1. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)
Alas, we arrive at our final entry. It was a tough call, but
Battlefront II narrowly beat
KOTOR to top spot. Doubtless, there will be many who cry out 'blasphemy' at this preferential decision. Quite frankly, though, I could not care less. In my opinion,
Battlefront II is not only the greatest
Star Wars game thus far, it is quite possibly one of the most satisfyingly fun games to have been released in the PlayStation 2/original Xbox era. Although the campaign mode was frustratingly short, the multiplayer content was a bastion of online gaming. Admittedly, the game was fundamentally similar to its predecessor,
Battlefront. However, playing as a squaddie in the 501st was infinitely more satisfying and cinematic than our bout in the previous game's campaign. In an era dominated by
Call of Duty, it's refreshing to know that a game such as
Battlefront II ever existed. Unlike
Call of Duty and its ilk,
Battlefront II not only focused on providing an enjoyable and accessible online experience, it also crafted a story that rivalled a lot of its contemporaries. Admittedly, that dig at
Call of Duty is slightly unwarranted - it does, at least, make an attempt at providing a story - but regardless, the fact remains that a game such as
Battlefront II was ahead of its time as far as the provision of story and online play go. With that said, the game's biggest weakness stems from the campaign's astoundingly short length. Put into perspective, for the keener of you out there, it could quite easily be completed in a single sitting. Unfortunately, though assurances had been made to suggest the contrary, this issue was never allowed to be addressed in a further instalment. On the other hand, it has recently been confirmed that DICE will be relaunching the series. Though, admittedly, a direct sequel produced by Pandemic would have been preferential.