Top 25 BEST Single Player Video Games of Each Year (2000-2024)

Few games epitomize the dawn of the 2000s like Deus Ex. A pioneer in player choice-driven gameplay, Deus Ex dropped players into a dystopian cyberpunk future overrun by evil corporations and a corrupt government led by shadowy entities like the Illuminati. Player character JC Denton’s abilities are fully customizable, allowing players to tailor their Denton to their preferred playstyle. The game offered near limitless opportunities and possibilities for players to complete missions. Whether diplomatically, stealthily, or guns blazing, the game allowed players to play the game the way they wanted. Although a bit dated by today’s standards and the voice acting was weak even upon release, Deus Ex remains one of the earliest examples of player freedom while also setting the bar for immersion at the dawn of the century.

Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear series helped create the stealth genre and his PS1 entry Metal Gear Solid put Solid Snake on every gamer’s soliton radar, making Metal Gear Solid 2 one of the most anticipated games on the PS2. And thankfully, MGS2 did not disappoint. The graphical leap was astounding for the time and the level of interactivity and impressive enemy AI was unprecedented. While there was initially quite a lot of discourse over the bait-and-switch with Solid Snake to Raiden early in the game, it didn’t detract from the overall experience that utilized the game’s stealth mechanics to perfection. MGS2 also set a new benchmark for cinematic storytelling in gaming, with the game’s cinematics and presentation rivaling a big blockbuster Hollywood production. Metal Gear Solid 2 has since become one of the PS2’s most important titles and Hideo Kojima’s predictions of future events and technology being eerily prophetic.

Rockstar not only redefined their own series but also created a genre of open world games no one was prepared for: the sandbox open world. And while GTA3 will always remain a classic, Vice City perfected the formula. Everything about the sequel was vastly improved. The story was much more engrossing, thanks in large part to the late Ray Liotta giving his all to Tommy Vercetti. The world was more interesting to explore and had more varied modes of transportation. And the Miami-inspired location of Vice City finally allowed the player to swim and use boats to navigate the many waterways. Vice City is dripping in 80s nostalgia aesthetic. From the Miami Vice-inspired clothing to the atmospheric licensed music and neon-soaked nightlife, Vice City perfectly recaptures the spirit of the 1980s. What Rockstar was able to produce only a year after their groundbreaking GTA3 was nothing short of remarkable.

There was no shortage of Star Wars games before Knights of the Old Republic, but none of those games offered players the opportunity to forge their own path and make the choice between the light and dark side. Set 4,000 years before the events of Episode 1, players begin their journey as a Jedi and through various choices must decide whether to remain on this path or join the Sith. Knights of the Old Republic allowed players to interact with a galaxy far, far away like never before in a multi-planet hopping adventure full of interesting quests, characters all with their own personalities and motivations, and countless easter eggs for longtime series fans. Combat might not be as flashy or impactful as the films or even other Star Wars games, but few if any other stories have had the same narrative impact on Star Wars outside of George Lucas’ movies.

For anyone who’s seen the recent anniversary documentary, they’ll know it’s a miracle Half-Life 2 was released at all. Half-Life revolutionized first person shooters with its innovative approach to storytelling, puzzles and combat, and while Half-Life 2 improved on all these and more, it also introduced something just as important: real-world physics. With puzzles and encounters specifically designed around the use of the players’ abilities to manipulate their environment thanks to the Gravity Gun, the dystopian world of Half-Life 2 felt more alive than any other shooter on the market. With a mind-bending storyline that takes Gordon Freeman to all corners of City 17 and beyond, Valve crafted every element of the game with the player’s enjoyment at its core, ensuring that exploration and combat never grew boring or monotonous. There’s a reason fans have been begging for a third entry in the series for two decades because nothing else plays like a Half-Life game.

The PS2 was the golden age for not only experimental games but also the reignited discussion of games as art. Shadow of the Colossus focuses on the lone journey of the character Wander, promised to a young girl named Mono should he slay the sixteen Colossi in the surrounding area. The expansive and open landscape was breathtaking, and every new Colossus was a jaw dropping spectacle. Whether they be towering skyscrapers or winged beasts, each was designed with impressive detail. Every Colossus was meticulously designed like a puzzle and the innovative climbing mechanics would be infinitely replicated and innovated upon in the decades since. No other game, even in the years since, has been able to replicate the emotional journey or the sense of scale of the game’s many Colossi and those long quiet rides between each confrontation, giving players time to reflect on their actions, remain some of the game’s most impactful moments.

The impact of Gears of War cannot be understated. Although not the first game to feature the use of a cover system, Gears of War undoubtedly made it the industry standard for third person shooters. The idea of “destroyed beauty” resonates throughout the world of Sera, ravaged by first human conflict and then the greater threat of the subterranean Locust horde was remarkably detailed, and the game remains just as impressive even today. The testosterone-fueled gameplay and themes of combat-forged brotherhood have remained at the core of the series and the game’s impressive cover-based combat is single-handedly responsible for the influx of cover shooters during the mid-2000s. Every tense encounter felt more visceral than ever before, with impeccable sound design, and fierce impactful gunplay that thanks to the ever-evolving terrain and enemy AI never grew stale no matter how many hordes of Locust Marcus and company faced down.
“Bioshock” (2007)
A spiritual successor to the equally impressive System Shock series, Ken Levine’s baby Bioshock sent shockwaves through the industry upon release. The tale of an underwater utopia fallen into ruin was incredibly unique and the Ayn Rand-inspired Andrew Ryan constantly monologuing about his dreams and ideals for Rapture chronicled a civilization destroyed by its own desire for progress. Roaming Big Daddies offered mini-boss fights coupled with the moral choice of whether to sacrifice the Little Sisters to further your own desire for power or be rewarded for your selflessness by saving them. With player choice at the heart of its gameplay, the dystopian underworld was wrought with memorable characters and constant narrative twists and turns that asked players “Would you kindly” replay the game immediately after the credits rolled to see every possible outcome.

The Fallout series quite literally wrote the book on narrative-driven apocalyptic role-playing games, and after being acquired by Bethesda, Fallout 3 brought the series to first person and mainstream attention. The deep lore of the Fallout universe was now fully realized and explorable as players emerged from their Vault into the irradiated wasteland of the greater D.C. area. Fallout 3 continued the franchise’s legacy of choice with players able to personalize their character with stats to fit their playstyle as well as the introduction of the VATS system which allowed players to target specific body parts and watch their destructive carnage in glorious slow-motion. The players’ actions directly influenced their karma, and these decisions would not only affect how other NPCs would interact with them but could sometimes alter the entire game world. The end of the world has never been so much damn fun.

Although Nathan Drake’s first adventure was solid enough, Among Thieves solidified the treasure hunter’s legacy alongside the likes of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft and allowed him to fully step out of the “Dude Raider” moniker. Everything about the sequel was cranked to eleven and improved upon. Combat was snappier, the cover system actually worked, improvements to the game’s trademark climbing and traversal became industry standard, the characters were more fleshed out and the overall narrative was tighter while also significantly upping the stakes. The set pieces were rivaled only by the Hollywood summer blockbusters that inspired the series and the more cinematic approach to the game’s story made it feel like an interactive popcorn flick. Uncharted 2 became one of the PS3’s most important games, changing not only the future of PlayStation but Naughty Dog as well and represented a significant shift to more cinematic storytelling in video games.

Bioware were one of the most prolific and influential western RPG developers in the 2000s and their expedition into the great unknown with the Mass Effect series and arguably one of their greatest creations is the franchise sequel Mass Effect 2. With the groundwork and lore already established, Bioware focused on the gameplay and implemented a more responsive combat system that allowed not only for player freedom but was also welcoming to newcomers focused solely on the game’s cover-based shooting mechanics. Player choice had a greater focus allowing players to fully customize their Shepard with their choices having a greater effect on the game’s karma system. New and returning characters were given greater depth and the player’s interactions with them affected the overall narrative, resulting in who lives or dies in the game’s final act. Mass Effect 2 represents the best of the role-playing genre as well as the developer at the height of their creativity.

Bethesda rejoins our list with their wildly influential Elder Scrolls series and arguably the developer’s magnum opus, Skyrim. There’s really no way to describe how it felt to be set loose in the world of Tamriel for the first time back in 2011. The world map is almost completely open for you to explore as much or as little as you wish, ducking in and out of the overarching narrative as you complete endless side quests and discover hidden areas full of unique encounters, weapons and gear. With countless ways to build and customize your character, even the usual Bethesda technical glitches couldn’t diminish the freedom players had in customizing their journey through the meticulously handcrafted world. It’s no wonder Bethesda keeps re-releasing the game, as only the possibility of The Elder Scrolls 6 has a chance of dethroning the almighty Dragonborn.

Telltale had been making player choice adventure games for almost a decade before they secured the license for the wildly popular Walking Dead franchise, but it was this first season that made them a household name in storytelling. Released over 5 episodes, Telltale’s story puts players in the role of Lee Everett at the start of the zombie outbreak and his struggles to keep his group of survivors, particularly the young Clementine, alive. Depending on the player’s decisions, numerous members of the group could be permanently killed off or turn on Lee and the rest of the survivors and choices made early on could have significant ramifications in later episodes. With wonderfully realized characters brought to life by incredible performances and a truly heartbreaking journey, if you weren’t in tears by the end of the season, then you were simply playing the game wrong.

Zombie outbreaks have been a staple of gaming since the earliest days, but few if any had been crafted in the way The Last of Us was. Marking a stark departure for Naughty Dog from their colorful platforming days and lighter-hearted Uncharted series, The Last of Us focused on the brutality of the end of the world in a way few games had ever dared. The story of Joel and Ellie was expertly crafted to realistically build their relationship over the course of the game, narrowly surviving encounters with the infected, or worse, the apocalypse’s survivors. The Last of Us’ cinematic presentation and characters managed to be both uplifting and heartbreaking, interspersed by moments of extreme tragedy and loss while crafting a hopeful future for two people lost in a world that was slowly dying around them. The Last of Us is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling and deserves every honor it was awarded.

Die-hard South Park fans have had to suffer through quite a few terrible adaptations of the beloved and raunchy comedy series, and it took the combination of Obsidian and Matt Stone and Trey Parker being directly involved to give us one of the best adaptations of the quiet little mountain town. However, the Stick of Truth couldn’t be a simple RPG with our favorite foul-mouthed kids and naturally lambasted all the typical RPG tropes the genre has become synonymous with to great and oftentimes hilarious effect despite making use of them for the game’s surprisingly solid combat. With countless references and in jokes for long-time fans, players got to explore almost the entirety of South Park and even travel to an 8-bit rendition of Canada all recreated wonderfully in the series’ classic art style. The Stick of Truth feels like a long-lost episode of the show fans get to take part in.

Adapted from the long running series of novels, few had even heard of The Witcher or known there were already two entries in the series by the time Wild Hunt was revealed. Offering players the chance to jump into a standalone adventure with Geralt, The Witcher 3 was not only a great jumping on point for newcomers but also gave the series and its developer CD Projekt Red mainstream attention. The world of the Witcher was jaw-droppingly detailed with players able to lose countless hours just exploring the world and stumbling onto some of the game’s many brilliant side quests naturally, giving the entire game a sense this was a living, breathing place. With deep, customizable combat and an incredibly engaging narrative, The Witcher 3 is not only one of the best RPGs ever made, but one of the most influential and well-crafted games of the generation.

The Persona series has long been a fan favorite for JRPG fans with Persona 3 and 4 being ranked among some of the best in the genre, but the fifth entry is arguably the series at its peak. Everything about Persona 5 is dripping with style and personality, from the many characters you interact with, to the battle system, the many creatures you encounter, and even the damn menus flashing in your face like an interactive anime or a playable manga. Balancing your day-to-day life attending classes, maintaining a job and the numerous possible romance options makes Persona feel like a second life sim, and that’s all before players dive into the supernatural Metaverse. The world of Persona 5 is so exciting and engaging that it’s easy to get lost in the balance of everyday life and dungeon crawling and it’s no wonder there have been multiple spin-offs based on this game’s universe.

The Legend of Zelda series is one of the longest running and most respected franchises in the industry and has long been one of the leading innovators in video games. And with Breath of the Wild, Nintendo not only rewrote their own playbook for Zelda games, but also once again revolutionized the action-adventure genre. Giving players an unprecedented level of freedom, players could explore Hyrule and its many secrets or head straight for the final boss after acquiring their paraglider and the game allowed them to do so. Rather than hold the player’s hand with countless icons or markers, Nintendo allowed players to forge their own path through the game and gave them a level of experimentation that was unheard of. The game’s physics allowed for multiple solutions to not only the game’s many shrines but also combat, with the game allowing for a nearly completely customizable experience.

While fans were begging for a sequel to Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar took things back even further and gave fans a prequel, framing the events that led to John Marston’s hunt for the Van Der Linde Gang. The Wild West Rockstar created for Red Dead 2 was unlike anything the studio had crafted before. With hundreds if not thousands of possible NPC interactions and a living breathing western frontier for players to explore, Rockstar fundamentally changed the open world formula once again, crafting a world so immersive and incredibly detailed and realistic, you could almost live there. Rather than focus on John, players were put in the boots of Arthur Morgan and given the choice of whether to redeem this outlaw through their actions and choices in one of the most expertly crafted stories in all of gaming, and possibly of all time.

The genre of “role playing games” has a fairly loose definition these days, but few if any have managed to capture the essence of a true role-playing experience as Disco Elysium. With player choice instrumental to its narrative, the overarching plot of a murder investigation is more of a framing device for players to craft their own story with every one of their choices impacting the experience right down to the smallest detail. With the voices in the protagonists’ head reacting to and encouraging the player’s actions, the options to craft your own character are near limitless. The surrealist painterly world of Elysium is overflowing with personality, both from the city itself and the many people who call the port city home. Relying heavily on the traditional D&D rules and RNG, the game almost discourages combat entirely, wanting players instead to focus on the many dialogue options available to them.

Sucker Punch is no stranger to open worlds or stealth games, but what they managed to create with Ghost of Tsushima not only set a new bar for open world games but gave the PS4 arguably its greatest first party exclusive. The island of Tsushima is jaw droppingly gorgeous with each new area more breath-taking than the last and the game’s mix of stealth and sword focused combat is pitch perfect as players defend the island against the invading Mongols. The addition of the “Guiding Wind” might be one of the greatest new additions to the open world genre, completely foregoing the over-usage of map makers and icons. The moral struggle of protagonist Jin Sakai is a relatable and emotional journey directly impacted by the player’s choices. Sucker Punch sought to recreate the iconic films of Akira Kurosawa and in turn crafted a story that can stand alongside those classics.

Sony might not have a lot of PS5 exclusive titles so far this generation but Reteurnal manages to stand out from the growing catalog with its twisting and mind-bending narrative, tough but fair bullet hell shooter mechanics, and some of the most inventive use of the DualSense’s haptic feedback this generation. Developed by Housemarque, most well known for their Stardust series and the PS4’s standout launch title Resogun, the developer took their solid shoot ‘em up mechanics and dropped players onto a mysterious and ravaged world, daring them to survive its cycle of live, die, repeat and complex roguelike mechanics. The game remains a standout from Sony’s other PS5 releases interweaving its complex and emotional storyline into the gameplay, begging players to return for just one more run to uncover more of Atropos’ secrets and how they connect to protagonist Selene. We promise you are not ready for this one.
“Elden Ring” (2022)
FromSoftware had thoroughly established themselves as one of the best developers in the industry with the Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro series, but for Elden Ring, they managed to craft what is arguably their greatest masterpiece, so far. The world of The Lands Between is absolutely begging players to explore it from the second they take their first steps off the elevator, full of dungeons, caves, hidden and not so hidden bosses and some of the developers’ deepest and most interesting lore crafted by Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin. The traditional Souls formula was more approachable than ever, offering players a wealth of options to create their ultimate build while still crushing overconfident players at every turn. FromSoft continues to be the masters of their craft and Elden Ring is without question one of the developer’s greatest creations.

Despite the hundreds of Dungeons and Dragons adaptations over the years, NONE have managed to fully and completely capture the true chaos of a true D&D session the way BG3 does. Almost anything you can imagine is possible within the game. Set up explosive barrels before a tough boss fight, blow up the bridge before an enemy can cross it, kick a squirrel, basically if you can imagine it, the game will not only allow it but adapt to it as well. Alongside an incredible narrative collecting all this madness together, with numerous romanceable companions and an incredibly detailed world and battle system, it’s all too easy to lose dozens of hours getting constantly distracted and still barely scratch the surface of what Baldur’s Gate 3 offers players. The thousands of possible variations on the game’s ending means every single choice matters, and gives the game near limitless replayability.

Fans had been begging for a remake of Final Fantasy 7 ever since the PS3 tech demo in 2005 and players finally got their wish in 2020. While that game only covered the Midgard section of the game, the second in the planned trilogy gave players the true Final Fantasy 7 experience they always wanted. With wide open areas to explore filled to the brim with additional content and hidden secrets and quests, Rebirth is a complete Final Fantasy experience despite only being the middle chapter. Fan favorite areas and characters are lovingly recreated with brilliant detail and the expanded scope of the sequel allowed players to experience even more of Final Fantasy 7’s incredible world than they could have hoped for. With all of this in what is technically only the middle chapter, we can’t even imagine the scale the devs at Square will manage to create for the final entry.

What are some of your picks for the best single player games of the century? Did we miss your favorites? Share your picks in the comments.