The Greatest Video Game Series

Everybody has the taste. Video games are a relatively new leisure activity for the masses. Hence, the cult status in this sphere means something different. Of course, the early consoles also had a core audience, but it was not that numerous. The gaming hits are more popular and can be a part of pop culture, not a geek pleasure.

So, what does “great” mean? You can talk about a cult classic by some different criteria:

• The selling numbers. Not the most relevant reason but still a strong point. Even average new mobile slot games have marketing studies based on spent money;

• Active players. It is also a disputed thesis. When we talk about Steam, GOG, and other popular game stores, we should include an offline person also. Also, advanced statistics can’t be general. Some publishers have exclusive launchers and different algorithms;

• A cultural impact. The most proved argument for the greatness measurement. The new hit titles also can be counted. We are living in a time of meme culture. So, the new game can give us several cultural phenomena.

The size of the development crew or the aggressive advertising are not counting at all. Big conglomerates often propose bland, uninteresting titles that are so easily forgotten. Little indie games can be heartwarming and offer you a way richer experience. Though, the old franchises became AAA games pretty quickly. For example, the first part of the Witcher is a good game that wasn’t played well. It was a rough masterpiece for Sapkowski’s fans. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt became a mainstream hit with millions of new users.

So, what does a digital legacy prepare for us? 

The famous and glorious ones

We will talk about all genres. The most important is the impact on an audience.

1. Mario

The Golden Goose of Nintendo. An Italian plumber with mustache and mushroom issues makes the Japanese gaming publisher crazy rich. The start of the series was about a simple arcade, but today Mario has funny RPG games, fast and jolly kart races, and much more. It is one of the most recognizable game mascots of all time.

2. Call of Duty

“The WWII action game” became a separate genre just because of this franchise. Today we are tired of the Normandy assault for the bazillion times in different games. But in 2003, it was a breath of fresh air in the time of a total lack of epicness. Captain Price hates the doors and loves cigars. Oh, and he is a SWAT mascot even today.

3. Fallout

War never changes, and the cult role-playing classic transformed a lot. The first part was about tough survival in the retro-futuristic post-nuclear world. The second one is the most beloved, but hardcore fans obstructed it for cheesy jokes and a completely different mood. Then producers from Bethesda happened. The franchise still has a lot of unique features. Now it gives us more Hollywood action than role-playing elements. Though, we still love the ruins of the future world.

4. Warcraft

And Starcraft too. Blizzard is the father of real-time strategy games of modern times. Warcraft III was a giant leap forward. The lore became rich and complicated, and Azeroth became a unique world, not a generic fantasy kingdom. Later, Blizzard produced another titan of the industry – World of Warcraft. A gorgeous, pompous, epic MMORPG about famous and new heroes. It is popular even after almost two decades after release!

5. GTA 

The first parts of this mighty franchise were the simple simulators of car robbers. With San Andreas and Vice City, a new era comes. This cult franchise has a rich multiplayer and tremendous potential for role-playing. Also, the original characters are charismatic and recognizable. Also, every new game is an enormous satiric escapade from the British developers to an American style of life.

6. Metal Gear Solid

The glorious path of Solid Snake started in 1987. The tactical espionage action game about the Cold War and hidden societies are sometimes overcomplicated. Still, Hideo Kojima delivers strong characters, exciting combat situations, and various ways to battle against enemies. The storyline itself is widely considered one of the greatest narrations in gaming history. The plot twists here are astonishing. And the cutscenes are directed like a good dramatic movie.

7. The Elder Scrolls

It is the best fantasy sandbox RPG ever known. Tamriel is one of the most detailed and beloved artificial worlds. The Arena - typical hero action. Well, we abolished an old emperor, not a juicy princess. Daggerfall is the heavier place for RPGs even now: a size of Britain and above a million NPCs. All of them were computer-generated, but the game itself is colossal. Morrowind gave us a unique fighting system, great music composed by Jeremy Soule, posh flora, and the fauna of Vvardenfell. 

Oblivion has innovative radiant quests and improved physics. 

Skyrim is one of the biggest RPG hits. And this game was published ten years ago!