Top 25 Games of the Decade (2000-2009) – Day 7

Top 25 Games of the Decade
(2000-2009) – #19

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.

#19
Final Fantasy X (2001)

Publisher: Square
Developer: Square
Platforms: PlayStation 2

GameZone Review: 9.5

Final Fantasy X helped kick off the
decade as Square delivered on its promise with a glorious role-playing game that
was one for the ages.

Paving way to the introduction of a
memorable cast consisting of: Tidus, Yuna, Auron, Wakka, Kimahri and Rikku,
Final Fantasy X had more than enough characters that gamers could attach
themselves to. Yuna and Rikku even starred in Final Fantasy X-2, the first
direct sequel to any Final Fantasy title.

Graphically, Final Fantasy X set the
bar high for the PlayStation 2 and still holds up to this day as a visual
masterpiece for the platform. The character models, cinematics, environments and
art work were all extraordinary. Tetsuya Nomura helped start the inclination for
leather clad and zipper-loving characters with Final Fantasy X.

Story driven and much more complex
than it’s often given credit for, Final Fantasy X is an oddity that tended to
avoid the typical clichés and break new ground. It stands head and toe above a
majority Japanese-RPGs that have hit the western shores of the U.S in the past
decade.

“Once you’ve had a taste of the
exquisite beauty, solid battle system, and intelligent story and character
development, you may never be able to accept less,” The Badger,

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.

*  *  *

Another stunning work of art from
2001 will be revealed tomorrow as our #18 Game of the Decade.