13. Dark Souls
A small portion of you might have just cheered outloud, another portion of you might have just scratched your head. That is precisely why Dark Souls, a "spiritual sucessor" to the lesser known Demon Souls, in on this list. If you know anything about the series you will know it is famous for being really, really, really hard. While Dark Souls may be quite an obscure game to find on this list, I think its rise to popularity serves a very important message for the generation. That hardcore gamers are still out there, they are still vocal and they are willing to put their money down. As you will see later , much of this generation has been defined by the introduction and popularisation of games to the 'casual gamer'. On a personal note, I think their inclusion in the community is a great thing, but many feel that gaming has gone backwards due to it. Longing for a time when games were challenging and not pandering to the less skilled player, fans came out in a big way to support the game. I perceive Dark Souls success as a bubbling of resentment for the casual gamer, a fact I think is proven by fans showing their vocal outrage when the games director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, even suggested having an easier mode. But even past the ideas of challenge and a game signifying an anticasual stance, it is just an expertly crafted experience. Astounding creature design, a haunting soundtrack, really inventive multiplayer and revered single player story come together to form a comprehensive gaming experience, which embodies the desire for Japanese adventure experiences in the west but also a call back to some of gaming's harder days. Dark Souls is ever growing in reputation and depending on how the franchise changes and grows, it is entirely possible that it could become one of the great defining titles of this and next generation.