Work in progress. These are the games that I think were the most important and influential that appeared on the Xbox 360 and/or Playstation 3. When conflicted between a groundbreaking earlier iteration and a more polished/enhanced sequel I leaned towards the former.
More to be added (want to get to 10) and not properly ranked yet.
The greatest open world game of this generation. Rich story, complex themes, ease of playablity, and sheer vastness of scope make this an easy choice for this list.
Not my favorite COD game (I prefer the Black Ops series) but this game shook the industry and created the template for all FPS multiplayer games to follow. A classic that is better than most shooters released in 2012.
Bethesda created an entire world with this release. You can play for 100 hours without making progress on the main quest. A monumental achievement that genuinely inspires awe. It ranks among Ultima IV and Fallout for greatest RPGs of all time.
A true original that defied all licensed game prejudice to deliver one of the most immersive gaming experiences ever. While I preferred "City", this is the game that set the bar for all other third person, character driven action games to follow. An incredible achievement.
Some of its mechanics seem clunky by today's standards (searching all those desk drawers for candy bars and ammo is a drag) but the world that this game imagines into playable reality has yet to be matched. Rightfully deserves to be mentioned whenever the whole "can video games be art?" discussion comes up for its crafting of a singular time and place.
A contentious one which is also my least favorite on the list (I certainly didn't come close to finishing it). The originality, audacity, and difficulty of this game has become legendary and continues to capture fans years after its release like no other title. Even those who've never played it refer to the co-op and message system which now appear in many other games as being ""have been used in many games since. I choose it over its spiritual predecessor, Demons' Souls, as Dark Souls was more widely played and more directly inspired other titles.
Best on PC but now on console comes the greatest action RPG of all time. Sky high production values, an incredible combat loop, and a story which is better than expected. Auction house doesn't ruin the experience if you never go into it.
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