Team Talk: What's your game of this generation?

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We're on the eve of a new generation, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S due to hit (abandoned) shops in the next two weeks – 19 and 10 November respectively in the UK – which has got us reflecting on what the Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch have given us.

What's been your top release since this round of consoles were released? Let us know in the comments.

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by James Michael Parry

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@James_Parry

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by Team PTC

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@pass_controller

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Sam | Red Dead Redemption II

I named SUPERHOT and SUPERHOT VR as a sort of one-two punch comprising my game(s) of the decade, but, since that’s admittedly bending the rules, Red Dead Redemption II takes the lofty mantle.

Rockstar’s cowboy epic was my favourite game of 2018, and for good reason. Never before and never again (so far, anyway) have a game’s story and characters kept me so enthralled for so many hours. Not only is its narrative superlative, but the presentation and mechanics are too.

Red Dead Redemption II seamlessly transitions between cutscenes and gameplay, which combined with exquisite visuals make it a constant spectacle. Rich environments and frequent emergent events make traversal a highlight in place of chore. Stunning animations make slowly moseying around towns ultimately immersive. Hell, horse testicles even shrink in the cold!

In terms of quality, right across the board, Red Dead Redemption II consistently hits a standard unmatched elsewhere in gaming. Getting accustomed to its incredible attention to detail and resulting granularity takes some time, though, like many of the best things, the end result is more than worth the initial investment.

The future of gaming is bollocks.

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James | Control

There’s something about an immersive single player experience which lets you really lose yourself and feel like you’re stepping into something really exciting. That’s how it was for me with Control.

Though it wasn’t a critical success, I enjoyed Quantum Break’s experimentation with time manipulation and storytelling, and Control showed that developers Remedy had moved their ideas forward and really delivered a gaming experience I hadn’t had before.

It’s not all heady concepts and confusing narratives of course, the core gameplay – third-person shooter with some added telekinetic abilities thrown in – was solid as well, and made you want to continue to explore its world, despite the brutalist, bland architecture.

It wasn’t without its flaws, of course. The experience was captivating but not one I was drawn to replay, though the substantial DLC offerings since the original release no doubt would tempt me if there was a good deal.

The visual presentation was particularly stunning, and, though not aiming for photo-real, really showed off the technical power of the Xbox One X in a way which few games really do.

For offering memorable boss fights, interesting puzzles and getting the balance just right with its careful use of real-world footage, Control gets the crown and is certainly the game I’d use to demonstrate the potential of this generation.

2019's Control was a late contender for game of the generation.

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Liam | Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Last year I labelled Ghost Recon Wildlands as one of my game of the generation contenders, and now that the PS5 and XSX are almost upon us, it’s time to make good on that statement.

For me, it had plenty of what a ‘next-gen’ game should offer; a big (but not too big) interesting world to explore, co-op with mates (plus an AI squad when running solo) and plenty of interesting gadgets and weapons with which to dispatch masses of enemies.

I also thoroughly enjoyed digging into the game’s setting and story, which got surprisingly deep in some places, and picking off cartel bosses one by one, region by region. The hierarchy system gave the game a real sense of progression, and, at times, made you feel like you were the invisible threat the Ghosts were meant to be.

I know Wildlands was a bit of a departure for fans of the series’ more linear focused games, such as Future Soldier, but I had a lot of fun with it, to the point where I genuinely missed playing it once I had completed it.

It’s probably not the best this gen has to offer, but it was a personal highlight, so it gets the nod from me.

It might not be the best, but it was very good.

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What's your game of the generation? Let us know below.