my top 40 fave games since year 2000
by nailz-DX | created - 20 Apr 2016 | updated - 18 May 2021 | PublicThis list will include games from PS2, PS3 & PS4, Gamecube, Wii and Wii-U, NS, XBOX & X360 [not X1 since I don't own one], also PC is included [but I haven't really played on PC that much since 1999 and 2007]...
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Half-Life 2 (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.
Director: David Speyrer | Stars: Robert Guillaume, Robert Culp, Louis Gossett Jr., Michelle Forbes
Votes: 17,574
One of the best story driven action shooters ever made, wonderful characters, great writing, attention to detail, great sequences and pacing and when this was new it was mind bending.
2. Deus Ex (2000 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a dark cyberpunk future where poverty, disease, oppression and terrorism are widespread, J.C. Denton, a new cybernetically-enhanced special agent, finds evidence of a massive conspiracy when his brother, also an agent, goes rogue.
Director: Warren Spector | Stars: Jay Anthony Franke, Brent Anderson, Ralph Barbagallo, Chad Bannon
Votes: 3,436
one of the most underrated games at launch has become a cult fave. for anyone who grew up watching X-Files or Outer Limits and Twilight Zone and hearing crazy conspiracies like area 51, Roswell, MIB and all that this game addressed all that and then some and the story was awesome...also the freedom to do things however you wanted was revolutionary at the time.
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A republic soldier, training to become a Jedi Knight, is given the task of halting the conquest of Darth Malak by discovering the location of a weapon known as the Star Forge.
Director: Casey Hudson | Stars: Jennifer Hale, Raphael Sbarge, Rafael Ferrer, John Cygan
Votes: 9,311
The best SW game ever made and one of the best RPG's ever made. the story is so well executed that when the twist happens it's like dayum, everything makes more sense....and it's a hardcore RPG meaning you're gonna mess with base stats and skill points as well as feats and powers....this game was really deep like that and it was better for it.... now we'd just get powers and the system would level up the rest, lame.....
4. Jade Empire (2005 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The last surviving Spirit Monk goes on a quest to save their tutor Master Li and defeat the forces of corrupt emperor Sun Hai.
Directors: Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk | Stars: Jocelyn Ahlf, Victor Brandt, Cam Clarke, John Cleese
Votes: 1,142
most can't get past the martial arts system, pfft it's okay but what really does it is the story, a tale of betrayal, lies, deception, truth and justice and even friendship, loyalty and the part gods play or should play in the world. Some of Jade Empire can come off a little eh at times but the depths of evil you can sink to or the heights of good is astounding and it affects the outcome.....IDK, for me this left a lasting impression cus Asian culture has so much depth to it and for me it just felt good.
5. Ghost of Tsushima (2020 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
Set in 1274 on the Tsushima Island, the last samurai, Jin Sakai, must master a new fighting style, the way of the Ghost, to defeat the Mongol forces and fight for the freedom and independence of Japan.
Director: Nate Fox | Stars: Daisuke Tsuji, Eric Steinberg, Sumalee Montano, Patrick Gallagher
Votes: 15,134
great samurai action, great story, good stealth and good exploration and side story content.... hardly any filler and the game world is the right size, it's open world done right by a team who's been doing it long enough to be called masters at this point and it shows.....
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Drama
After being released from jail, Tommy Vercetti leaves Liberty City for Vice City, a city overrun by the mob. Now, Tommy is out to make Vice City his home.
Stars: Ray Liotta, William Fichtner, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Hopper
Votes: 29,531
oozing with 80's Miami style this is my personal fave GTA game.
7. Fallout 3 (2008 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Centuries following nuclear war, a teen leaves the safety of an underground vault in order to find their father, who left in hopes of creating a water purifier.
Director: Todd Howard | Stars: Liam Neeson, Malcolm McDowell, Ron Perlman, Odette Annable
Votes: 20,375
I thought this was gonna suck and when I played it I was surprised that I got hooked that hardcore, this represents one of the last true hardcore RPG's where skill and stat building long term was a thing.....the higher a skill the better at that activity you are be it a pistol or hacking a terminal.....I miss this stuff in RPG's...
8. TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (2005 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Sent to undo the TimeSplitter threat, Cortez journeys into 6 different time periods to track down Jacob Crow who created the TimeSplitter creatures.
Directors: David Doak, Stephen Ellis | Stars: Tom Clarke Hill, Sarah Mennell, Wayne Forester, Melli Bond
Votes: 856
While not perfect TS Futureperfect was one of the best action games and a great MP shooter with a map editor with limitless possibilities....fun times, if more games now were like this....
9. Hitman: Blood Money (2006 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Mystery
A larger, more powerful agency is systematically eliminating assassins in a series of hits, who are all from Agent 47's contract killing firm, The International Contract Agency (ICA).
Director: Rasmus Højengaard | Stars: David Andriole, David Bateson, Barbara Bernád, Brian Beacock
Votes: 5,888
While the original Hitman and several other games revolutionized the modern stealth genre Blood Money offered a fully realized Hitman experience that was more open ended yet streaamlined so it was more accomidating making one of the best hide and go kill games ever made.
10. Red Faction: Guerrilla (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Sci-Fi
Play as Alec Mason as he assists the rebellious Red Faction to overthrow the oppressive Earth Defense Force (EDF) on Mars.
Directors: Keith Arem, Colin J. Hodges, Michael McCormick, Robert Taylor | Stars: Troy Baker, Kari Wahlgren, Michael McConnohie, Tom Virtue
Votes: 1,069
DESTRUCTION! story didn't matter, it was meh but what made it great was the destruction, too many games try and copy the whole chaos thing and sadly fail to see what made this great, it was walking in with a sledgehammer and slowly tearing the place apart piece by piece, soldier by bloodied soldier. everything you destroyed hurt your enemies more so it was in your best interest to take the time to fully level everything in your path....that's a great game.
11. Neverwinter Nights (2002 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Neverwinter Nights is a third-person RPG set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons series.
Director: Trent Oster | Stars: Stephen Russell, Ron Hayden, George Ledoux, Ray Childs
Votes: 1,148
pretty eh by today's standards but I was enjoying it in 2007 and even then i thought visually it was a little eh but once I got an hour in I realized 3 hours had passed. this is another where story trumps all else.
12. Injustice 2 (2017 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Following the end of Superman's totalitarian reign over the Earth, Batman and his allies attempt to piece the world back together only to be faced with a new threat that will cause them to do the unthinkable.
Directors: Ed Boon, Dominic Cianciolo, Martin Stoltz | Stars: Phil LaMarr, Vanessa Marshall, Khary Payton, Taliesin Jaffe
Votes: 4,955
I'm a comics fan, I like DC comics among others and I like Ed Boon's games and this is just very good. solid fighting game, many modes to play and lots to unlock and the character roster is good, my only gripe is no Hawkgirl but it's still an awesome game IMO.
13. Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Crime
Mystical order of the Keepers hires master-thief Garrett to find, steal and destroy artifacts that their prophecy describes as keys to releasing an ancient evil. Garrett is about to face his greatest, scariest and deadliest challenge yet.
Directors: Randy Smith, Warren Spector | Stars: Stephen Russell, Alexander Brandon, Ken Carberry, Marc Carver
Votes: 592
The first 2 Thief games helped revolutionize stealth games but this was Warren Spectre's stab at the series and I personally loved it, the chatter between guards is priceless and robbing people never got old, the story was good too....
14. Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (2006 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Decades after the fall of Japanese warlord Nobunaga Oda, Soki, a warrior who possesses Oni powers is on a quest to stop Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who has unified Japan in league with his demonic army of Genma.
Director: Kôichi Kimura | Stars: Toshiyuki Kusuda, Yukana, Sanae Kobayashi, Wataru Hatano
Votes: 344
the final Onimusha game, this one was a big one and fun as hell.....I spent a lot of time beating it around 5X or so. I really miss this series..
15. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (2005 Video Game)
T | Action, Sci-Fi
You play the X-Men and the Brotherhood in a uneasy alliance to fight the menace of Apocalypse.
Stars: Patrick Stewart, Grey Griffin, Dwight Schultz, Dee Bradley Baker
Votes: 1,060
A RPG disguised as a Brawler, this plays like a brawler but in reality it's a RPG not as deep as KOTOR and NWN but it was god enough.... in this more of the marvel universe joins the fight including Avengers members and some villains.....the closest game to this now is Marvel Heroes.
16. Mass Effect (2007 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a technologically advanced future, an elite human soldier takes command of a prototype star ship and works to defend the galaxy from danger.
Director: Casey Hudson | Stars: Steven Barr, Kimberly Brooks, Keith David, Seth Green
Votes: 19,824
The entire Mass Effect trilogy is epic but this is my fave cus it's more of an RPG and does a lot of RPG things. like KOTOR and Jade Empire there's a lot of focus on the companions you collect on your journey...
17. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
When the nations of the world rely upon private military companies to fight their battles for them, renegade Liquid Ocelot emerges as the head of a potent coalition of mercenary powers. Solid Snake returns to save the world once again.
Director: Hideo Kojima | Stars: David Hayter, Josh Keaton, Peter Lurie, Paul Eiding
Votes: 11,140
This caps off the MGS story arc and comes full circle Solid Snake and Big Boss meeting again for the third time at the end. I should say this caps off Solid Snake's story, Phantom Pain was supposed to cap off Big Boss's story how he rose to becoming the villain or what his goals were....anyways as convoluted as Metal Gear can be, this is still meant to be the ending and it's a great game....
18. Soulcalibur III (2005 Video Game)
T | Action, Fantasy, Mystery
The search for Soul Edge continues as a mysterious new figure plots to restore its power.
Directors: Jin Okubo, Tetsuya Akatsuka | Stars: Hiroshi Tsuchida, Masumi Asano, Nanaho Katsuragi, Toshiyuki Morikawa
Votes: 892
19. Onimusha: Warlords (2001 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
During the Sengoku period, Samanosuke, a mighty Samurai of the Akechi clan, is summoned by the Princess to fight against the forces of Nobunaga Oda, a powerful warlord and leader of murderous demons who invaded the kingdom.
Director: Jun Takeuchi | Stars: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Akio Ôtsuka, Nao Takamori, Makoto Tsumura
Votes: 699
from the opening cinematic to the last boss battle this game is a treat. that's all I can say really.....good combat, great story and awesome characters.....
20. Fable (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Once a young boy has obtained a gift for his sister's birthday, bandits attack his home village of Oakvale. A member of the Hero's Guild, Maze, stumbles upon the boy, saves him and takes the boy to the Guild to be raised as a hero.
Director: Peter Molyneux | Stars: Adjoa Andoh, Georg Backer, Emma Butcher, Luke Butcher
Votes: 3,096
This game just oozed personality and charm. an impressive aspect was how the cutscenes were all created using the chamber of fate paintings. This was another game you could be pretty evil or good and may not have been as dramatic as Jade Empire but was still fun either way you went....
21. Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
You play a young Jedi Academy student who must help stop an evil plot by Dark Jedi to collect and use Dark Side energy for their own ends.
Stars: Philip Tanzini, Jennifer Hale, Jason Marsden, Jeff Bennett
Votes: 2,453
this game is badass, you play as an unknown jedi in Luke's academy who can walk the path of light or darkness and boasts some of the best sword fighting mechanics ever created for a game.
22. Portal 2 (2011 Video Game)
E10+ | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Many years after "Portal," Chell reawakens at Aperture Science and tries to stop GLaDOS once again with the help of Wheatley, who has his own plans for the historical facility.
Stars: Ellen McLain, Stephen Merchant, J.K. Simmons, Joe Micheals
Votes: 17,739
one of the funniest games I've ever played and the best written, and it's better than the first game.....not that the first one sucked, it was epic too
23. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror, Mystery
Sgt. Michael Becket is tapped to investigate mysterious happenings within a private aerospace company before a nuclear explosion rocked the Auburn industrial district in the first game.
Directors: Nathan Hendrickson, Peter Wyse | Stars: John Armstrong, Dennis Bateman, Jock Blaney, Holly Brewer
Votes: 1,868
The original was cool but this one is so much better in every way.
24. Forza Motorsport 3 (2009 Video Game)
E | Action, Family, Sport
Forza Motorsport 3 includes more than 400 customizable cars from 50 manufacturers and more than 100 race track variations. New additions include an in-car driving view.
Star: Peter Egan
Votes: 542
Forza 3 is great cus in the series it's the one that made the most significant advance in graphics and gameplay, producing realistic environments and high quality car models and for the first time first person cockpit view that changed for the better the course of the series but none of the games since has had this level of improvement over previous entries.
25. Project Gotham Racing 2 (2003 Video Game)
E
New courses, awesome special effects and supercharged engines take the next installment of the smash hit racing game to the next level of speed.
Star: Fred Northup
Votes: 120
I miss this kind of arcade style racing. drive with style, precision and speed...pretty hard to master but fun all the same.
26. F-Zero GX (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Sci-Fi, Sport
Nintendo GameCube edition of the popular futuristic auto racing video game F-Zero.
Director: Hiroyuki Sakamoto | Stars: Michael Naishtut, Donna Burke, Ryan Drees, Jeff Gedert
Votes: 338
27. Metroid Prime (2002 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Mystery
A Space Pirate distress signal draws bounty hunter Samus Aran to Tallon IV, a world she discovers is being consumed by a terrible poison.
Director: Mark Pacini | Stars: Jennifer Hale, Vanessa Marshall
Votes: 2,204
Metroid going first person might seem like insanity outside looking in but Prime was a solid game, the exploration, item collecting, puzzle solving are all there but you have more freedom in the game than the 2D ones....it's not my most fave shooter or my most fave Metroid but I respect Prime a lot....
28. TimeSplitters 2 (2002 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Mystery
In 2401, humanity is at war with relentless aliens, TimeSplitters. Space marines Cortez and Hart travel through time to stop the aliens in various spots, including Wild West, zombie-infested Gothic church and Blade Runner-esque future.
Directors: David Doak, Stephen Ellis | Stars: Heidi Andrews, June Andrews, Kevin Bullock, Michelle Bullock
Votes: 845
They improved on the first game to great effect and if any one aspect earns it a place on my list it's the soundtrack, Scrapyard level is one of the best level themes ever created for a shooter or in general a game.... the score does everything, classy jazz to rock and metal and typical western sounds to downright hardcore techno....the best level themes are Neo Tokyo, Scrapyard and probable the Chinese level.....
29. Doom 3 (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
A demonic invasion at Union Aerospace Corporation's Mars Research Facility has left only you and a handful of survivors with the chance to fight your way to safety.
Stars: J. Grant Albrecht, Dee Bradley Baker, Michael Bell, Steve Blum
Votes: 4,463
They tried to add a strong story to Doom and it didn't really work, story is forgettable but who cares, it's doom let's kill some demons!! the modern versions of many of the weapons are fun and the gameplay is solid, setting is the right atmosphere but a bit too dark IMO, too black as in absence of light.....but Doom 3 is still a good game and does many things right.
30. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime
Carl "CJ" Johnson, a member of the Grove Street street gang, comes home after a family tragedy to find it overtaken by crime and corruption, which he must take back before things become worse.
Stars: Young Maylay, Faizon Love, Yolanda 'Yo-Yo' Whittaker, Clifton Powell
Votes: 44,533
good game but also the start of the bad GTA games IMO, I do not care for the newer games but in comparison this is pure *beep* gold! however I can't really say that comparing it to GTA3 and Vice City, too many parts I simply can't do or lack the patience for or parts annoy me to no end....
31. Dragon Age: Origins (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After four hundred years since the last Blight, a new Archdemon seeks to destroy the land of Ferelden. It is up to the player - as one of the remaining Grey Wardens - to unite the divided armies of Ferelden and save humanity.
Director: Dan Tudge | Stars: Steve Valentine, Peter Renaday, Kate Mulgrew, Tim Curry
Votes: 8,624
This is way better on PC, it's a modern spiritual successor to the old AD&D Forgotten Realms games, Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights..that line, it has Bioware's flair for storytelling but on consoles this is rather bad. it tries to be turn based and real time and doesn't work well, plus you have access to very few powers at any given time due to controller limitations.....i'd say it's a great game but held back by consoles.... *update: i recently played this on X1 for the first time in years and it's better than i remember though I didn't get that far, on the way to get one of the factions on my side [Arl Eamon] after Ostagar/Lothring but on a different character i was doing the Circle tower quest and just off those 2 i was seeing some of the genius I missed in my first go around years ago
32. inFamous: Second Son (2014 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Delsin Rowe, a rebellious youngster in Seattle becomes aware of his incredible powers after a confrontation with an escaped inmate. But when his abilities come under the attention of the D.U.P., he is faced to battle them.
Director: Nate Fox | Stars: Troy Baker, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Karen Austin
Votes: 5,228
for a console launch year title this is one of if not the best of the launch year games. while everything else was busy sucking ass this game rocked.....
33. Left 4 Dead (2008 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror
A multi player co-op in post-apocalyptic Pennsylvania, where four immune survivors, Francis, Bill, Zoey, and Louis fight through hordes of zombies and Special Infected as they make their way to extraction zones.
Director: Mike Booth | Stars: Earl Alexander, Jim French, Jen Taylor, Vince Valenzuela
Votes: 6,601
best zombie shooter game ever......
34. Hitman: Contracts (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Mystery
After a failed job, 47 hides in a dark room and while delusional, he dreams about past assignments.
Stars: David Bateson, Ulle Bjørn Bengtsson, Joost Alexander Van Der Berg, Barbara Bernád
Votes: 3,105
this is pretty much on the line between Hitman 2 and Blood Money...really whats cool about this one is how the story plays, Hitman is hurt and as he succumbs to the pain and painkillers he remembers many jobs from his past and while the jobs are jumbled together out of order what's cool is just the locations, the always changing locals like you're in Russia or Budapest or Paris, Hong Kong etc son;t remember exact locations but each level/mission was unique
35. Horizon Zero Dawn (2017 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In a primitive tribal world where strange, monstrous, animalistic machines roam the wilderness, a brave young female warrior goes on a quest to learn the truth about her mysterious origin and the state the world is in.
Director: Mathijs de Jonge | Stars: Ashly Burch, Laura van Tol, Ava Potter, JB Blanc
Votes: 18,655
36. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Link, a young man from a small farming village, finds Hyrule is being consumed by an otherworldly twilight. Guided by a strange pixie named Midna, he endeavors to return light to the land and confront the usurper king Zant.
Director: Eiji Aonuma | Stars: Akira Sasanuma, Akiko Kômoto, Hironori Miyata, Junji Kitajima
Votes: 5,486
37. X-Men Legends (2004 Video Game)
T | Action, Sci-Fi
You play the X-Men as they battle against the forces of evil, be it mutant haters with their Sentinels, or Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants.
Stars: Patrick Stewart, Michelle Arthur, Edward Asner, Dee Bradley Baker
Votes: 949
38. Halo 3: ODST (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Mystery
A UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Trooper must locate his missing squad members in New Mombasa following a devastating slip space rupture caused by a Covenant cruiser.
Director: Rich Wickham | Stars: Nathan Fillion, Tricia Helfer, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk
Votes: 5,096
39. DC Universe Online (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Lex Luthor travels back in time from a desolate future where Braniac has killed off all the superheroes and taken over the world, to ally with heroes of present day to form a plan to stop him by using the Exobyte data.
Stars: Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Mark Hamill, Michelle Forbes
Votes: 794
40. Soulcalibur VI (2018 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Family
Soulcalibur VI takes place during the 16th century and revisits the events of Soulcalibur (1998) to "uncover hidden truths."
Directors: Daishi Odashima, Yoshinori Takahashi | Stars: Toshiyuki Morikawa, Chinatsu Akasaki, Nanako Mori, Shigeo Kiyama
Votes: 417
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