Summary
- 2005 marked the birth of iconic franchises like Yakuza and God of War, setting a trajectory for successful game series.
- Unique games like Psychonauts challenged traditional platformers, gaining popularity over time despite initial setbacks.
- Resident Evil 4’s departure from series norms to action-packed gameplay laid the foundation for a beloved game.
Everything that was born or released in 2005 celebrates its 20th birthday in 2025. From a gaming standpoint, that is interesting because 2005 was a big year for the gaming industry. It saw the release of the Xbox 360, one of the most successful consoles of all time. However, that was only released towards the end of the year. The rest of the year wasn’t bad for gaming either, though, as plenty of good titles came out in 2005, showing the industry wasn’t just waiting around for new systems.
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The PS2, the original Xbox, and, as always, the PC were still delivering the goods prior to the release of the 360. What’s interesting is plenty of the most notable games of the year, in hindsight, were original titles instead of sequels. Some of them even spawned successful franchises. Here are some of the most notable titles of 2005.
8
Yakuza
These days, entries in the Yakuza (aka Like A Dragon) series are fairly common to see, and it all started in 2005 with the original game. The first title contains plenty of elements the series is still known for. For instance, it’s a third-person action-adventure title where you beat up people in the streets and complete plenty of wacky substories.
Yet, the series has still improved since then, and most people wouldn’t consider the original Yakuza to be among the best titles in the Like a Dragon catalog. That said, it still served as a nice start to the series.
7
Psychonauts
- Released
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April 19, 2005
- Publisher(s)
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Majesco Entertainment
- ESRB
-
e
In 2005, the world was treated to one of the most original and creative platformers ever: Psychonauts. What makes it unique is that the game’s worlds are based on different characters’ minds. As a result, they’re all very distinct from one another and from the worlds you see in every other 3D platformer.
On release, it wasn’t a big commercial success or considered a hugely significant game. Yet, over the years since, it has become increasingly more popular, gaining a cult following.
6
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game
Lego video games had been around for some time before 2005. However, that was the year that developers Traveller’s Tales got involved, and Lego games started being released almost yearly. This trend all started with Lego Star Wars: The Video Game.
Even though the Star Wars prequels were despised back in the early 2000s, this Lego re-creation of the movies was very well-received. The game provides a lighthearted, humorous, and charming re-telling of the trilogy. It also allows you to destroy plenty of Lego blocks with lightsabers and blasters, which is very satisfying.
5
Shadow Of The Colossus
- Released
-
October 18, 2005
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Computer Entertainment
- ESRB
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T For Teen // Blood, Fantasy Violence
If you were tasked with proving that video games can be real art, then Shadow of the Colossus should be the game you point to. This is because it’s filled with beauty, from the art style to the soundtrack. Plus, the whole experience is very moving.
Yes, you spend the entire game killing giant creatures, but their deaths aren’t treated as big victories. There is an emotional weight to each slaying that is not seen in most other games. This is what has helped Shadow of the Colossus stay in the memory of players for many years despite not being part of or launching a major series.
4
Call Of Duty 2
Call Of Duty 2
- Released
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October 25, 2005
- ESRB
-
m
These days, Call of Duty is a juggernaut of a series and essentially a household name. In 2005, though, it wasn’t anywhere near that level yet. However, it was a series on the rise, and Call of Duty 2 was a significant part of that.
It helped fine-tune the shooting mechanics from the original game and put in place the signature brand of gameplay that the series would come to be famous for. Also, it was the first COD game released on the Xbox 360, so PvP multilayer started to become a more significant part of the series. So, overall, Call of Duty 2 was an essential part of the iconic FPS series’s long history.
3
God Of War
God of War (2005)
- Released
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March 22, 2005
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Computer Entertainment
- ESRB
-
m
When it comes to PlayStation-exclusive games, the God of War titles are likely among those that Xbox and Nintendo players are most jealous of. That jealously began in 2005 with the release of the original game. This first instalment is quite a bit different from the 2018 God of War game and its sequel. For starters, it’s inspired by Greek mythology instead of Norse, and it’s far less grounded.
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It’s a hack-and-slash game through and through, containing large, over-the-top battles as protagonist Kratos attempts to take on gods. This game was very significant in the hack-and-slash genre, and the series it spawned was perhaps even more significant for PlayStation.
2
Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
- Released
-
November 1, 2005
- Developer(s)
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Pandemic Studios
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Mild Language, Violence
The Battlefront titles proved that despite Star Wars being known for lightsaber battles, you could make a successful shooter series set in the famous sci-fi universe. The second of those games came out in 2005 and remains one of the most beloved Star Wars games ever.
While it has a solid story mode, the PvP multiplayer is what built the game’s legacy. There was just a magic to it that even the recent Battlefront titles couldn’t replicate. It’s simply a game that made its way into Star Wars fans’ hearts and never left.
1
Resident Evil 4
By 2005, Resident Evil had already become known as one of the most iconic horror series of all time. Capcom did something brave with Resident Evil 4, though, by making a game very different from everything that had come before. Instead of being a classic horror game with fixed camera angles like the previous titles, RE4 is a third-person action title with some horror elements.
The switch to action irked plenty of fans of the series. Yet, RE4 was such an exceptional game that most of the criticism fell on its sequel, Resident Evil 5. The 2005 title, in which Leon battles a strange cult to save the President’s daughter, remains one of the series’ most beloved games.
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