Tomb Raider
If this game isn't a serious contender for best video game ever then IDK what is. Nearly everything about this title screams perfection. From the graphics and animation to the narrative and controls to the exploration and RPG aspects ... pretty much everything but the QTEs. QTEs can suck farts and die.
Really, the character and environmental graphics nearly surpass the best I have ever seen on a 7th gen console. The art direction is top notch! The animations are the most fluid and nuanced I have ever seen in CGI and that includes animated film. The contextual controls for movement, jumping, climbing, platforming, and shooting are all responsive and precise and the game is
highly cinematic without taking too much control away from players. The melee kills switch to a contextual camera for more dramatic effect while Lara drives her climbing axe into enemies skulls. It's visceral and exciting and a very nice visual flair!
The writing is also among the best I have ever heard of in a video game. Of course the center of the story is Lady Croft, but every character is given a spectacular performance! The voice acting is absolutely stellar and the bad guy is one of the best I have ever seen in any story! Lara herself has been given a drastic improvement. Not only is she much more visually appealing but also vulnerable and compassionate enough to feel human and capable enough to be one helluva exciting action hero! I think I may have fallen in love with her
The island on which the game takes place is also a spectacular environment for Lara's adventure! There is a variety of highly detailed environments just littered with goodies to search for and discover in return for points to improve Lara's skills or upgrade her arsenal of weapons. It really feels like you're taking part in developing Lara into the cunning adventurer she's know as! Each area is a joy to climb and crawl all over! Every area bleeds atmosphere and the island itself stands as Lara's most dangerous foe in the whole adventure with a sinister personality all its own.
Aside from some quite infuriating unbalanced difficulty and the inclusion of QTEs which are enough on their own to make me wish death upon all those who make me suffer them Tomb Raider is easily one of the best video games ever played! And for anyone who enjoys violence and Zelda this game takes the cake and runs with it! or for anyone who enjoys having a great time playing super awesome video games
Okay I'm done gushing now