Premiering Sunday night on HBO, hotly anticipated The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones alum Bella Ramsey as survivors trekking across the U.S. after a species of fungus has crumbled modern civilization.
The Last of Us is based on Naughty Dog’s 2013 PlayStation game, and early reviews have unanimously declared the series to be the finest adaptation of a video game of all time. To celebrate the release of the first must-see show of 2023, we’ve rounded up and ranked the best video games ever. Over roughly a half-century of ever-expanding popularity, the medium of video games has evolved from a rudimentary novelty to one of the foremost entertainment mediums on Earth. At their best and most sophisticated, video games even push the boundaries of great storytelling.
In ascending order, here are the best video games of all time, ranked.
Related: Everything to Know About HBO’s The Last of Us Series
Best Video Games of All Time
25. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)
“Animal Crossing: New Horizons”
Nintendo
It’s no secret that 2020 was a tough year. It’s also pretty well-documented that Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a balm in troubled times, a soothing, kid-friendly and beguiling confection that encouraged creativity and social interaction. Released in the chaotic moment that was March of 2020, New Horizons has sold 40 million units to date; it’s a genuine cultural landmark.
24. Ghost of Tsushima (2020)
“Ghost of Tsushima”
Sony/Sucker Punch
One of the absolute peaks of the last generation received widespread acclaim, and yet it’s still underrated. Sucker Punch’s open-world Ghost of Tsushima, a well-written and brutally violent adventure set in 13th-century Japan, is one of the most recent titles on this list, and it is already a flat-out classic. Sony has announced a film adaptation, and demand for a sequel is loud.
23. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
“Mass Effect 2”
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