3) Fallout 3

For a hardcore Fallout fan like myself, the fact that Fallout 3 exists at all feels like a miracle—before Bethesda took charge, I assumed my beloved franchise was all but dead. I still remember how quickly I reserved the game’s collector’s edition, complete with a lunch box and bobblehead. I still remember the excitement I felt waiting in line outside of GameStop for the midnight release. All I could think was, “is this really happening?”

While I lament the genre change—there is no shortage of shooters out in the world, and XCOM proved that you can modernize a franchise without turning it into a first-person shooter—Fallout 3 felt, well, right. Experiencing vault life first-hand in the introduction is one of the best openings in a game, ever.The Capital Wasteland is a great setting, especially for a game all about America. And the experience of actually walking through Fallout 3 in its full, open-world glory, is a joy. Many of my favorite characters in the franchise, like Moira Brown, are from Fallout 3. Fallout 3’s Tranquility Lane is the best segment in the entire series. And the quests? Remember The Replicated Man? So good!