The Game that defined this generation?

If you had to tell your kids 20 years from now or grandkids or nieces or nephews or anyone what game most defined this whole console generation what game would you say??? 
 
I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think. 

Rapelay.

Fallout 3 
- janky technically 
- buggy as fuck  
- cross platform shenanigans (not equal techinically, timed DLC exclusivity etc)
+DLC 
+actually caring about the game's writing 
+massive world 
 
 
Fallut 3/Cod4/Gameparty wii would be the three to show this generation 100%

Bioshock.

" Rapelay. "

Wii Sports. It's the reason Nintendo is rolling in dough and why everybody else jumped on the motion control bandwagon.

CoD 4. 

Wii Sports

I think Wii Sports is the game that will define this generation. It changed the game and showed that there was an entire market out there for a new type of game. It forced companies to rethink how they marketed games and just who they should be making games for. Things like Uncharted 2 and Batman are great, but they'll be surpassed in the next generation as graphics and writing continue to evolve in games. 

" Fallout 3 - janky technically - buggy as fuck  - cross platform shenanigans (not equal techinically, timed DLC exclusivity etc)+DLC +actually caring about the game's writing +massive world   Fallut 3/Cod4/Gameparty wii would be the three to show this generation 100% "

" Bioshock. "

It would have to be COD 4 wouldn't it? Even playing a game like Assassins Creed you see perks, and kill/death streaks. It would be no where near my favorite game of the generation, but for better or worse, to me, it would have to be the one game that had most effect on a lot of other video games.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
 
It was a literally revolutionary when it came out and made Call of Duty what it is today (for better or for worse...). Despite what I might think about installments of COD games after COD4 (I tend to think lesser of them), COD4 will always be one of my most memorable and defining game from this generation.

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

Kinectamals
Looks pretty, has a needlessly complex story, features a motion control gimmick, and contains little to no substance. All it needs is a ton of lens flare, brown textures and it will sum up this console generation perfectly.

Yeah, CoD 4 in terms of success and inspiring dozens of imitations.

Teh Haloz

I don't know that a single game can define an entire generation. I mean, Call of Duty may define this generation's FPSs for the most part and Wii Sports may represent the start of motion control, but those aren't the only knids of games that came out this generation. Personally, I spend almost all my game-related time on platformers and RPGs.

Half Life 2! 
Realistic world (in terms of physics), a story that wasn't told through cutscenes (in a non-RPG), characters you actually cared about(again in a non-RPG), a game that is still on top of a hell of a lot of 'Best Game Ever' lists. 
From what I can remember no game really came close to having any of these things in before, and none were nearly as good. And ever since we have seen a lot of games try and emulate all of these things, and in my opinion, none of them do it nearly as well.

Early this generation I might have said Gears of War but now I dont know probably Halo or COD in terms of online features but those are just action games. I just dont care as long as the game coming out are all good.

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

Either Halo or CoD 4.
Say what you want about those two games but they've arguably had a bigger impact on the industry and gamers in general then any other game.

Duke Nukem Forever, baby!

Even though I don't particularly love either of these, CoD4 and Wii Sports define everything we know and love about this generation of gaming.

" Half Life 2! Realistic world (in terms of physics), a story that wasn't told through cutscenes (in a non-RPG), characters you actually cared about(again in a non-RPG), a game that is still on top of a hell of a lot of 'Best Game Ever' lists. From what I can remember no game really came close to having any of these things in before, and none were nearly as good. And ever since we have seen a lot of games try and emulate all of these things, and in my opinion, none of them do it nearly as well. "

Wii Sports.  Call of Duty 4 may have popularized a game mechanic, but Wii Sports changed the direction of the industry.  Whether motion controls and the explosion of casual gaming are a fad or the future, they certainly have defined this generation more than perk-based multiplayer modes.

" @Jeust said:

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

Seriously i would say its COD, not because its great, i enjoy it but its not creative or smart or innovative, but it represents the generation that only cares about mindless shooting games. "

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

" Kinectamals Looks pretty, has a needlessly complex story, features a motion control gimmick, and contains little to no substance. All it needs is a ton of lens flare, brown textures and it will sum up this console generation perfectly. "

Probably the call of duty games, they sum up everything big in gaming these past few years, a focus on multiplayer, a tight single player experience, mainstream success, dedicated melee buttons in shooters, 3D and a bunch of other trends. It's only missing motion controls, in terms of summing this gen up. 

" @Jeust said:

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

Regardless of how you feel about it personally, you have to admit that the unlockable and perk-based multiplayer in that game has since been co-opted by practically ever game made since, even your precious Uncharted 2. "

" @supermike6 said:

" @Jeust said:

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

Regardless of how you feel about it personally, you have to admit that the unlockable and perk-based multiplayer in that game has since been co-opted by practically ever game made since, even your precious Uncharted 2. "

Yep, I can't deny it. "

Uncharted 2.

Uncharted 2 for sure.

" @Jeust said:

" @supermike6 said:

" @Jeust said:

"  

I personally think its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but seriously what do you guys think.     

I weep for the human race.     I would say Uncharted 2.  "

Regardless of how you feel about it personally, you have to admit that the unlockable and perk-based multiplayer in that game has since been co-opted by practically ever game made since, even your precious Uncharted 2. "

Yep, I can't deny it. "

I should have phrased that a bit differently. Obviously, if something is good enough to be copied by a whole ton of games, wouldn't you say that lets it count as definitive? I mean, that multiplayer is defining every other multiplayer game being made right now. Remember, we're not talking about best, we're talking definitive. "

If we're considering this generation as 'Wii, 360 and PS3' then I don't think there is a game that defines the generation.  There's just so little overlap between Wii and the other two that nothing can be considered definitive of both sides of the market.
 
Wii it's Wii Sports.  360/PS3 it's a tie between CoD4 and Gears for me.  CoD4 for popularising that style of multiplayer on consoles, Gears for popularising the cover-mechanic that's been used in every single game that came after it.

Anyways, shouldn't we wait until after this generation to decide? I mean, with some of the newer games, there's no real way to know about their influence yet. Shouldn't we talking about the definitive PS2/Xbox generation game?

Half Life 2 was 2004 from Last Generation. But it's my favorite game ever so yeah that's awesome, but not this generation.   I also said Console Generation...but you make such a great argument with HL 2 that I don't really care lol.  "

Mass effect 2, crysis on very high settings, gta 4

The Cod franchise: online gaming to the masses.

Banjo n&b;: probably my favourite game of all time, yet ignored by all for being different.

Assasins Creed Franchise: Keeps getting better, with such a rich narrative and living world.

Gears of War franchise: First game that took me into the next gen and one that will stick with me for a long time.

"

Mass effect 2, crysis on very high settings, gta 4

"

It's an industry all to itself, World of Warcraft.
 
...with honourable mentions to Wii Sports, Farmville and Call of Duty (the franchise).

modern warfare, made things different.