8. Bioshock
Okay, let me state it now. I am omitting Bioshock Infinite from the discussion because it is too close. While I have no doubt it has a place on this list somewhere, I am won't entertain it until we have gotten some perspective. Okay? Okay. But at least allow me to make amends by including
Bioshock. When the game came out, I don't think many were ready for the impact it would have or the legacy it would keep. Taking elements of deep socio-political issues, Bioshock had a razor sharp story with a scope rarely tried in video games and almost never pulled off in quite the way it did. Decent gameplay composed of standard first person action and the inventive inclusion of plasmids kept things fresh enough, but the real draw of the game was its location and its narrative techniques. Boasting one of the most memorable settings in gaming history, as well as the mind bending twist that questioned the role of the player, Bioshock was a step forward for storytelling in the medium. Showing how it could be packaged and dispersed through out gameplay, Bioshock is a great example of all aspects of design telling the player something about the world they are in. On top of that, the game brought forward one of gaming's best voices, to the spotlight in Ken Levine. Not often do creative directors or writers get celebrated in the medium, but it is essential to the its progress. The emergence of Ken Levine could well be a celebrated point in the future.