15 Best Months To Be A Gamer (Since 2000)

15. October 2001 €“ Theft, Skating And Devils...

2001 was a big year for the PlayStation 2 (being released the previous year) as it slowly began to become a household name thanks to some huge games. They don't get much bigger - or controversial - than Grand Theft Auto either. The third Grand Theft Auto marked the series' big move into the 3D world and it's never looked back. It was arguably the first smash hit for Sony's new console with a lengthy storyline, quality graphics which brought Liberty City to life and plenty of mindless mayhem to cause.

This month also saw the arrival of one of a classic franchise in the form of Devil May Cry. Originally intended to be released as Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry's gothic overtones and satanic storyline forced Capcom to create a whole new series. Given the immense popularity of the franchise now, it was a smart move.

If action games aren't your thing, there was plenty else to enjoy in October too. Time Crisis 2 was released for the PS2 owning lightgun aficionados while Activision released Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 to rave reviews. An interesting fact to close this month: Grand Theft Auto 3 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 are the two highest rated PlayStation 2 games on Metacritic and as we can see, both were released mere days apart.

Metacritic Roundup: Grand Theft Auto 3, 97. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, 97. Devil May Cry, 94. Average: 96