Haven’t seen it here yet: Metro 2033 (sequels good too)

I’d also say S.T.A.L.K.E.R for the similar elements. But it’s pretty well known and if it interests you, you know why you should be playing it. :p

Metro 2033 wowed me, and I still think of it fondly. Y’see, at the time, everyone was loudly clamoring for “open world this” and “RPG progression system that” and “Every choice matters branching storylines!”. Everything had to be marketed as some huge pseudo-endless experience with limitless freedom. Sure, sure, there’s a place for that. BUT…

Metro 2033 is a fairly linear post apocalypse shooter based off of a novel of the same name that doesn’t overstay its welcome. And know what? It feels like playing through a good book.

You experience this twisted, scary, often beautiful world through Artyom’s eyes as he explores hostile tunnels and the inhospitable surface, and along the way you meet a cast of very interesting, very “alive” feeling characters. The various mutant creatures, too, have fascinating behaviors and personalities. Even though many parts are scripted, you still feel a sense of awe with seeing the consistency with how these things behave.

Subterranean tunnels and frozen post-nuke wastelands feel ALIVE when you’re checking your map with a lighter, or scrounging for a gas mask after yours cracked, and you cling to the numbered, desperate breaths through your last filter. (I’m being dramatic it rarely gets THAT desperate lol.)

The real beauty of the game, like humanity’s remnants, are under the surface. It’s subtle. There’s a hidden morality system keeping track of how Artyom reacts to the world, and the overall themes and sociology go much further than “war is bad mmkay?”. Do you meet brutality with brutality, or do you combat the darkness of this world with understanding and mercy?

Sadly, Metro Last Light carries on with 2033’s bad ending as canon. Which makes sense, but 2033’s good ending is so GOOD.

They’re regularly ridiculously cheap now, and I personally loved the experience.

Also: The best difficulty system I’ve ever seen in a shooter. It feels like playing on “Ranger Hardcore” is the intended experience. It doesn’t go the lazy route of making the player weak and the enemies strong. It goes for realism.

Enemies get smarter but will actually go down in a good hit or two…But careful!..So will you.

So many tedious recommendations when the answer is obviously heaven’s vault.

It’s dogshit in almost every way. Even moving around the world feels like pouring salt into your eyes. I hate almost every single thing, the protagonist, the pace, the awful vehicle sections to travel. But it’s something you should play, or perhaps experience.

It’s an archeological translation game and there are multiple moments of “Ok so maybe that actually means font of life not mother goddess, but that would mean this means artificial god which would mean that the extinction event was actually transcendence and holy shit…”

First off I have to show my lack of taste by mentioning I will play any mainline final fantasy game.

But games I recommend and will likely buy the next ones are Persona 3R/4G/5R and The Witcher 3 with DLC / Cyberpunk 2077.

All great games of high quality, though some do not like the W3 combat mechanics.

Celeste absolutely! It’s difficult but it’s really really fun and has a great story. If you ever get super invested, the community is great and the skill ceiling is so high that you can always get better when playing new maps.

I only play a certain part of games, I don’t care for rpgs or top-down games as much as I like first person shooters, racing games, or simulation games.

With that being said, here’s my list.

• Red Dead Redemption 2: The best game I have ever played, hands-down. It’s story and gameplay are both perfection.
• Trepang2: A less heard of game, but a really fun first-person shooter which is like a mix of Crysis and Doom.
• Mafia 1 and 2: A great series with solid stories and gameplay, these are very enjoyable to play. Just don’t buy Mafia 3. It’s like if Ubisoft made a Mafia game.
• Arma III: A classic military simulation game which I spent hours on hours in. I love exploring the maps while engaging in realistic shootouts, especially with mods like ACE which make it even more realistic and immersive.

Bioshock series

Dead Cells. Factorio. Mini Metro. FTL.

Satisfactory. It’s so fun automatizing stuff for 4 hours that could have been done manually in 30 minutes. I like looking at all of my work in the game and thinking “how, this is impressive”.

If you like building I guess Minecraft is an epic choice. I have sunk hundreds of hours into the game, easily

Currently playing Fallout New Vegas and it’s probably the best “Bethesda” game I’ve ever played.

Except for Morrowind, of course.

Steel battalion with the full controller setup

Civilization III and/or V

Edit: If you have lot’s of time available.

The Talos Principle

Chrono Trigger is a must for anyone that likes RPG’s.

I agree with the guy that said Outer Wilds, even though I can’t finish it because of my thalassophobia.

Personally, the two games that had a really profound effect on me are Disco Elysium and Hi-Fi Rush.

Disco is an incredible political game that really is damn powerful. It’s definitely not for people who just want action.

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm action game so I wouldn’t recommend it to people who hate rhythm games or people who hate action. But it’s so fun, so charming and really uplifting.

RoboCop: Rogue City