Wow, can you really believe the first decade of the 21st century has come to an end already? I mean, it seems like just yesterday we were all celebrating the advent of the year 2000 while some knuckleheads were worried about the end of the world and others some widespread Y2K computer bug. A lot has happened in those 10 years since the clocked turned and ushered in the year 2001. Sony and Nintendo have pushed along and introduced several consoles during that time. Sega has gone from being a console company to simply publishing games. And Microsoft has entered the business and turned things completely around by making Sony and Nintendo take notice gamers are growing up faster than they realized (Nintendo, we are looking at you). We are even seeing the dawn of the controller-less gaming era, but some of us still have some doubts on that. Either way, 10 years is a long time, and a lot can and has happened. 

Of course, during that same span of time, countless video games have been released for every major console. Many games have gone and redefined what a certain genre is while others have delved more and more into the role of sims and made the line blur between what was once a fun arcade game to a true test of real-world knowledge of sports and other dimensions of life. And how can we forget the rise of online multiplayer gaming and DLC add-ons for games, adding to their replayability. Most games come and go and do a bit to spark up the industry here and there, but then there are those unique games, the gems that shine through and really do everything to change what we as gamers know about gaming. We here at Nfamous have taken a look back and have gone through hours and hours of discussion and debate about which games have come out during the past 10 years and have really stood out from the rest of the crowd to really define the past decade.

Because determining which games should be placed in what numerical order would have led to anarchy and murder here at Nfamous, we are going the sensible way and listing them in alphabetical order. You all can decide from there what number each one should be placed in from our listings, if you agree with what we selected at all. So without further delay, here are the picks our staff has come up with.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Released on Aug. 25, 2009, developed by Rocksteady Studios LTD, and published by Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360

We all know comic book related video games usually fail to hit the mark when it comes to making a successful video game, but Arkham Asylum managed to do just that by upping the production values and actually handling the property with care and precision — all while still delivering a truly unique story of the original material by remaining respectful of it. It was also a big help the controls of the game made it feel fluid and natural and not for one instant feeling clumsy and awkward. Dr Chris mentioned as much during his nomination of the game during our discussions. "It was stealthy and clever and had great voice acting. Good controls and awesome graphics." Batman: Arkham Asylum upped the ante on what a good comic book video game should be. Developers, take note ...

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Released on Nov. 7, 2007, developed by Infinity Ward, and published by Activision for the Mac, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii

Described by NuyoRiquena as an "actual console mover," no better phrase can describe Modern Warfare. The game literally made people go out and buy an Xbox 360 to play this game. Yes, they could have also played it on the PS3 and PC, but the great control design of the 360's controllers led many to purchase the game for that console as well as the dependability and ease of access of Xbox Live. Since the release of this truly epic game, Modern Warfare 2 has also been released and has added to the emotional pull this franchise has on its players. KYABen described the game's continuing story as such. "As silly as it might sound, I began to feel uneasy; I really wanted to beat that level and get the Russians out of my country. In later levels as I fought my way through ... the sense of urgency only got worse." A great story and fun connectivity with friends for a competitive multiplayer experience is why Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare made this list.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Released on May 1, 2002, and developed and published by Bethesda Softworks for the PC and Xbox

KYABen best described the game as such during the nomination process we had: "The first 3-D title in the Elder Scrolls series, Morrowind included an immense world that you could explore at your leisure. The great thing about this game was the fact that there really weren't very many boring parts of the map; it was riddled with dungeons in which you could find powerful items, or quests that could lead you to greatness. This was one of the first games I ever played that touted 'non-linear' gameplay, and it definitely delivered; you could be 20 hours deep into the world of Morrowind without even touching the main quest line." That level of story immersion is why Morrowind was nominated over other deserving games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, and non-linear style of gameplay (also done well by Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), separated it from those others mentioned. The fact The Elders Scrolls III: Morrowind delivered on the goods first is the main reason others felt it deserved to be on this list.

God of War

Released on March 22, 2005, developed by SCE Santa Monica, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America for the PlayStation 2

As Arcee puts it, "God of War is one of a few games that ups the ante when it comes to storytelling. I recently rewatched Troy and Clash of the Titans (the 2010 version) and asked myself why this game hasn't been made into a feature film. The level of storytelling in this game and the subsequent sequels is beyond amazing." Couple a great storyline with amazing graphics and gameplay and throw in one of the best soundtracks ever made, and you have yourself a recipe for success that will surely have a loyal following. The fans of this game have proven as much, making the follow-up games on the PS2, PS3, and PSP each successful installments into the God of War mythos. Not many game series can lay claim to having continued success in the storytelling department, which is God of War's strength. The gameplay may not have been new or original, but it did it better than games before it and even some that followed. 

Grand Theft Auto III

Released on Oct. 23, 2001, developed by Rockstar North, and published by Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. for the Mac, PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox

The earliest released game on this list, Grand Theft Auto III set the bar pretty high for all other games that have come out during the decade by defining what it meant to have an open-world game. You would be hard-pressed to find a game in which you could almost completely ignore the main storyline and just have fun doing all the other small things in the game. As our ever wise Nfamous contributor Weezul puts it, "This game defined non-linear, sandbox play. Since the release of this title, not only has Rockstar continued to evolve this concept, but every publisher since has tried (some successfully) to replicate it. But these guys still remain the master and each subsequent release of a GTA game, or any Rockstar game for that matter, continues to define the genre." As our own Dr Chris pointed out, one successful following game that used this concept to its advantage was Spider-Man 2: The Video Game, which is arguably one of the best comic book and movie adaptation games out there. Other Rockstar games would later refine that element of gameplay; Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas come to mind, but it all started with this hot and highly controversial game back in 2001.

Guitar Hero

Released Nov. 8, 2005, developed by Harmonix Music Systems, and published by Red Octane and MTV Games for the PlayStation 2

To quote our lovely Marron Marvel, "Before Guitar Hero, music games were pretty much all but unheard of in North America. Sure, there were die-hard fans of games like Dance Dance Revolution, but the music in games like DDR and Guitar Freaks did not leave the game open for a wide reception. With the release of Guitar Hero came a game that brought us the fun of Japanese-style music games with a wide variety of popular rock music that made the game accessible to a much larger North American and European audience. Guitar Hero made way for Rock Band, which added even more instruments, and both game series have continued to push each other's limits since then, making each sequel even better than the last." The impact the game had on the gaming community was overwhelming, and that is why Guitar Hero deserves a spot on this list.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Released on Nov. 15, 2001, developed by Bungie, and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Mac OS X, PC, and Xbox

As KYABen so simply put it, "Typically, FPSs were pretty slow-moving and regulated. There weren't too many enemies on the screen at once, and you could take your time to aim and fire at each one. Halo brought a much faster and chaotic style of combat and very well-implemented use of vehicles." That may be one reason for the game's popularity, and rightly so, but another reason is also as Arcee put it, "The ease of which you could play Halo with your friends at local LAN parties and compete with each other rivaled that of popular PC FPSs like Counterstrike and brought the feel and competitiveness of the genre to the home consoles in a fun and entertaining way." Halo made FPSs a popular genre in the home console market more so than most games that came before it. Without the success of Halo, games like Gears of War, Resistance, Killzone, and others would not have come about. There is a reason why game after game tries to tote themselves as Halo-killers ... because Halo: Combat Evolved was, and still is, the best FPS to see release this decade.

LittleBigPlanet

Released on Oct. 27, 2008, developed by Media Molecule, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for the PlayStation 3

Nightminx submitted two words when nominating LittleBigPlanet to this list. "It's awesome!" To expand a bit on what she meant, LittleBigPlanet really let the player control every aspect of the game they would create. After unlocking items during the story mode part of the game, or purchasing kits via PSN, the player could go in and create these elaborate levels of their own design that were truly artistically representative of the player. Many people even went on to create levels based on other games like Mario Bros, Halo, and many others (though those would eventually get taken down over time due to copyright issues). Nonetheless, the level of creativity that shown through in those levels really knew no equal before. Later games like ModNation Racers, LittleBigPlanet 2, and even, to a certain degree, Minecraft have taken this to new levels, and we hope other developers take note of this for future games and allow players to design their own levels. 

Portal

Released on Oct. 9, 2007 (part of the Orange Box), and developed and published by The Valve Corporation for the Mac OS X, PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360

The consensus was high on why Portal deserved to be on this list. Simply put by Marron, "Portal was an amazing game that made a huge impact on the gaming world; not just because of its combination of a first-person platform puzzle game and a homicidal computer, but because it changed the way that games are sold. Although a relatively "short" game, the game is a prime example of 'quality over quantity.' The cake may be a lie in this game, but at $20 for the entire Orange Box, the value isn't." A surprise addition, Portal was the star of the package as its addictive gameplay and simple premise of being a test subject at the hands of a quirky and deadly computer program touched many a gamer. And, as stated, for $20, this game was a can't miss in many ways.

World of Warcraft

Released on Nov. 23, 2004, and developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for the Mac and PC

Two of our staffers had very personal feeling regarding World of Warcraft. KYABen put is as such: "I'm not an MMO guy. I've dabbled in a couple, and while I love the Warcraft franchise, I have purposefully stayed away from this game because of the horror stories of how one will lose their life playing it. But that's not what makes me add it to the list. The reason for my inclusion is that it set a new standard for the accessibility and playability of MMO games the likes of which had never been seen before. MMOs have always been a niche genre in the United States while huge in the East, but this has shifted since the release of this gaming behemoth." Marron puts her own spin on it: "World of Warcraft changed the way that MMORPGs were both played and perceived by the world. Before WoW, most MMOs were like Ultima Online (which consisted of more solo-play where you sometimes ran into other people in a sprawling world) or like Everquest (which was played in small groups, overly difficult and unfriendly for newbie players and automatically made people think that the players were weirdoes or freaks). World of Warcraft made being a beginning player less intimidating by making friendlier tutorials within its starting areas and took the idea of 'massively multiplayer' to an entirely new level with complex quests and dungeon areas that required large groups of players to come together." Either way you put it, the phenomena of WoW is here to stay.