Metacritic's Best Video Games of the Decade (2010-19)

What were the best games of the 2010s? Find out as we rank the decade's highest-scoring releases and compile of best-of-the-decade top 10 lists from a variety of video game publications.

[naruga]

i will agree about Mario Oddysee or Zelda to be up there but Mass Effect 2 ? RDR 2 ? no way, Skyrim and Bioshock ? wtf ........all these are at best 8/10 games for me (skyrime bioshock are 6-5/10 games ) ....though i would nt say that God of war or Lat of Us deserved that much praise .....imo Last Guardian , Bloodborne and recently MHWorld should have been at the top from PS side and i would dare to add Death Stranding for its originality and boldness to show smthg compeltely different but yet very qualitesque

[CaptainHenry916]

I loved Zelda and Bloodborne. Two of my favorite games this gen

[Ricegum]

Bioshock is an incredible game, I would certainly put it above Zelda & Mario. Completely disagree there.

[livinunicorns]

It is an incredible game indeed and one of my all time favorites. The list reflects the ratings on Metacritic however, and for whatever reasons, certain games garnered higher aggregated scores at the time they were put on Metacritic. The list also positions earlier rated games higher than other games that have the same score. It's not which one they consider better, it's which one was rated first.

[mandingo]

Agree. Bioshock is amazing

[Spikeantestor]

Just to be clear, the one on this list is Bioshock Infinite. The original came out in 07 if you can believe it!
Also, no shade on Infinite, I really loved that game.

[neutralgamer1992]

Most don't know how to review a game anyway. These so called journalists don't know what a honeys review really is when you have big publishers funding these gaming sites with advertisement money

[LMosche]

Nintendo games get an insane nostalgia boost. Jesus, there's no way Mario Odyssey is better than Bloodborne lmao.

[darthv72]

maybe its fun factor?

[Ricegum]

Darth

People play Bloodborne because it's not fun?

You've lost me.

[King_Noctis]

@ricegum

Who say Bloodborne is not fun? But maybe Mario Odyssey is more fun and cater to a more casual audience?

[deafdani]

Apples and oranges much? Both games are amazing within their own categories, comparing one to the other is absurd.

Having said that, yes, I agree that Bloodborne is one of the best games of this decade. It's actually my favorite game of this generation, along with Paladins (yeah yeah weird I know).

[Brave_Losers_Unite]

Oh look naruga showing off his inability to see that other people enjoy games differently than he does.

[illLogic]

BOTW is overrated

[phoenixwing]

god of war and last of us are way better than zelda and mario. Also as a zelda fan botw isn't much of a zelda game mainly because the dungeons are so terrible and don't even get me started on weapon durability.

Edit: I'd also like to add that maybe if you're a kid the games from nintendo seem great but when you're an adult who wants a story/experience on top of your games then sony wins hands down.

[livinunicorns]

Bioshock was incredible. Without question one of the best games of the decade.

[chiefJohn117]

Boy you crazy RDR2 should be #1

[livinunicorns]

It's only placed below because it was rated and placed on the list after the other games with the same score. The ones that were rated earlier are higher on the list despite having the same score.

[Xaywhat]

Mass effect 2 was pinnacle! What you smoking

[Lore]

When I began to read your initial sentences I thought you were being sarcastic. And then I sort of cringed and moved on

[CaitSith]

You oddysee these nuts!

Seriously though, that's just your opinion.

[Redemption-64]

I will take ME2 any day over Mario and Zelda any day

[mattkelly1991]

Games in Top 50 by Platform:
1. Playstation 4 - 10
2. Xbox 360 - 8
3. Playstation 3 - 7
3. PC - 7
4. Switch - 6
5. Xbox One - 4
6. Wii U - 3
6. Wii - 3
7. Playstation Vita - 1
7. 3DS - 1

[darthv72]

Now remove all the multiplatform scores and see how many left are exclusives.

[mattkelly1991]

@darthv72 I am just literally taking a tally of the games in the article. But sure I can do that for you.

[mattkelly1991]

Nintendo: Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Xenoblade Chronicles, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Bayonetta 2

Microsoft: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 3

PlayStation: The Last of Us/The Last of Us Remastered, God of War, Persona 4 Golden, Persona 5, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, God of War III, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Bloodborne, The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Little Big Planet 2

PC: Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Multiplatform: Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Mass Effect 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption, Portal 2, Batman: Arkham City, Bioshock Infinite, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, Divinity: Original Sin II, Mass Effect 3, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Rockband 3, INSIDE, Celeste, Super Street Fighter IV, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Undertale, Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition, Journey, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine, Overwatch, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition

[darthv72]

So 13 for Nintendo, 11 for Sony and 2 for MS.

[Xaywhat]

MS be last as usual. Man the disparity Between MS and the big 2 is ridiculous

[CaptainHenry916]

Two from Microsoft are you kidding me 😁

[S2Killinit]

No Uncharted 2? Weird

[mandingo]

glad you feel better about yourself darthv72

[XabiDaChosenOne]

You forgot Uncharted 2

[AspiringProGenji]

Darth:

Aight imma head out

[gerbintosh]

Deleted

[Masterchief_thegoat]

Seeing Zelda and Mario on top got a lot of lowkey Nintendo fanboys rating their game. No way Zelda botw is better than the Witcher 3 and god of war 2018

[NecrumOddBoy]

BOTW is very overrated, but look, the most hated Zelda game "Skyward Sword" is also on this list, so... 🤷🏽‍♂️

[Masterchief_thegoat]

Zelda Botw is not overrated. I just don’t think is better than the games I mention. I still believe horizon of dawn was robbed of a lot of game of the year. Due to Nintendo having critics fanboys. The game of the decade
No order
God of Warriors 2018
The Witcher 3
The last of us
Bloodborne
Dark souls

[Old McGroin]

@ Masterchief_thegoat

Uh huh. And if the games you mention were rated ahead of Nintendo's games that would make the reviewers Sony fanboys then? The likes of Zelda and Mario get rated so highly time after time because they are fantastic gameplay experiences, simple.

[King_Noctis]

Well that is certainly your opinion, and quite frankly if everyone were to share that opinion then God Of War 2018 would be the best game ever made.

[Bruh]

@Tiq

Remember nothing is good for gaming besides Sony. Nintendo and Microsoft are both in it to rip gamers off, while Sony is here to pay off your student loans and help buy you a house.

[The Wood]

No no no. . Sony and Nintendo bring games. Ms had the media on their side last gen so my point our industry isn't without bias, paypoffs or impartiality. .

I prefer Sony's games but I couldn't do without the switch so I appreciate both. You cannot deny Sony's impact on the industry in regards to more adult themed gaming though in a shorter time. Each party including Microsoft have brought important things into the industry. Some just do more than others. Nintendo used to do more for me but Sony's have taken than mantle since the ps2/3

[Dragonscale]

Witcher 3 is the most overrated game this gen.

[meganick]

Mario Galaxy 2 is the best 3D Mario game ever made.

[Xaywhat]

I would agree. They are all great in their own right but yes, Galaxy 2 was unforgettable

[william_cade]

A best gen conversation without Bloodborne can't be taken seriously.

[chiefJohn117]

Nintendo ga EA are so overrated it's ridiculous

[Xaywhat]

The total list isn’t bad. I would have liked Witcher 3 higher. RDR2, while technically great, I don’t feel it should be that high. God of War PS4 should be higher. Other than that, decent list

[Spenok]

This list is in a pretty bad order if you ask me. Although many of the games do deserve to be there.

[sprinterboy]

Sakura pink ps4, 25th anniversary console will be announced alongside a new GoT trailer and release date.

Edit: it was a colour chosen from a tree in Japan (cherry tree) called sakura which was also a ps2 colour back in the day.
Rumour has it, they will use that colour either for the anniversary edition or the GoT limited edition console?
This will naturally be shown @stateofplay

[iplay1up2]

Skyward Sword? No!

[OhReginald]

yikes. i do not agree with that list.

[Spikeantestor]

More than anything, this shows how first takes on games have aged.

For example, Bioshock Infinite (a game I actually really love) is listed at 15. That puts it ahead of Bloodborne, the Witcher 3 and Inside, just to give you some perspective.