10 Video Games So Good They Ruined Genres

3. Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 just might have been the most highly anticipated video game sequel ever, and that's really saying something.

Valve's 1998 original innovated the FPS genre in so many ways, and the weight of expectation on its follow-up was practically impossible to meet - and yet, they actually bloody did it.

To call Half-Life 2 a mere masterpiece is to understate the case quite a bit. In a landscape that has increasingly devalued FPS games with lengthy, substantial campaigns, HL2 remains one of the last true full-fat, blockbuster single-player shooters of its kind.

Ramping up the expertly-crafted set-pieces, outfitting the player with some outstanding weaponry (and vehicles!) and introducing a killer cast of new characters while soaked in pure atmosphere from first level to last, Half-Life 2 remains the best single-player FPS ever some 15 years (!) later.

Do you feel old yet?

With the dubious commercial success of narrative-driven FPS games in the years that followed - largely due to the success of Call of Duty's multiplayer - 12-hour FPS campaigns are virtually unheard of these days, Doom being the major exception.

Gamers generally have to just make do with bite-sized mini-campaigns that accompany the multiplayer suite - Titanfall's 4-hour campaign was fantastic, though.

But if you've played Half-Life 2 recently, you'll likely appreciate just how well it's withstood the test of time, and how it's unlikely to be toppled as the genre king any time soon.