Top 25 Games of the Decade
(2000-2009) – #13
GameZone celebrates the end of a
glorious decade of gaming
The end of
the decade is upon us and it’s time to revisit the landscape of gaming that
began in 2000 with the launching of the PlayStation 2 and is now ending in 2009
with three viable console platforms in the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
Over the
next 25 days, GameZone will be bringing our readers the “Top 25 Games of the
Decade.” Considering how many games released in the past ten years, it was an
exhausting process to narrow down our initial list of more than 200 games to the
top 25.
Factors that
played a large part for titles that made the cut included: initial impact,
lasting impact, longevity, “standing the test of time”, popularity, advancements
in the genre, and much more. It wasn’t easy picking and choosing between our
favorite children, but we feel the games that made our list are representative
of the decade that was.
#13
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3
GameZone Review: 9.6
Activision and Infinity Ward
accomplished what the industry thought was impossible – they created a
first-person shooter for the consoles that is on par in popularity with
Microsoft’s Halo franchise.
How did they accomplish this
difficult task? It’s simple. They moved away from the World War II theme and
used a fictional modern approach that has drove gamers to having Call of Duty
fever; a fever that they won’t be able to shake for a long time.
The online multiplayer components of
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare excelled in the area that many developers didn’t
figure out until after Infinity Ward capitalized on it – rewarding gamers for
their skill and time. Leveling up and unlocking weapons served as a huge driving
point for gamers sticking around and waiting in online lobbies for the next map
to play on.
For gamers who were in need of a
single-player campaign to enjoy, Modern Warfare pushed the pace to an extreme
level and didn’t let up until the bitter end. The high quality campaign and the
terrific multiplayer served as a delightful package for the ages.
Gamers will be speaking about Modern
Warfare when they grow old and begin sentences with, “When I was your age …”
It’s a game that time and the gaming industry will never forget.
“CoD4 is the best in a long and
storied franchise. This is next-gen gaming in every sense of the phrase,”
Michael Lafferty,
GameZone.
Previously announced …
#25 –
Shenmue II. Find
the story
here.
#24 –
Counter-Strike. Find the story
here.
#23 – Gears of
War. Find the story
here.
#22 – Guitar
Hero. Find the story
here.
#21 – The Elder
Scrolls III: Morrowind. Find the story
here.
#20 – Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. Find the story
here.
#19 – Final Fantasy X. See the story
here.
#18 – Ico. See the story
here.
#17 – Bioshock. See the story
here.
#16 – The Sims. See the story
here.
#15 – Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. See the story
here.
#14 – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. See the story
here.
* * *
Ever wanted to travel to outer
space? Come back tomorrow to find out how you could do so with our #12 Game of
the Decade.
