12 years is a long time. Since 2010 we’ve seen many changes to the gaming landscape, the Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 era ended, an entire generation of consoles came and went, and we saw the rise – and rise – of free to play games and Battle Royales, amongst many others.
Over the years we’ve also seen some absolute heavyweight games be released too, games which have shook the foundations of gaming and are still played by millions today. Yes, it’s been a banner decade (and a bit) for gaming and we thought, as we’re celebrating our 12th birthday, that we would like to take a look back at the best games of the last 12 years.
But we didn’t want to choose them ourselves, we instead opened the voting to you. So without wasting your time any longer with intro text, and with over 7000 votes cast, here are the best games of the last 12 years – as chosen by you.
Best RPG – The Witcher 3
First up we have a bit of a surprise. We know – everyone knows – that The Witcher 3 is a brilliant RPG rich in worldbuilding and narrative, with a massive map that can take you many hours to explore.
We did expect to see Skyrim give it a run for its money, but it appears that Geralt’s spell holds firm over everyone – and for good reason. The Witcher 3 is a huge achievement, expanding upon the books in every way and bringing a bit of The Witcher into households across the globe.
Best Shooter – Doom (2016)
It’s fair to say that every Doom game so far has been great. From the 1993 original to the survival-horror-esque Doom 3, they all brought something new, something unique, and something wonderful to the world of gaming.
Doom (2016) managed to do something utterly special. It brought an old series bang up to date, modernising everything whilst still keeping the game feeling like Doom. You are, once again, a one man demon mincing machine mowing through Mars, but it’s the innovations that really set Doom (2016) apart. If you’re an old school fan or new to the series, Doom (2016) is definitely one of the best shooters of the last 12 years and one of the best shooters of all time.
Best Multiplayer Game – Final Fantasy XIV
Nobody could have foreseen that Final Fantasy XIV would become the juggernaut it is today. After a launch that can only be described as disastrous, it was taken back offline, put into development, and emerged like a Chocobo from the ashes into one of the best MMOs ever created.
With several stunning expansions, huge amounts of character choice, and storylines that aren’t just good for an MMO – they’re good compared to most RPGs – Final Fantasy XIV is a game worthy of praise, and we’re glad to see it get the recognition it deserves.
Best Adventure Game – Death Stranding
‘Adventure game’ used to be a genre with a strong definition but over the years that definition has expanded considerably. What was once the preserve of point and clicks and little else has become something that encompasses a broad church.
Death Stranding is a game with strong adventure game elements, especially focusing on how you explore the world, soaking up the atmosphere, and how you experience the story. It’s a game frankly unlike any other and one that defies categorisation, but it definitely fits into the adventure game slot. Going up against many traditional adventure games, Death Stranding won the vote handily, making it your worthy choice for the best adventure game of the last 12 years.
Buy Death Stranding: Director’s Cut here.
Best Indie Game – Stardew Valley
Ah, Stardew Valley. If any game can take over your life, it’s this one. You take control over a dilapidated farm and bring it back to life, planting, harvesting, raising animals, building a few bits and pieces. It’s lovely.
And that would make for a great game but there’s so much more, another island, adventuring, relationships with the townsfolk…and so much more. Stardew Valley isn’t just a game, it’s a life in game form.
Best Strategy Game – XCOM 2
When the X-COM series was rebooted into XCOM, we got a game that revitalised tactical strategy games as well as bringing a whole new layer of polish to a series that had lain fallow for far too long.
Then XCOM 2 came out and it improved on everything all over again, along with introducing key new ideas that make it play unlike anything else out there. The main difference in XCOM 2 is that you’re not defending against an alien threat – the alien threat already won. You’re more a guerilla force, striking from the shadows and taking out targets in a hit-and-run style series of attacks. It’s fast paced but full of depth, and definitely one of the best games of the last 12 years.
Best Sim – Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft’s Flight Simulator series has always been a stalwart of the simulation genre. Going right back to floppy disk days they have strived for realism.
Enter the new Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game that aims not just for realism of the planes themselves but for the world, taking its data from actual satellite data of the Earth. Fly over your town, fly over your house, it’s all possible in this staggering simulation of…pretty much everything. It’s hard to comprehend how far this series has brought us until you step up to the controls and start flying yourself, then you’ll be swept away – and you might never come back.
Buy Microsoft Flight Simulator here (XBOX only)
Best Action Game – God of War (2018)
One of the key themes over recent years has been a tendency to look at our past in order to produce new pieces of art. You see it on television, film, even music, and definitely in games. Often to mixed success but sometimes you get gold.
The original God of War series brought the Spartan warrior Kratos to the world, a Chaos Blade-wielding force of destruction. In God of War’s 2018 outing we saw Kratos become something else, a father (for the second time, anyway). His interactions with his son as they travelled to fulfil his wife’s last wishes bring a new depth to the character. Combine that with brutal, intense action and you’re onto a game that’s an all-timer.
Best Roguelike – Hades
Hades is the game that took over the world for a while there, with seemingly everyone getting sucked into its heady mix of action and Greek mythology wrapped in a roguelike setting.
Playing as Zagreus attempting to escape the underworld and find your mother, Persephone, Hades goes beyond most roguelikes by offering a compelling cast of characters, brilliant music, and tight gameplay. Many roguelikes now grace our consoles and computers, but few aim as high as Hades – a game that shows a mastery that few can aspire to.
Best Survival Game – Minecraft
It had to be, really.
We’ve got nothing else to say about it. It’s Minecraft. What can you say that hasn’t been said a million times before?
Nothing, other than Minecraft is a worthy winner of this category, and is a game that has done that rare thing – it’s become a cultural phenomenon, not just a gaming phenomenon.
Best Fighting Game – Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat is that rare type of fighting game, one that aims to broaden its appeal and bring in new fans. With an expanded tutorial and a fighting style that gives you a little more time to think about your moves, Mortal Kombat 11 isn’t just good for pros, it’s good for newcomers too.
And all that’s without talking about its huge roster of characters and huge story mode. Have you ever wanted to see Robocop fighting Kitana? Now you can. Terminator having a crack at the Joker? It’s in there. Mortal Kombat 11 is ambitious in every sense of the word and amazingly, it achieves its ambitions.
Best Horror Game – Resident Evil 2 (2019)
You’ll have noticed that a few games on this list are remakes or revamps of earlier works. Games like the Resident Evil 2 remake show that this is something definitely worth doing.
This remake keeps the themes, keeps the setting, but revamps almost everything else. Bringing the gameplay right up to date along with new visuals and even new frights, Resident Evil 2 has never looked or played better and as the vote shows – you agree. This remake shows what’s possible when remaking a game and we’re so glad it exists.
Buy Resident Evil 2 (2019) here.
Have Your Say
12 genres, 12 winners. But what about you? If you disagree with any of the winners or want to talk more about the best games of the last 12 years*, head over to our Discord and have your say – we’d love to hear from you.
*Or even if you just want to share pictures of your pet. We like that too.