The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo EPD · 2017
60 essential games from 1999 to 2024. Ratings, platforms, studios, and what makes each one worth your time.
Nintendo EPD · 2017
Rockstar · 2018
Larian Studios · 2023
Nintendo EPD · 2023
FromSoftware · 2022
Valve · 2011
Mojang · 2011
CD Projekt Red · 2015
ConcernedApe · 2016
Nintendo EPD · 2017
FromSoftware · 2022
Dark Souls meets open world, written by George R.R. Martin. Unforgettable.
CD Projekt Red · 2015
Geralt of Rivia's final hunt. Best narrative RPG of its generation.
Larian Studios · 2023
D&D 5e on screen. Choice-driven, character-rich, 100+ hour RPG perfection.
CD Projekt Red · 2023
The redemption arc. Phantom Liberty expansion delivers what launch promised.
FromSoftware · 2016
The series' most refined. Tight combat, haunting world.
FromSoftware · 2015
Gothic Lovecraftian nightmare. FromSoft's most aggressive.
Blizzard · 2023
Loot and demon-slaying. Season content is now the backbone.
Grinding Gear Games · 2013
Deepest ARPG build variety. Free-to-play, generous monetization.
Atlus · 2019
Stylish Tokyo-teen JRPG. Beautifully animated, 100-hour story.
Square Enix · 2020
Midgar reimagined for a new generation. Cinematic action-JRPG.
ZA/UM · 2021
A detective, a fallen world, a dialogue tree longer than a novel.
Obsidian · 2018
Isometric CRPG revival with pirate-hunting theme.
Larian Studios · 2017
Four-player CRPG. The studio that later made Baldur's Gate 3.
Valve · 2020
VR's killer app. Brings Half-Life back with stunning presence.
Blizzard · 2022
5v5 hero shooter. Now free-to-play with seasonal content.
Valve · 2023
Tactical FPS benchmark. Source 2 rebuild with sub-tick networking.
Riot Games · 2020
Counter-Strike meets Overwatch. Abilities + precise gunplay.
Respawn · 2019
Squad-based BR. The best movement in the genre.
Epic · 2017
Cultural phenomenon. Constant crossovers, creative modes, free.
Sledgehammer · 2023
Annual military shooter. Multiplayer is its strength.
Firaxis · 2016
Build a civilization to stand the test of time. "One more turn" in hex form.
Blizzard · 2010
Still the gold standard for RTS. Three distinct races, competitive depth.
Relic · 2021
RTS classic modernized. Beautiful unit animations, strong meta.
Paradox · 2013
Historical grand strategy over 400 years. 1000-hour playgrounds.
Paradox · 2020
Medieval dynasty simulator. Intrigue, inheritance, chaos.
Supergiant · 2020
Escape the Underworld again and again. Exemplary roguelite with story that sticks.
ConcernedApe · 2016
One dev, endless charm. The cozy game that spawned a genre.
Team Cherry · 2017
Hand-drawn underground kingdom. Deepest Metroidvania since Super Metroid.
Valve · 2011
Co-op puzzle perfection. Still funnier than most comedies.
Mojang · 2011
Infinite voxel sandbox. Has generated more creativity than any game.
Re-Logic · 2011
2D Minecraft + RPG. Massive content in a small package.
Nintendo EPD · 2020
Desert island escape. The pandemic game.
ZA/UM · 2019
The dialogue-only detective CRPG that proved games are literature.
Mega Crit · 2019
Roguelite deckbuilder genre definer.
LocalThunk · 2024
Poker + roguelite. Shockingly addictive. GOTY 2024 contender.
Poncle · 2022
One of a kind roguelite. Autobattler that exploded a new genre.
Nintendo EPD · 2017
Reinvented open-world gaming. Physics-driven freedom in a painterly Hyrule.
Nintendo EPD · 2023
Fuse, Ultrahand, and sky islands expand BotW's template into a sandbox masterpiece.
Rockstar · 2018
The last days of the Wild West rendered with cinematic detail and heart.
Santa Monica Studio · 2022
Kratos and Atreus face Ragnarök. Cinematic action-RPG at its peak.
FromSoftware · 2019
Parry-or-die samurai action. Deflect the world.
Capcom · 2018
Hunt giant monsters, craft gear, hunt bigger monsters. Addictive loop.
Rockstar · 2013
Three protagonists, endless map. GTA Online continues to print money.
Insomniac · 2023
Peter and Miles swing through NYC. Best Spider-Man game ever.
Guerrilla · 2022
Aloy hunts robot dinosaurs across a gorgeous post-apocalypse.
Extremely OK Games · 2018
Hard platformer about mental health. Best air-dash feel in gaming.
Nintendo EPD · 2017
Mario's 3D platforming pinnacle. Cappy possesses anything.
Nintendo EPD · 2023
Wonder Flowers transform every level. Most creative 2D Mario in decades.
Capcom · 2023
The 2005 classic rebuilt flawlessly. Third-person horror benchmark.
Remedy · 2023
Genre-bending story-driven horror. Remedy at its most ambitious.
Konami · 2001
Psychological horror landmark. A 2024 remake is in the works.
EA Sports · 2023
Post-FIFA-license football. HyperMotion is slicker every year.
2K Sports · 2023
Basketball sim. Gameplay good, microtransactions heavy.
Psyonix · 2015
Soccer with rocket cars. Simple idea, bottomless depth.
Playground · 2021
Open-world racing in Mexico. The best driving game ever made by consensus.
Polyphony · 2022
Simcade racing. Car culture love letter.
Riot · 2009
The MOBA that defined the genre. 150+ champions, massive esports.
Valve · 2013
Steeper learning curve than LoL. Also deeper. Home of The International.
Blizzard · 2004
The MMO that defined the genre. Still going strong.
Square Enix · 2013
Story-focused MMO. The redemption arc of redemption arcs.
Ratings reflect Metacritic, OpenCritic, and user-review consensus. We prioritize games that hold up years later over time-of-release hype.
Genre classification leans practical, not dogmatic. A Roguelite can also be indie. A shooter can also be a sport. We pick the one that'll help you find it.