Games

Portal 2.

objective

MEDIA APPRECIATION DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY, GOOD NIGHT!

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

Factorio.

I think Outer Wilds is the most unique and fantastic way to tell a story I've ever experienced. Truly open in a way I've not seen before or since.

With the banger of a soundtrack too, I just can't bring myself to rate other games higher than it; even if I enjoy them more, Outer Wilds is probably the best game I've ever played.

Slay the Spire probably makes the list as it's inspired countless tweaks on its incredibly balanced deck building experience

Holy shit somehow no one has mentioned:

Nier Automata

It counts as a masterpiece because of how well it blends game design, gameplay and story. I have played very few games as thoughtful, or that weaved the gameplay together into the story it was telling in such a meaningful way. I never thought once in my life that I would think philosophically about bullet hell but somehow Nier Automata has something profound to say and even manages to say it using bullet hell as a gameplay mechanic.

On top of all this, it also has a lot to say about classical philosophers, their works, and honestly deeply subverts things they had to say. It asks tough questions about their thoughts and ideas, once again, through gameplay. Numerous characters are named for classical philosophers: Pascal, Jean-Paul, Simone, Engels, Immanuel... (Yoko Taro obviously has feelings about how Jean-Paul Sartre treated Simone de Beauvoir.)

Further, Yoko Taro is doing something that a lot of game developers fail to manage to do: He is embracing gaming as a storytelling medium and eschewing the traditional three-act arc from film. Because gaming is not film. As Marshall McLuhan posited, "the medium is the message" and unlike other developers Taro's writing is aimed at the medium he is working in instead of leaning on the ropes and tropes of other mediums. (Referring back to above, tying the gameplay into the story, focusing on the medium)

It's basically impossible to not break down into tears at the ending.

Don't write it off because of the scantily clad anime women. Stay for the depth of the human condition. It is truly a masterwork in multiple respects.

Portal/Portal 2

Deus Ex (the original)

Minecraft

Stardew Valley

Terraria

Mirror's Edge

Chrono Trigger

Cyberpunk 2077

Hades

Subnautica

A Short Hike

Donut County

Katamari Damacy. It has a reputation for being silly Japanese nonsense, but the gameplay is brilliant, the graphics are timeless, the soundtrack is incredible, and it has some surprising thematic depth.

Outer wilds

Shadow of the Colossus

We'll see how much is recency bias and how well it will stand the test of time, but I really think Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be on this list going forward. It's definitely one of the best games I've ever played, and I've played a lot of games. It's not perfect, but it's close enough in all the parts that actually matter.

Otherwise there's your usual suspects:

• Disco Elysium
• Portal
• Half-Life 2
• Bioshock 1
• Final Fantasy VI
• Chrono Trigger
• Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• The Last of Us
• Baldur's Gate 2

Hotline: Miami

Beyond Good & Evil

Final Fantasy X

Celeste

Hades

Ace Combat Zero/5

Way more to choose but top of my head

Edit:

Halo

Titanfall 2

M&B: Warband

Evolve (yes I said it I’ll go to the mat over it)

Immortality

Assuming that "masterpiece" refers to the quality and impact the games had in their time (not how well they aged) some of my picks would be:

• Baldur's Gate 2 + ToB
• Star Wars: KotoR
• Morrowind
• Read Dead Redemption 2
• The Witcher 3
• The Last of Us 1+2
• God of War
• Shadow of the Colossus
• The Legend of Zelda: BOTW
• Mass Effect 1+2
• Disco Elysium
• Half Life 2
• BioShock 1
• Diablo 2
• Fallout 2

I don't know how objective this list is. Some picks are definitely subjective and fit more in a "flawed masterpiece" category of games that had a large impact on how I perceived games but that may not be so widely acclaimed as some others on this list.

For me it's Journey. That game gave me an emotional experience I've never had in any other.

Bastion, Hades, Disco Elysium, Planescape: Torment, and Tyranny (even if the last act is rushed in the last two) come to mind for me

There is no "objective" when talking about subjective terms.

My personal, SUBJECTIVE favorites are Mass Effect, Titanfall 2, Subnautica, Stardew Valley, Ori and the Blind Forest, Dave the Diver, Balatro, and Portal 1 and 2

I'm going to take this as "games that I never see anyone question their quality." (I don't even like all these games myself)

• Sonic 3 & Knuckles

• Kirby Planet Robobot

• Doom 2016

• Street Fighter III: Third Strike

• Pac-Man

• Balatro

• Steins;Gate

• The House in Fata Morgana

• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

• Gran Turismo 4

• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Mega Man X

• Mega Man X4

• Super Mario Bros. 3

• Hollow Knight

• Bloodborne

• Elden Ring

• Balder's Gate 3

Journey

There is not a single word in the game, barely any control but the game take you through an emotional story.

It's multiplayer in a sense that you might meet another player, they can help you, you can help them or just continue on your path and despite not having any words it just fell like a genuine, pure connection with someone.

And the music is amazing.

Factorio, Terraria, Half-Life 2, Portal 1/2, Limbo, Night in the Woods, Lil Gator Game

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

Zelda: A Link to the Past

Super Metroid

Age of Empires 2 /w The Conquers expansion pack.

Roller Coaster Tycoon 1. (2 was weaker without OpenRCT2, the real masterpiece, but idk if unfinished projects should count or not)

Quake 3 Arena, Unreal Tournament 1999 GOTY, Worms Armageddon, SimCity 3000 Unlimited, Forza Horizon 2 / Motorsport 3, Need for Speed Underground 1, Clonk! Rage, Metal Gear Solid 1/2/3, Ace Combat 4, Okami, Tokyo Jungle, Zelda BOTW, Mario Odyssey, Sven Co-Op, Killing Floor 1, Final Fantasy 7, LISA: The Painful, Everhood 1, Deus Ex 1, Left 4 Dead 1/2, Portal 2, Battlefield Bad Company 2... Champions of Norrath and Return to Arms, Diablo 1, Baldur's Gate 3 makes the list...NIER both games. Planet MiniGolf.

I could go on and on.

Video:
Doom

Tetris

Chrono Trigger

Table top: Chess

Magic: the Gathering

Everdell

Azul

Psychonauts 1 and 2.

Some of the most imaginative big budget games in existence, from themes to art style to level design

Clair Obscur has been the best game I've played in a long while, absolute masterpiece

My Picks...

Deus Ex (So many games try to be this and fail)

Cyberpunk (This one eventually measured up)

Alpha Centauri (Innovation mixed with familiarity and setting)

Fallout 2 (they're all good. Fallout 2 is special)

Kotor (Star Wars story telling in a beautiful way)

Baldur's Gate 2 and 3 (I'm stunned that 3 was a worthy successor)

Homeworld (One of the World's truly beautiful games)

Thomas Was Alone

I've never felt so much for quadrilateral shapes.

There are a lot of answers, mine will be drowned but... there it is. In no particular order :

• Final Fantasy X
• Clair Obscur : Expedition 33
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 (but you had to be there when it came out)
• Metal Gear Solid 3
• Shadow Hearts : Covenant
• Kya : Dark Lineage (the bugs were a feature)
• Horizon : Zero Dawn
• Megaman (any megaman will do)
• Crash Bandicoot Trilogy
• Spyro Trilogy
• Pokemon Yellow/Crystal/Emerald
• Pokemon Jade (yes that bootleg version)
• The Last of Us (pt. I & II)
• Astroneer
• GTA : Vice City
• Unreal Tournament 2004
• CS 1.6 played in the most dirty lan at your disposal
• Control
• Tetris
• Neverwinter Nights 2
• Dragon Age : Origins
• Quake III
• Bomberman

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

Red Alert 2

Heroes of Might and Magic 3

Super Mario Brothers 3

Slay the Spire

Hades. Transcends the rogue-like genre through incredible writing, art direction, and music. The gameplay is some of the most addictive I’ve ever played. I’m at over 200 hours logged and I still get lost in it.

Doom (93) I guess ?

Also HL and HL2

Heres a list of some favorites:

Imperfect perfection: Morrowind

Perfect perfection: Starcraft Brood War

Objective perfection: Plants vs Zombies

Subjective perfection: Knights of the Old Republic

Perfect for its time: Gauntlet IV

Perfect timeless: Sonic 2

Perfect for its genre: LOZ Minish Cap

Perfect All-in-one: Shenmue II

I'm taking this to mean games that stand out in or define their genre, are widely considered to be excellent, are timeless, and there's very little if any fat to trim.

• Super Mario Brothers - NES
• Super Mario 64
• Dark Souls - maybe Elden Ring takes over?
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Half Life 2 - honorable mention: Left 4 Dead 2
• Diablo 2
• Doom
• Tetris
• Chrono Trigger
• Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Portal 2
• Little Nightmares - honorable mention: INSIDE
• GTA SA
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2

These aren't necessarily my favorite games, but games I think are well respected. I probably missed a bunch.

I think masterpieces is one word.

RimWorld

• dark souls
• elden ring
• bloodborne
• sekiro
• outer wilds
• doom 2016
• binding of isaac

Witcher 3 for me.