Features// SPOnG's Games of the Generation

Sooooo... there goes another generation. Kinda-sorta. As the Xbox 360 and PS3 get superceded by the Xbox One and PS4, here we are looking back at the games of the generation. And yes, the Wii went away yonks ago in every way that matters, but let's not be dicks about this. It turned up, it was important, it was crucial in shaping the modern gaming landscape. And we all wanted to talk about Wii Sports.

So, without further ado, here are some of your SPOnG favourites talking about the games of the generation...


Gavin Dodds

Wii Sports
Still the best use of motion control gaming out there. Even if we all got bored of it after a few weeks, it set the agenda for the entire generation. There would be no Kinect in Xbox One if not for the Wii and this game.

God of War III
Spectacle, size, epic scale, whatever you think of the game mechanics and how little they changed from the previous games, this was a showcase for what could be done with the PS3. Still a landmark game that will be making next-gen devs sweat about being able to top it.

Minecraft
Sneaks in due to Xbox 360, but the PC version is a phenomenon, giving gamers the ability to scratch their Lego itch and making indie games much more popular than they had been previously. Arguably why Sony has such a focus on indies for the PS4.

Forza 4
Finally beat Gran Turismo by competing head to head and coming out the better game, rather than simulation. Others in the series built up to this confrontation, but Forza 4 was the one that made good on the promise.

Journey
The only game this generation that actually touched me. Simple, effective and beautiful, it promoted cooperation with nothing more than a few obscure symbols and chirp noises. There was a story, but you could ignore it if you wished or you could embellish it and use your imagination to add meaning to every unexplained broken pillar you saw.

Honourable Mention: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
For me this game finally made open world make sense. GTA, inFamous, etc all did their best, but AC:B put you in the middle of a world that was alive. You could see your progress through the game making a difference to the inhabitants of that world as you restored the shops and banks of Rome. It also finally delivered on the promise of the original game's first trailer.


Daniel Jones

Gears of War 3
As fans of the series will know, Gears of War 3 showcases the most emotional and perfectly executed scene in any video game of the 360/PS3 generation. It has one of the strongest campaigns I've ever played, and the multiplayer is just as good as (if not better than) GoW and GoW 2.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
This is up because of the massive impact it had on online multiplayer gaming. If not for CoD4, there's no doubt that competitive multiplayer would be completely different to what it is today. Oh, and because I still play the multiplayer now even after six years.

Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 is a must on my top five of the era, purely and simply because of how much fun I had playing through co-operatively. It's one of the only games I've ever played start-to-finish two to three times on harder difficulties in quick succession without getting bored - I even unlocked every achievement for it.

Assassin's Creed 2
I looked forward to the first Assassin's Creed title almost as much as I looked forward to being old enough to legally drink alcohol and, frankly, it was shit. Assassin's Creed 2, however, restored my faith in the series and still remains one of my favourites.

Fallout 3
There are a very select few console RPGs that manage to hold my attention for any longer than a few hours. With Fallout 3 though, I found myself constantly exploring, looting and levelling up my character - I don't think the disc left my Xbox for well over a month.