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The past few years have given us gamers some really phenomenal games; stories worth remembering, some beautiful, some heart-breaking. Games we could binge for hours, games with cutting edge technology as well as games that were just a work of art. Despite a rocky start to 2020 & with Playstation and XBOX gearing up to launch their respective next level consoles, here are Top 10 current gen games you shouldn’t miss.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Even though it released as early as mid-2016, it put Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann on the map. The game feels like a glass of Lemonade on a hot, summer afternoon. Exactly, refreshing and enticing. It’s a beautifully narrated treasure hunt with the perfect dose of action and adventure. We see Nathan Drake venture into a breathtaking world in search for a storied pirate’s lost treasure, jump over falling structures, fight an army and climb the tallest of structures. Nathan’s relationships with Elena and his brother Sam are interwoven beautifully into the story.
Our rating: 8.5 / 10
The Last of us
This 2013 action survival game is arguably one of the best games I've ever played of its generation. On the outside it feels like a hack-&-slash-zombie-apocalypse-survival game, but in its essence its deep depiction of emotions, relationships and choices are the real hero.
The story revolves around Joel, a smuggler, who travels with a teenager, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies infected with a deadly virus. The way their relationship evolves with each encounter is a sight to behold. The acting, music, gameplay mechanics are flawless.
Its success and reception can be quantified by the fact that TLOU became one of the best-selling video games of all time. It sold over a million copies in its first week and 17 million by April 2018.
Our rating: 8 / 10
Detroit Become Human
A 2018 Sony Exclusive played in third person, Detroit Become Human is uniquely brilliant. The story is based in the future, Detroit, where Androids have become an accepted integration into society.
What makes the game unique is that every decision, every button mash, quick time event and a quick choice between two hard decisions with a clock winding down impacts your journey and intensifies the thrill of the game. The game also remarks on the underlying truth about society how humans treat beings beneath them.
Music and background score for every character is different. In the beginning it feels rustic, like it’s trying to find shape; and as the game progresses it solidifies with every choice you make. The music by itself deserves an Oscar.
Our rating: 8 / 10
Middle Earth: Shadow of War
The sequel to the 2014 Shadow of Mordor, this game materialized after years & years of childhood fantasies, satiating all repressed fanatics who wanted a full-fledged RPG from the Lord of the Rings universe. Shadow of War takes place between the events of the Hobbit and LOTR where Talion and Celebrimbor take off where they left off in the previous game and forge a new Ring of Power. From fighting Ringwraiths and the Witch King, dominating orcs, conquering forts with your dominated army, to an intense boss battle with Sauron, this game ends on a high note, connecting so many dots.
Our rating: 8.5 / 10
Batman: Arkham Knight
Despite releasing in early 2015, Batman: Arkham Knight still makes the list. It’s a full-course meal for all you DC fans. The story takes place after the events of Arkham City where the vacuum created by the Joker’s death is quickly marred by Scarecrow planning to engulf Gotham in fear toxin.
Arkham Knight focuses more on the mind and its power over the body, which is why we see antagonists like Scarecrow and the Riddler take centre-stage. The story revolves around Batman at war with his inner demons as well as the ones on Gotham’s streets. There’s a surprise at the end where the Arkham Knight’s identity is revealed; how your actions and inactions have consequences.
With the best combat mechanics, the thrill of gliding over Gotham’s streets as its watchful protector at night is beyond compare.
Our rating: 9 / 10
Assasins Creed: Odyssey
The sequel to Assasin’s Creed Origins (which was based in ancient Egypt), Odyssey takes place during the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta around 430 BC. The game is the 11th Major instalment in the Assasin’s Creed franchise.
We play as Leonidas’ descendant Alexios / Kassandra. Unlike the previous instalments, with this 50+ hours game, Ubisoft made its intentions clear of redirecting its focus more on RPG gameplay as compared to stealth in previous Assassin's Creed instalments. The main story attempts the protagonist repair family ties as well as fight an underground Cult, naval battles and mythical monsters on side quests.
Our rating: 9 / 10
God Of War 4
GOW was deservedly awarded Game of the Year in 2018 by many portals. Santa Monica Studios created a masterpiece in all regards, be it gameplay, music or combat and most of all the use of an Over-the-shoulder camera with Kratos always in sight instead of the fixed cinematic camera in previous instalments.
Two major changes were made in the game. Firstly, GOW4 is based on Norse mythology with characters like Baldur and Freya as major characters as compared to Kratos going on a killing spree in the Greek World. Secondly, Kratos’ infamous double-chained blades take a side-step (temporarily) and a new primary weapon is introduced in the form of a Leviathan Axe.
What makes this game so special is Cory Barlog transforming Kratos from a cold-blooded-God-Killer to a family man, who repents, and feels, and despite having a rocky relationship with his son, Atreus, tries teaching & reaching out to him in his own way. As the story progresses, we see the relationship between father & son evolve as well.
Our Rating: 9.5 / 10
Ghost Of Tsushima
Coming from the studios that brought you the ‘Infamous’ series, Ghost of Tsushima is arguably the most beautiful game I’ve ever played. Based in 1271 during the Mongol invasion of Japan, Ghost of Tsushima revolves around a young Samurai warrior who shuns his traditions and beliefs to fight the Mongols invading the island of Tsushima. The game forces you to use your instincts, reminds you of patience as a virtue, follow birds which lead you to points of interest, explore the gorgeous island to find legendary armor and mythical weapons. The checkpoint system is replaced with a gust of wind which guides you to the general direction of your selected objective.
The combat is the best aspect of the game. In the game you can choose to either play with honor and challenge your foes to open combat, with a risk of getting overwhelmed or pick them off one by one, stealthily. With the highest ever Metacritic user rating, the game clearly struck a chord with gamers throughout the world.
Our Rating: 9.5 / 10
Red Dead Redemption 2
This 2018 Rockstar classic is a fictional representation of wild west in the 1900s where the world is shrinking fast, succumbing to industrial revolution with no place for outlaws and gangs. RDR2 is an interactive, open world which broke several records over its release. It’s a masterpiece in so many aspects - story, characters, the open world and the insane level of detail. There’s a new adventure at every corner.
The effects of industrial revolution are painfully visible where the town of Saint Denis, which is the current day New Orleans, is an urban, industrial wonder with mining companies and trains but as you leave the plush, open countryside and enter the city, you feel choked.
The game moves at a glacial pace, making you soak in nature, observe NPCs in the 1900s as they go on about their lives. It is realistic beyond compare and the game follows an Honor system. Good deeds gain you honor while dacoity, murder and will grant you bad Honor with bounty hunters and the law constantly on your tail.
Our rating: 10 / 10
The Last of Us: Part II
With gamers craving outstanding narratives & despite the recent preference for grey storylines, our minds have always been wired to view the world in black and white. Till now we saw essentially moral stories till Naughty Dog’s masterpiece shattered all records by becoming the fastest & the best-selling game of all time, selling over 4 million units in its opening weekend.
Set 5 years after the events of its predecessor, TLOU2 gives the gamer a deeper view of a 19-year old Ellie and a much older Joel’s relationship.
Despite being an action / stealth game based in post-apocalyptic Seattle, Neil Druckmann delivers a deep, hard-hitting story, the best I have ever seen. Naughty dog pushed the boundaries of current gen technology and you can see it in a visually stunning spectacle of Seattle with nature bursting out of an urban jungle. The story is an emotional rollercoaster with the fragility of the human mind at its essence. Beautiful and devastating at the same time TLOU2 wanders deep into the human psyche and reflects on how people react when their morals are tested.
The essence of the game became more profound as the world found itself in the midst of an actual pandemic affecting millions of lives. Every aspect is carefully woven into one finished product and despite the gaming world divided on many aspects of the game, TLOU2 tops our list.
Our rating: 10 / 10
Reviewed By Rishabh Mehta
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