What a generation it has been, full of incredible stories and countless incredible games that have kept players company for hours upon hours. It’s no secret that we at Press Start love our gaming and there has been a lot to love over the last console cycle.
In that time we’ve awarded five Game of the Year awards, given a perfect 10 to fourteen games, and reviewed a lot of others. We’re here to continue our countdown towards the Press Start Game of the Generation.
For an overview of the rules we set for ourselves in determining this top ten, click here.
#1 – God Of War
God of War, in a lot of respects, had no right to be as good as it was. After the team delivered a series prequel in Ascension, it felt as though the franchise, its setting, and its characters had run their course. Not content to flog a dead horse, Cory Barlog turned it into a horse of a different colour, taking the God of War series in an unexpected direction.
An emotional journey between a father and son gave Kratos heart, plus a lot was gained by trading in the tired Greek mythology for a Nordic flavour. The whole game is magical and is proof that a change is as good as a holiday, from the mammoth set pieces that drive forward the cinematic trek Kratos and Atreus take in delivering a lost love’s ashes to a mountaintop to the satisfying, weighted combat that is built around the Mjolnir-powered Leviathan axe.
Experiencing this franchise in a new light was a profoundly emotional experience that stood out as a generation-defining one. Fortunately, there are plenty of stories left to tell in Midgard and Ragnarok is fast approaching.
In his review, Shannon said:
“God of War is a cinematic masterpiece that manages to reinvent and push an already fantastic series to new heights. Barring some pacing issues in its narrative, Sony Santa Monica have breathed new life into Kratos and the God of War series, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
You can read the full review here.
He gave it 9/10, while the game holds a Metacritic average of 94.
Congratulations to Santa Monica Studios for taking out Press Start’s Game of the Generation. And what a game. Boy, oh boy.
TOP 10
10. Super Mario Odyssey
9. Horizon: Zero Dawn
8. Control
7. Rocket League
6. Marvel’s Spider-Man
5. Doom Eternal
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
3. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
2. The Last of Us Part II
1. God of War.
Thanks for reading, see you in the next-gen.
