The last two decades have seen a fierce evolution in video games. Video games continue to change and develop throughout time, ranging from linear single-player experiences to vast open worlds to constantly developing live-service games.
Making a list of the top 7 video games is challenging because so many notable titles are available. As a result, you should think of this list as more subjective than objective. Here are our picks for the most significant 7 video games of all time, listed in no particular order.
1. Halo: Combat Evolved
Without Halo: Combat Evolved, the FPS subgenre would be very different. Halo: Combat Evolved feels like a more potent overall product, even though the same might be said about 1993’s Doom.
On consoles, Halo: Combat Evolved was a game-changer for all obvious reasons. Halo: Combat Evolved was an incredibly innovative game, from its distinctive and energizing art style that made Bungie so famous in the first place to Martin O’Donnell’s ancient, epic, and powerful orchestral score that gave life to its sci-fi universe.
The LAN-based multiplayer in Halo was just the beginning of what would eventually become an iconic moment in video game pop culture, which peaked with the release of Halo 3 in 2007. It’s not unexpected that most AAA first-person shooters are still based on Halo: Combat Evolved, and it wouldn’t be strange if this trend persists for an extended period in the future.
2. Genshin Impact
The action role-playing game Genshin Impact was created and released by miHoYo. In 2020, it was made available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, iOS, and Android; in 2021, it was made available for PlayStation 5. The Nintendo Switch version of the game will also be released. The game has an open world, an anime-inspired aesthetic, and an action-based battle system that employs elemental magic and character switching.
The game is free to play and is supported by the sale of new characters and weapons through a system known as gacha. The games as a service model frequently add new content to the basic game through patches.
There are several different characters to opt from, but not all are equally strong and good, making it a bit of challengingto decide which ones to utilize. In practically every game area, certain characters will perform better than others. You can choose the best characters using the Genshin Impact Tier List, which rates the game’s characters according to their effectiveness and power. Any Tier S character is the greatest in the game. If you don’t care about these things, stay away from Tier F characters. F-rated characters are terrible and won’t perform as well as other characters.
3. Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 3 fundamentally improved the open world environment in 2001. Grand Theft Auto 4 roses to prominence in 2008 as one of the most aesthetically pleasing and narratively engaging open-world games.
There is no denying that these two of the best video games ever produced belong on this list. Still, Grand Theft Auto 5, released in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2022, excels in nearly every element, unlike the previous GTA games, making it the pinnacle of the Grand Theft Auto experience.
Grand Theft Auto 5 set the record for fastest-selling entertainment product in history in 2013 and is still selling exceptionally well in 2022. Grand Theft Auto 5 is perhaps the “face of contemporary video games,” for a good reason.
4. The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim
The most inventive Elder Scrolls game is probably Morrowind from 2002, not Skyrim. But it’s also the most accessible and ambitious Elder Scrolls game ever created.
Skyrim implements these aspects in a reasonably flexible framework that provides players with the freedom to play the game they want, rather than to take some of the best parts of previous Elder Scrolls games and tweak them to make them more approachable newbies.
The core of Skyrim is player freedom, which inspires so many individuals to travel through its icy kingdoms. Only a few open-world games have ever succeeded in evoking the spirit of adventuring in a vast and beautiful world, but Skyrim tries.
Skyrim’s open world may not be the largest in terms of size and content in 2022. Still, with its flexible gameplay aspects and inherent ability to revive the sense of adventure, it remains one of the finest world experiences.
5. Metal Gear Solid
The one that merits the most acclaim and attention is 1998’s Metal Gear Solid. This creative neo-thriller gave 1987’s Metal Gear a 3D makeover and added gameplay components that served as the cornerstones of the stealth subgenre.
It’s difficult to envision that happening without Kojima’s contribution to the genre, given that stealth is now a realistic option in most AAA open-world games. It’s difficult to envision that happening without Kojima’s contribution to the genre, given that stealth is now a realistic option in most AAA open-world games.
Kojima’s games, even to this day, continue to be an exception and strike an inexplicable balance between the story and gameplay beats. While many contemporary AAA games struggle to sync their numerous gameplay elements with the narrative and story themes and finally endure something called Ludonarrative Dissonance, Kojima’s games do not.
6. Life is Strange
Players’ reactions to video games can elicit emotions never before seen. One of the reasons we favor video games over other forms of expression is because these moments can be had in various ways, whether you overcome a challenging encounter, triumph in a PvP match, or follow a character on their trip through hell back.
A video game with a strong narrative that explores some challenging aspects of our everyday existence is called Life is Strange. It’s also a reserved, reclusive, contemplative, and nerdy experience, full of serene and heartfelt moments that let us, the players, unwind and take in the routine of a young adolescent.
The franchise Life is Strange and its creators take representation very seriously. It has become a mainstay for them to accurately reflect complicated subjects and LGBT characters, around whom it has built chiefly its audience.
One factor that has helped Life is Strange to become such a devoted and ever-expanding audience is the ease with which non-gamers can suggest it. In conclusion, Life is Strange and games like it are just one of many instances that show that video games are supposed to be experienced and played.
7. The Last of Us
We see many post-apocalyptic video games with each new console generation because the fall of humanity in the face of an apocalypse and its battle to rise and survive makes for a compelling backdrop in video games.
The Last of Us takes place in a similarly dismal post-apocalyptic environment. Still, the game concentrates on the redemption journey of two misfit characters connected by the pure coincidence of fate rather than the redemption of civilization.
The Last of Us is one of the most stunning, brutal, and heartbreaking video game experiences that merits recognition outside of the gaming industry, thanks to its jaw-dropping visuals, great acting from its cast, heartbreaking music by Gustavo Santaolalla, and furious combat confrontations.
Conclusion
These are the best video games, regardless of genre, platform, or age. They may be bestsellers, critical darlings, or cultural phenomena.