Arco.

A recent and lesser known game - unique turn-based tactical combat, and a heart-wrenching story.

Outer Wilds.

Another opportunity to shout out my 2024 GOTY, Dread Delusion! I have so much love to gush for it. I wouldn’t say it “blows the mind” per se, but it knows what it is and executes it soundly. Give it a shot if you enjoy the sonder-type experience from a well-crafted storyline

Nethack / Cdda / coq...

Because going blind Is the game

Warframe. Focus on the Main Quest. That is all.

Helltaker

Free, short, puzzles, cute, and banger ost

I'll also add The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC. I know there's a remake coming out next year, but there's a bunch of shady stuff surrounding how they're gonna localize it. (Supposedly, they're gonna use AI to try to do most of it and then have real people brush it up.)

So I'd recommend playing the original instead. It's a 2.5D game with a mostly 360° camera. It uses turn-based combat, but not traditional turn-based combat. And it has a great story.

It's also on sale for only US$9.99 on GOG (which is DRM-free) and Steam.

That Dragon, Cancer turned me into a blubbering sobbing mess.

There's are so many spots in the game that could hit someone the hardest, and I know what mine was.

Ahh, I'd love to tell you, but it would spoil the surprise.

Nobody said Firewatch yet?

I'll also add To The Moon as well. I could list more, but almost any game where narrative is the main focus and gameplay is secondary.

Way to make me feel old, I don't know any of those games.

Where's my late 90s early 2000s gamers at?

I'm going to nominate:

• Fallout (1997) for plot twists and introducing (to me at least) open world role playing.
• Fallout 2 (1998) for further plot twists
• Max Payne (2001) for stealing bullet time from the matrix and putting it in a game
• Mafia (2002) for being a kick ass game that would blow your mind, by making 6 hours of your night disappear, and not lifting the lid on that plot twist before you heard the birds start singing, and realize that you should probably hit the shower and get to school.

The Walking Dead by Telltale.

dishonoured 1 and 2.