Half-Life 2 showed the difference between playing as a character and being a character better than any game ever had before, and arguably ever has to date. It was linear, but never felt constrictive. It told a story without telling it to you. It led you by the hand, but you always felt in control. Not a single great FPS in the last 5 years would have reached its potential without Half-Life 2 showing them how to do it right.

2. World of Warcraft
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC

Like it or not, World of Warcraft brought the MMO genre to the masses with its easy-to-play-but-tough-to-master game mechanics, astounding art direction (even by today’s standards) and unparalleled support. Ever since its release, other games have claimed to be the “WoW killer”, and yet still it stands, strong as it was in 2004.

3. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: BioWare
Platform: PC , Xbox
Year: 2003

Before Knights of the Old Republic, BioWare’s take on RPGs was as a crafted PC experience, made entirely with a keyboard and mouse in mind. With Knights of the Old Republic, the studio took the action down to the ground, and crafted the best Star Wars story since the original trilogy, to bring in a whole new legion of fans. The genre hasn’t been the same since.

4. Grand Theft Auto III
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: DMA Design
Platform: PS2
Year: 2001

As genre-defining moments go, few could argue against the indelible mark that Grand Theft Auto III left on PlayStation 2 owners in 2001. Rockstar North, through the combination of tight script, intense action, freedom and violence, gave players a revolutionary new way to experience mature-targeted action games. A true classic.

5. Super Mario Galaxy
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Platform: Wii
Year: 2007

Did Super Mario Galaxy top Nintendo’s revolutionary Super Mario 64? That’s open to debate – but what is certain is that Mario Galaxy is the Wii’s finest gaming experience. Drawing on more than twenty years of platforming expertise, Super Mario Galaxy masterfully blends an absurdist level design with compulsive and extremely polished gameplay. Stunning.

6. Counter-Strike
Publisher: Sierra Studios
Developer: Valve
Platform: PC
Year: 2000

It’s still one of the best online shooters around. Though other games have passed it by in terms of graphics and the range of options, few have even come close to capturing the near-perfect pacing and balance of this online FPS. Ten years later, people are still playing this one.

7. Fallout 3
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platform: PC , PS3 , Xbox 360
Year: 2008

It’s tough for a studio to take over a beloved franchise from another group of developers. Bethesda’s Fallout 3 is a roadmap to success. Blending elements of old with its patented open-world design, the group that cut its teeth on The Elder Scrolls franchise brought back a classic while taking it to new heights.

8. Okami
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Clover Studio
Platform: PS2
Year: 2006

Okami was released the year after high definition gaming was introduced on Xbox 360 and it still managed to steal the hearts of gamers with its beautiful artwork. Its original and whimsical approach to the adventure genre was refreshing not only for the way gamers would paint their attacks, but also the way actions brought the world back to life.

9. Battlefield 1942
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Digital Illusions CE (DICE)
Platform: PC
Year: 2002

Judged purely by the amount of time we spent playing, there are few multiplayer games that were as popular among the IGN staff as DICE’s intense online shooter. Combining land, sea and air combat with lots of vehicles and different infantry kits, Battlefield 1942 brought World War 2 to life in a way that no other game ever has.

10. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Naughty Dog Software
Platform: PS3
Year: 2009

It seemed unlikely that Naughty Dog could develop an even better game than the original Uncharted, but the studio did so with flying colors. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was a virtually ideal sequel: it continued all the great traditions that Uncharted began and also implemented a full suite of multiplayer options. To call it a “must-buy” is an understatement.

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Best games o f Year 2000:

10. Perfect Dark

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Rare
Platform: N64

Rare ended its Nintendo 64 run with a huge bang with its original IP follow-up to its critically acclaimed GoldenEye first-person shooter. The development team took everything it learned from its movie tie-in                                                                         and created a new FPS experience in a futuristic setting, building up a                                                                 fantastic single and multiplayer experience as a final hurrah for                                                           N64  owners. And it’s the only game where you can shoot Matt                                                                             Casamassina in the face, so there’s that, too.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Platform: N64

What was created for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was used as a foundation for an incredibly creative storyline. The game put Link in a crazy and fantastical adventure that featured both character transformation and time travel. As wild as the situations were in this epic                                                             experience, the weird and wonderful story and the challenging puzzles                                                               combined to make something truly extraordinary. It’s hard not to see this                                                           game as one of the best Zelda games ever produced.

8. Chu Chu Rocket!
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Sonic Team
Platform: Dreamcast

ChuChu Rocket doesn’t make the list because it’s the greatest puzzle game – though there’s no doubting that Sonic Team’s multiplayer game of cat and mouse is a good one, and it’s certainly one of the most frantic. Being the first major online game available on a home console, its real legacy is the new age of gaming that it ushered in.

7. Diablo II
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC

There is no better game about the simple addictiveness of hoarding stuff than Bizzard’s Diablo II. That gimme-gimme mechanic was bolstered to the extreme by online play, which also popularized PvP play. After ten long years, Blizzard is finally poised to release Diablo III, which is sure to please with more of those sweet, sweet loot drops.

6. Baldur’s Gate II
Publisher: Interplay
Developer: BioWare
Platform: PC

Baldur’s Gate II was a nerd’s wet dream – a 200 hour fantasy joygasm that took place in a compelling world filled with fantastic characters, and powered by great mechanics and incredible customisation. AD&D RPGs truly reached a new level with this title, and some would say it has never been bettered.

5. Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 1
Platform: Dreamcast

With the near simultaneous release of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in arcades and on Dreamcast in 2000, Western arcades, the forgotten centers of competitive gaming, resurged, if only for a couple of years. Marvel 2’s team-based strategies and creative combos keep the game exciting and relevant ten years later. The game still gets international tournament play.
4. The Sims
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Maxis
Platform: PC

Few games in the PC catalog have had as much mainstream appeal as The Sims. And while that may invite derision from the hardcore crowd, there’s no denying the spectacular popularity of Maxis’s life simulator. Giving players a chance to tinker with the day to day lives of ordinary people was the ultimate power trip.
3. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft Entertainment
Platform: PSX

Many consider Tony Hawk 2 to be the best entry to the series, and it isn’t tough to understand why. Expanding on the mechanics of the first game and adding in a revolutionary park editor into the mix, Hawk 2 pushed the series to a whole new level without needing to include street racing, billion point combos, open world skating, or Bam Margera’s fat ass Uncle Vito.

2. Deus Ex
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Ion Storm
Platform: PC

Many developers are still fumbling with the concept of the “do everything” shooter. Giving players multiple options on how they approach a level can water it down and even detract from the importance of your actions. That’s why it’s amazing to think that Deus Ex got so much right way back in 2000. At the time, it was a revelation. An indefinable experience that bordered on role playing.
1. Counter-Strike
Publisher: Sierra Studios
Developer: Valve
Platform: PC

It’s still one of the best online shooters around. Though other games have passed it by in terms of graphics and the range of options, few have even come close to capturing the near-perfect pacing and balance of this online FPS. Ten years later, people are still playing this one.

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What made Half-Life so great?  It was the first-ever gaming achievement to achieve total immersion in an environment.  Though HL did rely heavily on scripted sequences, players felt they were right there in the game.  The opening sequence alone was extremely entertaining despite the fact that it took about 10-20 minutes before the real action started.  People would hold conversations with each other, players could walk around a fully functioning research lab, and most items in the environment were interactive.  As the game progressed, gameplay was unique in that the levels had a very non-linear design that encouraged players to take advantage of the environment.  The single player campaign was an engrossing story that took many hours to complete.  By the end of it, players were starving for more, but they’ve had to wait until now to see the sequel!

Of course, in the meantime, Half-Life was revolutionary for other reasons.  For one thing, Valve actively encouraged the modification scene by providing home users with development kits that could be used to create ’mods’ of the game.  Popular modifications include the #1 multiplayer game of all time: Counter-Strike.  CS was a simple idea spawned from early mods of Quake II like Action Quake 2.  Players were pitted against rival teams and could choose from a wide variety of weaponry to destroy each other.  Each level had objectives, like disarm the bomb, kill the other team, or blow up sometime.

Ah, but I’m rambling now about Half-Life when I should really talk about Half-Life 2.  HL2 promises to shake the foundations of the PC game industry once more by taking the whole story one step further.  This time, a revolutionary new graphics and physics engine promises to create a true virtual world where EVERYTHING is simulated correctly.  Players will experience full interactivity for the first time in any video game.  Every single object is movable, and is modeled exactly for the kind of material it’s made of.  Light objects tossed into the water will float, while heavy objects will splash around and slowly sink.  You can even push a table up against a door to barricade yourself against the enemy while you watch them try to smash through or get through a nearby window.

Computer AI is also touted to be extremely smart and dynamic in responding to changing situations.  The graphics just look amazing too.  All player models are photorealistic with proper speech-lip synching and a full range of facial expressions. Half-Life 2 comes out on November 16, and while it may not rack up as many sales as GTA: San Andreas or Halo 2, I’m sure it will make an entrance worth remembering.

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