13. Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
You may question why I havent chosen Skyrim. The later entry in the series was better in almost every category apart from glitches and game-ending bugs but Oblivion was one of the first great games on the current generation of consoles. The impressive graphics and the sheer size of the game blew most people away. After creating your character and being introduced to the main storyline you eventually make your way to the Imperial City sewers exit. That first look at the rolling hills and the gorgeous lake surrounding the city graphics that may now seem dated was an introduction not only to Oblivion but also to the power of the current generation. From that moment the various side quests and guilds were open to you. Every glittering cave and abandoned fort was ready for exploration. Developing the character and forging your own path felt crucial to making the most out of the experience: why be tied down by the main quests when theres much more to do? The main story a quest to locate the heir to the throne and see him appointed before Mehrunes Dagon (one of the evil Daedric princes) could destroy Tamriel was average but it was never the focus of the experience. The exploration of the land - its wealth of quests and countless locations was the real treasure.