Have you played a game that stayed in your head long after you played it?
For me, Outer Wilds would be that game. I feel like I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I beat it a couple years ago.
For me, that game would definitely be Disco Elysium. I’ve never connected with a game as much as with that one. I’m actually reticent of playing it again for fear of it not living up to the first experience; I felt like my first playthrough was perfect, even if technically speaking it wasn’t.
Other than that, I also still think about Mass Effect a fair bit.
On a side note: if you liked the investigating and “detective-ing” of Outer Wilds, then you will probably also enjoy Return of the Obra Dinn, The Forgotten City, and The Case of the Golden Idol. I’d also add Disco Elysium to that list, but be aware it’s a lot more text heavy.
Oh Disco Elysium all the way, it’s possibly my favorite game. I have a notebook filled with lines in the game that stuck with me.
I want more of it, but it looks like that lightning won’t strike twice.
fwiw I did play it through twice, and maybe enjoyed it even more the second time - caught more of the little details
Subdue the regret. Dust yourself off, proceed. You’ll get it in the next life, where you don’t make mistakes. Do what you can with this one, while you’re alive.
The only way to load the dice is to keep on fighting.
Great recommendations there, each got under my skin. I feel the same about David Lynch films, they connect with something inside me, and lodge permanently in my brain.
I’d put What Remains of Edith Finch, Dear Esther, Talos Principle, Stanley Parable, Metroid Prime and maybe Portal 1+2 in there too - they share an authentically mysterious vibe.
Obra Dinn and Outer Wilds hit me hard, they nailed the atmosphere perfectly. Haven’t actually played DE, was a bit put off by the sheer amount of dialogue, but I need to try it.
When I saw the OP’s question, my immediate thougt was Outer Wilds and Disco Elysium. Nice to see both represented at the top!
Hades is so good. Waiting for Hades 2. Aaaaany day now.
I’ve tried to like Hades a few times over the years since it came out. I know I’m in the minority, it’s generally a well liked game, but I just don’t see the appeal. The gameplay loop is repetitive, difficult, and unrewarding, the main character is deliberately unlikable, the dialogue with the NPCs in the hub is repetitive and trying too hard to be funny. I didn’t enjoy a single second playing that game, and its one I actually paid real money for, I bought it and genuinely wanted to like it. I suppose I’m not the target audience.
Man, that’s actually so sad. But I guess most gamers will find that one game they want to like (because it’s critically acclaimed, their friends are super into it, etc.), but it just won’t work.
I had that experience with Valheim. On paper it looks like a fun viking-esque Minecraft with a bit more RPG elements. In practice I just found out cumbersome and the gameplay loop felt just plain boring/unsatisfying.
Yes! Hades is definitely in my top 5 ganes. And Supergiant is one of the few devs, maybe the only one, that I don’t have any reservations about playing their games in early access. I can’t wait to hear more about the sequel.
Undertale. The messages that game give you. Goddamn. That game also came to me at a point in my life where I needed it. The soundtrack saved me from contemplating a terrible decision. It saved my life. Wonderful game and an incredible experience.
Sounds like it filled you with determination.
Oh man I feel the same way about it, I still listen to the soundtrack all the time, and sometimes it’s the only thing that can calm me down in bad situations.
Vampires, The Masquerade: Bloodlines. The whole vibe of the setting, the story, the locations, and then when I finally understood what the plot was really about. Masterpiece of a game, couldnt stop thinking about it.
Seconding Bloodlines, this game has stuck with me since I first played it as a child. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the sequel, but also dreading that it ends up being awful and ruins any chance of more games.
I think it’s been in development hell for years, and the only screenshots ive seen make it look like a visual novel. Not hyped for it.
For me, it’s bioshock infinite. The reveal at the end of the game changes how you perceive everything that you just went through. No spoilers, but it’s absolutely wild and is one of the best stories I have ever seen in a game.
I loved that ending!
Another game that got me was Horizon: Zero Dawn. It left me with a lingering sadness and a feeling I will never find a game with a story like that again.
Last of Us part1 and part 2. Probably Ghost of Tsushima and also Shadow Tactics
The final act of Disco Elysium fucked me up for a while
No game has ever occupied so much of my mind as NieR: Automata. I beat the game, thought “huh, that was pretty good”, and then thought about it again the next day. and again. and again. again. again. again. again. again. I just could not stop thinking about what the game was trying to say or how it made me feel, and it’s just become more and more important to me as time has gone on. Really incredible game
I echo those exact feelings. Amazing game, great story, but the touch of it still lingers. The story and the mechanics and how they echo eachother is just wow
Fucking Yoko Taro and his antics triggering existential crises in gamers everywhere. “You though it would just be hot android babes… SIKE, I hid an entire sequel behind a second playthrough that will make you question reality, and all you hold dear!”
Half Life 2. Specifically, the crossbow that shot rebar. That thing was AWESOME.
I love how the main half life games have never had a sniper rifle. There’s not really a reason for them not to, there are even sniper enemies, it’s just kind of a staple of the series at this point.
Yes half life 2 and all the mods that spun from it dominated my childhood
Portal 1.
Something about the ambiance mixed with the puzzles really stuck with me. I replay it almost once a year just to relive it.
Portal 2 is also up there with me. Just two spectacular atmospheric puzzle games. 10/10
If you like Portal 1 and 2 and want more, I’d recommend playing Portal Stories: Mel and Portal Reloaded, both are free on Steam if you own P2. The puzzles are pretty tricky though!
Reloaded made me want to smash my keyboard several times. 10/10 can’t wait for the multiplayer update
The one that came out 5 days ago?
Yeah I opened Steam about two hours ago and it already came out! Already started playing with a friend
Black & White 1 and 2
yeah holy shit i loved black and white. i actually tried recently to get it to run on my pc again and was actually able to play although there were some issues.
Check out Deus Novum
Firewatch, Hellblade, the Mass Effect trilogy, Cyberpunk 2077 to name a few. ME and CP77 are probably the ones that lodged themselves hardest in my mind by far.
You have good taste in games.
Haha thanks!
Have you played the “new” Deus Ex games, HR and MD? I’d slot them right in for my version of your list. Also Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.
Been thinking about trying the Deus Ex games but never got around to them. Might have to give them a shot some time!
The horizon games I’d really want to play but I’ve only got a Series X and a rather weak PC at the moment. :/
You should give Human Revolution a go, then. It’s pretty old by now and the graphics can be turned down quite far. It should run on most things.
Yeah, the deus ex games are available on xbox so I shouldn’t have a hard time playing those. Do they still hold up?
Human Revolution is fantastic, still. Mankind Divided is pretty much just upgraded more of it. The only downside is that Mankind Divided leaves the story unfinished, as it was the second entry in what was intended to become a trilogy. It failed financially due some BS mismanagement by Squenix.
But there’s hope! Eidos Montreal was acquired by Embracer Group last year, who have done much better with the management of their studios. There have been whisperings of Adam Jensen’s story being resumed at the studio.
Ah, I’ll keep them on the backlog then!
About Embracer though… you didn’t see this? Not sure exactly how it’ll pan out but it doesn’t sound good: https://www.polygon.com/23759179/embracer-tomb-raider-lotr-restructure-studio-closures-lay-offs
Oh darn… Having looked at their portfolio though, it was not all golden geese. Hopefully they’ll know what is worth the effort to keep.
Shadow of the Colossus. The entire vibe of the world just got to 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
A few that come to mind:
- Gris - such a beautiful game. I was going through something when I played it and I just felt such a connection.
- Undertale - just an all around incredible game. I’m a big fan of Earthbound and this scratched a similar itch.
- Beneath a Steel Sky - I love point and click adventures and this one will live forever rent free in my head. (bonus: it’s free on GoG)
Did you know that Beneath a Steel Sky got a sequel? It’s called Beyond a Steel Sky.
https://kotaku.com/26-years-later-classic-adventure-beneath-a-steel-sky-h-1844202467
