I rank games based on the overall level of fun and enjoyment I get out of them. So while I might be able to say that a game is 'better' than the other in terms of its individual parts, I might rank that 'better' game lower if I didn't personally enjoy the overall experience it provided as much as the seemingly inferior game.
I'm sure many will think I'm crazy with my number one choice, but here goes...
10) Alan Wake
I played this former 360 exclusive on PC quite recently, and absolutely loved it. The flashlight/gun mechanic felt very fresh and fun to me. The Pacific Northwest small town setting is great too. The mild horror elements sprinkled throughout were very welcome inclusions as well; there were a few very startling moments. I wasnt too crazy about the overall premise of the game, however. I found the story a little strange, and didnt think it had a very good payoff.
9) Skyrim
The world is incredibly fun to explore. The map is huge, and there are so many little towns to visit, caves to wander through, and loot to find. There is SO much to do, and many of the side quests are incredible. I really enjoyed the magic in the game, as well. Melee combat was passable but not great. I also didnt find the main story very compelling at all. This was my first Elders Scrolls game.
8) Just Cause 2
This game is SO fun; the grappling and parachuting mechanic is one of my favorites from any game this generation; its addicting and smooth to say the least. There are so many crazy possibilities when combining these tools with cars, boats, helicopters planes, and the massive island. I cant believe how huge the island is, and how beautiful the graphics are. Many of the missions are quite epic too, which is great fun. The biggest letdowns are definitely the story and voice-acting. I get that they were going for a B-grade action movie vibe in that department, but thats definitely not what I was looking for; at times, the voice acting is laughably bad. Overall, this game might be the biggest surprise of the generation for me. It was not on my radar at all until I tried the demo.
7) Mass Effect 2
I was really impressed by how much fun and complete of a package this game is; everything works really well together. The gunplay is surprisingly solid, its super fun helming the Normandy and exploring various planets, the vast majority of the missions are excellent, and the light RPG mechanics are very enjoyable. Most of the character development is top-notch, as well. Overall, I really liked the story too; however, a bit too much of the story seemed focused on simply recruiting people; it also ended a bit abruptly to me in terms of where it was in the franchises story and based on what the game had been building towards.
6) Red Dead Redemption
This game exceeded my expectations in many ways. Its an absolute blast to explore the Old West; the setting is one of the best in gaming in my opinion. The gunplay mechanics are surprisingly responsive, the graphics are phenomenal, the story has great twists and turns, and the length of the game is impressively long. I also really enjoyed hunting the animals and the random encounters/side quests with people in the wilderness. I was disappointed by all of the pop-in on the PS3 version, and also found the missions somewhat repetitive by the end. I thought the game sagged a bit in Mexico too. Unlike some, I found the ending to be brilliant and unexpected. Overall, a brilliant game and one of Rockstars best.
5) Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
As will become clear based on this list, Im a huge Uncharted fan. In Uncharted 3, the gunplay is very solid, the platforming is a nice change of pace, and the puzzles are decent. The story is also great for the most part. The voice acting is just incredible, and the graphics are arguably the best on consoles. As a whole, the game is just plain fun. It keeps moving at a quick pace, and its a true action adventure romp. When I played this Uncharted game, I was suffering from very mild franchise fatigue. The story also had a couple of rough spots, and there were a few too many moments where control was taken away from the player. Yet, I cant help but forget these complaints when the games so damn fun.
4) Assassin's Creed 2
While I've begun to grow tired of the Assassin's Creed series after so many iterations in the past five years, Assassin's Creed 2 is the pinnacle of the series in my opinion. Exploring Italy in the fifteenth century is an absolute treat and one of the best settings of the generation. The mission variety is really impressive, and the game play mechanics are very fun. I'm not nearly as impressed with the mechanics today as I was when the game first released, but climbing the city and exploring is such a great experience. The story was also the most interesting of the series, in my opinion. I also actually didnt mind the Desmond stuff. My biggest complaint is definitely the combat - way too easy! I would really like difficulty levels in this series.
3) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
This game is many peoples pick for game of the generation and it isnt far from being mine. It improves over the first Uncharted outing in many ways, and its the best in the series at many things. It has tightened gun mechanics over the first, improved graphics, incredible pacing, and varied environments. The story is very entertaining, as well. The game is an absolute pleasure to play. In fact, its hard to find anything wrong with Uncharted 2 its so close to perfection! The two games above it on my list simply provided more groundbreaking experiences to me.
2) Fallout 3
Fallout 3 very nearly made my number 1 spot. It was actually my very first RPG experience, and it absolutely blew my mind. I couldnt believe the level of choice it provided that you could actually choose whether or not to blow up an entire town, for example. I was also blown away by the character interactions, and the depth of dialogue. The world is also so incredibly deep, engrossing, and interesting to explore; the number of side quests is staggering. I also enjoy the VATS shooting mechanics, and found the story quite compelling. The moment of walking from the vault into the wasteland for the first time is one of my favorite gaming moments of all time. The technical issues did very little to deter one of my favorite games of all time.
1) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Surprise: Uncharted 1 is my top pick! I know Im one of the very few who would choose this game as their favorite in the generation. Yet, it is the reason I bought my PS3 back in early 2007. I've played through Uncharted 1 five times over the years, and I continue to like it just as much each year. Similar to my favorite movie, it's a game I'll probably never grow tired of.
Some people complain that its too short while I certainly understand that complaint, the length is actually perfect to me. It never overstays its welcome, and its quick pacing is perfect for its length. Ill concede that the final boss leaves something to be desired, but final bosses are not very important to me.
Uncharted 2 and 3 are both incredible, but I enjoyed Uncharted 1 more because it was my first experience with Uncharteds style of storytelling and gameplay mechanics. It was my first big wow moment of the generation and the one thats stuck with me the most to this day. And as much as I enjoy that Uncharted 2 and 3 are globetrotting adventures with more diverse environments, I actually quite enjoyed that Uncharted 1 was confined to the jungle; at times, it made you feel trapped (in a good way), it fits the story really well, and the jungle is beautiful to explore. The game also features mild horror/creepy elements at times, which I find absent in the Uncharted 2 and 3.
As a whole, the gunplay is smooth and addicting, the story is great fun, the voice acting is amazing, and the graphics still hold up well to this day. This game is pure fun.
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