Hey everyone! Here’s the next part of my countdown, and damn, we’ve finally cracked the top 10! As you can imagine, my choices are becoming much more personal. With that said and done, here are my choices ranging from 10 to 6!

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Nukid101’s Top 30 7th Generation Games: 10 – 6

Number 10...

Spec Ops: The Line (2012)

Honestly...what is there is left to say about this game?

I’m at an absolute stump here ladies and gentlemen. What can I say about this game that hasn’t already been said?

How this game tears apart the jingoism, racism and corruption present in modern shooters?

How it forces the player to experience the true brutality of war and screams at them to stop living in these escapist fantasies?

How this game is one of the most effective anti-war stories I’ve ever experience?

How this game, perhaps more than any other video game, represent the sheer potential video gaming has to tell a story?

By actually forcing you, the player, to take part in the carnage and massacre around you?

It’s all been said by many others, and I simply can’t add anything else to it. Spec Ops: The Line is not a particularly fun game, but it is easily one of the most engaging experiences I’ve ever had whilst holding a controller. This is obviously not my all time personal favourite game of this generation, buy frankly, this might by the most IMPORTANT video game of this generation.

I can’t add any more to it than that. If you haven’t already, play this game. NOW.

Number 9...

Saints Row IV (2013)

Now here’s the thing: I liked Saints Row II & Saints Row The Third and had good times playing them...but I’d be lying if I said I had much enthusiasm to go back to them. This is majorly due to the fact that I’m honestly not that interested in Crime Sandbox games, and while they’re both respectively amongst the best of said genre, I didn’t fall in love with either.

This leads to the question “Why did I play them then?” The answer is simple; I wanted to play Saints Row IV.

One video of The Boss jumping as high as skyscrapers, running faster than cars and fighting off aliens convinced me enough that I needed to get this game, but I wanted to go into this game knowing about the characters and the stories behind this mad, mad world. Since the original Saints Row is hard to find nowadays-and rather generic from what I’ve heard-I started with where the series started for many of us, Saints Row II.

A rather big gamble that could’ve exploded in many face if I didn’t like IV, I will not deny, but did it work out for me?

OH. GOD. YES!!!

You know what’s funny though? For all the genres and games Saints Row IV satirises, you know which game it reminded me of the most?

Spiderman 2: The Video Game

And I have no doubt just send many of you on the Nostalgia express. Yes, I too grew up on that game and to this day love it to death. Even to this day, no other video game has made you feel like Spiderman, web slinging through the city as you fight crime, and while there is no web slinging in Saints Row IV, the feeling of jumping, running and gliding through the city gives me that same feeling of joy and awe I experienced as a child.

That said-and my nostalgia is kicking me for saying this-Saints Rov IV is the better game. It has a much wider and more fun array of side quests and shit to do, and more importantly, a better main story.

Saints Row: The Third took the series in a much sillier, almost cartoonish direction, which in many respect I liked more, but the story was kinda disappointing in many respect and somewhat of a mess. Saints Row IV however steps the game up with a much more concise, structured, engaging and dare I say it funnier main plot that uses it simulations to satirise...well, a lot of things. Call of Duty, Metal Gear Solid, The Matrix, Independence Day, Armageddon, Blade, Space Invaders just to name a few. Some admittedly work better than others, but overall this makes Saints Row IV other greatest strength.

It’s comedy.

This game is indeed hilarious, and it never ever tries to take itself seriously. This, and the insanely fun gameplay makes Saints Row IV one of the most fun games I’ve ever played. It’s almost something of a relaxation game, if I needed a way to make myself laugh and go wild with super powers.

Some people may prefer the quirky GTA sandbox that was Saints Row II and I get that, but for me? I’m too busy running at superspeed though Steelport whilst killing aliens and laughing my ass off.

Number 8...

BioShock (2007)

Again, I’m stumped here. What can I add about a game that is often place first on these kind of lists? BioShock is a very hard game to say anything original on because almost every teeny bit of it has been examined for the masterpiece it is.

The jaw dropping design of Rapture, the nods to real life philosophies of Ayn Ryand, the immersive storytelling, and of course the certain twist that changes everything you perceived about the game, making it one of the prime examples of ‘Post-Modern gaming. It’s all been talked about in large detail, so what else can I add.

I guess I can retain some level of originality and simply talk about the impact it still has on video gaming. You see, before BioShock the FPS genre was plagued with World War II games, and now the genre is plagued by Modern Shooters. Both are beyond sterile in originality, but still they were churned out year by year with their recharging health bars, cover based shooter and un-immersive gameplay and story.

But then, you get FPS games like BioShock that come along once in a while to remind of something: that the FPS genre can be used for more than this. That there is a potential to tell an engaging story and fast paced gameplay, and these games breathe some measure of life to the genre.

And really, even if these kind of games don’t initially sell well, they are often far better remembered by history. How many people still talk about BioShock compared to something like Battlefield 3? That is because word of mouth of the games incredible, one of a kind experience is spread further and further, until finally the world knows it name.

Well, I at least got my chance there to voice my love for this game. This is a game that will stand the test of time, and for many people is the magnum opus of this generation. I’d agree,but...well, I’ve got 7 more to go.

Number 7...

Portal (2007)/Portal 2 (2011)

Despite my putting both games together, there is a clear superior with this one, and that is of course the original Portal. Not to say Portal 2 is bad, far from it. Portal 2 is a fantastic game that you all owe it to yourself to play, but Portal?

...I....I’ve got to say it...

Portal...is most likely the greatest video game ever made.

Why? Because.........it’s flawless.

Bear this in mind, I am somebody who goes into EVERYTHING with the belief that it will have problems, shortcomings, of varying sizes. I does not stop me from loving stuff, but even with my most favourite games, TV shows and Films, I can point out problems big and small with all of them. I don’t regret being like this; in fact I’m quite happy to be. To be able to see problems in stuff you love and admit it is key to a healthy mind and aspiring critic.

But Portal?.........THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!!

The puzzles are fantastic, the design is fantastic, GlaDOS is arguably the greatest video game antagonist of all time, and the game is sublime from beginning to end. Sure it can be easily completed in around 3 -5 hours, but that’s because it didn’t need anymore time! It doesn’t overstay its welcome, it gives you just the right amount of everything.

Portal is gaming at its absolute finest, and frankly for as much as I love it, I also hate it as well for that. How dare you Portal. How dare you bring hundreds of critic to their knees at your perfection.

Portal 2 is as you can imagine, not as good as Portal. It doesn’t feel as tight, and the game at times indulges itself in showing off Valves incredible physics ending and detailed designs. It’s all incredible and I love it, but there is that acknowledgement that Portal 2 is clearer trying to be bigger and better than Portal. It does the first one for sure, but not often do I found does the latter happen as well.

Don’t let me put you off the game though. Portal 2 is still fantastic and a worthy successor to Portal. It’s not as good, but again, what is? As established, the original Portal is perfect, and though they obviously aren’t  my absolute favourite games of this generation, I freely and wilfully admit that they are the best games of this generation.

Number 6...

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011)

Having and Uncharted game on my list will shock no one, but it may surprise many of you that I have chosen Uncharted 3 as opposed to the often more popular Uncharted 2: Among Theives.

To this, I have a shocking statement to make: Uncharted 1 & 2 are...just okay in my opinion.

Now, if you’ve gotten over the shock of that statement, allow me to explain three reasons why Uncharted 3 by far the best game in the series:

Firstly, the characterization. In the first two games, you only learn the bare minimum about any of the characters story, particularly Nathan Drake and Sully. They’re just there because they want treasure, and later on because they have to stop the bad guys. Serviceable, but I always wanted more from them. There’s only so long before jokes and quips alone can become unsatisfactory.

Low and behold, with Uncharted 3 we got that backstory, and we learnt a lot about Drake and why he is how he is. Some surprising dark aspects of Drakes character are actually brought up in this game, making you wonder whether or not Drake is deep down something of a thrill seeker and not as sane as you’d initially think. While I do admit that I wish they’d explored this FURTHER, it was something new to the character.

More importantly however, this is where we see Drake first meet Sully, and the story is more than anything about their relationship, and it works perfectly. The relationship between Drake and Sully was incredibly genuine here and had actual depth and context to it. We knew their friendship meant so much because we saw how it started, and we can believe it when they treat each other like family.

Secondly, the toning down of shooting. It may seem weird that taking something away from a game made it better, but here’s the thing: Uncharted can be split into four types of gameplay: platforming, set pieces, puzzles and shooting, and in my opinion the shooting has always been the weakest element of the series.

......Guess which one of these then is most used in the first two games?

This is my biggest gripe with Uncharted 1 & 2. Initially both games start fairly restrained, but after a certain point the games just degrade to endless gunfight after gunfight. I don’t mind them if they’re used fairly, but good fucking lord, there is WAAAY too much in both of these games, and it got fucking tedious. It was like they were genuinely scared that if I wasn’t shooting at something every five seconds I’d get bored and thrown the game away.

This is where Uncharted 3 excels over the first two. For all the action packed, explosive moments of this game...I was pleasantly surprised by how many quiet moments there; often just you either platforming around an area or sometimes solving a puzzle, and I loved this. Why?

Because it gave me a chance to breathe. The Uncharted series are beautiful, jaw dropping games, and only in this game did I fully appreciate it. By giving me moments of quiet, of peaceful, uninterrupted whilst I navigated up a wall, did I fully appreciate the size of this game. It also made me enjoy the firefights much more because they didn’t feel so bloody repetitive.

Uncharted 3 is better here because it trusted me enough to let me have moments to breathe and take everything in, unlike Uncharted 1 & 2 who treated me like I had ADD.

And lastly, the set pieces.

My god. Those Fucking Set Pieces.

While I DO agree it’s a bit questionable that they made the story around these set pieces, this is one time where I go “Fuck It!”, because those set pieces are absolutely incredible. The ones in Uncharted 2 were good, don’t get me wrong, but they never went to same, adrenaline fuelled level that Uncharted 3 did.

Truth be told, when I played games like Catherine or Shadow of the Colossus, I never felt my heart beating fastly or my adrenaline rise like a lot of people do. Sorry, I just didn’t. With Uncharted 3 though? My heart was racing like mad so many times in this series, and I was entranced. Never has the feeling of being in an action movie felt as strong as I do in those glorious set pieces.

I’m not gonna deny Uncharted 3 slips up a little in the pacing of the story, and I can respect if Uncharted 1 & 2 fits more to some peoples fancy, but for me Uncharted 3 is the game the series was always striving for but never quite reached.

Uncharted 3 is what Raiders of the Lost Ark was to film: Gamings Modern Day Iteration of the Dime Novel, and I fucking love it!

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Well ladies and gents, we are finally left with my final entry. That one will no doubt take longer so I’d expect a slightly longer wait than today, but stay tuned for when we go over my top 5 games of the 7th generation!