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While definitely not the most complex RPG, this was the first one I ever played. The world and story are extremely unique, the likes of which I have never seen since. As well, the gameplay is easy to understand, and also easy to master, making it a fantastic first RPG for anyone to play.


The first Zelda to have a truly dark and disturbing tone, and as such it has become my favourite. The world of Termina is one of sadness, fear and desperation, and the stories of every character within that doomed land emphasise it greatly. A marvel of what the N64 had to offer, and my favourite game on the console.


My personal favourite psychological horror of all time. The atmosphere of Silent Hill couldn't truly be understood until here, and the purpose and types of people the town attracts are truly the best it has ever seen. The remake does not do this game justice, at all.


Sonic and Shadow Hedgehog have the ultimate chaos control and fight to the death in a forest or something. Hype game, must play to understand.


Likely my favourite in the franchise, Snake Eater is a fantastic tactical espionage story, full of details and mechanics far ahead of the time. If you are new to the franchise, playing MGS3 first isn't the worst thing you could do. While personally I prefer the second game (because I'm weird) I know it's faults, and this the third entry is on this list. Kojima is truly a visionary.


Dog and Rabbit save the world. It's in the title.


Batman Arkham Asylum makes you feel like Spider-Man. I first played this game with my father when I was five or six, which may have not been a fantastic idea, but It's definitely done work to solidify Batman as my favourite "super" hero. The entire franchise (excluding the Suicide Squadron) is a fantastic journey, and definitely worth your time.


This is the best TellTale had to offer us. A fantastic, emotional story with some great writing and many likeable characters. It's shame the direction the rest of the series went, however this, and perhaps the second season, are incredible. If you're thinking about playing it, you definitely should.


I had heard about this game several times, but knew nothing about it before playing it. If you are the same, I urge you to play it. The story this game had to offer was wild, and I did not expect the depths it would go to. An incredible story.


ACIV is by several miles my favourite Assassin's Creed. Edward Kenway is a fantastic character, and while I feel the ending to the game is slightly off piece, the rest of the game, story and characters is amazing and has many emotionally gripping moments. Aside from that, game-play wise I believe this has the tightest Sailing and Ship combat ever, definitely worth trying it out. If you only play one AC game, play this one.


While the game-play itself leaves much to be desired in comparison to its predecessor and successor, I believe the world of Drangleic is the best storytelling of Dark Souls. It's lore and thematic structure are incredible, and exploring the often strange landscape will leave you in awe. If you can't get into it, I totally understand, but I love it.


I didn't particularly want to add multiple games from a franchise to this, but having explored the depths of Silent Hill f , I can say it is a fantastic game. The story is deep and rich, and on each subsequent playthrough you begin to grasp what is actually happening in Ebisugaoka. The theming and tone are excellent, and the struggle of Hinako and her progression is horrific to witness. Definitely another black sheep in the franchise, but then that's what makes it unique.

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Recommended to be played on original hardware where most applicable, emulation is poverty.
I've only added games I've actually completed, maybe there's more culture out there, who's to say.