There have been a lot of impressive games in the lifespan of the current generation of gaming consoles. The Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 has certainly seen some excellent games and these 20 are what I believe to be the best.
20. Gears of War 2
The second instalment of the Xbox exclusive franchise Gears of War was undoubtedly the peak of the trilogy. Again the game casts you as COG soldier Marcus Fenix and his squad in their battle against the Locust, who threaten to destroy the planet. The game mixes fantastic gameplay, epic story, likeable characters and outstanding boss battles to create this excellent game. The game also introduced Horde mode an incredibly fun multiplayer mode.
19. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
The only core Metal Gear Solid game this generation Guns of the Patriots certainly lived up to the Metal Gear Solid name. This game saw the return of Solid Snake who due to rapid ageing does not have much time left. He must stop the evil plans of Ocelot with the time he has left. Although the story has become a bit muddled the game still tells an interesting tale leading to an intense standoff and the gameplay is an all time high for an MGS game.
18. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is what I believe to be the high of the long running FPS franchise. Although it does not have the stellar visuals of Battlefield 3 I feel as if the destructible environments are more key here and it's wider range of vehicles. Also the single player in this is trumps beyond that of it's successor and gives the game even more value.
17. Dishonored
Dishonored is one of the most unique games I have ever played. Set in the steampunk city of Dunwall you are cast as supernatural assassin Corvo the former guardian of the Empress who has been wrongly accused of her murder. Corvo sets out to lead a revolution against the corrupt government. What makes this game so good is the amount of ways you can reach and assassinate your target, you could go in guns blazing but the game is better when you methodically plan a stealth attack.
16. Borderlands 2
The sequel to the highly acclaimed FPS Borderlands, Borderlands 2 fixes nearly everything wrong with it's predecessor and therefore delivers us an amazing game. Set five years after the events of the first game the sequel gives us four new characters to play as: The Assassin, The Siren, The Gunzerker and the Commando. Your character must battle the evil Handsome Jack.
15. Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is the Playstation 3 exclusive title from Quantic Dream. Less of a game and more of an interactive drama Heavy Rain tells the story of four protagonists during the kidnap of one of the characters son. The game's gameplay features are not particularly fun to play with, however it is the gripping story that makes this game a must play.
14. Fallout 3
The first Fallout game from Bethesda was an undoubted triumph. The game takes place far in the future after a nuclear war and the game is set in a post apocalyptic version of Washington D.C which sees you play a character who leaves the Vault for the first time in his life. The game boasts incredible open ended gameplay and levelling system as well as an engaging storyline and 100s of hours of potential playtime.
13. Far Cry 3
The third instalment of the Far Cry series takes the game back to it's original tropical setting. The game puts you as the young, arrogant and rich Jason Brody who is kidnapped by the mentally unstable Vaas along with his friends. Brody must do what he can to free his captive friends. Like Fallout 3 the game is an FPS open world adventure allowing to roam Rook Island as you please. With fantastic gameplay, memorable characters and stunning visuals Far Cry 3 was a highlight of this generation
12. The Walking Dead Game
The episodic adventure game based on the popular graphic novel and T.V series scores 12th on the list. Set in the graphic novel universe The Walking Dead casts you as Lee Everett an escaped convict. Lee's main priority is to protect Clementine a little girl he meets at the start of the apocalypse. Much like Heavy Rain the game is more interactive drama with players making decisions and moulding conversations to make Lee their own character.
11. Portal 2
Portal 2 is the second instalment of the Valve developed puzzle franchise. The game is again set in Aperture Science set many years after the first game Chell awakens to find Aperture overgrown and GLaDOS reactivated. The game includes some very well designed puzzles thanks to the gels introduced in the game. The dialogue is genuinely funny in this game with comedian Stephen Merchant lending his vocals as personality core Wheatley. The game also includes a very fun co-op mode.
10. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
The second instalment to the Playstation exclusive franchise Uncharted 2 makes into the top ten. Again starring Nathan Drake Among Thieves improves upon it's excellent predecessor. The cover shooting mechanics are improved upon as well as the stunning visuals.The game includes some of the best set pieces I've experienced in gaming with a great opening and a brilliant train shootout. The game also introduced multiplayer into the franchise which is incredibly fun and addicting.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Out of all the games in the list I have probably spent the most time on the fifth entry in The Elder Srolls series. Set 200 years after Oblivion the games main story sees you battle the dragons that are starting to reappear throughout Tamriel. However there are hundreds of other things to do in Skyrim as well as the main quest, such as join the number of guilds in the region. Although the combat is still slightly clunky it remains satisfying and also adds an improved levelling system to boot.
8. Bioshock Infinite
Some may argue that the original Bioshock is better than the recently released Infinite, however I personally prefered the latest outing in the series. This is because I prefer the setting of Columbia a city in the clouds that remains beautiful throughout Infinite's story. Although some may argue that Infinte's gameplay gets boring and tedious I felt the excellent story made up for these problems, and it certainly pays off after the jaw dropping ending.
7. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
One of the most revolutionary games of this generation, the original Modern Warfare is where Call of Duty became the blockbuster franchise it is today. Although it does have a brilliant single player campaign the multiplayer is where Modern Warfare shines. Modern Warfare perfected the controls for an FPS game which made the game simple to learn and play. The game features interesting and diverse maps as well as creating balanced weapons and decent class system. It's a testament that people are still playing the game almost seven years after it's initial release.
6. Assassins Creed 2
The first of the Assassin Creed games to star Ezio was the peak of the stealth series. The origin of Ezio's story as Master Assassin begins with a tale of revenge. In the game you are able to explore various Italian cities during the Renaissance era. The game fixed most of the problems of the original with varied missions and a more likeable main protagonist.
5. Batman Arkham City
The sequel to the highly acclaimed Batman Arkham Asylum, Arkham City further improved upon it's fantastic predecessor. Set not long after the events of the first game Arkham City sees the Dark Knight inside Arkham City a walled off area of Gotham used as a prison. The game is open world and allows you to complete side quests. The sequel also improves upon the combat allowing you to use more gadgets in the middle of a fight.
4. The Last of Us
The Last of Us is the apocalyptic survival horror game from Uncharted developer Naughty Dog. Set after a fungal disease strikes turning people into zombie like creatures the game follows Joel and Ellie as they struggle to survive. The game tells an emotional and gripping story from start till end and creates a beautiful relationship between the two characters. It also features stellar gameplay with the player able to choose stealth or guns blazing route.
3. Red Dead Redemption
The Western open-world epic from Rockstar was an unbelievable success. You are cast as old outlaw John Marston who has been forced by the FBI to take out his former gang members. Including an incredibly emotional and compelling story as well as a huge map and fantastic gameplay the game is one of the best the PS3 and Xbox 360 have to offer.
2. Mass Effect 2
The second instalment of the amazing space epic trilogy, Mass Effect 2 is definitely a game you need to pick up before the launch of the next generation of gaming consoles. The game again sees you play as Commander Shepard in his fight against the Reapers. You must recruit a squad of the best assassins, soldiers and engineers to carry out the 'suicide mission'. The game greatly improves the gameplay of the original and even further improves on an already great story offering up even more choices that will affect the plot massively.
1. Grand Theft Auto V
The most recent release of the blockbuster crime series is the franchise's best. Set in San Andreas once again, you play the game as 3 different characters: Michael, Franklin and Trevor as they perform a series of daring heists.The game fixes the dodgy driving and shooting of GTA 4 and improves even more in the visuals. The game has plenty of potential playtime with Online providing even more fun.
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