Chicago1989
Ain't it sleep first then eat?
Since we're slowly transitioning into the 8th generation of video gaming, I decided to come up with a list of games that set standards and inspired other franchises and IP's. I'm only bringing up console games, not PC games (I'm not a dedicated PC gamer).
Call of Duty - The most obvious choice as far as the most influential franchise in this generation. Call of Duty has torn up retail stores, preorder and sales records, online play longevity, and the multiplayer market. They are $$$ and are the top of the industry. Many games and franchises have and are currently trying to bring it down and feed off their success, but are failing. Battlefield and Medal of Honor are CoD's closest competitors on a yearly basis.
Bioshock - For brilliance on atmosphere and environmental design, Bioshock is #1 on this aspect. A world like Rapture has never been experienced in gaming and this is a world that Irrational Games built from the ground up. Everything in Rapture is unique and creepy but beautiful at the same time. The same trend will seemingly continue with Bioshock: Infinite, where we'll be playing in the skies.
Gears of War - Gears of War was influential for it's epic story and characters but I would think that they were also influential in terms of gameplay style. The "over-the-shoulder" perspective in 3rd-Person shooting games has been used in other games such as Resident Evil 4 & 5 and IP's like Quantum Theory and Inversion. It's been used to the point where many gamers consider Quantum Theory and Inversion to be Gears of War clones. Gears of War has set the standard for 3rd-person gaming for this generation.
Fallout 3 - Ever since Fallout 3 came out and became a big success, many other post-apocalyptic games have tried to emulate it's style and atmosphere. RAGE and Borderlands are the closest to having that "Fallout feel". You suddenly get dragged into a ravaged world and you must survive by looting and shooting bandits. It's a premise that's been done many times at this point.
The Elder Scrolls - The Elder Scrolls series has been the measuring stick for fantasy RPG's and epic landscaping. There wouldn't be a Fallout 3 or New Vegas without The Elder Scrolls. Item management, looting, character customization, and dialog choices are what set the Elder Scrolls apart from everything else.
Halo - Halo is the most influential for online gaming. Ever since the Halo: Combat Evolved days on the original Xbox, they changed the multiplayer genre and the video gaming industry to what it is today. Multiplayer gaming wouldn't be as big as it is now without the success of Halo.
Street Fighter IV - Fighting games were an irrelevant genre until Street Fighter IV came out. From there, fighting games became hot again. Tekken and Mortal Kombat followed suit by reinventing themselves like Street Fighter, making arcade fighting gaming and tournaments relevant again.
God of War - God of War is the top "Hack 'n Slash" franchise right now. The extreme violence and epic story of GoW inspired games like Dante's Inferno and Bayonetta. Devil May Cry may have made "Hack 'n Slash" action games a success, but for this generation, God of War brung it to the next level and has been a staple for Playstation.
Grand Theft Auto IV - GTA IV became even bigger and more controversial in this generation. Celebrities and musicians got more involved and helped GTA IV with the characters and music, and with GTA being the king of sandbox gaming, having the game take place in the most detailed NYC (Liberty City) ever created was logical and influential.
These are all I can think of for my list. Do you know any other games that have influenced and have made an impact in today's industry?
Call of Duty - The most obvious choice as far as the most influential franchise in this generation. Call of Duty has torn up retail stores, preorder and sales records, online play longevity, and the multiplayer market. They are $$$ and are the top of the industry. Many games and franchises have and are currently trying to bring it down and feed off their success, but are failing. Battlefield and Medal of Honor are CoD's closest competitors on a yearly basis.
Bioshock - For brilliance on atmosphere and environmental design, Bioshock is #1 on this aspect. A world like Rapture has never been experienced in gaming and this is a world that Irrational Games built from the ground up. Everything in Rapture is unique and creepy but beautiful at the same time. The same trend will seemingly continue with Bioshock: Infinite, where we'll be playing in the skies.
Gears of War - Gears of War was influential for it's epic story and characters but I would think that they were also influential in terms of gameplay style. The "over-the-shoulder" perspective in 3rd-Person shooting games has been used in other games such as Resident Evil 4 & 5 and IP's like Quantum Theory and Inversion. It's been used to the point where many gamers consider Quantum Theory and Inversion to be Gears of War clones. Gears of War has set the standard for 3rd-person gaming for this generation.
Fallout 3 - Ever since Fallout 3 came out and became a big success, many other post-apocalyptic games have tried to emulate it's style and atmosphere. RAGE and Borderlands are the closest to having that "Fallout feel". You suddenly get dragged into a ravaged world and you must survive by looting and shooting bandits. It's a premise that's been done many times at this point.
The Elder Scrolls - The Elder Scrolls series has been the measuring stick for fantasy RPG's and epic landscaping. There wouldn't be a Fallout 3 or New Vegas without The Elder Scrolls. Item management, looting, character customization, and dialog choices are what set the Elder Scrolls apart from everything else.
Halo - Halo is the most influential for online gaming. Ever since the Halo: Combat Evolved days on the original Xbox, they changed the multiplayer genre and the video gaming industry to what it is today. Multiplayer gaming wouldn't be as big as it is now without the success of Halo.
Street Fighter IV - Fighting games were an irrelevant genre until Street Fighter IV came out. From there, fighting games became hot again. Tekken and Mortal Kombat followed suit by reinventing themselves like Street Fighter, making arcade fighting gaming and tournaments relevant again.
God of War - God of War is the top "Hack 'n Slash" franchise right now. The extreme violence and epic story of GoW inspired games like Dante's Inferno and Bayonetta. Devil May Cry may have made "Hack 'n Slash" action games a success, but for this generation, God of War brung it to the next level and has been a staple for Playstation.
Grand Theft Auto IV - GTA IV became even bigger and more controversial in this generation. Celebrities and musicians got more involved and helped GTA IV with the characters and music, and with GTA being the king of sandbox gaming, having the game take place in the most detailed NYC (Liberty City) ever created was logical and influential.
These are all I can think of for my list. Do you know any other games that have influenced and have made an impact in today's industry?
