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The classics that still hold up

The ones almost everyone agrees on

349 games · page 1 of 8

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 2015 Why it still holds upOn every road the world offers something to choose or find, from contracts to buried treasure, and that keeps it worth playing today.
Red Dead Redemption 2 2018 Why it still holds upA world that answers what you do, from the weather to the law, still keeps it worth playing today.
The Last of Us 2013 Why it still holds upThe fights still come down to that scarcity today, and retreating to come back from another angle is often the way through, in levels open enough to improvise in.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2017 Why it still holds upAny direction is still worth taking today, because the world runs on systems and physics and even a simple environmental puzzle can have three or four solutions.
God of War 2018 Why it still holds upThe combat still carries it today, with the axe thrown and called back while a second fighter works beside you, so each fight has several things going on at once.
Chrono Trigger 1995 Why it still holds upAreas hardly overstay their welcome and the puzzles are challenging without being frustrating, which is why the pacing holds up today.
Portal 2 2011 Why it still holds upA few simple tools that combine keep producing new puzzles, and the writing and characters carry them, so it still plays well today.
Hollow Knight 2017 Why it still holds upExploring is still the draw: you map the world, beat bosses to gain abilities and use them to reach places that were closed.
Super Mario World 1990 Why it still holds upExploring the world map pays off as much as the levels, with red spots that lead to secret routes, so it is still worth playing today.
Mass Effect 2 2010 Why it still holds upYour squad keeps it worth playing today: you spend time on your ship, the Normandy, learning their pasts and doing their optional missions, and those choices carry through to the end.
Bloodborne 2015 Why it still holds upCome to it today for the combat: everything pushes you to step in and hit rather than wait behind a guard.
Super Metroid 1994 Why it still holds upThe world is still the reason to go back today, made to be explored from its silent, empty start.
Half-Life 2 2004 Why it still holds upPlay it now for the pacing: the opening sections alternate tension with small moments of rest, and enemies, allies and supplies are always marked by the design or by sound.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 2016 Why it still holds upYou would play it today for the traversal and the performances, since climbing carries much of the game and the dialogue and acting carry a personal story.
Grand Theft Auto V 2013 Why it still holds upToday the reward for your time is the detail: conversations while driving change if you repeat a mission, and the story takes about 30 hours.
Final Fantasy VII 1997 Why it still holds upThe Materia and the size of the world still give you plenty to get into.
The Last of Us Part II 2020 Why it still holds upFights that leave many ways open, from sneaking through to setting groups against each other or shooting your way out, are still worth playing for today.
Silent Hill 2 2001 Why it still holds upThe horror is the reason to go now: it is psychological, built from the characters' regrets and fears and from a town seen through fog, rather than from monsters alone.
Metroid Prime 2002 Why it still holds upExploring is still the draw today, with a story you find by scanning and locked areas that pull you back later.
NieR: Automata 2017 Why it still holds upIts tone and its music carry it today: the world is heavy and unusual, and its environments are lush.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 2019 Why it still holds upMastering the parrying is the reward now: the combat is built on it, and getting good at it gives a sense of pride.
Super Mario Bros. 3 1988 Why it still holds upIts level design holds up today because the power-ups change how each level can be crossed, and the difficulty rises gradually toward the eighth world.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door 2004 Why it still holds upThe timed hits and the audience make the battles worth playing today, since stylish play is rewarded, and each chapter is nearly a self contained episode.
Half-Life 1998 Why it still holds upThe story told without cutscenes keeps it fresh to play now, and its soldiers still change how a gunfight plays.
Super Mario Odyssey 2017 Why it still holds upToday it works because you choose what to do toward the moon count, and capturing drives much of the level design.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 2009 Why it still holds upIt stays playable now because you keep control of Nathan almost every time something happens on screen, and the characters talk like people.
Shadow of the Colossus 2005 Why it still holds upEach colossus is its own puzzle in scale, with only a quiet land between them, which is why it holds up today.
Super Mario 64 1996 Why it still holds upMario still controls crisply today, and each painting lets you pick which star to chase, so the game feels open.
Diablo II 2000 Why it still holds upThe item system keeps it worth replaying now: tiers, sockets and the Cube allow so many builds that two characters are rarely built alike.
Super Mario Galaxy 2007 Why it still holds upEvery level is built around that gravity, so walking upside down and jumping between small planets is what you do throughout, which keeps it fresh today.
Super Smash Bros. Melee 2001 Why it still holds upFast, physics driven fighting that is easy to pick up and frantic with four players keeps it played today.

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