Sep 15 · 10 years ago
Persona 5 2016
Why it still holds upEven now it stands out for its style and structure, since a year of school becomes a rhythm of days, dungeons and people.
Games released in September that still hold up
Games
Sep 15 · 10 years ago
Persona 5 2016
Why it still holds upEven now it stands out for its style and structure, since a year of school becomes a rhythm of days, dungeons and people.
Sep 17 · 13 years ago
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.
Sep 3 · 28 years ago
On sale
Metal Gear Solid 1998
Why it still holds upSeeing and being seen are the whole game, and the art style makes use of the hardware's limits instead of fighting them, which is why it still looks and plays well today.
Sep 25 · 25 years ago
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.
Sep 7 · 8 years ago
On sale
Marvel's Spider-Man 2018
Why it still holds upCrossing the city by web is still fun before you do anything else in it, which is the reason to play it now.
Sep 21 · 26 years ago
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn 2000
Why it still holds upThere are easily a hundred side quests, many with good, evil or stealthy solutions, and the game changes to reflect your choices, so a new playthrough today still has things to find.
Sep 12 · 17 years ago
Pokémon SoulSilver Version 2009
Why it still holds upBadges, hidden machines and new creatures to catch still give it a steady pull today, with enough freedom to explore.
Sep 22 · 15 years ago
Dark Souls 2011
Why it still holds upPlayed now, exploring still pays: it turns up items, shortcuts and hidden areas, and the slow, precise combat almost never ends in a cheap death.
Sep 15 · 11 years ago
On sale
Undertale 2015
Why it still holds upChoice is the reason to play it now: it remembers who you spared and who you killed, and it answers to both.
Sep 14 · 9 years ago
Divinity: Original Sin II 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for fights that are puzzles of armor, elements and position, and for quests that accept more than one answer.
Sep 21 · 16 years ago
On sale
Sid Meier's Civilization V 2010
Why it still holds upOne unit per tile keeps war a matter of terrain and positioning, which is reason enough to play it today.
Sep 25 · 19 years ago
On sale
Halo 3 2007
Why it still holds upCo op for up to four and a map editor for your own multiplayer maps are the reason to play it now.
Sep 1 · 11 years ago
On sale
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2015
Why it still holds upWhat it still offers is a big sandbox where you choose how each infiltration goes, and where the base, the soldiers and the weapons you research feed into the next mission.
Sep 29 · 9 years ago
Cuphead 2017
Why it still holds upBoss fights built on learning patterns, in that style, are the reason to play it now.
Sep 19 · 26 years ago
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 2000
Why it still holds upA simple, focused score chase of two minute runs and chained tricks, with Park Creator, is the reason to play it now.
Sep 20 · 12 years ago
Bayonetta 2 2014
Why it still holds upFast combat built on dodging and combos, with varied set pieces and challenge portals, is the reason to play it now.
Sep 18 · 14 years ago
On sale
Borderlands 2 2012
Why it still holds upAn enormous range of guns and four class builds are the reason to replay it now, and co op scaling lets friends share the same quests.
Sep 13 · 41 years ago
Super Mario Bros. 1985
Why it still holds upLevel design, enemy placement and precise physics, with a difficulty that ramps steadily, are why it still plays well.
Sep 14 · 16 years ago
On sale
Halo: Reach 2010
Why it still holds upLarge scale battles with many vehicles and varied mission types, plus Firefight and Forge, still give you ways to keep playing today.
Sep 25 · 25 years ago
Ico 2001
Why it still holds upNo HUD, a distant camera and one relationship between two characters still make it feel unlike later, larger games.
Sep 23 · 32 years ago
On sale
System Shock 1994
Why it still holds upWeapons that suit different enemies, and cameras you can disable to lower SHODAN's security level, still leave the station open to your own plan today.
Sep 20 · 8 years ago
CrossCode 2018
Why it still holds upFast ball launching combat and puzzles built from the same launch mechanic still give its dungeons two kinds of challenge today.
Sep 20 · 22 years ago
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2004
Why it still holds upControl points that supply resources and unlock units still tie each fight to where you hold the map today.
Sep 7 · 14 years ago
Mark of the Ninja 2012
Why it still holds upWith every sound and sight line shown, stealth is still a matter of planning today.
Sep 14 · 14 years ago
FTL: Faster Than Light 2012
Why it still holds upShort runs and random generation, with crew species whose skills also change how text events turn out, let you try a different mix of weapons and systems on every run today.
Sep 16 · 23 years ago
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy 2003
Why it still holds upBuilding your own lightsaber and choosing light or dark skills still give a second run a different shape today.
Sep 24 · 29 years ago
Ultima Online 1997
Sep 14 · 22 years ago
Fable 2004
Why it still holds upA Hero whose looks change with good and evil acts, and villagers who react to them, still make those choices visible today.
Sep 20 · 25 years ago
On sale
Commandos 2: Men of Courage 2001
Why it still holds upA squad of specialists, each with abilities of their own, and missions with several objectives still give it plenty to plan today.
Sep 26 · 31 years ago
Command & Conquer 1995
Why it still holds upTwo asymmetric campaigns with varied objectives such as sabotage, rescue and time limits still give it variety today.
Sep 13 · 12 years ago
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 2014
Why it still holds upSimple damage percentage knockback, a flat Omega stage and wide controller support let any group play by the same rules today.
Sep 14 · 18 years ago
Rock Band 2 2008
Why it still holds upA No Fail mode and Overdrive rescues still let a group of mixed skills share one song today.
Sep 22 · 11 years ago
Soma 2015
Why it still holds upWith no combat, your only tools are stealth and puzzle solving, so the threat is being caught, and that still gives the setting its pressure today.
Sep 16 · 21 years ago
Indigo Prophecy 2005
Why it still holds upOpen choices in each scene that feed the other characters' threads let the same events play out with different evidence today.
Sep 27 · 10 years ago
Vintage Story 2016
Why it still holds upCrafting built on real material processes rather than a crafting grid, in a world you can customize, still sets its own pace today.
Sep 22 · 22 years ago
Rome: Total War 2004
Why it still holds upA campaign and real time battles that feed each other, with morale and formations deciding fights, still make every war a decision about what to risk today.
Sep 27 · 10 years ago
Forza Horizon 3 2016
Why it still holds upEvents that mix road, dirt and water, and racing built on driving precision instead of power ups, still keep the open world worth driving through today.
Sep 8 · 22 years ago
Burnout 3: Takedown 2004
Why it still holds upAggression tied to the boost reward, and a crash you can still steer, keep every race a risk worth taking today.
Sep 14 · 32 years ago
In a bundle
Contra: Hard Corps 1994
Why it still holds upCharacters who each carry a different set of weapons, and branches that change the next stage, give every run a reason to start over today.
Sep 29 · 27 years ago
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1999
Why it still holds upTwo minute runs with several goals each, and scores you keep trying to beat, still make it easy to say one more run today.
Sep 10 · 25 years ago
Advance Wars 2001
Why it still holds upLimited fuel and ammo, and terrain that changes what each unit can do, make every turn a small puzzle, still worth solving.
Sep 20 · 7 years ago
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 2019
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a world that opens as you pick up tools, and dungeons you can build yourself.
Sep 18 · 29 years ago
On sale
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Why it still holds upIt still plays as a careful puzzle platformer: rescued Mudokons follow your commands and checkpoints are the only saves.
Sep 25 · 8 years ago
Pathfinder: Kingmaker 2018
Why it still holds upEven now, a kingdom you run through advisors, and combat you can pause or play turn by turn, give you two kinds of decisions to make.
Sep 1 · 6 years ago
On sale
Crusader Kings III 2020
Why it still holds upBecause it is played through people, it is still worth playing now: their skills, traits, marriages and rivals decide where a dynasty goes.
Sep 17 · 7 years ago
AI: The Somnium Files 2019
Why it still holds upA six minute clock on every dream makes each puzzle a question of which object to try first, so the pressure is still there from the first dream.