The 20 Best Original Games of the 21st Century

The 2000 RPG from internal Sega developer Overworks is an imaginative tale of steampunk pirates who take to the sky in flying ships and engage in battles, relationships, and exploration—all in the name of fun. Released on the short-lived but beloved Sega Dreamcast system, Arcadia was universally acclaimed at the time for its battle system, graphics, characters, and the overall world that it created. After the Dreamcast fizzled, the game was ported over to the more successful Nintendo GameCube. For years, sequel talk and HD remaster rumors have persisted but have never materialized, but its characters have shown up in other Sega games, thus keeping the legend of the acclaimed RPG alive. 

"Awe-inspiring to behold, deep, absorbing and epic to the nines, Overworks' sky-faring RPG sets a standard that will most others will never attain. You have been told." —Games Radar

Videogame legends Capcom developed this Legend of Zelda-esque action-adventure with players controlling the Japanese goddess of the sun, the white wolf Amaterasu. You'll explore painterly environments, battle enemies, and solve puzzles using a paintbrush—which complements the unique cell-shaded graphics that really made this game a standout upon release. Critics loved the style and grace of the game and the use of the celestial brush to aid in combat and solving puzzles. One of the last Playstation 2 titles, Ōkami was later ported to the Wii, and an HD remaster followed in 2012. Although a full-fledged AAA sequel was never produced, a less-well regarded Nintendo DS follow-up, Ōkamiden, was released in 2011. 

"Okami shames them simply by being the genuine article: A stunningly gorgeous and unique masterpiece that effortlessly blends art and storytelling with puzzles and amusement. Miss this landmark effort at your peril." —GamePro

Although Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell didn't invent stealth action (1998's Metal Gear Solid would likely take that honor), it certainly popularized the genre with this franchise-creating smash. You play as former U.S. Navy SEAL and current NSA black operative Sam Fisher, who must infiltrate enemy cells, avoiding detection by staying in the shadows. Critics at the time were most impressed with the lighting effects and the refinement of stealth action. The game was released one year after the original Xbox console launched in North America and were both linked in success. There have been several sequels and ports throughout the years, but the most recent title, Blacklist, was released in 2013. Rumor has it that a remake of the original Splinter Cell is in the works, For now, it lurks in the shadows. 

"This is the kind of game I imagined when I used to dream about the experiences next generation consoles were going to give us. Splinter Cell is one of the smartest games I've ever played." —IGN

It seems like Minecraft has been with us forever at this point, but it originally launched in 2011 and has remained a revolutionary powerhouse of gamer creativity that shows no sign of stopping. Swedish developer Mojang Studios essentially developed an entirely new genre in which players can create an entire universe of their making by exploring, crafting tools, and creating. Survival mode adds enemies and suspense, while creative mode is more chill. Critics at the time lauded the game for essentially allowing each gamer to craft whatever their imagination would allow with the sandbox provided. The main criticism was usually about a learning curve that didn't hold players' hands and instead forced them to figure mechanics out via trial and error or via online forums. Since its launch, the game has been ported to almost every console/device imaginable, and it is even being adapted for the big screen (A Minecraft Movie drops next April). 

"Minecraft is a towering achievement in the very possibilities of gaming, and it does this without losing itself to either esoterica or cynicism. It is a game anyone can play and anyone can get something out of, no matter how skilled or imaginative they are. They will make something and they will have an experience that feels like theirs and theirs alone." —Eurogamer

The snowboarding classic SSX (Snowboard Supercross) was one of the best reviewed and most beloved of the PlayStation 2 launch titles. Players select one of eight playable characters to take on courses filled with rails, jumps, ramps and other obstacles, all scored to kinetic electronic music. Lauded by critics at release for impressive graphics, fun gameplay, and great music, the game would go on to be one of the must-have titles for the new console and would launch a franchise that ultimately had six games, ending with 2012's rebooted SSX for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. 

"PS2 people, you have your first must-own title. With gameplay that takes the best bits of all the games which have come before it, SSX practically redefines snowboarding excitement." —GamePro

Emotional platformer puzzler Braid became a beacon for an indie game movement back in 2008 when it launched on the Xbox Live Arcade service. You play as Tim, who's searching for a princess and must traverse beautifully bespoke environments while manipulating time to save the day. Critically, the game was universally acclaimed for being an innovative melancholic masterpiece and it paved the way for other indie game sensations of the time such as Limbo, Shadow Complex, and Bastion. The game has since been ported to almost every available console and was remastered earlier this year as Braid: Anniversary Edition, allowing you to play Jonathan Blow's artistic classic with a modern twist. 

"Excellent but intellectually limited as a puzzle-platformer, Braid is made truly divine with emotional depth and a bittersweet humanity -- a monumentally relevant game that speaks highly of its creators and their potential audience's tolerance for new ideas. To say nothing of an absolutely brilliant, emotionally devastating 'ending' that proves that time isn't really that malleable after all." —1UP

Impossibly involved world management, building simulator, and fantasy adventure Dwarf Fortress has had quite a journey since its alpha release in 2006. The game has you creating increasingly complex fantasy worlds that can wear down lesser PCs in the process. Critics were flabbergasted by the scale that developer brothers Tarn and Zach Adams achieved and have refined over the years. Dwarf Fortress can be impenetrable to most, but dedicated players are completely engrossed by the worlds that they create, and they can be equally as entertained by victories as they are by watching worlds they've put hundreds of hours into fall apart. If you're up for the challenge, an enhanced 2022 re-release smoothed some of the rough edges. 

"You could summarize Dwarf Fortress as a game about the meticulous cultivation of downfall. There's no victory condition beyond the satisfaction of bolting together another grand chronicle of inevitable disaster. It's this joyful fatalism as much as the simulation's richness that makes it timeless." —Edwin Evans-Thirlwell, The Guardian

World War II real-time strategy game Company of Heroes blasted out of the gate in 2006 and redefined tactical action. There were many WWII games at the time, but critics believed that the intensity of CoH's action and its overall presentation—from the sound to the graphics—were unmatched for an RTS game at the time. Another standout feature was the destructible environments that added a strategic layer to the fast-paced combat. The game spawned several expansion packs, an online spinoff, and two sequels, one focusing on German-Soviet battles and the other largely set in Italy. There's even a 2013 straight-to-video film, Company of Heroes, starring Saving Private Ryan's Tom Sizemore. 

"It's a gritty Second World War caper that loads the gaming experience to the hilt, leaving players battered, bruised and thoroughly stirred." —Times Online

The iconic Kratos did not debut on the PS4—he initially emerged from a world of flames in the original action classic God of War for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Before the franchise was rebooted in 2018 on the PlayStation 4, the series was a more freewheeling (if occasionally misogynistic) hack-and-slash adventure that placed a higher priority on gameplay than on creating a more emotional and nuanced story. But critics were blown away by the increasingly gory carnage produced by chaining together battle combos. The level of polish and scale seen in the ancient Greek setting and epic boss battles were also frequently mentioned as selling points. God of War was a smash that produced several sequels, spinoffs, and an acclaimed reboot saga that released a second, equally acclaimed sequel, God of War: Ragnarök, in 2022. 

"Every once in a while a game comes along that pushes the boundaries, that takes risks and innovates without losing the qualities that make games so enjoyable – God of War is one of those games. It's a 'best of system' quality game, game of the year material, and more." —The Gamers' Temple

The most newest game on this list comes from legendary RPG developers Atlus (Persona) and is a sprawling, turn-based medieval fantasy that stood out for critics in an already packed year for JRPGs. The story is a politically tinged tale that involves magic tribes, assassinations, and a royal tournament that decides whom the new successor to the throne of Euchronia will be. Metaphor: ReFantazio was praised for its brilliant cast and an extensive story that lasts approximately 80-100 hours, as well as a refined combat system that builds upon the already beloved action seen in the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games. 

"Making something new when fans have sky-high expectations isn't easy, but Atlus has done it again with what I truly hope becomes a franchise. This is an RPG that people should absolutely play... if they have a spare hundred or so hours, of course." —Jason Hawkins, Player 2

Sega's last console, the cult favorite Dreamcast, was home to many great games, but none were as stylish,  cool, and acclaimed as the rollerblade action game Jet Set Radio (or Jet Grind Radio as it was originally titled in the U.S.A.). Combine Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, a 3D open world, tagging, and a soundtrack filled with a mishmash of hip hop and electronic music and you're in the skate park. Critics loved the originality, cel-shaded graphics, challenging gameplay and overall anti-authoritarian vibes. Sequel Jet Set Radio Future followed a couple of years later and it appears that a reboot might be in development. 

"It is, without a doubt, the biggest breath of fresh air to sweep through gaming in a good long while, and no Dreamcast owner's library would be complete without it." —IGN

When Epic Games' third-person, cover-based shooter masterpiece, Gears of War, was released after the first two Halo games, it felt like the Mark 2 Lancer Assault Rifle laid waste to Master Chief's head. The game was a sensation that introduced a way for your character to hide behind and use cover as a tactical advantage against the Locust Horde or against online combatants. Set on bombed-out planet Sera, Gears of Wr introduced characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago and allowed gamers to play the campaign in two player co-op or in a variety of online matches on Xbox Live. Critics were blown away by the innovative gameplay and the variety of ways to experience the thick-necked carnage. 

"I'm smitten with Gears of War and all its glorious, horrific violence, blood and anarchy. Move over Master Chief, 'cause Marcus Fenix will kick your bony ass all over town." —Bryn Williams, GameSpy

This Capcom (Mega Man, Resident Evil) action series finds evil demon slayer Dante (part demon himself) attempting to avenge the death of his mother as players battle creatures using a pair of blades and a pair of pistols in fast-paced, slice-and-dice gameplay. Critics were taken with the graphics, which were among the best of any game for the PlayStation 2 at the time, and were also captivated by the challenging, often kinetic gameplay and gothic horror vibes. The game spawned a franchise that now has five main games with the most recent entry, Devil May Cry 5, released in 2019. 

"A pure work of art, a stylish, heart-pumping, tour de force of action and pure arcade gameplay that gets better, deeper, and harder as the game progresses. It's an absolute must-have for the system." —IGN

YEE-HAW! Legendary Grand Theft Auto developers Rockstar Games set their sights on the Wild West and debuted the open-world classic Red Dead Redemption back in 2010. The third-person open-world action-adventure game has players controlling John Marston, a former outlaw who must hunt down his old gang in order to free his family from the government. Critics were blown away by the sheer scope of the open world, which allows players to engage in seemingly endless tasks both related to and disassociated from the main story. On top of the impossibly accomplished main game also lies a built-in online multiplayer mode. Eight years after the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2 was also released to rave reviews. 

"An awe-inspiring game. The gameplay and structure may be beginning to show their age a little, but the storytelling, characters and world-building is on a par with the best the medium has to offer. It's a sprawling and engrossing experience, epic in scope and size and offering a gigantic amount of playing time. With their latest open-world game, Rockstar have produced nothing less than the finest recreation of the Wild West on a console, and one of the best video games of this year." —Nick Cowen, The Telegraph

Upon its 2013 release, this atmospheric, emotionally wrenching zombie classic from Uncharted developers Naughty Dog was a revelation that found new ways of creating pathos for a genre that felt like it had been wrung to death by the likes of The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, 28 Days Later, and so many more zombie tales. After a fungus has laid waste to most of the world, Joel and eventually Ellie must survive this new existence while attempting to keep their humanity. Critics and gamers alike were impressed by the action and thrills, but the emotional depths the game reaches are truly breathtaking. The original game was remade for the PlayStation 5 as The Last of Us Part 1 in 2022, while polarizing a sequel, The Last of Us Part II, was released for the PlayStation 4 in 2020. And an acclaimed HBO series adaptation (starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie) debuted in 2023 with a second season to follow in 2025. 

"The Last of Us is not simply Uncharted with zombies, but it couldn't exist without Naughty Dog having made Uncharted first, either. It's a dark adventure, one rarely filled with laughs or joy. There are bitter pills to swallow along the way, and nothing is taken for granted, not even characters. People live, people die. Sometimes it's fair, sometimes it's not. It's still a zombie game, but a sobering one. Take a deep breath." —Patrick Klepek, Giant Bomb

Adorable puzzle platformer LittleBigPlanet introduced the world to Sackboy, a cute burlap-sack-resembling character who embarks on adventures set in beautifully handmade-craft-like designs. Critics were impressed with the innovative look and vibe of a universe that not only allowed players to experience a main campaign, but also allowed them to create and share their own levels. Sackboy became a mascot for Sony (and just appeared in Astro Bot) and showed up in two direct LittleBigPlanet sequels (LBP2 and LBP3) and several spinoffs, the last being 2020's Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Ultimate Sackboy for mobile devices. 

"There simply isn't anything else like LittleBigPlanet on any system, anywhere. It's a beautifully elegant and powerful creative tool that puts unlimited potential in the palm of your hand." —PlayStation Official Magazine UK

Gaming sensation Elden Ring dropped a couple of years ago, and the reverberations from the dizzyingly difficult action RPG are still being felt. Dark Souls studio FromSoftware drops players into a vast and unforgiving open world that lets players explore anywhere on the map at their own pace—and often to their peril. Often compared to an adult The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the engrossing dark fantasy game that manages to take hundreds of hours away from your life to play floored critics upon its 2022 release. The story was even aided by Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin, adding even more cred to an already respected developer and game. Expansion Shadow of the Erdtree dropped earlier this year to similarly ecstatic, best-in-genre reviews. 

"Elden Ring is a tour de force and is maybe the only example of a studio underselling a title. It's an M-rated Breath of the Wild, full of secrets, intrigue, and an enthralling world to explore. It's a game that makes me excited about gaming, and it's fantastic to see a highly anticipated title like this turn out so well." —Jason Faulkner, Game Revolution

Revelatory first-person shooter BioShock created one of the most evocative and fully-realized worlds that gaming has ever seen: an underwater utopia called Rapture created by 1940s business magnate Andrew Ryan. After crash-landing in the Atlantic Ocean, protagonist Jack must navigate this Art Deco-tinged world, which is filled with people who have been mutated by genetic material ADAM, as well as use ADAM himself to give him abilities to fulfill tasks that simple guns can't accomplish. Critics were amazed by the creativity of the mysterious cult-like Rapture world and the clever evolution of the first-person shooter genre. A couple of sequels followed, including the incredible BioShock: Infinite, and there have been several attempts to adapt the game into a movie, but none have successfully surfaced. 

"It will challenge you, it will move you, and it will force you to make hard decisions. It is unbelievably immersive and tenaciously inventive. It is a game that sets the bar high for others to follow—for its art direction, narrative, and gameplay." —Gamer 2.0

Halo: Combat Evolved was THE launch title for Microsoft's brand-new Xbox console in 2001. You play as Master Chief, a super soldier who battles alien combatants with guns and grenades on a mysterious planet with AI sidekick Cortana. Developed by Bungie, Halo revolutionized the first-person shooter genre with a fun single-player and co-op campaign and a multiplayer mode that was a true game-changer. Critics loved everything about it—the graphics, the story, the gameplay. With revolutionary gaming comes sequels and spinoffs, and Halo has had several over the past few decades, with the latest being 2021's Halo: Infinite. There was even a Paramount+ Halo series that ran for two seasons before being canceled in early 2024.

"A game that will become the new benchmark for first person shooters. Quite frankly, it's one of the better ones that I have seen in a long time, at least since Half Life." —Next Level Gaming

Game developer legends Rare (Donkey Kong Country) followed up their first-person shooter classic GoldenEye 007 with another shooter that leveled up in every conceivable way from the James Bond predecessor. You play as Joanna Dark, a covert agent of the Carrington Institute, who must uncover an alien conspiracy from rivals dataDyne by blasting everyone and everything in sight. Critics back in 2000 were thrilled with the campaign (with more intelligent enemies that provided more challenge) and multiplayer modes. Outside of an Xbox 360 remaster and two prequels (one for GameBoy Color and one for Xbox 360), things have been perfectly dark for the Perfect Dark franchise in recent years. But now it looks like a reboot is coming, as evidenced by a trailer that dropped at the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year. 

"Magnificent. Until now, GoldenEye was arguably the best reason for gamers over the age of 16 to own a Nintendo 64. No longer." —Electric Playground