Looking back at the best games of the 2010s (so far)

OK, this was technically 2008 in gaming... but some faces may be mentioned again.

It may be hard to believe, but on January 1, 2015, we will be halfway through the decade known as the 2010s (the '10s? The teens? The twenty-teens? None of these sound right...). The passage of time being what it is, we guess this moment was inevitable. Still, we're finding it hard to get used to the fact that we're about to be in the second half of the second decade of the "new" millennium.

Mid-decade breaks are a good chance for introspection and retrospection, so we've decided to look back at what the decade so far has brought to the world of gaming. To that end, we asked Ars editors to pick up to five games as personal favorites from the past five years.

For this list, we were looking for games that have stuck with us over the years, the games we've spent countless hours immersed inside, the games we recommend to friends without reservation. These are personal picks that reflect the eclectic and wide-ranging tastes of our individual editors, not necessarily the games that will be regarded as the "best" by the critical establishment. We didn't allow more than two editors to pick any one game to ensure a list that wasn't just a bunch of repetitive selections of the same old titles.

The resulting list, below, is an expansive collection of the game's we'll collectively think about when we fondly look back on the games of the early-post-aughts (nope, that phrasing doesn't work either). With another five years ahead before this decade's a wrap, who knows how many more great titles will stand with these classics on the next such list.

Modern pop-culture loves old pop-culture. Other mediums use this freely (see the rumored Ghostbusters movies for just the latest example) but gaming seems somewhat hesitant. Beyond familiar faces in new places (i.e. Smash Bros.) and endless iterations in on-going series, the idea of an homage doesnt really come into... play. (Sorry.)

Create an opportunity, someone will fill it. Abobos Big Adventure avoided the logistical headaches involved with a remake by going free-for-all online, and the result is a glorious bit of nostalgia. Navigate Abobo (yes, the Double Dragon boss) through level after level of loving NES homageContra, Zelda, Mega Man, Punch-Out!!each requiring you to dust off game-specific skills. Abobos filled with in-jokes, what you remember as difficult still remains difficult (looking at you Balloon Fight), and its all topped off by a tremendous end-game sequence with the best and most-over-the-top call back of them all. Itll take awhile, but this is a worthy timesink down memory lane. -Nathan Mattise

Every game in the Arkham series (with the exception of unworthy "Blackgate" DLC) are fantastic experiences, but Arkham City has to be my favorite because of its great story, sheer length, and scopeit keeps going on and on and on... -Jennifer Hahn

Striking graphics, an astonishing variety of guns, a strong story, an abundance of side missions, compelling characters, good jokes, the occasional tear, and a villain we can all take pleasure in hating: our second visit to Pandora delivers a finely crafted action RPG experience. -Peter Bright

But this entry is underrated in my book. Black Ops 2 showed us that the Call of Duty series had the potential to offer so much more than the narrow, linear gameplay for which the series has become known. Black Ops 2 included a seamlessly branching storyline. Actions taken (or not taken) within the game changed the way the story unfolded, and unusually for this class of game, those actions were not all signposted with quick time events. Instead, they're natural, realistic consequences of actions taken within the game.

See the original post here:
Looking back at the best games of the 2010s (so far)