What is this generations defining game?

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

[QUOTE="chicagodon"]

yes, and motion controls defines this gen so its wii sports. people won't say it was the conduit, red steel or SMG. Wii sports will be the game that remembered like SMB and Duck Hunt.

chicagodon

Agreed, but I'd also add that I think it is both motion controls and online multiplayer that define this generation. So I think COD4 and Wii Sports should battle it out.

So you think that games that influence multiplayer are not ultimately as important as others? I think it depends more on how much any given gen values it.

Yeah. It's unfortunate. I hate that game, and I hate how it's inspired a bunch of open-world games I have no inclination to ever play, but it was the first truly good sandbox game that was significant. Nearly every other game of the previous generation was iterative. Arguably, Halo could be included as a second, since it's the first console shooter that worked well.roxlimn

Not a huge Halo fan but Halo: CE is definitely the game of last gen that "battles it out" with GTA III.

[QUOTE="chicagodon"]

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

BTW, just for perspective, I think last gen's defining game was GTA III.

GreySeal9

SMB, Duck Hunt: SF2, Mortal Kombat: Tomb Raider: GTA3: Wii Sports

Tomb Raider is an interesting choice for that generation (a gen I haven't really thought about; it's the hardest one to analyze IMO). I'm interested to hear why you picked it.

Tomb Raider wowed people like no other game of that gen. it brought all the new younger core gamers into gaming (im 33). It was the first 3d game of such high quality. It the game that made the ps1 a success. the ps1 defined that gen and TR was the systems flagship title. SM64 was the best game of the gen but TR is the game that took gaming from a nerds hobby to something that everyone including the cool kids did. It ws the beginning of gaming going pop.

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

[QUOTE="chicagodon"]

SMB, Duck Hunt: SF2, Mortal Kombat: Tomb Raider: GTA3: Wii Sports

chicagodon

Tomb Raider is an interesting choice for that generation (a gen I haven't really thought about; it's the hardest one to analyze IMO). I'm interested to hear why you picked it.

Tomb Raider wowed people like no other game of that gen. it brought all the new younger core gamers into gaming (im 33). It was the first 3d game of such high quality. It the game that made the ps1 a success. the ps1 defined that gen and TR was the systems flagship title. SM64 was the best game of the gen but TR is the game that took gaming from a nerds hobby to something that everyone including the cool kids did. It ws the beginning of gaming going pop.

That's a very convincing argument. And I think the fact that Laura Croft is an icon now really highlights your point.

I always sort of leaned towards thinking that SM64 defined that gen, but I think TR is a strong contender as well.

It's just too bad that the series was driven into the ground.

[QUOTE="chicagodon"]

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]COD4 will fade like Unreal Tournement. Only talked about by core games Wii sports will be legendary like Pacman and SMB.

Agreed, but I'd also add that I think it is both motion controls and online multiplayer that define this generation. So I think COD4 and Wii Sports should battle it out.

GreySeal9

So you think that games that influence multiplayer are not ultimately as important as others? I think it depends more on how much any given gen values it.

The only answer is world of warcraft.

- expensive

- mulitple dlc /expansions

- open world

- online multiplayer /single player

- community full of jerks

- activision are attached to it in some way

Yep that's modern gaming right there

As of now:

For Cows: Uncharted 2

For Lems: Halo (What else??)

For SW: Crysis

GreenGoblin2099

Mass Effect 1 and 2. Uncharted is fairly forgettable, imo.

SgtKevali

[QUOTE="GreenGoblin2099"]

As of now:

For Cows: Uncharted 2

For Lems: Halo (What else??)

For SW: Crysis

Megaman5364

Mass Effect 1 and 2. Uncharted is fairly forgettable, imo.

SgtKevali

I don't really understand how somebody would think UC2 is forgettable, but it's certainly not impossible and your post acts like it is.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

Super Mario Galaxy so far.

pengo93

No, it's still Mario collecting stars, just like every other Mario game. The first Mario was timeless, the 18th or whatever this one is, will most likely be forgotton until they remake it. (You know they will)

The difference with SMG is the game physics, controls, and design, that's where it shines. No other Mario game played as this one. Maybe that's why it was GOTY here, and is one of the highest rated games this generation.

UC2 has won more adwards than any other game this gen so it has to be uncharted2. however I think LBP is the most important game of the gen because of how the player shapes the universe which seperates it from anything ever done in console gaming. truely current gen.

chicagodon

As of now:

For Cows: Uncharted 2

For Lems: Halo (What else??)

For SW: Crysis

GreenGoblin2099

Not for me. I prefer Dead Rising over Halo or GeoW.

Wii Sports. Seriously.

LegendofNerd

Gears of War, and it's really hard to argue about that.Salt_The_Fries

Best game this gen, still unmatched in a lot of aspects.

It's a tiny bit annoying how people are just naming their favorite games.

Anyway, I want to disqualify a whole bunch of the games that have been mentioned and even some that haven't.

Demon's Souls: As excellent as it is, Demon's Souls only appeals to a certain type of gamer. It is not universal enough.

Heavy Rain: This game is so incredibly niche that it blows my mind that people can mention it.A game that defines a genre usually spawns a bunch of imitators. I don't care how unique HR is. Generation-defining games are universal.

MGS4: This game is much too devisive to be the generation's defining game. Mostly, it brings polish and refinment to an old formula. Also, MGS4 really does more for the PS3's library than it does for the industry as a whole. I really don't see anybody trying to copy its design. I also think it clings too hard to a very traditional mode of storytelling.

GTA IV: This game may have been an extremely important step as far as the GTA franchise is concerned but that is all. It simply is not revolutionary in the way GTA III was. Not even close. Like MGS4, it was mostly refinment of an existing formula.

Super Mario Galaxy: Although I believe it brings some innovation to platforming, I don't think innovation in that genre makes a game generation defining in this day and age. It would have been much more genre-defining in the age of platformers, the 90s.

Mass Effect 2: This game's streamlined design choices may have some influence (that's a big maybe), but they will most likely only have ramifications within a genre. Mass Effect 2 is more about refinement and smoothing out the experience than anything else.

Uncharted 2: At first analysis, this one comes really close IMO but I see it as an immaculately polished combination of gameplay styles that have all ready made their mark. I think that a generation's defining game has to get other games to follow its trends rather combining and refining a bunch of previous trends.

God of War 3: God of War 3 doesn't even push things foward substantially in its own franchise let alone the entire generation. This choice is ridiculous IMO.

Halo 3: Same as God of War 3. It doesn't push things forward substantially in its own franchise. Although it definitely does give the consumer a lot stuff to sink their teeth into, it doesn't do much different from its predecessor.

Crysis: This comes close for being a technical milestone, but I feel that a genre-defining game has to be influential gameplay-wise and I just don't see that here. I honestly think it will have more influence on future generations. The game is almost too far ahead in many aspects to be genre-defining.

Little Big Planet: This is a game that succeeds in adding richness and uniqueness to the PS3 library but hasn't really had a universal influence. It may influence user-created content down the road, but there's not tons of developers following their lead. They are more or les doing their own thing IMO.

Gears of War: This game does meet some of the criteria. It definitely had influence on other games. But I don't feel its influence goes far enough, definitely well short of COD4 levels.

Again, I think COD4 takes the cake. It's single player may not be as remarkable as other games this gen but it has had undeniable influence when it comes to multiplayer which is probably the main pillar of the generation.

GreySeal9

MW2, the best game ever made with ease

As of now:

For Cows: Uncharted 2

For Lems: Halo (What else??)

For SW: Crysis

GreenGoblin2099

There are several games that have made some differences.

• PS3: Uncharted 2 (Took action/adventure to a new level.)
• Heavy Rain (Redefines interactive story telling.)
• LBP (Took platforming and user creative to a new standard)

• XBox 360: Mass Effect 1& 2 (Took the brilliant RPG story telling of KotoR to the next level. Best RPG this gen.)
• Viva Pinata (Took the A.I. Sim creation into a new direction. )
• Forza 3 (Took racing simulation into a new direction, by allow users to customer, decal and trade unique cars.)

• Wii: Super Mario Galaxy. (Redefined how a platform game could be played.)
• Wii Sports: (Gave user more realistic control then any other sports title.)

I dont think there is, but if pressed Uncharted 2 amongst thieves

If you want to make a stellar game, ND's masterpeice is the benchmark you have to conpare yours against

I don't know if they'll ever be considered defining games, but console games such as LBP and ModNation Racers seem to be starting a trend of customisability that I can see expanding over the years.

Call of Duty games certainly didn't innovate the concept of an online shooter, but along with Halo they did manage to bring online multiplayer FPS games to a casual audience (i.e. people who'd normally not game).

Speaking of casual games, we naturally cannot forget the Wii series (be it Sports, Fit, or whatever) for opening up the gaming market for a new group of people. Whatever you may think of this, the fact that Sony and Microsoft will now try and capitalise on this only goes to show how influential this already has been, and will be.

It's tough to say how we'll look back on this gen in a decade, but I feel these games will not be forgotten easily.

I don't know if they'll ever be considered defining games, but console games such as LBP and ModNation Racers seem to be starting a trend of customisability that I can see expanding over the years.

Call of Duty games certainly didn't innovate the concept of an online shooter, but along with Halo they did manage to bring online multiplayer FPS games to a casual audience (i.e. people who'd normally not game).

Speaking of casual games, we naturally cannot forget the Wii series (be it Sports, Fit, or whatever) for opening up the gaming market for a new group of people. Whatever you may think of this, the fact that Sony and Microsoft will now try and capitalise on this only goes to show how influential this already has been, and will be.

It's tough to say how we'll look back on this gen in a decade, but I feel these games will not be forgotten easily.

DraugenCP

COD4's aspect of bringing online multiplayer to previously meat-bound consolites is definitely something that stands out this generation, but LBP did not have enough influence to define the generation in terms of user generated content, and I don't believe ModNation will change that, when it releases. They are not quite Starcraft and Half-Life (the seminal games that marked the beginning of user generated content era on PC).

Seeing how this gen Isn't over hard to say still I'd go

Xbox 360: Bioshock, Gears

PS3: Uncharted 2

Metal Gear Solid 4, Heavy Rain, Uncharted 2, and God of War instantly come to mind.

In general im gunna have to say GTA IV fo sho

the last gen where you could name 1 game that defined that gen was the 8-bit gen with Super Mario

since then? impossible

Super Mario Galaxy and Portal imo, but i don't thing there is a correct answer

GeOW...no doubt. Anyone who says otherwise is either blind or a fanboy. GeOW made the biggest impact on this gen than any other game.

GeOW...no doubt. Anyone who says otherwise is either blind or a fanboy. GeOW made the biggest impact on this gen than any other game.

BURSTIIIFIRE

i dunno, i think COD4, love it or hate it, made the biggest splash this gen

but you're right in that Gears started a trend of streamlining controls, post-apocalyptic settings and made third person shooters popular

[QUOTE="GreenGoblin2099"]

As of now:

For Cows: Uncharted 2

For Lems: Halo (What else??)

For SW: Crysis

_TheJoker_

Not for me. I prefer Dead Rising over Halo or GeoW.

There are actually tons of answers to this. Some include:

COD4
Gears of War
Super Mario Galaxy
MGS4
Wii Sports
Demon Souls
The World Ends With You
etc

All for different reasons. If I personally had to pick the game that defined the gen for me its SMG. Perhap I myself am in the lonesome but I don't see games like MW2, Uncharted 2, NSMBWii etc generation defining. To me the game that defines the gen has to be sleek, impactful and have a personality all of its own.(even if I do think some of those games have personality)

GeOW...no doubt. Anyone who says otherwise is either blind or a fanboy. GeOW made the biggest impact on this gen than any other game.

BURSTIIIFIRE

[QUOTE="Salt_The_Fries"]Gears of War, and it's really hard to argue about that.TheEroica

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Uncharted. Both have solidified certain conventions in their respective genres.

Uncharted's legacy is the Nolan North type character. Whilst I found them refreshing to begin with, and a nice counterpoint to the space marine, the market has quickly been saturated with them.

I'd have to call it MGS4. It was the first (?) major PS3 exclusive and it worked. It generated a lot of buzz with its cutscenes, even if it wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Crysis did the same for PC except with graphics. I haven't played it myself, so I can't comment much.

SMG is obviously the star on Wii. Beautiful soundtrack, good graphics and one of the few games to make good use out of the Wii remote.

As for 360, I don't own one and nothing has been too groundbreaking IMO. LO maybe? Not sure.