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[Gaborn]

Good points, but here I disagree.

It's become blindingly obvious that portable gaming is going to be dominated by the model that iOS and android are pioneering, and Sony is positioning the Vita to go after that market, and hard- where nintendo isn't.

Look at the philosophy with game distribution: Sony pushed hard for day one digital downloads on all games (where they didn't with the PSPgo), and is discounting them over retail. Keep in mind also that PSN has been developed substantially since the PS3 launched and is FULL of games playable on Vita *and* PS3, and available cheaply. Hell, Playstation Plus doles out games for *free* monthly, as long as you keep up the subscription- if you don't think that program was developed with an eye towards the $.99 games flooding the app store and android market, you're taking crazy pills.

The hardware is impressive, but there's a lot going on with the distribution and ecosystem that's been tooled specifically to compete with smartphones, and it's not just "more of the same".

From an interface perspective I agree, Sony's digital distribution capabilities are impressive.

However, as always the ultimate decider is software and I think there is still too much of an attempt by Sony simply to put their franchises in their core form on a portable platform. It's a bad case of console-itis. In a sense it's the same thing Sega did with the Nomad, only in a much more modern and practical form.

I don't necessarily mean that negatively either, the hardware is BEASTLY. It's just that I'm not sure it has the type of software geared specifically to appeal to portable gaming. Sony did great building a niche in the DS market because the PSP was inherently disruptive (as was the DS in different ways). The PSP went high end and it worked beautifully for them. Vita is also high end but it doesn't do anything really to change the established dynamic. The PSP was harmed because it was easy to pirate, but I also think it had the sense that it was trying to be a portable CONSOLE rather than a portable GAME system. They're different markets with different needs and tastes.

 

[Manmademan]

From an interface perspective I agree, Sony's digital distribution capabilities are impressive.

However, as always the ultimate decider is software and I think there is still too much of an attempt by Sony simply to put their franchises in their core form on a portable platform. It's a bad case of console-itis. In a sense it's the same thing Sega did with the Nomad, only in a much more modern and practical form.

I don't necessarily mean that negatively either, the hardware is BEASTLY. It's just that I'm not sure it has the type of software geared specifically to appeal to portable gaming. Sony did great building a niche in the DS market because the PSP was inherently disruptive (as was the DS in different ways). The PSP went high end and it worked beautifully for them. Vita is also high end but it doesn't do anything really to change the established dynamic. The PSP was harmed because it was easy to pirate, but I also think it had the sense that it was trying to be a portable CONSOLE rather than a portable GAME system. They're different markets with different needs and tastes.

And here I disagree again. The PSP was a scaled down PS2 in every sense of the word (minus a second analog, which fans demanded and got with the Vita.)

Games were only available at retail, at retail prices, and sony completely missed the boat with touchscreen gaming. As a device I'm amazed it sold as well as it did when literally every other device on the market contained a touch interface EXCEPT the PSP.

With the Vita sony knows who it's competition is. Not only does it include a touch interface (obviously) but includes a rear touchpad to allow touch controls without obscuring the screen. What kind of games are selling on iOS? cheap, quick games like angry birds and plants vs. zombies. Sony Built up PSN with minis and other similar games *exclusive to the platform* to attract gamers that appreciate these- and those games are going to be there, day 1 at launch in droves.

Hardcore gamers are always going to look at the hardware, and Sony has it in spades here. The Vita is a hardcore gamer's dream. However, this next handheld gen is going be decided on where the casuals go, and the network, not the hardware, is going to be the deciding factor here.

In terms of "more of the same", when we look at PSN, Sony most certainly knows who it's competition is. Can we say the same about Nintendo and the 3DS? I don't think we can.

 

[Gaborn]

And here I disagree again. The PSP was a scaled down PS2 in every sense of the word (minus a second analog, which fans demanded and got with the Vita.)

Games were only available at retail, at retail prices, and sony completely missed the boat with touchscreen gaming. As a device I'm amazed it sold as well as it did when literally every other device on the market contained a touch interface EXCEPT the PSP.

With the Vita sony knows who it's competition is. Not only does it include a touch interface (obviously) but includes a rear touchpad to allow touch controls without obscuring the screen. What kind of games are selling on iOS? cheap, quick games like angry birds and plants vs. zombies. Sony Built up PSN with minis and other similar games *exclusive to the platform* to attract gamers that appreciate these- and those games are going to be there, day 1 at launch in droves.

Hardcore gamers are always going to look at the hardware, and Sony has it in spades here. The Vita is a hardcore gamer's dream. However, this next handheld gen is going be decided on where the casuals go, and the network, not the hardware, is going to be the deciding factor here.

In terms of "more of the same", when we look at PSN, Sony most certainly knows who it's competition is. Can we say the same about Nintendo and the 3DS? I don't think we can.

While this is a good point I think you (and possibly Sony) are overestimating how much the Vita and 3DS are directly competing with iOs. It's true that people are buying a game like Angry Birds in droves, just as it is true that on PC flash games have grown increasingly popular and complex in their own right.

But that is not all there is to a handheld game I think. You have to understand first of all what a consumer is perceiving here. To an extent I think there is a market disconnect between the Vita/3DS and gaming on smart phones. True they're both intent to basically be portable but with the 3DS especially and Vita in consumer perception you're buying it specifically to play games. It's a dedicated gaming system and so the standards are different, the quality is different, and the types of software that works is different compared to, say, the iPad.

I'm not saying Sony shouldn't try to enter into that market with some cheaper games, it's as good a source of revenue as any, but if you're paying $250 for a game system you're probably looking for something of a slightly higher quality than Angry Birds. Essentially the strategy you're suggesting from my perspective leaves Sony sort of trapped between two worlds, they want Vita to act like a mini PS3, but they also want it to act like an iPad without the bells and whistles THAT has and yet it's certainly not a PS3 and it can't compete with the iPad either.

What Sony really should do in my view is develop a new franchise, possibly a puzzle game of some sort, something that has a little depth to it that works for handhelds and push it on the market. Nintendo wasn't the first to develop Tetris of course, but think how important that game was for the Game Boy's success. I don't think Sony has shown us any compelling software for Vita that is going to drive significant increases in hardware sales. I'm not saying it's not coming but I haven't seen it yet.

 

[BrettHD]

Red Dead Redemption + Demons Souls + Dark Souls = best generation ever.

 

[bengraven]

The last couple have let me down.

Don't get me wrong: I've had some amazing experiences and some of my favorite games of all time came out in the last decade. But the innovation outside of graphics and sound were very minimal, mostly in the big AAA games. For the most part we're getting the same games with better graphics and some improvements.

If anything, the indie scene has been keeping my interest in gaming alive.

 

[we.are.the.armada]

Red Dead Redemption + Demons Souls + Dark Souls = best generation ever.

+GTAIV +Valkyria Chronicles +Street Fighter 4

And if PC is included:

+Witcher 2 +StarCraft 2

Ah yeah baby, very good generation indeed. Not a let down at all.

 

[GoofsterStud]

I am so glad I started this thread:

Do to a message I got, I bought the PlayStation Move to give FPS a try again. Hopefully it'll enhance the experience for me. Might end up like on rail shooters, I can't stand playing those with the joystick, give me a gun and I'm good to go.

Also Red Dead Redemption is a game I overlooked due to not being a fan of Westerns. With all your suggestions I got a copy today when I picked up the 59.99 PS3 Move Mayhem set.

Also have Chibi Robo on my backup for a retro fix.

While I still feel let down this generation. I'm going to give games and move a shot. At least you guys gave me a bunch of ideas to try to get the magic for this generation.

Wish me luck!

 

[TheTowel]

I am so glad I started this thread:

Do to a message I got, I bought the PlayStation Move to give FPS a try again. Hopefully it'll enhance the experience for me. Might end up like on rail shooters, I can't stand playing those with the joystick, give me a gun and I'm good to go.

Also Red Dead Redemption is a game I overlooked due to not being a fan of Westerns. With all your suggestions I got a copy today when I picked up the 59.99 PS3 Move Mayhem set.

Also have Chibi Robo on my backup for a retro fix.

While I still feel let down this generation. I'm going to give games and move a shot. At least you guys gave me a bunch of ideas to try to get the magic for this generation.

Wish me luck!

Enjoy RDR. Best game of the generation.

 

[Reuenthal]

Not at all, it is my favorite generation.

 

[test_account]

Publishers stifle innovation, unless it's a surefire way to sell, which pretty much means it's included in a package that's already proven itself before

I wouldnt say that this is the case if we talk about publishers in general. It is not like we havnt seen any innovation in games during i.e the last 10 years. And there are many games that have bombed this generation, so nothing is a surefire way to sell (well, besides the obvious stuff like Call of Duty and Mario games etc. ).

It is true that some publishers might take less risks in making something completely "crazy" though, but i think that goes for pretty much everyone. I dont think that there are many people who are willing use millions of dollars on something that has a huge risk of failing.

Sure, I won't deny it's impossible to have this on a grand independent scale right now, but on the other hand it's definitely possible for companies to grow into this with their own assets that they can use to fund

Other than that, you'll mostly see Uncharted type of production value in Uncharted type of games

Yeah, that is possible. But if/when this happen, i dont think it will be much different than how it is today to be honest. As i mentioned above here, i dont think many are willing to use a huge amount of money on something that has a relatively big chance of failing.

Personally i see nothing wrong with today's publishers. They provide people work and they also make it possible for big production value games to be made. There have been made a lot of great games in this generation, in my opinion, so i dont feel that i'm missing much. And then on top of all of this, there is also the indie games, so we have much to chose from

 

[RobotMafia]

Compared to last gen it is, I would say. But then again maybe I just love the Dreamcast and PS2 too much.

 

[jj984jj]

Somewhat, by comparison. I think it's only going to get worse in most respects. There will never be another PS2.

 

[ScepticMatt]

Not on PC for me.

 

[joeygreco1985]

I feel like this generation has been the best. It doesn't feel stale at all due to the constant upgrading of the Xbox 360 dashboard and features, and the number of quality titles has been great. No complaints at all here.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I usually just play on what ever the default setting is. Usually normal, although with re3 I remember the choices were easy and hard and I picked Hard. With games like Dead Space I guess I'll just have to up the difficulty to get that feeling. Someone posted this picture awhile back. I don't know where I saw it first but I always thought it did a pretty good job of showing the difference between the two genres.

I appreciate the work put into the picture, and it's true that horror games these days generally tend to be more action oriented, but I think there's a difference between "I am disappointing because I don't like the direction a genre is headed in" versus "I am disappointed because the genre doesn't exist anymore". When Myst got popular, fans of 2D point-and-click adventure games complained that Myst-alikes were taking over.

That's a separate complaint to the post-Grim Fandango death of adventure games and someone complaining "There are no adventure games".

I mean, I don't particularly like the way multiplayer FPS games are going in terms of loadouts, perks, killstreets, unlocks. I'm a fan of the good old fashioned "memorize the map, learn where the weapon drops are, and get good at aiming in a hurry" style multiplayer stuff. So these days I don't play a whole lot of multiplayer because the emphasis has shifted. But I'm not going to say "This gen sucks, competitive FPS is in decline".

I hope this explains how I would distinguish between the complaints about dead genres, and the complaints about game design changing.

 

[Castef]

This gen is probably my favorite generation ever, and I've been playing since the NES days.

So many games that I've played and loved. Only possible challenge to it for me is the PS1 era.

Yup, I agree.

- Tons of games from various genres
- New emerging genres
- Variety of platforms
- Lots and lots of chances to grab games at a very low price
- PSN, Wiiware and XBLA = lots of good games
- Extreme longevity of the generation
- Lots of innovations (structured online gaming, achievements, motion gaming along with traditional joypads...)

Most probably the best videogame generation ever.

 

[plagiarize]

I appreciate the work put into the picture, and it's true that horror games these days generally tend to be more action oriented, but I think there's a difference between "I am disappointing because I don't like the direction a genre is headed in" versus "I am disappointed because the genre doesn't exist anymore". When Myst got popular, fans of 2D point-and-click adventure games complained that Myst-alikes were taking over.

That's a separate complaint to the post-Grim Fandango death of adventure games and someone complaining "There are no adventure games".

I mean, I don't particularly like the way multiplayer FPS games are going in terms of loadouts, perks, killstreets, unlocks. I'm a fan of the good old fashioned "memorize the map, learn where the weapon drops are, and get good at aiming in a hurry" style multiplayer stuff. So these days I don't play a whole lot of multiplayer because the emphasis has shifted. But I'm not going to say "This gen sucks, competitive FPS is in decline".

I hope this explains how I would distinguish between the complaints about dead genres, and the complaints about game design changing.

i still think that picture tries to hard to paint a 'this gen vs last gen' picture. there's no doubt that things have changed, but in no way shape or form does Condemned fit with the games on the left side of that picture. modern Alone in the Dark was a let down, but it wasn't action horror with the characteristics listed below it.

Condemned ticks almost every single box from the left side of that infographic. maybe they just wanted to line up the columns?

 

[marrec]

Yup, I agree.

- Tons of games from various genres
- New emerging genres
- Variety of platforms
- Lots and lots of chances to grab games at a very low price
- PSN, Wiiware and XBLA = lots of good games
- Extreme longevity of the generation
- Lots of innovations (structured online gaming, achievements, motion gaming along with traditional joypads...)

Most probably the best videogame generation ever.

I agree, people also tend to forget that with the innovations brought by X-Box Live and Steam come a better way for people to distribute indie games. The mobile platform has never been more rich and varied either.

 

[LuchaShaq]

No this has been my favorite generation by far in terms of games. Between HD and the Genesis/Snes era most "classics" I would argue were and still are overrated rubbish that are romanticized by the people who grew up in that time.

It's telling that looking back most great snes games hold up but all but the top 5% of the Ps2/Xbox era looks and plays like complete shit now.


XBLA and Steam sales alone would be enough to make this the best generation.



Also with shit like online passes making me not buy games new/gamefly/redbox I'm spending maybe 25% as much as I used to on games, but playing MORE.


My biggest dissapointment this gen has been that Nintendo has made so few games I care about, and many of those they hamstrung with forced in waggle that is just annoying enough for me to choose something else to play since I have more options now. (mario galaxy1-2+ Donky Kong Returns for example).

 

[J-Rzez]

I actually enjoyed this "gen" of games. Though I have found myself switching to 60/40 in favor of PC gaming, and as this gen continues on to drag it's feet with outdated hardware, that'll probably increase in favor of PC gaming. And that's about my only complaint, this gen's console hardware is beat. "Next gen" I'll probably put even more money into cutting edge PC hardwares, and probably only buy one console as long as Sony doesn't screw it up because I do really enjoy their exclusives which you can't get on PC.

 

[Host Samurai]

I would say disappointing on a whole.

-Great series from last generation are absent
-Games are a lot more streamlined
-Shorter single player experiences
-Japanese home console gaming is on a decline
-Disappointing outings from last generation series like DMC,MGS,GTA,RE etc

 

[Manmademan]

It's telling that looking back most great snes games hold up but all but the top 5% of the Ps2/Xbox era looks and plays like complete shit now.

And this right here is just absolutely, positively, 100% false and nonsensical.

There's nothing wrong with the gameplay of the majority of ps2/Xbox games. The current trend of HD remasters for current gen consoles bears this out.

on the other hand, what percentage of SNES games do you actually think were "great"? There was a lot of terrible shit on the 16 bit consoles that no one can be bothered to remember. For every mario there were 6 bubsy's, for every final fantasy, there were 3 Drakkhens.

 

[kittoo]

This generation has been nothing short of amazing for me. There were absolutely so many games of so many types!
There were simply so many games that gave me so much fun, and I still have an absolutely huge backlog of games, all of which I want to play.
This generation gave me Demon's Souls, Uncharted series, CoD4, Resistance series, Oblivion, The Witcher series, Enslaved, Silent hill shattered memories, Killzone series, Dead space series, Bulletstorm, Mass effect series, Crysis, STALKER, Red Dead Redemption, Rainbow six vegas, Mirrors Edge, Portal Series and so many more!
No letdown for me.

 

[LuchaShaq]

And this right here is just absolutely, positively, 100% false and nonsensical.

There's nothing wrong with the gameplay of the majority of ps2/Xbox games. The current trend of HD remasters for current gen consoles bears this out.
.

The hd remakes I've played have controlled/played much worse than I remembered. Not to mention their LOL prices.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

Nostalgia.

It's a helluva drug.

and to answer the OP. No. i'm 100% enjoying this successful generation.

and for all the people complaining about motion controls ruining this gen. i don't disagree but I don't agree either. tell me you didn't get 1 ounce of enjoyment from the first time you bowled a strike with your mii.

 

[dark10x]

This has been one amazing generation for me. Genres that were once presumed dead have come back in full force. We've received a huge number of 2D platformers and graphic adventures, for instance, which were both incredibly rare last generation. Even the 32/64-bit era is nearly devoid of high quality 2D platformers.

Games are more refined than ever, more varied than ever, and delivered by more people than ever. Last generation consoles were fueled by developers big enough to have their games published on a disc, this time around small indie studios are actually making waves on consoles. Games that would never have been fit to be released on a disc are being released constantly. You really think something like Limbo or Super Stardust HD would have shipped last gen? I think not.

Oh, and people hot and bothered by the "cinematic trend" should consider that there has ALWAYS been trends. Last generation developers scrambled to copy Grand Theft Auto, for instance. The casual fans always latch on to something and developers attempt to catch up. Military shooters are just the latest thing in that line but that doesn't mean the entire industry has followed.

on the other hand, what percentage of SNES games do you actually think were "great"? There was a lot of terrible shit on the 16 bit consoles that no one can be bothered to remember. For every mario there were 6 bubsy's, for every final fantasy, there were 3 Drakkhens.

Oh so true. I've been doing a lot of retro collecting this past year and, man, there is a LOT of shit on those older consoles. The Genesis is particularly bad considering how popular it was.

Once you jump into lesser known consoles it gets even worse.

 

[SupaNaab]

My only real issue with this generation is the length of development cycles. A lot of games took many years to release and shifted some great people to only be able to put out a handful of great things. It takes a lot more effort to make a game. Thankfully DLC titles exist.

 

[SteeloDMZ]

Aside from shitty business practices (online passes, pre-order bonuses, etc), this may be the best generation of gaming for me.... and the first one I've experienced since its beginning. So many outstanding games for all platforms.

 

[H_Prestige]

My only real issue with this generation is the length of development cycles. A lot of games took many years to release and shifted some great people to only be able to put out a handful of great things. It takes a lot more effort to make a game. Thankfully DLC titles exist.

I think most companies are putting out game sequels every year or two, which seems fine to me. Then there are companies like SE on the other hand which need a complete overhaul.

 

[Chittagong]

Absolutely not.

It has been an amazing generation. I was just yesterday playing Killzone 3, and thinking that even this game viewed as fairly mediocre by people is absolutely mindblowing, immersive, breathtaking.

Then I played MW3 multiplayer, and remembered how the whole online thing didn't really work in a thought through way last generation.

And not to mention the lovely, small downloadable games like Flower, Super Stardust HD, Trials HD, Loco Roco Cocoreccho.. hours and hours of fun, or the fact that I can stream videos from my computer to my PS3 super easily.

Best generation ever.

 

[Unhandled Exception]

There've been a good amount of genuinely great games, but I can't stand the hollywood production values that goes into nearly everything now. At some point shit just becomes interactive movies and I'm not really into that.

 

[djtiesto]

Easily the worst generation since the pre-NES days for me. A few gems here and there but it's not worth all the bullshit it takes to get there. My favorite system turned out to be the PSP of all things, and I typically hate handhelds.

 

[Satoho]

Pros
Online

Cons
Shooters (a million IPs, closing down on RPGs, thinking games thrown out of the window)
Quicktime-Event Gameplay (Automotive gameplay, no need to learn controls anymore, just press O to play combo. )
Game Recycling (HD remakes, Arcade, DLC)
East-West Discrimination (Propaganda to westernize the whole games industry e.g. Capcom CEO, Final Fantasy debate)

Don't count as Pros nor Cons of 7th gen
Indie devs making good games (Of Course, THEY LOVE GAMES, they will always become innovators, unlike the AAA industry)
Graphics (Pacman will always be better than Uncharted 3 for me.)

thank you 7th Gen.
I learnt that E3 is a hype-train to sell a fake idea.
I learnt that I should wait and see the software before I buy the hardware.
I learnt that in order to play mind-stimulating games for thinkers that I should do my best to support the indie community.
I learnt not to judge games by numbers sold or reviews. (I played 6.5 rating games which were mind-blowing...)

 

[ASIS]

This generation has not been bad at all. But I guess it all depends on your taste for western games, you like them? This is one of the best generations, you don't? well... Japanese games are still amazing but they are far too few of them compared to other generations.

 

[not psycho]

Every past and future generation is and should be a let down. If you aren't let down, you weren't imagining big enough.

 

[d1rtn4p]

Crackdown saved this generation for me. Everything else was pretty meh to bad. Really really hate the new trends like DLC, microtransactions, and season passes.

 

[j0hnny_385]

I've been gaming since 1990. (Amiga 500) and this gen is by far the best for me. Not to say that I didn't enjoy gaming all the previous years (hell, I miss the time where you had just one or two good games a year. these days... verwhelmed, but the sheer rise in quantity and quality is astounding. I adore my X360, PS3 and PC games (yep, I don't own a Wii which means I'm missing on some awesomeness that is SM Galaxy, Xenoblade, etc.).

So again, for me, this generation is the best yet. In every possible way (gfx, production values, gameplay, etc.). Of course, it's unfair to even compare today's tech to the ones of the 90s, but by saying that this gen is the best DOES NOT undermine the insane amount of time that I put into Defender of the Crown (Amiga 500), Toki (Amiga 500), Doom(s) (PC), Quake(s), UT(s), Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, ...

Every gen has it's gems and it's poop. This is no different. I hate
- the "DLC craze"
- dubious DRM
- the marketing > everything else equation that's getting a ton of attention in the last couple of years
- "sequel-azation"
- market consolidation (A buys B and C and makes only game type Z (shooters mostly))...
etc.

but I'm a positive guy and I'm having a blast this gen. that's about it...

 

[flyinpiranha]

I can play GTA III on my phone man, my freakin' phone!

Best.Generation.Ever.

I haven't forgotten how great my time was with games of the past (ColecoVision, Atari, NES, SNES ... etc ... ) but I can't, with a straight face, say any generation of the past was/is better than this one. More games, more choices of where to play them, how to play them, and who to play them with.

 

[Jimrpg]

the only disappointing thing to me this generation is that games are too heavily influenced by the business side of the equation. EVERYONE is still chasing the mainstream dollar.

I think this has affected a whole vast majority of games that we didn't see even in last gen.

 

[Noisepurge]

This was the first generation for me when i could actually buy _all_ the games i wanted with my own money. That has made this generation a real step up for me.

I'm also a movie fanatic so Bluray has been big. Also the fact that the console has become a mediacenter and the centerpiece of my living room with internet, photos, movies and music. (sure this was mostly possible with XBMC last gen too)

And the games just keep on delivering amazing experiences. We could not have had Uncharted -level stuff last gen. And you are somehow completely ignoring the integrated, proper and solid online infrastructures. Online Stores, Friendslists, Solid online multiplayer...

 

[lucius]

It was and still is better than ever in my view, you had to spread your gaming purchases over more systems this time around including all the great mobile games, but so many great games are out there. Now there are some things that I hated this gen, like having 4 systems break down on me which was total BS.

 

[CitizenCope]

Only Best Gen includes the Just Cause series.

 

[Shaffield]

I think the generation was certainly not a let down, and here's a few reasons why:

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Pokemon SoulSilver/HeartGold
Demon's/Dark Souls
Valkyria Chronicles
Xenoblade (I hope! won't get to play it until friday)
The World Ends With You
Mass Effect (debatable)
No More Heroes


Seriously, with games like this, who the hell can say the net outcome of the generation was "disappointing"?

 

[Xisiqomelir]

My generational rankings:

1) 16-bit era
Still #1 all these years later. Nostalgia may be skewing my perspective here, but some of these games are still simply the finest of all time. Playability and fun never again reached the high-water mark they did back then. Incredible art direction means no "dated visuals" problem either (see everything after #2)

2) 8-bit era
My first foray into gaming remains extremely badass. Coming home from school, jamming Castlevania into the NES, dying a hojillion times at stage 5 right before fighting Death, trying to 1CC Contra for the first time, these are all great memories. It's only a selection of really incredible games in the 16-bit era that stops this from being #1.

3) 1st 3D era
Low-res textures, pop-up, slowdown, loading times and the advent of industry-stifling 3D console FPS. On the plus side, we also got some incredible new IPs, mindblowing installments of established ones, and 3D console FPS was refreshing, not stifling at the time.

4) Current-gen
It gets a lot of hate, but some games this gen were really, really entertaining for me (Valkyria, No More Heroes). Waggle should have been more of a revolution than it turned out to be, and I blame both 1st and 3rd parties for that. HD gaming is pretty nice, but the soaring budgets are wiping out studios left and right. At the end of the day, I did mostly have fun, but it wasn't any kind of halcyon period

5) Last-gen
Where fun is sent to die. Despite having the best-selling console of all time, and the highest concentration of 3rd-party development ever, there are scant few games I'll ever play from here again. Tekken Tag, Odin Sphere and maybe 5-6 others.

Consoles owned/gen:
NES
Megadrive, SNES 10 years later (Chrono Trigger still makes it into best-ever list).
N64, PSX, Saturn two gens later
PS2
Wii, PS3

 

[dark10x]

One of the best generations yet. It can't top the 16-bit gen or PS2 for pure nostalgia, but it's really up there. A lot of great games with a HUGE variety of content. I don't think we've ever had this much variety before.

Only Best Gen includes the Just Cause series.

So the last gen qualifies? Just Cause was released on PS2 and XBOX.

 

[H_Prestige]

Even though it lacked the FF and KH games I was hoping for, I still had plenty of fun with KZ2, UC2, and Dark Souls. Not the best gen by any means, but far from a letdown.

 

[BruiserBear]

This generation is the best generation for me, hands down.

Just the jump to high definition alone made it exciting, but I feel like the overall number of cool games in a variety of genres makes it the best by a mile.

I could easily list more games this gen that I truly loved than any previous gen.