Aug 21 · 19 years ago
BioShock 2007
Why it still holds upRapture remains a place worth exploring today: the setting and its people tell the story, and every character gives a new view of the city.
Games released in August that still hold up
Games
Aug 21 · 19 years ago
BioShock 2007
Why it still holds upRapture remains a place worth exploring today: the setting and its people tell the story, and every character gives a new view of the city.
Aug 27 · 32 years ago
EarthBound 1994
Also known as Mother 2
Why it still holds upIt still respects your time, with visible enemies and that slow HP drain, and its humour gets wackier as you go.
Aug 29 · 24 years ago
On sale
Mafia 2002
Why it still holds upThe period setting is why it is worth playing now: Lost Heaven is modelled on 1930s American cities, and the missions move between chases, races and shootouts.
Aug 5 · 31 years ago
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 1995
Why it still holds upThe art and the countdown that replaces a health bar make it worth playing today, with pastel colours, large backdrops and expressive sprites.
Aug 25 · 17 years ago
On sale
Batman: Arkham Asylum 2009
Why it still holds upThe loop of combat and gadgets is why it still plays well: it joins gadgets, fighting and characterisation into a game about being Batman.
Aug 11 · 27 years ago
On sale
System Shock 2 1999
Why it still holds upThe skill system and the atmosphere keep it worth playing now, since you build your character through choices aboard a ship that feels lived in.
Aug 13 · 13 years ago
On sale
Europa Universalis IV 2013
Why it still holds upInterlinked systems and a reactive AI make the same nation play out differently every time, and that is the reason to play it now.
Aug 11 · 26 years ago
Paper Mario 2000
Why it still holds upPartner choice and timing keep every battle engaged in a streamlined role playing formula, and that is why it is worth playing now.
Aug 23 · 29 years ago
GoldenEye 007 1997
Why it still holds upOpen levels with objectives that change by difficulty, plus the multiplayer, still hold it up today.
Aug 23 · 15 years ago
On sale
Deus Ex: Human Revolution 2011
Why it still holds upIt still rewards a visit for levels with several routes and fine environmental detail, and for its mix of stealth, combat and conversation.
Aug 6 · 18 years ago
Braid 2008
Why it still holds upOne idea, rewinding time, with a fresh rule in each world, makes every mistake part of solving the puzzle, and that is the reason to play it now.
Aug 8 · 9 years ago
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for sound that places voices around you and visuals that distort to convey the character's state.
Aug 18 · 6 years ago
On sale
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
Why it still holds upAny flight is worth taking now, since the whole planet is there to cross, in the weather and at the hour you choose.
Aug 25 · 5 years ago
On sale
Psychonauts 2 2021
Why it still holds upThe minds are why it is still worth playing: each level is a new place drawn from someone's head, and most end with Raz helping that person.
Aug 21 · 25 years ago
Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura 2001
Why it still holds upPlay it today for a world where the same quest is solved differently by different builds.
Aug 14 · 6 years ago
Factorio 2020
Why it still holds upThe factory is still what makes it worth playing now: every machine's output feeds the next, and there is always a part to rebuild bigger.
Aug 29 · 23 years ago
Tales of Symphonia 2003
Why it still holds upReal time combat with a shared team gauge and AI party members you can customize is the reason to play it now.
Aug 27 · 7 years ago
On sale
Control 2019
Why it still holds upEach of its shifting, brutalist rooms leads to a fight, and powers on cooldowns beside a weapon that changes form still keep those fights moving today.
Aug 27 · 19 years ago
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption 2007
Why it still holds upPointer aiming that is not auto aim still puts the shooting in your own hands across those planets today.
Aug 7 · 8 years ago
On sale
Dead Cells 2018
Why it still holds upA dodge roll and item synergies make each run play differently, inside a fixed template you learn over time, and that still pulls you into another run today.
Aug 11 · 6 years ago
On sale
Risk of Rain 2 2020
Why it still holds upPlayed today, the random items keep you coming back: they stack without limit, while the clock keeps pushing you on.
Aug 15 · 9 years ago
On sale
Sonic Mania 2017
Why it still holds upMomentum based movement and three characters with different abilities still give each stage different routes today.
Aug 1 · 29 years ago
In a bundle
Mega Man X4 1997
Why it still holds upA choice between a long range buster and a sword with no ammo makes each stage a different problem, so a second playthrough feels new even now.
Aug 26 · 18 years ago
iRacing 2008
Why it still holds upRacing on scanned real circuits against drivers matched to your level is still what it offers today.
Aug 6 · 33 years ago
Secret of Mana 1993
Why it still holds upA party that fights beside you and a menu that pauses the action keep fights simple to manage, even with friends today.
Aug 8 · 13 years ago
Papers, Please 2013
Why it still holds upRules you have to hold in your head while a line of travelers waits turn every day into a small puzzle about speed and care, as tense today as it ever was.
Aug 25 · 21 years ago
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 2005
Why it still holds upEven now, souls you can swap and a castle that opens as you find items give you reasons to explore every room.
Aug 24 · 16 years ago
On sale
Mafia II 2010
Why it still holds upToday you still get a period feel from a city dressed in cars and music of its years, with cars that handle differently on ice.
Aug 27 · 34 years ago
Super Mario Kart 1992
Why it still holds upBecause items and power slides make every lap a mix of speed and risk, a race is still worth running, and Battle Mode gives you a reason to bring a friend.
Aug 8 · 8 years ago
Unavowed 2018
Why it still holds upCompanions who change what you can say and solve make each mission worth replaying with a different party today.
Aug 2 · 10 years ago
On sale
Overcooked! 2016
Why it still holds upEvery dish becomes a plan shared between players: the kitchen changes each level and the stations sit far apart, and a group can still enjoy that.
Aug 12 · 12 years ago
P.T. 2014
Aug 26 · 15 years ago
On sale
Edna & Harvey: Harvey's New Eyes 2011
Why it still holds upThe puzzles are still about what to combine, as a bar of symbols for talking and no verbs to pick from keep the interface simple.
Aug 27 · 27 years ago
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun 1999
Why it still holds upTiberium gives the struggle a single focus, which keeps the tension high for anyone who plays today.
Aug 6 · 10 years ago
AM2R: Return of Samus 2016
Why it still holds upA fan remake of a handheld game is still worth a look today.
Aug 17 · 40 years ago
Action Fighter 1986
Why it still holds upThe course is still new each time, with a change of vehicle from level to level.
Aug 27 · 24 years ago
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs 2002
Why it still holds upLeading a team on missions that depend on teamwork makes each one a small operation.
Aug 14 · 14 years ago
Sleeping Dogs 2012
Why it still holds upIts fights and chases still sit in context, in a city you can roam between story missions.
Aug 7 · 17 years ago
On sale
Hearts of Iron III 2009
Why it still holds upEvery war still has a different starting point, since any country can be yours.
Aug 20 · 13 years ago
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist 2013
Why it still holds upEach level can still be played as the kind of operative you want, between silence and aggression.
Aug 19 · 17 years ago
Shadow Complex 2009
Why it still holds upEach return to an old room still has a new purpose, in a world that opens as new tools arrive.
Aug 7 · 13 years ago
On sale
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.
Aug 20 · 24 years ago
On sale
Medieval: Total War 2002
Why it still holds upEach reign still has a place in a bigger story, since the campaign follows history and factions arrive on schedule.
Aug 23 · 25 years ago
Devil May Cry 2001
Why it still holds upGrading you on how well you fight, not just whether you win, still makes every combat a performance.
Aug 1 · 25 years ago
Golden Sun 2001
Why it still holds upPuzzles solved with magic, in places you can return to with new powers, still give exploring a reward of its own.