Games of The Last Generation (Our Personal Picks)

Here at TechRaptor, we all have been patiently waiting for the next generation of gaming to launch and be in full swing, and with the recent release of the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One , we can't help but look back at the masterpieces that were brought to us with games of the last generation.  Now these are our personal picks and I know there are MANY titles that could easily make this list, but these are the games that stuck out to us the most.  With all the possible games,  leave us one of your favorite games of the last generation in the comments so we can see what games were your favorites!

Hugh Thomas

Far Cry 3: The Game was an improvement in every conceivable way from the controversial Far Cry 2 featuring smoother gameplay mechanics, a much more interesting and active world and one of the most intriguing video game villains seen in recent years. Featuring great mechanics, various side missions and the ability to craft items to customize and upgrade your character; Far Cry 3 is a must for fans of open world FPSs.

Stephen Gillespie

Dark Souls: If I could only play one game for the rest of my life, it would be Dark Souls. At first existing in the world of Dark Souls is terrifying, but even at this point it's completely enthralling. The game is always trying to teach you or show you things, it wants you to succeed but it also knows the greatest victories are the hardest earned. It requires you to fully engage with it and this is true on every level of its design. A prime example of this is the approach to storytelling, the game seems give you so little but actually gives you one of the most engaging and affecting narratives if you peer a bit deeper. It tells it's story in a way only a game could and that helps it to become a masterpiece.

It's a completely cohesive game where everything falls into place, the game is built perfectly around its world and its mechanics and is the prime example of the game you didn't know you wanted until you played it. It's a truly wonderful game full of secrets and hidden depths, one that is compulsively replayable even after you have mastered its intricacies. Never before have I been so won over by a world or by how a game plays. Dark Souls does its own thing and does it so well, it was the best game of the last generation and my favourite game of all time.

John Paul Keith

The Last of Us: Great storytelling in games is few and far between, but The Last of Us completely nails it. Though zombies and the apocalypse have been a bit overdone, Naughty Dog has managed to tell an engaging story, driven by interesting, relatable, and tragic characters. It breaks your heart from the very beginning and only gets worse from there on out. It's combat is savagely brutal, yet its stealth mechanics require a bit of patience and strategy. Whether your lighting up clickers with a makeshift molotov or quietly choking the last breath out of remorseless hunter, gameplay is unbelievably satisfying. The Last of Us is a journey, not just physically, but emotionally as well. The story of Joel and Ellie is compelling, and the ending is absolutely perfect. The generation couldn't have ended on higher note.

Rutledge Daugette

Uncharted 2: Uncharted is easily one of the more defining series from the Playstation 3's repertoire. A Playstation 3 exclusive, the second game was met with fantastic reviews, and built on the original Uncharted game and continued the storyline as well as key game mechanics that made the game an engaging and excited play. Naughty Dog showed us for the second time, that they can deliver both exciting gameplay, as well as a story that both brings you into it, and makes you think. The rich storyline and historical and mythical connections that made throughout the game, as well as the incredible usage of flashbacks make the story one of the most engaging you will find on the Playstation 3! Step back into the shoes of Nathan Drake as he leaps and shoots his way through all new environments, through betrayal and loyalty changes. Overall, the game offered up gameplay and story that made the game incredibly easy to play over and over again. This game, which won over 200 game of the year awards, is without a doubt one of the great gems of the Playstation 3, and of the last generation as a whole.

David Kapostasy

Xenoblade Chronicles - Best single player RPG since the ps1 final fantasy Games. Combines Massively Multiplayer Online Game controls with FF-X story length and intricacies.

If you haven't played it, you're missing out. The graphics are borderline eye assault, but you can't have everything.

Corwin Bex

Brutal legend, although probably a strange choice, its honestly a game that excited me to play, great music, a funny and interesting story and the battles get really good once you unlock the various funny characters. The easter eggs and 100% stuff was actually funny so for the first time i looked for it. Great game.

Jessica Valdez

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a game that lures me back time and time again. The entire game is controlled by calculated decisions in which every step you take has either a reward or a consequence. Each mission has randomized enemy placement and alternating maps. Instead of the run and gun mentality that you find in various games, there is continual critical thinking and strategic scenarios that will ultimately impact not only the mission but the entire campaign itself. I like the surprise element, the edge of your seat feeling that you get when you don’t know where your enemy is going to come from. You can play XCOM over and over and discover that maps are shuffled and enemy placement is altered which keeps me coming back for more.

Aaron Blevins

Portal :The cake is a lie!! Portal brought a great Puzzle game to FPS and even added an interesting atmosphere/story to the mix to make this add-on to Orange Box a MUST PLAY and can define the greatness of last generation. Portal went on to add an EXCELLENT sequel to a game that you would not have originally needed one.  If you call yourself a gamer and don't understand the relevance of the companion cube or why the cake was a lie, I have zero respect for you.

 

Jason Dulin

Mass Effect 1- while the trilogy itself was stellar, and some didn't like the 3rd, mostly because of the ending (I personally enjoyed it), the 1st in the trilogy set the stage for what was going to be the most impressive series of the 360. No game this generation had the graphics, Gameplay, and storytelling that ME gave you. On top of that, your choices meant something. Every big decision carried over to the 2nd and 3rd games, making you have an emotional tie to your character and the crew if the Normandy. This was the game that branched out my gaming from sports and shooters, into action and RPG's.