9. "BioShock" (franchise)
Release date: August 21, 2007
Platform: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
A spiritual successor to the dystopian "System Shock" series — and produced by former developers of that series — the first "BioShock" game in 2007 introduced gamers to the underwater city of Rapture, learning of the city's past through exploration while overcoming the city's horrific denizens, the creepy Splicers, and the heavily armored Big Daddies. Luckily, you have tons of unique weapons and superpowers at your disposal — powers you get by either saving the human Little Sisters that accompany the Big Daddies, or harvesting their bodies for more of that superhuman juice. But the decisions you make throughout the game affect how it's played, and how it all ends.
In case you missed the series the first go-around, be sure to buy "BioShock: The Collection," which includes the first two "BioShock" games, plus "BioShock Infinite."
