1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
If a gaping chasm were to run through the first-person shooter community, dividing its good people into two distinct tribes, that rift would be called Call of Duty. Its a polarizing brand these days one thats bound cause some friction for sitting atop a list populated with outstanding titles but its hard to argue that any game made as much of a splash this generation as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Modern Warfare changed the modern videogame with a forceful presence. It redefined the blockbuster title with a glossy sheen that finally scraped away the patina of World War 2. The first game in the series meant for a mature audience, Call of Duty 4 spun a convincing tale of political intrigue and terrorism in a fictional reflection of modern day. It wasnt the first to tackle this setting but Modern Warfare did it with bravado, stylishly burning the playbook on traditional scope and scale. It introduced massive set-pieces that exploded in frantic gunfights, scripted events that forced you to belly-crawl toward an assassination, and heavy scenes of exposition with production values closer to feature films. Modern Warfare raised the ante for future triple-A titles and, for better or worse, kicked the big-budget arms race into overdrive. Outside this affluent presentation, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare toted tight controls and precise, clean design that fostered an exhilarating sense of accomplishment when you placed sights on target and punched their ticket. You didnt need to be a shooter-savant to succeed because with a little patience and a functional trigger finger anyone could line up a kill it was remarkably accessible. The addition of Killstreaks added a layer of detail to what has historically been a two-dimensional activity. The idea was nothing new, plenty of titles had bestowed power-ups or weapons for positive play, but COD4 cut to the heart of the matter. Three kills in a row you get to spy on your enemies. Five scrambles the jets and for seven kills without dying, you call in the air cavalry. Modern Warfare infused that feeling of power with constant rewards that seemingly rained down upon you from a virtual piñata of success. Experience points, medals, challenges and unlocks flowed across the screen as almost every action earned you a digital goody, allowing you to invest in customizable classes with a buffet of perks, weapons, weapon attachments and equipment. That loop of constant gratification has proliferated in the years since Modern Warfare for the simple fact it keeps players invested. So much so that the exception has now become the rule customization and reward are now staples of games everywhere not just multiplayer-centric titles or first-person shooters. The rush to integrate this model into other franchises is a testament to that effectiveness. Ill admit Modern Warfare is a divisive choice in the company of so many spectacular titles, but despite differing opinions its hard to deny that this title changed the industry overnight. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare birthed a movement for big-budget games, for ultra-accessible competitive multiplayer and perhaps most tellingly for mass-market appeal. So what are your thoughts on the FPS trend-setters of this generation? Is there a title that deserves to be discussed? Comments are free - fire away.