#38

Change YoY: -2   My Rating: 9.1 / 10

One of the games people often mention when the games-as-art discussion rears its weary, repetitive head, though admittedly there's a good reason for that. Journey was something quite different from just about all other video games I had ever played when it first released back in 2012. In an industry often dominated by fast-paced and loud action games, Journey took a completely different approach to everything, being a contemplative and quiet title in a sea of endless noise. Not only telling its story mostly through images and the world itself, but also creating an online multiplayer component where it was literally impossible to directly talk to the other people playing the game with you. It created a unique atmosphere that let the players take their time with the game, rarely pushing them forward to the next big set-piece as so many other games have a tendency to do. Rather, it let everyone set their own pace through the beautiful and varied environments, from the starting desert to the snowy mountaintops near the end.

That is not to say Journey is in any way difficult or complicated. Your goal is explicitly clear from the start, and there's ever really only one way forward, but the point of the game was never to overcome difficult challenges or figure out challenging puzzles. Rather, all you were asked was to experience the journey itself, and that's all that was ever needed. It's a wonderful, peaceful trip across deserts, caves, and snowfields, and while other games have since come that have tried to emulate the style of Journey, none have quite captured its serene, calming atmosphere as effectively as it did over a decade ago now.

36. Ori and the Blind Forest
I love exploration in games, it's one of the main reasons I'm a fan of the Legend of Zelda. But there has to be something to motivate you and give you a joy of discovery. That can be advancing the plot, uncovering hidden upgrades, or the satisfaction of a completed map. Ori has all of these and one more: the beauty of the landscapes. Ori is one of the prettiest games I've ever played and it pulls that off without detracting from the gameplay in any way. The cutscenes are cinematic, but don't overstay their welcome. The interactable objects look to be a natural part of the world, but they are never hard to find or notice. It just works in a way that is a joy to behold.

Two left, let's give them a final chance with a fourth hint before I post these five tonight.

#40: Probably the coolest special edition I own is the one for this game, it comes with a wooden miniature of an Onager that you could build yourself.
Hint 2: At launch the game was criticised pretty heavily by players however. With a slew of updates adding things like a family tree and overhauled politics, much of this criticism has subsided.
Hint 3: It also features something that was sadly cut again in entries after this game's direct sequel, namely that cities would 'grow' on the map as you upgraded them instead of cities being represented by a sort of 'model'.
Hint 4: It did have the downside that there are only a maximum of six slots for buildings (depending on the maximum city-size of a particular city) and even just five plus a port if it is by the sea.

#37: Technically just a sprite swap of another strategy game, and considering the franchise this is part of, shouldn't they have done more?
Hint 2: The basis for this game is a famous rts from an otherwise completely unrelated franchise and developer, but my game's gameplay is basically exactly the same, down to the building types and technology (in the sense of advancements and upgrades for the purpose of the gameplay).
Hint 3: For example the original game's 'Barracks' is now a 'Troop Center', the 'Castle' a 'Fortress' and the upgrade 'Heated Shot' is 'Ion Accu-Accelerator'.
Hint 4: Resources too, though 'Food' remains 'Food', 'Wood' is now 'Carbon', 'Gold' is 'Nova Crystals' and 'Stone' is 'Ore'.

Guessed by @UnderwaterFunktown

I think most people listing Cyberpunk 2077 at this point in time probably replayed it with all the updates and DLC and stuff, and while I intend to do that as well, I actually haven't touched it since the year it was released. Sure it was full of glitches and shortcomings, but the fact that my opinion of this game has barely changed in all this time is an indicament of how memorable it was, and really how awesome it was. I probably only played this because of how much hype there was around it, as it's nothing like most games I'm interested in, but I don't regret anything about it. It was just an amazing experience and one I want to revisit soon.

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Guessed by @UnderwaterFunktown

A really impactful and amazing storyline trapped within the confines of a dated and grindy RPG. As someone once said, "the biggest problem with Persona 3 is that it's a videogame". Still, despite all the grinding and obtuse gameplay, I largely enjoyed my time with it and think more recent Persona games could take some inspiration from how character development was handled in this.

I can't wait to burn my bread in HD

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#36 The birth of a genre based on


It spawned a board game as well that's finally back in print

Dune II. 

Yep, I drove my parents crazy with this game "reporting". I made a level editor for it with mouse interface to easily click different scenarios together, then save it over one of the existing scenarios and play.


I replayed the game again as Dune 2000, yet the 1992 version will always stay with me for playing together with friends after school. The Fremen were a favorite to pester the enemy with. Yet all 3 factions were fun to play with different abilities.

Alright, gonna drop the next couple hints, it's nice to be back on schedule!

#35 - You're a ___ now, you're a _____ now
#34 - The only game in this long-running sci-fi franchise where you get to explore multiple planets.

#34: Metroid Prime 3?