Bethesda may have permanently sullied their reputation with Fallout ’76. In fact, the one common complaint about their games is how unreliable they can be; however, the problems with Fallout ’76 go way beyond the game’s bugs. A game with a lot of bugs can still be fun while also being frustrating; Fallout 3 (which is of course on this list) is a famous example of this assertion.
Many of what gamers consider Bethesda’s best games are also the biggest offenders when it comes to visits from the glitch gremlin. Some of these issues stem from maybe releasing games a little too early. In Bethesda’s case, it's also perhaps a cause of their games being a bit over-ambitious – which is far from a bad thing. If a game is on multiple platforms the platform with the highest rating was used.
Updated October 1st, 2020 by Zach Gass: While the studio might be better known for the beloved Elder Scrolls franchise and other action RPGs, Bethesda is far from a one-trick pony when it comes to creating exciting and immersive titles. From the simple first-person-shooter to the lore-heavy fantasy realm or nuclear fallout, the studio is responsible for some of the best games on modern consoles. With one of the largest libraries in the gaming industry, there are tons of titles to choose from. Fortunately, gamers have Metacritic to help sway their decision.
15 The Evil Within 2 - 76, 8.8 User Score
The first entry of the Evil Within series brought back the traditional, Resident-Evil-IV-styled brand of survival horror, where there was as much guts-and-gore gameplay as there were car chases and moody edge-lord protagonists. The sequel only upped the ante on the difficulty, the survival, and the over-the-top nightmare-inducing monstrosities that would keep even the most seasoned horror hound up at night. Not perfect by any means, but it gave the fans what they wanted.
14 Prey - 79, 7.9 User Score
Prey is an exceptionally interesting entry into the FPS genre, and one that still raises more than a few eyebrows. Taking a few elements from the successful Bioshock series, such as the art-deco style and the use of superpowers as well as weapons, players will be thrust into an alien-infested space station armed with their wits and impressive psionic abilities.
It's an exceptional foray into the sci-fi/horror field, and makes enough clever twists and turns to keep from getting stale.
13 Rage - 81, 6.3 User Score
If Mad Max: Fury Road and Borderlands had a baby, the result would be Rage. This underrated gem on the PS3 had players take on a wasteland full of mutants, guns, tricked-out cars, and unforgiving landscapes in an action-packed FPS experience ahead of its time. While it might not be as memorable as other contenders on this list, it certainly didn't skimp on the fun factor by any means. What more does one need in a mutant-ridden desert?
12 Wolfenstein: The New Order – 81 Rating, 8.2 User Score
Wolfenstein: The New Order is a sequel to 2009’s Wolfenstein despite being from a new development studio (MachineGames) and a new publisher (Bethesda). This game improved on the previous Wolfenstein’s combat system immensely by including stealth and cover systems. Bethesda managed to give The New Order a nostalgic quality the 2009 game was lacking.
Another aspect that was much improved was the multiplayer gameplay. Many user reviews praised the game’s plot; which had quite a few surprises and intense moments. As a bonus this game allows the player to play the original Wolfenstein while the protagonist rests.
11 Fallout: New Vegas – 84 Rating, 8.7 User Score
There are essentially two types of Fallout: New Vegas players – those players that can’t wait to start a new character as soon as they complete the game, and those players who don’t see what all the fuss is about. Judging by the Metacritic rating the former type of player is clearly in the majority.
The game needed a more robust color palette was a bit on the buggy side and was too easy once the player's character approached the level cap. On the other hand, Fallout: New Vegas gave players a game world that felt alive, and filled with enough content to easily fill 100 hours of gameplay.
10 Doom (2016) – 85 Rating, 8.5 User Score
Doom (2016), which is the fourth in the series, was Bethesda and id Software’s attempt at somehow getting back some of the magic this iconic franchise had lost over the years. Doom 3 was a great game, and the extras included in the BFG Edition (it included Doom and Doom II) made it one of the best bargains in gaming.
Going by most critic and user reviews on Metacritic, Bethesda, and id Software were successful. There are zero negative critic reviews and only 36 negative user reviews out of over 2600. Bethesda and id Software have yet to let players down with a game in the Doom series; let’s hope the upcoming Doom Eternal continues this trend.
9 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – 87 Rating, 7.5 User Score
Like Doom, the Wolfenstein series is one with a large and loyal fanbase, filled with gamers who wouldn't hesitate to leave a negative review on Metacritic if this game wasn’t anything less than stellar. Players and critics do have a few complaints about The New Colossus; like unimaginative level designs and not much of an improvement graphically compared to the previous title.
These negatives are diminished by the intense first-person action and thought-provoking story-line according to most reviews. Those wanting to check this game’s page on Metacritic should prepare themselves to trudge through the political minefield found in the reviews section.
8 Dishonored 2 – 88 Rating, 7.9 User Score
Dishonored 2 gave gamers more of what made the first title such a hit with players. This is also what kept the rating from 90%. Many reviewers stated the sequel didn’t do enough to set it apart from the first game and felt more like an expansion to Dishonored than a sequel.
Dishonored 2 gives the player a choice between two characters, and Arkane Studios and Bethesda did a great job making these characters very different from each other in terms of play-style. The game’s stealth mechanics and enemy A.I. were also greatly improved over the original.
7 Doom Eternal - 88, 8.4 User Score
Bethesda cranked the demon-slaying, heavy metal carnage all the way up to 12 with the incredible sequel to 2016 's great and gory title with Doom Eternal. If the first game was the chainsaw, its sequel was the BFG.
Doom Eternal blends the mindless arcade FPS action with a serving of environmental platforming and survival horror. With more weapons and demonic terrors than one can shake a stick at, gamers are up for a bloody good time.
6 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – 89 Rating, 8.9 User Score
The third installment in the Elder Scrolls series took the player to a foreign new world – namely the island Vvardenfell. Vvardenfell is the home of the Dunmer (the dark elves in the Elder Scrolls world) and as such the landscape and architecture bring a welcome newness to the franchise.
Being on an island the game-world isn’t as large as the previous game, but this actually allowed the developers to increase the detail of the game-world in Morrowind. There are many user reviews that proclaim Morrowind to be the greatest role-playing game of all time. This game has no negative critic reviews on Metacritic.
5 Fallout 3 – 91 Rating, 7.8 User Score
Fallout 3 is so good that many PS3 and Xbox 360 owners bought their systems solely to play this game. Fallout 3 took the franchise into the 3D world and gave gamers of the last generation a reminder of why the first two games in the series are so beloved.
Bethesda managed to capture the feel of the first two Fallout games perfectly. They also managed to incorporate many aspects of the first two games into the new 3rd person play-style that many thought couldn’t be adapted – the V.A.T.S. system being the prime example. Many reviewers stated this game is the best in the Fallout library, even surpassing the groundbreaking original.
4 Dishonored – 91 Rating, 8.4 User Score
The first Dishonored was an instant hit with gamers, this is a fact. Dishonored is one of those games a lot of people may have never heard of, but after playing it wonder how this series isn’t as big as GTA, Fallout, or Final Fantasy. The game takes place in a fictional location called The Empire of Isles – more specifically the region’s capital of Dunwall.
The game’s setting is steampunk-ish, fusing early 19th-century technology with supernatural forces. Dishonored is more of a stealth game than anything else; the game keeps track of player kills (and other chaotic actions) and changes the game-world accordingly.
3 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – 94 Rating, 8.1 User Score
For many fans of the Elder Scrolls series, Oblivion was the highpoint. They will agree that Skyrim has a more evolved combat system and sharper graphics, but they would argue the lush, colorful game-world in Oblivion is far better than the monotonous gray and brown landscape of Skyrim.
Many reviewers noted that the enormity of the game-world and seemingly endless quests will keep gamers joyfully occupied for well over 100 hours of playtime. The complaints mainly center around the sometimes awful voice-acting and the character models that can have an unnerving quality to them. This game was awarded the “Must Play” label by Metacritic.
2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 94 Rating, 8.2 User Score
Another “Must Play” is Oblivion’s sequel - Skyrim. This time around the series focuses on the rugged northern province of Skyrim – home of the Nords. Skyrim expanded on the combat system, allowing for dual-wielding weapons and/or spells. Gone is the class system of the previous games; players choose what class their character is through their actions.
The game-world in Skyrim is large enough to be a little intimidating when first starting, especially since this game does little in the way of “hand-holding”. For those who are thinking of giving this game a try, make sure to get the Legendary Edition for the added content.
1 Quake - 94, 8.8 User Score
This spot belongs to the grandaddy of all arena shooters, Quake. Before Halo, Call of Duty, or Overwatch, there was this PC gem from the minds behind the successful Doom franchise. Armed with jetpacks and a number of automatic weapons, players let the bullets fly in this post-apocalyptic shooter. Often imitated but never duplicated, Quake is the wellspring from which the entire shooter genre was forever affected. How can it not earn high marks?