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  3. What games are just objective masterpieces?

What games are just objective masterpieces?

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  • T tal@lemmy.today
    28 May 2025, 01:45

    Just out of curiosity, listing the games mentioned here as of this writing by their date of release:

    Release Date Game
    1980 Pac-Man
    1985 The Oregon Trail (assuming widely-played 1985 game)
    1985 Tetris
    1986 Kid Icarus
    1988 Mega Man 2
    1988 Super Mario Brothers 3
    1988 The Guardian Legend
    1989 Abadox: The Deadly Inner War
    1989 Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II
    1989 Monster Party
    1989 Populous
    1989 Sweet Home
    1990 Dr. Mario
    1990 Final Fantasy III
    1991 Battletoads (assuming original game)
    1991 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
    1992 Ecco the Dolphin
    1992 Sonic the Hedgehog 2
    1992 Super Mario Kart
    1993 Dinopark Tycoon
    1993 Doom
    1993 Gauntlet IV
    1993 Lufia & the Fortress of Doom (assuming first game)
    1993 Mega Man X
    1994 Donkey Kong Country
    1994 Earthworm Jim
    1994 Sonic & Knuckles
    1994 Sonic the Hedgehog 3
    1994 Super Metroid
    1994 The Lion King
    1995 Chrono Trigger
    1997 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
    1997 Diablo
    1997 Final Fantasy VII
    1997 Mega Man X4
    1997 Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
    1997 Snowboard Kids
    1998 Banjo-Kazooie
    1998 Metal Gear Solid
    1998 Sonic Adventure
    1998 South Park
    1998 StarCraft: Brood War
    1999 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
    1999 Heroes of Might and Magic III
    1999 Planescape: Torment
    1999 Quake III Arena
    1999 RollerCoaster Tycoon
    1999 Silent Hill
    1999 Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
    1999 Sven Co-op
    1999 Unreal Tournament
    1999 Worms Armageddon
    2000 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
    2000 Diablo II
    2000 Resident Evil CODE: Veronica
    2000 SimCity 3000 Unlimited
    2000 Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
    2001 Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
    2001 Final Fantasy X
    2001 Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
    2001 Shenmue II
    2002 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
    2003 Beyond Good & Evil
    2003 Need for Speed: Underground
    2003 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
    2004 Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
    2004 Champions of Norrath
    2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
    2004 Gran Turismo 4
    2004 Half Life 2
    2004 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
    2004 The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
    2005 Champions: Return to Arms
    2005 Psychonauts
    2005 Shadow of the Colossus
    2006 Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
    2006 Ōkami
    2007 BioShock
    2007 Dark Souls
    2007 Mass Effect
    2007 Portal
    2008 Clonk Rage
    2008 Left 4 Dead
    2008 Mirror's Edge
    2008 Super Smash Bros. Brawl
    2009 Dragon Age: Origins
    2009 Forza Motorsport 3
    2009 Killing Floor
    2009 Left 4 Dead 2
    2009 Plants vs. Zombies
    2009 Steins;Gate
    2010 Battlefield: Bad Company 2
    2010 Limbo
    2010 Nier
    2010 Planet Minigolf
    2011 Bastion
    2011 Portal 2
    2011 Terraria
    2011 The Binding of Isaac
    2012 Hotline Miami
    2012 The House in Fata Morgana
    2012 Tokyo Jungle
    2014 Forza Horizon 2
    2014 LISA: The Painful
    2015 Bloodborne
    2015 Ori and the Blind Forest
    2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
    2015 Undertale
    2016 Doom (2016)
    2016 Kirby: Planet Robobot
    2016 Stardew Valley
    2016 The Witness
    2016 Titanfall 2
    2016 Tyranny
    2017 Little Nightmares
    2017 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (for Deluxe version)
    2017 Nier: Automata
    2017 Night in the Woods
    2017 Super Mario Odyssey
    2017 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
    2018 Celeste
    2018 Donut County
    2018 Return of the Obra Dinn
    2018 Rimworld
    2018 Subnautica
    2019 A Short Hike
    2019 Disco Elysium
    2019 Outer Wilds
    2019 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
    2019 Slay the Spire
    2020 Cyberpunk 2077
    2020 Factorio
    2020 Hades
    2021 Everhood: An Ineffable Tale of the Inexpressible Divine Moments of Truth
    2021 Psychonauts 2
    2022 Elden Ring
    2022 Lil Gator Game
    2023 Baldur's Gate 3
    2023 Dave the Diver
    2024 Balatro
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    biofaust@lemmy.world
    wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:04 last edited by
    #193

    Missing Half-life (the first one).
    That game was the first one to feature scripted scenes during player interaction and it was mind-blowing.
    Plus, it had the most sophisticated story ever seen in an FPS before.

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • C coelacanth@feddit.nu
      28 May 2025, 21:40

      I love STALKER with all my heart, and if we're talking atmosphere and vibes and even world building it is up there. But it does not really belong in the objective masterpiece category. Flawed masterpiece, maybe.

      Also I think Call of Pripyat is the better STALKER game, but it might be controversial.

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      msage@programming.dev
      wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:16 last edited by
      #194

      Yeah, but it still popped into my mind sooner than other games, dunno why,

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
        27 May 2025, 22:30
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        bytemeister@lemmy.world
        wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:23 last edited by
        #195

        Metro 2033. Played it in the dark with good surround sound headphones on, and it's positively claustrophobic.

        Last Light is good too, but at little too optimistic IMHO. 2033 nails that endless pit of despair feeling, with just enough lucky breaks that you might make it through.

        K 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 19:26
        5
        • C cletuspolybius@lemm.ee
          29 May 2025, 04:05

          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)?

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          essell@lemmy.world
          wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:24 last edited by
          #196

          I still repplay now and then, there's no game like it.

          Sadly the sequals failed to capture the grace of the original, though I've not tried 3 yet.

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          • Z zoomboingding@lemmy.world
            28 May 2025, 17:35

            Prey, System Shock 2, Outer Wilds, and Undertale are fully-realized microcosms where the primary game is unfolding the complex origami of the setting. All of them absolutely beautiful to experience.

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            idunnololz@lemmy.world
            wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:49 last edited by idunnololz@lemmy.world
            #197

            Do you think Return of the Obra Dinn would belong alongside these or is that game too flawed by comparison? I ask because I myself am not sure.

            Oh, actually Disco Elysium would fit right in here as well as a "fully-realized microcosms where the primary game is unfolding the complex origami of the setting".

            Z 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 14:25
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            • A alexaralvarado@infosec.pub
              28 May 2025, 23:13

              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.

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              jackbydev@programming.dev
              wrote on 29 May 2025, 06:54 last edited by jackbydev@programming.dev
              #198

              Feels odd to include Pyre over Hades.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
                27 May 2025, 22:30
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                gamechld@lemmy.world
                wrote on 29 May 2025, 07:09 last edited by
                #199

                Super Metroid

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                10
                • B blametheantifa@lemmy.world
                  29 May 2025, 05:06

                  Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
                  Disco Elysium
                  Alpha Centauri
                  Super Marios Bros 3
                  Bloodborne
                  Ori 1 & 2
                  Fallout 1 & 2
                  Planescape: Torment
                  The Outer Wilds

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                  tillman@lemmy.world
                  wrote on 29 May 2025, 07:20 last edited by tillman@lemmy.world
                  #200

                  Atari: Frogger
                  NES: RBI Baseball / Tecmo Bowl.

                  Genesis: Phantasy Star IV
                  N64: Ocarina.
                  PSX: FF IX.

                  PSP: Lumines

                  Saturn: Panzer Dragoon
                  Dreamcast: Rez and Skies of Arcadia

                  PS2 Vice City

                  XBOX: PD Orta
                  360: Child of Eden / Shadow Complex

                  PC agree with all yours. Would add Syndicate, Witcher 3, & red alert
                  DS: Dawn of Sorrow
                  Neo Geo: Last Blade 2

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                  • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
                    27 May 2025, 22:30
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                    atlien51@lemm.ee
                    wrote on 29 May 2025, 11:38 last edited by
                    #201

                    Halo 1-3

                    Forza horizon 2 & 3

                    COD blacc ops 1-2

                    MW 1 + 2

                    Need for Speed Most Wanted/Underground/2/Carbon

                    More I can’t think of rn

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                    • I idunnololz@lemmy.world
                      29 May 2025, 06:49

                      Do you think Return of the Obra Dinn would belong alongside these or is that game too flawed by comparison? I ask because I myself am not sure.

                      Oh, actually Disco Elysium would fit right in here as well as a "fully-realized microcosms where the primary game is unfolding the complex origami of the setting".

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                      zoomboingding@lemmy.world
                      wrote on 29 May 2025, 14:25 last edited by
                      #202

                      Haven't actually played these two but from what I gather, they definitely fit the list!

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
                        27 May 2025, 22:30
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                        theblips@lemm.ee
                        wrote on 29 May 2025, 15:07 last edited by
                        #203

                        Celeste. Emotional narrative that seamlessly blends with the gameplay, which implementa never before seen accessibility configuration, enhanced by one of the best soundtracks ever. All while being cheap, indie, and one of the best speedrun games ever made

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                        • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
                          27 May 2025, 22:30
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                          ledoudou@jlai.lu
                          wrote on 29 May 2025, 15:44 last edited by
                          #204

                          How come no one has mentioned “Life is strange” yet? Also, “A plague tale”.

                          M 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 20:18
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                          • D dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world
                            28 May 2025, 14:57

                            Historically a masterpiece has been a (or the) work that demonstrates an artist is capable of utilizing their medium to its fullest extent, i.e. it has been mastered. Per ye olde Wiki:

                            Historically, a "masterpiece" was a work of a very high standard produced by an apprentice to obtain full membership, as a "master", of a guild or academy in various areas of the visual arts and crafts.

                            In that light, I'd say the best qualified would be games that completely utilized the capabilities of the platform they were designed for or, perhaps of interest to more people, expanded what everyone thought could be done with those systems. Games which were furthermore well polished and complete, and did not have much room for improvement taking into account the constraints they had to work with at the time. (For instance: No duh we could make Mario 64 run at a higher framerate and have better textures to look nicer on hardware now. That doesn't mean it wasn't arguably a masterpiece of its time, on the system it was on.) This doesn't just have to be technical stuff -- It could be the way the game used storytelling, its gameplay mechanics, or anything else.

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                            icastfist@programming.dev
                            wrote on 29 May 2025, 16:29 last edited by
                            #205

                            Spyro and Crash trilogies on the PSX, as well as the Quake 2 port, would definitely merit being called technical masterpieces

                            On the original Xbox, Phantom Dust would fit that bill, despite being a commercial failure at the time. The tldr is that you create a collection of spells (attacks, traps, dodges, curses, buffs) and try to grab them and the "mana" during the real time duels, in order to beat your opponents. Terrain is semi destructible and you have to take into consideration the trajectory of your spells - https://www.xbox.com/games/store/phantom-dust/9PCDNBHR11MR

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                            • Z zoomboingding@lemmy.world
                              28 May 2025, 17:17

                              Have you played Prey? Only other game to scratch that same itch for me.

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                              icastfist@programming.dev
                              wrote on 29 May 2025, 16:30 last edited by
                              #206

                              Prey 2017 or Prey 2006?

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • B blametheantifa@lemmy.world
                                29 May 2025, 05:23

                                Nioh 2 is one of my favorite soulslikes, but falls short of masterpiece in my opinion due to the repeatedly recycled levels.

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                                homicidalrobot@lemm.ee
                                wrote on 29 May 2025, 17:35 last edited by
                                #207

                                Have you played the mainline souls titles? The NG+ system in Nioh 2 leads out into new unique maps (The abyss) rather than being the same game with revamped enemy placement and health nine times lol.

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                                • W weirdbeardgame@lemmy.world
                                  27 May 2025, 22:30
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                                  deflated0ne@lemmy.world
                                  wrote on 29 May 2025, 17:58 last edited by
                                  #208

                                  RDR2. Witcher 3. Fallout New Vegas.

                                  F 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 18:03
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                                  • D deflated0ne@lemmy.world
                                    29 May 2025, 17:58

                                    RDR2. Witcher 3. Fallout New Vegas.

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                                    felixcress@lemmy.world
                                    wrote on 29 May 2025, 18:03 last edited by
                                    #209

                                    Fallout 2

                                    D 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 18:04
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                                    • F felixcress@lemmy.world
                                      29 May 2025, 18:03

                                      Fallout 2

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                                      deflated0ne@lemmy.world
                                      wrote on 29 May 2025, 18:04 last edited by
                                      #210

                                      Wasteland 3.

                                      F 1 Reply Last reply 29 May 2025, 18:10
                                      1
                                      • D deflated0ne@lemmy.world
                                        29 May 2025, 18:04

                                        Wasteland 3.

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                                        felixcress@lemmy.world
                                        wrote on 29 May 2025, 18:10 last edited by
                                        #211

                                        In this case, Jagged Alliance 2 (with 1.13 mod).

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • E elevator7009@lemmy.zip
                                          28 May 2025, 14:33

                                          Curious to hear what the criteria for "masterpiece" is, otherwise I think it is just peoples' subjective opinion of what makes a great game that they also think others might agree about being a great game. Genuinely curious, interested in discussion, not saying this to shut down any of the answers here.

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                                          kohbaby@lemmy.world
                                          wrote on 29 May 2025, 18:10 last edited by
                                          #212

                                          In my mind a masterpiece video game can't be copied. Or at least if someone tried it would just be called a cheap clone of the original.

                                          Then again everything can be copied but the more difficult it is to copy the closer it is to a masterpiece IMO.

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