Disco Elysium is definitely closer to the visual novel spectrum of video games than it is to something like Tetris. But make no mistakes, its narrative and impact would be much lessened were it delivered in any other medium. It is absolutely a perfect example of how you use video games to make art.

Hard to argue with most of those. I'd put Ocarina of Time over BotW, but that's splitting hairs. Diablo 2 needs LoD included in my opinion.

God of War is an embarrassing blind spot in my gaming history. Is it actually that good?

My biggest issue is I game late at night when everyone else is in bed, so a game like that would knock me out

Yeah the souls games are something I like in spite of all of the things wrong with them. There is just so much jank and bizarre design decisions.

I kinda hate that all of the games that have tried to copy them have done so to a point of not critically evaluating everything in them. And then they have all the same flaws, but none of the unique charm that makes me look past them for FROM’s games.

God of War has two big strengths that make it a great game in my opinion. The first is the story with its great characters, presentation, and voice acting. The second is the overall "feel" of the game, which can be a bit "game-y" at times but is really tight overall with only a handful of core mechanics that are exceptionally well implemented.

Zelda: A Link to the Past

Last of Us 1 was really good. But the second one was so bad, it kind of ruined the first one for me as well. And I wouldn't call it masterpiece. Because for me a masterpiece shines in gameplay, narrative and atmosphere. The Last of Us' gameplay serves its purpose, but there's really nothing special here compared to e.g. Elden Ring, were story, atmosphere and gameplay are all pretty much perfect.

Supergiant games' holy trinity: Bastion, Transistor and Pyre.

Also, the only Borderland games 1 and 2; don't believe the lies there are no more true Borderlands games and no there most certainly is no movie.

There's also one other, but you'll need a crowbar or a gravity gun in hand for me to tell you about it.

The DS had plenty of fantastic games, but when it comes to a game I feel had the most beautiful example of using the controls in a creative way, I'd say The World Ends With You takes the cake.

I've literally never played a game that needed such a high degree of multitasking, not just for mental multitasking, but also hand-eye coordination. Playing that game on Hard mode felt crazy, and I literally never unlocked Master mode. Balancing between the top and bottom screen characters was such a challenge, especially if you're actually trying to make use of the green puck for more damage. The fact that each partner has their own battle method is fantastic too, as you never get too comfortable with one character until you finish the game.

Add in fantastic art design, catchy soundtrack, funny & memorable main cast, and you get absolute peak. I can't believe Square let that game rot for more than a decade. The Neo TWEWY sequel was pretty good too, but nothing will literally ever compare to the original's controls. It's just so addicting man.

How was the second one “so bad?” It had incredible narrative, more in depth gameplay, challenging and coherent themes, depth of storytelling, it took risks that a lot of people didn’t like, but you can’t say they were done poorly. They were just challenging for people. And that’s good. The same stories told with the same character arcs following the same hero’s journey is boring. TLOU2 challenged you with the characters making choices you wouldn’t, it challenged you with co placated character arcs that saw well-loved characters turn into the villains, while the villain of the story became the one to end the cycle of violence…it was incredible. That worldbuilding, the design, the voice acting, the mocap acting, the more varied fighting styles, the expansive world…I mean, shit, I really do want to know what you thought actually classified as “bad” about that game. It pissed people off. But that does not make it a bad game by any stretch of the imagination.

The game itself, for me. I played it through a few times when it first came out, and then very recently I got it on Steam and played again for the first time since. Still as poignant.

Slay the Spire

Good taste

Squarez Deluxe

Originally a paid DOS game and the developer is a cool dude who changed it to freeware. You can download it on myabandonware or archive org. Then grab a free copy of DOSBox.

In my view, it is the best shape packing game ever made, and it never really got its due, possibly in part to somewhat extra complexity, and partly from the time it came out.

You learn the ropes in the early modes, but you really need to play on EXTREME Mode. There are many different special pieces, and you decide how to move them in the playfield and rotate them.

There are mud traps and acid pits and missiles and bombs and traps. And you have to not only play the shape packing aspect, but you have to continually think about how to deploy these hazards, to your best advantage, or least disadvantage!

Over the years, I continually come back to this game, and I have probably sunk over a thousand hours since I was young.

Chromehounds was the greatest mech game on shitbox 360 and you can't change my mind.

The sheer variety in player created metas was glorious to behold. Sure, you could play how the game encouraged you to play and hang your weapons in "normal" configurations. But you could also bury whole teams in indirect fire with a triple double from across the map. You could build a little punchy boi buggy with a dick piston, cockpit, wheels, and nothing else. You could even try to sweat the meta in the chicken leg howitzer or the turtle up in the armored crab.

The only limits were creativity and spacer availability lmfaooo

Hollow Knight is peak

I remember trying the demo to Homeworld when I was a kid, it came with one of those old school PC GAMER demo CDs. I think I was too young to understand how to play it effectively, but still loved it because I found the ambience of the experience so memorizing while hyper-cozy. Would you say it she's well as something worth going back and playing now, and what of the sequel(s)?

Since I haven't seen it on here: FTL.

It's a niche masterpiece, but my 600 hours of play time agrees I am in that niche