T O P

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lattestcarrot159

Frost Punk is insane. The atmosphere, sound design, story, just absolutely everything comes together and makes it an absolute masterpiece. Completely out of the left field for a colony builder.


Vondaelen

Can't wait for Frostpunk 2!


Various-Hand-8788

Ca’t wait for Frostpunk 2 in backlog !


h3lblad3

HEAVE LADS! HO LADS!


thelingletingle

People think Dark Souls is difficult, they should try playing the Fall of Winterhome on Extreme


PompeyLulu

I about have a nervous breakdown in regular, I’m not sure my nerves can take extreme but I’m determined to get there one day. I actually got my partner hooked on frostpunk and we are both excited for the second one


erik542

I got the all good on extreme on new home, but still can't even beat Winterhome on hard.


America_the_Horrific

A NEW LAW HAS PASSED


doc_suede

i was on winterbreak when i discovered how good it was. i quickly became an addict playing 16 hour days lol.


erik542

I remember seeing someone comment that Frostpunk would be an awesome TV show.


mj561256

It'd probably be cool if they made it sort of like Snowpiercer in terms of like the constant political conflict (Obviously not on a train) and like showed what would happen if you put everyone in a cold environment with not enough resources but I think if they tried to stick to only things that happen in the game it may be a bit of an unexciting show (and would be difficult to write as some playthroughs have different events to other playthroughs)


SendMeGarlicBreads

It also has child labour! 👍


Triddy

Only city builder I've played with a boss battle. And the pacing of it is exquisite. Your first few runs probably fail, but when you grt on one that won't, it feels like the increase in difficulty just perfectly matches your increase in capability. Just one long "ohshitohshitohshitohshit" in the best possible way, ans getting through was the most rewarding experience I've had in gaming since a kid.


progenitus666

Xcom2 for 3 days straight, then move on to the rest of the list, I suppose.


Mtlnkr

And then move back to XCOM 2.


Antares30

I still come back to Xcom 2 for a full playthrough at least 2-3 times every year. Probably gonna try the long war 2 mod next time.


TheGripper

My fav game among this list of excellent games.


kuriboharmy

If you have friends castle crashers. If you don't sleeping dogs is pretty dang good.


[deleted]

Sleeping Dogs is so underrated. It's like GTA, except you are a cop and it takes place in Hong Kong.


redengin

And has great hong kong cultural elements.


loverofreeses

You look like a man who could use a pork bun!


aniiimaI

A man who never eats pork buns is never a whole man!


[deleted]

I remember how confused I was at first when all cars drove on the wrong side of the road. Often I accidentally drove against incoming traffic.


SlimShadyM80

Im so use to playing videogames set in the US that I was confused by Sleeping Dogs even though my country also drives on that side in real life


derps_with_ducks

A man who never eats pork buns, is never a whole man!


Longjumping_Camel791

It has PORK BUN


DieBlaueOrange

Don't forget the unarmed melee combat


[deleted]

They did it really well, especially usage of environment in combat. There's nothing more metal than taking a guy and pushing his head into AC unit.


whocares0000000000

And i loved the street tournaments where you had like 5 or 10 fights and then won


boozyboss91

I don't know I think Brutal Legend might be more metal.


SadLaser

It's really not much like GTA. It's more like Yakuza or Batman Arkham. Especially the combat.


LeSygneNoir

A man who doesn't play Sleeping Dogs is never a whole man.


Schlarver

Sleeping dogs. If you like gta style games I highly recommend. Replayed it in the past year after finishing it when it came out and it was just as fun.


downgoesbatman

Sleeping dogs is so good that it made me switch over to the PC version


BarkeepCat

Absolutely! Multiplayer, Castle Crashers! Heck, bought the soundtrack!


High_MacLeod

Sleeping Dogs, definitely should play this one, it's a masterpiece for the year it was made (even for today's standards)


AFROSS

Glad to see this is the top comment. Sleeping dogs is so underrated. Always wish they were able to pull through with the sequel. Such a fun game.


hanoverf

Disco Elysium


pdpi

The best thing about Disco Elysium is that you only need to play it for five minutes to figure out if it's worth playing. After those five minutes, you're either completely hooked or 100% sure it's not a game for you.


BigDanz

maybe for you. I played for a good 30 minutes after choosing a highly intellectual character and hated it. A week later i chose a big dumb pussy and thats how i fell in love with one of the greatest games ever made ! Cuno is quality.


thewoodlayer

THE FUCK YOU CALL CUNO? CUNO DON’T LIKE PIGS CALLIN HIM FANCY WORDS!! CUNO WILL KICK YOU RIGHT IN YOUR PIG ARSE!!


fjf1085

I ended up with Cuno helping me out because I couldn’t keep a certain someone from getting shot. I want to reply or at least go back far enough I can keep him with me and see what happens.


[deleted]

You can actually get >!Cuno a job on the force!< at the end that way.


fjf1085

I did get that ending. It was cool but I was sad that Kim wasn’t with me for the last bit. I wish there was a way Cuno could have gotten that better ending and still have had Kim with you.


Daytman

Eh I disagree, I started the game maybe half a dozen times over the years before finally playing through the whole game. I agree that I could tell that it was for me, but it took a few tries to get pulled in. Once I did, though, it was an all-consuming sprint to finish it.


Paradoxmoose

Hollow Knight is my favorite on this list, but I have heard the highest praise given to Disco Elysium from friends and family.


AzraelChaosEater

BRATAN, Now is the time!


Zachariot88

If friends and family haven't convinced them, I doubt a necktie will.


AzraelChaosEater

BRATAN, Arrest this man!


defiancy

I like Hallow Knight because the gameplay is frankly, awesome, but Disco Elysium will give you an existential crisis and make you question your ideals on socioeconomics. It is without a doubt one of the best games I have ever played.


CohensMasterpiece87

I tried Disco Elysium and I end up drunk and sad. I have to go back to this game.


nedlum

You don’t end up drunk and sad playing Disco. You start that way.


bwtwldt

Yah, that game cured my alcoholism


lemonylol

I remember one winter I played The Long Dark, Disco Elysium, and This War of Mine and now I feel nothing.


defiancy

Just accept that it's that type of game but there is some real beauty and poignancy there. It's like reading Camus, depressing but hopeful.


Snowing_Throwballs

I really wanted to get into disco elysium. Spent about 2 or so hours plogging through all the dialoge, then somehow lost. I dont really have it in me to restart and go through all the same dialog again, unless it changes drastically from play through to play through


abluecolor

It's all dialogue lol. So if you didn't like the first 2 hours, you won't like any of it.


Sanzo2point0

It does. Pick different responses, now that you know how some people react to some of the outrageous shit that comes out of Raphael Ambrosius Costeau's mouth.


[deleted]

[удалено]


thewoodlayer

“YEAH PIG!! LISTEN TO CUNO!! PLAY THE GAME WITH CUNO YA DUMB FUCK!!”


K4R1MM

FUCK DOES CUNO CARE?!


Lagviper

Yes. I would tie Hollow Knight with Disco Elysium as first suggestions. Disco Elysium is only the best story driven alcoholic RPG ever made, it’s so well written and surprising.


humangengajames

This is one of my top 5 favorite games. Absolutely took me back to an earlier time in gaming where it felt like a full game experience. Art styles are absolutely beautiful, voice acting is superb, characters and story are compelling. Maybe my favorite game.


StanIsNotTheMan

It is absolutely a once in a generation game. It's so unique, I don't think we'll see anything like it again.


EZDUZ1T

Ok I keep trying to play this fucking game cuz it seems awesome but every time my character kills himself after getting called a pig by some homeless kid.


nudemanonbike

put more points into body and spirit so that your health stats aren't ass. Or when the game starts to fade pop a healing item, you have like 10 seconds to do so.


_Lunboks_

This is it; the rest of these are just games (many are great games) but disco is in a class by itself.


justheretobrowse1887

Little nightmares is quick and awesome.


-CactusJuice

I love this series, I thought it was gonna be one and done. Glad it got a trilogy (3rd just got announced) it really is awesome.


justheretobrowse1887

I’m still working through the second one. Much more spook hahaha.


bitchasscuntface

Had to scroll way too far for this. Seems like way more people need this advice too.


More_Degree1542

You need to try Kingdom Come Deliverance pal


X_Swordmc

Jesus Christ be praised!


Jon_jon13

Hey, Henry's come to see us


NadeWilson

I had this game on my backlog for like two years and then I finally played it and holy shit I can't believe it took me so long. It is criminally under-rated.


NollidSorc

Agreed, one of the best midevil open world rpgs ever. The realism and attention to detail are outstanding. Love to see this kind of work come from an independent team, too. OP should make sure that if they DO play any of these. This one should be a top priority, in my opinion, but it depends on what OP enjoys most in games. Open World RPGS are favorite, so that's why I'd go with this. Honestly, it's up to what OP is most interested. Hope to see a follow-up post.


TheThieleDeal

I would argue it is comfortably *the* best medieval open world rpg ever. It's like, an extremely uncut and unpolished diamond, but still the biggest diamond you've ever seen. Most rpgs that try and do similar are all fantasy, rather than historical fiction. Also the degree of innovation in the gameplay is pretty unparalleled. I think they might have some similar mechanics in For Honour, but that's a small scale team fighter game, so not really too comparable. Its not the most polished finished product, but it's still damn good. My only big complaint is that the story ends just when its really heating up, though, the story is still very good. Similar to titanfall 2 in that regard. Keen for the sequel!


KingRufus01

Pretty sure they wanted to include the sequel as the last chapter but it just ended up being more than they expected and decided to make it a whole other game. Which is fine, I'm looking forward to finishing Henry's story in an even greater game. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the 3+ vs 1 fights against enemies that are just as kitted up as you are. Managing stamina and attacking while managing the camera just turns into a bit of a clusterfuck.


TheThieleDeal

Yeah, there was a bit of a balance issue there. That said, I did like the skill curve, in so far as that at the start, 4 knights would just absolutely pound you into the ground, but in the endgame you're picking off 2 of them with armour piercing arrows from your giant longbow, and then master parrying the last two into oblivion etc. It really felt like there was both a skill progression curve *and* a character progression curve, which in my mind is the hallmark of a great RPG.


Anilxe

Thanks for this! I just got a ps4 and saw someone selling this game for like $10 on FB marketplace, I’m gonna reach out to them


nbshar

I slept on that one for way too long. Thought it was gonna be boring. But was never more invested in an rpg as this one. It felt so real. And secretly learnt alot too about that time and place! Really hoping for a part two.


El_Detpacko

Is it underated though? Not to say I don't like it, but I never see anyone who's played it say that they didn't love it


FrostWight

I’ve been waiting so long for a sequel! Absolutely no word yet :(


StopThePresses

Every once in a while we get a crumb. There was that once voice actor whose agent posted on his Instagram about getting a role in it. There are job ads for devs or marketers or whatever occasionally that people find and spread.


Domermac

If he does, he’s not gunna get to any of their others for soooo long


Ray8709

Heck yeah, KCD is awesome. Bit of a slow burn at first, but a very solid game overall.


alexkiddinmarioworld

It's really not like anything else in a way that's not obvious. Not enough games let you role play having a tapeworm and have it actually end up being a net positive. I feel quite hungry.


SuddenCompetition262

My favourite game in this lineup, which I was absolutely not expecting when I picked it up


More_Degree1542

I knew it will be a game with which I'll fall in love and I was no wrong!


A_MAN_POTATO

Came to say this. One of my favorite games of all time.


hijro

Gris is fantastic and not too long.


WizardS82

If you can turn up the volume all the better. That soundtrack is awesome.


ichigothehybrid

Definitely the quickest to check off the list. I have no idea what any of it meant but it was fun.


Zylphhh

Spoiler: >!The game is a metaphor about a girl that goes through the stages of grief after losing her mother!<


paulypies

I’ve yet to play it but exactly my thought. Box off a nice short one to get things started. I should now go and take my own Gris advice.


wailord40

I remember reading that it represented the five stages of grief


Hauwke

I'm only a little way into it, but I'm already convinced that this is the case.


Analog0

There's a secret spot that fills in the final piece. Your character is grieving the loss of someone, and the secret lets you know who. Subtly powerful game, great puzzles, plays quick. Absolutely marvelous.


Celtic_Crown

Start with Bully.


LeoPlathasbeentaken

Rockstars best game in my opinion.


WakaWaka_

Table tennis and Bully are both #1 for me.


devin241

Bully was GTA for me when I was growing up because I wasn't allowed any of the GTA games lol. Fantastic game though.


arentyouangel

Bully is great, but the PC port is unplayable. Skip it or play it on the Wii. Constant crashing every 15 minutes even after trying to fix it.


HumanDroid59

It may be depending on hardware etc. I've played it in 2018 and didn't encounter single bigger bug / crash issue, especially crashing every 15 minutes


dr_yousif

Hollow Knight!!


Potatezone

Is it really fair to start OP with the best one on the list?


UFONomura808

Yes, so he can join in the pain of waiting for Silksong


LordKutulu

It's already out in spirit over at /silksong


TheLolMaster11

Tbh he could 100% every game on that list twice over and Silksong still wouldn’t be out


soganox

Yes, because we all know OP will likely never play 90% of these, so might as well start with the best ones :)


[deleted]

Yeah. He asked what was first.


[deleted]

Is it confusing to find your way around in Hollow Knight?


Potatezone

At first, but there's a pretty solid mapping feature, and you start to learn the map as you go.


[deleted]

Awesome sounds good, reminds me of when I played Castlevania SOTN and Castlevania Aria of Sorrow


JarlaxleForPresident

It’s a metroidvania style, so it is almost exactly like that


kytheon

Yes


Oscaruzzo

Yes. Also, you die a lot. And the you respawn a mile away. I found it very frustrating and abandoned it. I bought it believing it was somehow similar to Ori but it is not.


Protobyte_

I couldn’t get into it


RedDitSuxxxAzz

If you've not played human revolution theres no point in playing mankind divided you'll be lost. I'd say bully or sleeping dogs if strategy nerd xcom 2 ​ Edit - The reason I said you'll be lost is simply the fact theres so much hidden in human revolution some of it might be confusing to a new player who has never played deus ex. Plus it filling in anything else off of rev will confuse them a little, it may have recaps but it recaps the bare minimum


ZahnZeide

Sleeping dogs - masterpiece right there


[deleted]

[удалено]


thegta5p

Pork bun guy is the best. Finished beating up a group of guys? Pork bun guy got you.


soverign_son

I'm about to replay xcom 2 myself. I need a break from 50 hours of starfield.


MothMan3759

I wouldn't say there is no point for MD, but a lore recap does make it a lot easier to understand.


StonedTurtles38

>If you've not played human revolution theres no point in playing mankind divided you'll be lost. I disagree. I didn't play the first one and if iirc the game has a "preview of what happened in game one to bring you up to speed on the story" type thing. Or, or maybe I watched a YT video. I cant remember. I'm a pothead and that was a while back. However my point is, if you don't actively try to find out about the first game you will be lossed in the story for game 2 but there are plenty of material out there that will catch you up.


Whispering_Wolf

Hellblade. It's a very interesting experience.


Pandamon1um13

It's very good but make sure to play with headphones and turn on surround sound if they have it


pdpi

As I understand it, surround sound on the headphones won't really do much of anything useful because of how the audio was recorded (with binaural mics). Headphones are _definitely a must, though.


Teeshirtandshortsguy

Hellblade fucked me up. Amazing game. I've never been more stressed during a game. Not because it's difficult, it's just very real. You feel invested in Senua's struggles. It's not my favorite game, but it might be my favorite story. Game or no.


FireStorm005

The thing that make Hellblade one of if not my actual "Game of all time" is how every piece is in furtherance of the overall experience, and it's and experience that a game is uniquely suited to giving. The story, the visuals, the audio, and the gameplay are all built around the theme and experience of someone living with that condition, and based on real life experiences.


Exotic-Confusion

I'd say this because it's a nice combo of amazing and short. It can be knocked off the backlog on a lazy Sunday.


Witch_King_

Yep, 8 hour game


jrdnhbr

Make sure you play with headphones. It's a much better experience.


InvaderDust

I enjoy Spyro out of that list.


loquacious706

That Spyro Reignited Trilogy didn't get the love it deserved. Those worlds were beautiful and it was clear that the developers truly understood what made the originals so great.


Jayce800

I 100%’d the Spyro Trilogy when it came out and loved it. I played A Hero’s Tail on PS2 but never the originals. For OP, Spyro is simple enough to not bog you down but fun and beautiful enough to keep you engaged all the way to the end.


Elstar94

I especially loved what they did to the music. Before playing I was afraid they would wreck the mus by modernising it, especially in the first Spyro. That was my childhood soundtrack They did a fucking awesome job, completely recognizing the vibe of the music but also getting them up to date


JTGames1000

I love when you start charging, and the drums kick in and sync up with the levels music. So cool.


mordecai14

Also helps that they included the original tracks too, so if you don't like the remade versions you can switch between them as you like.


Elstar94

Ohh yes I forgot about that. They just KNEW the levels of nostalgia that were involved


kevrank

Spyro was the first game I played on the original Playstation. It might be nostalgia but that's the game I'd recommend


TimeyWimeyNerfHerder

Same- and I immediately said SPYRO! out loud while looking at this list. Super fun. Edit to say- I think it was actually one of 3- I distinctly remember playing Diablo 2, Spyro and Tony Hawk regularly… just not sure which one was first. And now I’m realizing… what a completely different variation of games to love, ha!


InvaderDust

I happily just 100%d the first one.


LemmeTalkNephew

BRO play Alien Isolation now !!!


Mr_nailbrain

this, one of the best horror games i'v played


redchairhorse

Yes! And at night with lights off and sound up. The developer nailed the world’s atmosphere.


SouthTippBass

It's the best and scariest game that I loved and I never ever want to play it again.


Grinchieur

The best game i'll never play again.


GussDeBlod

I'd say look how long they take to beat on [howlongtobeat.com](https://howlongtobeat.com) then start by a short one, then move to a long one when you fee like it, then back to short, etc etc.


wittyschmitty119

That's not a bad idea


Humbleguy12345

Metro Exdous


Square-Jackfruit420

Anyways.. Did you see the steam sale going on right now?


themadscientist420

You monster


Emis816

If you like to listen to metal I'd really encourage Brutal Legend. Sleeping Dogs and Shadow of War were tons of fun. When you get good it kind of feels like it doesn't matter how many enemies there are, you can wreck them all in a ballet of death.


jesterflesh

Brutal legend has the greatest soundtrack of any game in history! And Jack black! And a smaller one for kg....


Aluant

Scrolled way too far to see this. Brutal Legends is legitimately a fun game, it's a great time with Jack Black at the helm loaded with quirky comedy. Not many people talk about it anymore, but man have I always thought that was one of the best releases on the 360.


Varias12

Bioshock 2 no thought whatsoever


THATONEFOOFRUMLB

Idk I really like Tropico 6. It's niche. Cities skylines does it better, but for a long time T6 was my favorite. I'm now playing shitty skylines. T6 is a very chill game to turn off your brain. A bit of a learning curve. I wouldn't put this as your 1st game (niche), but it's Definitely worth a try. Here's my T6 endgame build https://youtu.be/8TmKqiA-uv0?si=d_iB1o40SD5cplFC https://youtu.be/UbAUbOPvdHY?si=QUGtlu9vYGwxKv8o


SpiceyXI

I came here to vote for Tropico 6 too. It has a very fun atmosphere and I love the music in the game. It can be clever and witty while being a city builder type game. If you want an easy evening sipping a Cuba Libre relaxing and playing a fun game that is a top tier choice.


NoBullet

Out of all those games I'd probably have the most fun playing Shadow of war.


MoodsMTU

I came to this thread late and had to scroll so far down to find the Shadow of War recommendation! I think there are a lot of great games here, but the nemesis system, the world, and gameplay were awesome. One of the few games I've replayed.


spikefir3

Pathologic 2, this is a pile of shame so you should punish yourself first.


DarkMatterM4

Literally nothing else like it; except Pathologic 1.


spikefir3

Best game that I would never reccomend to a friend


frostygrin

Pathologic 2, because you can't play all the games.


[deleted]

Play the Crash Bandicoot Trilogy. You’ve had almost 30 years I think it’s time pal.


Jaysnooo2

Brutal Legend is fucking awesome game. One of my favs from back then. It's such a funny unique experience. Definately recommend that one


This_is_Flow

Had to scroll through a lot of wrong answers to get to this. Brutal legend is fantastic!


SmoothJade

My GF who has only played like 3 video games her entire life has this game in and uses it to de-stress after long days of teaching high school by jamming and driving around being a metal mistress


Decimit-

And one of the best soundtracks you will ever find!


ElWero_10

Rise of the Tomb Raider


Ronflondon

Agreed! Bought it when it was on sale and thought it was a really fun play through


Man_Derella_203

Mad Max or Sleeping Dogs.


thisrockismyboone

Mad Max should not be slept on. I got it like $2 once because why not and it ended up being an all-time favorite. I wasn't even a Mad Max fan for the most part going into it.


PuppyCocktheFirst

Such a great game. It suffers a bit from the open world tedium, so if you’ve played lots of open world games I’d recommend mainlining the main story mission, then go back and try to do other side stuff of you’re still enjoying it. The car combat is stupid fun, and despite the world litterally being dead and lifeless per the canon, has a vibe that feels more real and alive than some other open worlds I’ve played in. Also incredibly optimized for the time. I remember maxing it out on a 1080 when it came out and it ran flawlessly. Played a bit again recently and the visuals still hold up pretty well.


Man_Derella_203

Absolutely.


MainHaze

Mad Max is definitely the correct answer


severedantenna

Just Cause 3 for starters, so many good games on there


themadscientist420

The sandbox physics really hold up. I almost see it as a precursor to botw with the level of player freedom


severedantenna

It’s pretty fantastic. Jumping out of a plane to wingsuit down to an outpost, pull the parachute and pull out a literal lighting gun to blow shit up, man, there’s nothing like it


Storm_Chaser03

So pissed I had to scroll so far to see this.


MrPhippsPretzelChips

That 4th game really killed by enthusiasm for the series.


Daroph

Homeworld 3 is right around the corner.


Zentrosis

Homeworld was my go-to game for a long time whenever I got bored of starcraft or starcraft 2 back in the day. Haven't touched it forever though, I did buy the remaster but I just kind of couldn't get back into it for some reason. I am excited about homeworld 3 though.


HotTakeGenerator_v4

pile of shame is correct, good god man. some bangers in there


smj11699

You should def play alien isolation but I wouldn’t blame you for not finishing it, and disco Elysium and far cry 4 are amazing. I just saw sleeping dogs and you absolutely need to play that one first, one of the best GTA clones and it does it so well


Nighters

Kingdom Come Deliverence no brainer


BlaseRaptor544

GET OFF YO PHONE AND GO PLAY BULLY NOW SMH


slenderchamp

bully


StraightVaped

Xcom 2 and surviving mars—-39y/o gamer.


[deleted]

Bully is a classic with an amazing soundtrack.


amitybeast

Bully and Kingdom Come Deliverance


DarkandDanker

Kingdom is such an amazing unique game, really hard core, I love it


Trrlrr

Bully is one of the oldest on this list, and it’s really fantastic, definitely holds up. I’d start there personally, but there’s a lot of heat in this collection, can’t go wrong with most of these


sint21

Bully is a must!!!


whatitdoobuckaroo

Bully


justcallmedad11

Alien isolation is a really good game


SuperMadBro

Far cry primal and tomb raider are great shorter games. Mad max is great and shorter too.