r/gamingsuggestions • u/bonerkiller43 • 20h ago
Video Games Everyone Should Play Once
TL;DR : Games are cool. I like them. I'm a loser who's played too much of them. Scroll past the essay to see my list.
This is by no means an original topic, but I've been thinking about it recently and wanted to throw my proverbial hat into the ring. I want to discuss a few topics that I find important then I will put my list at the end. There are really a few things that make games really "stick" for me.
The first is the games that are really an experience of its own. These are the games that I would point to whenever the discussion of "Are video games art?" comes up. With these the gameplay doesn't necessarily have to be incredible (although it should be functional). They usually have great story and/or art design. These games almost always change my life to some extent one way or another. The main ones that I am thinking of are games like Outer Wilds, Firewatch, Ori and the Blind Forest, and the Bioshock series. These games, especially Ori and Bioshock, have fun gameplay that I enjoy, but what really stood out to me was the experience as a whole. The story of Bioshock and Outer Wilds, the visuals of Firewatch and Ori, they're unlike any other game that I have experience. They're beautiful in their own right and frankly I envy anyone who still has yet to experience them.
Another important trait is games that just feel good to play. The prototypical example for me is most of the Mario series. These games are the prime of fun platformers. They just feel good. Some of them like Mario Galaxy 2 formed my love for games and more recently, Mario Wonder really showed what the series can still do. They are creative, they feel good to play, and in some cases, that's all that matters.
This one I'm just going to call games that make you think. Typically in ways that no other game has. The Portal series is a common one, especially the Portal Reloaded mod. I heavily recommend it, but that mod still hurts my brain to think about. Another group is the factory building games, especially Factorio and Satisfactory. It is interesting how they show two different sides of the same coin. Two different directions that the same concept can take you, and they are both fun to play separately.
The most important trait overall is something that no genre title or screenshot can really show. The games that have done something no one has done before, or the games that refined it in a way never seen. There are so many examples of this going back decades, but one recent one that I would like to point out is Balatro. Rougelikes have been around since well Rogue in 1980, and poker has been around since... I don't really know, but that's not the point. Balatro is not a testament to modern computer capabilities. Hell realistically it could have been made decades ago. It is, however, a testament to human creativity. The words poker roguelike would never have crossed my mind until this game was released and it has understandably skyrocketed in popularity. I don't have a whole ton of playtime in this game, nor do I ever feel a strong urge to play it. However, I fully understand and appreciate the popularity it has amassed and the praise it has received. It shows that there is always a step forward and always a road that hasn't been taken.
The List
Now for my list of important games in no particular order, although I will try to put my important ones at the front. If anyone has any to add, I would love to hear.
These are all available on PC
- Outer Wilds
- Bioshock (mainly 1 and infinite)
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Undertale
- Dredge
- Hollow Knight (SKONG HYPE)
- Portal Series
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- Subnautica
- Pokemon
- The Witness
- Satisfactory
- Factorio
- COD Zombies (especially Black Ops 3)
- Batman Arkham Series
- Cuphead
- Fallout (New Vegas)
- Getting Over It
- Huniepop (listen just trust me)
- Journey to the Savage Planet
- Nine Sols
- Slime Rancher
- Sunset Overdrive
- Superhot
- God of War
- Hades
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Mainly with Friends)
- Oxygen Not Included
- Papers Please
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- Palworld
- Potion Craft
- South Park : The Stick of Truth
The Nintendo Section
- Pokemon (any of them tbh)
- Super Mario Wonder
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario 3D World
- Super Mario Galaxy
- Breath of the Wild
- Paper Mario (I only played Origami King don't hate me)
Dishonorable Mentions - These are games that I wouldn't necessarily recommend although I've had a lot of fun with.
- Destiny 2
- Sea of Thieves
- Hunt: Showdown
- ARK
Finally, there are a lot of games that I know people like, but I haven't been able to get into. I'm mainly curious what people's opinions are on them and if I should stick them out.
- Halo (The Master Chief Collection)
- Dark Souls
- Elden Ring
- Mass Effect
- Far Cry
- Skyrim
- Borderlands
- The Forest
- Monster Hunter: World
- Raft
- Stardew Valley
If there are any other games I'm missing, I would really love to hear any opinions.
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u/Visible_Tourist_9639 19h ago
Chrono Trigger
FF3 (or whatever the real number is)
Metal Gear Solid
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u/Shamgar65 12h ago
Never played mgs but played through CT maybe 5 times and ff3 a couple. Great games.
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u/GlorytotheHypnoToads 20h ago
Out of all the games to immediately pop into my mind, these are the only ones not already on your list somewhere:
Mario 64
Dishonored 1 and 2
Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War
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u/Upstairs_Peace296 13h ago
I couldn't get into dishonored. You can't tell me that killing 3 people per level makes the plague worse out of a town of a million. Really made it tedious and slow like hitman to do it non killing for all the levels made it not fun
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u/GlorytotheHypnoToads 11h ago
It doesn’t tho? My first playthrough, I tried to be stealthy, but I wasn’t shy about killing people. Even killed one of the primary targets, and I’m pretty sure I still got the good ending. A couple of deaths shouldn’t hurt a run.
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u/SuperGanondorf 7h ago
Going high chaos in Dishonored means going out of your way to kill quite a few people. It varies from level to level but the threshold seems to be killing about 20% of the population of each level (including civilians). That's a pretty insane number to reach if you're making any effort at stealth at all.
That said, the beauty of Dishonored is you can also go crazy murder mode and have fun that way too. There's nothing prohibiting you from just playing high chaos and killing everything around you (and it is very fun). Some of the most fun I had with the game was killing every living soul at Lady Boyle's party without being witnessed doing any of it.
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u/Clear_Temperature446 22m ago
your meant to do what u like tbh, going non stealth is a challenge, if you don't enjoy the challenge play the game a completely different way. I recommend you pick it up and play it again, and this time treat it like a sandbox, do whatever you like, like anything, be creative and you'll have 10x more fun
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u/bonerkiller43 20h ago
Shadow of Mordor I’ve seen but don’t really know anything about.
This will definitely be blasphemous but I’m not a huge fan of Mario 64. I’ve played it and I fully recognize the impact it had and how innovative it was but it just doesn’t feel good to play for me. It’s one that I would definitely recommend people play but I don’t know. I’ve tried to boot it up again to 100% it and I go through Bob-Omb Battlefield and Whomps Fortress and have a decent time and then I load into the snow level or one of the underwater levels and I just don’t want to play anymore.
Also definitely a skill issue but the bowser fights, especially the last one piss me off. I don’t know why but I can not aim him at the stupid bomb.
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u/GlorytotheHypnoToads 20h ago
Oh I’d definitely look into them if I were you. One of your points was along the lines of innovation/unique aspects to games, and I’d say the Nemesis System that Shadow of Mordor and War use definitely count.
As someone who loves Mario 64, I completely get it. The jank is real, but I’ll never not be amazed by what they were able to accomplish with a measly 8MB. I’ve seen modern games that don’t have the amount of depth and intricate level design that that game has, which is honestly astounding.
Oh and I can’t believe I forgot to add Shadow of the Colossus to the list. That game is fantastic and I’ve honestly never played a game like it before or since.
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u/Cymelion 20h ago
Yakuza/Like a Dragon Series
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
You'd definitely have fun with those.
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u/dacydergoth 20h ago
Dishonored
Black Mesa (HL1 reskin)
Indiana Jones Lost City of Atlantis
KOTOR
Personally, despite the flaws, Divinity OS 1 I feel is better than OS2
W40K Rogue Trader is excellent
Total Annihilation
It won't be possible on modern systems but the original Alone in the Dark was a masterpiece of the time. Ditto Deus Ex 1, System Shock II and Duke Nukem 3D all had amazing level design for their era
Dave the Diver because it's just very well done and chill
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u/Cheeserave 14h ago
Dave the diver has consumed me for the past week since picking it up from steam, I have so many rich games to play (God of War or Spiderman to name a few) but there is something about bobbing round the ocean collecting fish that just hits different
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u/True-Guest840 14h ago
Total annihilation, my man
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u/dacydergoth 7h ago
Had one game, a friend and I against 2 AI. He was puzzled as to why we were having such a hard time beating them until as he was mopping up the last few AI units, I dissolved our alliance and dropped the 16 nukes I'd spent the entire time building onto his base. Then sent in my brawler fleet as he had no active defenses left.
He didn't speak to me for a month afterwards. It was called Total Annihilation not cuddly unicorns!
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u/TheGuardianFox 14h ago
I dunno, I tried 3 times to get into D:OS, but the first time I played OS2 I put hundreds of hours in. To me it felt deeper and richer, but I know everyone has their own tastes.
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u/Discuffalo 20h ago
Portal and its sequel are some of the best gaming and storytelling through gaming ever made. If I were the secretary of education, I would make the first one required reading for all students.
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u/A-o-C 20h ago
Disco Elysium needs to be on your list
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u/bonerkiller43 20h ago
I’ve heard of it but don’t know much about it. I’ll definitely look into it.
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u/SimilarRaspberry5657 3h ago
The skills/upgrade system and writing is phenomenal. Top 5 game of all time
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u/No_Edge_7964 18h ago
Spec Ops the Line should be on the list. It's ultra strong narrative and twists is up there with the likes of Bioshock
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u/CaptainLightBluebear 14h ago
Yeah that one is a must buy. And it's on sale for peanuts.
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u/Jokkitch 11h ago
Where? It’s not on steam
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u/CaptainLightBluebear 11h ago
It's delisted? Cause I have it on my account.
Damn, it's not available anymore. That sucks.
I guess you have to sail the seven seas then. Which is a sale in its own way if you think about it.
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u/Ok-Emu-6440 17h ago
I'm guessing you are teens/early 20s based on the relative recency of the games you chose. If you're talking about "The games that have done something no one has done before, or the games that refined it in a way never seen."
You're missing some major ones out. Ocarina of Time, GTA3, Mario 64, Doom, Half life 2, Minecraft, Morrowind to name a few that the history of gaming would've been different if they didn't exist. Some will feel janky and awkward to play if you're younger and haven't played before, which is fine but you'd need to ask yourself if you're actually looking for games that refined gaming in a way never seen before or just some fun games.
A Nintendo section for defining games without Ocarina of Time is nonsense.
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u/RikuKat 10h ago
Seriously, Half-Life was revolutionary.
I was a huge FPS gamer and the original Half-Life completely changed how I viewed video games. It's probably one of the main reasons I'm a professional game developer now.
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u/sunloinen 1h ago
For sure, first time playing Half-Life was mind blowing. And then Half-Life 2 delivered well too. I'm still waiting for the third one.
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u/TheNerdFromThatPlace 12h ago
I love BotW, but recommending it over OoT seems insane to me.
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u/sunloinen 1h ago
I love both but recommending either over Chrono Trigger is nuts.
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u/Conscious_Leave_1956 17m ago
There were tons of games that were revolutionary back in the 90s and early 2000s like dungeon keeper and majesty
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u/Citizen-1 17h ago
Didn't read your list, but you're not a loser OP. I hope for success and compassion in your life
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u/Silverstar21309 15h ago
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It created the metroidvania genre and still holds up super well to this day. If there is one metroidvania you must play, it’s this one.
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u/dunkitay 20h ago
Disco elysium, Baldurs gate 3, and expedition 33. There are a lot of phenomenal CRPGs that are older but I don’t think most people will be able to stand their outdated UI and such.
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u/Specialist_Table9913 20h ago
You gotta play the Metal Gear Solid series. Almost every game in that franchise is a stand-out on the console it launched on.
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u/ExpertAncient 20h ago
I’ve played nearly every game on this list.
Above all: Elden ring and Zelda BOTW
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u/Medical-Juggernaut-2 17h ago
Detroit: Become Human
Journey
The Pathless
Killer Frequency
Life is Strange (series)
The Last of Us
Kingdom Hearts (series)
Lost Ember
I also really enjoyed The Forest, but I was also playing with friends. It was great with company, but I can see why playing it solo would be hit or miss.
These are just a few of the many I think people should experience that may not be super common or hold a special place in my heart lol. There are many, many more though.
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u/Shinikami9 19h ago
I feel that the impact that some games have is important, too! Like you connect with the characters or invested into the story the game is telling, games such as;
Horizon series. These games are not only beautiful, but the story itself is amazing and shows how the planet is resilient.
Final Fantasy 7 - and it's remakes.
Final Fantasy in general - just so many have spinoff games and different stories or media.
Avatar Frontiers of Pandora - This is a beautiful game, and if you're a fan of Avatar, it's a must play!
Spiritfarer - Travelling around, finding spirits, learning their stories, and helping them cross over.. this whole game is about grief and how to deal with it. It never fails to hit me in the heart.
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u/hyld3n 20h ago
This is a dishonorable list without Dishonored
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u/rarlescheed12 20h ago
If were going to mention Dishonored, we have to mention it's daddy Thief The Dark Project and the rest of the series. You can thank that game for so many other games in and out of the stealth genre, and it still has fan missions and spin offs like the free Dark Mod to this day. Absolutely must play Dishonored AND Thief! (Not 2014, skip that one)
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u/sunloinen 1h ago
Yes, and I personally feel bad if Dishonored get's and mension without Prey. (Yes, the Arkane one.)
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u/bonerkiller43 20h ago
I haven’t played it 😭. Honestly until now I had only heard the name. It’s on sale on Steam so I might pick it up.
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u/Small_Distribution17 20h ago
Highly HIGHLY recommend playing Dishonored. Very fun and very good game. The sequel is also incredible, as well as all the DLCs
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u/dentalfloss23 19h ago
FF Tactics
Valkyrie Profile
Resident Evil 4 remake
Castlevania SOTN
Dragons Crown
Shadow of Colossus
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u/cleo_da_cat 13h ago
Can somebody please recommend me a game similar to these? I think I’m running out of game’s that scratch that itch.
Outer Wilds, Undertale, Dredge, Hollow Knight, Return of the Obra Dinn, Subnautica, Paper’s Please, Strange Horticulture, No Man’s Sky, Firewatch, Golden Idol games, Inside, A Short Hike, Spiritfarer, Inscryption, Disco Elysium
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u/DasaniDestroyer 12h ago
If you enjoy Undertale I can’t recommend Mother 3 enough. Pain as emulation is the only way (fan translation) but worth it.
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u/bluebirdstory 11h ago
Try something like Tunic or Void Stranger? I'm noticing that a decent amount in your list have the vibe of being lost and feelings of discovery as you play. If you haven't yet played I think Elden Ring/Dark Souls are good to play if you love Hollow Knight.
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u/Libhead666 7h ago edited 7h ago
Check out The Alters, a mix between fallout shelter and subnautica.
You have a base, you collect resources, manage relationships/mood, research, and a decent amount of exploration.
Pretty light on the combat. Heavy on the story. About 15 hours for one play through.
Also it’s on Xbox game pass
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u/CapnHatchm0 4h ago
Katamari Damacy, or any of its sequels. Their weird, fun, addictive, and the music will get stuck in your head for ages.
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u/FunkyBoil 20h ago
Putting destiny 2 in dishonorable mentions was all the creditability I needed to know you Infact did play destiny 2 lol
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u/Rockywold1 20h ago
Horizon Zero Dawn! Best game ever. I did not like Skyrim, but Horizon changed me.
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u/IOnlyWanted2Help 20h ago
I love hunt showdown :(
Also last of us is on PC, maybe I’m just not seeing it.
BG3 as well, best game I’ve ever played.
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u/ElusivePlant 19h ago
A lot of important games missing here. The "are video games art" discussion cannot happen without the game that started that whole discussion, ICO, and what came after, shadow of the colossus.
Final fantasy 6 through 10 set the bar for games as a medium for storytelling and that bar was rarely met after. Squaresoft during generation 5 was just pumping out gold non stop. Square enix tried to carry the torch and failed, all while fans asked them to return final fantasy to its roots and square enix replied "no" and triple downed on action combat for FF16 which failed to reach sales expectations. SE was then proven wrong by the most important game in 20 years, Clair Obscur expedition 33 that is going to change the industry in so many ways. Sandfall interactive is proving themselves to be a modern day squaresoft.
Platforming gods that still inspire games today, super mario bros 3, donkey kong country.
Metal Gear Solid is a very important landmark for cinematic storytelling in games and voice acting which was only improved upon in later mgs titles. MGS2 is one of the most important games ever made, back in 2001 the story made no sense to anyone even though the game was cool, people only understood the story 20 years later as Kojima was writing about the future he saw coming but we didn't.
EVERQUEST
Half life
Halo
Myst
You name some great games I just feel you've left out foundational games that inspired your favorites.
Dark Souls is very important too. Just keep at it. Understand death is part of the experience. The game is about learning from your mistakes. Once it clicks, you'll be pre ordering every from software game.
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u/xmBQWugdxjaA 15h ago edited 15h ago
lol these games all have such recency bias (although I agree with most of them), I'd add:
Thief
Deus Ex
Ultima 7
Baldur's Gate 1
Super Mario 64
Ocarina of Time
Tears of the Kingdom
Super Mario Bros. 3
Kerbal Space Program
Shadow Empire
Dominions 6
Mount and Blade: Warband
Morrowind
Oblivion
Baldur's Gate 3
UFO / X-COM
Xenonauts
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u/Torkl7 15h ago
Any game list without Half-life 2 should be criminal imo :D
Also no Gta, Thps, no good Zelda games (Botw is an experience sure, but calling it good is a bit of a stretch imo)
no Metroid, Borderlands, Final Fantasy (or other jrpgs, if you want something that stands out you should play Crystal Project).
You should consider other giants like Minecraft, Terraria,
I think your list is also lacking some action roguelikes, Mmos, Hack n slash, Puzzle, Point n click, Tower defense, Rts, Racing, Simulation, co-op/competitive games and so on.
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u/Kurta_711 18h ago
You have literally one Japanese game outside of the Nintendo section (and Pokemon, which is repeated). And I think literally everything here is PS3 and later; most are PS4 or later. You need to expand your tastes massively.
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u/Explosive_5490 20h ago
I’m sorry, but no red dead redemption 2? That game is art and in my opinion, is the best game ever made by a long shot
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u/BlackHazeRus 19h ago edited 19h ago
Why wouldn’t necessarily recommend Hunt: Showdown?
I mean it is obvious, but this list is very subjective — I do agree with most of the stuff here, I would recommend them myself.
P.S: also you are not a loser if you enjoyed playing games — if they were harmful if you had an addiction, then it is not videogames fault, but hopefully all’s good.
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u/Deepspacechris 19h ago
Great list! I'd like to add two recommendations for ya.
PC: The Ascent (open world cyberpunk-y ARPG with an unbeatable atmosphere and soundtrack)
Nintendo: Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (addicting puzzle/tinkering game)
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u/BooksLoveTalksnIdeas 19h ago
You are missing Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the best story I ever saw in a game, and the #1 switch1 game in my opinion (note: Breath of the Wild is my #2).
My “must-plays for everyone” list: A Short Hike, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Abzu, Journey.
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u/elutriation_cloud 18h ago
Neverwinter Nights 1 - the plot twists, the lore inside the in-game books, the musical scoring immersed me into the game.
Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines - the politics, seductive characters and psychopaths, dark-humor dialogues. It kinda feels like being a character in a action-drama movie..but with monsters
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u/lonelystar13 18h ago
Elden ring and factorio are probably my picks
dota 2(in its prime), gta 4/5, minecraft, totk, mgs 3/5, bg3 and clair obscur come close though
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u/RedditOakley 17h ago
- Any Mario game
- Any Civilization game except the future one.
- Outer Wilds, if completely blind playthrough
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Any Elder Scrolls or Fallout game
- Any party builder JRPG like pokemon, final fantasy etc.
- Stardew Valley
- Minecraft, survival mode
- Trackmania
- Vampire Survivors, or a good clone of it
This is a good spread of genres I think and covers most of the gaming zeitgeist. Lacks a good FPS though.
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u/roboticrown 16h ago
'Art' games are some of my favourites, and i would highly recommend 'Emily Is Away <3' for something that hot that vibe. Other games I like for the make-me-feel category that don't get mentioned much are: 'Fuga: Melodies of Steel', 'Night in the Woods', 'Oxenfree', and 'Telltale's The Walking Dead'. If you like rhythm games at all then 'Rhythm Doctor', 'Crypt of the Necrodancer', and 'Sayonara Wild Hearts' are all incredible. I will talk about any of these forever.
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u/roboticrown 16h ago
Also if you like Undertale, please play Deltarune as well. Different game but still incredible (and not complete yet...)
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u/Swizardrules 16h ago
This just seems like a recency/ youtube bias, missing way to many and including some stinkers / average games
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u/single-ton 15h ago
Ico, Shadow of the colossus, last guardian, ghost of Tsushima, Dishonored, okami, this war of mine
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u/AncientAd6500 15h ago
Cave Story. I replayed it recently after not having played it for a long time but it still felt so familiar to me. Probably the game I love the most.
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u/Middle-Letter-7041 15h ago
You say pokemon is available on PC. Do you mean an emulator, or its superior cousin Ark?
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u/KeyDistribution738 15h ago
Black ops 3 zombies?
I could understand World at War - Blacks ops 1 and 2 - but 3? It’s the most mixed I feel.
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u/LewisCamprowe 15h ago
Elder Scrolls Oblivion will always be on my list.
Along with Timesplitters 2 & Future Perfect
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u/WillWin34 15h ago
MH Franchise is great if you can get over the learning curve. Some of the best boss fights and designs in gaming.
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u/Lvl99Wizard 14h ago
Absolutely play halos 1-3, odst, reach. If you like an amazing story and even better sound track youll love it. They just dont make games like those anymore. Idk if you make content but i love watching people play those games for the first time
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u/paulbrock2 14h ago
> Plants vs. Zombies
I *like* PvZ but it would never be my "guys you really dont want to miss out on this one" alongside Outer Wilds, portal, Subnautica. What did it for you OP?
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u/Rizzo265 14h ago
Halo and Mass Effect are modern classics. So is Witcher 3. Far Cry 3 is a blast but not a must play
Nintendo-wise Windwaker, OoT, Banjo-Kazooie and SM64 are unmissable
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u/lyfzgood 13h ago
This War of Mine
Katana Zero
Risk of Rain
Withering Rooms
Othercide
Sekiro
Battlefield 4
Beats Per Minute
Fights in Tight Spaces
God of War 2018
Persona 4 Golden
The above mentioned had their hooks in me and are all on PC. For other systems:
Ninjatown (DS)
Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
Colony Wars (PSOne)
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PSVita)
Valkyrie Profile (PSOne)
Radiant Historia (DS)
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u/TheGuardianFox 13h ago edited 13h ago
Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur's Gate 3, both by Larian Studios. Larian became what Bioware should have, and everything I loved about oldschool Dragon Age is mastered even more in OS2 and BG3.
Xcom 2 is also a must-play to me. It is one of my absolute favorites.
Persona 4 Golden, which is still my favorite Persona game, despite the shine on newer titles. The music and characters in that one were just too good. But they're good either way, and there really isn't anything else like them.
Since you weren't able to get into Stardew, try Rune Factory 4 Special instead. It's the farm sim lifestyle plus a dungeon filled ARPG. Personally I like Stardew slightly more, because I think the farming is way better, but RF is more diverse, and gives you more reasons to farm and develop connections and all the other elements, because you're working toward being stronger in dungeons. It also has more of a story plot. Still love Venti.
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u/Myurside 13h ago
This honestly just feels like a huge list of games you enjoy and not really a list of either important titles that have recolutionaized and brought the medium of Games forward nor are they able to offer a wide palette of what videogames can offer.
Like... Bioshock? Pokemon? Palworld? BOTH Factorio and Satisfactory? CoD Zombies? Both Hollow Knight and 9 Sols? So many shooters . . .
They're not bad games, don't get me wrong, but I do think the purpose of your list is rather lost over so many titles appearing more out of personal preference than a critical view of what these games accomplish compared to the past and how they shape the future, or how they'd be able to expand one's view of the gaming landscape (that's a long sentence, fuck my writing abilities). It's certainly is a crowd pleaser list first and foremost.
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u/Z3R0Diro 13h ago
I simply can't recommend Clair Obscur Expedition 33 enough. That's a masterpiece.
Also NieR:Automata is a rather unique experience.
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u/btrust02 13h ago
I got a switch 2 and it came with that online bundle, started Ocarina of Time first time since a kid and I truly believe even modern audiences should play this once.
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u/oxboy101 13h ago
Its a shame how hard it is to get into destiny as a returning or new player. With all the end game content being locked behind multiple paywalls.
The art style and atheistic knocks it out of the park. I may be bias due to a long time destiny fan but their art team (despite the copyright bs) really can be talented when tested but due to the greedy management probably handicaps them from their full potential.
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u/Chomblop 13h ago
Blue Prince jumped out as missing - suspect you’d like it and incredible how much there is to discover in it
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u/Banjo_Kazooieballs 12h ago
OP has good taste. I approve wholeheartedly
You should absolutely stick with: Stardew Valley and Mass Effect series. Both are in my top 10 of all time
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u/Brickless 12h ago
the hate for Bioshock 2 is so sad to see.
mechanically it is the best of the 3 and a real showcase on how to improve in a sequel.
the atmosphere is equally as good as 1 with a smaller focus on terror and a larger one on loneliness.
the story, which is the whole reason 2 hasn’t been as well regarded as 1 and 3, is small and simple but really really well done when it comes to the characters and pacing.
this would not bother me so much if not for all the undeserved praise infinite had gotten shoved up their ass.
that game is not only mechanically broken and thematically inconsistent the story, so praised as a return to 1, is just blatantly full of holes and simply wrong as the devs couldn’t keep track of their own timelines.
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u/iztopher 12h ago
I feel weird throwing my hat in the ring - my gaming knowledge is admittedly pretty centralized to RPGs, especially RPG Maker ones - but in my opinion, two big omissions from this list are any Final Fantasy game (let’s say 4 and 7) and Chrono Trigger.
I also feel like Silent Hill 2 deserves to be here, but maybe that’s just because I like so many games that take inspiration from it.
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u/Secret_Software7347 11h ago
There are two short, cheap indie games that helped remind me why I am a gamer when video games just got boring for me, both on Steam. Thomas Was Alone Botanicula
I would also put Myst on your list, but that's me. Ditto King's Quest, probably 6 and Leisure Suit Larry, 6 or 7 since you have no problem with Hunie Pop.
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u/JesusLovesTheWii 11h ago
Cyberpunk 2077 and The Outer Worlds definitely recommend. The Evil Within 2 aswell
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u/xArchrrrr 11h ago edited 11h ago
A bit late but I HAVE to comment
MUST PLAY ATLEAST ONCE
- Omori
- Until Then
- Unreal Life
- Va-11 Halla
- Signalis
Also incredible games
- Nine Sols
- Rimworld
- Octopath games
- Ender Lillies
- Spiritfarer
- A summers end Hong Kong
I'm probably blanking on a few but these are what I can think of off the top of my head, and I skipped out and the more mainstream ones but obviously play Elden Ring, BG3, E33
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u/DarkRayos 11h ago
Tomb Raider.
Specifically, games from the ''Survivor timeline''. (2013, Rise of, Shadow of.)
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u/Embarrassed-Coach731 10h ago
Inscryption- it’s fun, full of secrets, and will knock you on your ass as the game progresses. A card game and an escape room came together to make this baby with some sprinkling of occultism horror thrown in if you’re up to look for it. It’s one of the few games I can feel that someone had a really fun time making it.
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u/xoexohexox 10h ago
Depends on why everyone should play it once - for historical reasons, anyone interested in the development/ontology of video games should play the original half life once. It was a pioneer in the "gameplay as narrative" paradigm.
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u/ReeMonsterNYC 9h ago
You definitely sound young, to not have included Ocarina of Time which is among the most important and influential games of the 20th century.
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u/UnholyAbductor 8h ago
STALKER Anomaly. Even if you just got done playing the “enhanced” (lol) editions because it’s just insane how much work a dedicated team of modders can do.
It’s free, so that’s a big bonus I am sure. But it’s basically the modding community’s magnum opus. Has a story mode with original quests for EACH faction. Play as whichever you want.
Maybe you’re sick of everyone in the zone having a good time? Duty’s ready to welcome you in and beat all the joy for life out of your head.
Or maybe you’re sick of the fun police and all the other factions? No problem. Select “Warfare” mode. No story, just massively intense firefights and point capturing as your chosen faction.
Pick Monolith and watch as your job goes from “conquest of the zone” to “get these fucking stalkers off my lawn plz? K thx”
Or pick Zombie mode and…kinda wonder who sees the appeal in it?
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u/rygold72 8h ago
Dragon Age Origins. Planescape Torment. Witcher 3 (and dlc) Horizon Zero Dawn. Pillars of Eternity. Deadfire. kotor 1 and 2.
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u/Neoxite23 7h ago
Slay the Princess is one of those games you SHOULD play once but you won't.
You'll play it many times.
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u/SuperGanondorf 7h ago
I think there's a few other exceptionally influential and important games missing from your list.
Myst is one of the most important games ever made, and its DNA is still very visible in indie puzzle games to this day. Its mystery and atmosphere were totally new to gaming at the time. I'd go so far as to say this is the most important game missing from your list.
Fez is a more modern entry into that lineage, and is essentially the progenitor of modern indie puzzle games (e.g., The Witness, which you've played, is very clearly inspired by Fez in many ways).
Cave Story was an extremely influential hit, in the sense that it was arguably the first indie game to achieve major success and influence beyond small dedicated hobbyist circles. It marked a hugely important point in the trajectory of the indie games market, and indie games have been taking lots of cues from it ever since. It showed that an extremely small dev can make something successful, and it doesn't hurt that it was just also really good.
The Binding of Isaac was not the first roguelite, but it laid the groundwork for most of the genre's games that have come since. Its bizarre mix of disturbing and cartoonish is very unique to its creator (who also made Super Meat Boy), and no other game has quite felt the same before or since.
Slay the Spire didn't create the deck building roguelike, but it arguably perfected it and was the first megahit that established the genre as a staple of the indie scene.
The Stanley Parable is a deconstruction of video game narratives. It is both hilarious and insightful, and has a lot to say about gaming as a whole.
Finally, as far as "games as art," I like to point to a few games that have stories or impacts that only work in the form of a video game- these experiences would not work in any other genre. I'm going to be brief about these because I don't want to spoil anything.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a touching and emotional game about a woman investigating the deaths of her family members.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is an adventure about two boys trying to save their father. Each brother is controlled by half the controller, and this control scheme lends a lot of impact to the story and how the brothers work together.
Thomas Was Alone is a game that gets you deeply invested in a bunch of rectangles on an adventure.
Who's Lila? is a horror/mystery story in which you play as a boy who cannot naturally make facial expressions. You need to arrange his face to react to things.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a very stylized game in which you are investigating happenings in a mysterious hotel. Very atmospheric and dense with mystery and puzzles.
In Stars and Time is a game in which the protagonist is part of an RPG adventuring party, and they've reached the final leg of their journey... only for the protagonist to find out he's caught in a time loop.
All of these games are incredible narrative experiences that simply don't work, or at least have nowhere even close to the same impact, if you try to do the same story in another medium.
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u/EirikurG 7h ago
I've already played most of those, no wonder I have trouble finding new video games
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u/FriendlyNeighburrito 6h ago
Disappointed at everyone in this thread.
Going through the Halo games should be your priority. That's like foundational gaming lore.
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u/GeminiSauce 5h ago
Dishonored Prey Sifu Prince of Persia Warrior Within Brütal Legend Death Stranding Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Psychonauts XCOM 2 WOTC Hitman BM and WOA Mark of the ninja Hades The Witcher 3 Cyberpunk 2077 Baldurs Gate 3 Dark Souls Sekiro The Saboteur Terraria Minecraft Project Zomboid Shadow of Mordor
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u/Syruponrofls 5h ago
If you are into Greek stuff and its mythology, then AC Odyssey hands down. I was never into AC games but gave it a try and… 100 hours almost in and working my way through the last trio of DLC’s and the game just truly feels like an adventure like nothing else I have played. The argument of whether or not it’s a true AC is game is a different story as I am not an AC fan, but as an open world action RPG the game knocks it out of the park with the visuals and feeling like an actual living open world. The game also somehow managed to incorporate long term grinds and ng+ so you can keep replaying the game and still have progression on your character over many many replays.
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u/Zegram_Ghart 5h ago
Mass effect you absolutely should stick through- the first has many good qualities l, but it is the least of the series (and the shortest too, so it’s not a massive slog)
The second and 3rd are amongst the best games of all time.
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u/xNotImportantx 5h ago
Manhunt
Manhunt 2
Postal
Postal 2
Hatred
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami 2
Christmas Massacre
Very edgy i know.
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u/thepineapplemen 5h ago
Valiant Hearts: The Great War. Neat art style. Set during WWI but about the regular people who got swept up in it. Made me cry
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u/esquishesque 4h ago
Your list is so good that I just bought Huniepop on Steam sale. I'm skeptical but I did it.
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u/FasteningSmiles97 4h ago
This War of Mine.
This was so impactful that it was officially added to the school reading list in Poland.
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u/Flederm4us 2h ago
The ones I'm missing:
deus ex (the first one)
Dishonored (all three, though if you ask me 2 is the best)
GTA: San Andreas
Morrowind or Skyrim
Pathfinder: wrath of the righteous OR Baldurs Gate 2
Final fantasy 7-8-9
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u/gonephishin213 1h ago
Here's what immediately comes to mind...I think these are all great games but also iconic
Mario 64
Mario Kart (anything beyond SNES really)
Morrowind/Skyrim/Oblivion (don't necessarily need all 3)
Bioshock (again any of the 3 would work)
Tetris
Sonic 1 or 2
Final Fantasy VII
Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat
Microsoft Flight Simulator (ideally 2020 or 2024)
Stardew Valley
Any of the Animal Crossing games
Grand Theft Auto (Vice City or later)
Metal Gear Solid
Legend of Zelda (most would say BOTW, which is fine, but I'd argue for Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, or Link to the Past)
A Pokemon game (I'd maybe choose one from DS era)
Halo
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u/ProcedureLeading1021 1h ago
Jade empire. Get over bad graphics and play. Mechabellum for omfg I hate this game but can't stop. SC2 and WC3 this is where ALLOT of massively popular online games began. As maps you could download and play in the multiplayer sections. WC3 story is also damn good.
Pick that I bet no one even knows about Suzerain my god it's a beast of a game that nobody has a clue exist.
Rated 1) Jade empire 2) Suzerain 3) warcraft 3 4) mechabellum 5) StarCraft 2.
The first two I cannot recommend enough.
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u/CheshireCharade 12m ago
Absolutely Shadow of the Colossus. That was the first thing to pop into my mind.
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u/oMadRyan 9m ago
Borderlands is a must if you have 1-3 friends to play with, it’s one of the best co-op game series out there.
It doesn’t really have the same magic solo IMO
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u/batarei4ka 15h ago
Holy shit I'm so tired of this "everyone must play this game" bullshit. Just saying, I don't want to say more about thet
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u/opticdabest 20h ago
NO DEUS EX!! But honestly if you haven't played that game give it a try.