All the Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Given the medium's wild diversity, this primer of the essential video games everyone should try is a good place to start.

[thorstein]

.... from the 2000s (mostly).

[shinoff2183]

I can't fk with this list. They missed on alot of games probably before the writers times. Also I know people loved some portal but I was never a fan.

[Cacabunga]

Tomb Raider 1
Driver 1
Abe’s Odyssey
FF6
King of Fighters 94
Mortal Kombat OG
LINK 2 the past
Street Fighter 2
Resident Evil 1

[Inverno]

Infinite but not the first two games? Witcher 3 but not the first two games?? GTA V but not literally any of the games before it??? Portal 2 but not the first? Also if you're going to play Shadow of The Colossus play the remaster and not the remake. Can't say I disagree with the list but my man it's all over the place.

[Name Last Name]

I mean some sequels are objectively better and you don’t need to play the whole series.

[Inverno]

But most of these games have a story to follow, sure you can catch up with a YouTube vid but where's the fun in that?

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

A list like this isn't telling you not to play the previous games if you want to. It's just giving you legendary games to play.

But tbh, you don't always have to force yourself to play every entry in a franchise to get to the better ones.

- The vast majority of Witcher 3 players never played the first 2 and had a great time. The first 2 games aren't in the same league.
- The GTA games are self-contained with the odd fun reference. You can easily jump into any of them.
- The Shadow Of The Colossus remake looks and controls better than the original (plus it has a 60fps option while the remaster is just 30fps). New players will enjoy it more.
- Portal 2 is a lot better than Portal 1 and takes the concept much further gameplay-wise. Storywise, Portal 1 is fairly light too. Not that you shouldn't play it but realistically ... you'd love Portal 2 whether you play it or not (at lot of Portal 2 players have never played 1).

Bioshock 1 is the only one I agree with you on simply because it's one the best games of all time and arguably better than Infinite. No other setting like Rapture.

Looking at the list, I'd recommend playing Uncharted 1 before 2 but no doubt, 2 is the legendary one you have to play.

[Inverno]

I get it, but that's just my opinion on his opinion. I just think that before you play a sequel you should still play what came before it. Maybe it's just me but i find it fascinating playing through the first game in a series and seeing how it has evolved through its sequels. Like I said I don't disagree with the list, other than SoTC which I strongly believe the remaster of the original should be played above the remake.

[AuraAbjure]

Awesome list! Hot take on Fear (and it's hard af expansion Persaus Mandate!) Bioshock Infinite is stellar, so is the Witcher 3 and you nailed it by having Ocarina of Time. So many fantastic games! Gotta play 'em all! Next one on my list is Prey after I beat Dead Space 2 and Splinter Cell Conviction.

[DarXyde]

Too many first person games for my tastes.

[Ray J]

What failure of a list is that, literally not mentioning many of the MOST historical milestones in gaming:
Metal Gear Solid 1 to 4
Final Fantasy
God of War 1 to 3
Driver
Gran Turismo
Doom
Goldeneye
GTA 3 to San Andreas
Silent Hill
Ridge Racer
Tekken
Halo
Gears of War
Crash Bandicoot
Tony Hawks
Tomb Raider
Medal of Honor
Syphon Filter
Mario Kart
Burnout 1 to 3
Ico
Devil May Cry 1 to 3
Batman Arkham 1 to 4
Call of Duty, the millstone entries like Call of Duty 1, or Modern Warfare etc.
Assassin Creed, Ezio Games

I could go on and on with historically actually essential games. But this dude names „essential games“ such as Stray?? Minecraft??(migh as well list Fortnite then) Rocket League?? Hades?? Before your Eyes?? Disco Elysium?? Hollow Knight?? Stardew Valley?? Battlefield 1, instead of the historic literal first actual Battlefield or Bad Company or 3 or 4???

Tell me you have limited experience in gaming without telling me you have limited experience in gaming. Calling his list „essential“ is a joke. Like a little kid telling you with absolute confidence Fortnite is the best game ever.