When it comes to the best video games of all time, most fans will agree that the modern age is the best, with revolutionary titles such as Elden Ring and Red Dead Redemption 2 perfecting the formula even today. However, games were truly innovative and creative during the 2000s, containing good graphics, experimental gameplay, and a distinct sense of fun that hasn’t been seen since.
There are too many video game masterpieces in the 2000s to count, but one way to feature some of the best is to go through each year. That is why this list will feature the best video game from every year of the 2000s based on gameplay, design, narrative, visuals, originality, influence, staying power, critical acclaim, fan opinion, and overall quality.
2000: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask’
Image via NintendoThe Legend of Zelda franchise is one of the most prestigious of all time, so it is only natural that one of them would make this list. Following up one of the greatest video games ever is no easy task, but that is what The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask had to do. Link wanders into an unknown land known as Termina, where the imminent threat of the falling moon threatens the peace unless Link can somehow stop it.
This list could have included a handful of Zelda games, but the best one also kickstarted a new millennium of gaming. Majora’s Mask is one of the most unique titles in the franchise, not just because of its quirky gimmick and new location, but because of the dark and eerie vibe that is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time. The mask mechanic is fun and makes side quests more satisfying, but the real allure of Majora’s Mask is its city that feels alive, creating one of the most nostalgic Nintendo games.
2001: ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’
Image via MicrosoftThe 2000s included many revolutionary video games that innovated their genre, and one such masterpiece is Halo: Combat Evolved, the first of its franchise. Crashing into a massive ring world known as Halo, Master Chief and Cortana wage war against the Covenant on the structure, only to learn of a parasitic race of aliens known as the Flood.
Halo was one of the most defining franchises of the 2000s, and while the sequels aren’t on this list, the first game had to make an appearance. Halo: Combat Evolved innovated the FPS genre with analog controls, two weapon limits and one of the best multiplayer experiences on console. It isn’t just an essential video game for the time; it is a classic masterpiece that kickstarted a generation of gaming and fans.
2002: ‘Metroid Prime’
Image via NintendoNintendo, like many video game companies, was at the top of its game during the 2000s, and one of its greatest projects of this decade was Metroid Prime. Bringing the franchise into the 3D realm, it follows Samus Aran, who tracks down a pirate group on a mysterious planet. When there, she learns of the ancient history and lore, but first she must find a way to stop the pirates’ plan for this planet.
Nintendo is known for its fun video games, and one of the most enjoyable experiences they produced was Metroid Prime, which reinvented the franchise in 3D while keeping its heart intact. This game is a master at keeping the flow of gameplay going, with core mechanics constantly being used in order to keep players fresh and on their toes, whether that be through exploration, research, or combat.
2003: ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’
Image via LucasArtsStar Wars is one of the biggest media franchises in the world, and they have branched out into so many territories, including video games. Their best is undoubtedly Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, set during the titular era when Sith and Jedi numbered in the thousands per side. Players control an amnesiac Jedi who wanders throughout the war, wondering what their actual allegiance is.
Star Wars had plenty of video games in the 2000s, but none stick out more than Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a true pioneer for gaming narratives. It proved that storytelling didn’t have to be secondary to gameplay in the medium, but it could be at the forefront through fascinating dialogue and world-renowned plot twists. With one of the greatest twists in gaming history, this one is a true classic whose influence remains intact to this day.
Collider Exclusive · Star Wars Quiz
Which Force User
Are You?
Light Side · Dark Side · Or Somewhere Between
The Force is not a binary. It is a spectrum — from the serene halls of the Jedi Temple to the shadowed corridors of Sith space. Ten questions will reveal where you truly fall. The Force has always known. Now you will too.
🔵Jedi Master
🟡Padawan
🔴Sith Lord
⚫Inquisitor
⚪Grey Jedi
IGNITE YOUR SABER →
01
What is the Force to you? Your relationship with the Force defines everything else.
AA living energy I must be worthy of — it is not mine to control. BSomething vast and mysterious I'm only beginning to understand. CNeither light nor dark — just a current I choose to ride. DPower. Pure and simple. The strong take it; the weak don't.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
When you feel strong emotions — anger, grief, love — what do you do? The Jedi suppress. The Sith feed. Others choose differently.
AAcknowledge them, then release them. Attachment leads to suffering. BFeel them fully, then decide what to do — they're not the enemy. CBury them. Emotion is a liability I can't afford to indulge. DUse them. Passion is the engine of the dark side for good reason.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
The Jedi Council gives you an order you disagree with. You: How you handle authority reveals your alignment.
AFollow it. The Council's wisdom surpasses my own perspective. BVoice my objection clearly, then defer to the decision. CComply outwardly while doing what I think is right. DIgnore it. The strong don't answer to committees.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
You are offered forbidden knowledge that could give you enormous power. The cost is crossing a moral line. You: The dark side's pull is never more than a choice away.
ARefuse without hesitation. There is no cost worth that price. BWeigh it carefully — sometimes darkness holds real answers. CFeel the pull but walk away — for now. DAccept it. Power justifies the method used to obtain it.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
Your approach to training and learning is: A student's habits become a master's character.
ADedicated but humble. There is always more to learn from my masters. BRigorous and patient. Mastery is earned through years of discipline. CEclectic — I draw from every tradition, not just one. DRelentless and brutal. Pain accelerates growth. Rest is weakness.
NEXT QUESTION →
06
In a duel, your lightsaber fighting style reflects: Combat is the purest expression of a Force user's philosophy.
ADefense and composure — I wait for my opponent to overcommit. BFast and instinctive — I trust the Force to guide my movements. CUnpredictable — I blend styles to keep enemies off-balance. DOverwhelming aggression — I end fights before they begin.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
A defeated enemy lies at your feet, powerless. You: Mercy — or its absence — is the truest test of alignment.
AStrike them down — compassion toward enemies is naïve and costly. BNeutralize them permanently. I can't afford loose ends. CSpare them if I can — but stay clear-eyed about the risks. DOffer them a chance to surrender. Every being deserves that.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
The Jedi Code forbids attachment. Your honest view on love and bonds: The source of the greatest falls in the galaxy.
AThe Code is right. Attachment clouds judgment and invites suffering. BLove is not a weakness — the Jedi Code got this one wrong. CI have no attachment — only loyalty to my master's mission. DI feel it deeply but struggle to reconcile it with my training.
NEXT QUESTION →
09
Why do you use the Force at all? What's the point? Purpose is the difference between a knight and a weapon.
ATo learn. I'm still figuring out what I'm capable of. BTo protect and serve. The Force is a responsibility, not a gift. CTo survive — and maybe carve out something worth having. DTo dominate. Strength demands to be expressed, not contained.
NEXT QUESTION →
10
At the final moment — light side or dark side pulling at you — what wins? In the end, every Force user faces this moment. What does yours look like?
AThe light. I choose peace, even when darkness would be easier. BNeither fully — I carve my own path through the middle. CWhoever I serve — my loyalty defines me more than my morality. DThe dark. Power is the only thing that's ever actually been real.
REVEAL MY ALIGNMENT →
Your Alignment Has Been Determined Your Place in the Force
The scores below reveal how the Force sees you. Your highest number is your true alignment. Read on to understand what that means — and what it will cost you.
🔵 Jedi Master
🟡 Padawan
🔴 Sith Lord
⚫ Inquisitor
⚪ Grey Jedi
Disciplined, compassionate, and deeply attuned to the living Force, you have walked the path long enough to understand its demands — and accept them. You lead not through authority alone, but through example. You have felt the pull of the dark side and chosen otherwise, every time. That is not certainty. That is courage.
You are earnest, powerful, and brimming with potential — and you know it, which is both your greatest asset and your most dangerous flaw. You act before you think, trust your gut over your training, and sometimes confuse impatience for bravery. The Masters see something in you, though. The question isn't whether you have what it takes — it's whether you'll be patient enough to find out.
You are not simply dangerous — you are certain, and that is worse. You have decided what the galaxy needs, and you have decided you are the one to deliver it. Your power is genuine and formidable, earned through sacrifice that would have broken lesser beings. But examine your victories carefully. Every Sith believed their cause was righteous. The dark side's cruelest trick is that it agrees with you.
You were forged in fire and reshaped by those who found you at your lowest. You serve, because service gave you structure when you had none. Your allegiance is not to an ideology — it is to survival and to the master who gave you purpose. But there is something buried beneath the conditioning. The Jedi you hunt? You recognize them. Because you remember what it felt like before the choice was taken from you.
You have looked at the Jedi Code and the Sith Code and found both of them incomplete. You walk the line not out of indecision but out of conviction — you genuinely believe both extremes miss something essential. The Jedi don't fully trust you. The Sith think you're wasting your potential. They're both partially right. But so are you.
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2004: ‘Half-Life 2’
Image via ValveThis list isn’t even halfway done, and there are already so many sci-fi franchises, with a couple more on the way. Valve is a gaming juggernaut, and while the first game was a hit, the sequel, Half-Life 2, was even better. Set after the first game, Earth has been taken over by aliens, but luckily Gordon Freeman is here to kickstart a human revolution in City 17 and take back Earth.
Fans have begged Valve to bring this franchise back, and while they did make a VR game, it doesn’t live up to the masterpiece that was Half-Life 2. Not only did it innovate with its narrative, which blended the plot and gameplay to keep the flow going, but it also features one of the best physics systems that opened plenty of creative avenues for players, which made it one of the most fun video games in the medium's history.
2005: ‘Resident Evil 4’
Image via CapcomResident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and while there have been plenty of great games and announcements, nothing can beat their magnum opus, Resident Evil 4. After a cult in Spain kidnaps the daughter of the President of the United States, Leon S. Kennedy is on the case to bring her back. However, when a parasitic virus infects the cult, escaping becomes even more dangerous.
Some fans didn’t like how Resident Evil 4 pushed the franchise into the action genre, but whatever their thoughts on that are, it doesn’t impact the overall legacy of the game. The new camera angles and the inventory management system are some of the most influential mechanics that completely changed the feel of the game, and for the better. Resident Evil 4 took the franchise to new heights, cementing it as the defining survival series in the industry.
2006: ‘Okami’
Image via CapcomSome years in the 2000s had plenty of standouts; others only had one real Game of the Year contender, but each year features a masterpiece, like Okami in 2006. The sun goddess of Japan, Amaterasu, takes the form of a white wolf in order to protect the land from any danger. When a dark curse launched by an ancient demon puts the country at risk, the player is the only one who can save the day.
Okami is one of the most visually stunning video games ever, and this glorious art style further enhances the beauty that the player experiences on their quest. 2006 was a lighter year than most, but Okami is still a distinct gameplay painting with an engaging combat system and excellent puzzles. With a sequel recently announced, it should remind fans just how good the original game was.
2007: ‘BioShock’
Image via 2K2007 was one of the hardest years to choose since there were so many perfect games like Super Mario Galaxy. But ultimately, the best game went to BioShock. When the protagonist crash-lands in the ocean, they find refuge on a lone lighthouse. However, when descending further into it, they discover a failed Utopia plagued with political strife and terrifying genetically spliced monstrosities.
This year was one of the best for gaming of all time, with so many influential, important, popular, and enjoyable titles gracing fans. However, while they were feasting, BioShock was the pièce de resistance for many. The political critique of Randian objectivism was an intriguing discussion set in an atmospheric backdrop that complements its themes. There were so many Game of the Year contenders in 2007 that any would work, but BioShock is just too unique to leave off.
2008: ‘Grand Theft Auto IV’
Grand Theft Auto VI is just around the corner, and it is likely to be the Game of the Year in 2026, but in 2008, that honor went to Grand Theft Auto IV. Following a European immigrant moving to Liberty City in order to achieve their American Dream, they quickly realize it isn’t what they thought it would be after getting involved with the underworld of organized crime and needing to pay off a large debt.
Grand Theft Auto is arguably the biggest franchise right now, and while there are better games than this one, it is still an acclaimed masterpiece that holds the franchise's highest score on Metacritic. GTA IV features the best story in the series with its grittier tone, serious vibe, and city aesthetic. The physics system remains a staple of gaming that pushed the franchise to new heights, proving why it is one of the best Grand Theft Auto games.
2009: ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’
Image via Sony Computer EntertainmentThe 2000s were an incredible decade for video games, and they saved one of the best games for last with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Nathan Drake is one of the greatest treasure hunters in the world, and his newest adventure is to find Marco Polo’s fleet, which is rumored to contain a precious artifact, but the journey will be filled with many twists and turns.
The best decade of gaming isn’t unanimous, but most fans can agree that it is between the 2000s and 2010s; for the best mix, 2009 featured the best of both worlds. Uncharted 2 boasts some of the decade's greatest set pieces, creating an exhilarating experience that heightens the action, drama, adventure, and thrills. From daring shootouts to climbing up a falling train, Uncharted 2 was a masterclass of adrenaline-pumping gameplay that made it the best video game of 2009.
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