Dec 22 · 21 years ago
Kingdom Hearts II 2005
Why it still holds upIf you play it now, expect fights with more to do than attack, since reaction commands and drive forms change what each one asks of you, in worlds full of Disney and Final Fantasy characters.
Games released in December that still hold up
Games
Dec 22 · 21 years ago
Kingdom Hearts II 2005
Why it still holds upIf you play it now, expect fights with more to do than attack, since reaction commands and drive forms change what each one asks of you, in worlds full of Disney and Final Fantasy characters.
Dec 13 · 24 years ago
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 2002
Why it still holds upYou would still sail it today for the way dungeons and tools follow each other without busywork, in a look that keeps its charm.
Dec 7 · 8 years ago
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 2018
Why it still holds upEvery fighter from the earlier games is there and rulesets can be saved, so it still offers more than one way to play today.
Dec 6 · 22 years ago
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords 2004
Why it still holds upBecause influence follows what you say and do, your choices change who stays at your side, which still gives a second run something new today.
Dec 10 · 27 years ago
Planescape: Torment 1999
Why it still holds upThe writing and the companions are the reason to play it now, since your stats and what you say open options in conversation.
Dec 10 · 33 years ago
Doom 1993
Why it still holds upIts level design and its atmosphere are why it is worth playing now: each maze is a place you learn, and the claustrophobic rooms keep the pace fast.
Dec 25 · 6 years ago
Omori 2020
Why it still holds upThe story is the draw today, moving between a cheerful dream and the real world, and from comedy into psychological horror.
Dec 11 · 12 years ago
On sale
The Talos Principle 2014
Why it still holds upPuzzles that reward finding alternate uses for a small set of tools, with several solutions to many, are the reason to play it now.
Dec 1 · 9 years ago
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2017
Why it still holds upLayered combat systems over large Titans packed with hidden items and side quests make it worth playing today.
Dec 7 · 14 years ago
The Cat Lady 2012
Why it still holds upA tense, atmospheric adventure whose dialogue choices change what you see later is the reason to play it now.
Dec 15 · 12 years ago
On sale
Lisa: The Painful 2014
Why it still holds upResources and party members are scarce and can be lost, so the systems push the same way as the story, and that is the reason to play it now.
Dec 17 · 28 years ago
Suikoden II 1998
Why it still holds upA huge recruitable cast, each with a place in battles or the castle, ties war strategy, party combat and base building into one loop, and that is the reason to play it now.
Dec 24 · 38 years ago
In a bundle
Mega Man 2 1988
Why it still holds upAn open stage order with weapon weaknesses lets you pick your own route, and the difficulty setting suits newcomers and veterans alike, which is why it is worth playing now.
Dec 21 · 28 years ago
Baldur's Gate 1998
Why it still holds upDeep tabletop rules that run themselves let you make tactical decisions rather than handle the math, and that is why it is still worth playing.
Dec 17 · 33 years ago
In a bundle
Mega Man X 1993
Why it still holds upPrecise controls and bosses with distinct movement patterns, where beating one changes how you fight the others, make it worth playing now.
Dec 10 · 6 years ago
On sale
Cyberpunk 2077 2020
Why it still holds upPlayed now, in its updated form, Night City is the draw, a dense city full of side jobs to take on in whichever way you built V.
Dec 5 · 31 years ago
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness 1995
Why it still holds upAsymmetrical sides and a resource system that includes naval play make it worth a replay today.
Dec 1 · 28 years ago
On sale
Thief: The Dark Project 1998
Why it still holds upLight, shadow and sound still decide whether a guard notices you today.
Dec 29 · 27 years ago
In a bundle
Shenmue 1999
Why it still holds upA Yokosuka where characters have their own models, voices and routines, and shops and buses keep schedules, still invites exploring today.
Dec 28 · 22 years ago
Gran Turismo 4 2004
Why it still holds upOver 700 cars, dozens of driving missions and a crew chief mode that speeds the race up still give you many ways to spend a race today.
Dec 14 · 30 years ago
Mario Kart 64 1996
Why it still holds upFour player split screen in Versus and Battle on one console, with items and drift boosts keeping races open, still makes it easy to start a match today.
Dec 2 · 27 years ago
On sale
Quake III Arena 1999
Why it still holds upEach weapon having a clear role, with sound and visual feedback that make them feel good, still gives every match a readable rhythm today.
Dec 7 · 9 years ago
Yakuza Kiwami 2 2017
Why it still holds upA serious main story set against a large amount of optional content in two lived in districts, open without loading fades, still gives you plenty to do between fights today.
Dec 16 · 32 years ago
In a bundle
Mega Man X2 1994
Why it still holds upBosses that are weak to each other's weapons make the order you choose the main puzzle, so a second run is still worth a try.
Dec 9 · 29 years ago
On sale
Quake II 1997
Why it still holds upToday the campaign gives you a structure that is clear to follow, with mission objectives and a hub to move between large levels.
Dec 20 · 22 years ago
Cave Story 2004
Why it still holds upFights are still about avoiding damage, because weapons lose levels when you are hit, which keeps the tension from the first cave.
Dec 7 · 19 years ago
Aquaria 2007
Why it still holds upExploring the sea is still a puzzle of what to try where, because songs are built from notes and forms open new barriers.
Dec 6 · 10 years ago
The Last Guardian 2016
Why it still holds upEven now, a creature that does not always respond right away makes you work with it by trial, which gives each puzzle its own pace.
Dec 2 · 22 years ago
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within 2004
Why it still holds upA rewind that undoes a fatal mistake, and portals between two eras, let you recover from a wrong jump and plan a route, so the acrobatics are easy to retry today.
Dec 17 · 33 years ago
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 1993
Why it still holds upChoosing exactly what to ask each person, one day at a time, keeps the investigation a slow puzzle of listening, and it still plays that way.
Dec 17 · 33 years ago
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium 1993
Why it still holds upCombination techniques give each fight a way to combine party members, and the comic panel scenes tell the story clearly, so it is easy to follow now.
Dec 20 · 25 years ago
Ikaruga 2001
Why it still holds upEven now, a single polarity switch that turns bullets from danger into ammunition makes every screen a puzzle of order and timing.
Dec 10 · 17 years ago
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 2009
Why it still holds upDoors that open only for the right combination of people make each puzzle also a decision about who goes where, so replaying it still pays off.
Dec 3 · 28 years ago
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 1998
Why it still holds upTwo ways of taking a corner, and cars earned race by race, still give a short championship a reason to be run again today.
Dec 8 · 20 years ago
On sale
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 2006
Why it still holds upEverything in one package means you can still start flying without collecting the expansions one by one.
Dec 8 · 10 years ago
OneShot 2016
Why it still holds upPuzzles that reach into your own computer, from files to the game window, keep the solutions surprising today.
Dec 23 · 29 years ago
Gran Turismo 1997
Why it still holds upA progression of licenses, credits and tuning, on top of physics built first, still blends arcade and simulation racing today.
Dec 6 · 10 years ago
On sale
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun 2016
Why it still holds upEvery guard becomes a puzzle you can solve in your own order, with a visible cone of vision and bodies you can hide, and it stays tense today.
Dec 6 · 22 years ago
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth 2004
Why it still holds upWho you bring against whom is still the question of every army, since the counters run in a circle.
Dec 10 · 8 years ago
On sale
Dusk 2018
Why it still holds upEach room is a choice between rushing and caution, since health never regenerates and movement is built for speed, and it stays tense today.
Dec 2 · 27 years ago
The Legend of Dragoon 1999
Why it still holds upEach attack is still an act of timing, in a battle that asks for a command at the right moment.
Dec 13 · 8 years ago
On sale
Judgment 2018
Why it still holds upThe pace is still varied, as detective sections like tailing and lock picking give the brawls a reason to stop.
Dec 8 · 10 years ago
On sale
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life 2016
Why it still holds upThe open world still has things to do between fights, from a hunger gauge that limits how much you can eat to arcade cabinets in the city.
Dec 11 · 27 years ago
Gran Turismo 2 1999
Why it still holds upNearly 650 cars and 27 tracks, from road courses to rally stages, still give a career of licenses and trophies a long road to follow today.
Dec 15 · 31 years ago
Suikoden 1995
Why it still holds upToday, a cast you can gather one warrior at a time gives the journey a goal beyond the main story.
Dec 5 · 14 years ago
Primordia 2012
Why it still holds upBecause choices change the ending, a replay today turns up things the first run left behind.
Dec 16 · 27 years ago
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature 1999
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a farm that turns energy that runs out and weather that can wreck a crop into a small plan each day.
Dec 20 · 39 years ago
Phantasy Star 1987
Why it still holds upDungeons you map yourself, and an option to talk in battle, give each trip a puzzle of its own today.