Primordia 2012
Why it still holds upBecause choices change the ending, a replay today turns up things the first run left behind.
2010s games that still hold up
Games
Primordia 2012
Why it still holds upBecause choices change the ending, a replay today turns up things the first run left behind.
Fez 2012
Why it still holds upEvery room is still a puzzle about perspective, with a view you can turn to realign the world.
The Night of the Rabbit 2013
Why it still holds upA coin that shows what can be clicked still keeps the search for the next clue easy to follow today.
Virtua Tennis 4 2011
Why it still holds upEvery return is a small test of timing today: you time a first person swing yourself, and it is easy to pick up.
Grindstone 2019
Why it still holds upEvery move is a plan for the next ten, since combos need ten kills in a row, and it works as a puzzle today.
Velocity 2X 2014
Why it still holds upEach level still has two ways to move, with a ship that teleports and ground sections between flights.
Metroid: Samus Returns 2017
Why it still holds upCounters to time and hidden paths to uncover still make exploring the planet a matter of watching closely today.
Splatoon 2 2017
Why it still holds upEvery match is still about covering ground and not only about defeating opponents, as Turf War scores ink rather than defeats.
Opus Magnum 2017
Why it still holds upSolutions are ranked on three measures and you can go back and improve a machine that already works, which is a reason to return to it today.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire 2018
Why it still holds upA party that can be built and fought in many ways, at sea and on land, still makes it worth playing today.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 2011
Why it still holds upEquipment made from the monsters you hunt, and a village that grows from the same spoils, still give every hunt a use beyond itself.
Infamous 2 2011
Why it still holds upMoving through the city with the same powers you fight with ties traversal and combat together, as it still does.
Blackwood Crossing 2017
Why it still holds upPuzzles that reveal the siblings' past make each solution a piece of the story, which is how the game tells it today.
Transport Fever 2016
Why it still holds upRunning a transport network through 150 years of vehicles is a long project that is still open today.
BioShock 2 2010
Why it still holds upA weapon and a power held at once still make each encounter a mix of shooting and plasmids today.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War 2014
Why it still holds upToday, a war story told through puzzles and a few short action sections gives each chapter its own mix.
The Blackwell Deception 2011
Why it still holds upAn investigation you assemble yourself, clue by clue, still draws you in today.
Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark 2019
Why it still holds upYou decide how forgiving the game is today, because a difficulty setting lets you choose how much a defeat costs, from nothing to permadeath.
Mario Kart 7 2011
Why it still holds upGliding and underwater parts make the choice of kart parts matter on every track, which gives you reason to keep racing today.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons 2013
Why it still holds upControlling both brothers at once makes every puzzle a matter of cooperation, as it still does.
Amid Evil 2019
Why it still holds upEnemies that resist weapons differently still make what to fire at each one a choice today.
Resogun 2013
Why it still holds upRescues that sit beside the shooting still add a choice about risk to every level today.
Yoku's Island Express 2018
Why it still holds upGetting around the island is still fun, because a hero who cannot jump has to use flippers, bumpers and ramps, and every route is worked out with the ball.
Kenshi 2018
Why it still holds upEvery outing across a map this large is a story you write yourself, and it absorbs you today.
Pokémon White Version 2 2012
Why it still holds upA steady loop of exploring and battling, with new places that hold new Pokémon, still gives it its pull.
The Battle of Polytopia 2016
Why it still holds upA short turn limit and a single resource to spend suit a short session today, since each game is a quick set of choices about what to unlock first.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom 2018
Why it still holds upExploring is still a matter of trying each form: five forms each open a different path and dying costs nothing.
The End Is Nigh 2017
Why it still holds upWith each screen a small, separate problem, it still suits playing in short bursts today.
Steins;Gate 0 2015
Why it still holds upToday, a story that turns on whether you answer a call gives small choices weight.
Last Window: The Secret of Cape West 2010
Why it still holds upQuestioning you can choose to skip, and a novel that fills in each chapter, still reward patience.
Pokémon Black Version 2010
Why it still holds upCollecting a team and growing it battle by battle is a simple loop that works now as well as it did.
Yakuza 4 2010
Why it still holds upToday, a city full of side activities gives the story somewhere to stop and play.
Fistful of Frags 2014
Gris 2018
Why it still holds upThere is nothing to fail at, since there is no combat or game over and abilities arrive as the story goes on, so it plays relaxed today.
MechWarrior Online 2013
Gods Will Be Watching 2014
Why it still holds upEach chapter is a hard decision about who and what to save: choices cannot be taken back and every chapter has a time limit, so the dilemmas weigh today.
Split/Second 2010
Why it still holds upBecause clean driving fills the meter, every drift you hold is also a trap you are saving for the driver ahead, and it races well today.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend 2014
Why it still holds upA roster that grew by nine characters and a reworked Overdrive system still give you plenty to learn.
Legend of Grimrock 2 2014
Why it still holds upA grid you cross one step at a time, with puzzles as much as fights, still makes each room something to study.
Tooth and Tail 2017
Why it still holds upSix units chosen before the match still make each game a bet on one plan today.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 2017
Why it still holds upFive levels to a room and a crystal in each give it a rhythm of short goals, and the time trials give every level a reason to be run again today.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 2019
Why it still holds upWeather still has a part in every mission, because clouds hide targets and ice your wings.
Top Spin 4 2011
Why it still holds upChoosing which style to level up still gives your player a game of their own.
Just Dance 2015 2014
Why it still holds upA phone in place of a controller still makes a living room party easy to start.
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir 2016
Why it still holds upThe same circular stages still feel different, with five characters who each have a weapon of their own.