Its not a perfect barometer but lets look at metacritic for the last 5 years years for games rated above 90. Removing games that appear twice(different platforms) or re-releases. Im also sticking to "modern gaming aka the jump to 3D,ps1/n64 onwards.
2015 - mgs V,witcher 3,bloodborne. (Possibly fallout 4,halo and tomb raider)
2014 - dark souls 2, super smash bros,bayonetta 2,shovel knight,velocity 2x
2013 - gta v, last of us,bioshock infinite,rayman legends, super mario 3d world, fire embling awakening, zelda:link between worlds, spelunky,fez,dota 2,brothers a tale of 2 sons
2012 - walking dead,journey, xenoblade chronicles, mass effect 3, dishonored,borderlands 2, mark of the ninja, far cry 3, traisl evolution, xcom enemy unknown, guild wars 2, fifa 13,nba 2k13
2011 - batman:arkham city,skyrim,portal 2,zelda skyward sword, rayman origins, littlebigplanet 2,forza 4,uncharted 3, gears of war 3, nba 2k12,fifa 12, mlb the show, dead space 2, super mario 3d land, dues hx:HR, limbo, total war: shogun 2
Now,we could drop the cut off at 80 metacritic score,but honeslty it wouldnt change the pattern emerging.
And that pattern is clear, the further back you go,the more games their are. And,more importantly the more VARIETY.
2014/15 have been some of the worst years of gaming,ever.
Unless all you play is open world games and nothing else. Then hey!im sure youre pleased because that seems to be the most represented genre/style now.
Now lets randomly jump across some years
2000: tony hawk 2,perfect dark,nfl 2k,baldurs gate 2,majoras mask,ff 9,chrono cross,jet set grind radio,ssx,quak 3 arena,skies of arcadia, test drive le mans, the sims,vagrant story, madden 2001,mario tennis, spyro year of the dragon,doa 2,the longest jour ey,the operative,marvel vs capcom 2,grandia 2, nhl 2001,wwf smackdown, dues ex,banjo tooie,colin mcrae rally 2
28 games in 2000
3 in 2015.
2004: half life 2,gta:sa,halo 2,burnout 3,splinter cell pandora tomorrow, unreal tournament,world of warcraft,world soccer winning international 7,nfl 2k5,rome,ratchet and clank up your arsenal,mgs 3,ninja gaiden,madden 2005,tiger woods 2005,the sims 2,mvp baseball,chronicles of riddikk,pikmin 2,viewtoful joe
2015 - mgs V,witcher 3,bloodborne. (Possibly fallout 4,halo and tomb raider)
2014 - dark souls 2, super smash bros,bayonetta 2,shovel knight,velocity 2x
2013 - gta v, last of us,bioshock infinite,rayman legends, super mario 3d world, fire embling awakening, zelda:link between worlds, spelunky,fez,dota 2,brothers a tale of 2 sons
2012 - walking dead,journey, xenoblade chronicles, mass effect 3, dishonored,borderlands 2, mark of the ninja, far cry 3, traisl evolution, xcom enemy unknown, guild wars 2, fifa 13,nba 2k13
2011 - batman:arkham city,skyrim,portal 2,zelda skyward sword, rayman origins, littlebigplanet 2,forza 4,uncharted 3, gears of war 3, nba 2k12,fifa 12, mlb the show, dead space 2, super mario 3d land, dues hx:HR, limbo, total war: shogun 2
Now,we could drop the cut off at 80 metacritic score,but honeslty it wouldnt change the pattern emerging.
And that pattern is clear, the further back you go,the more games their are. And,more importantly the more VARIETY.
2014/15 have been some of the worst years of gaming,ever.
Unless all you play is open world games and nothing else. Then hey!im sure youre pleased because that seems to be the most represented genre/style now.
Now lets randomly jump across some years
2000: tony hawk 2,perfect dark,nfl 2k,baldurs gate 2,majoras mask,ff 9,chrono cross,jet set grind radio,ssx,quak 3 arena,skies of arcadia, test drive le mans, the sims,vagrant story, madden 2001,mario tennis, spyro year of the dragon,doa 2,the longest jour ey,the operative,marvel vs capcom 2,grandia 2, nhl 2001,wwf smackdown, dues ex,banjo tooie,colin mcrae rally 2
28 games in 2000
3 in 2015.
2004: half life 2,gta:sa,halo 2,burnout 3,splinter cell pandora tomorrow, unreal tournament,world of warcraft,world soccer winning international 7,nfl 2k5,rome,ratchet and clank up your arsenal,mgs 3,ninja gaiden,madden 2005,tiger woods 2005,the sims 2,mvp baseball,chronicles of riddikk,pikmin 2,viewtoful joe
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