Shock and Awesome: the top 10 most influential games of all time, part 2
Last week, the countdown of the ten most influential games that shaped their industry began. Now, the final five will be revealed. These juggernauts of gaming, new and old alike, have left a footprint on the gaming industry that will not erode for some time.
5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Everyone and their mother knows about Call of Duty. The most popular babysitting tool of the 21st century, it all began with number four. Modern Warfare shot Call of Duty into the limelight with its beautiful formula combining intense and quick battles against other players. This formula has stood the test of time and remains why Call of Duty, despite its flaws, is one of the best performing gaming series of all time. Modern Warfare especially capitalized on this formula that had been tested in the original Call of Duty games, and reaped the rewards for almost three years after its release.
4. Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock, the groundbreaking 2007 spiritual successor to System Shock 2, which appeared at number 7 in this list, made a glorious fusion of puzzles, survival, and gunplay in an alien and threatening world. Bioshock 2 expanded on this world, but despite its prowess, it was not nearly as infectious as the first. Bioshock Infinite took the series in a new direction, from the depths of the sea in Rapture to the smothering heights of Columbia, a flying city. This change of scenery also affected the gameplay, downplaying the sense of claustrophobic, dark halls and grottos in favor of more open, expansive and diverse maps. The entire game is a gem and demonstrates how a title can appear to the mainstream while still applying classic gameplay mechanics that have been long forgotten by this decade.
3. Grand Theft Auto III
GTA is about as infamous as Call of Duty in the eyes of concerned parents and politicians, and for good reason. Before the glitz and glam of shiny new entries, GTA was a primitive, top-down freeroaming game that encouraged chaos and foul play. GTA III, Rockstar’s entry into the coming era of 3D gaming on the PS2, was a smash hit. GTA III was simple and slow in the beginning, but quickly escalated to a series of risky maneuvers and daring stunts in later missions, much like its earlier 2D ancestors that prided themselves on high risk, high reward missions. What has truly made GTA not just another rampant chaotic mess is its dry wit and power of exposure to the dark side of American cities. GTA III, released in the centre of 9/11 ultranationalism and paranoia, capitalized on this risky, but perfect opportunity to caricature one of the slickest and largest cities in America.
2. Fallout 2
Easily one of the more obscure entries onto this list, Fallout 2 is the sequel to the original Fallout, a post-apocalyptic turn-based role-playing game. Don’t let those hyphens scare you, Fallout is a rewarding series with a rich, compelling story and interesting visuals, embarking on a ‘what-if’ where humanity never truly moved past the Cold War. Fallout 2 was in many ways the opposite of its cousins; it was a humorous, interesting story where instead of being a struggling ignoramus battling giant mutants, you could be a golden glove champion boxer mob boss with a wicked hot-rod and an arsenal that would put any army to shame. it was this sense of power that was needed though, since you ARE going against an army, the United States Army. Fallout 2 would be the primary piece that influenced Fallout 3, the entry that truly cast Fallout into the limelight as a beautiful, funny, thought-provoking RPG for all types.
1. Half-Life 2: Episode 2
It should not really be a surprise that Half-Life 2: Episode 2 is on this list. Half-Life 2, and Episode 1 are great, but Episode 2 is the masterpiece that continues to influence countless mods, one-off games, and entire series with its great approach to countless gameplay tropes. Offering rich visuals that, even today, look stunning and truly create a sense of power, rebellion, and disarray. Episode 2 did something amazing that hardly any other games since the original managed to perfect: the player is in direct control of the situations unfurling in front of him or her. The events in the game are all caused directly by the player, and their weight is quite the burden. Half-life 2: Episode 2 is an amazing title that continues to cause controversy regarding a sequel, all the while influencing its competitors to step their game up even over five years since its release.
There you have it, the top ten most influential video games so far. Do you agree with this list? Despite being a countdown, every title on this list is stellar even today, if only for experiencing such stunning models for one of the most lucrative and dazzling marketplaces of the 21st century.
Hi, I’m Michael and I love to write. In my free time, I’m always looking for things to write about. My interests include gaming, reading and writing...
