What Games must be played?

[Shoggoth2588]

It's a ***** to get a hold of legally...Working on it though. In the mean-time...

Tetris. It's the only game l know of that is available on everything with a screen and anything resembling a keyboard (as of 2003 I think). It is the great-grand daddy of every current, casual puzzle game and proof that even the most simple of games can still hold up in this day and age.

Another would be the original Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior. It isn't the best JRPG or all time nor am I saying it holds up. The ending is also really disappointing (I challenge anyone who calls ME3 WORST GAEM EVAR because of its ending to play through Dragon Warrior and tell me that one is better). The thing is though, it's like going to a museum. It's the great-great-grand daddy of JRPGs after all. It's also fairly short, taking about 15 - 20 hours depending on how grind-happy you chose to be.

 

[Mordekaien]

Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen series, because they had great setting, stunning art style, good gameplay and one of the best voice acting I've seen in a game.

 

[loc978]

I have a difficult time telling someone they have to play a particular game, as many people have told me such and led me to some of what I consider to be the worst games I've ever played... and of course, everyone's taste in genre and what is great within any preferred genre is pretty damned subjective...

But to anyone who can enjoy a third-person action horse-riding, animated building climbing and stabbing simulator... Shadow of the Colossus. Love that game still.

OT: A Blizzard game. Of any genre. So, that means War-/Star- Craft or Diablo. They aren't original but sure as hell know how to refine a formula into a game that people like. Again, the game's quality is not really up there for debate, as the games aren't that good, they are, however, liked.

You forgot

Spoiler: Blackthorne.

check the first 15 seconds, yo. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpmIpBouHSk]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackthorne]
I miss that Blizzard. Interplay were good, benevolent overlords to 'em back then.

 

[octafish]

Just a couple:
The Operative: No One Lives Forever
Planescape: Torment
X-Com: UFO Defense
Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle
and if you can find it and get it to run
System Shock 2, because everyone should know how disappointing Bioshock really is.

EDIT: Fuck it, add Freespace 2 to the list.

 

[Deadyawn]

I'm going to be boring and say portal. I really can't think of anything that is as good with as much universal appeal.
You can't objectively say that people HAVE to play X game but Portal is definetely a good catch all.

 

[Vausch]

In terms of things that are probably the best in their genres or at least the most respected among gamers, I have a good list for ambassadors of sorts.

2D Platformers: Super Mario World

Puzzles: Portal and/or Portal 2

Fighers: Street Fighter 2

Online FPS: Team Fortress 2 (Speak to known users to find a server that will not make you hate humanity)

Single Player FPS: Half Life 2

Horror or just for great story: Silent Hill 2

RPG: Deus Ex or System Shock 2

JRPG: Honestly I don't play these often beyond Kingdom Hearts but that's not a bad option, though I've heard good things about this Final Fantasy or some of its sequels.

Uncategorised: Shadow of the Colossus.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

Cave Story. It's got an excellent story, looks amazing without having top-of-the-line graphics, and while it's slightly more linear than most Metroidvania (which hides its linearity behind "oh, you can't open this wall until you find the Super Missile upgrade!), the excellent story more than makes up for that. And it's free.

('Cave Story Deluxe Package' is the one you want. Works with any controller you have plugged in with at least six buttons.)

 

[Starik20X6]

Out of the games I've played:

Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
LittleBigPlanet 2
Mario Kart
Any main series Mario
Any main series Zelda
GoldenEye 007

More will probably come to me later... Though I suppose if it was truly a highlight it'd have already come to me.

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

MASTODON...i know its not a game but they are the best band in the universe

 

[Hattingston]

A few recommendations:

Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim; Old, fun and unique. Stay away from the sequel though.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War; RTS set in the 40k universe. Dark Crusade is the my favorite iteration. Solid gameplay, most races feel fairly unique (chaos and space marines being the major exception). I prefer it to Starcraft, but it was my first RTS.

Portal & Portal 2; Very fun, very witty. I mention both because I preferred the sequel to the original, but it would be a crime to play one and not the other.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind; Get past the graphics and combat(which are terrible, but made passable with mods) and you have a hell of a world to explore. Feels totally alien and giant, one of my favorite games for atmosphere. And I couldn't even figure out how to start the main quest.

Demon's Souls/Dark Souls; Demon's Souls atmosphere is amazing. Difficult action rpg game, but fair, and the difficulty involved makes victory feel all the better. Multiplayer interaction is also excellent. Dark Souls is basically Demon's Souls with a couple of changes here and there, nothing major.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare; Yeah, Call of Duty has a bad rap, but that's because its 4 previous iterations have been carbon copies of this game. And that's because this game was pretty damn good.

Jak and Ratchet Series; Excellent gameplay in both cases, and I especially enjoyed the story in Jak 2 and 3.

Team Fortress 2; Free, solid shooter, lighthearted, easy on system requirements, and runs on about everything but Unix (which I hear is changing soon).

 

[dimensional]

No games must be played except maybe the game of life sorta speaking that being said there are loads of games that are awesome and I feel my life slightly more enjoyable for having played them.

FFVII
Xenoblade Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles
Persona 4
Street Fighter 2 turbo
Okami
Journey
Strangers Wrath
Oblivion
Bayonetta
Mario 3
Mario Galaxy
Soul Calibur
Katawa Shoujo

I could go on but theres a few recommendations.

 

[Aprilgold]

Well lets see.
Earthbound.
Portal.
Minecraft.
Audio Surf.
Lone Survivor.
Half Life.
Cry of Fear.
Duke Nukem.
Serious Sam.
Cave Story.
Nethack.
The Binding of Isaac.
Dungeons of Dreadmor.
Mount and Blade.
Magicka.
Worms.
Frozen Synapse.
And finally Saints Row.

All these include sequels by the way.

 

[lRookiel]

I am obligated to say Baldurs gate.

YOU MUST PLAY IT!

 

[Syzygy23]

Journey

If you've ever thought of gaming as more than a playful distraction, as something that can inspire real emotions, you need to play Journey.

It's absolute brilliance.

The evil ending to InFamous 2 should count then.

I... I couldn't even finish it. I couldn't kill Zeke! I think the end of InFamous 2 is a "soul" test of sorts. If you get the full evil ending, you don't have a soul, because you killed Zeke.

 

[putowtin]

Journey

If you've ever thought of gaming as more than a playful distraction, as something that can inspire real emotions, you need to play Journey.

It's absolute brilliance.

The evil ending to InFamous 2 should count then.

I... I couldn't even finish it. I couldn't kill Zeke! I think the end of InFamous 2 is a "soul" test of sorts. If you get the full evil ending, you don't have a soul, because you killed Zeke.

Trust me, you're not the only one, I for my shame did finish the evil ending, I then curled up in a ball and wept for Zeke, a true friend!

 

[Catfood220]

MASTODON...i know its not a game but they are the best band in the universe

Totally off topic but nevermind. I always wanted to like Mastodon but really hated the singer.

Games people should play, ummmmmmm:

Illusion of Time on the SNES, just an awesome little adventure.
Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening/Link To The Past/Majoras Mask
Skies of Arcadia
Call of Duty: Finest Hour/Modern Warfare
Valkyria Chronicles
Child of Eden
Resident Evil 2/4
Batman Arkham Asylum
Uncharted 2 + 3
Paper Mario + Thousand Year Door

Probably more but my mind can't think of any more.

The evil ending to InFamous 2 should count then.

I... I couldn't even finish it. I couldn't kill Zeke! I think the end of InFamous 2 is a "soul" test of sorts. If you get the full evil ending, you don't have a soul, because you killed Zeke.

I killed Zeke, I suppose that means I'm a souless murderer. I'm really sorry, I felt so bad about it and will never do it again (even if I do prefer fighting Nix to The Beast). But I really wanted to see the ending...which I suppose I could of watched on Youtube...Ok alright, I'm a souless monster...Happy now?

 

[Nerexor]

Games that must be played?

Super Metroid. 'Nuff said

inFamous 2. inFamous 1 was good, but #2 distilled everything good about #1 and ramped it up like crazy. Also one of the few games where the "evil" options of the moral choice system aren't entirely limited to "LOL I'm doing this to be a dick!"

Super Mario RPG. It's a silly fun JRPG that doesn't take itself nearly as seriously as it's brethren. Familiar characters, awesome music, fun gameplay, occasionally hilarious dialogue.

Final Fantasy 6. Everything good about the Final Fantasy series happens here. Great music, lots of characters but despite the huge cast they're all fairly distinct, great good versus evil plot, amazing villain, and cool magic system. Graphics are, in there own way, more palatable than looking at the godawful polygons of FF7 in retrospect, so save your eyes and play this one.