Smack dab in the middle of the seventh console generation, 2010 was a relatively mundane year for gamers, and, while it gave us classics like Mass Effect 2 and Red Dead Redemption, it also hosted a ton of forgettable shlock, not to mention the utter dreck that was Sonic The Hedgehog 4, Final Fantasy XIII, and a slew of rhythm games looking to capitalize on the success of Guitar Hero.
Yet, with remakes and remasters as popular as they are at the moment, it feels like an appropriate time to reminisce over yester-decade and recover 10 games that haven't already been re-worked that are still worthy of an eighth-generation modernization.
10 Call of Duty: Black Ops
Given the recent touch-ups given to the iconic first two Modern Warfare games, plenty of gamers are wondering if Activision and Treyarch are going to follow suit and revamp some of their older entries in the series. There's plenty of demand for a return to form when it comes to the Call of Duty games, and remastering Black Ops would go a long way toward sating nostalgic fans.
Often thought to be one of the last great Call of Duty games, Black Ops delivered a chilling Cold War narrative, and groundbreaking zombies hoard mode, and an unforgettable multiplayer experience of a sort which gamers are still clamoring for ten years later.
9 Super Mario Galaxy 2
The sequel to one of the most popular first-party releases on the Nintendo Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 expanded on the series by doubling-down on the crazy level designs seen in the first game, introducing the fan-favorite character Yoshi, and simplifying the overall structure of the experience while adding an extra bit of challenge for those who mastered Mario's first interstellar outing.
One of Nintendo's few major franchises to remain dormant since the Wii days, we would love to see Mario once again return to Galaxy. Rumors suggest that a handful of Mario remasters could be in store for the Switch in the near future, so we'll have to wait and see!
8 Alan Wake
The premiere seventh-generation title from Max Payne developers Remedy Entertainment, Alan Wake was a cerebral survival horror experience that pitted the titular protagonist against a slew of monsters that could only be made vulnerable via a flashlight. Innovative, though not all that scary, Alan Wake was a memorable romp which we'd love to experience once again.
Though a sequel was in development in the mid-2010s, Remedy eventually shifted focus to the excellent Control, which debuted in 2019. That said, Control and Alan Wake are said to be set in the same universe, so we may see the troubled author return at some point.
7 Split/Second
Developed by the now-defunct Black Rock Studio and published, surprisingly enough, by Disney, Split/Second was an arcade racer that pushed action to the forefront of the experience. With each lap, tracks would shift and change, often in explosive, high-octane fashion, and it culminated in a pulse-pounding effect only replicated by the likes of the Burnout franchise.
Though a sequel was said to be in the works at one point, Disney gave op on gaming quite a while ago, so it's unlikely that we'll ever hear of Split/Second ever again. Still, a remaster would likely be a tremendous success given the graphical fidelity afforded by the PS4 and Xbox One.
6 Mass Effect 2
Considered by some to be the pinnacle of the Mass Effect trilogy, Mass Effect 2 was a premiere seventh-gen action RPG which elevated developers BioWare to new heights and firmly cemented the series' legacy. Though subsequent iterations haven't been as fondly remembered, Mass Effect 2 remains as playable as ever, though that doesn't mean it couldn't do with a fresh coat of paint.
5 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
One of the most important horror video games of all time, Amnesia: The Dark Descent popularized the defenseless protagonist paradigm seen in Outlast and its derivatives, played with the concept of deteriorating sanity, and helped to launch the careers of countless YouTube personalities.
Yet, an indie game developed by a relatively small team, Amnesia: The Dark Descent hasn't aged all that well. However, a modernized control scheme and a new visual direction could do the game wonders. What's more, Fractional Games have recently revealed a new Amnesia entry for 2020, reviving interest in the long-dormant series.
4 Dark Void
A long-forgotten third-person shooter, Dark Void deserved credit for innovating on the cover shooter formula by introducing verticality via a jetpack. Able to ascend through the air and even engage in dogfights, Dark Void was a blast to play through, though the campaign was admittedly fairly short.
A sci-fi romp featuring an alternate-history 1930s setting and famed inventor Nichola Tesla himself, Dark Void could be a wonderful experience were it remastered or completely remade. What's more, it was published by Capcom, a studio seemingly keen on revitalizing their older works.
3 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat
Though technically released in late 2009, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat debuted on Steam in 2010, and a discrepancy of a few short months shouldn't prevent us from bringing attention to this underrated classic, anyway.
A hardcore RPG which feels like a mix between Fallout and Metro 2033, Call of Pripyat takes place, as the name would imply, in the infamous Chernobyl exclusion zone. Pitting players against humans and mutated monsters alike in a pseudo-post-apocalypse, it remains a must-play for fans of the genre. Unfortunately, it's definitely showing its age and could do with a major overhaul.
2 Singularity
One of the last projects produced by Raven Software, the beloved developers behind games like F.E.A.R. and Quake 4, Singularity was an incredibly well-produced title that featured an exhilarating time travel mechanic which made for unique gameplay scenarios and an unforgettable story. Similar in many ways to the BioShock games, Singularity is all too often forgotten amidst the deluge of FPS games released during the seventh generation.
The fact that this game has fallen from public perception is a shame, and it would be fantastic to see the title reworked for modern gaming hardware.
1 Fallout: New Vegas
Often considered to be the best Fallout game ever released and a frequently-demanded candidate for remastering, Fallout: New Vegas was a groundbreaking RPG that re-defined what the genre could be and further elevated the series' reputation in the eyes of many gamers. Offering an incredible amount of depth and replayability, it was one of the best role-playing games of the PS3 and Xbox 360 era.
Though developers Obsidian Entertainment released a spiritual successor in the form of The Outer Worlds in 2019, the option to remake New Vegas would ultimately fall to Bethesda, a company seemingly hellbent on tormenting their fanbase at the moment.