Gears Of War (2006)

It's been ten years since the original Gears of War launched, and there have been plenty of great sequels in-between. For us, though, nothing matches the first. It just has the cover shooter genre down so well, from the intuitive cover mechanics to the gore splattering kills and satisfying weapons. That's not to say the other titles in the series haven't matched those and even improved it, but it's the complete package that wins it the accolade. Part of that is the story, following the legendary Marcus Fenix as he mows his way through 'Locusts' on the planet Sera. It introduces a tight nit squad in Dom, Baird and Cole, and then on you're carried at breakneck speed through an attempt to map the alien's underground tunnels. It's an action game before a story one, but Gears of War also proves how much you can achieve without exposition. The bonds between the characters grow significantly over the course of the game, providing a feeling of comradery as you chop enemies apart with a chainsaw, and providing a perfect thread into the rest of the series.