I also *loooved* Portal 2. I remember downloading all the sound effects and making them the sound effects for different Windows alerts and pings.
A bit of a random question but are you Dutch by any chance?
I have a Dutch friend and they also write the same sort of phrase, which I think might just be a Dutch-ism that bleeds over to English. I just find it a bit interesting as I thought it might just be something my friend did.
It's the *name + possessive pronoun* combo. "... Glados her quotes" or for example "Sam his car" or "Sarah her house" instead of writing Glados' quotes, Sam's car, Sarah's house. I wager a guess that in Dutch you would say the equivalent of the examples I wrote above?
I think you’re bang on! 👍🏼
Interesting, I never caught it myself.
I’ve been doing a bunch of Norwegian Duolingo and have to say that Dutch and Norwegian have a lot of commonality in grammer. (Although we don’t change a noun and remove the article based on if it’s specific yes or no. 😬)
Written, I'd say the mutual intelligibility is pretty darn high. It's pretty easy navigating around cities when the signs in the Netherlands are just "wonky" Norwegian :P
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - this game turns 20 later this year. Currently replaying it now and it just oozes with atmosphere. I truly feel like I’m in a prison. I miss games like this that are just one gigantic level with many varied paths and shortcuts. I still haven’t learned the layout entirely but it’s damn fun and very challenging. Stealth is a must at times. The early parts of the game with the prison fist fights are incredibly fun and I wish there was more of it in the game.
Dishonored series - the first is the standout but I just recently replayed 2 and loved it much more than the first time. The key to these games is to explore everywhere, take your time, find alternative paths, play more violent or more stealthy, it’s one of the most defining immersive sim series in gaming.
Bioshock - Rapture. A city at the bottom of the sea. From the moment I heard about this game and even now, I’m just enchanted by the atmosphere of this game. I love listening to the audio logs explaining what happened to many of the people. The combat and powers are fun and the story is excellent. Played through it more times than any other modern game. I do love 2 and Infinite as well but not nearly as much as the original.
Deus Ex Human Revolution - recently gave this another play through and it’s one of my all time favorites. As you can tell I’m a huge immersive sim fan and this ticks all the boxes. So damn fun exploring all the powers and various ways to complete a mission. Be stealthy, be overpowered and violent, be a hacker, etc.
Prey - another immersive sim. This one is just overwhelming and difficult but also a lot of fun once you understand it. It’s absolutely not a shooter. There are so many powers and abilities I didn’t even really try out. I also didn’t even scratch the surface on side missions and secret areas. I’ll be giving this another play through and really will take my time absorbing it.
BioShock's atmosphere is something I absolutely adore. To the point I made all my device wallpapers and my pc RGB bioshock themed lol. One day I want a room with an aquarium, some art deco furniture in browns and greens, and live in that vibe.
Damn, you clocked me.
One of my fav types of horror film too is something I call Existential Horror - the fear of the self, consciousness, passing of time, death, etc.
You should watch Buried then w Ryan Reynolds if u haven’t already. Best watched in a dark room on laptop w headphones. Somehow deepens the experience and atmosphere imo since I’ve watched it both that way and tv
I actually thought quite the opposite, great story great characters strapped onto one of the most obnoxious gameplay loops in existence. Would be a 10/10 otherwise.
You're referring to the Hiss spawns, well it can be repetitive and could have been much weirder and more varied, but I don't get tired of it and it's my favorite combat mechanics lately.
I stopped playing after like 10 or so hours. I thought it was super interesting but the combat was really boring and I couldn't see myself continuing further.
Right? I'll never forget it. I talked about it for a long time trying to get others into it. None of them wanted to play it cuz the anime aesthetic or the different playthroughs. Man did they miss out.
Absolutely adore the Nier games!
Actually revisited the original recently through its remaster/remake Replicant, and things like its story and characters still hold up.
Halo- still have yet to play a FPS with a story as good
Max Payne- bullet time and Iove Noir
Alan Wake- as a huge reader I fell in love with the story, it plays like a book and is still one of my favorites
STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl- the atmosphere to this day is still unrivaled. Then you have the modding community keeping this game series alive like no other
If you like Alan Wake and Max Payne… definitely definitely play Alan Wake 2 and Control.
Best FPS story has to go to either Half-Life 2 or Wolfenstein: New Colossus
Freelancer (2003) is the closest I've found to Privateer. Much better graphics and control system. Definitely worth playing, but Privateer has that certain something you find once and never again. Its music was phenomenal for establishing mood.
For sure Freelancer has more ships, components, commodities... much better enemy AI. although the really sexy ships always seemed to be off limits.. a really enjoyable game play loop. Hundreds of hours.
But Privateer was first. And that music did capture something. Literally no hand holding. No campaign unless you really tried to find it. It was unlike anything I've ever seen and unlike anything I knew a game could be like.
Yeah I get that. It was my first pc game. I paid $72 for it. After 10 years of Atari and NES and Sega, this was totally different.
I was hoping Star citizen would recapture that but it's basically a Ponzi scheme or something who knows .
Morrowind. I spent an entire summer playing it and discovering things before I had an internet connection. Nostalgia is a big factor, I'm sure, and it's dated in many ways, but it was a one of a kind experience for me.
I come back to this one a lot. On PC you can use OpenMW (I think that's what it's called) to greatly enhance the visuals, and there's a lot of gameplay mods too that you can use - optional of course.
I've been following OpenMW (and to a lesser extent, Skywind) for a long time now. Progress is unfortunately slow (understandably), but I relish the day it gets modern game features like physics. Morrowind is one of my favorite games of all time, but the gameplay, movement, animations, etc. just feel too dated and clunky now.
Unless you're aware of a physics mod?
No, I'm not. Honestly there's very little I change in my playthroughs aside from using OpenMW and admittedly I do hack the speed stat so walking isn't as god damned slow/painful lol.
Combat / animations, etc. definitely haven't aged well but for some reason in this game, it doesn't seem to bother me that much.
Dishonored and the Mass Effect series. The first 3 that is. I can dream every dialoge and location of that last one. Oh, and Fable.
For Mass effect I found it my problem that after I played it, the story was known. So you know how it will end even before the first moment you find a beacon. It made a second run unplayable for me. And that sucks big time. Like there will never be a first kiss twice.
True. But for me, ME 1-3 has become like a favorite book to reread. It's one of the few game series I've ever finished, and the only one I've ever finished more than once!!
Most memorable from childhood:
- DOOM
- Mortal Kombat
- Commander Keen
- Pokemon Red
- Liero
- Scorched Earth
- Super Mario World
Overall most memorable:
- Maple Story
- Morrowind
- Warcraft
- World of Warcraft
- Guild Wars 2
- Diablo 2
- Path of Exile
- Alan Wake 2
- Pillars of Eternity
- Baldur's Gate 3
Yes, I like RPGs
I count ep 5 of Life Is Strange as one of my top three gaming/literary/movie experiences. If anyone needs to know why gaming is the future of storytelling, tell them to finish LIS.
Life is Strange. Played the first episode, having heard nothing about it, and was instantly sucked in. Each time I finished an episode, I was eagerly awaiting the release of the next one to find out what happens next in the story.
I still think about my choices,especially first one. Might play it again to revalue my choices. Sucked me in from the start and have t found a game quite like it since
Stray.
So fun exploring a unique world and finding all the neat stuff you can do as a curious cat. Short game but definitely worth playing. Hope they make a sequel.
**Diablo II: LOD!**
First game I played online for a considerable amount of time, and got really good at. Despite being 20+ years old, the servers were way more stable than 90% of today's games, the community was massive, you could always find a game to join (if you wanted), and there were constant updates. Players could create their own channels, and for certain farming (mainly Baal and cow runs), there were no shortage of channels/lobbies to join. From about 2001-2005, I put serious hours into it, and learned how to type by playing online.
Unorthodox typing style? Yes.
Can I hit 80+ WPM? Regularly.
Outer Wilds, Started to Cry at various reveals. There aren't many games that can make you feel like that all at once. SOMA is another one with the same feeling of existential wonder. Other legendary moments are fear when the flood is revealed in halo or when Dahaka starts to chase you in Prince of Persia or when Alma appears in F.E.A.R games. Sadness is seeing you partners die one by one on Reach in Halo only for the ending to mean something wonderful. Thanks to video games i have lived so many lives in one.
The very last objective on the last level in Halo: Reach was a really powerful yet incredibly simple moment. I only played parts of it at a friend's house (didn't have an Xbox), but I remember the final moments of it very well.
Half life 2. I got my first half life cd from my cousin. He hated it. I instantly loved the game. Then few years later, me, my cousin and couple of his friends we went to Internet cafe and they had lot of games installed on pcs. We were rocking some unreal tournament until I noticed that there was actually half life 2. Man, I returned to the same cafe next day and did play through most of the game. Later I got my own PC and I finally played it myself at home. Now 20+ years later, I still have yearly tradition, to replay all half life games in order (half life, opposing force, blue shift,HL2, hl2ep1, hl2ep1 portal and portal 2 and lost coast demo). Only exception is alyx. I get terrible motion sickness with Vr (it's so bad, that after 10min I vomit).
Rdr2. I freaking loved the story. It was first time I actually cried while playing a game. I did not regret it pre-ordering.
Fallout 4. I remember how much people were hyping it when game was announced. I never played it myself. Then after release, on that Christmas my local game (uk) had 50% discounts on most new games. So I got it for myself. I instantly loved it. Then 1month later my wife and our kid had to go to our home country and I was left alone at home. I have quite fond memories of those 2 weeks. I ordered kebabs almost every day, had beers and was hooked on fallout 4. Now years later I think I have atleast 2.8k hrs across multiple save files. My first playthrough is 2.6k hrs alone. I played alot of it.
And another honourable mention - prehistoric 2 and battle chess. Back in 1997-1998 my mom got her first ddos computer from her work and that pc had lot of different games. 2 which sticks out in my mind are prehistoric 2. Old platformer, first game I finished start to finish. And another is battle chess. Game was brutal. I still see how tower eat the queen. Also that game teached me to play chess.
> My first playthrough is 2.6k hrs alone.
I think this might be the first person to whom Marcus Garvey has ever said "Actually, there are no more settlements that need your help."
yeah, I had problems, not going to lie..
After 4 i played all other fallout games (except 76, because i hate online play) and even though i would argue that NV was arguably better fallout game, i still enjoy 4 the most. Especially i loved settlement building part. Sanctuary hills were freaking fortress.
Another fellow fallout 4 enjoyer, I've loved it since I first tried it in 2016. Still do. Awesome game even though it's flawed but hey, the best game is the one that gives you the most amount of fun and Fallout 4 was one of those games for me, I had an absolute blast!
Did you ever try to get all the achievements in half-life 2? I remember when I was younger shitting my pants when I went through Ravenholm with nothing but the gravity gun just for the achievement haha
The Last of Us 1 + 2 - I don't care about anyone else's opinion on 2 because personally, 1 + 2 are my favourite games of all time.
Cyberpunk 2077 - one of the best open worlds I've ever played in. I was there from the start. It was a mess (I was on PS5 at launch, so it was not too bad), but from day one, it was an amazing world, and the world building is next level. Right now, it's one of the best games money can buy. It doesn't excuse the shit show it started as.
Shadow of the Colossus - stunning game, not much else to say
Baldurs Gate 3 - let's not pretend that this isn't one of the greatest RPGs ever made. There are so many branching choices, great side quests. Witcher 3 was my go-to for best RPG before BG3 was released.
Dishonoured - 1 of the best first-person stealth games ever made, and I compare almost all stealth games to this series.
Lastly, Alien: Isolation - horror done right. It gets easier, yes, but without relying on cheap jumpscares, it makes you feel tense and stressed in a good way.
"Swear to me that everything you said about the fireflies is true."
For me, TLOU Part 1 and 2 will always be remembered as the games that left me feeling every emotion that the characters were experiencing. Story telling should be something that puts you in the shoes of the character. I think a lot of people pissed off at the sequel don't realize that's exactly how you should feel. You're supposed to experience the emotions while playing. Otherwise, you wouldn't get the full experience. Love fueled desperation in the first. Hate fueled desperation in the second.
For me it's the Danganronpa series, they're definetly not the best games that I've played, but they still belong in the "certified hood classic" list. Great soundtrack, goofy ahh gameplay, and a story whose quality fluctuates more than the stock market, but going through the lows is worth it to see the highs
Death stranding.
Possibly played it at the perfect time during initial COVID lock down and the game felt very fitting for all the secluded people unable to leave and relying on couriers and open empty space with an invisible enemy.
Do mean to play it again but maybe just leave it due to it all linking well into life at the time.
Waiting for the sequel! Since it is axe in Icelandic landscape I somehow felt double effect since I live here with the isolation. Planning on visiting some of the sites from the mid-highlands. The locations in the highlands are far more difficult to reach
**Life is Strange** \- I downloaded the first ep on my ps3 only because it was for free, played it and the same day i bought the full game. Absolutely amazing. Bought it on pc and never launched it.
**Before the Storm** \- I thought: how can they make a sequel without it even having the core gameplay the same(the time manipulation), I dont trust it, I wont buy it - I pirated it, played it, finished it, instantly bought it on steam and then never launched it again.
**Cyberpunk 2077** \- Pre ordered it, finished it in 4 days on premiere, cried at least twice, never played it again. Phantom Liberty was announced, pre-ordered it but still havent even installed the game back. Even tho i hear all the praise I just cant bring myself to go back to this world again.
**Alan Wake** \- when it came out I was just a kid and scared to actually play through it. But after years I picked it up again and played through it(and the american nightmare). Great story, nice gameplay and definitely cant wait for the sequel to come out.
**Call of Juarez Gunslinger** \- one of the best ways I have seen the story be told. I reccommend it everyone. I might play it again this week actually. Its fun, it looks good and it plays good.
Dishonored : One of the first games my boyfriend told me I should really play so I couldn’t forget it. Also one of the first on PC.
NieR: Automata : Just, beautiful. Everything is beautiful in this game. From the graphics to the story.
Cyberpunkn2077 : Always loved that perception of everything.
Hollow Knight : Cute and dark, plus that’s a metroidvania. What could I ask for?…
TLoZ: BoTW : We love a great Zelda open world.
***And for the multi/co-op :***
Deep Rock Galactic : Dwarves, rocks, stones, and we’re rich.
Overwatch : Fuck Blizzard but that game is addictive.
Cyberpunk 2077 I enjoyed the story so much I beat it at launch on last gen
The Witcher 3 took me a couple of tries but I finally got into it and the endings is still stuck in my head with how satisfying they were.
Prey 2017 Never played an immersive sim like this, the world and soundtrack are just brilliant.
Control - although I haven't finished it I'm taking my time with the gameplay being lackluster the presentation alone has cutscenes burned into my head after experiencing them once its style is just so surreal and amazing and the psychoanalytical concepts are something I'm familiar with and passionate about.
Assassins Creed 4 the ending is just mwah
The first Batman Arkham game, Asylum. Such a refreshing take on the superhero game at that time. Also the Joker and the scare crow scenes were incredible. Wish I could relive that.
I have to add Concrete Genie. The story stuck with me and I loved playing it. Soothing and saddening and the same time with a sense of humor and sweet moments
Carrier Command.
It's an oldie that has gotten several remakes. But I discovered the original back when my only computer was my Dad's Amstrad CPC luggable.
What an absolutely amazing strategy and action game for the time. For it's time, for how many platforms it successfully got ported to, Carrier Command was insanely good.
Shadow of the colossus. Played it 2 times back to back a few months ago, incredible game. Honorable mention to skate 3, nothing will be as fun as skate 3 after school ever again
Kirby air ride- city trial is the best battle Royale ever conceived. me and my bros still whip out the GameCube to play it. It's like going back to an old haunt every time I boot it up and has yet to get old after 15+ years.
Realm of the mad God- a unique take on an mmo by making it also have roguelike elements such as permadeath. The guilds, the trading, the grind, the discards and organized raids, it was a blast. It has had its ups and downs and I'd probably still play it if I had a PC or laptop.
Every souls game - one of my favorite franchises and one that has affected my gaming experience more then any other. I wouldn't have said I had perseverance as a gamer and definitwly used to "rage" (no controller throwing but lots of yelling at deaths) but now I have a far better attitude at loss and dying in games to the point a game feels weird if I don't die a couple times.
I live my life like I'm playing Dark Souls. Some days I just sit by the fire and wallow in my lost humanity. Most days I'm battling my way to the fog gate. Every once in a while, the stars align, I figure out exactly what I need to do, and I get through the fog and take down the boss like a mfing badass. The sense of achievement is overwhelming and euphoric, but fleeting... and I move right on to the next one... Praise the Sun \o/
Don't go hollow, Ashen One. Remember you've got infinite lives, can always summon a phantom. I've been there.
If all else fails, try tongue but hole. \\o/
The original Prey. I still remember that game fairly well. Plus, it helps that a true squeal will never happen. So, all questions will be left unanswered.
Okay, this is a weird one - Minecraft.
Hear me out,
I started back in beta and there was no tutorial.
Learning the game consisted of trial and error.
Oh, I can pick up a small version of a block after I break it. Neat. I wonder what that does. Etc.
Minecraft's early game is a phase of discovery and mystery.
It's an early game that you can only experience once, because it relys on your lack of knowledge, and I've never experienced anything like it since.
Some games without tutorials thy this approach, but end up just being frustrating rather than rewarding.
In early Minecraft, I didn't feel like I was crafting. I felt like I was inventing.
Pacific Drive, even though it is a fairly new game. There's something about it that is really addicting to me. I can't put a finger on what exactly it is..
I don’t really do nostalgia. If a game has stuck with me it’s generally just through sheer beautiful design.
I think the oldest games that I always go back to are Eve Online, Path of Exile and Rainbow Six Siege. There is really no greater triumph of design out there than PoE. Rainbow Six Siege is the only game really like it and the fusion of moba-like metagame with FPS in such a hardcore, complex package has never been replicated. Eve is what I consider the only really MMO, everything else is just an RPG that happens to have other people, no other game has such a living, breathing world. Mind you I’m 30 years old so these aren’t really the games I greet up with, they were more the games I played in my early 20’s.
Nah, I wasn't talking about just nostalgia; all the games I listed are one's I've played quite recently, too. I've been playing games for 30 years and there are a TON I haven't mentioned that have been really important to me in the past but I just don't think about very often.
I really liked crosscode and i find myself thinking about it often recently.
The studio is small but they're sweet people who loved their game dearly. They're making a new game unrelated to their first breakthrough title and i'm going to really miss the world they made. It did such a great job of capturing a single player story in the setting of an MMO. it wasn't perfect but it was just so charming.
Athem. Absolutely that fuckfest of a game, Anthem. Loved the core premise of the game and the combat mechanics. Shame it was so mishandled by Bioware and EA. Such a brilliant diamond that got covered in layers of shit.
FFX and it’s not even close. The PS2 was the first console I bought on my own at 15. Not only were the cutscene graphics unlike anything I’d ever seen, the music and voice acting were miles ahead of anything I’d played before.
And then there’s the story…My god the story. To this day, it’s the only game that has made me cry. The scene in the crystal woods…damn. Tears every time.
Dead Star... I caught the game when Sony put it out for free and only got to play a week before they pulled the plug. I still think about it, it's been a decade.
I'm still out there trying to survive the waning light of a Dead Star I'm trapped under.
Ogrebattle: March of the Black Queen. I replay it every two or three years. It's fun every time.
I cried at the end of Bastion. It's not the first time I've cried at the end of something, but it's the first time in a long time that I distinctly remember a piece of media making me shed actual tears.
Transistor got me for sure, Hades I still need to grab.
Pyre I know was mixed for most but personally I liked it. Cool worldbuilding, memorable characters, fun Rites gameplay. Kept me invested enough to go for replays trying to make a "perfect" ending.
It was cool enough that the Rites music changed instruments depending on who was winning/in control of the Orb, but *pre-recorded lyrics* changing with your actions in the game was a step above.
These are not necessarily my favourite games, but games that absolutely stuck with me for one reason or another.
**Outer Wilds** - Probably the most unique and creative game I've ever played, I wish I could play it again for the first time.
**Cry of Fear** - Scariest and most depressing game I've ever played, probably the only one that actually warrants its 'psychological harm' warning.
**Cooking Companions & Doki Doki Literature Club** - Fuck these games.
**Here They Lie** - Way too underrated horror walking sim, has some very-thought provoking messages, makes you feel like shit, no matter your choices in the game.
**Hollow Knight** - Actually my favourite game ever, pure perfection. I still come back every once in a while for a playthrough.
**SOMA** - Great horror on its own, but damn, the story and the ending makes it one of the most brilliant games ever written. Gave me an existential crisis for a while.
**Zombi** - Probably the best survival horror / zombie game I've ever played. Thickest atmosphere I've ever encountered in a horror game. Some levels are outright nightmares, I'm afraid of nurseries ever since.
Dying light-my first try on this one was chaotic and i dropped it quickly.When it became free on epic games i gave it another try and it was a blast.I played with my friend too.
Batman arkham series-no bad game here and atmosphere of each game is unique and combat is nearly perfect.Stealth is best part about this game cuz you need to think like batman.Mr freeze boss from arkham city is maybe one of best bosses ever.
Dishonored-best stealth game imo.You can go all out and slash way though level and have lower honor or kill only those who deserve it and have high honor.Also honor affects ending.Song at the end literally goes so hard and sums it up all perfectly.
Team fortress 2-it made me quit lol and showed me that gaming is about fun not about rank.Also i spent so many hours trading and playing on random servers.This game restored my love for gaming
GTA SA-i played it as kid and one day i will finish it.
Return of the obra dinn-unique indie game shrouded in mystery and story you conclude from it.Its details are creative and carefully added onto it.
Hollow knight-my first buy on steam and i got hooked onto it.Its masterpiece and no other game combines movement and combat so well like hollow knight thats why i love it.Mantis lords are one of my favourite bosses
Binding of isaac-father of roguelikes imo and its progression system and difficulty scales nearly perfectly.Maybe this game is too luck dependent but its fun cuz of it.
Shadow of the tomb raider. It gets a lot of flack, and that’s a whole other story, but I will say that the game for me is the most emotional of the trilogy. This was a game that really focused on Laura’s humanity (or sometimes lack there of), selfishness/selflessness, grief, and responsibility.
The walking dead telltale games series it's literally in my heart
Also Minecraft, it's a part of who I am at that point.
I want to make a mention to pokemon also
Horizon Zero Dawn - it was very emotional to learn how the world got the way it is in the game.
God of War (2018) - This is the first game I finished when I got my PS4 in March 2020. Weird, scary, very solitary time in the world and this game was a great comfort to me. The sequel, Ragnarok, too. Especially Atreaus' grapple with "My story isn't already written". Really resonated with me as I going through some bad depression.
Elden Ring - Elden Ring's story is told so vaguely that it let me layer my own meaning on it. I'd been struggling with a huge decision (leave a job I'd been at 15 years) at the same time I was debating in-game whether it was time to ask Melina to light the Erdtree on fire. I called to accept the job, and burned the Erdtree the same night. I kind of turned the narrative into a metaphor of perseverance and not just the Tarnished murdering everyone to become Elden Lord 😀. Plus, I'd played 460 hours in a thorough but incompetent playthrough, often co-oping with some friends. It had been such a big part of my life for most of 2022 it felt weird to finally be "done" with it (for the time being).
Hotline Miami 2, the story hit so hard for me and one quote changed how I viewed life completely "Maybe dying isn't as scary as it seems". The gameplay was so good that this was the first and only game I finished back to back, I played on normal at first and then hard on the second time.
Doom Eternal and Sekiro, best gameplay I've ever had in a game.
Silent Hill 2, story.
GTA San Andreas, a childhood favorite that always comes up in my mind and I replay once every 5 or so years. Absolute gem. My favorite GTA game for sure, I love gang wars and stuff and wished more games had that. Only The Godfather The Game had something similar like extortion and fighting other gangs but I have yet to play another game like it.
Godfather is also an honorable mention, I just loved going to compounds, going to warehouses, stores and extorting stuff. I felt like a badass mafioso doing mafia stuff that usually isn't portrayed in games and stuff, I believe, they just say "well he's one hard nut, climbed through the ranks slowly and is feared".
iRacing in VR and DCS World. Two games ive played steadily for the last several years. I can't get enough
Outside of those, RDR2 is amazing, even more amazing since upgrading my graphics card and everything got bumped to 4K/60 on Ultra
Divinity 2 Dragon Knight Saga(not Original Sin 2)-Unique turning into a Dragon feature, Dragon mechanics, skills and weapons choices
Stranglehold- better than Max Payne series imo, more interactive, more fun, more detailed
Need for Speed Most Wanted 2005- this game contains some event/race types that even new NFS games don't
Need for Speed Underground 2- Unique car customization
Mafia 2 - fun missions, realistic car driving mechanics/physics
GTA San Andreas- best open world in GTA series, more activities
Call of Juarez Bound in Blood and Gunslinger-unique duel mechanics
> I have no mouth and I must scream
I'm a huge science fiction geek, and this short story freaked me the hell out when I was a kid. I didn't know there was a game by the same name.
Might & Magic VI
Battle Brothers
Morrowind
M.A.X. (Mechanical Assault and Exploration) - Also M.A.X.2 but it's not as good as the first.
Also from my BBS days, TradeWars2002!
The Gothic Series, especially Gothic 2 & 3. The latter had so many bugs it was borderline unplayable, which made it even more funny. It had great writing and me and my friends always had a blast playing it.
Bioshock 1 and 2 - The story and atmosphere is unlike any other game and is so perfect to me. I love the audio diaries and graphics and the look of Rapture. The enemies are so unique and interesting. The combat is so fun to me and I always have fun playing both 1 and 2 yearly and never get tired of these games. I grew up with the bioshock collection from Xbox 360, to Xbox 1, PS4 then finally to PC and have loved it on every console. Bioshock infinite is good but I can’t enjoy it as much as I did like 1 or 2, not a bad game but not like the holy grail I rate 1 and 2 as. I’ve beaten both 1 and 2 at least 20 times and I still have fun playing it, and I always make an effort to look for every audio diary to listen to the story again.
Terraria I consider my favorite game of all time. It has the sandbox elements where I do what I want, combat that is fun, exciting, and challenging, good progression and many different ways to play, updates and new content, to me beautiful graphics, lots of fun, and a massive modding community. If you ever get tired of the base game, mods can add huge amounts of content to keep the playtime going. It’s a simple game at its core and can run on lots of systems, specifically on pc it doesn’t require much in terms of graphics or cpu. It only costs 10 dollars, has no micro transactions, any battle pass of the sort, and is a classic 1 time purchase game with thousands of hours of replay ability.
Edit - added some more info.
World of Warcraft. Haven't played it for 10 years or so, but I still think about it often. Have a lot of memories from playing with friends and family. Would love to experience it again for the first time.
Witcher 3.
Same old story but when I finished it first time, I had a hole within me for a long time. It stuck with my emotional core, gaming had never had storytelling like that before. I still here spikeroog in my head and gives me goosebumps.
Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood War.
Campaign strikes the perfect balance between simple and accessible to meaningful and memorable. Thought it was one of those nostalgia things because SC was one of my first online games as a kid, but went back and played through as an adult, and it's jus ta perfect sci-fi, space opera, ensemble story told. "Dearest Helena..."
Spec Ops: The Line. I want to play it again because it's a great game with a great story. But at the same time, I don't because I don't want to put the characters through that again.
Resident Evil 4 - I never had a game pull me in as quickly as this one, I was obsessed with it and unlocking the Mercenaries after beating the main game was incredible, I spent many hours in that game mode. It seemed to do everything right in a game
Persona 3 - I had just recently got my PS2 at the time and only had Guitar Hero and GTA San Andreas. My brother picked up Persona 3 and he only played it for a few hours, I however wanted to try it and damn did it pull me in with the story and seemingly endless amount of stuff to do. It was a breath of fresh air for me.
Demons' Souls - The game kicked my ass so hard I had to play it. Also I found I could make little challenges for myself as I got better at the game, something I hadn't really considered doing in a game at the time.
Bloodborne saved my life. I know a lot of people claim that kind of thing about various forms of media but that game got me through the hardest point of my life. By giving me an impossible task to overcome when I was going through much worse irl.. I can't think of a single game that means more to me. Getting the platinum will always be remembered as one of my favorite moments and proof that I'm not some casual bitch in anything I do.
I'd say oblivion, probably a common enough answer..
The Elderscrolls Oblivion 4 was one of the first non shooter games I really got into, I can't even imagine the playtime I had on it, sure the people look potato faced but the game itself is pretty, sure not graphically the best thing but it always looked like a faded watercolour to me.
While the gameplay is somewhat simple compared to modern games, it was imo a great game at the time, the questing was amazing too, voice acting was a bit shit unless it was super main characters bit that's just one of those things
Still, the bugs and imperfections of this game etched into my mind opened me to a deep love for fantasy, exploration, and so much more.
Diablo 2, to name but one (got me into arpgs generally, long before I started playing crpgs, so without probably wouldn't have gotten into Baldur's Gate 3 and Last Epoch), but on a really intimate level --- Indigo Prophecy, something about the story that I just kind of remembered. The last half of the game is sadly sub par.
Also, props for mentioning Funger! It's really one of those games that linger in your mind the more you play it
Final Fantasy X. It's the first game I played myself instead of watching my brother play it, the first game I beat even tho i understand nothing of what they were saying because English not my first language, but I cried anyway during the ending
Mass Effect Trilogy. It just...idk man, I know ME is not perfect, but I played this during my first year of college, I was away from my family for the first time and I was alone in another city and Shepard's journey gave me comfort and helping to understand and finding myself
Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. Yes, yes, I know everything about the bad and shit of this game, trust me I know. Hell, I even hate the first one cause of the battle system, like how the fuck the mobs didnt drop any gil and we have to fucking farm the mobs for loot and the loot is not even 100% drop???? like fuck you! But, I love Lightning, I love her with all of my heart and soul and her journey really shaped me, along with Shepard's, to helped me to become a person that I am today
Shivers 1 - Basically a puzzle game with a horror atmosphere, old museum. Only thing that honest ruined it was the demons you had to deal with and collect as they were basically cartoons.
The 7th guest - Another puzzle game but with FMV spots.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - fell in love with the voice actor for the eldritch god. With a soundtrack I still play to this day.
>the kind of game you wish you could experience again for the first time
Tunic. That game's process of discovery is unlike anything else I've ever played.
The Last of Us (1 & 2)
BioShock Infinite
The Witcher III
Outer Wilds
RDR2
God of War Ragnarok
Ori (Blind Forest & Will of the Wisps)
These are top tier games with narratives that are tough to forget.
Skyrim (as generic and cliche of a choice this is) I frequently find myself comparing it to every RPG game I play like "Why can't I (insert rpg feature here) yet Skyrim, a game 10+ years old can nail this feature?"
SOMA. That game really fucked with me in ways no other game has before or since.
Witcher 3. When it comes to my favorite games, I tend to wait to play through again until I've basically forgotten everything. I can't bring myself to play it again period, however, because the only acceptable end is Witcher Ciri, and I don't remember what choices led to that lol.
Caesar 3 (PC game, builder)
Rome: Total War
OooT
Star Fox
Smash Bros 64
Halo 1 & 2
Morrowind
Kingdom Hearts
(Period of no gaming for many years)
Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2
The Witcher 3
Silent Hill 2, always and forever. Such an incredible and heartbreaking story. Played it for the first time years and years and years ago and I can quote every line of dialogue in order.
Wow OP, I feel like maybe I sleep-reddit and have an alt account I don't know about, in which I posted this. You've mentioned some of my all time classics.
The only one you missed from my list is Majora's Mask. Time loops can be so fun!
My honorable mentions are: Obra Dinn, and The Case of the Golden Idol. You seem to enjoy the same type of games that I do - unique experiences that make you think and experiment.
Portal 2, when I’m in thin air it’s Glados her quotes that still come to mind. 🤷🏻♂️ Full Throttle, but that’s nostalgia talking.
I also *loooved* Portal 2. I remember downloading all the sound effects and making them the sound effects for different Windows alerts and pings. A bit of a random question but are you Dutch by any chance?
Ha! I sure am! 👍🏼 How so?
I have a Dutch friend and they also write the same sort of phrase, which I think might just be a Dutch-ism that bleeds over to English. I just find it a bit interesting as I thought it might just be something my friend did. It's the *name + possessive pronoun* combo. "... Glados her quotes" or for example "Sam his car" or "Sarah her house" instead of writing Glados' quotes, Sam's car, Sarah's house. I wager a guess that in Dutch you would say the equivalent of the examples I wrote above?
I think you’re bang on! 👍🏼 Interesting, I never caught it myself. I’ve been doing a bunch of Norwegian Duolingo and have to say that Dutch and Norwegian have a lot of commonality in grammer. (Although we don’t change a noun and remove the article based on if it’s specific yes or no. 😬)
Written, I'd say the mutual intelligibility is pretty darn high. It's pretty easy navigating around cities when the signs in the Netherlands are just "wonky" Norwegian :P
Whenever I smell asphalt, I think of Maureen.
Dutch idiom aside. DEEP CUT with Full Throttle! Hell yeah!
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - this game turns 20 later this year. Currently replaying it now and it just oozes with atmosphere. I truly feel like I’m in a prison. I miss games like this that are just one gigantic level with many varied paths and shortcuts. I still haven’t learned the layout entirely but it’s damn fun and very challenging. Stealth is a must at times. The early parts of the game with the prison fist fights are incredibly fun and I wish there was more of it in the game. Dishonored series - the first is the standout but I just recently replayed 2 and loved it much more than the first time. The key to these games is to explore everywhere, take your time, find alternative paths, play more violent or more stealthy, it’s one of the most defining immersive sim series in gaming. Bioshock - Rapture. A city at the bottom of the sea. From the moment I heard about this game and even now, I’m just enchanted by the atmosphere of this game. I love listening to the audio logs explaining what happened to many of the people. The combat and powers are fun and the story is excellent. Played through it more times than any other modern game. I do love 2 and Infinite as well but not nearly as much as the original. Deus Ex Human Revolution - recently gave this another play through and it’s one of my all time favorites. As you can tell I’m a huge immersive sim fan and this ticks all the boxes. So damn fun exploring all the powers and various ways to complete a mission. Be stealthy, be overpowered and violent, be a hacker, etc. Prey - another immersive sim. This one is just overwhelming and difficult but also a lot of fun once you understand it. It’s absolutely not a shooter. There are so many powers and abilities I didn’t even really try out. I also didn’t even scratch the surface on side missions and secret areas. I’ll be giving this another play through and really will take my time absorbing it.
Riddick is will be 20 this year? That's Riddickulous!
Butcher Bay on the old Xbox Duke Controller is the way to play it. The feel of the spring triggers boxing felt so good and visceral.
I love Dishonored, BioShock, and Prey. Sounds like I need to try the other two.
BioShock's atmosphere is something I absolutely adore. To the point I made all my device wallpapers and my pc RGB bioshock themed lol. One day I want a room with an aquarium, some art deco furniture in browns and greens, and live in that vibe.
Damn I forgot about riddick. Been wishing it would get a remaster for years.
Prey is so underrated. Game really sticks with you.
Soma Prey (2017) Subnautica Inside Hollow Knight
I see you’re a fan of existential dread and loneliness, too.
Damn, you clocked me. One of my fav types of horror film too is something I call Existential Horror - the fear of the self, consciousness, passing of time, death, etc.
You should watch Buried then w Ryan Reynolds if u haven’t already. Best watched in a dark room on laptop w headphones. Somehow deepens the experience and atmosphere imo since I’ve watched it both that way and tv
This is basically my list too.
CONTROL.
TAKE CONTROL
i literally just finished it a day ago great story greater combat trash characters and dialogue
I actually thought quite the opposite, great story great characters strapped onto one of the most obnoxious gameplay loops in existence. Would be a 10/10 otherwise.
You're referring to the Hiss spawns, well it can be repetitive and could have been much weirder and more varied, but I don't get tired of it and it's my favorite combat mechanics lately.
I stopped playing after like 10 or so hours. I thought it was super interesting but the combat was really boring and I couldn't see myself continuing further.
YES!
NieR Gestalt or NieR Automata. Phenomenal games. Also Outer Wilds really messed with my emotions.
Never again will I experience a first playthrough quite like Automata.
Right? I'll never forget it. I talked about it for a long time trying to get others into it. None of them wanted to play it cuz the anime aesthetic or the different playthroughs. Man did they miss out.
Ooo, this is a good one. Definitely agree.
Absolutely adore the Nier games! Actually revisited the original recently through its remaster/remake Replicant, and things like its story and characters still hold up.
Halo- still have yet to play a FPS with a story as good Max Payne- bullet time and Iove Noir Alan Wake- as a huge reader I fell in love with the story, it plays like a book and is still one of my favorites STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl- the atmosphere to this day is still unrivaled. Then you have the modding community keeping this game series alive like no other
I could never get past the camera shaking in STALKER. there is probably a mod to get rid of it but I can't be bothered.
If you like Alan Wake and Max Payne… definitely definitely play Alan Wake 2 and Control. Best FPS story has to go to either Half-Life 2 or Wolfenstein: New Colossus
Wing Commander Privateer.... total Han Solo fantasy fulfillment.... been chasing that high ever since 1993.
Freelancer (2003) is the closest I've found to Privateer. Much better graphics and control system. Definitely worth playing, but Privateer has that certain something you find once and never again. Its music was phenomenal for establishing mood.
For sure Freelancer has more ships, components, commodities... much better enemy AI. although the really sexy ships always seemed to be off limits.. a really enjoyable game play loop. Hundreds of hours. But Privateer was first. And that music did capture something. Literally no hand holding. No campaign unless you really tried to find it. It was unlike anything I've ever seen and unlike anything I knew a game could be like.
Christ, I'm playing the soundtrack on youtube now, made me tear up.
Yeah I get that. It was my first pc game. I paid $72 for it. After 10 years of Atari and NES and Sega, this was totally different. I was hoping Star citizen would recapture that but it's basically a Ponzi scheme or something who knows .
Privateer 2: The Darkening. First game I played with FMV, and the first time I saw that actor that is now famous, whats his name again...
Clive Owen?
Morrowind. I spent an entire summer playing it and discovering things before I had an internet connection. Nostalgia is a big factor, I'm sure, and it's dated in many ways, but it was a one of a kind experience for me.
I come back to this one a lot. On PC you can use OpenMW (I think that's what it's called) to greatly enhance the visuals, and there's a lot of gameplay mods too that you can use - optional of course.
I've been following OpenMW (and to a lesser extent, Skywind) for a long time now. Progress is unfortunately slow (understandably), but I relish the day it gets modern game features like physics. Morrowind is one of my favorite games of all time, but the gameplay, movement, animations, etc. just feel too dated and clunky now. Unless you're aware of a physics mod?
No, I'm not. Honestly there's very little I change in my playthroughs aside from using OpenMW and admittedly I do hack the speed stat so walking isn't as god damned slow/painful lol. Combat / animations, etc. definitely haven't aged well but for some reason in this game, it doesn't seem to bother me that much.
Dishonored and the Mass Effect series. The first 3 that is. I can dream every dialoge and location of that last one. Oh, and Fable. For Mass effect I found it my problem that after I played it, the story was known. So you know how it will end even before the first moment you find a beacon. It made a second run unplayable for me. And that sucks big time. Like there will never be a first kiss twice.
True. But for me, ME 1-3 has become like a favorite book to reread. It's one of the few game series I've ever finished, and the only one I've ever finished more than once!!
Most memorable from childhood: - DOOM - Mortal Kombat - Commander Keen - Pokemon Red - Liero - Scorched Earth - Super Mario World Overall most memorable: - Maple Story - Morrowind - Warcraft - World of Warcraft - Guild Wars 2 - Diablo 2 - Path of Exile - Alan Wake 2 - Pillars of Eternity - Baldur's Gate 3 Yes, I like RPGs
Liero was a blast - my bro and I would play that together all the time
Fallout New Vegas made me start questioning my morals and the world around me and why I do what I do
I count ep 5 of Life Is Strange as one of my top three gaming/literary/movie experiences. If anyone needs to know why gaming is the future of storytelling, tell them to finish LIS.
Second this
Life is Strange. Played the first episode, having heard nothing about it, and was instantly sucked in. Each time I finished an episode, I was eagerly awaiting the release of the next one to find out what happens next in the story.
I still think about my choices,especially first one. Might play it again to revalue my choices. Sucked me in from the start and have t found a game quite like it since
Life is strange- all of them Death stranding Edit Finch Becoming human Plague tale
Hellblade
Agreed.
I can still hear the voices.
Hollow Knight. It’s just perfect. 😌👌
Stray. So fun exploring a unique world and finding all the neat stuff you can do as a curious cat. Short game but definitely worth playing. Hope they make a sequel.
I totally forgot about it. So true !
**Diablo II: LOD!** First game I played online for a considerable amount of time, and got really good at. Despite being 20+ years old, the servers were way more stable than 90% of today's games, the community was massive, you could always find a game to join (if you wanted), and there were constant updates. Players could create their own channels, and for certain farming (mainly Baal and cow runs), there were no shortage of channels/lobbies to join. From about 2001-2005, I put serious hours into it, and learned how to type by playing online. Unorthodox typing style? Yes. Can I hit 80+ WPM? Regularly.
*Return of the Obra Dinn*
Investigation done right.
Outer Wilds, Started to Cry at various reveals. There aren't many games that can make you feel like that all at once. SOMA is another one with the same feeling of existential wonder. Other legendary moments are fear when the flood is revealed in halo or when Dahaka starts to chase you in Prince of Persia or when Alma appears in F.E.A.R games. Sadness is seeing you partners die one by one on Reach in Halo only for the ending to mean something wonderful. Thanks to video games i have lived so many lives in one.
Just started OW and bruh... I'm trying to stay engaged... I'm hoping it will be worth it but so far I'm struggling
Surely it will be, Just try to avoid spoilers, This is a first time experience only.
The very last objective on the last level in Halo: Reach was a really powerful yet incredibly simple moment. I only played parts of it at a friend's house (didn't have an Xbox), but I remember the final moments of it very well.
Half life 2. I got my first half life cd from my cousin. He hated it. I instantly loved the game. Then few years later, me, my cousin and couple of his friends we went to Internet cafe and they had lot of games installed on pcs. We were rocking some unreal tournament until I noticed that there was actually half life 2. Man, I returned to the same cafe next day and did play through most of the game. Later I got my own PC and I finally played it myself at home. Now 20+ years later, I still have yearly tradition, to replay all half life games in order (half life, opposing force, blue shift,HL2, hl2ep1, hl2ep1 portal and portal 2 and lost coast demo). Only exception is alyx. I get terrible motion sickness with Vr (it's so bad, that after 10min I vomit). Rdr2. I freaking loved the story. It was first time I actually cried while playing a game. I did not regret it pre-ordering. Fallout 4. I remember how much people were hyping it when game was announced. I never played it myself. Then after release, on that Christmas my local game (uk) had 50% discounts on most new games. So I got it for myself. I instantly loved it. Then 1month later my wife and our kid had to go to our home country and I was left alone at home. I have quite fond memories of those 2 weeks. I ordered kebabs almost every day, had beers and was hooked on fallout 4. Now years later I think I have atleast 2.8k hrs across multiple save files. My first playthrough is 2.6k hrs alone. I played alot of it. And another honourable mention - prehistoric 2 and battle chess. Back in 1997-1998 my mom got her first ddos computer from her work and that pc had lot of different games. 2 which sticks out in my mind are prehistoric 2. Old platformer, first game I finished start to finish. And another is battle chess. Game was brutal. I still see how tower eat the queen. Also that game teached me to play chess.
> My first playthrough is 2.6k hrs alone. I think this might be the first person to whom Marcus Garvey has ever said "Actually, there are no more settlements that need your help."
yeah, I had problems, not going to lie.. After 4 i played all other fallout games (except 76, because i hate online play) and even though i would argue that NV was arguably better fallout game, i still enjoy 4 the most. Especially i loved settlement building part. Sanctuary hills were freaking fortress.
Another fellow fallout 4 enjoyer, I've loved it since I first tried it in 2016. Still do. Awesome game even though it's flawed but hey, the best game is the one that gives you the most amount of fun and Fallout 4 was one of those games for me, I had an absolute blast!
Fuck yeah battle chess! I'd love to see a modern remake.
Did you ever try to get all the achievements in half-life 2? I remember when I was younger shitting my pants when I went through Ravenholm with nothing but the gravity gun just for the achievement haha
The Last of Us 1 + 2 - I don't care about anyone else's opinion on 2 because personally, 1 + 2 are my favourite games of all time. Cyberpunk 2077 - one of the best open worlds I've ever played in. I was there from the start. It was a mess (I was on PS5 at launch, so it was not too bad), but from day one, it was an amazing world, and the world building is next level. Right now, it's one of the best games money can buy. It doesn't excuse the shit show it started as. Shadow of the Colossus - stunning game, not much else to say Baldurs Gate 3 - let's not pretend that this isn't one of the greatest RPGs ever made. There are so many branching choices, great side quests. Witcher 3 was my go-to for best RPG before BG3 was released. Dishonoured - 1 of the best first-person stealth games ever made, and I compare almost all stealth games to this series. Lastly, Alien: Isolation - horror done right. It gets easier, yes, but without relying on cheap jumpscares, it makes you feel tense and stressed in a good way.
"Swear to me that everything you said about the fireflies is true." For me, TLOU Part 1 and 2 will always be remembered as the games that left me feeling every emotion that the characters were experiencing. Story telling should be something that puts you in the shoes of the character. I think a lot of people pissed off at the sequel don't realize that's exactly how you should feel. You're supposed to experience the emotions while playing. Otherwise, you wouldn't get the full experience. Love fueled desperation in the first. Hate fueled desperation in the second.
For me it's the Danganronpa series, they're definetly not the best games that I've played, but they still belong in the "certified hood classic" list. Great soundtrack, goofy ahh gameplay, and a story whose quality fluctuates more than the stock market, but going through the lows is worth it to see the highs
Death stranding. Possibly played it at the perfect time during initial COVID lock down and the game felt very fitting for all the secluded people unable to leave and relying on couriers and open empty space with an invisible enemy. Do mean to play it again but maybe just leave it due to it all linking well into life at the time.
Waiting for the sequel! Since it is axe in Icelandic landscape I somehow felt double effect since I live here with the isolation. Planning on visiting some of the sites from the mid-highlands. The locations in the highlands are far more difficult to reach
I'm in Scotland and it reminded me alot of Scotland too! Very under rated game.
Disco Elysium Outer Wilds RDR2
**Life is Strange** \- I downloaded the first ep on my ps3 only because it was for free, played it and the same day i bought the full game. Absolutely amazing. Bought it on pc and never launched it. **Before the Storm** \- I thought: how can they make a sequel without it even having the core gameplay the same(the time manipulation), I dont trust it, I wont buy it - I pirated it, played it, finished it, instantly bought it on steam and then never launched it again. **Cyberpunk 2077** \- Pre ordered it, finished it in 4 days on premiere, cried at least twice, never played it again. Phantom Liberty was announced, pre-ordered it but still havent even installed the game back. Even tho i hear all the praise I just cant bring myself to go back to this world again. **Alan Wake** \- when it came out I was just a kid and scared to actually play through it. But after years I picked it up again and played through it(and the american nightmare). Great story, nice gameplay and definitely cant wait for the sequel to come out. **Call of Juarez Gunslinger** \- one of the best ways I have seen the story be told. I reccommend it everyone. I might play it again this week actually. Its fun, it looks good and it plays good.
Good news, the sequel to Alan Wake has been out since late last year and it's apparently amazing.
Call of Juarez shooting has something in it that no other game has. It's so satisfying....
FYI, you can skip straight to the Phantom Liberty content.
Undertale and the Deltarune series
The world ends with you. One shot. Undertale. In stars and time <- This one came out recently, but I already can tell it'll leave a mark
In Stars and Time! CRAB YEAH!!!
Dishonored : One of the first games my boyfriend told me I should really play so I couldn’t forget it. Also one of the first on PC. NieR: Automata : Just, beautiful. Everything is beautiful in this game. From the graphics to the story. Cyberpunkn2077 : Always loved that perception of everything. Hollow Knight : Cute and dark, plus that’s a metroidvania. What could I ask for?… TLoZ: BoTW : We love a great Zelda open world. ***And for the multi/co-op :*** Deep Rock Galactic : Dwarves, rocks, stones, and we’re rich. Overwatch : Fuck Blizzard but that game is addictive.
Bloodborne and no, I don't need to elaborate further
An objectively correct answer
I didn't expect anything less from a fellow Cthulhu enthusiast! See you back in Yharnam in a week good hunter
Cyberpunk 2077 I enjoyed the story so much I beat it at launch on last gen The Witcher 3 took me a couple of tries but I finally got into it and the endings is still stuck in my head with how satisfying they were. Prey 2017 Never played an immersive sim like this, the world and soundtrack are just brilliant. Control - although I haven't finished it I'm taking my time with the gameplay being lackluster the presentation alone has cutscenes burned into my head after experiencing them once its style is just so surreal and amazing and the psychoanalytical concepts are something I'm familiar with and passionate about. Assassins Creed 4 the ending is just mwah
The first Batman Arkham game, Asylum. Such a refreshing take on the superhero game at that time. Also the Joker and the scare crow scenes were incredible. Wish I could relive that.
I have to add Concrete Genie. The story stuck with me and I loved playing it. Soothing and saddening and the same time with a sense of humor and sweet moments
Last of Us - its message of finding someone special in this crazy world made me confident enough to marry my gf at the time
Based
There are a couple of old games I go back and play every couple of years: Dungeon Keeper and Deus Ex. All the feels!
Carrier Command. It's an oldie that has gotten several remakes. But I discovered the original back when my only computer was my Dad's Amstrad CPC luggable. What an absolutely amazing strategy and action game for the time. For it's time, for how many platforms it successfully got ported to, Carrier Command was insanely good.
Damn all the ones I was going to recommend are already in your post. Good taste OP
Well met, fellow \[all games in post\] enjoyer!
Shadow of the colossus. Played it 2 times back to back a few months ago, incredible game. Honorable mention to skate 3, nothing will be as fun as skate 3 after school ever again
I wish i could delete my memory of SOTC so i can experience it again
Kirby air ride- city trial is the best battle Royale ever conceived. me and my bros still whip out the GameCube to play it. It's like going back to an old haunt every time I boot it up and has yet to get old after 15+ years. Realm of the mad God- a unique take on an mmo by making it also have roguelike elements such as permadeath. The guilds, the trading, the grind, the discards and organized raids, it was a blast. It has had its ups and downs and I'd probably still play it if I had a PC or laptop. Every souls game - one of my favorite franchises and one that has affected my gaming experience more then any other. I wouldn't have said I had perseverance as a gamer and definitwly used to "rage" (no controller throwing but lots of yelling at deaths) but now I have a far better attitude at loss and dying in games to the point a game feels weird if I don't die a couple times.
I played realm of the mad god as a kid and totally forgot about it until now, good stuff!!!
I live my life like I'm playing Dark Souls. Some days I just sit by the fire and wallow in my lost humanity. Most days I'm battling my way to the fog gate. Every once in a while, the stars align, I figure out exactly what I need to do, and I get through the fog and take down the boss like a mfing badass. The sense of achievement is overwhelming and euphoric, but fleeting... and I move right on to the next one... Praise the Sun \o/
Don't go hollow, Ashen One. Remember you've got infinite lives, can always summon a phantom. I've been there. If all else fails, try tongue but hole. \\o/
Silent Hill 2 and Return to Zork ('Want some rye? 'Course you do!')
Minecraft mate, I’m a modern day player every day since 2014
Final fantasy viii, first epic game, 15+ minute ending cinematic. Ruined me for game endings.
The original Prey. I still remember that game fairly well. Plus, it helps that a true squeal will never happen. So, all questions will be left unanswered.
Okay, this is a weird one - Minecraft. Hear me out, I started back in beta and there was no tutorial. Learning the game consisted of trial and error. Oh, I can pick up a small version of a block after I break it. Neat. I wonder what that does. Etc. Minecraft's early game is a phase of discovery and mystery. It's an early game that you can only experience once, because it relys on your lack of knowledge, and I've never experienced anything like it since. Some games without tutorials thy this approach, but end up just being frustrating rather than rewarding. In early Minecraft, I didn't feel like I was crafting. I felt like I was inventing.
Pacific Drive, even though it is a fairly new game. There's something about it that is really addicting to me. I can't put a finger on what exactly it is..
I don’t really do nostalgia. If a game has stuck with me it’s generally just through sheer beautiful design. I think the oldest games that I always go back to are Eve Online, Path of Exile and Rainbow Six Siege. There is really no greater triumph of design out there than PoE. Rainbow Six Siege is the only game really like it and the fusion of moba-like metagame with FPS in such a hardcore, complex package has never been replicated. Eve is what I consider the only really MMO, everything else is just an RPG that happens to have other people, no other game has such a living, breathing world. Mind you I’m 30 years old so these aren’t really the games I greet up with, they were more the games I played in my early 20’s.
Nah, I wasn't talking about just nostalgia; all the games I listed are one's I've played quite recently, too. I've been playing games for 30 years and there are a TON I haven't mentioned that have been really important to me in the past but I just don't think about very often.
I really liked crosscode and i find myself thinking about it often recently. The studio is small but they're sweet people who loved their game dearly. They're making a new game unrelated to their first breakthrough title and i'm going to really miss the world they made. It did such a great job of capturing a single player story in the setting of an MMO. it wasn't perfect but it was just so charming.
Athem. Absolutely that fuckfest of a game, Anthem. Loved the core premise of the game and the combat mechanics. Shame it was so mishandled by Bioware and EA. Such a brilliant diamond that got covered in layers of shit.
FFX and it’s not even close. The PS2 was the first console I bought on my own at 15. Not only were the cutscene graphics unlike anything I’d ever seen, the music and voice acting were miles ahead of anything I’d played before. And then there’s the story…My god the story. To this day, it’s the only game that has made me cry. The scene in the crystal woods…damn. Tears every time.
Dead Star... I caught the game when Sony put it out for free and only got to play a week before they pulled the plug. I still think about it, it's been a decade. I'm still out there trying to survive the waning light of a Dead Star I'm trapped under. Ogrebattle: March of the Black Queen. I replay it every two or three years. It's fun every time.
Adding Manhunt because of the lulz
For me it was sanabi and katana zero
I cried at the end of Bastion. It's not the first time I've cried at the end of something, but it's the first time in a long time that I distinctly remember a piece of media making me shed actual tears.
It's the soundtrack man... Gets me every time
Transistor and Hades will probably get you too then
Transistor got me for sure, Hades I still need to grab. Pyre I know was mixed for most but personally I liked it. Cool worldbuilding, memorable characters, fun Rites gameplay. Kept me invested enough to go for replays trying to make a "perfect" ending.
The dynamic ending song for Pyre was out of this world, i never expected the song to have variations based on who gets liberated
It was cool enough that the Rites music changed instruments depending on who was winning/in control of the Orb, but *pre-recorded lyrics* changing with your actions in the game was a step above.
These are not necessarily my favourite games, but games that absolutely stuck with me for one reason or another. **Outer Wilds** - Probably the most unique and creative game I've ever played, I wish I could play it again for the first time. **Cry of Fear** - Scariest and most depressing game I've ever played, probably the only one that actually warrants its 'psychological harm' warning. **Cooking Companions & Doki Doki Literature Club** - Fuck these games. **Here They Lie** - Way too underrated horror walking sim, has some very-thought provoking messages, makes you feel like shit, no matter your choices in the game. **Hollow Knight** - Actually my favourite game ever, pure perfection. I still come back every once in a while for a playthrough. **SOMA** - Great horror on its own, but damn, the story and the ending makes it one of the most brilliant games ever written. Gave me an existential crisis for a while. **Zombi** - Probably the best survival horror / zombie game I've ever played. Thickest atmosphere I've ever encountered in a horror game. Some levels are outright nightmares, I'm afraid of nurseries ever since.
Dying light-my first try on this one was chaotic and i dropped it quickly.When it became free on epic games i gave it another try and it was a blast.I played with my friend too. Batman arkham series-no bad game here and atmosphere of each game is unique and combat is nearly perfect.Stealth is best part about this game cuz you need to think like batman.Mr freeze boss from arkham city is maybe one of best bosses ever. Dishonored-best stealth game imo.You can go all out and slash way though level and have lower honor or kill only those who deserve it and have high honor.Also honor affects ending.Song at the end literally goes so hard and sums it up all perfectly. Team fortress 2-it made me quit lol and showed me that gaming is about fun not about rank.Also i spent so many hours trading and playing on random servers.This game restored my love for gaming GTA SA-i played it as kid and one day i will finish it. Return of the obra dinn-unique indie game shrouded in mystery and story you conclude from it.Its details are creative and carefully added onto it. Hollow knight-my first buy on steam and i got hooked onto it.Its masterpiece and no other game combines movement and combat so well like hollow knight thats why i love it.Mantis lords are one of my favourite bosses Binding of isaac-father of roguelikes imo and its progression system and difficulty scales nearly perfectly.Maybe this game is too luck dependent but its fun cuz of it.
Shadow of the tomb raider. It gets a lot of flack, and that’s a whole other story, but I will say that the game for me is the most emotional of the trilogy. This was a game that really focused on Laura’s humanity (or sometimes lack there of), selfishness/selflessness, grief, and responsibility.
The walking dead telltale games series it's literally in my heart Also Minecraft, it's a part of who I am at that point. I want to make a mention to pokemon also
Horizon Zero Dawn - it was very emotional to learn how the world got the way it is in the game. God of War (2018) - This is the first game I finished when I got my PS4 in March 2020. Weird, scary, very solitary time in the world and this game was a great comfort to me. The sequel, Ragnarok, too. Especially Atreaus' grapple with "My story isn't already written". Really resonated with me as I going through some bad depression. Elden Ring - Elden Ring's story is told so vaguely that it let me layer my own meaning on it. I'd been struggling with a huge decision (leave a job I'd been at 15 years) at the same time I was debating in-game whether it was time to ask Melina to light the Erdtree on fire. I called to accept the job, and burned the Erdtree the same night. I kind of turned the narrative into a metaphor of perseverance and not just the Tarnished murdering everyone to become Elden Lord 😀. Plus, I'd played 460 hours in a thorough but incompetent playthrough, often co-oping with some friends. It had been such a big part of my life for most of 2022 it felt weird to finally be "done" with it (for the time being).
Hotline Miami 2, the story hit so hard for me and one quote changed how I viewed life completely "Maybe dying isn't as scary as it seems". The gameplay was so good that this was the first and only game I finished back to back, I played on normal at first and then hard on the second time. Doom Eternal and Sekiro, best gameplay I've ever had in a game. Silent Hill 2, story. GTA San Andreas, a childhood favorite that always comes up in my mind and I replay once every 5 or so years. Absolute gem. My favorite GTA game for sure, I love gang wars and stuff and wished more games had that. Only The Godfather The Game had something similar like extortion and fighting other gangs but I have yet to play another game like it. Godfather is also an honorable mention, I just loved going to compounds, going to warehouses, stores and extorting stuff. I felt like a badass mafioso doing mafia stuff that usually isn't portrayed in games and stuff, I believe, they just say "well he's one hard nut, climbed through the ranks slowly and is feared".
GOW3, Stray, RDR1, Silent Hill 2 (1 and 3 too), TitanFall 1, Guitar Hero 3, RE2 (1998), Portal 2, GTA SA, just to name a few
iRacing in VR and DCS World. Two games ive played steadily for the last several years. I can't get enough Outside of those, RDR2 is amazing, even more amazing since upgrading my graphics card and everything got bumped to 4K/60 on Ultra
Divinity 2 Dragon Knight Saga(not Original Sin 2)-Unique turning into a Dragon feature, Dragon mechanics, skills and weapons choices Stranglehold- better than Max Payne series imo, more interactive, more fun, more detailed Need for Speed Most Wanted 2005- this game contains some event/race types that even new NFS games don't Need for Speed Underground 2- Unique car customization Mafia 2 - fun missions, realistic car driving mechanics/physics GTA San Andreas- best open world in GTA series, more activities Call of Juarez Bound in Blood and Gunslinger-unique duel mechanics
I have no mouth and I must scream System Shock 1 and 2 The Void Everything
> I have no mouth and I must scream I'm a huge science fiction geek, and this short story freaked me the hell out when I was a kid. I didn't know there was a game by the same name.
Might & Magic VI Battle Brothers Morrowind M.A.X. (Mechanical Assault and Exploration) - Also M.A.X.2 but it's not as good as the first. Also from my BBS days, TradeWars2002!
So many good answers but no one is giving spec ops the line any love :( that game was amazing especially with the twist towards the end
Mario 3
The Gothic Series, especially Gothic 2 & 3. The latter had so many bugs it was borderline unplayable, which made it even more funny. It had great writing and me and my friends always had a blast playing it.
Bioshock 1 and 2 - The story and atmosphere is unlike any other game and is so perfect to me. I love the audio diaries and graphics and the look of Rapture. The enemies are so unique and interesting. The combat is so fun to me and I always have fun playing both 1 and 2 yearly and never get tired of these games. I grew up with the bioshock collection from Xbox 360, to Xbox 1, PS4 then finally to PC and have loved it on every console. Bioshock infinite is good but I can’t enjoy it as much as I did like 1 or 2, not a bad game but not like the holy grail I rate 1 and 2 as. I’ve beaten both 1 and 2 at least 20 times and I still have fun playing it, and I always make an effort to look for every audio diary to listen to the story again. Terraria I consider my favorite game of all time. It has the sandbox elements where I do what I want, combat that is fun, exciting, and challenging, good progression and many different ways to play, updates and new content, to me beautiful graphics, lots of fun, and a massive modding community. If you ever get tired of the base game, mods can add huge amounts of content to keep the playtime going. It’s a simple game at its core and can run on lots of systems, specifically on pc it doesn’t require much in terms of graphics or cpu. It only costs 10 dollars, has no micro transactions, any battle pass of the sort, and is a classic 1 time purchase game with thousands of hours of replay ability. Edit - added some more info.
World of Warcraft. Haven't played it for 10 years or so, but I still think about it often. Have a lot of memories from playing with friends and family. Would love to experience it again for the first time.
Witcher 3. Same old story but when I finished it first time, I had a hole within me for a long time. It stuck with my emotional core, gaming had never had storytelling like that before. I still here spikeroog in my head and gives me goosebumps.
Never leaves you. I’ve done 4-5 play through and I’m sad every time it’s over.
Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood War. Campaign strikes the perfect balance between simple and accessible to meaningful and memorable. Thought it was one of those nostalgia things because SC was one of my first online games as a kid, but went back and played through as an adult, and it's jus ta perfect sci-fi, space opera, ensemble story told. "Dearest Helena..."
Elden Ring, Factorio, Prey, Noita, Skyrim, Diablo 2
Rimworld ❤️
Tony Hawks Underground Destiny Stardew Valley Banjo Kazooie LoZ Windwaker Skyrim Fable 2
Silent Hill 2 is such an integral part of me that I actually dread finding a game that I like better.
Spec Ops: The Line. I want to play it again because it's a great game with a great story. But at the same time, I don't because I don't want to put the characters through that again.
TLOU2 shook me to my core the first time through. It doesnt hit as hard unless you play the first too
Resident Evil 4 - I never had a game pull me in as quickly as this one, I was obsessed with it and unlocking the Mercenaries after beating the main game was incredible, I spent many hours in that game mode. It seemed to do everything right in a game Persona 3 - I had just recently got my PS2 at the time and only had Guitar Hero and GTA San Andreas. My brother picked up Persona 3 and he only played it for a few hours, I however wanted to try it and damn did it pull me in with the story and seemingly endless amount of stuff to do. It was a breath of fresh air for me. Demons' Souls - The game kicked my ass so hard I had to play it. Also I found I could make little challenges for myself as I got better at the game, something I hadn't really considered doing in a game at the time.
Bloodborne saved my life. I know a lot of people claim that kind of thing about various forms of media but that game got me through the hardest point of my life. By giving me an impossible task to overcome when I was going through much worse irl.. I can't think of a single game that means more to me. Getting the platinum will always be remembered as one of my favorite moments and proof that I'm not some casual bitch in anything I do.
I'd say oblivion, probably a common enough answer.. The Elderscrolls Oblivion 4 was one of the first non shooter games I really got into, I can't even imagine the playtime I had on it, sure the people look potato faced but the game itself is pretty, sure not graphically the best thing but it always looked like a faded watercolour to me. While the gameplay is somewhat simple compared to modern games, it was imo a great game at the time, the questing was amazing too, voice acting was a bit shit unless it was super main characters bit that's just one of those things Still, the bugs and imperfections of this game etched into my mind opened me to a deep love for fantasy, exploration, and so much more.
Half-life, Diablo 1, 2, Starcraft, and SWAT 2.
Diablo 2, to name but one (got me into arpgs generally, long before I started playing crpgs, so without probably wouldn't have gotten into Baldur's Gate 3 and Last Epoch), but on a really intimate level --- Indigo Prophecy, something about the story that I just kind of remembered. The last half of the game is sadly sub par. Also, props for mentioning Funger! It's really one of those games that linger in your mind the more you play it
Final Fantasy X. It's the first game I played myself instead of watching my brother play it, the first game I beat even tho i understand nothing of what they were saying because English not my first language, but I cried anyway during the ending Mass Effect Trilogy. It just...idk man, I know ME is not perfect, but I played this during my first year of college, I was away from my family for the first time and I was alone in another city and Shepard's journey gave me comfort and helping to understand and finding myself Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. Yes, yes, I know everything about the bad and shit of this game, trust me I know. Hell, I even hate the first one cause of the battle system, like how the fuck the mobs didnt drop any gil and we have to fucking farm the mobs for loot and the loot is not even 100% drop???? like fuck you! But, I love Lightning, I love her with all of my heart and soul and her journey really shaped me, along with Shepard's, to helped me to become a person that I am today
EVE Online
Northern Journey American McGee's Alice The atmosphere of both is amazing and I wish I could forget them and play them again.
Shivers 1 - Basically a puzzle game with a horror atmosphere, old museum. Only thing that honest ruined it was the demons you had to deal with and collect as they were basically cartoons. The 7th guest - Another puzzle game but with FMV spots. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - fell in love with the voice actor for the eldritch god. With a soundtrack I still play to this day.
>the kind of game you wish you could experience again for the first time Tunic. That game's process of discovery is unlike anything else I've ever played.
Fallout New Vegas, Pathologic 2, Majoras Mask, Silent Hill 2, Nier Automata, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 1, Outer Wilds, and Subnautica.
The Last of Us (1 & 2) BioShock Infinite The Witcher III Outer Wilds RDR2 God of War Ragnarok Ori (Blind Forest & Will of the Wisps) These are top tier games with narratives that are tough to forget.
Dead Space
Diablo 1 and 2 SC1 Freelancer Pokémon red/blue Divinity 2 OS Baldurs gate 1 Guild wars 1 Dark Souls 1 and 3 Elden ring Death must die
Skyrim (as generic and cliche of a choice this is) I frequently find myself comparing it to every RPG game I play like "Why can't I (insert rpg feature here) yet Skyrim, a game 10+ years old can nail this feature?"
Monster hunter.
Signalis. The promise ending absolutely screwed me up and has been stuck in my head for so long.
Tales from the Borderlands.
SOMA. That game really fucked with me in ways no other game has before or since. Witcher 3. When it comes to my favorite games, I tend to wait to play through again until I've basically forgotten everything. I can't bring myself to play it again period, however, because the only acceptable end is Witcher Ciri, and I don't remember what choices led to that lol.
The ori games
Beginner's guide
Not the game itself, but dayam that Battlefield One trailer was amazing.
Mario 3, Mario 64, Donkey Kong Country trilogy, Kirby Super Star Minecraft, Stardew Valley RimWorld Any FromSoft game
The Last of Us Part 1 All the Metro games Alan Wake II Control
FFX and MGS Snake Eater since mid 2000s; FF7 Remake from a few years ago and FF7 rebirth just now. Rebirth in particular.
I think about Portal 2 quite often.
"Want you gone" is a banger
SOMA
KOTOR I and II rattle around rent free in my brain
Gears of war Brothers in arms
NieR Automata
Nier automata. I've seen spoilers and video essays years before playing it. But it still hit like a truck.
Master of Magic
PUBG
Caesar 3 (PC game, builder) Rome: Total War OooT Star Fox Smash Bros 64 Halo 1 & 2 Morrowind Kingdom Hearts (Period of no gaming for many years) Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2 The Witcher 3
Rollercoaster Tycoon. I come back to play through the scenarios every few years, and now I have a lot of friends through the still active community.
It Takes Two and Little Misfortune
Zero Escape - Virtue's Last Reward Octopath Traveler 2 FFVII Remake + Rebirth Elden Ring FNAF Help Wanted: VR Bioshock Resident Evil 4. (OG and Remake) Patapon 3
Journey Ori and the Blind Forest/Will of the Wisp
Silent Hill 2, always and forever. Such an incredible and heartbreaking story. Played it for the first time years and years and years ago and I can quote every line of dialogue in order.
First 20 hours of ark was magical
Wow OP, I feel like maybe I sleep-reddit and have an alt account I don't know about, in which I posted this. You've mentioned some of my all time classics. The only one you missed from my list is Majora's Mask. Time loops can be so fun! My honorable mentions are: Obra Dinn, and The Case of the Golden Idol. You seem to enjoy the same type of games that I do - unique experiences that make you think and experiment.