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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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Platform: Wii

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.

2. The Orange Box
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Valve
Platform: PC , PS3 , Xbox 360

Portal alone was almost worth the purchase price, and TF2 brought class-based shooters to a whole new level. Together they showed that games can be clever, arresting, thrilling and funny all at the same time. Add a brand new Half-Life 2 installment (with one of the most powerful endings in gaming), as well as the two older ones, and we have yet to see anything rival the Orange Box in terms of quality, ingenuity or value.

3. Mass Effect
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: BioWare
Platform: Xbox 360

BioWare took role-playing to the next level with Mass Effect. Years later, the cinematic storytelling and interactive conversation system is still so far ahead of the curve that it is equaled only by its sequel. Grab some popcorn, this is one of the best sci-fi experiences of the past decade in any medium.

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platform: PC , PS3 , Xbox 360

There are few game creators that can make both an explosively cinematic single-player experience as well as a multiplayer component that usurps one of the biggest franchises in the history of gaming (Halo) in terms of popularity online. But that’s exactly what Infinity Ward was able to do with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

5. Rock Band
Publisher: MTV Games
Developer: Harmonix
Platform: PS2 , PS3 , Wii , Xbox 360

Rock Band wasn’t just a great extension of the rhythm action genre that introduced the full-band experience to living rooms around the world, it also marked a shift in the way we played these games, emphasising a cooperative experience over a competitive one.

6. BioShock
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Boston
Platform: PC , Xbox 360

It’s extraordinarily rare to see a developer make a first-person shooter and completely abandon any semblance of a multiplayer mode, but that’s exactly what made Irrational Games’ (then 2K Boston) creation so special. The emphasis on an oddly suspenseful and moody world gave BioShock a personality that the gaming world had never seen before and won’t soon forget.

7. Halo 3
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bungie Software
Platform: Xbox 360

With Halo 3, Bungie pulled out all the stops, merging the series’ epic storyline, action-packed gameplay and multiplayer mastery into one polished package. It was everything we wanted in a Halo experience, and it helped define the Xbox 360 the way its ancestor came to represent the original Xbox.

8. God of War II
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Platform: PS2

If the original God of War was an amazing action game, its sequel redefined what action actually meant. Bigger, bloodier and more intense in every respect, God of War II is arguably still unmatched in terms of scale and scope, an amazing feat for a last-generation title. The God of War Collection proved that it’s still amazingly fun to this day, and it should be a part of every action fan’s library.

9. Uncharted
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Naughty Dog Software
Platform: PS3

During a time when the PlayStation 3 needed killer exclusives to survive, developer Naughty Dog came through for Sony’s system in a big way. Uncharted was a phenomenal addition to the PS3’s library and demonstrated Naughty Dog’s ability to weave an exciting story into thrilling gunplay. Uncharted still remains one of the system’s finest titles.

10. Pac-Man Championship Edition
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Namco Bandai
Platform: Xbox 360

There have been plenty retro remakes over the years, but this is the best one. Two and a half years after its release, we IGN editors are still trying to beat each other’s high scores. After playing Championship Edition there’s simply no going back to the original Pac-Man.

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