The 2000s were a great time to grow up playing video games. As the industry transformed into a more mature, respected medium and the rise of the internet and online connectivity changed the face of what video games could do forever, developers were providing players with experiences that they had simply never seen before. As a result of these mammoth technical advancements, some of the best franchises were born out of this ten year boom. As games became more refined at the end of the PS2 generation and the Xbox 360 kicked off the last half of the 2000s with a bang, it seemed that every other game coming out was being considered as a genuine classic. From Gears of War to Uncharted, the biggest names in gaming today were all conceived during this flourishing period. Unfortunately, time isn't always kind when it comes to video games, especially those released around the time of major technical shifts. As much as we all think fondly of early 3D games for instance, actually going back to play them today can be an absolute chore. While the games of the 2000s didn't suffer quite a tumultuous transition, there are still plenty of releases which received legendary status that, in hindsight, they probably didn't deserve.
