Favorite Game of this Console Generation

[Brian Tams]

Its hard to say, since this console generation had no game that collected as much of my saliva as Final Fantasy VII/Majora's Mask/Kingdom Hearts/Silent Hill 2 did. If I had to cast my vote, it'll be towards an earlier console game, Bioshock.
Really, it was the game that introduced me to survival horror and caused me to go back and play Silent Hill 2. The game was just a really well done game. The atmosphere was tense, the voice acting was amazing and the game play was engaging. The ending level was poor, but the writing was something I absolutely loved.

I would've put Arkham Asylum (no, not City, despite what everyone believes, City was NOT better than Asylum in almost every department.), but I played that one on the computer (on a Mac even, so suck it PC Master race! Or at least, that would be what I'd say if I wasn't currently typing this from behind the keyboard of a brand new PC because my Mac decided to roll over and die.)

 

[SeatedSkeleton]

if i'm honest, probably Bastion. Loved that game. still think about it all the time, hum the music, etc. also Dark Souls. I think they both get the benefit of being recent. But while many others have been great games of the gen, they didn't have the personal impact that is needed to make the top of my list.

 

[Darren716]

Bioshock, my favorite game of all time that to this day I will use as an example of a game that gets everything right. The story is airtight and expertly told, Rapture is fully realized as a city and feels like it could exist. The characters are memorable and well rounded each with their own back stories and motivations. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife, you feel like you are Jack since the game never leaves his perspective, you are just as clueless about Rapture as he is and are learning about it at the same rate he does. The game play truly does let you play the way you want with a depth of customization I had not seen before in a shooter. And finally the graphics have aged quite well over the past six years mostly due to the games excellent art style which I feel will still look better than any game with the latest graphics technology that has no style.

 

[gamernerdtg2]

Batman Arkham Asylum!! Perfect game! Love it!!

I was going to say Arkham City. That game is ridiculously good, but Assylum is also a good time.

If I had to pick one, it would be Dragon's Dogma. There's another game that could have dissapeared without recognition, but thankfully it's well known. They need to have a sequel or another game with similar mechanics. I like what this game opened up in the way of combat for RPGs. Kingdoms of Amalur also had fine combat, but the pacing wasn't as good.

 

[busterkeatonrules]

So far? Saints Row 2. It is the closest thing this generation has had to a San Andreas.

Yeah, there is still time for GTA V to change this, and every chance that it will, but at this moment, Saints Row 2 is still number one!

 

[mokes310]

Hmmm...it would have to be either Fallout New Vegas or Saints Row 2. I sank countless hours into those two games, and far and away had the most fun with them.

 

[RedDeadFred]

This is tough... Skyrim was number 1 for a long time but Borderlands 2 and Bioshock Infinite are probably equal to it now. I guess I have three favourites.

Honourable mention to Bastion for being my favourite Arcade/PSN game (it narrowly beats Journey).

 

[zama174]

Shadow of the Colossus and Ico collection for the PS3. HAHA! HD REBOOT!

borrow ideas from MGO as seen in Ghost Recon Future Soldier, MoH Warfighter, The Last of Us, Gears of War: Judgement,

So is that why the GOW:J multiplayer was so shit?

 

[Hero of Lime]

Well this is complicated. I would say The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but I prefer the Gamecube version far more to the Wii version, which would be the one to meet your criteria. Then again, the Gamecube version came out after the Wii one so yeah, Twilight Princess, or if that still fails to meet your criteria, a three way tie between Super Mario Galaxy, Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Halo 3.

 

[Freakazoid]

Red Dead Redemption hands-down. Maybe tied with Spec Ops: The Line
Honorable mentions to AC: Brotherhood, Skyrim, Bioshock Infinite, Vanquish and Sleeping Dogs.
Sleeping Dogs especially. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but every element of the game(with the exception of the gunplay) is polished to such an extent that it became my favourite third-person, open world game of this gen.

 

[the_great_cessation]

The Last of Us. While very recent, very few games have had the effect on me that it has. Everything in this game is so well designed and meaningful. I especially adore having a game that so perfectly and holistically combined gameplay and story. The writing is some of the most elegant I have seen in any game. Add to that an amazing sense of atmosphere and place and you have one of the best games of this gen.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

borrow ideas from MGO as seen in Ghost Recon Future Soldier, MoH Warfighter, The Last of Us, Gears of War: Judgement,

So is that why the GOW:J multiplayer was so shit?

Almost all modern multiplayer shooters get so much wrong just copying a good thing or 2 doesn't make said game good. It's all about having that solid foundation; MGO had no health regen, no grenade button, no killstreak rewards, no melee button, custom game rooms (the MGO community didn't use matchmaking whatsoever even though it was there because matchmaking sucks yet most shooters only have that), a level system based on skill instead of experience, leaning, MGO was probably the most balanced shooter (there was nothing to exploit), MGO had physical character customization better than Brink, MGO had CounterStrike's money system (but points instead of money), and lots more. It was the perfect blend of tried and true old-school shooter mechanics along with innovation and the smoothest aiming ever seen on a console TPS (no freaking aim-assist). Most shooters just throw out of what made the old-school shooters good or dumb down the mechanics so much that that foundation just isn't there anymore.

 

[votemarvel]

Tough call but it would come down to Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins for me.

Both hit the right spot for me.

 

[Hazy992]

Why must you make choose?! I can't pick just one! D:

I'll name some of my favourites. In no particular order:

Batman: Arkham Asylum
inFamous
Borderlands 2
Saints Row 2
Assassin's Creed 2
Just Cause 2
Super Mario Galaxy
Sonic Generations
Pokemon Diamond

 

[Feylynn]

My favorite games of this time period (That I would never play on consoles but exist on them) are:
Borderlands 2
For being the most truly realized sequel I have ever played on top of being consistently fun and challenging.
Better visuals, better music, better story, better jokes, better characters, better guns, better classes, better bosses.
There is a handful of gripes I have with the game mostly linked to the class/item balance but I am still having fun playing it almost 300 hours later.
Terrari
A game that unfortunately keeps getting lumped in the "Minecraft ripoff" when it is entirely its own beast. The 2D gameplay allows the combat and mobility of this game really stand out. It's a really fun mining/boss fighting/home building/adventure game that I've replayed many time to the tune of almost 400 hours and mods Mods like The Story of Red Cloud give it a hardcore DarkSouls like Soul resource and introduce some crazy hard single player content.

If I had to pick a game I played on a console then I'm going to go way back in time and give this to

Folklore
Which is a game I did not spend a lot of time playing compared to the other two but instead is a short very unique very pretty game with a story and characters I thoroughly enjoy. This is also the only good use of the SixAxis I ever encountered my time with a PS3. The non precise and simple gesture used as a sort of killing blow is the only time I've felt like the gimmick made me feel more in the game rather than taken out of the experience.

 

[viranimus]

Easily Dark/Demon's Souls (take your pick)

Ill throw out Fat Princess for an honorable mention as it will likely not get such attention otherwise.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I can't pick one - but the top 3 are:

Demon's Souls
Dark Souls
Valkyria Chronicles

I would say that Valkyria Chronicles is probably the most interesting game to come out this gen.

However, I have to go with Fallout 3. My wife and I became addicted to that one for a little bit. She got me the collectors edition and I have to say I'm glad I have the lunchbox, artbook, and the little bobblehead. We liked it so much on the PS3, we got goty for the PC just to play with the mods. Now I only wish I could lobotomize the part of my memory that remembers playing it so I can play it again as if for the first time. New Vegas was also good but I'll only play that again if I can lobotomize the part of my memory that remembers all the times it crashed on me.

Last generation, the ps2 game that we re-bought for the pc (again, for the mods) was GTA San Andreas.

So I guess my wife & I like big open world games that beg to be explored.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I can't say there's been one definitive game to stand out amongst all others.

inFamous 2
Journey
The Last of Us
Portal
The Walking Dead
Dark Souls

These have been some of my favourite games this gen, but which one takes the cake...?

 

[ghostrider409895]

I would have to try and choose between Red Dead Redemption and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I know purely on time spent, I put several hours into Skyrim, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. I know Dead Space is among my favorite game franchises. I liked to play as Batman, and feel awesome taking down a room full of criminals; not to mention the fact that I was able to play as Joker, Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing with some of the games.
All that aside, I had the most fun and the most hours of enjoyment playing Red Dead Redemption and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Those two games never made me feel like I was just wasting time to gain experience, and neither game had a moment where I didn't feel like I was in the old west or in a near futuristic society. Both games really rewarded exploration and nothing you did was really time wasted (all exploration in Deus Ex: HR showed new ways to get through a level or new weapons and story information, while all exploration in Red Dead Redemption just allowed me to explore the Old West more and keep emerging myself in the world. In the end though, Red Dead Redemption takes the favorite spot just because John Marston is one of the best, most flushed out videogame characters I have ever played as.