I'll keep my list to non-driving games;
Bloodborne/Dark Souls 3:
These games continued From Software's hellbent obsession with changing the landscape for how a triple A title should play. Tough and unforgiving, these games rely on awesomely designed mechanics and a mysterious, enthralling atmosphere to keep you playing and did away with the "press o to crouch under the burning beam!" Handholding that major studios seem to lean on. Gamers responded with huge praise to how this game treated us like we could work things out for ourselves. We will be feeling the ripple effect of these games for years.
Monster Hunter: World:
Last generation it looked like Capcom had forgotten how to make games. The Resident Evil series was sliding into a disjointed mess, Street Fighter alienated fans with its frankly offensive lack of content, and the studio as a whole was gaining a reputation as purveyors of "Disc Locked Content".
What a turnaround MHW represented. This game positively drips with designer passion. Visually glorious with a unified, ground up design that permeates every aspect, from crafting gear through cats cooking up delicacies to the majesty of the hunts themselves. There have never been "boss fights" like these - so expertly choreographed and balanced, nearly every monster has its unique personality, level of aggression, weaknesses and traits. With Capcom going on to revitalise the Resident Evil franchise, I really feel this game was a massive moment in the last generation and a return to form for one of gaming's greatest studios.
Doom (2016)/Doom Eternal:
What an ear-pricking moment this was. For myself and, I'm sure, many other gamers, perhaps no word evokes such a potent nostalgia; DOOM! The classic of all classics, the game that changed it all. This wouldn't be the first attempt at a revitalisation; DOOM III in the previous generation sought to re-establish the infamous horror shooter, but perhaps leaned too hard on the horror button.
Ill never forget my surprise and excitement as ID/Bethesda continued to reiterate; this will not be a modern shooter with demons, it will be a DOOM game - no reloading, no iron sights, no cover to cover, just classic high octane move and shoot action.
And if the hype wasn't enough to make the list, then we actually got to play it; a tight and interesting single player campaign consisting off egregious violence against the armies of the damned set to Mick Gordon's pounding metal soundtrack. It's an experience I think we will all remember fondly from this generation. Some didn't like Eternal so much, but I loved it, and it remains as really the only FPS game that's been bold enough to be different in this last decade.
Rocket League:
A surprise entry into the party game scene, Rocket League turned a lot of heads when it went up in the PS plus monthly free games.
Now you can call this game toxic or whatever and, sure, you might be right about that. But this game is mechanically tight beyond fault, and if you have a few buddies on the sofa, you're going to struggle to find a game more fun to just jump into.
This game exploded from a novelty into a serious presence in the eSports world and in today's age that's worthy of notice.
Warframe:
A last gasp bid to exist from Canadian studio Digital Extremes, Warframe launched on PC and ported to console around the release of the new generations.
When I picked it up in 2014 this was a shadow of a game, a tech demo more than anything. DE, on the brink of collapse, poured all their assets into making a functional game of the concept they believed in - a third person, super fast paced shooter/ninja kind of thing. In space.
Even in those early days the strength of the concept was clear - fast, parkour movement would save your life, not cover and armour, and an extensive mix of guns, melee and Warframe powers made the choice between methods of dismemberment personal, and expressive, and the game augments this with tons of customisation - colour pallettes, armour sets, capes, animations, and so on and on.
Over time, the game filled out, and in the 5/6 years I've played it (popping in and out of months-long hiatuses) the progress has made it unrecognisable. What was a scrambled selection of mission modes has evolved into a full story and progression system, with a ton of game modes, free roam areas, special activities and events.
A strange blend of looter-shooter, RPG, and Ninja Gaiden, Warframe should be praised for creating a blueprint for free online games on PSN. There really is a gold standard to be followed now. If Warframe had not succeeded, DE would not exist. As it stands, it is one of the most concurrently played games in the world, and deserves recognition for changing the landscape.
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5:
If you know, you know.
Game of the century.
