Top 20 Defining Video Game Moments of the Last Decade

“Horizon Zero Dawn” (2017)

Horizon was probably the most fun you could have with a bow and arrow this decade, but it had a surprisingly complex story as well. Prior to this scene, we had seen old logs and recordings about how “Project: Zero Dawn” was a devastating superweapon used as a last ditch effort to wipe out an army of killer robots. In actuality, Aloy learns that it was a desperate government project to ensure life on Earth can start again after it’s inevitably been wiped out by the Faro Plague machines. This tragic story of the last humans preparing for a new world they would never see, it changed everything we thought about the game. And it’s a lot to take in as well.

“Celeste” (2018)

Celeste revolved around the epic journey of climbing Mount Celeste and confronting Madeline’s inner demons, battling her panic attacks & depression. It was a tumultuous journey that nearly cost the unprepared woman her life, and made her accept who she is. So when she finally starts working with her darker side; the final ascent up the mountain had to be memorable. Checkpoint flags begin appearing in descending order, counting down and providing landmarks for your final ascent. The music begins to fade out around the last checkpoint, creating a tangible sense of anticipation that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you take your final leaps up to the summit.

“Portal 2” (2011)

Portal 2 has you utilizing all sorts of strange and unique environments, but it’s the last fight in the game that truly breaks the boundaries of imagination. At the climax of the final battle with Wheatley, the laboratory is crumbling due to his stupidity, and a full moon appears through the wreckage. The chance to shoot a portal to the moon, and subsequently witness the lunar lander while holding on for dear life, what a truly jaw-dropping moment!

“NeiR: Automata” (2017)

NieR: Automata is not structured like your conventional game, Requiring the player to get attached to lead characters 2B and 9S, by playing the initial campaign twice through both their perspectives. That’s what made this moment even more shocking, while killing the game’s protagonist has been done many times before, the fact that this happened early within the game’s 3rd Act caught us completely off guard. After 2B dies she tasks A2 with continuing on in her stead, but the mercy kill is misinterpreted by an infuriated 9S. To kill off a lovable main character 2 thirds of the way into the game? Talk about taking a major risk.

“Bayonetta 2” (2014)

When we talk about the most epic fights in video games, how could we not mention Bayonetta? When she first meets the Masked Lumen. It starts out like any normal fight on ground level, but then things ramp up into a chaotic slugfest with their gigantic kaijus fighting over a bed of lava in the background. Then it grows even more epic as their angels and demons start fighting over an entire cityscape with the player battling alongside them. And let me remind you: THIS IS HOW THESE TWO FIRST MEET! A perfect embodiment of “Boy, That Escalated Quickly!” (Insert Anchorman Scene)

“Undertale” (2015)

On the subject of epic fights, Undertale provided yet another memorable encounter - but only in a Genocide run. The Sans fight was notoriously difficult but also the definition of “hype.” When the battle starts and Megalovania drops in the background, with the subtext “You feel like you’re going to have a bad time,” players know that things are about to get hectic. Sans, and the incredible battle theme “Megalovania” are probably the two most well-known aspects of Undertale, and this scene combines both into one epic boss fight. Not to mention one of the hardest of the decade too.

“P.T.” (2014)

P.T. revolutionized the horror genre despite it being only a teaser. It provided one of the scariest experiences in gaming of the last decade, in part because it was so unsettling. This unsettling feeling culminated in the sink baby scene, where there’s a deformed fetus squirming in the bathroom sink amidst bloodstains. Its cries were haunting and it helped set the tone for the rest of the game, which was basically: “What the hell is happening? I’m scared.” Of course it just got more unsettling, the more you came across it.

“Telltale’s The Walking Dead” (2012)

The Walking Dead was one of the most engaging story-driven games of the last decade because every decision was your decision. Lee and Clementine formed a strong bond during their time together, which made the final choice of season 1 all that more difficult. With Lee bitten; his fate is sealed and now has given the young Clem one last step of guidance; Do you make Clementine shoot her father figure to put him out of his misery, or do you leave the man you loved to turn into what you hate? No matter what players picked, there was hardly a dry eye after this ending.

“God of War” (2018)

The whole game up to this point had been about Kratos trying to start over in a new life with his son Atreus in the Nordic Realm. But when Atreus falls ill, Kratos must travel to the Nordic afterlife; Helheim to save him, yet this path is met with a grim reality; 07:25 “Your Frost axe will be useless, you’ll need to find something else” “Then I must return home, to dig up a past I swore would stay buried”] As you somberly travel under a blood-red sky, Kratos’ contemplation of his past culminates in the appearance of the ghost of Athena, all leading up to the reveal of the franchise’s classic weapons. The blades also marked a major change to the combat system too, as Kratos now had access to the moves he had in the classic God of War trilogy, and it was awesome. The PS trophy title says it all.

“Mass Effect 2” (2010)

Mass Effect 2’s final mission remains one of the greatest climaxes in all of gaming. Everything depends entirely on your preparation alone, and the complexity of the choices remains astounding. If you haven’t prepped the Normandy correctly or send a crew member to do a task they’re not cut out for, someone can die. If you lose everyone, you’ll die too. It serves as the ultimate final task and perfect closure to this incredible space opera. If only the rest of the series could follow suit.

“Resident Evil 2” (2019)

Those who played the original Resident Evil 2 might remember the recurring boss battle with this behemoth, but the remake made him something even more terrifying. Now, he would not stop stalking the player around the police station, and making the slightest of noise would draw him to your location. The pounding of his heavy footsteps as he stomps towards you, or him suddenly bursting through a door is absolutely heartstopping, and the last thing you want is to be trapped in a corner. Mr. X stole the show of the remake and made the game terrifying all over again.

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

Of all the ways one could have started this long awaited 3rd entry, we certainly weren’t expecting this; Introducing Geralt lounging naked in a bathtub. The seemingly innocuous scene sent fans into a frenzy and even became a popular meme online. Even the live-action show on Netflix referenced the meme. There isn’t much to say about this scene, but there is a lot to look at. It may not be the most eventful moment, but it is the most memorable of the series.

“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)

Red Dead Redemption 2 was full of memorable moments, including Arthur showing his vulnerable side and admitting he’s terrified of his tuberculosis. The most defining moment of the series comes at the end of the original redemption, however. Trapped inside a barn by the law he helped the entire game, players are faced with a last stand situation with no chance of survival. Deadeye activates for John Marston’s last time so you can take as many of them with you as possible. After this moment of devastating shock however, came the ultimate form of vengeance from John’s son Jack.

“Assassin’s Creed: Revelations” (2011)

While Revelations might not be the strongest “Assassin’s Creed” title, it does house some of the franchises incredible moments. Since Altair, Ezio & Desmond all lived in different time periods, the chances of them crossing paths was thought impossible, but Ezio defied all this, by finding his ancestor Altair’s corpse in his own desolate library, and gets the opportunity to witness his final moments through a precursor artifact. Shortly after, he manages to speak to his descendant Desmond Miles, bypassing hundreds of years of separation. This ending was surprising, groundbreaking, and mind-blowing. Imagine meeting your descendants hundreds of years from now. What would you tell them?

“Fortnite” (2017)

Love it or hate it, Fornite has completely redefined video gaming culture. While it didn’t create the Battle Royale genre, it’s overwhelming impact on mainstream pop culture was influential it was able to create news headlining events, and it all started by having a Marshmallo Concert live and in-game. It felt like playing the future. It completely changed the way that pop culture can influence games and brought about an era of in-game events from various series, including a Thanos experience and later a Star Wars one.

“Super Mario Odyssey” (2017)

The fact that Mario has continued to be a pop culture mainstay for 4 decades now, speaks volumes about his legacy. And this celebration in New Donk City serves as an incredible tribute to his name. It’s a blast through the past as you take control of retro Mario and run through various 2d side-scrolling levels while a concert plays in the background. Mario even gets to relive his origin story as Jumpman as he leaps over barrels comes face to face with a surprise cameo appearance from Donkey Kong. And all to the sound of one of the catchiest songs to come out of gaming this last decade.

“Dark Souls” series (2011-16)

Dark Souls had an immense impact on future games, as its challenging combat system was implemented into many franchises to come. One of the most iconic lines, however, happened when you were killed. The blatant “You Died” screen infuriated and humored players so much so, that it became a massive meme, finding its way into pop culture. Yet it showed us all that immense satisfaction can come from challenge. So no matter how many we saw these 7 letters, we were just as eager to try again.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

You can’t talk about a decade of gaming without mentioning “Grand Theft Auto”, and you can’t talk about “Grand Theft Auto” without mentioning the controversy it causes with every major release. Determined to find the infamous Mr. K, your job is to get the suspect to talk… by any means necessary. Not only can you choose which torture devices to use, but you also have to monitor his heart rate to make sure you don’t accidentally kill him while torturing him. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it continues to show that Rockstar is eager to push the boundaries further, than other developers out there.

“The Last Of Us” (2013)

There is a very good reason why so many gamers continue to talk about “The Last Of Us” and this scene is just one of many examples. Having seen Joel and Ellie’s relationship flourish over the course of the game, Joel has a moral dilemma: save Ellie, or sacrifice her at the slim chance of a world saving vaccine. Joel instead chooses Ellie and proceeds to kill the Fireflies, only to be confronted by Ellie afterward. Ellie asking Joel to swear that he’s telling the truth was extremely hard to watch, and his answer was even more so. And to this day everyone continues to debate whether or not Joel did the right thing.

Before we hit our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions

Nathan & Elena Drake Settle Down
“Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” (2016)

Master Chief Say Goodbye to Cortana
“Halo 4” (2011)

Dom’s Sacrifice
“Gears of War 3” (2011)

Mipha Reunites with Link
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

Running out of Power
“Five Nights At Freddy’s” (2014)

Every moment, we’ve seen on this list has been part of an embodiment of their franchise, moments that define how these games are perceived and what we remember most about them. So for choosing #1, we couldn’t just choose a memorable moment from a popular franchise, because so many of these franchises are popular. Who’s to say the most popular deserves to be the most defining moment? No instead we had to look deeper, we had to look for a moment that wasn’t just defining, but left an impact outside the world of gaming, and there was one scene throughout all of gaming that did just that.

“Spec Ops: The Line” (2012)

It was one of the most surprising and brutal scenes in gaming, ever. There are plenty of war games, but none that make you face the gravity of your decisions like this. Both heartbreaking and jaw-dropping, players are forced to walk through the disfigured bodies of soldiers they had just bombed with white phosphorus - and on a civilian camp. Not only did this leave gamers with a haunting scene they would never forget, but it also made them aware of the devastating consequences of this not so well known real life weapon. If you weren’t talking about White Phosphorus after playing, you weren’t paying attention.