The Best Games of the Last Decade

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As we turn down the home stretch of 2007, the Internet is bound to start buzzing with year-in-review articles. And we're no exception. In the coming weeks we'll be unveiling our Game of the Year awards, which will surely include more than a few looks back at the year that was.

But before we make history, we figured it would be worthwhile to remember it. From Zelda to Oblivion, from Liberty City to Azeroth, the greatest games of the past ten years have thrilled players while slowly but surely making a lasting impact on the pop culture landscape. Spanning several generations of consoles and introducing a variety of brand new genres, here are our picks for the best games of the last decade.

Note: Because the nature of this kind of list is inherently exclusionary and incendiary, we've included a list of other titles that we strongly considered for each year. An argument can certainly be made for each of these games as well. Please, easy on the hate mail.

WATCH BATTLEFIELD 1942 VIDEO

2002

Battlefield 1942

A year o' plenty, 2002 offered terrific experiences spanning every platform. No game, however, was more instrumental to the decline of general productivity than Battlefield 1942. Its contributions to online shooting are immense; capturing spawn points and trudging through land, sea and air in one cohesive game world was simply not part of the landscape prior to 2002 (Codename Eagle, the little-known game BF 1942 was based on, being the exception). Though hampered by a bland single-player experience, its multiplayer was so addictive and revolutionary that it's one of the most commonly referenced PC games ever.

Other games of the year: Warcraft III, Metroid Prime, Neverwinter Nights, GTA Vice City

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WATCH KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC VIDEO

2003

Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic

By the time ace role-playing game developer Bioware turned their considerable talents towards Microsoft's Xbox, they has already created a lasting legacy with legendary PC RPGs like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights. Shifting away from Dungeons & Dragons in favor of George Lucas' licensed universe proved to be a fantastic decision; the original Knights of the Old Republic remains the best Star Wars game ever made and one of the chief reasons to own an Xbox.

Other games of the year: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Call of Duty, Beyond Good & Evil

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WATCH WORLD OF WARCRAFT VIDEO

2004

World of Warcraft

By 2004 many gamers had invested in home consoles and let their PCs slip into a state of semi-consciousness. That turned out to be a costly mistake, as both World of Warcraft and Half-Life 2, two of the best PC games of all time, launched a mere nine days apart. The former, though, would turn into a cultural phenomenon, introducing hordes to the Horde with its brilliantly streamlined interface, simple yet gorgeous delivery and almost frighteningly addictive gameplay. Three years after its initial release and it's still far and away the cream of the MMORPG crop.

Other games of the year: Half-Life 2, Doom 3, GTA: San Andreas, Halo 2

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WATCH RESIDENT EVIL 4 VIDEO

2005

Resident Evil 4

This was really a two-horse race, but even Kratos' bloodthirsty tale of vengeance couldn't quite hang with Capcom's innovative, awe-inspiring Resident Evil 4. Switching the camera from the classic third-person behind view to a more engaging over the shoulder shot was inspiration at its finest, turning what some had considered a weakening survival-horror franchise into the most gripping game in ages. But more amazing than the awesome control, mood, environments and bosses was the fact that it initially shipped for the third-place console of its day, the Nintendo Gamecube.

Other games of the year: God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, Battlefield 2

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WATCH ELDER SCROLLS OBLIVION VIDEO

2006

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

There are big games, there are huge games, there are epic games, and then there's Oblivion. The fourth official installment in Bethesda's critically-acclaimed open-ended role-playing series was so unbelievably large, you could drop 100 hours without moving the main plot forward whatsoever. Heck, you could spend a day just picking flowers to turn into potions. Oblivion improved upon every facet of earlier Elder Scrolls games with better combat, better visuals and a better interface. And there was no better game in 2006.

Other games of the year: Okami, Gears of War, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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