From video gaming to card games and stuff in between, if it's gaming you can probably discuss it here!
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For me it’s Return of the Obra Dinn. I was blown away by how well this game is done. I blew through it in like 2 days. The way the story plays out is so cool. Afterward I hassled my wife to play it because she loves that murder mystery stuff but she bought it and still hasn’t played it lol.
Anyway highly recommend if you’re into puzzle games.
The entire Witcher trilogy, but especially the Witcher 3. Replaying after reading the books adds so much depth the world and the political decisions you are forced to make. The world is beautiful, the ambient sounds and soundtrack are so good ("winds howling") and the story is gripping.
Cyberpunk 2077. Say what you will about the state of the game, especially when it released. But there's something about the endings that keeps me thinking about the game and has me really excited about coming back after enough updates have passed.
When I finished Life is Strange 1, it just felt I lost a friend and it lingered for weeks. Whenever I was hearing the soundtrack, I felt really sad because of stuff that happened in the game.
Hollow Knight and Ori Will of the Wisps pop up in my head constantly. They're atmospheric masterpieces.
Red Dead Redemption. Probably stuck with me more than any other game Ive played. The story, the characters, the world, all of it.
Really hope it gets a rerelease
The STALKER series really stuck with me for some reason.It's probably the familiarity of the landscape/atmosphere. Post apoc eastern Europe isn't that much different from normal eastern Europe lol
Barotrauma also stuck with me because of the atmosphere. Amazing game to play solo and feel the weight of the setting, although the bots you play with are a bit iffy and the multiplayer doesn't carry the same feeling of dread and isolation
Outer Wilds and Omori. Both beautiful games and if I had to choose one to play through for the first time again, I couldn't.
I received Eternal Darkness for Christmas in 2002. I will NEVER forget the feelings that game inspired in me thanks to the unique "sanity" system and creepy lovecraftian atmosphere.
I remember my brothers and I huddled around the basement TV into the wee hours of the morning over our Christmas holiday totally creeped out but so driven to complete the story that we pressed onward.
What a fantastic game that was and I'm so grateful for those memories with my brothers. I don't think I've ever had such a deep connection with a game since.
Neon white was super fun, still working in 100% for the good ending.
Disco Elysium. There are so many good quotes, particularly out of the thought cabinet, that I remind myself of on like a weekly basis.
I was in a bad place the first time I played through it. The Precarious World and One More Door stick in the back of my mind constantly, and I cried like a baby the first time I read "In the dark times, should the stars also go out?" Never before has a game so emotionally resonated with me, this hope in the face of crushing despair, despite everything.
Metal Gear Solid 2. The reveal at the end has stuck with me because 9/11 happened a couple months before and it was so poignant and apropos that my heart rate jumped for the entirety.
Deus Ex. For the same reason as above but in the opposite direction time-wise.
Outer Wilds. Like most have said. Amazing game.
Black & White. Playing god had never been so much fun.
Thief. Stealth in a way that had never been done before.
Morrowind. First RPG I wanted to do every little thing in.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. I grew up in LA during the 90s. This game was the closest thing to using a time machine. The amazing story was just a cherry on top.
For me it was Metal Gear Solid 3 and 4, as well as Devil May Cry 3.
I used to have a pretty hard time thinking about what were my favorite games and the ones that changed my tastes and probably perspectives.
I realized that every time get asked this question the first games that come to mind are always these 3.
Outer Wilds and Soma.
Both live pretty much rent free in my head since I played them.
Well I would answer Outer Wilds (in particular, with the DLC), but since you already said it, ummm....
Probably Hollow Knight. I remember just loving the exploration in that game, and the difficulty made everything feel well earned. I haven't played Elden Ring yet, but it sounds like people had a similar reaction to that, but in 3D.
Horizon Zero Dawn (and sequel), Control, Mass Effect 2, Grim Fandango, Dreamfall.
In a very different way, Kerbal Space Program because it gives a good understanding of orbital mechanics.
Persona 3 FES. It was a pivotal game for me. Beating that game was my gateway to more challenging RPGs and made me start paying attention to voice actors due to the amazing performances in that game.
Star Wars Galaxies - the open world, the city building, the player housing, the ground and space vehicles, the player market, the world pvp. It was so much goodness. Broke all future games for me.
Life is Strange Might have just been I played it at a point in my life that I could really relate to it but characters have stuck with me since playing it. Looking back, it could have been so much more then it was in terms of choices and such. But I still think overall it was great
Thief. The first three, at least. (*)
Splinter Cell as well.
Basically, Splinter Cell got me into what became my favorite genre: stealth.
Then I went and played Thief because stealth, and just everything about those games furthered my love for not only stealth, but it was my gateway to immersive sims as well.
Also, the level "Robbing the Cradle" in Deadly Shadows will always stick with me. As someone who hates survival horror, that level was both fucking incredible and also a nightmare that I had to use a walkthrough to get through quickly.
KOTOR got me into RPGs, and New Vegas came around and has stuck with me ever since.
And Skyrim I guess, since I've played it way too many times.
Should probably add Prey (2017) as well. Incredible game. For that matter, Dishonored. Both have a permanent place in my mind. And when I say Dishonored, I mean the first two, although I also enjoyed Death of the Outsider.
(*) I actually enjoyed Thief 2014 for what it was. Not nearly on the level as the originals, but it was still okay, if a sadly forgettable entry which kind of put the nail in the coffin for future releases.
Kenshi. Kenshi is the single most unique game I have ever played I think. There is no campaign, you are just sent into one of the largest maps ive heard of in a video game with the goal of "survive". So many ways to play, I've had so many different adventures in that game, with stories that I crafted that have stuck with me for years. I am still heartbroken I lost my saves from 2019 :(
Second choice is prototype. I dunno why but I just adore the shapeshifting combat, and edgy early 2000s aesthetic. Alex Mercer is one of my all time favorite supervillian/hero characters, he's just cool, man.
The Witcher 3 (mainly the DLCs), the story was so good, like it's the only game I can remember where I was waiting to play it every weekend just for the story.
Ocarina of Time - the music is so amazing, I can still remember all of it.
Runescape Classic (like 2002) for making me impervious to scams - you get scammed by some players once and that sticks with you.
Ports of Call on the Commodore 64. One of the first video games I ever played. Set up a shipping company, buy a ship, buy low and sell high and get better ships. Occasionally you have to take control of the ship (incredibly rudimentary, but it was 1986, give them a break) to dock or leave port, avoid a collision or avoid reefs, but for whatever reason I keep coming back to it.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1085260/Ports_of_Call_Classic/
Hugos House of Horrors was the first video game I played — I was probably 7 or so and my mother would perm this ladies hair every few weeks. She was a family friend and was in a wheelchair, so we would go to her house. She had a computer that had this game on it and I was just mesmerized by the whole creepy/campy vibe.
Started thinking about it and turns out I have a few:
Medievil
The original spyro playstation games
The ending of Unreal 2 (the single player game) when your team have all died and left messages for you to listen to as you fly away alone on a spaceship
The big ones for me are the one where I made friends and very personal experiences:
Tibia, Eve Online & Warhammer Online
Which reminds me, I haven't messaged certain former guild leader in a while!
Neverwinter nights and it's expansion packs still sticks with me