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.
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.
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?
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
Yes to both! But especially Barotrauma! Really unique atmosphere to that game and such a rich selection of gameplay mechanics I’m always fighting off the desire to start another game!
I even get lost just building convoluted, overcomplicated and, as a result, buggy submarines in the editor.
Man, I love that game. It might be the greatest unsung game to come out in the last few years. My only problem is being a misanthrope, and scared of the general multiplaying public, I’m always intimidated by public games, but I’d love to convince enough buddies to play a campaign through. As you say, you lose some of the existential dread, but I’d love to explore some of the roleplaying aspects and more complicated gameplay loops, and the bots are a liability (although so much better than they were!).
My only problem is being a misanthrope, and scared of the general multiplaying public, I’m always intimidated by public games, but I’d love to convince enough buddies to play a campaign through.
I have 183 hours in Barotrauma, split between multiplayer and the sub editor (and a little bit of testing my sub alone). I have never played a public game or single player, it has basically all been the campaign with friends.
Most recently, I’ve been hosting occasional Barotrauma events with my inclusive gaming community, each one continuing the campaign we started early this year. The last event was just over the weekend. I don’t know when the next Barotrauma event will be, yet, but anyone who can follow our Code of Conduct is welcome to join!
Easily RimWorld for me. The stories that play out over time, and how to make productivity more efficient live in my head rent free.
I’ll never forget loading Myst on my performance 5200 and getting lost
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.
Oh man that brought on a wave of nostalgia - SWG before the update that tried to make it into WoW…
Oh man. Me too. The player market and pvp were the best. I loved how there were battles to actually control territory. There were places you just couldn’t go unless you were covert. That game should have gotten so much more love back then.
I’ve mentioned this game already in a few comments recently, but I think it really deserves more attention.
Prey (2017): I’ve loved it since the first moment, and I still think about the story and lore very often. It’s almost impossible to find a similar game (Bioshock 1 and System Shock 2 have quite some things in common with Prey, but the latter has its own unique vibe).
Oh yeah, I loved prey. One of the biggest mindfucks of an opening. Mooncrash was also really interesting, kind of a prototype for deathloop.
The 2006 version of Prey had an amazing opening as well. I replay it often. Art Bell is in it.
I tell people to play this game all the time and that it’s the “real” Bioshock 3
I love Prey! It was actually the game that got me into gaming. I used to play a little as a kid and it was also one of the few things that made me happy, but I was raised in a really strict home so I was only allowed a few pre-approved games with very limited screen time. I gave it up and sort of grew into this toxic mindset of “gaming is for loser nerds”. My husband started playing Prey and I used to sit and watch and just fell in love with the whole thing, the story, the music, the setting. He gave it up and never finished and I was so desperate to find out how it ends that I started playing. Now I have my own custom built gaming PC and spend 40+ hours a week gaming, so I’m a loser nerd lol
Mass Effect – particularly Mass Effect 2 – left an impression, but The Last of Us is and will always be the game that has stuck with me the most/longest.
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.
Also, the spell casting was top-notch
It freaked my christian parents out so much I had to hide the game from them.
Celeste, even made me cry a bit towards the end, first from it being sad but then happy at the very end.
Final fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts games also are always stuck in my head even to this day
Underrated hidden gem.
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.
I keep reading about Outer Wilds. I think its about time this summer.
To answer the question: Risk of Rain 1&2
And maybe the leviathans of my childhood. Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask…
I haven’t played Majora’s mask but I feel like if you like it, you’ll love outer wilds. Just be sure to go in blind.
N64 Zelda will always be stuck in my head.
Definitely Outer Wilds as well.
Hell, looking into the soundtrack changed my daily playlist to something heavily Midwest Emo.
Ori and the Blind Forest + Ori and the Will of the Wisps. So much can be said
Zelda Ocarina of Time. I was growing up when it came out and I was so little I couldnt’ really play it yet, so I watched my big brother play it. Whenever he let me try, I woudl just run around on Epona around Hyrule Field in circles lol
Control, just so much fun
MMOs: Vindictus, BDO, and Lost Ark. Just with playing them for 2+ years ea, that creates a lot of fun and happy memories with the people I played with
I was talking about this game yesterday and had a similar experience. I only was able to beat it because I would watch my older brother play and copy what he did. (especially the water temple)
I was old enough and I still spent a ton of time just running around Hyrule Field on Epona.
Always glad when people being up Control. That game just nails the atmosphere and lore. Plus it’s just fun to fly around and blast stuff with psychic powers
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.
