2. The Last Of Us
Theres a reason you keep seeing The Last of Us everywhere from Best Of lists to the likes of Charlie Brookers TV show this article was inspired by; its an absolute masterclass in every way, shape and form. From the airtight controls that allow you to sneak through many a bad-guy-filled compound efficiently and ruthlessly, to the simply gorgeous graphics that if you squint, genuinely look real (and were more impressive on first-look than almost anything on next-gen), Last of Us was Naughty Dog proving that only they possessed the tools to tap into that always-promised PS3-potential Sony touted back in 2006. Then theres the story. The character-fuelled, emphatically empathetic and unremittingly-bleak depiction of humanitys struggle in a plague-ravished world, that takes every major work of that genre and condenses it down into a powerful tale of one man and a young girl. The best way to experience Last of Us is through virgin eyes, as there are so many intricacies to its fully-fleshed out characters and landscapes that you just need to discover for yourself. Take for example your happening upon a suburban townscape, where wallpaper is peeling itself off the walls and roofs have long since collapsed in over time as nature slowly reclaims the land. Its quite beautiful in its own way, but then due to the dynamic flow of the game and the enemy encounters, youre free to explore each and every room within the houses as you see fit. Its a level of immersion handed to you on an optional platter, as you could just keep your wits about you, poise your finger over the trigger and progress down the most direct route. However should you take the time to fully breathe in the state of the world thats all around, youll unearth countless more examples of how the guys at Naughty Dog are complete masters of this artistic craft.