Best Game of this Generation (so far)

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Retro STrife
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Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby Retro STrife » December 28th, 2018, 2:44 am

We're pretty deep into the current generation of consoles, so I was thinking, what's the best game of this generation so far? I ask for two main reasons: (1) seems like a good topic for debate, and more importantly (2) I hope it can steer me and others in the direction of certain must-play games that we all missed. I'm especially curious of what you think is objectively the best game that you've played, but feel free to throw in a personal favorite too if it differs.

To help, here are the 15 best reviewed games from the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, according to metareview site GameRankings.com (omitting remakes and remasters of prior gen games):

TOP 15, BY AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:

1. Super Mario Odyssey (97.42)
2. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (97.33)
3. Red Dead Redemption 2 (96.45)
4. Grand Theft Auto V (96.33)
5. God of War (94.10)
6. Persona 5 (93.36)
7. Uncharted 4 (92.71)
8. Undertale (92.50)
9. Celeste (92.36)
10. Forza Horizon 4 (92.24)
11. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (92.24)
12. Witcher 3 (92.23)
13. Forza Horizon 3 (92.14)
14. Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Ed. (92.00)
15. Metal Gear Solid V (91.59)

Other notable 90+ games:
-Inside (91.38)
-Overwatch (90.87)
-Astro Bot (90.87)
-Bloodborne (90.66)

Bonus games:
NieR: Automata (88.84)
Horizon Zero Dawn (88.36)
Axiom Verge (84.77)


Or would you pick one that's not on this list? Personally, I'm not much use here, because I've only played 4 games in the top 15 (GTA V, Uncharted 4, Undertale, and Celeste). Among those, Uncharted 4 was my favorite, although I think GTA V is objectively better. Having played so few of these games, I'm interested to hear your takes.

Sut
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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby Sut » December 28th, 2018, 4:09 pm

I’ve only played 4 of the above also, but without a doubt my vote would be Metal Gear Solid 5. It’s took all that’s gone before and honed it perfectly one of the best games I’ve ever played.

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DrLitch
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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby DrLitch » December 28th, 2018, 9:04 pm

For me, it is a no brainer,

The overlooked (due to being released so close to the Switch Launch)
but wonderfully resplendent

Horizon Zero Dawn

will prop up the list of the best games released this generation. At least in my opinion. For now, my favorite game of this generation, possibly in past 10 years, for sure a top 10 all time for me.

I am surprised it is not on that list.

Titles that are for Sure in my Top 15:

Horizon Zero Dawn
Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Ed.
God of War
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Pillars of Eternity
Persona 5
Nier Automata
Axiom Verge
Witcher 3
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Finding Paradise
Witness
Red Dead Redemption 2
Celeste
Bloodborne


A shout out for Top 30:
Super Mario Odyssey
I found one of the most highly acclaimed titles of all time too easy. Still great though.
Fallout 4.
I looked at my Steam Hours, 300 and counting.
Tales of Bersia
Not a huge Tales fan but this game ticked the boxes.
You also got to include -
Mario Kart 8
Super Mario 3D World
New Super Mario Bros
from the WiiU in the mix.
Controversially, I will consider
Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Although I disliked this game initially, I am finding a dry spell in gaming and have been playing this one on the PC. I am shocked I am really enjoying it.

Other Titles that I Highly Recommend:
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Tyranny
Darkwood
Hollow Knight
Ori and the Blind Forest
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Inside
Undertale


On the periphery, I could see these getting some kudos:
Sonic Mania
The Talos Principle
Nioh
Xcom 2
Civilization VI
Shadow of the Colossus (Remake)
Rise/Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Spiderman
Prey
Far Cry 5
Dying Light
Assassin's Creed Origins/Odyssey
Prey
Dishonored 2
Dark Souls III
MGSV
Uncharted 4

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Retro STrife
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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby Retro STrife » January 2nd, 2019, 10:42 am

Sut wrote:I’ve only played 4 of the above also, but without a doubt my vote would be Metal Gear Solid 5. It’s took all that’s gone before and honed it perfectly one of the best games I’ve ever played.


Good call.. I'll play this one eventually. I have it and it's been sitting on my shelf for a year or two now. As you know, MGS is my favorite series, so it's a must-play for me.

DrLitch wrote:For me, it is a no brainer, The overlooked (due to being released so close to the Switch Launch)
but wonderfully resplendent Horizon Zero Dawn will prop up the list of the best games released this generation.


First off, that's a great overall list that you put together! As for Horizon Zero Dawn, I was hesitant to buy that one for awhile, but finally I pulled the trigger recently. The current price tag (around $10) certainly helps. I've had it sitting on my shelf for a couple months now, but I hope to get to it eventually.

__
Any others? I'm playing Breath of the Wild right now, and I'm sure there must be a few people who would pick that game, based on all the praise it got when it came out. And anyone for God of War? I was hesitant on whether to get that game, but now I've decided to buy it once the price drops. A few people here picked that for best game of 2018, but I wonder where it ranks for the generation as a whole.

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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby Sut » January 2nd, 2019, 11:21 am

I got God of War for Xmas along with Sonic Mania Plus so will get to those soon (just on a Uncharted kick and finally got round to paying Drake’s Deception).

Agree with DrLitch on Horizon Zero Dawn. Like MGSV once I got pulled into it's World I couldn’t put it down until I got 100%. It did take longer than MGSV to grab me though so you might have to persevere for the first couple of hours.

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DrLitch
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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby DrLitch » January 2nd, 2019, 7:13 pm

Retro STrife wrote:
DrLitch wrote:For me, it is a no brainer, The overlooked (due to being released so close to the Switch Launch)
but wonderfully resplendent Horizon Zero Dawn will prop up the list of the best games released this generation.


First off, that's a great overall list that you put together! As for Horizon Zero Dawn, I was hesitant to buy that one for awhile, but finally I pulled the trigger recently. The current price tag (around $10) certainly helps. I've had it sitting on my shelf for a couple months now, but I hope to get to it eventually.

__
Any others? I'm playing Breath of the Wild right now, and I'm sure there must be a few people who would pick that game, based on all the praise it got when it came out. And anyone for God of War? I was hesitant on whether to get that game, but now I've decided to buy it once the price drops. A few people here picked that for best game of 2018, but I wonder where it ranks for the generation as a whole.


Thanks :)

As Sut suggested, Horizon Zero Dawn does take a while to get into it. It plods a little in the beginning and I nearly put it down. But once I got out of the Sacred Lands (your initial "Playground") the game opened up, story became awesome, and the combat and exploration was so much fun. I am almost certain if you pick it up and play, you will be in for an 80hour obsession. The DLC as well is awesome. In any case, an initial 2 - 3 hour plod is par for the course with open world adventures, I have not played one Open World'er yet without having to force myself through the preliminaries.

Breath of the Wild is a classic title for sure, best 3D incarnation of the franchise. I felt the game, while extremely enjoyable, lacked significance, you run around the world, do things, thats it. I was shocked there was no story (I do not count finding non compulsory memories as being particularly meaningful as to an actual plot). But I enjoyed the game nonetheless and it is certainly one of the Top 10 titles this generation. Of it's Zelda brethren, it might be the best of the 3D titles although I always preferred Zelda in 2D format.

God of War is certainly another top 10 for me - phenomenal game. If you have not got the game, I recommend it hardcore. Get to playing this one and Horizon ASAP. Also, be sure to play Axiom Verge, it is on sale now for $10. If you like a good solid Metroidvania type game, this is the best release in this sub genre since Aria of Sorrow at the turn of the millennium, it is that good. You will complete the game in approx 10 hours, it is basically $1 per hour to play - cheap entertainment :D

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noah98
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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby noah98 » January 2nd, 2019, 7:13 pm

I agree with Horizon Zero Dawn. I'm playing it now and am totally hooked. It is slow at first, but picks up nicely.

My vote would be for Batman Arkham Knight. Underrated game for sure!

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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby JWK » January 10th, 2019, 1:42 pm

DrLitch seems to know what’s up! Lol. I’ve played a ton of retro stuff this generation, so staying 100% on top of the current big releases has been tough. But I’ve still played a lot of excellent games this gen, so let’s talk:

HORIZON: ZERO DAWN is quite simply one of the best games in Sony’s first party catalogue. Ever. People love to hate on them, but I actually enjoyed the Killzone series, particularly 2 and 3. But even as a fan I was skeptical that the team at Guerilla could transition their skills from a linear FPS series to an open world Western RPG. They. Crushed. It. How good is it? By the time I was near completion (Game + Frozen Wilds) I though, “I’ve gotta be at 45 hours total. Maybe even 50.” It was 95 hours. That’s the only time in my gaming history I’ve played a single player game so long that didn’t have “Persona” in the title. Speaking of which...

PERSONA 5 is a dark horse candidate for Game of the Generation, but should absolutely be in that conversation. I Am Thou, Thou Art I. Everything is a little more streamlined; it’s welcoming to new players and will still satisfy vets. The Shin Megami Tensei patented “Press Turn” system is it’s most fleshed out here, it’s faster than ever before, guns return (1st time since Persona 1), and it’s easier than ever to tell what magic attack can start combo (probably makes the game a little TOO easy, tbh). Amazing characters, immersive world, fun dialogue (too much dialogue???), meaningful social links, the best dungeons in SMT history... Oh! And it’s probably the most stylish game ever made. Just FYI.

NIER AUTOMATA... yep. People are probably getting sick of me talking about this game. I’ll be to the point: this game has the greatest soundtrack I’ve ever heard and tells the best story I’ve ever experienced. The graphics are gorgeous, the characters are as quirky and Japanese as you can be (apologies to Persona), and running through the war-torn cities is surreal (though it had some technical hiccups on PC/base PS4 but are more or less eliminated with the PS4 Pro/XBox One X). The game has 26 ENDINGS, but 22 of them are jokes (death by... bad fish?), which highlights how effortlessly the game transitions from world ending catastrophe to not taking itself too seriously. The story will fill your heart one moment and rip it out of your chest the next. And once you reach the end, be prepared to have the story race through your mind for the next few MONTHS. If you never listen to another suggestion I make on this board, hear this: NieR: Automata is one of the greatest video games ever made. It’s my choice for Game of the Generation and in my Top 3 games of all time. For the glory of mankind, indeed.

ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD may not be the greatest game ever made like many on the interwebs claim, it’s still a crowning achievement by Nintendo and a modern masterpiece. Face it; even if you love the series, the 3D entries were becoming derivative. Nintendo did something they haven’t done in their software for a long, long time. They took a risk. Gone was the Navi-esque guide, gone was the somewhat linear progression. Even the narrative was slashed so you could focus on the playground. You’re left with a beautiful, challenging world with dungeons of varying size and scope that can be tackled in any order you like. This one obviously isn’t a surprise on a list like this, but it deserves its accolades. It’s the second best Zelda after A Link to the Past.

GOD OF WAR - Act surprised for this one. In my humble opinion, God of War has been one of gaming’s most consistently excellent series. Every entry had unrivaled set pieces and impossible boss fights. Atmosphere, beautiful visuals and solid combat. The problem? Derivation. The were all excellent, but also all basically the same game. Same perspective, same mythology, same anger, same graphical style, same COMBAT... remember “press square, square, triangle to win???” All of it’s changed here and it’s for the better. For all the hubbub of the previous entries’ over the top violence and sex mini games being “adult,” this is the entry where the series *actually* grew up. I won’t say more about the game. I’ll just leave it at this: play one of the finest action games ever. You deserve it.

Though my love for Half-Life 2 may prevent any game game from claiming the title of GOAT in its genre, DOOM (2016) is probably the greatest First Person Shooter of all time. Sometimes to move forward, you have to go back to the Past. Doom 2016 is essentially Doom (1993) in a gorgeous, modern coat of paint. It’s wicked fast and smooth as glass. Every gun has weight and feels satisfying. Every enemy is both grotesque and comically ridiculous. It’s somehow the most violent game I’ve ever played and completely palatable. With modern touches like collectibles, upgrades, double jumping, verticality and GLORY KILLS, this game has to be seen to be believed.

RESIDENT EVIL VII is the shrewdest move Capcom has made with the series since RE4. Fans were over the moon about the possibility of “Silent Hills,” a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, famously teased in the free demo “P.T.” Then Konami happened. The game was cancelled, Kojima fired, and every ounce of fan good-will burned in the largest funeral pire modern gaming has seen. Capcom took all of that negative energy, bottled it up, flipped it upside down and poured it onto RE7. It’s a great game on its own, but the first person dilapidated hallways *have* to be experienced in VR, at least once. It succeeds where most horror games fail; it actually scared me. A lot.

Note: Bloodborne should be added to this list. Once I’m able to finish Spider-Man and Red Dead Redemtpion 2 my guess is they round out my Top 10 games of the generation. The Witcher 3 has potential to make it if I ever find the time, though WRPGs aren’t usually my bag.

Also consider: Mario Odyssey, Bayonetta 2, Ori and the Blind Forest, Yakuza 0, Gravity Rush Remastered/2, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, Shin Megami Tensei 4, The Evil Within (note: XBox One X eliminates most of its technical problems), Danganronpa 1 - 3, Steins;Gate, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, Titanfall 2, Detroit: Become Human, Uncharted 4 and Ys VIII.

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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby Retro STrife » January 10th, 2019, 1:57 pm

JWK wrote:.


Awesome list JWK. I usually agree with your gaming tastes, so I am definitely taking these into account. Between everyone here raving about Horizon Zero Dawn, it sounds like I really need to get to that game soon. But your take on Nier Automata was even more interesting to me. I love a good video game story, so I am definitely bumping that one up on my list of games to try.

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Re: Best Game of this Generation (so far)

Postby JWK » January 10th, 2019, 4:58 pm

Retro STrife wrote:
Awesome list JWK. I usually agree with your gaming tastes, so I am definitely taking these into account. Between everyone here raving about Horizon Zero Dawn, it sounds like I really need to get to that game soon. But your take on Nier Automata was even more interesting to me. I love a good video game story, so I am definitely bumping that one up on my list of games to try.


Thanks, brother. Hopefully I don’t steer you wrong. Horizon’s inclusion here is unanimous and the “Complete” version (with the awesome Frozen Wilds DLC) is frequently $20, so its very low risk.

NieR: Automata is a harder sell, simply because it’s so weird. It stars androids dressed in blindfolds and gothic Lolita dresses and shorts, fighting robots from outer space on a war-ravaged Earth after all the humans have escaped to the moon. No, seriously. And somehow, it’s twice as weird as what I just described. Yoko Taro (original NieR, Drakengard series) wrote the story— mind you, this is a man who wears an Emil mask in public because he doesn’t want people to see his face— and Platinum games did the combat. The game is polished through and through; even the English voice acting is amazing. The combat’s really satisfying, though some have claimed it’s repetitive. It’s so good, I didn’t care. If you aren’t turned off by what I’ve described and think you get into some really weird Sci-Fi, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Oh, Square Enix (publisher) just announced that the “NieR Automata: Game of the Yorha” edition with all DLC will be released in a couple of months. Gives me a good excuse to play it for a third time. Yes, I’ll buy it because I’m both a game collector and an idiot who buys stuff he already owns if he really likes it.


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