag’ by a homicidal robot that’s actually on your side.

5. Super Mario Galaxy
Release Date: November 1st, 2007

Steve says: Some games are designed to immerse a gamer to a universe. Some games are designed to emit a sense of realism and struggle. Then there are other games which are just supposed to be fun. Super Mario Galaxy is just that, a flawless example of what pure platforming can still offer in this advancing industry. Mario rebounded immensely with Galaxy, and added new elements to keep the series fresh and entertaining. The game’s spherical worlds were fun and intricate from beginning to end, and Galaxy’s level design was some of the greatest this industry has ever seen. All the unique and interesting design ideas to come from Galaxy offered a challenging yet relaxing experience.

Playing Galaxy gave you a physical feeling, a feeling that you were weightless. There were points in Galaxy where I felt like I was in space, blasting off with Mario. It was by no means an immersive experience, but the effect it had on me was like no other game, let alone platformer. The more I think about the game, I begin to believe that there was hardly anything wrong with Super Mario Galaxy, a beautiful and fluid example of what games should be: a shitload of fun.

Example of Greatness: Launch Stars. Watching Mario fly through space as the game’s wonderful score played in the background was truly a beautiful site.

4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Release Date: October 27th, 2002

Zack says: The other GTA games of the last decade were all drearily modern, no matter what was playing on the radio. Even San Andreas, which was meant to be set in the early ’90s was ostensibly modern and never felt like too fantastical a place. That’s why Vice City remains the series standout.

Vice City set the standard for fun in the GTA universe largely because the setting was so fun. Vice City was the 1980s as pop culture has presented it: slathered in all the goofiness that keeps things like Miami Vice reruns and Duran Duran’s music so appealingly silly. On top of that Miami serves as the perfect blueprint to build a very ’80s city. You were in the right place at the right time. For once the setting matched the lighthearted tone that GTA had always favored and the combination was magical.

There’s nothing in VC that you can’t do in subsequent games but, somehow, doing such deeds amongst the pastels and neon makes them much more fun.

Example of Greatness: Anything you did from chauffeuring Love Fist to doing drive-bys in Little Havana, was made better by having Maurice Chavez and Pressing Issues playing in the background.

3. Metroid Prime
Release Date: November 17th, 2002

Jaleel says: Imagine Nintendo’s mindset circa 2002. A 3D Metroid game is just not supposed to happen. The Big N’s hot off the heels of Metroid Fusion and Super Metroid is arguably the best game of all-time. Before Prime, the series was quintessential, a damn near flawless execution of 2D gaming with mechanics copied to this very day. There was absolutely no reason to change the formula, so thank the stars for whoever was the crazy motherfucker who stood up in that Japanese boardroom and said “ Let’s make it 3D, and let’s give it to these Retro Studios guys.”

Everything that made its 2D forefathers legendary Metroid Prime implemented, improved on, and literally added a whole new dimension to. Some of the best bosses and action sequences in all of gaming. Art direction and character designs that would make Hollywood directors jealous. Puzzles that rivaled your Zeldas and Portals. The complete feeling of the alien atmosphere and the isolation that comes with it. You can spend hours just scanning things and get wrapped up in the whole mythos of the planet and the creatures you encounter. Did I mention the game is absolutely gorgeous?

Prime is not even a FPS as much as it is simply the definition of an action-adventure game. It’s the kind of title that pulls all of the elements together so well that it takes you “there”, and by “there” I mean the snowy, lush, volcanic, you-name-it, Tallon IV where you’re the badass bounty hunter who has to take down aliens and Space Pirates.

Example of Greatness: The Phendrana Drifts ice levels hits you with a perfect combo of graphics and atmospheric music. The end result is literally breathtaking, it’s hard not to just stand around and stare.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Release Date: May 27th, 2000

Steve says: Back in the late nineties, I was completely against a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time. Ocarina took years to develop, and any game quickly built atop it would appear as a quick cash-in. It’s been over nine years since the sequel came out, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask has been constantly compared to its predecessor. To some, it was disheartening that Majora’s Mask offered a far more different experience that its predecessor’s. That’s because Majora did something no one expected it to do: it established itself as the most unique Zelda game ever, and quite possibly, the best one.

Rather than following the predetermined storyline of past Zelda games, Majora’s Mask went in an entirely different direction. Instead of saving the medieval world of Hyrule from Ganon, Link faced an advanced, racially segregated land of Termina, a world in the clutches of an emotionally unstable monster. With all of the game’s characters facing struggles and despair, Link not only had to save the world at large, but had to correct social and personal problems of the game’s population. The pure amount of sidequests Majora’s Mask possessed was unparalleled at its time, and would not be matched until Morrowind was released three years later. Yet despite of all of the game’s overworld changes, Majora’s Mask also created a unique version of the Zelda formula. With the game’s famous 72 hour doomsday cycle, Termina became a truly dynamic world with dynamic people, a universe that no game has been able replicate to this day.

Majora’s Mask is the Empire Strikes Back of the video game industry. No game will ever be able to match the effect Ocarina of Time had on the gamers who played it, but Majora’s Mask was able to create something no one expected: a perfect and radically different sequel to the greatest game of all time. For a game that will always be placed second to its predecessor, it’s only fitting that Majora’s Mask be ranked as the second best game of this decade.

Example of Greatness: The Song of Healing. This beautiful and heart-wrenching addition to the pantheon of Zelda musical classics summarized the enitire mood of Majora’s Mask in merely six notes.

The Greatest Game of the Decade: Half-Life 2
Release Date: November 16th, 2004

Zack says: When things come into focus on the train rolling into City 17, we’re just as surprised as Gordon Freeman is to see what surrounds him. Gordon is the badass super-geek we all wish to be: a man who can accomplish amazing things with a crowbar, yet he never speaks and never asserts himself as an individual, giving us full license to project ourselves onto his existing badassery.

The opening section of Half-Life 2 does a perfect job of allowing the player to embody the main character. As you either walk or run, play chicken with the guards, or just shuffle ahead, the line between the player and character blurs. People talk to Gordon and you may answer back into your computer screen. Your actions gain you commendation from your peers and you bask in their love and respect. As you spark and lead the resistance against the Combine, that blurred sensibility and the immersion it feeds never let up.

Half-Life 2 is truly an expertly crafted interactive experience on top of being great fun. It sucks the player into its world and its experiences better than any other game made in the last ten years. That is why it is our game of the decade.

Example of Greatness: When you start referring to yourself as “The Freeman” in front of friends and family.