With the 8th generation of consoles finally being released in full a lot of people have made their decision to cross over and not look back. Otaku Dome is going to take a look at all three consoles from the previous generation and pick the top 20 we feel should be played before those who now own one, two or all of the new consoles cross over for good, this list is in no particular order and will also include a few upcoming titles. This list includes games throughout the 7th generation’s entire library.
NUMBER ONE: GOD OF WAR SAGA COLLECTION
Originally released in 2002 on the Playstation 2, God of War has been a staple part of the Playstation family having a game released on every single Sony console and handheld to date (Collecctions was recently confirmed for Vita). You play Kratos the anti-hero looking for answers on his quest that takes him to Hades and back, including tales of revenge, betrayal, violence and more. For those who have yet to play God of War even during its’ PS2 days, you’ll be happy to know that God of War Saga Collections on Playstation 3 includes every game to date but Ascension and can be picked up at select retailers for a mere $20.
NUMBER TWO: HALO 4
Continuing the franchise that Bungie started, 343 Studios’ Halo 4 is an impressive first entry into a cult franchise that continues the Master Chief story in a great way. With improved gameplay, campaign and mutiplayer Halo 4 is sure to bring joy to any fan that hasn’t picked up the title yet as they transition into the Xbox One and can be picked up for about $20-$30 at select stores.
NUMBER THREE: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD
Treated as an prequel to Ocarina of Time, players are once again put into the shoes of Link; the Hero of Time. Perhaps one of the best Zelda games out there with one pf the most perfectly written villains in gaming, Skyward Sword is full of depth, exploration, and a level of difficult that will challenge even the most hardcoore of gamers. Depending on the retailer or online stores, it can be picked up for $20-$35.
NUMBER FOUR: SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH
Originally planned for a near coincide release with season 17 (which was also delayed), South Park: Stick of Truth has been a hyped game for not only gamers & fans of the series, but critics as well. For the first time in the series’ video game franchise the entire script is written by series creators Trey Partker and Matt Stone, while they also provide voices for their TV counterparts. It is set for a March 2014 release on PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.
NUMBER FIVE: KINGDOM HEARTS 1.5 HD REMIX
Another best-selling PS2 franchise that gets the HD treatment, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix brings fan favorite Sora to the Playstation 3 in a compilation title that includes the Final Mix version of the original Kingdom Hearts, which makes its’ way to the United States for the first time. Also included is Re: Chain of Memories and an HD theater of 358/2 Days. It can currently be picked up for $20-$40 at select retailers.
NUMBER SIX: NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM SERIES
Even if you aren’t a fan of the anime or manga, the Ultimate Ninja Storm series has been a staple in the fighting genre. With its’ beautiful animations and fantastic story that mostly follows its’ TV/book shelf counterpart, it tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki a young who has to cope with the dangers of having one of the legendary 10 tailed beast lying inside him, while trying protect his loved ones. Ultimate Ninja Storm alone is fun enough to compete with mainstream fighting titles such as Mortal Kombat and Soul Calibur. Most of the Playstation 3/Xbox 360 titles can be picked up for about $20-$30 a piece.
NUMBER SEVEN: SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL
Continuing the cult Super Smash Bros. franchise that started on the Nintendo 64, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a fun, yet difficult entry into the series. Although the controls were a bit difficult to get the hang of for awhile, once nailed down it can be a challenging experience for gamers of all kind. Depending on retailers it can be picked up for $30-$40.
NUMBER EIGHT: MORTAL KOMBAT 9
The release many were worried would never see the light of day; Mortal Kombat 9. After a rocky development slate Ed Boon made good on his promise to bringing the franchise back to its; bloody origins and delivered that promise beautifully. Never before has a classic felt like such while also feeling like a modern day game, MK9 met with expectations effortlessly. It can be picked up for $20 at most retailers.
NUMBER 9: INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US
The second DC fighting under Nether Realm and Ed Boon, this game features characters throughout the DC Universe clashing against one another as they via for their own agendas, some good and others evil. It can be purchased at select retailers for $20-$35.
NUMBER TEN: GEARS OF WAR SERIES
The Gears of War franchise has a special place in the hearts of many Xbox gamers. With a fantastic cover system and the ability to curb stomp your grounded enemy into bloody dust, who wouldn’t love such a game? The entire franchise can be picked up for about $50 depending on where you look.
NUMBER ELEVEN: SUPER MARIO GALAXY SERIES
Perhaps one of the most innovated games in recent memory, Super Mario Galaxy takes full advantage of its’ ‘Galaxy’ name having players travel through space and even using gravity to their advantage as they plow their way through tons of enemies and bosses in a fantastic Mario experience.
NUMBER TWELVE: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS
The first Zelda to debut on the Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess throws players into a dark and gritty world as Link; the staple hero of the The Legend of Zelda franchise as he battles his way through various enemies in both the spirit and living world as a Human and Wolf. The game can be picked up at a pretty decent price depending on the retailer.
NUMBER THIRTEEN: TOMB RAIDER 2013
Taking the action-adventure franchise into a darker turn, the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider is a fun, challenge game that’s a grand experience for both seasoned and new players of Lara Croft’s adventures. It can be picked up for about $20-$30 depending on the retailers.
NUMBER FOURTEEN: CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE
Perhaps the greatest Call of Duty game of all time, Modern Warfare took the Call of Duty franchise from it’s World War II era story into the modern Iraq war, full of current military weaponry and outfits. The multiplayer featured in Modern Warfare is seen as perhaps the best out there with a fantastic campaign mode to boot. It can be picked up for a rather cheap price.
NUMBER FIFTEEN : ASSASSIN’S CREED SERIES
Beginning with the 7th generation and transitioning into the 8th, Assassin’s Creed is the story of Desmond Miles a young man who’s ancestry goes back to multiple periods of time, all full of assassins. While Assassin’s Creed is certain to be hit & miss with some players, for others it’s earned its’ place in the 7th generation.
NUMBER SIXTEEN:PLANTS VS ZOMBIES: GARDEN WARFARE
Although announced for Xbox One (and rumored for Playstation 4), Plants Vs Zombies is also scheduled for the Xbox 360 giving some players an opportunity to play before they say goodbye to the current generation of gaming for good. Garden Warfare impressed with initial gameplay during E3 earlier this year, stunning both fans and those who didn’t really care much about the Plants vs Zombies franchise. It releases February 2014.
NUMBER SEVENTEEN: TITAN FALL
Another upcoming Next-Generation game scheduled for a current-generation console. TitanFall has received a ton of hype since its’ initial E3 reveal with many praising its’ gameplay and multiplayer. It took home dozens of E3 awards and critics are already calling it Xbox One’s “key selling point”. It releases March 2014 for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
NUMBER EIGHTEEN: GRAND THEFT AUTO V
When people think “think top games of the year” Grand Theft Auto V definitely comes to mind. Although there are some bugs in the story and online modes, it’s gameplay is solid enough to enjoy for multiple hours at a time. The three switchable character Michael, Franklin, and Trevor are a dynamic trio and the online content will keep players invested for months to come.
NUMBER NINETEEN: DARK SOULS
Merciless, unforgiving, and damn right brutal; Dark Souls is a game that takes a lot of time and effort, but even with the multiple deaths involved through out your initial playthrough, it feels so rewarding defeating the multiple bosses throughout the game’s vast world. This is definitely one game players looking to jump into the next generation shouldn’t miss. It can be picked up for about or under $20 depending on select retailers.
NUMBER TWENTY: CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOWS SERIES
Acting as a bit of a reboot to the Castlevania franchise, Lords of Shadow stars Gabriel Belmont, of the famous Belmonts known throughout the Castlevania franchise’s history, who is looking to revive his dead wife by defeating the menacing Lords of Shadow. With a new story and revamped gameplay, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow became a cult within it’s release year of 2010. The sequel releases for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 February 2014
There you have it 20 currently released and upcoming current generation games that shouldn’t be missed by those who own the consoles to play them, before transitioning into the 8th generation. Do you agree with our list? If not let us know your top 20 in the comments section below.
And Uncharted?
I would have added games like Uncharted and Red Dead if it wasn’t for unreleased current gen games being on the list.
Why were unreleased current gen games on the list though? How can anyone label a game “must play” if no one has actually played it? Titanfall seems great on the next gen consoles, but Titanfall for the 360 hasn’t even been seen yet, and it is being worked on by a completely different developer, so it will most definitely pale in comparison to it’s next gen game, so I personally don’t see the need for the game in the list. Different strokes for different folks though, most of the rest of the list is spot on, just a lot of big oversights for some questionable ones
So let me make sure I understand what you’re saying I should do before getting a next-gen console:
1. Buy a PS3 and a Wii, because the last thing you want to do before buying one next-gen console is buy two current-gen consoles.
2. Play next-gen games on current-gen consoles. I love the idea of playing Titanfall on a lesser console so much that I’ll put off buying an Xbox One to do it, and the same goes for Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.
3. Play iterative releases of mostly-redundant franchises, because there won’t be a next-gen Super Smash Bros. out soon to figure out how that franchise goes (and the same likely gos for Mortal Kombat).
4. Play Tomb Raider on a current-gen console, because it’s silly to just wait for the remake on next-gen consoles that was confirmed tonight (I don’t actually hold this against you because the article came from before when that was announced).
In all honesty, this just isn’t a reasonable list. It assumes that people have either unlimited money or all current-gen consoles, along with unlimited time to play all of the games on this list (minus the ones already played). What I REALLY don’t get is how you can both say that Titanfall and Garden Warfare need to be played before we know how good they are AND that they should be played on current-gen consoles (the same applies to the moronic South Park, but it’s not on next-gen consoles).
What I’d personally recommend is this:
1. Try to get whichever exclusives are on this list that you haven’t played but own the console for (so don’t go buy old consoles to play them).
2. Wait for the Steam Holiday Sale, then grab the multi-platform titles on the list that are on-sale (potentially applies to: Assassin’s Creed series, Injustice, Castlevania, Dark Souls, Tomb Raider, Naruto, and Mortal Kombat).
3. Get a PS2 emulator if you really want to try Kingdom Hearts and/or God of War.
These suggestions that people try a bunch of games on a bunch of platforms is really just crazy, because the vast majority of us don’t have the time OR the money (let alone both) to experience all of these games. I mean, if we didn’t do it over the past 8 years this past generation lasted, what are the odds we can just mop these 20 games up in a few months?
I wasn’t saying you should but anything, I even mentioned something along the lines of “if you actually own the consoles”.
Yeah, but you said “the top 20 we feel should be played before those who now own one, two or all of the new consoles,” which implies that you should play them if you own ANY of the console, not ALL. That would imply that if you don’t own them all, you should go get them.
I mean, it’s pretty obvious you don’t expect people to just go buy the consoles this late in the generation, I’m mostly saying that the wording of the title and article hints that people should. I think that it would have been better-presented as a list of the top-5 exclusives from each console and the top-5 multi-platforms, in my opinion.
That is just my opinion. What really confuses me is why you would say that games which have not even released are already so good that you should wait until next spring to get them on the current-gen and pass on the next-gen until then. On top of that, I don’t get why you would recommend sticking with current-gen consoles for Titanfall and Garden Warfare when they’re not exclusive to this generation.
True the wording was a bit off putting, maybe I’ll do an exclusives I’ll next. And the reason I mention unreleased games is because they’re still technically 7th gen games and not everybody will buy an 8th gen console during its’ first or even second year.
The fact that Injustice is on this list over any Naughty Dog games is, well, an Injustice…Also, Titanfall is a game that hasn’t even released yet, or even actually seen by anyone, remember that this is a next gen game first and foremost, and the 360 version is handled by a completely different studio that as far as I know, still remains unknown. The lack of games like Heavy Rain, Red Dead Redemption and most importantly the Uncharted series and The Last of Us illustrates that this is a “personal favorite” list, not necessarily a “must play” list, which is fine, everyone has the right to their own opinion, but if there’s a game on the list that no one has even played or seen over proven franchises that were among the most well received not only of the generation, but of the entire breadth of gaming, then something is a little off about it to me personally