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Retro Gaming 10’s- Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- : (2014)

When we think of popular games that fans out towards the early part of the 10’s decade one few titles that instantly comes to mind is Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- from 2014. This game was developed by Arc System Works and considered to be the first major installment that the series had seen since Guilty Gear 2: Overture which was released between late 2007-late 2009 for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- was arguably one of the most popular fighting games of 2014 and ever since its release has been praised for various features including its cel-shaded graphics along with its gameplay. In fact, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- might have been the first game within the series to utilize the Unreal Engine 3 similar to titles such as Mortal Kombat IX from 2011. Similar to various fighting titles that we have seen throughout the 10’s decade Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- featured both online and offline game modes to keep players busy for many hours. When it comes down to offline gameplay there modes single player modes such as Battle and Story; there was also two-player Versus mode in addition to a Training mode which helped players get better at the game itself.

Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- also featured an online multiplayer gameplay in Network Mode which was something a lot people enjoyed when the PlayStation port of the game was released in December 2014. Since initial arcade release back in February 2014 there have been different updated versions of Guilty Gear Xrd related between the 2015-2017 time period. We got to see Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator for Arcade, PS3, PS4 and Microsoft Windows between Summer 2015-Winter 2016. After the second version of the game we got see Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator 2 which saw an arcade release in addition to appearing on the PS3 & PS4. Even though, the Guilty Gear series has been around since ’98 there are many people who would argue that Guilty Gear Xrd was the best installment that Arc System Works has ever made. As it currently stands a brand new installment entitled Guilty Gear Strive is expected to appear on multiple game systems sometime in 2020. While Guilty Gear Strive looks very promising its hard to tell whether or not it will be better than any of the Guilty Gear Xrd games from 2014-2017.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Persona 4: Arena: (2012)

If you were a huge fan of fighting games during the early 10’s then you probably remember Persona 4: Arena which came out back in 2012. Persona 4: Arena was a game of great significance since it was the first main fighting title outside of the Persona RPG series. Unlike, most fighting games from the 10’s decade Persona 4: Arena included visual novel segments which really made it standout as it pertained to the game’s single player Story Mode. Aside from the main story for Persona 4 Arena the game included various other modes such as Score Attack & Challenge which were offline. Persona 4 Arena also included online multiplayer gameplay similar to many other major fighting games of this day and age. The actual gameplay of Persona 4: Arena was pretty unique with the inclusion of mechanics such as “Instant Kill” and “Awakening State” along with characters having the ability to have their respective personas attack during battles. As far as the actual development of Persona 4: Arena is concerned it began back in 2010 which was approximately two years following the release of Persona 4 back in 2008. Persona 4: Arena was released about a year after Persona 4: Golden was also released in 2012 along with Persona 4: Golden which initially came out in Japan during the Spring of that year.

The Persona 4 series in general was big during the first half of the 10’s decade to a point where the world got to see two different television series along with an animated film within between 2011-2014. In fact, Persona 4: Arena was highly praised by fans and critics alike following its release and eventually spawned a direct sequel in 2013 entitled Persona 4: Arena Ultimax which included enhanced gameplay & features. Also, Persona 4: Arena had received the award for “Best Fighting Game” at the Spike Video Game Awards back in 2012. The art design, storytelling and narrative were all strong points of Persona 4: Arena and was arguably one best fighting games the Atlus had made within the 10’s decade. Nowadays, you do not see too many visual novel fighting games similar to what we got with Persona 4: Arena which makes this game unique. Its possible that Persona 4: Arena could have won more awards in 2012 if the game did not have to compete with the likes of Dead Or Alive 5, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 or Soul Calibur V. Either way, Persona 4: Arena will always be remembered as a memorable classic from the early part of the 10’s decade by fans of the series to this day.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Grand Theft Auto V: (2013)

When we think about some of the best video games ever in relation to the 10’s in general Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V from 2013 instantly comes to mind. Grand Theft Auto V was initially released back in September 2013 for various game consoles including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. GTA 5 was eventually ported to the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One a year later during November 2014. This game was the high anticipated sequel to Grand Theft Auto IV from ’08 and was the seventh major installment that we got to see in the GTA series. As far as overall success is concerned Grand Theft Auto V was quite possibly the best game within the entire GTA series; in fact many people still play Grand Theft Auto V today and are currently waiting for the release of GTA 6. Since its initial release back in late ’13 Grand Theft Auto V had reportedly earned over $6.6 billion worldwide in revenue while selling over 115 million copies worldwide in over the past six years. In fact, Grand The Auto V had achieved legendary status within the gaming world by becoming the third-best selling video game of all-time behind Minecraft & Tetris.

There were various aspects about Grand Theft Auto V that were very impressive such as: gameplay, storytelling, visuals. Also, players had the option of controlling three main characters opposed to only one which was something that was very common in older games within the series. The story revolved around three men known as Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Phillips who all have stories that eventually connected together. The cool thing about the missions within the game is the fact that some of them required completion using more than one character which was something that was pretty unique. Players were also given the freedom to switch between characters outside of missions and had set of skills that could be enhanced as they progressed throughout the GTA V. One of the coolest things about Grand Theft Auto V was the fact that the game had multiple endings depending on choices that players made especially towards the end of the game. Michael De Santa’s life seemed like it was constantly in chaos from living under witness protection in Los Santos to feuding with a billionaire named Devin Weston to him being betrayed by the Federal Investigation Bureau after doing their bidding to impede the operations of the Internal Affairs Agency.

While the single-player story mode was fantastic the online multiplayer game mode seemed like an even bigger attraction that ultimately contributed to the overall replay value of Grand Theft Auto V years after its initial release. The gameplay for GTA included several elements that were popular in previous installments such as the wanted meter and the use of weaponry when dealing with foes. Despite, the amount of controversy that Grand Theft Auto V generated in relation to misogyny the game was universally praised by fans and critics alike along with various other gaming publications as being one of the best action-adventure games ever made.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Killer Instinct: (2013)

When we think about popular fighting games from the early part of the 10’s decade one of the few titles that instantly comes to mind is Killer Instinct from 2013. Many people were presently surprised to see the Killer Instinct series make a return and it felt like one of the biggest comebacks in relation to the fighting genre of gaming since Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds from 2011. Killer Instinct was initially developed by Rare along with Helix Studios while Iron Galaxy worked on seasons two and three and published by Microsoft Studios. Even though, Killer Instinct was a Xbox One exclusive it was still a game that provided many long time fans of the series with a sense of nostalgia. Also, Killer Instinct ’13 was the first major game within its series since ’96 when the world got to see the release of Killer Instinct 2/ Killer Instinct Gold for Arcade/N64. Unlike, previous installments Killer Instinct ’13 utilized high quality 3D graphics and visuals opposed to 2D sprites. The visuals in Killer Instinct ’13 looked betty than Super Street Fighter IV from 2010 and the combo system in this game was better than ever.

Along with the return of Combo Breaker gameplay mechanic Killer Instinct ’13 included features that we have never seen in any of the previous games within the series. During season two of Killer Instinct we got to see environmental finishing moves along with stage ultras which was somewhat reminiscent of what was included in Mortal Kombat IX. Another noticeable feature that was included in this game was “Instinct Mode” which served multiple purposes as far as helping players achieve victory during battles. Instinct Mode was useful for stopping Ultra Combos in addition to increase a character’s immunity as it related to receiving damage from opponents. As far offline gameplay in general was concerned Killer Instinct ’13 had a slew of game modes than just about an other fighting titles from the early 10’s. There were game modes such as “Dojo” which emphasized tutorial gameplay for beginners along with “Shadow Lab” AI studied how players fought and created a challenging opponent based on their techniques.

Also, the “Shadow Lords” Mode that was added in Season 3 during Fall 2016 was very interesting especially considering the fact it was the first time that we saw a story mode in any Killer Instinct game since its inception back in ’94. There were so many items to be unlocked within Killer Instinct ’13 from costumes to music and players were generally rewarded for their progress in game modes such as Shadow Lords which added to the game’s overall replay value. The online multiplayer game mode was organized in the form of a monthly tier system which included classes such as: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Killer. On a monthly bases online players were rewarded for ranking within the top 30 within the Killer class and motivated others to try and achieve top status for gaining PRO Status.

As a fighting game there is almost no question that Killer Instinct ’13 was of better quality and had more depth than Super Street Fighter IV and even Mortal Kombat IX to sone extent. However, the Killer Instinct series had been absent since the mid 90’s and had definitely lost a lot of momentum prior to the release of KI ’13. As popular as the series was back in the 90’s or even the early to mid 10’s the Street Fighter & Mortal Kombat series have always seemed more mainstream than Killer Instinct in general. Either way, Killer Instinct ’13 was definitely a game that ended up succeeding the initial expectations of many people in general. As far as quality and overall replay value is concerned Killer Instinct ’13 was quite possibly one of the best fighting games of the 10’s decade overall.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Gravity Rush: (2012)

As far a high profile action-adventure games are concerned as it relates to the 10’s one of the few titles that turned heads several years ago was Gravity Rush from 2012. For those who do not know Gravity Rush was published by Sony Computer Entertainment and it initially appeared on the PlayStation Vita in 2012 before being ported for the PS4 in various countries between late 2015- early 2016. Gravity Rush has a pretty bad but interesting story that revolves around a girl by the name of Kat and a mysterious cat named Dusty. As players progress the game they learn more about Kay’s backstory along with Dusty’s ability to control gravity. It turns out that Dusty had used her power to fight off creatures created by Nevi. In the game Kat & Dusty were regarded as a heroic figures and would often aid the police forces during her time in Hekseville. While Kat along with Dusty are viewed as heroes within Hekseville the game sees the emergence of the main antagonist Alderman D’nelica.

The reason that D’nelica is the main villain Gravity Rush is due to his desire to create an oppressive military state within Hekseville at almost everyone’s expense. To make matters worse D’nelica attempted to control both Hekseville and Navi with a weapon known as the Sea Anemone which ultimately got out hand once he initiated its self-destruct sequence; leading Kat and fellow allies Yunica and Raven to prevent destruction from occurring. There were many twists and turns in Gravity Rush that kept the story interesting while providing players with suspense and unpredictably as events unfolded within the game. One of the fascinating things about Gravity Rush included Kat’s adamant decision to steer clear of joining the military despite Nevi being a mutual threat. Also, characters such as Yunica who started of as a villain and member of the disbanded Jellyfish forces ended up aligning herself with Kat to stop D’nelica. Also, Syd who was a police officer that eventually became apart of Jellyfish military ended up committing “treason” as he attempted to help Kat following her being captured later in the game.

Similar to other popular action-adventure games from the late 00’s- early 10’s such as Mirror’s Edge, Assassin’s Creed II and Dishonored the theme for Gravity Rush revolved around the main protagonist fighting against corruption among authority figures within society; the storytelling aspect of Gravity Rush along with the art style were both impressive for a PS Vita game. In fact Gravity Rush was probably one of the coolest action-adventure games to have never appeared on the PlayStation 3. Gravity Rush was a game that was critically acclaimed by most people while spawning a successful sequel in 2017 which saw improvements as it related to in- mechanics. Sometimes its hard to believe that this cel-shaded action-adventure gem came out seven years ago during the tail end of the PS3/Xbox 360 generation of gaming. While Gravity Rush May not be considered among the best action-adventure titles of the 10’s decade its definitely one that many people still remember from 2012.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Tekken Tag Tournament 2: (2011)

When we think about some of the best fighting games from the early part of the 10’s decade one of the many titles that comes to mind is Tekken Tag Tournament which came out in September 2011. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was developed and published by Bandi Namco Games and was without a doubt one of the most high profile fighting games of ’11. In fact, Tekken Tag Tournament is often viewed as a better game than Capcom’s Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds which was released in February 2011. Not only did Tekken Tag Tournament 2 sell more than 1.5 million by 2013 but it won numerous awards for being the “Best Fighting Game” of 2012 from numerous gaming publications. One of the reasons why Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was so big was because it was the highly anticipated sequel to the original game which came out over twelve years prior in 1999. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was was considered to be the next big title within its series following the release of Tekken 6 from 2007. In addition, to being released for the PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360 there was surprising a Wii-U version of the game that was released back in November 2012.

Seeing a Tekken game on a Nintendo console back in 2012 was very surprising since the first and quite possibly the only time that has ever happened. In Tekken Tag Tournament 2 we got to see high quality visuals along with improved gameplay in comparison to that of its ’99 predecessor. The inclusion of longer tag combos and double team moves were solid features in addition to the game mode included in Tekken Tag Tournament 2. There were various game modes that players had the option of choosing such as arcade, versus, survival and time attack. Also, players had the option of participating in normal tag battles versus two on one handicap matches. The introduction of a new game mode Fight Lab was pretty interesting along with return of Tekken Ball mode in the Wii-U version of the game. Tekken Tag Tournament 6 had a stacked roster of characters from all the previous Tekken games even classic characters from 2 & 3 such as Forest Law, Michelle Chang, Tiger Jackson and many others.

Also, popular favorites such as Jin Kazama, Heihachi Kazama, Kazuya Kazama, Nina Williams, Paul Phoenix, King and Yoshimitsu returned in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 as expected. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was definitely seemed more superior than Street Fighter X Tekken which came out 2012 especially since it felt like there was more to do as it related to offline gameplay. As far as top fighting games of 2011-2012 are concerned many people would say that Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was as popular as Dead Ir Alive 5 following its release in ’12. Even though, Tekken 7 was supposed to be the final game within its series many people would love to see a potential Tekken Tag Tournament 3 from Bandi Namco Games. There is no doubt that Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was one of the best installments within the entire series and was one of the best fighting games of the 10’s decade.

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Retro Gaming 10’s- Dead Or Alive 5: (2012)

When we think about top fighting games that have emerged throughout the 10’s decade titles such as Super Street Fighter IV, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat IX, Injustice, Soul Calibur IV, Tekken 7 others instantly come to mind since they were all enjoyable titles. During the early part of the 10’s decade the games just mentioned were all remarkable and had replay values that were high while receiving good to average reviews from fans and critics alike. One of the many fighting games from the early 10’s that many people enjoyed was Tecmo Koei’s Dead Or Alive 5 which was developed by Team Ninja and released back in September 2012. Dead Or Alive 5 initially appeared on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and was the highly anticipated sequel of its ’05 predecessor Dead Or Alive 4. Despite, not receiving as much mainstream attention as Capcom’s fighting titles Dead Or Alive 5 was considered to be more superior in terms of gameplay compared to the likes of Super Street Fighter IV or Street Fighter X Tekken. Also, Dead Or Alive 5 had a healthy balance of game modes as it relates to offline/online gameplay.

Dead Or Alive 5 included offline modes such as Story, Arcade, Survival and Time Attack. Players also had the opportunity to partake in online gameplay were they can participate in lobby and ranked matches with other competitors around the world. When playing online people could create and host tournaments that could include up to sixteen different people. The training mode in Dead Or Alive 5 was more superior than its predecessor since new features such as Online Dojo was introduced. In Online Dojo players had the opportunity to spar with other players online during training which was something that was not too common in fighting games back in day. The Spectator mode which allowed players to watch their fights back back felt like an added bonus to Dead Or Alive 5. The gameplay in Dead Or Alive 5 was also very impressive with the inclusion of new mechanics which made the battles feel more realistic. The “Power Blow” attacks along with the “Cliffhanger” sequences added more life Dead Or Alive 5 and made the fights seem more epic than that of DOA 4.

The retention of tag battles and the inclusion of other fighting features such as “Critical Stuns” and “Critical Combos” were features contributed to the overall appeal of Dead Or Alive 5; making it one of the most enjoyable titles within its genre back in the early 10’s. Since 2012 Dead Or Alive 5 has been re-released multiple times due to its level of popularity amongst gamers. Dead Or Alive 5 was ported to the PlayStation Vita as “Dead Or Alive Plus” while an updated version of the game DOA 5: Ultimate appeared in the PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360. We finally ended up getting Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round in 2015 for the PS4 & Xbox One which was without a doubt the best version of the game. While Dead Or Alive 6 which recently came out back in January 2019 is quite impressive some might argue that DOA 5 was a stronger entry overall. The inclusion of DLC characters like SNK’s Mai Shiranui In DOA 5 was like cherry on top of the cake for the game making for a memorable fighting title as it pertains to the 10’s decade.