Vaguely like Phantasy Star Online, except with better action mechanics, better graphics, and focused on you being a space ninja flipping out and being awesome. Yes, your argument is now invalid, so go play it already.

Endless Space is one of the best space-based 4X games out there... if you disregard the meaningless tech tree (where you unlock what you need no matter which direction you go) and are okay with combat resolving by playing a card in three-phases. Anyway, chances are you can get Endless Space for cheap these days, so I say sit back, turn on the tech advisor, and enjoy the briliantly-chosen streamlined concessions that make this such an elegant take on the genre.

Just Cause 2 has just one mission statement: be pure over-the-top action porn in an open-ended GTA-esque environment. It's a mission this game accomplishes gloriously on a huge war-torn tropical island. The only real critiques I have against the game is that ordering supply drops is too monotonous and the game tends to give me motion sickness (I am told turning off motion blur may help with that).