2004 was an amazing year for video games. There were so many top-tier groundbreaking titles for both PC and console. Many of the year’s best you probably didn’t even know came out in ‘04, as they didn’t achieve high status until later.
While the year is probably not the greatest of all time when it comes to gaming, it definitely goes in the top three of the decade. A few of the best titles did receive an improved or enhanced version, but as long as the OG game released in ‘04, it will count.
Blizzard’sWorld of Warcraftwon’t be everyone’s favorite game of 2004, and even at release, it didn’t earn a large majority of game of the year accolades. However, there’s no denying that WoW is the most important game of ‘04 in terms of how it changed the industry.
MMORPGs would be totally different today if WoW didn’t exist. There’s so much to do, and nowadays, it’s even better due to the multiple formats. you may play current WoW or the few variants of WoW Classic, sort of like playing older formats in card games. WoW is the only title of the year to be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, and it absolutely deserves it.
In November of 2004, two massive FPS classics came out just one week apart from each other, One on PC and the other on console, and strangely enough, both came from Seattle-based developers. The big title on the PC side wasHalf-Life 2from Valve. Starting right where the first game left off, you again play as Gordon Freeman.
Jumping forward in time, you experiencea vast dystopian settingwith excellent world-building that still holds up. One element that is drastically improved from Half-Life 1 is the side characters. Alyx and Eli are very likable, with good writing, voice performances, and impressive animation for the time. This makes the campaign much more fun to replay than the first title.
The big console FPS of November wasHalo 2. This game was the point where console FPS titles finally matched their PC counterparts. Halo 2 gave Half-Life a real run for its money, and to be honest, it’s better.The story is incredibleand so well-crafted.
Bringing in the Arbiter as the primary protagonist this time around was a ballsy move that paid off in spades. You just couldn’t help but root for him. The campaign’s longer, with more varied levels, plus there was the game-changing online multiplayer. Even the soundtrack’s killer. Out of the entire original Xbox library, Halo 2 is the best game on the system.
7Ninja Gaiden
A Pillar Of Action Gaming
WhenDark Soulsreleased, its difficulty was a shock to the system to many, considering the average challenge of most games at the time. That same shock happened in 2004 withNinja Gaiden. So many people could not get past the first level, including game testers when the title went through certification. Despite many not getting far, anyone who picked up the game couldn’t deny how good it was.
That’s the sign of a truly great game when you can play the first level and judge the final quality right then and there. With combat that still holds up and cool interconnected environments, any action game fan must play this title. However, be warned that just because you’re a Souls veteran, that doesn’t prepare you. Don’t expect an easy time.
The final mainGTAinstallment before the arrival of the HD Universe wasGTA: San Andreas. This game is huge for the time, and it still feels like the largest GTA.GTA5technically has the largest map, but you only get Los Santos and the mostly desert area of Blaine County.
San Andreas has Los Santos, Las Venturas, and San Fierro all in one game. The map is densely packed, too, which helps it feel even bigger. A lot of games today can go toe to toe with GTA San Andreas in terms of the quality open world, showing just how well this game’s aged. Thelicensed soundtrack is great as well, and it’s the last GTA to really have one. GTA4 and 5’s licensed music just can’t compare to what was on the PS2.
Out of all the mainMetal Geartitles,Snake Eateris the favorite among many, and it’s not hard to see why. The story has a classic movie feel, paying tribute to old Hollywood cinema. There’s tons of replay value and so many secrets to discover. Above all else, the gameplay was finally improved.
MGS2 wasn’t a big leap from MGS1 in terms of stealth mechanics and was still using the outdated radar system. MGS3 finally ditched the radar map and added tons of new mechanics, adding depth. There’s camouflage, multiple ways you can play with the enemy, and the new CQC system that would become standard in the franchise. Unfortunately, the original release only had the top-down view camera instead of the third-person one found in later releases. This makes getting through undetected much harder.
4Monster Hunter
The Start Of A Legendary Series
Here’s one game you probably didn’t know came out this year. While theMonster Hunterfranchise is one of Capcom’s biggest series today, it started off with a very niche Western audience. It’s a shame the first title came and went in the States because it really showed the greatness the series would inevitably become.
The animation here for the monsters still looks good today. While you don’t get many of the quality-of-life features of newer installments, the gameplay loop remains solid. Monster Hunter 1 hasn’t aged the best, but it’s a very important game in Capcom’s library.
3Thief: Deadly Shadows
The End Of The Original Trilogy
One of the most underrated video game series of all time is Thief. Besides the reboot, these are some of the greatest stealth games ever made. Thief: Deadly Shadows was the final classic Thief title, and while it’s the weakest of the trilogy, that’s not saying much because they’re all fantastic.
Stephen Russell voices Garrett once again and nails him as always. you may switch between first and third-person, and it actually works quite well within the stealth genre. Some of the levels are total bangers, too. The one inside the insane asylum is one of the best in the whole series. Deadly Shadows, along with the prior two games, are must-play PC classics.
2Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The Best Mario RPG
A topMariogame for sure,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorremains unbeaten all these years later. It’s incredible from top to bottom. The writing, story, and scenarios are all great and memorable. Every chapter has something new to offer, leading to an adventure you’ll never forget.
The combat system is the best in any Mario RPG in terms of how simple it is but also with enough depth so that more skilled players can get more out of it. A perfect beginner RPG for anyone, regardless of age. Thousand-Year Door is all-aroundthe best Mario RPG, althoughSuper Mario RPGis definitely a close second.
1Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
The Greatest Unfinished Game Ever Made
A question often asked within the industry is why so many games come out unfinished, only to be fixed later. A reason for this is that if the game’s already stellar in the first place, you can overlook the bugs and issues.Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlinesis a great example. Released unfinished, it got surprisingly high review scores because the core of the game itself is phenomenal.
The writing’s amazing, the characters are great, and the RPG elements are BioWare level and better than what BioWare was putting out at this time. Due to Bloodlines being a PC title, there’s many ways you can turn it into a more complete and polished game. The PC platform is great for this, and you’ll definitely want to install these before playing.
