The Most Influential Games of the Last Generation

"Influence is a big idea in the games industry. We see systems and mechanics bridge genres and game series. I would like to celebrate the innovation that has taken hold in our industry and influenced creators to use them. I am going to look at influential games from the last generation. The games that I have picked established something in the video game industry or for the specific platform that has made a difference" -- Taylor Hemphill, Xbox Enthusiast.

[SpaceRanger]

No TLOU? MGS4? Gears of War? Super Smash Bros Brawl?

I get that it's an Xbox site and Sony killed it with a lot of exclusives last gen, but please…Look over games from all consoles again from last gen and let the list flow!

[spicelicka]

He only used one xbox exclusive, you're calling him out for no reason. He listed Uncharted 2 and Wii sports, neither of which are on xbox.

[jb227]

It is definitely a testament to Naughty Dog's influence that an Xbox oriented site is willing to rightfully list UC2 as one of the most influential games of last gen. I think TLOU is too recent for gamers to really gauge how influential it is, but Rise of the Tomb Raider's gameplay has definitely illustrated that pretty well I'd say. The stealth gameplay in RotTR is almost virtually indistinguishable from TLOU, right down to the real-time crafting icons and the bottles strewn across the environment. Still we need to be removed from the game a few more years before we start seeing its effects properly.

As far as influential games go though, surely there were games other than Wii Sports he could've used...I mean motion controls are practically dead in the water at this point. Wii Sports was great fun and it was immediately influential, but that influence hasn't carried on, which makes it more of a flash in the pan. They should've looked to another MS exclusive like Alan Wake for the television component that has influenced QB and potentially more games to come. Also could've picked a game like Limbo or Braid for helping to create the trend of Indies on consoles.

[Spotie]

Don't go asking for the impossible.

[ABizzel1]

As much as I loved TLOU, MGS4, and Smash I don't think they were revolutionary.

TLOU took everything Uncharted did and completely 1up'd it. TLOU is my favorite game of the last generation hands down, but the influential awards goes to Uncharted 2 IMO.

MGS4 I don't really see what was influential about it besides maybe hours of cutscene. Like TLOU it was one of my favorite games last gen, but I wouldn't give it a most influential award. Top 10 games of last gen absolutely.

The same story goes for Smash.

However, I would have put Gears above Halo 3 easily for most influential without question. The only thing influential about Halo 3 was Forge mode, Gears deserved it for simply being the first next-gen game to really show what next-gen was about, and cover based 3rd person shooters began pouring in a couple years later.

Should have been

Gears
Wii Sports
Uncharted 2
Mass Effect
LBP 1
Call of Duty 4

for the top 6 if that's what they were going for. Each of those games revolutionized their genres last gen.

[spicelicka]

Have to agree with these. But would also add Gears of war there. It didn't invent cover-based TPS shooting but it did standardize it, just like Cod4 standardized a lot of features in FPS games.

If you look at how many games used Gears of war's shooting mechanics, it's easily one of the most influential TPS games.

[ABizzel1]

I agree with most of these, but Halo and Assassin's Creed shouldn't be there (unless Halo 3 was specifically there for Forge Mode). I'd also add more.
Here's my top 10 in no specific order

Gears of War (The first real WOW this in next-gen game)
Wii Sports (Motion Controls)
Mass Effect (RPG conversation system and overall just changed things)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (revolutionized FPS)
Uncharted 2 (games vs movies)
Little Big Planet (Play, Create, Share)
Heavy Rain / The Walking Dead (games as a new medium)
Braid / Limbo / Journey (indies in the AAA scene)
MAG (256 multiplayer on console)
Halo 3 (Forge Mode)

Bouns for better or worse

The Orange Box (Portal....but also brought HD Remasters)
GTA IV (timed exclusive DLC, and an insane price that went with it)

[Spikeantestor]

So here's a thought that occurs to me. Obviously certain games are black and white, honest to goodness influential. They do something interesting, often sell well, and those two things make it so a bunch of other people imitate it's ideas.

But how about the games that are more abstractly influential? You could say Final Fantasy XIII was influential in there being less big budget JRPGS because of it. I think you could say that the cheapness of remasters (relative to sales) has been a big influence on the further creation of remasters.

Hmmm, there's probably a ton of stuff like this...anyone else?

[Tex117]

Thats really not a bad list. There are certainly "better" games out there, the games listed have been copied and followed throughout the whole industry.

I may have added Oblivion/Skyrim/Fallout over Mass Effect 2 as many developers have chased "open" world and are taking some cues from them. (Yes, I know Morrowind is better than the ones I listed).

[ShaunCameron]

Most of the list sounds about right.

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Wii Sports
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Halo 3

But the author left out:

Gears Of War