The Best Games of the Decade: Defining Moments in Gaming
The last decade has seen an explosion of innovation in the world of gaming. From indie hits to multi-million-dollar franchises, the evolution of gameplay, storytelling, and graphics has been nothing short of extraordinary. The “best games” of the past ten years are more than just entertainment; they have become cultural touchstones, changing how we view video games and solidifying their place in the entertainment industry alongside film and music. Games such as The Last of Us Part II, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Breath of the Wild have not only redefined what video games can be, but they’ve also changed how we interact with games emotionally and intellectually.
One standout title of the decade is The Last of Us Part II (2020). Naughty Dog’s follow-up to their beloved 2013 hit was met with a divisive response, but its impact on the gaming world is undeniable. The game took storytelling in games to a new level, offering a brutally emotional narrative that explored themes of revenge, trauma, and the cost of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. It blended mature storytelling with gameplay that kept players engaged with every twist and turn. While the story was controversial, its success was not; it raised the bar for how far video games could push the boundaries of narrative, performance capture, and emotional engagement.
Another major contender for the best of the decade is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). This sprawling RPG from CD Projekt Red combined a vast, richly detailed world with a captivating storyline and engaging characters. The game’s open-world environment was brimming with life, from dense forests to bustling cities, each with its own unique culture and history. The narrative was both grand in scope and deeply personal, as players controlled Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with a complex malukutoto past. The game’s morally ambiguous choices, deep lore, and side stories helped create a world where every action felt significant, making it one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs of all time.
Breath of the Wild (2017) was a groundbreaking entry in the Legend of Zelda series, taking the franchise in a bold new direction. The game reinvented the open-world genre, providing players with a sense of freedom rarely seen in video games. Instead of guiding players through a linear narrative, Breath of the Wild allowed players to explore the world of Hyrule at their own pace, offering multiple paths to victory and solving puzzles in unique ways. The game’s innovative design, which focused on exploration and experimentation, became a blueprint for future open-world games.
Rounding out the list of top games from the last decade is Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018). Rockstar’s epic Western tale of outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang is not only one of the best narrative-driven games of the decade but also one of the most visually stunning. The game’s attention to detail, from the way NPCs interact with you to the real-time weather and animal behavior, set a new standard for open-world games. The story is heartbreaking and nuanced, exploring themes of loyalty, family, and the dying days of the Wild West. It’s a game that goes beyond simple gameplay mechanics, offering a world that feels alive with the weight of history.
As the decade ends, it’s clear that gaming has entered a new era where the lines between traditional media and interactive entertainment continue to blur. The best games of this period are those that not only offer exceptional gameplay but also create meaningful, lasting emotional experiences. These titles will be remembered as some of the greatest games ever created, not just for their technical achievements but for the way they made players feel and think.
