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Video games have been around since the mid forties, and have gone on to become one of the biggest boredom busters of all time. However, like every new born baby, video games needed to crawl before they could walk hence the games of the past were primitive in nature. Then came the onset of the 21st Century which has been a boon for many die hard gamers with superior processors, graphics, screens and gaming systems all coming together to make now the perfect time to be a gamer. With that in mind let’s take a look at the most critically acclaimed games of the last decade.
Call Of Duty: World At War
No list of the most critically acclaimed games of the last decade would be complete without mentioning this beauty. Granted, Activision have released several hot selling Call of Duty games in the past decade but World at War simply takes the cake. No other game has succeeded in reproducing the horrors of World War II as successfully as World at War. Besides being graphically realistic WAW also won over gamers with its amazing graphics, storyline and characters making it one of the best COD’s of the decade and quite possible of all time.
FIFA 12
I can’t possibly conjure enough praise for FIFA 12, but I’m going to try anyway. Besides introducing near perfect gameplay with the Impact Engine, Tackling Defending and Precision Dribbling, FIFA 12 also introduced the Pro Player AI which made the in-game players more as dependant on teammates as they should be in real life. All these factors combined set the benchmark for later versions of the game. Oh, not to the amazing player celebrations that the FIFA 12 has now become iconic for.
NFS: Most Wanted
One of the games that still proudly graces my PC’s harddisk is the original Need For Speed: Most Wanted. Some of the many factors that made the game an astounding success was its superb cutscenes with real life actors, the beautiful graphic, sleek car designs as well as the unforgettable ‘Blacklist’. The results were massive, Most Wanted sold over six million copies and remains one of the best Need For Speeds out there. In fact I’d go on to say that I’m really fortunate to be born during the time this legendary game saw the light of day.
Grand Theft Auto V
We all knew that Grand Theft Auto V was going to be a hit when we first got a glimpse of the teaser back in 2011. What we couldn’t predict was the profound impact it would have on modern gaming as we know it. GTA V received wide critical acclaim for its superb storyline, graphics, keen attention to detail, ability to switch players along with countless other features which has catapulted GTA V’s status as one of the best selling video games of all time. It’ll be quite a while before someone tops this gem.
Red Dead Redemption
It would be a heinous crime not to include this phenomenal game on the list of critically acclaimed games of the last decade. Red Dead Redemption has carved a niche for itself as one of the greatest games of all time, one that will be highly difficult to top. A couple of things that made this gem from Rockstar a hit was its spectacular graphics and visuals, amazing story, characters, attention to detail as well as the ability to steal horses because stealing cars is too mainstream. All these factors have made Red Dead Redemption cross the 11 million mark in terms of sales.
Halo 3
If there’s any game that took the world by storm this decade shortly after its release it’s got to be Halo 3. The game garnered sales worth $300 million in the first week alone and quickly earned the title of the best selling game of 2007. Even though the single player campaign was a vast improvement over the previous game, it was the multiplayer campaign that made Halo 3 a legendary game. The results were unpredictable - Halo 3 received a plethora of awards after its release and established itself as one of the best games ever to be developed.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If you thought Grand Theft Auto was one of the only series that got the open environment right, then think again because Bethesda knows a bit about that formula too and incorporated it excellently into Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The open environment was a huge hit due to its free roaming capabilities as well as its tendency for being hugely realistic. Not to forget the main storyline as well as the ability to use your magic as well as weld a weapon in a fight. Skyrim remains one of the most artistically excellent games out there and will be hard to outdo if and when the next Elder Scrolls sees the light of day.
Angry Birds
Okay many of you think that this list doesn’t extend to mobile games, but hey you gotta be fair to all platforms. Plus Angry Birds is one of the most popular games of our times, so that helps. That said, Rovio’s creation has really found love among the masses with more than 2 billion downloads and counting. The original has spawned quite a few sequels (and clones) with each receiving equal amount of praise. Angry Birds’ popularity extends beyond the world of video games and has spawned merchandize such as keychains, Hot Wheels cars, soft toys, and even desserts. I’d go so far as to say that Angry Birds in the Pac Man of our time.
Bully
Nobody thought that a game revolving around the life of a school kid would be anything out of the ordinary, but then Bully is no ordinary game and Rockstar is no ordinary developer. Bully was very well received among gamers with critics praising the game’s storyline, superb missions, as well as its well crafted characters. That being said, Bully will go down in history as one of the best games of our times. I sincerely hope Rockstar makes a sequel as if any game deserves one it’s this one.
Company Of Heroes
Another excellent World War II themed game is Company of Heroes, which is also the highest rated strategy game of all time. Like the Call of Duty series, Company of Heroes also succeeds in capturing the true feeling of World War II which doesn’t just involve guns and bullets, but also grit, determination, sacrifice and brotherhood. I strongly suggest you play this wonderful game if you haven’t already.
