2005 was the year that gaming forgot... well, not really. Actually, 2005 was the year that had a ton of really awesome games that a lot of you probably don't remember. In fact, some of the games from 2005 go down as some of the best titles of all time. You probably think I'm joking but I'm not. 2005 really did have some awesome games released all through the year (except for maybe the summer, because publishers hate the summer).
The year promised great things as it was the first time that the Xbox 360 made its way onto the market; there were quite a few new IPs that came out, and the sequels that year were actually pretty good. Let's not waste anymore time. It's time to see if you can guess these 11 games with just a few hints about the gameplay and mechanics, as well as the release date and platform. Let's see how well you do.
Round #1
Release Date: November, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox 360
Game hints: This game was as famous for its potential as it was its flaws. It starred a character who some felt could go on to become an iconic, household name, but it all fell through. There was quite a bit of hype for this title leading up to its release, but poor execution, tons of game-breaking and funny bugs that would give Ubisoft a run for their money, as well as poorly executed gameplay caused this first-person shooter to go down in history as a pretty big flop. Without giving too much away, this game was actually a sequel to a popular title and that was the reason there was a lot of hype for it. Any idea what game this could be?
Round #2
Release Date: April, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PC
Game hints: Naming the developer of this title would instantly give gamers an idea of what game this is, but telling you the publisher will keep you guessing. With some developmental help from Budcat Creations and THQ and Majesco handling the publishing side of things, this third-person platformer went on to become a critically acclaimed success but a commercial bomb. Gamers loved it, reviewers loved it, but consumers didn't. A sequel was joked about by Markus “Notch” Persson, but it just wasn't meant to be. Know what mysterious, mind-bending game this is?
Round #3
Release Date: November, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox 360, PC
Game hints: A first-person horror game that took a completely different route to the gameplay was Monolith Productions' fall outing for the Xbox 360 and PC. This game was published by Sega and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment... and no, it was not Batman Begins (although an argument can be made about Batman Begins being a horror game since it was a movie-based title and a real horror to play). This game managed to get sequel but was always considered underrated. Can you guess what terror-filled title this is?
Round #4
Release Date: October, 2005
Platform[s]: PS2
Game hints: There's no way not to guess this one. While the lead designers Fumito Ueda and Ko Otani aren't well known in North America or household names like Cliffy B., or David Cage, their set them apart with this multi-award winning masterpiece. The game is still heralded as a timeless classic from the PS2 era and there has yet to be a game to come along to rival it. Like all big successful games, there were even talks about it getting a movie. Oddly, though, this game never received a sequel but you can bet your bottom dollar that an HD remaster is likely. You probably have a good idea what game this is.
Round #5
Release Date: January, 2005
Platform[s]: GameCube, PS2 [initially]
Game hints: A game that helped revolutionize the way certain games in a certain survival-horror genre is played. Sounds vague, eh? Well, naming any of the characters will be a dead giveaway, but it might be safe to say that this game is part of a successful franchise that has spawned movies, comic books, fan-fics, action figures and everything else in between. The game was a massive success initially on the GameCube and then followed later that year on the PS2. The game's continued success saw plenty of re-releases on other platforms thereafter. You know what game this is?
Round #6
Release Date: November, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox 360
Game hints: Another late fall release for this unorthodox title. Designed by Rare and Ultimate Play the Game, this was one of the few titles that managed to land on the Xbox 360 that was completely unlike anything else on the system. The game also starred an interesting protagonist and was known for being very colorful and visually vibrant. Unfortunately the game didn't sell well enough to get a sequel, but it did seem to help pave a visual pathway for games like Fable and
Project Spark to follow. Any idea what this Rare gem is?
Round #7
Release Date: October, 2005
Platform[s]: PS2, Xbox
Game hints: Even mentioning the development studio will instantly give this title away, but maybe mentioning that this was based on a popular movie from the 1970s with plenty of classic catch phrases and tons of fisticuffs will help set you on the right path. This game received plenty of high marks for its playability, replayability, and overall fun-factors. That's not to mention this title was jam-packed with content and managed to walk away with a few awards that year. One last hint, this was a beat-'em-up title and you could play it with a friend. Any clues? Maybe the image below will pitch you a hint.
Round #8
Release Date: October, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox, PC
Game hints: A first person horror-survival game set within a popular bit of fictional lore. In fact, if I told you what lore this game is centered around you would likely guess it instantly, but I'm going to be a nice guy and say that it involves a lot of scary tentacle monsters and a guy whose name starts with “Howard”. If you can piece together what title this is based on those clues then you win... well, some internet points. Have you put your horror cap on and figured out what game this is?
Round #9
Release Date: April, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox, PC
Game hints: While this game later received a release on the Xbox 360, this was an epic tale set during a period of fantasy and martial arts. This game was focused heavily on story and characterization, but you were also able to grow your character with a number of unique combat styles that you could unlock or earn throughout the play experience. Choice played a big part in this game and it was an infusion of Eastern culture meets mid-fantasy adventure. The developer is well known and they are still making very popular games to this day. Do you know what martial arts RPG this is?
Round #10
Release Date: May, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox, PC
Game hints: A lot of Xbox games made it on this list, eh? Designed by Geremy and Donald Mustard, this galactic tale is hailed by some as being extremely underrated. The game featured a sci-fi heavy universe with tons of third-person action gameplay. There were some moderate open-world exploration elements with vehicular gameplay, some light RPG mechanics and a few distinct segments where choice could completely alter the outcome of the story. Majesco published this game to very little fanfare. Lots of bugs and poor optimization kind of killed this game's possibilities for success, despite some high critical praise. Any ideas about the title of this one?
Round #11
Release Date: October, 2005
Platform[s]: Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, PC
Game hints: This was one of the biggest games of 2005 and highly anticipated beyond belief. The game sold like crazy and is constantly on the lips and fingertips of gamers the world around. This third-person sci-fi shooter wasn't a movie-game but it was based on a popular franchise. Without giving too much away, the game sported single-player and multiplayer gameplay, it had a varied selection of stages, vehicular combat and nearly endless amounts of replayability. This was hailed as the best selling game based on the licensed property that spawned it. To this day gamers still love this title and it still holds up given its focus on multiplayer action. Any clues about this game from a far away time?
Well that wraps up this little exercise in playing a bit of memory lane in the world of interactive entertainment. How many points did you score? Were you able to name all of the games on the entire list? Did you even remember half of these from the year 2005? Well, just as a bit of fun, check out the scoring system below with the poll to see where you rank on the scale based on how many answers you got right. And don't sweat it if you didn't get too many correct, there's always next time.
This poll is no longer available.
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