Yesterday a new generation of gaming was welcomed in with the release of the PlayStation 4 and next week's Xbox One launch will open further opportunities for players looking for a new world of gaming. The Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 have had eight years of life to entertain us and there have been a large number of high quality games across all genres released in that time. This article will celebrate those high points, compiling the greatest game releases of the outgoing generation. There have been so many great games that some series arent mentioned at all, such as Killzone, Assassins Creed and Saints Row. While other memorable games, like Mirrors Edge and Dishonored, missed out. In order to choose this list, it wasn't just the quality of the game that mattered - though of course that ranked highly on the list of necessary factors - final position also depended on any innovations introduced and the importance of the release to the industry as a whole. Remember to let us know if you think we have made any glaring omissions in the comments.
50. Far Cry 3
Platform: PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 Release Date: 30 November, 2012 The third instalment in the Far Cry series and by far the most accomplished. The shooter has role-playing and adventure features that allow for skill progression and exploration not normally associated with first-person shooters. The huge variety of weapons along with an open world offering a strong campaign and solid side quests ensured the game was widely acclaimed. Of particular note were the funny and unique cast of characters and individual encounters that gave the island its own personality. Far Cry 3 proved that a strong and engaging narrative can be combined with strong gameplay to create a shooter that isnt all about just gunning down bad guys.