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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays, and while it's hard to believe we're already a quarter of the
00:08way into the century, our time has not been wasted spending it with our very best friends,
00:15me, myself, and I, and some truly incredible single player games.
00:26Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
00:30about our latest videos.
00:34Deus Ex Few games epitomize the dawn of the 2000s
00:38like Deus Ex.
00:40A pioneer in player choice driven gameplay, Deus Ex drops players into a dystopian cyberpunk
00:46future overrun by evil corporations and a corrupt government led by shadowy entities
00:52like the Illuminati.
00:53Character J.C. Denton's abilities are fully customizable, allowing players to tailor their
00:58Denton to their preferred playstyle.
01:01The game offered near limitless opportunities and possibilities for players to complete
01:06missions.
01:07Whether diplomatically, stealthily, or guns blazing, the game allowed players to play
01:11the game the way they wanted.
01:14Although a bit dated by today's standards, and the voice acting was weak even upon release,
01:19Paul is no friend of the West.
01:21My name is Gordon Quick.
01:23I know your brother, but you are not him.
01:26Deus Ex remains one of the earliest examples of player freedom while also setting the bar
01:31for immersion at the dawn of the century.
01:34Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
01:36This is Snake.
01:38Do you read me Otacon?
01:40Loud and clear, Snake.
01:41Kept you waiting, huh?
01:43Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series helped create the stealth genre, and his PS1 entry
01:47Metal Gear Solid put Solid Snake on every gamer's soliton radar, making Metal Gear Solid
01:532 one of the most anticipated games on the PS2.
01:56And thankfully, MGS2 did not disappoint.
02:00The graphical leap was astounding for the time, and the level of interactivity and impressive
02:06enemy AI was unprecedented.
02:08While there was initially quite a lot of discourse over the bait-and-switch with Solid Snake
02:12to Raiden early on in the game, it didn't detract from the overall experience that utilized
02:17the game's stealth mechanics to perfection.
02:20MGS2 also set a new benchmark for cinematic storytelling in gaming, with the game's cinematics
02:26and presentation rivaling a big blockbuster Hollywood production.
02:30Metal Gear Solid 2 has since become one of the PS2's most important titles, and Hideo
02:35Kojima's predictions of future events and technology being eerily prophetic.
02:40These are the things I will pass on.
02:44That's what I live for.
02:45Grand Theft Auto Vice City
02:59Rockstar not only redefined their own series, but also created a genre of open-world games
03:05no one was prepared for, the sandbox open world.
03:09And while GTA 3 will always remain a classic, Vice City perfected the formula.
03:15Everything about the sequel was vastly improved.
03:18The story was much more engrossing, thanks in large part to the late Ray Liotta giving
03:23his all to Tommy Vercetti.
03:25The world was also more interesting to explore and had more varied modes of transportation.
03:30And the Miami-inspired location of Vice City finally allowed the player to swim and use
03:35boats to navigate the many waterways.
03:38Vice City is dripping in 80s nostalgia aesthetic, from the Miami Vice-inspired clothing to the
03:44atmospheric licensed music and neon-soaked nightlife, Vice City perfectly recaptures
03:50the spirit of the 1980s.
03:52What Rockstar was able to produce only a year after their groundbreaking GTA 3 was nothing
03:57short of remarkable.
04:07Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
04:09There was no shortage of Star Wars games before Knights of the Old Republic, but none of these
04:14games offered players the opportunity to forge their own path and make the choice between
04:19the light and dark side.
04:30Set 4,000 years before the events of Episode I, players begin their journey as a Jedi and
04:36through various choices must decide whether to remain on this path or join the Sith.
04:41Knights of the Old Republic allowed players to interact with a galaxy far, far away like
04:46never before in a multi-planet hopping adventure full of interesting quests, characters all
04:51with their own personalities and motivations, and countless easter eggs for long-time series
04:56fans.
04:57Combat might not be as flashy or impactful as the films or even other Star Wars games,
05:02but few if any other stories have had the same narrative impact on Star Wars outside
05:07of George Lucas' movies.
05:16Half-Life 2
05:24For anyone who's seen the recent Anniversary documentary, they'll know it's a miracle Half-Life
05:302 was released at all.
05:32Half-Life revolutionized first-person shooters with its innovative approach to storytelling,
05:37puzzles and combat, and while Half-Life 2 improved on all these and more, it also introduced
05:42something just as important, real-world physics.
05:46With puzzles and encounters specifically designed around the use of the player's abilities
05:50to manipulate their environment thanks to the gravity gun, the dystopian world of Half-Life
05:542 felt more alive than any other shooter on the market.
05:58With a mind-bending storyline that takes Gordon Freeman to all corners of City 17 and beyond,
06:04Valve crafted every element of the game with the player's enjoyment at its core, ensuring
06:08that exploration and combat never grew boring or monotonous.
06:13There's a reason fans have been begging for a third entry in the series for two decades
06:17because nothing else plays like a Half-Life game.
06:26Shadow of the Colossus
06:28The PS2 was the golden age for not only experimental games, but also the reignited discussion of
06:33games as art.
06:35Shadow of the Colossus focuses on the lone journey of the character Wander, promised
06:39help to a young girl named Mono should he slay the 16 Colossi in the surrounding area.
06:45The expansive and open landscape was breathtaking, and every new Colossus was a jaw-dropping
06:51spectacle.
06:52Whether they be towering skyscrapers or winged beasts, each was designed with impressive
06:57detail.
06:58Every Colossus was meticulously designed like a puzzle, and the innovative climbing mechanics
07:02would be infinitely replicated and innovated upon in the decades since.
07:07No other game, even in the years since, has been able to replicate the emotional journey
07:12or the sense of scale of the game's many Colossi, and those long, quiet rides between each confrontation,
07:18giving players time to reflect on their actions, remain some of the game's most impactful moments.
07:24Gears of War
07:30The impact of Gears of War cannot be understated.
07:33Although not the first game to feature the use of a cover system, Gears of War undoubtedly
07:38made it the industry standard for third-person shooters.
07:41The idea of destroyed beauty resonates throughout the world of Serah.
07:45Ravaged by first human conflict, and then the greater threat of the subterranean Locust
07:49Horde was remarkably detailed, and the game remains just as impressive even today.
07:54The testosterone-fueled gameplay and themes of combat-forged brotherhood have remained
07:59at the core of the series, and the game's impressive cover-based combat is single-handedly
08:04responsible for the influx of cover shooters during the mid-2000s.
08:08Every tense encounter felt more visceral than ever before, with impeccable sound design
08:12and fierce, impactful gameplay that thanks to the ever-evolving terrain and enemy AI,
08:17never grew stale no matter how many hordes of Locust, Marcus, and company facedown.
08:23Now, the long-struggled, against overwhelming odds, approaches a final, desperate stand.
08:31Bioshock.
08:32Now would you kindly head to Ryan's office and kill the son of a bitch?
08:37It's time to finish this.
08:39A spiritual successor to the equally impressive System Shock series, Ken Levine's baby, Bioshock,
08:45sent shockwaves through the industry upon release.
08:48The tale of an underwater utopia fallen into ruin was incredibly unique, and the Ayn Rand-inspired
08:53Andrew Ryan, constantly monologuing about his dreams and ideals for Rapture, chronicled
08:59a civilization destroyed by its own desire for progress.
09:02Roaming big daddies offered mini-boss fights coupled with the moral choice of whether to
09:07sacrifice the little sisters to further your own desire for power, or be rewarded for your
09:11selflessness by saving them.
09:13With player choice at the heart of its gameplay, the dystopian underworld was wrought with
09:18memorable characters and constant narrative twists and turns that asked players, would
09:22you kindly replay the game immediately after the credits rolled to see every possible outcome?
09:27The results are disappointing, but within expected tolerances.
09:34Fallout 3.
09:36War. War never changes.
09:43The Fallout series quite literally wrote the book on narrative-driven apocalyptic role-playing
09:48games, and after being acquired by Bethesda, Fallout 3 brought the series to first person
09:53and mainstream attention.
09:54The deep lore of the Fallout universe was now fully realized and explorable, as players
09:59emerged from their vault into the irradiated wasteland of the greater DC area.
10:05Fallout 3 continued the franchise's legacy of choice with players able to personalize
10:09their character with stats to fit their playstyle, as well as the introduction of the VATS system,
10:14which allowed players to target specific body parts and watch their destructive carnage
10:18in glorious slow motion.
10:20The players' actions directly influenced their karma, and these decisions would not
10:25only affect how other NPCs would interact with them, but could sometimes alter the entire
10:30game world.
10:31The end of the world has never been so much damn fun.
10:41Uncharted 2 Among Thieves.
10:55Although Nathan Drake's first adventure was solid enough, Among Thieves solidified
11:00the treasure hunter's legacy alongside the likes of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft,
11:05and allowed him to fully step out of the Dude Raider moniker.
11:09Everything about the sequel was cranked to 11 and improved upon.
11:13Combat was snappier, the cover system actually worked, improvements to the game's trademark
11:18climbing and traversal became industry standard, the characters were more fleshed out, and
11:23the overall narrative was tighter while also significantly upping the stakes.
11:27The set pieces were rivaled only by the Hollywood summer blockbusters that inspired the series,
11:32and the more cinematic approach to the game's story made it feel like an interactive popcorn flick.
11:37Uncharted 2 became one of the PS3's most important games, changing not only the future
11:42of PlayStation, but Naughty Dog as well, and represented a significant shift to more cinematic
11:48storytelling in video games.
11:58Mass Effect 2
12:08BioWare were one of the most prolific and influential western RPG developers in the 2000s,
12:13and their expedition into the great unknown with the Mass Effect series, and arguably
12:18one of their greatest creations is the franchise sequel, Mass Effect 2.
12:22With the groundwork and lore already established, BioWare focused on the gameplay, and implemented
12:28a more responsive combat system that allowed not only for player freedom, but was also
12:32welcoming to newcomers focused solely on the game's cover-based shooting mechanics.
12:37Player choice had a greater focus, allowing players to fully customize their Shepard with
12:41their choices having a greater effect on the game's karma system.
12:45New and returning characters were given greater depth, and the player's interactions with
12:49them affected the overall narrative, resulting in who lives or dies in the game's final act.
12:55Mass Effect 2 represents the best of the role-playing genre, as well as the developer at the height
13:00of their creativity.
13:13The Elder Scrolls V, Skyrim
13:15Bethesda rejoins our list with their wildly influential Elder Scrolls series, and arguably
13:20the developer's magnum opus, Skyrim.
13:23There's really no way to describe how it felt to be set loose in the world of Tamriel for
13:28the first time back in 2011.
13:30The world map is almost completely open for you to explore as much or as little as you
13:35wish, ducking in and out of the overarching narrative as you complete endless side quests
13:40and discover hidden areas full of unique encounters, weapons, and gear.
13:44With countless ways to build and customize your character, even the usual Bethesda technical
13:49glitches couldn't diminish the freedom players had in customizing their journey through the
13:53meticulously handcrafted world.
13:55It's no wonder Bethesda keeps re-releasing the game, as only the possibility of the Elder
14:00Scrolls VI has a chance of dethroning the almighty Dragonborn.
14:05Telltale's The Walking Dead
14:08Let's go. Stay close to me.
14:11Telltale had been making player choice adventure games for almost a decade before they secured
14:16the license for the wildly popular Walking Dead franchise, but it was this first season
14:21that made them a household name in storytelling.
14:24Released over five episodes, Telltale's story puts players in the role of Lee Everett at
14:29the start of the zombie outbreak and his struggles to keep his group of survivors, particularly
14:34the young Clementine, alive.
14:37Depending on the player's decisions, numerous members of the group could be permanently
14:41killed off or turn on Lee and the rest of the survivors, and choices made early on could
14:47have significant ramifications in later episodes.
14:50With wonderfully realized characters brought to life by incredible performances and a truly
14:55heartbreaking journey, if you weren't in tears by the end of the season, then you were
14:59simply playing the game wrong.
15:02I'll miss you.
15:04Me too.
15:07The Last of Us
15:08Why the hell are we smuggling an infected girl?
15:11I'm not infected.
15:12No? I was just lying.
15:15I can explain.
15:16You better explain fast.
15:18Zombie outbreaks have been a staple of gaming since the earliest days, but few, if any,
15:23had been crafted in the way The Last of Us was.
15:25Marking a stark departure for Naughty Dog from their colorful platforming days and lighthearted
15:30series, The Last of Us focused on the brutality of the end of the world in a way few games
15:35had ever dared.
15:36The story of Joel and Ellie was expertly crafted to realistically build their relationship
15:41over the course of the game, narrowly surviving encounters with the infected, or worse, the
15:46apocalypse's survivors.
15:47The Last of Us' cinematic presentation and characters managed to be both uplifting and
15:52heartbreaking, interspersed by moments of extreme tragedy and loss while crafting a
15:57hopeful future for two people lost in a world that was slowly dying around them.
16:02The Last of Us is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling and deserves every honor it was
16:07awarded.
16:08So is that everything you hoped for?
16:11The jury's still out.
16:13But man, can't deny that view.
16:17South Park, the Stick of Truth
16:19Welcome to the kingdom of Koopa Keep.
16:24Die-hard South Park fans have had to suffer through quite a few terrible adaptations of
16:29the beloved and raunchy comedy series.
16:32And it took the combination of Obsidian and Matt Stone and Trey Parker being directly
16:37involved to give us one of the best adaptations of the quiet little mountain town.
16:42However, The Stick of Truth couldn't be a simple RPG with our favorite foul-mouthed kids
16:47and naturally lambasted all the typical RPG tropes the genre has become synonymous with
16:52to great and oftentimes hilarious effect despite making use of them for their game's
16:58surprisingly solid combat.
17:00With countless references and in-jokes for longtime fans, players got to explore almost
17:05the entirety of South Park and even travel to an 8-bit rendition of Canada all recreated
17:11wonderfully in the series' classic art style.
17:14The Stick of Truth feels like a long-lost episode of the show fans get to take part in.
17:22If it splashes, it means you get a free wish.
17:25The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
17:27My daughter Cirilla, she's returned.
17:31And she's in danger.
17:33The Wild Hunt pursues her.
17:37You will find her and bring her to me.
17:40Adapted from the long-running series of novels, few had even heard of The Witcher or known
17:44there were already two entries in the series by the time Wild Hunt was revealed.
17:49Offering players the chance to jump into a standalone adventure with Geralt, The Witcher
17:533 was not only a great jumping on point for newcomers, but also gave the series and its
17:58developer CD Projekt Red mainstream attention.
18:01The world of The Witcher was jaw-droppingly detailed, with players able to lose countless
18:06hours just exploring the world and stumbling onto some of the game's many brilliant side
18:11quests naturally, giving the entire game a sense that it was a living, breathing place.
18:16With deep, customizable combat and an incredibly engaging narrative, The Witcher 3 is not only
18:21one of the best RPGs ever made, but one of the most influential and well-crafted games
18:26of the generation.
18:27Sorry, not in the habit of leaving jobs undone.
18:30Folks speak true about you, Witchers.
18:33You're heartless beasts.
18:35Persona 5
18:37The Persona series has long been a fan favorite for JRPG fans, with Persona 3 and 4 being
18:43ranked among some of the best in the genre.
18:45But the fifth entry is arguably the series at its peak.
18:49Everything about Persona 5 is dripping with style and personality, from the many characters
18:54you interact with to the battle system, the many creatures you encounter, and even the
18:58damn menus flashing in your face like an interactive anime or playable manga.
19:03Balancing your day-to-day life attending classes, maintaining a job, and the numerous possible
19:08romance options makes Persona feel like a second life sim.
19:12And that's all before players dive into the supernatural metaverse.
19:15The world of Persona 5 is so exciting and engaging that it's easy to get lost in the
19:20balance of everyday life and dungeon crawling, and it's no wonder there have been multiple
19:24spinoffs based on this game's universe.
19:27The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
19:34The Legend of Zelda series is one of the longest running and most respected franchises in the
19:39industry, and has long been one of the leading innovators in video games.
19:43And with Breath of the Wild, Nintendo not only rewrote their own playbook for Zelda
19:47games, but also, once again, revolutionized the action-adventure genre.
19:52Giving players an unprecedented level of freedom, players could explore Hyrule and its many
19:57secrets or head straight for the final boss after acquiring their paraglider, and the
20:01game allowed them to do so.
20:03Rather than hold the player's hand with countless icons or markers, Nintendo allowed
20:08players to forge their own path through the game, and gave them a level of experimentation
20:12that was unheard of.
20:14The game's physics allowed for multiple solutions to not only the game's many shrines,
20:18but also combat, with the game allowing for a near-completely customizable experience.
20:34Red Dead Redemption 2
20:45While fans were begging for a sequel to Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar took things back
20:49even further and gave fans a prequel, framing the events that led to John Marston's hunt
20:54for the Vanderlinde gang.
20:56The Wild West Rockstar created for Red Dead 2 was unlike anything the studio had crafted
21:01before.
21:02With hundreds, if not thousands of possible NPC interactions, and a living, breathing
21:07western frontier for players to explore, Rockstar fundamentally changed the open-world formula
21:12once again, crafting a world so immersive and incredibly detailed and realistic, you
21:17could almost live there.
21:19Rather than focus on John, players were put in the boots of Arthur Morgan, and given the
21:23choice of whether to redeem this outlaw through their actions and choices, in one of the most
21:28expertly crafted stories in all of gaming, and possibly of all time.
21:40Disco Elysium
21:41The genre of role-playing games has a fairly loose definition these days, but few, if any,
21:47have managed to capture the essence of a true role-playing experience as Disco Elysium.
21:52With player choice instrumental to its narrative, the overarching plot of a murder investigation
21:57is more of a framing device for players to craft their own story, with every one of their
22:01choices impacting the experience right down to the smallest detail.
22:05With the voices in the protagonist's head reacting to and encouraging the player's actions,
22:10the options to craft your own character are near limitless.
22:14The surrealist, painterly world of Elysium is overflowing with personality, both from
22:19the city itself and the many people who call the port city home.
22:23Relying heavily on the traditional D&D rules and RNG, the game almost discourages combat
22:29entirely, wanting players to instead focus on the many dialogue options available to them.
22:34Ghost of Tsushima
22:43Sucker Punch is no stranger to open worlds or stealth games, but what they managed to
22:48create with Ghost of Tsushima not only set a new bar for open world games, but gave the PS4
22:53arguably its greatest first-party exclusive.
22:56The island of Tsushima is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, with each new area more breathtaking than
23:02the last, and the game's mix of stealth and sword-focused combat is pitch-perfect, as
23:07players defend the island against the invading Mongols.
23:10The addition of the Guiding Wind might be one of the greatest new additions to the open
23:15world genre, completely foregoing the over-usage of map markers and icons.
23:20The moral struggle of protagonist Jin Sakai is a relatable and emotional journey, directly
23:26impacted by the player's choices.
23:28Sucker Punch sought to recreate the iconic films of Akira Kurosawa, and in turn crafted
23:33a story that can stand alongside those classics.
23:41Returnal
23:45Sony might not have a lot of PS5-exclusive titles so far this generation, but Returnal
23:56manages to stand out from the growing catalog with its twisting and mind-bending narrative,
24:01tough-but-fair bullet-hell shooter mechanics, and some of the most inventive use of the
24:05DualSense's haptic feedback this generation.
24:08Developed by Housemarque, most well-known for their Stardust series and the PS4's standout
24:12launch title Rezogun, the developer took their solid shoot-em-up mechanics and dropped
24:17players onto a mysterious and ravaged world, daring them to survive its cycle of live,
24:22die, repeat, and complex roguelike mechanics.
24:25The game remains a standout from Sony's other PS5 releases, interweaving its complex
24:30and emotional storyline into the gameplay, begging players to return for just one more
24:34run to uncover more of Atropos' secrets and how they connect to protagonist Selene.
24:40We promise you are not ready for this one.
24:58FromSoftware have thoroughly established themselves as one of the best developers in the industry
25:03with the Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro series, but for Elden Ring, they managed to
25:08craft what is arguably their greatest masterpiece so far.
25:12The world of The Lands Between is absolutely begging players to explore it from the second
25:17they take their first steps off the elevator, full of dungeons, caves, hidden and not-so-hidden
25:22bosses, and some of the developers' deepest and most interesting lore crafted by Game
25:27of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin.
25:30The traditional Souls formula was more approachable than ever, offering players a wealth of options
25:35to create their ultimate build while still crushing overconfident players at every turn.
25:40FromSoft continues to be the masters of their craft, and Elden Ring is without question
25:44one of the developers' greatest creations.
25:55Baldur's Gate 3
26:05You might be a little naive in the ways of the world, but I see promise in you.
26:10Despite the hundreds of Dungeons & Dragons adaptations over the years, none have managed
26:15to fully and completely capture the true chaos of a true D&D session the way BG3 does.
26:21Almost anything you can imagine is possible within the game.
26:25Set up explosive barrels before a tough boss fight, blow up the bridge before an enemy
26:29can cross it, kick a squirrel, basically if you can imagine it, the game will not only
26:33allow it, but adapt to it as well.
26:36Alongside an incredible narrative collecting all this madness together, with numerous romanceable
26:41companions and an incredibly detailed world and battle system, it's all too easy to lose
26:46dozens of hours getting constantly distracted and still barely scratch the surface of what
26:51Baldur's Gate 3 offers players.
26:53The thousands of possible variations on the game's ending mean every single choice matters,
26:58and gives the game near limitless replayability.
27:04I'm sure you'll clear a path for everyone, soon enough.
27:08Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
27:10Hey, rein it in.
27:13Sorry, no can do.
27:17Kids.
27:19Fans had been begging for a remake of Final Fantasy VII ever since the PS3 tech demo in
27:242005, and players finally got their wish in 2020.
27:29While that game only covered the Midgar section of the game, the second in the planned trilogy
27:33gave players the true Final Fantasy VII experience they always wanted.
27:38With wide open areas to explore filled to the brim with additional content and hidden
27:42secrets and quests, Rebirth is a complete Final Fantasy experience despite only being
27:47a middle chapter.
27:49Fan favorite areas and characters are lovingly recreated with brilliant detail, and the expanded
27:54scope of the sequel allowed players to experience even more of Final Fantasy VII's incredible
27:58world than they could ever have hoped for.
28:01With all of this in what is technically only the middle chapter, we can't even imagine
28:05the scale the devs at Square will manage to create for the final entry.
28:09Y'all get what you were after?
28:12Read the room, dude.
28:15What are some of your picks for the best single player games of the century?
28:19Did we miss your favorites?
28:21Share your picks in the comments.
28:23Did you enjoy this video?
28:24Check out these other clips for Mojo Plays, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
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