Top 25 Games of the Decade (2000-2009) – Day 22

Top 25 Games of the Decade
(2000-2009) – #4

GameZone celebrates the end of a
glorious decade of gaming

The end of
the decade is upon us and it’s time to revisit the landscape of gaming that
began in 2000 with the launching of the PlayStation 2 and is now ending in 2009
with three viable console platforms in the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.

Over the
next 25 days, GameZone will be bringing our readers the “Top 25 Games of the
Decade.” Considering how many games released in the past ten years, it was an
exhausting process to narrow down our initial list of more than 200 games to the
top 25.

Factors that
played a large part for titles that made the cut included: initial impact,
lasting impact, longevity, “standing the test of time”, popularity, advancements
in the genre, and much more.  It wasn’t easy picking and choosing between our
favorite children, but we feel the games that made our list are representative
of the decade that was.

#4
Deus Ex (2000)

Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Ion Storm
Platforms: PC, PS2 (2002)


GameZone Review: 9.0

Blending genres, Deus Ex was a
mesmerizing title that delivered so many innovations that the rest of the
industry took almost the entire decade playing catch up.

Calling attention to the choices
that the players make, Deus Ex was much more than a game – it was about
providing a world of possibilities. With many possible solutions presented to
the player, Deus Ex had enough replay value to supply several titles. The level
of freedom compelled players to return for multiple playthroughs.

Emphasizing a concern for
intelligent dialogue and a narrative worth playing through, Deus Ex was always
in the mood for giving. It gave and it gave and it gave till the point it never
stopped giving.

Combining a first-person shooter
with a role-playing game, Deus Ex broke the ground for mixing and matching the
best features of each genre. Having 11 different areas to customize their
character, the player was able to determine the results for each and every
playthrough.

Exploring the wide open environments
was a pure joy that every gamer needs to experience for themselves. We can only
pray that the third entry in the series lives up to the lofty expectations that
the original set for hybrid gaming.

“Deus Ex is compelling, great to
look at, and a whole lot of fun to play,” Michael Lafferty,

GameZone.

Previously announced …

#25 –
Shenmue II. Find
the story

here.
#24 –
Counter-Strike. Find the story
here.
#23 – Gears of
War. Find the story
here.

#22 – Guitar
Hero. Find the story
here.

#21 – The Elder
Scrolls III: Morrowind. Find the story
here.
#20 – Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. Find the story
here.
#19 – Final Fantasy X. See the story
here.
#18 – Ico. See the story
here.
#17 – Bioshock. See the story
here.
#16 – The Sims. See the story
here.
#15 – Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. See the story
here.
#14 – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. See the story
here.
#13 – Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. See the story
here.
#12 – Super Mario Galaxy. See the story
here.
#11 – Halo: Combat Evolved. See the story
here.
#10 – Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. See the story
here.
#9
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. See the story
here.
#8
Metroid Prime (2002). See the story
here.
#7
God of War (2005). See the story

here.
#6
Half-Life 2 (2004). See the story
here.
5
Diablo II (2000). See the story
here.

*  *  *

Whether playing with friends or a
stranger, our #3 Game of the Decade opened up gaming to so many new
demographics.