Jan 26 · 16 years ago
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.
Games released in January that still hold up
Games
Jan 26 · 16 years ago
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.
Jan 31 · 29 years ago
Final Fantasy VII 1997
Why it still holds upThe Materia and the size of the world still give you plenty to get into.
Jan 11 · 21 years ago
Resident Evil 4 2005
Why it still holds upIt escalates steadily, and its muted colours keep the places oppressive, so the pacing keeps its grip today.
Jan 25 · 7 years ago
On sale
Resident Evil 2 2019
Why it still holds upPlayed today it keeps the tension through scarcity: ammunition is short, zombies need their heads destroyed to stay down, and a first run takes about eight hours.
Jan 25 · 8 years ago
On sale
Celeste 2018
Why it still holds upEach chapter revolves around a different environmental mechanic and the game keeps adding ideas, so it stays fresh today, with Assist Mode letting anyone set their own difficulty.
Jan 25 · 15 years ago
Dead Space 2 2011
Why it still holds upIts atmosphere is why it still works: the lighting and the sound design keep you on edge from start to finish.
Jan 12 · 9 years ago
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony 2017
Why it still holds upIf you play it now, it is for the investigate then argue structure, with the trial as the core system.
Jan 24 · 9 years ago
On sale
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for the anxiety that builds in one confined location with limited vision.
Jan 23 · 7 years ago
Slay the Spire 2019
Why it still holds upShort runs where every choice of card or route changes the deck, and visible enemy intent turns every turn into a puzzle, keep it replayable today.
Jan 30 · 11 years ago
Life Is Strange 2015
Why it still holds upBecause the rewind lets you test a choice before you commit to it, you can still experiment inside a game of choices and consequences today.
Jan 21 · 28 years ago
On sale
Resident Evil 2 1998
Why it still holds upScarce ammo and limited saves force routing decisions, and four scenarios retell one story, which is the reason to play it now.
Jan 26 · 8 years ago
On sale
Monster Hunter: World 2018
Why it still holds upA hunt is a loop of tracking, fighting and crafting in living ecosystems, and that loop still carries the game today.
Jan 14 · 12 years ago
The Banner Saga 2014
Why it still holds upSupplies, morale and renown carry between fights and choices can kill party members for good, so the caravan and the combat still pull on each other today.
Jan 23 · 8 years ago
Subnautica 2018
Why it still holds upAs you go deeper the sea grows more dangerous, and upgrades such as a submarine give you a reason to keep exploring, which still drives the descent today.
Jan 20 · 5 years ago
On sale
Hitman 3 2021
Why it still holds upIts maps are built to be replayed, and every routine and every disguise is another way to the same target, which is why it is worth going back to now.
Jan 9 · 16 years ago
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep 2010
Why it still holds upA deck, fusion and Shotlock let you fight in many ways, and three characters with their own scenarios still keep playthroughs from repeating today.
Jan 22 · 24 years ago
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault 2002
Why it still holds upA campaign of varied set pieces still gives each mission its own task today.
Jan 29 · 22 years ago
Pokémon LeafGreen Version 2004
Why it still holds upThe catching and battling loop is kept intact, with convenience changes and optional content, and that still makes each badge a clear goal today.
Jan 16 · 6 years ago
On sale
Yakuza: Like a Dragon 2020
Why it still holds upIts party is the reason to play it now, with jobs and friendships that decide how the fights go, and a Yokohama full of things to do between them.
Jan 26 · 8 years ago
On sale
Dragon Ball FighterZ 2018
Why it still holds upOne button attacks are part of real combat, basic combos are easy to land and advanced combos take practice, and shared basic inputs across the roster still let new players start without long tutorials today.
Jan 29 · 27 years ago
On sale
Worms Armageddon 1999
Why it still holds upA large arsenal in which each weapon behaves differently, and tools for player made rules, still make every match different today.
Jan 29 · 30 years ago
Duke Nukem 3D 1996
Why it still holds upEach level is still worth poking around, with routes through ducts and sewers and objects that react when you use them.
Jan 26 · 25 years ago
Oni 2001
Why it still holds upYou still get fights that favor your fists over scarce ammunition, and each encounter is a hand to hand duel.
Jan 26 · 10 years ago
The Witness 2016
Why it still holds upEach puzzle is a small discovery: you work out the rules yourself, and you can still leave a region when you are stuck.
Jan 22 · 19 years ago
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 2007
Why it still holds upA quiet mystery is still tense, as questions that can anger a character make every conversation a careful one.
Jan 21 · 17 years ago
Skate 2 2009
Why it still holds upObjects you can move to build your own lines still make the city something to rework today.
Jan 19 · 10 years ago
On sale
Darkest Dungeon 2016
Why it still holds upEach expedition still has real stakes, because heroes who are lost are lost for good.
Jan 18 · 15 years ago
LittleBigPlanet 2 2011
Why it still holds upThere is still a maker behind every level, in a game that hands you the tools to make games.
Jan 22 · 18 years ago
Burnout Paradise 2008
Why it still holds upPlayers today can still treat the whole city as an open invitation to drive anywhere in it.
Jan 21 · 27 years ago
Super Smash Bros. 1999
Why it still holds upKnocking a rival off the stage, rather than wearing down a bar, still shapes how every match unfolds.
Jan 27 · 26 years ago
Tzar: The Burden of the Crown 2000
Why it still holds upA kingdom built from crops and cows is still a place to start commanding today.
Jan 25 · 21 years ago
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath 2005
Why it still holds upWhat you fire is still a choice in every fight, since the ammunition is made of living creatures.
Jan 14 · 16 years ago
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.
Jan 18 · 7 years ago
On sale
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.
Jan 30 · 23 years ago
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness 2003
Why it still holds upChains planned across a whole board, and items you can dive into to strengthen, keep every battle a puzzle about what to set off first today.
Jan 4 · 21 years ago
Hearts of Iron II 2005
Why it still holds upCareful planning is the heart of running a nation at that scale, and the challenge is still rewarding to this day.
Jan 13 · 22 years ago
NFL Street 2004
Why it still holds upIts looser street rules make for a quick game today.
Jan 27 · 37 years ago
Clash at Demonhead 1989
Why it still holds upThe map is still something to wander, with forty routes and powers you collect.
Jan 31 · 13 years ago
Antichamber 2013
Why it still holds upA space that breaks your expectations of space still sends you back to look again.
Jan 11 · 15 years ago
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition 2011
Why it still holds upEven now, the lock on turns a screen packed with bullets and enemies into targets to choose, and the clutter becomes something to read and plan around.
Jan 28 · 32 years ago
Ninja Warriors 1994
Why it still holds upThree androids with their own moves and a meter that clears the screen still give each stage a choice of how to fight.
Jan 31 · 7 years ago
Sunless Skies 2019
Why it still holds upInvesting in stat points unlocks opportunity checks, and siding with a faction in a large scale war opens some ports and closes others.
Jan 21 · 18 years ago
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin 2008
Also known as Advance Wars: Dark Conflict
Why it still holds upA campaign that teaches the rules one at a time is still an approachable way into a strategy game with a large set of units.
Jan 14 · 23 years ago
SimCity 4 2003
Why it still holds upGrowing a region one segment at a time is a long project that remains absorbing today.
Jan 11 · 12 years ago
Kirby: Triple Deluxe 2014
Why it still holds upEvery enemy is still worth swallowing, since copy abilities change how Kirby moves.
Jan 21 · 10 years ago
Yakuza Kiwami 2016
Why it still holds upSide stories that take up most of the play still make the neighborhood feel worth walking.
Jan 29 · 28 years ago
Panzer Dragoon Saga 1998
Why it still holds upChoosing among the three bars and a position around the enemy still gives every fight a decision.
Jan 25 · 25 years ago
Onimusha: Warlords 2001
Why it still holds upAnyone curious about samurai tales with a supernatural twist can still find a distinct one here.