Video games are a huge part of my and many others lives because of the impact they leave on many of us. Video games can be fun and stress-relieving depending on what the game is. Each game has a unique style and brings something different to the table. Revisiting games from your childhood or games that you hold dear to your heart is always a fun way to remember the good times you had playing a certain game. Video games may keep you coming back due to their great gameplay, nostalgia, or story. I’m here to give you ten more video games that will leave a lasting impression and impact on you. These games all have their unique styles, meanings, and replayability that will keep you coming back for more.  I can say that having played all of these games, you won’t ever forget the experience that you had playing these games.

• Cyberpunk 2077

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2020

Reviews: 

84% Steam 

86% Metacritic 

9/10 IGN

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world RPG game that takes place in the year, well, 2077, in the future. In Cyberpunk’s narrative, you play as someone named V. An RPG means role-playing game, and in most of those games, you get to create your character, male or female. You also get to choose one of three different life paths which give a different and unique introduction to the game. You can choose between the Nomad, Streekid, or Corpo lifestyle. The narrative is very complex and has a lot going on but essentially you are a street punk trying to survive and make a living out in Night City, a huge city that has a lot to do and offer. You can take on many jobs that make you a bunch of eddies (the in-game currency). You can buy cars, clothes, weapons, and much more. The whole theme of the game is surrounded by whether or not you want to leave a mark on the world or stay as a nobody and not be remembered. The game is also a decision-making game with many dialogue options and choices that lead down the path that you lead your V down. You write your own story in Night City. The game also includes famous actors such as Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba, who are really cool to see in-game (and are great characters). The gameplay is fun and the story is gripping with many heartfelt moments and great characters. Not to mention the beautiful graphics, some of the best graphics and visuals I’ve ever seen in a game. It’s an emotional and fun game from start to finish and the nine years it took to develop this game were worth the wait. 

• Silent Hill 2

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2024

Reviews:

95% Steam

86% Metacritic

8/10 IGN

Silent Hill 2 (2024) is a psychological horror game and remake of the original Silent Hill 2 from 2001. Back when the original Silent Hill 2 was released, it was praised for its amazing use of symbolism, stellar atmosphere, horror, story, characters, and the amazing use of the Silent Hill town. You don’t have to play the other Silent Hill games in the franchise to understand and love this one, this one’s its own story and game in the Silent Hill universe. The plot in all of the games surrounds a town called Silent Hill that’s in another dimension known as the Otherworld, which has nightmarish places and monsters across the entire town. Silent Hill 2 surrounds James Sunderland, who receives a letter from his dead wife Mary who died three years prior. He then goes to the deadly Silent Hill in hopes of finding his wife, and of course, things go super wrong for him. The definitive way to play Silent Hill 2 is of course playing the PS5 remake which was released only two months ago. It’s a true masterpiece of a horror game that won’t ever leave your mind and some consider it to be the best horror game of all time, and by some the best game EVER. The atmosphere and vibe immerse you into the shoes of James and the world of Silent Hill. The game has eight endings depending on how you play the game. If you’re a fan of horror and somehow never touched Silent Hill, you should pick up this game.

• Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves

Age Rating: T (Teen 13+)

Release Date: 2022

Reviews:

89% Steam

86% Metacritic

9/10 IGN

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves is an action-adventure game that includes two games from the Uncharted series (if you haven’t already, play the first three Uncharted games, they’re legendary). The two games are Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End & Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. The series follows former treasure hunter Nathan Drake who in each game, goes treasure hunting for a different piece of treasure. In each game., he’s surrounded by a few other of his friends or family that help him in his adventures such as Victor Sullivan, his wife Elena Fisher, and more characters from each game. During each of his adventures, there are also antagonists towards Nate who are also after the treasure. He always has to fight for his life and survive life-or-death situations in order to survive. There are five games in total which are the first three, and these two. You can play both games through the Legacy of Thieves Collection and this collection has my favorite out of the bunch, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. That game has the best version of Nathan Drake, best character development, action set pieces, graphics, and gameplay. It also has the best two villains in the whole franchise, and most of the time the villains are either hit or miss. The Lost Legacy is the only one that doesn’t start Nathan Drake but instead, two female leads from the previous games, Chole Frazer and Nadine Ross. Although Lost Legacy isn’t as good as Uncharted 4, it’s still a blast from start to finish and both games are a must-play if you love action-adventure games. Nate is awesome and the franchise as a whole is amazing. A must-play.

• Until Dawn (PS5 Remake)

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2024

Reviews:

79% Steam

69% Metacritic

7.5/10 IGN

Until Dawn is a horror, decision-making-based game where your decisions matter, and can either save or get someone killed. There are many decision-based games out in the world but I believe Until Dawn to be the best one of all. You control eight characters throughout the entire narrative of the game and you make decisions that will either impact the story in a good or bad way. The game surrounds, as I said, eight characters (Sam, Chris, Matt, Emily, Mike, Jessica, Josh, and Ashley). After a year a terrible tragedy occurred (not going to say what happened)  in this group of friends, they re-group on Mt. Washington, the mountain owned by Josh Washington and his family where the terrible tragedy also happened (and where the entire game takes place). Josh orchestrated the whole plan to get back together to mend and fix the friend group after what had happened the year before, which divided them all. A vacation that was supposed to be fun, turns into a nightmare for each of the eight friends and they must survive on this mountain that holds deadly secrets. Until Dawn at first seems like a cliche, cheesy, and campy horror game that follows the tropes of the horror movies it’s trying to imitate, but instead the game subverts the gamers’ expectations as you progress through the game. Until Dawn is a masterclass in story-telling, good characters, writing, and most of all, horror. Until Dawn was actually originally released back in 2015, but was recently remastered and revamped just two months ago for the PlayStation 5 and PC. It’s the definitive way to play this masterpiece of a game where your decisions do matter and if you mess up, you can’t go back. Unlike most horror movie characters, the characters in this game are very well-rounded and written enough for you to care about them (for the most part). It’s genuinely a great time and everyone who’s a fan of horror and decision-making games should play this game. It’s awesome.

• Dead Space (Remake)

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2023

Reviews:

91% Steam

89% Metacritic

9/10 IGN

Dead Space is considered one of the greatest horror games (like Silent Hill 2) of all time and for a very, very good reason. Dead Space is another horror game and a very good one at that. You play as an engineer named Isaac Clarke. Set in the year 2058, you and your team are sent on a mission to fix a spaceship. Everything goes very, horribly wrong. The ship is overrun by savage, deadly space monsters of all different kinds whose only goal is to kill each and every one of them. Isaac and his team must survive and get off the ship in any way possible. Just like Until Dawn, this is a remaster/remake of the original game by the same title, which came out in 2008. But, Dead Space is much more of a remake and reimagining of the original game, as opposed to Until Dawn which is the exact same, just better graphics, frame rate, and overall quality. The remake of Dead Space is obviously a lot more polished, has very realistic and beautiful graphics, and smoother gameplay. This time around, Isaac Clarke has a lot more personality and the characters overall are a lot more interesting than the original. I like a game that if you’re going to do a remake (and Dead Space really needed a remake), changes things that weren’t received well or things they think would need to be changed for the better. The game has a great story and it’s very intriguing. It’s just as fun as it is actually scary. Dead Space is also a franchise with many other games such as Dead Space 2 & Dead Space 3. If you’re a horror fan, this is another game that you must play at least once. 

• The Last of Us Part I & The Last of Us Part II

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Dates: (Part 1: 2022, Part II: 2020)

Reviews:

75% Steam

89% Metacritic

9/10 IGN

The Last of Us Part 1 & The Last of Us Part II are two linear, story-driven, post-apocalyptic games about a zombie virus that unleashed known as the Cordyceps infection. Of course, that’s not the story of the games, not even the central focus, but that’s what the game is generally about. I included both games because both are a must-play (I know this is sort of a top eleven list now) and have probably the second-best story I’ve ever seen in any video game, my first is on this list (you’ll just have to wait). The release dates of these games may look confusing, so let me clear it up. The original The Last of Us came out in 2013 originally, but in 2022, The Last of Us Part I came out and it was a huge graphical upgrade and came with a lot of extra content and it’s the definitive way to play the game. The Last of Us story is about a man named Joel Miller, who has survived 20 years of the apocalypse. At the beginning of the game, Joel loses his daughter Sarah, which leaves him broken for basically the rest of those 20 years. As you progress further into the game, you meet Ellie. A 14-year-old girl who is supposedly the cure to the cordyceps infection. So, Joel is tasked with taking Ellie across the country to this group called the Fireflies who have doctors who can create the cure. Along the beautiful story and journey, Joel starts to see Ellie as his daughter and they start to develop a strong relationship with each other which is the entire foundation of the first game. The game is littered with themes of love, hate, relationships, and what a father would do for their daughter. It’s a wonderful game from start to finish that wraps up nicely and in my opinion, did not need a second game. Even though the second game was unnecessary in my opinion, it’s still a great game and I recommend it to anyone who loved the first one. The first one is better than the second one though in my opinion. It’s best if I don’t explain the plot of the second one, you just have to play it to really understand the plot of the game. I can’t explain the game without spoiling it. And that’s okay because the game is full of surprises and crazy plot points that will grip you throughout. If you haven’t, buy and play The Last of Us games because they’ll stick with you forever and are just two beautiful games. 

• The Quarry

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2022

Reviews:

82% Steam

79% Metacritic

7/10 IGN

The Quarry is another horror decision-making (horror’s too good) game made by the same team that developed Until Dawn. Both of these games are compared a lot because The Quarry is supposed to be the spiritual successor to Until Dawn because of how much of a masterpiece that game was. Does it live

up to Until Dawn? Short answer, no. But the game is still great and worth a shot if you love horror, decision-making, and especially Until Dawn. The game is similar to Until Dawn in terms of that campy, cheesy, slasher vibe at the beginning of the game. The Quarry feels more like an 80’s throwback than Until Dawn (like Friday The 13th). But just like Until Dawn, it has a huge twist and mystery and is a great one at that. Though the game has a few plot holes, and not as good characters, or a good story as Until Dawn, it’s still fun and a joy to play. The game follows nine playable characters (Laura, Max, Ryan, Jacob, Nick, Abigail, Emma, Kaitlyn, and Dylan). All nine playable characters are camp counselors at Hackett’s Quarry Summer Camp and are leaving camp for the summer, except for Max and Laura, nobody knows what happened to those two. They were supposed to show up for camp as counselors but never did. Anyways, the rest of the other seven counselors are closing up camp and leaving for the summer. But, their car ends up breaking down and they are forced to stay another night at Hackett’s Quarry. They plan to throw one last big party before they part ways, and of course, it all goes wrong and the quarry isn’t as safe and friendly as they thought. The game is bigger than Until Dawn in terms of dialogue choices, character deaths, and endings. It’s a fun game that you should play if you’re a fan of these types of games. The characters are good and the game feels like a classic 80’s throwback horror movie with a huge twist. 

• Ghost of Tsushima

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2020

Reviews:

93% Steam

83% Metacritic

9/10 IGN

Ghost of Tsushima is an action-adventure samurai game that takes place on Tsushima Island. The year is 1274, and the game surrounds the first Mongol invasion on Tsushima Island. The samurai try to put up a fight against the Mongols on Komoda Beach but ultimately fail. One of the last standing samurai is Jin Sakai, the main protagonist. As he starts to heal and feel better, his main goal is to hunt down the head of the Mongols, Khotun Khan, and stop him from taking over Tsushima. The game’s story and narrative are so well-written and you can see that Jin starts to lose his honor (one of the themes of the game is having honor) and descends more into the “ghost” of Tsushima. The central theme of the game is having honor in everything you do. It’s the samurai way. But, Jin knows that to save the people of Tsushima he has to sacrifice everything that he stood for, all of his honor. The gameplay is also amazing fun. There’s a lot to learn, skills to use, gadgets, weapons, and katanas. Ghost of Tsushima is the best samurai game I’ve ever played. Nothing else has captured the samurai magic of this game. The game is also one of the most beautiful-looking games on the market right now. The wind moves the grass so realistically and the colors used in the game are just perfect. This game is a definite must-play for its gameplay, stellar story, and characters.

• Red Dead Redemption 2

Age Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Release Date: 2018

Reviews:

93% Steam

97% Metacritic

10/10 IGN

When I think of “What’s the best game of all time?”I think of this game right here, Red Dead Redemption 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 in my opinion, is the greatest game I have ever played in my life. Red Dead Redemption 2 is about the end of the Wild West era in the 1800s (takes place in 1899 specifically). Civilization is starting to truly form and there’s no more space for the cowboys of the west. We follow the Van der Linde gang, led by Dutch van der Linde. But, we play as one of his closest friends and associates in the group, Arthur Morgan. The gang is trying to get away from the Pinkertons, a secret detective agency hellbent on bringing down the last few gangs in the West. The Pinkertons are led by Agent Milton who is set on capturing/killing the Dutch. The story is my favorite and best story I’ve ever seen in any game. I feel like instead of a game, this should’ve been its movie. This game has the best character writing, worldbuilding, and story that my own two eyes have witnessed. Arthur Morgan is the best-written character and nobody can change my mind. Throughout the 60-hour story (yes, 60 hours), we see Arthur Morgan’s transformation that I won’t spoil because the game is just that good. He’s as loyal as can be to the gang because it’s the only thing that he’s ever known. He’ll do anything for Dutch and his dear friends. He’d rob, kill, steal, and much more. By the end of the game, you’d be left wanting more despite its super long runtime. It left a lasting impact on me that I’ll never, ever, forget, and playing it for the first time was truly something special. It’s an emotional roller coaster that will make you have fun and cry. The game has gorgeous graphics and the world is filled with things to do. You can do lots of side missions like bounty hunting, play dominos, five finger fillet, talk to civilians (you can either antagonize or be nice to them as well), hunt, help out the gang, so, so much more that would be too much to add onto here. This game is a prequel to the 2010 Game of The Year, Red Dead Redemption. You should play the second one first, then the first one (both are truly perfect games). If there’s anything you aren’t interested in playing, play this one at least. This game is my #1 game of all time and is a must-play for anyone. A genuinely perfect game.