Hard to pick just three, but I’ll go with the following today:
Final Fantasy VI
There’s a roughly 4 hour stretch in this game of tension-despair-catharsis that absolutely blew my mind. I’m still trying to chase that feeling playing video games almost 30 years later. Plenty to like about the rest of the game, too.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
One of those very rare games that clicked for me in every single aspect of the game: script, plot, visuals, gameplay, music and more. Going to revisit this one soon with the next-gen update.
Freespace 2
The one that’s likely aged the most poorly out of the three, but once upon a time this game was unrivaled in making you feel like you were in the thick of a slugfest flying around in a fighter craft. Surprisingly interesting setting and story, too. I keep hoping we get more like this some day.
I hope to the gaming gods that Squadron 42 can recapture the feelings that the old Freespace games did. The desperation, the feeling like you are part of something… nobody else has even TRIED to do anything like that since.
It’d be nice, although Chris Roberts hasn’t released a full game in 20 years (and I did rather enjoy Freelancer).
I was hoping Starfield was going to be a big hit to at least make the setting more attractive, but in this stacked year, I’m not even sure how many GotY nominations it’s going to get.
I have only played FTL for ~100 hours but I can still remember most of it. FTL is a roguelike space game where you assume the role of captain. I really feel connected to my crew and never abandon hopeless runs. I always go down with my crew. This is the one game (and Magicite and Into the breach) where I really enjoy the ironman no save scum mechanics. Making it out of bad situations feels so rewarding. 🤩
D.C. universe online, Arkam asylum, and the spider man (2018)
DCUO I had insane hours on with an amazing team of people
Batman Arkam asylum was such a leap forward in super hero fighting games I remember replaying the demo non stop until the game was released
Spider man (2018) really took ahold of that fighting fluidity that arkam asylum introduced and enhanced it with a nimble character and a great story line that was engaging and trophies that were fun to go after.
These are not the games I play the most. In terms of hours it would be Minecraft, Civilization VI, Divinity II: Original Sin, and Sprocket. And I love those games a lot, but they don’t bring me the same experience as a well made story-driven game.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a “walking simulator” in terms of gameplay, but it should really be seen as an interactive movie. As Edith Finch, you go back to the house you grew up in as a kid, and where the whole Finch family lived once. The Finch family are generally quite unfortunate and usually meet an untimely end to their lives. As you go through the house room by room, you explore Edith’s memories and the last moments of the person who died. It is only two hours long and should be played in a single sitting for the best experience. It is so far the only game where, when it was finished, I couldn’t do anything besides sitting behind the screen, staring at the credits that were rolling, feeling bittersweet awe and sadness. It is an experience that I cannot recommend enough.
Kentucky Route Zero, on the other hand, is a bit harder to recommend, because I feel it’s much more niche. It is another story driven game that takes a point and click approach to moving around. What makes it tick, though, is the sense of mystery. The game starts with a man named Conway. He is delivering a shipment of antiques - the last one before the shop will close down. He is rather lost, but gets the directions that he must go over highway zero. As you go through the game, you explore the mysterious underground highway and river of Kentucky and meet interesting people along the way - all of them with their own issues. Debt, guilt, addiction, and loss are all handled in this game. It’s tricky to recommend, as there is nothing in terms of “actual gameplay.” But for those that enjoy an interactive and unique story, it should be on your radar.
And lastly, the most famous one on my list: Life is Strange. I don’t think it needs much introduction, but for those who don’t know it: It is a game about Max, who discovers she can rewind time to a certain extent, and Chloe, her childhood friend with whom she reconnects. Don’t worry about the superpower part too much; it’s not a wacky Marvel thing, but rather a tool that is used to influence your environment and the people around you in more subtle ways. You explore Arcadia Bay and its inhabitants and learn more about Chloe as well. The game also presents you with various story choices that influence how people feel about you and react to you. Don’t expect Detroit: Become Human levels of choices matter, though.
For me, I had the pleasure of going in completely blind and playing the prequel first. While I can understand that playing the prequel after the original can make the prequel feel underwhelming, it worked out for me. In the prequel, you play as Chloe before Max returns to Arcadia Bay and get to know her and her story. Then you go into Life is Strange already caring about Chloe, which elevated the experience significantly for me. So, to those that played it too, you know the choice I made at the end ;)
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Megaman 2, Chrono Trigger, Zelda A Link to the Past and a special mention to Duke Nukem 3D and Star Wars X-Wing on MS DOS.
Ah. A fellow person in their 40’s. Nice to meet you.
Rdr2, Zelda link to the Past, RimWorld
Rdr2 TLoU p2 Batman Arkham Knight
Hard to pick just three, but I’ll go with the following today:
There’s a roughly 4 hour stretch in this game of tension-despair-catharsis that absolutely blew my mind. I’m still trying to chase that feeling playing video games almost 30 years later. Plenty to like about the rest of the game, too.
One of those very rare games that clicked for me in every single aspect of the game: script, plot, visuals, gameplay, music and more. Going to revisit this one soon with the next-gen update.
The one that’s likely aged the most poorly out of the three, but once upon a time this game was unrivaled in making you feel like you were in the thick of a slugfest flying around in a fighter craft. Surprisingly interesting setting and story, too. I keep hoping we get more like this some day.
I hope to the gaming gods that Squadron 42 can recapture the feelings that the old Freespace games did. The desperation, the feeling like you are part of something… nobody else has even TRIED to do anything like that since.
It’d be nice, although Chris Roberts hasn’t released a full game in 20 years (and I did rather enjoy Freelancer).
I was hoping Starfield was going to be a big hit to at least make the setting more attractive, but in this stacked year, I’m not even sure how many GotY nominations it’s going to get.
Fs2 hasn’t aged at all, fire up Knossos and load yourself some war in heaven, if you dare.
Dark Souls, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Monster Hunter
Max Payne, UFO Enemy unknown, PUBG
FTL
Astroneer
Anno1404 (now Anno1800)
I have only played FTL for ~100 hours but I can still remember most of it. FTL is a roguelike space game where you assume the role of captain. I really feel connected to my crew and never abandon hopeless runs. I always go down with my crew. This is the one game (and Magicite and Into the breach) where I really enjoy the ironman no save scum mechanics. Making it out of bad situations feels so rewarding. 🤩
FTL is really good. Usually the first game I installon a new PC. Small size and perfect to kill some time.
I was a Kickstarter person for this game!
Nice. Wasn’t that back from the time when Steam had the whole Steam Greenlight project going on?
D.C. universe online, Arkam asylum, and the spider man (2018)
DCUO I had insane hours on with an amazing team of people
Batman Arkam asylum was such a leap forward in super hero fighting games I remember replaying the demo non stop until the game was released
Spider man (2018) really took ahold of that fighting fluidity that arkam asylum introduced and enhanced it with a nimble character and a great story line that was engaging and trophies that were fun to go after.
Don’t think I can choose a 3rd place there’s too many to pick from. FF7 was the first that came to mind.
What Remains of Edith Finch
Kentucky Route Zero
Life is Strange
These are not the games I play the most. In terms of hours it would be Minecraft, Civilization VI, Divinity II: Original Sin, and Sprocket. And I love those games a lot, but they don’t bring me the same experience as a well made story-driven game.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a “walking simulator” in terms of gameplay, but it should really be seen as an interactive movie. As Edith Finch, you go back to the house you grew up in as a kid, and where the whole Finch family lived once. The Finch family are generally quite unfortunate and usually meet an untimely end to their lives. As you go through the house room by room, you explore Edith’s memories and the last moments of the person who died. It is only two hours long and should be played in a single sitting for the best experience. It is so far the only game where, when it was finished, I couldn’t do anything besides sitting behind the screen, staring at the credits that were rolling, feeling bittersweet awe and sadness. It is an experience that I cannot recommend enough.
Kentucky Route Zero, on the other hand, is a bit harder to recommend, because I feel it’s much more niche. It is another story driven game that takes a point and click approach to moving around. What makes it tick, though, is the sense of mystery. The game starts with a man named Conway. He is delivering a shipment of antiques - the last one before the shop will close down. He is rather lost, but gets the directions that he must go over highway zero. As you go through the game, you explore the mysterious underground highway and river of Kentucky and meet interesting people along the way - all of them with their own issues. Debt, guilt, addiction, and loss are all handled in this game. It’s tricky to recommend, as there is nothing in terms of “actual gameplay.” But for those that enjoy an interactive and unique story, it should be on your radar.
And lastly, the most famous one on my list: Life is Strange. I don’t think it needs much introduction, but for those who don’t know it: It is a game about Max, who discovers she can rewind time to a certain extent, and Chloe, her childhood friend with whom she reconnects. Don’t worry about the superpower part too much; it’s not a wacky Marvel thing, but rather a tool that is used to influence your environment and the people around you in more subtle ways. You explore Arcadia Bay and its inhabitants and learn more about Chloe as well. The game also presents you with various story choices that influence how people feel about you and react to you. Don’t expect Detroit: Become Human levels of choices matter, though.
For me, I had the pleasure of going in completely blind and playing the prequel first. While I can understand that playing the prequel after the original can make the prequel feel underwhelming, it worked out for me. In the prequel, you play as Chloe before Max returns to Arcadia Bay and get to know her and her story. Then you go into Life is Strange already caring about Chloe, which elevated the experience significantly for me. So, to those that played it too, you know the choice I made at the end ;)
Checkout Everyone’s Gone to Rapture
Thanks for the recommendation! Will do
Total Annihilation
Enter the Matrix
Battlefield 3
Counter Strike
Work of Warcraft
Witcher 3
FTL: Faster Than Light
Nova Drift
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
Hello, fellow person of fine taste!