I think this might be my favorite game ever. Maybe not the best game ever made, but definitely near the top of a lot of lists, an incredible game and a personal favorite.

Fallout 3 came out in 2007, a stacked year for games. Probably the best year ever for video game releases. Go look at what came out that year. Nuts, right?

Of them all, Fallout 3 stands out to me. The open world genre wasn’t brand new by the time Fallout 3 came out, but it was still growing, and this game felt like a big leap. The loneliness of the wasteland complimented the open world dynamic well, and the use of random, scripted and “missable” mini story beats (like shrines to teddy bears) meant that you were always experiencing something.

The main story is fine. I always really liked the opening sequences with you growing up in the vault as a tutorial system. The majority of it is fine. Not great. Not bad. Of course, these games always shine in the side quests and player generated stories that run alongside the main quest.

Gameplay would be improved considerably with New Vegas and Fallout 4 especially, but it doesn’t hinder Fallout 3 at all. VATS rocks and was such a great inclusion. Still feels so unique to fallout all these years later.

What I like most about Fallout 3 compared to its successors is the atmosphere though. While New Vegas and Fallout 4 had their own vibes that worked, Fallout 3 really felt like his insane mash up of desperation, dark humor, loneliness and THREE DOGG, HOWUUUUUUU.

You know what I’m saying?

Pretty much a masterpiece in my book. Wish you could aim down sights though.

The Last of Us is a masterpiece, through and through. When it was first announced, when the first trailer dropped at one of the last good E3s or wherever, I remember watching it time and time again. I felt like, wow, finally they nailed a zombie game.

When I got my hands on the game, which was the only reason I bought a PlayStation after being a long time Xbox user, I was blown away. My high hopes were met and exceeded.

The story is great. The characters rock. The small story beats you find by reading journals and notes are actually interesting. The gameplay, while shallow in some ways, is fun and engaging.

I was even impressed with the multiplayer. This time frame for games had a lot of tacked-on multiplayer that was generally worth avoiding, but TLOU transitioned their single player gameplay over to multiplayer in a satisfying and enjoyable way. A little cherry on top.

I can’t imagine anyone on this website hasn’t played this game yet, but if you just awoke from a decade long coma and are looking for something special, start here.

The first game I played online was Halo 2. What must be two decades ago now, I played duos with a buddy of mine every night I could. I queued up. I played with my friends. I hauled my Xbox to their houses, to summer camp, set up 8 player games on 4 tvs - I had so much fun with this game that I doubt another multiplayer experience will ever compare.

I have no doubt my enjoyment of this game hides some of the flaws from me, but this is the quintessential ‘game’. Great story that builds on the first. Fun, memorable campaign levels that you replay with your friends, complete with hidden guns and secrets. It’s what a video game can and should be. It’s storytelling and gameplay and endless hours of fun. Oh, and they added car jacking. Dope as hell.

I love this game man. I probably could have learned a new language and how to play an instrument with the time I spent on just Coagulantion alone. Great game. Fun time.

A masterpiece of gaming, especially for the time.