All the games in my library are there because I intend to play them at some time. Recommend a game that you really enjoyed. Who knows what mood I will be in when it comes to playing the game? Pick one that you really enjoyed.

Yoku's Island Express

Give this a try if you're in the mood for a charming and relaxed experience, I really liked it. The game is quite unique, like a mashup of pinball mechanics with some platforming and puzzles, all within a metroidvania world. It's very well done both in terms of game design and art, and it's short enough that it's hard to get bored of it, you'll get to the end before realizing. The main story can be finished in about 5 hours, and the full game (side quests, collectibles, etc.) maybe in a total of 10 hours.

My top casual type game recommended for everyone is Noita as it can be played in short and long sessions - unfortunately I can't find it on your list, but you own many similar games so take a look at it. ;)

Going back to the list of your games I would recommend Darkest Dungeon. I know that many people hate that game, but me, as a hardcore rogueliker, I love it. Yes, your characters will die a lot, and yes, you will try to run the same dungeon many times - but in the end it pays off and gives a lot of satisfaction. I played many roguelikes and no other game gave me so much fun and frustration (in a good way). Some of my tips for a start:

- Do not install any addons/expansions for your first run: they will "spoil" a game in some places. Just play the base game - that way you will learn its rules faster, without any expanded number of conditions (these come with expansions).

- Do not rush: rushing is possible (and even the only way to win on harder game mode) but only when you do know what to do. For a start I recommend to play slowly to learn things better (and faster).

- It is sometimes (could be "often" for a new player) much better to escape the dungeon than to try to finish it.

- Warning: the game is packed with RNG but a lot of such RNG events can be predicted / prevented or you can prepare team / equip some items / skills to overcome them.

It is a good idea to play Darksiders: Warmastered edition.

From the first 20 seconds of the opening cinematic, you can tell that you are immersing yourself into a rich world of angels, demons, half-bloods, loyalty, betrayal, plot twist, creation, destruction, world war, apocalypse and possible end of mankind.

The game has a perfect story with a better ending that leaves you wanting more. It has 100% fan service in it. Tight controls, flexible gameplay, really good plot, epic soundtrack, wonderful character development, this game is the personification of a hack n slash well done.

You will definitely NOT regret spending time on this game.

I am in.

Not in Doc, but if you haven't played Wizardry 8, you should really do it sooner than later. ;)

A game that I find myself going back to often would be Reus.

Nice slow-paced relaxing game. The balancing act between utilising resources while keeping villagers happy gives that right amount of challenge as I can never remember even the basic symbiotic relationships whenever I jump back in. Therein lies the challenge perhaps - my bad memory.

And if all is failing, just smoosh the villages and start again.

If you haven't already played it, you should give it a whirl.

Thanks for the chance Doc. Please count me in.

Scrolling through your list of games was and is a delight, mostly by mentally reviving the hours personally spent on so many of the great classic titles. Of times where story was above graphic quality, of when things were simpler and one would commit to the completion of a game from end-to-end without distractions. If my pick was from only these, I'd say Quest for Glory 1 (which is technically bending the rules, as what I'd actually mean is the entire saga, exporting your characters from 1 to 5). To this day I still have lots of memories of iconic scenes and jokes from those that were Sierra's golden days.

But this would not be my pick for this thread, as nowadays there are many more titles to consider, and the distorting power of nostalgia is never to be underestimated. So, moving on.

Of all the titles already recommended by others, I would strongly underline two of them: Dishonored and Cyberpunk 2077... but with the fundamental caveat to not take them at face value. On both, what TRULY shines is not the gameplay / mechanics aspect (though I found them very enjoyable on both counts), but the respective universes. Of the high numbers of hours I have combined on them, a lot was spent gathering every journal + reading through these notes to get to know each NPC (what drove them, how they fit on the overall narrative, how they connected meaningfully to others in the story) + exploring every nook and cranny + occasionally discovering the hidden treats & easter eggs left there by the level designers for the most curious among us. And on top of that branching possibilities, decisions you can take and see unfold, sometimes in exponential blooms. These two universes in particular, more than gameplay fun, convey the love their makers poured into them, world-sized narratives spanning entire lives and generations.

But as others have already detailed their own reasons for why you should try these, they would still not be my pick for this thread.

My choice for you to try out will instead be... The Long Dark. Specifically, the survival mode. When starting out TLD, you begin playing a walking simulator that soon evolves into a crafting set of loops. A while longer, and you'll start taking in the views, the wonder of a world that suddenly became too empty of humanity, harsh nature reclaiming all those previously occupied spaces (some of the views are awe-inspiring, making you abandon the gameplay to just explore). Then you become aware of your body's needs... this beautiful world is now a hostile place, silent yet violent. As you survive longer, what seemed empty before now comes alive, as your awareness of creatures / food / former habitats of humans become second-nature. The tiniest of marks soon indicate current or past life for you to track and scavenge. You learn some of the fundamentals of tracking in real-life! And then, all that survival aspect comes full circle into... (you guessed it) an unexpected narrative experience, as you stumble across the remnants of the lives of all those that inhabited the spaces you now cross. You become aware that nothing is random, all was placed by the designers intentionally. Fragments of lives, joy and sadness, now all engulfed in the great silence of a world that one day simply stopped. Immersion kicks in, and you are now invested in your character's survival, each day a conquest, personal stories accumulating (you start writing in your in-game journal, making maps, taking notes about the places you visited... these elements are actually incorporated into the game).

So, in short, that's what I recommend: one of many games with the potential to become more than just games. Well-crafted media, built with love. Or in the very least, regular media, that I myself experienced in that way, whether others interpreted in the same ways or not ^^

You haven't played STALKER yet???????
Ohhh boy, I think is time to give you "the talk".
Well, STALKER is a slav masterpiece, one game too ambitious for its own good, but dispite all its faults is an amazing game.
One of the biggest problems of the game is that recives you with a kick in the teeth, the game is hard as hell in the first area and doesn't explain you too well the mechanics of the game, so that make it really hard for the new players, but after you reach the second the area the game gets better and better.
The Zone has an incredible atmosphere that once it capture you it won't let you go, it make you fell part of it with the incredible graphics (for 2007), the good music, and the interesting mystery of the story, you will want to know what is happening in that incredible place.
Shadow of Chernobyl is the first game in the series, has some rough edges, I recommend you to use the ZRP mod, that correct several bugs of the game. Another recommendation is abuse of the quick save and quick load of the game, your character has the same weakness of the enemies so you can die with a lost bullet in the head at any minute.
Clear Sky is the prequel of SoC, some people consider is the worst but I really like it, has many bugs (that is why SRP mod is a must) but the best graphics of the three.
And Call of Pripyat, the most polished of the three and many consider it the best of the series, expand the story and the lore of The Zone really recommended.
Thanks for this giveaway! Happy Hunting STALKER!

I second that. It's not my favorite, but objectively the game has everything to be considered perfect. Worth a try for its unique mechanics.

You should play Icewind Dale.


I enjoyed playing Icewind Dale. While the story isn't as good as Torment or BG2, there is still a story in the game. I enjoyed the music, the setting, and combat was ok as well.

Thanks for the giveaway doc!
I highly recommend Terraria.
As someone with over 300+ hours in stardew valley and seeing you also having so many hours into it, Terraria is something you would likely enjoy!

It is as peaceful and relaxing in the beginning before you beat the big boss.
Then again, Stardew valley isn't really relaxing. 14 min = 1 game day. It's a rush!
Terraria, you won't have that same tight on time issue as there are few time-limited tasks to do.

Time only becomes more of an issue after you beat the big boss.
So I think you'll enjoy it.
The game itself also gives you a little taste before you fully invest your time into it.
Kind of like a trial but not really.

You get to enjoy exploring the world and relax without worrying about time (except take cover at night or zombies will get you). Then when you decide, ok, I am going to continue.
You beat the big boss and the difficulty curve goes up.

More grinding, collecting unique and outstanding treasure!
Weapons, rare items, food, gear and equipment!
Sometimes, you will even meet new friends (like Stardew Valley) or enemies too

The only difference is in stardew valley, you are managing a farm and the community centre tasks
In Terraria, you manage the whole world (or map).
You will spawn into the world and are fighting off an evil force in the land.

Once again, before you beat the big boss, it's not much of a sweat.
Those evil forces will attack you and all you need to do is run or fight.
After the big boss dies, you have to manage the world by stopping the evil forces from spreading..
Just like how weeds spread in a stardew valley farm if you don't take care of them.

With all the great parallels with stardew valley and open world possibilities, it provides great opportunities for your creativity to go wild! Sky is the only limit and you will love it!

Even with the list, it's a bit hard making a recommendation, because I'm pretty sure you're a "Good Old Gamer", who collects a lot of games on gog that you've played before already. Still, a couple of classics may have slipped through the cracks, so I'm including them anyway. These are all games I've played till completion, so great games that I've yet to complete (Deus Ex, Ultima VII are not included):

ADVENTURE
Monkey Island 2
Indiana Jones & The Fate of Atlantis
Legend of Kyrandia 1 then 2- 1 isn't THAT great, but it is short, and worth it to get into 2 with the right mood
Full Throttle- almost deserves to be in the JOYOUS category for certain points in the game
Blackwell Games- All of them, beginning to end
Simon the Sorcerer 1 & 2- Incredibly charming games
Gabriel Knight (NOT THE REMAKE)
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Resonance
Book of Unwritten Tales- My favourite "recent" European origin adventure game, lifted my hopes when compared to the flood of bleh Daedalic games from Europe
Gemini Rue
To The Moon- RPGMaker game, but an adventure, and very charming
The Longest Journey- Worth it, but really long to complete, hence the lower placement


BROODING/THOUGHTFUL
Planescape Torment- You've probably played this
System Shock 2- Is an FPS fighty game, but the tone places it in this category, and in this place. I played with graphical mods because 3D of that era disgusted me
Spec Ops: The Line- Might seem a generic shooter, but push through
Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines- A bit buggy, but definitely worth it. I had to enable cheats near the end, unfortunately
Shadowrun Returns & Dragonfall- People complained about the linearity of Returns, but I was in a place at the time I played it, that I appreciated the linearity more. Dragonfall is less linear
Geneforge- There's a whole series of these to get through, great games, you can try the first (or the remake) to see if it is your thing
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The Fall


MEDIUM PACED/ACTION BUT NOT BALLS TO THE WALL
Prey
Thief 3
Witcher 3- Lower here because it requires such a large time commitment
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Horizon Zero Dawn
Two Worlds 2- Broken, janky, but still charming
Mirror's Edge- Worth playing, but it is at the end here because the constant repetition of PARKOUR, DIE, RELOAD LAST CHECKPOINT, PARKOUR, DIE, RELOAD LAST CHECKPOINT, PARKOUR, REACH CHECKPOINT could get frustrating

VISCERAL/REACTIVE
Shadow Warrior 2013- Blam blam shooty fun, if you're in the mood for something less thoughtful, but still reactive and shooty and fun
Crimsonland- Imagine the tone of Shadow Warriors, but top-down shooter
Carmageddon 2- As above, but for destructive car racing
Wolfenstein: The New Order
SUPERHOT

JOYOUS/HAPPY TONE
Beyond Good & Evil
Prince of Persia Sands of Time
The Messenger
Psychonauts
Steamworld Dig
Terraria
Epistory
Trine
Earthworm Jim 2
Disney's Hercules

UNENDING
FTL
Out There: Omega Edition
Papers Please
Slay the Spire
Downwell

If you were me, and hadn't actually played the classics on this list, I'd say start with the ADVENTURE collection and play till Full Throttle, then play Beyond Good & Evil and Prince of Persia Sands of Time.
If you've already played most of the higher level classics I've listed, a newer game that you will appreciate is The Messenger

I'd suggest Pathologic Classic HD for its atmospheric world and plot. also, a game about a town being eaten by a disease? what else one should try these days?

edit: NOT in.

You should play Frostpunk. One of my favorite games of all time. Gorgeous visuals and a beautiful soundtrack. I love helping people survive in spite of fate forcing your hand -- figuring out a way to avoid the most drastic measures while not damning everyone.

First, once again thank you for the generosity you keep showering us with, and also for making the giveaways interesting each time.

Now, with such a massive list and the site using infinite scrolling for it instead of pages, not sure that when it stopped it means it actually loaded all or all it can load at once, or maybe all my browser can load at once (sorted by time played, last was The Falconeer, but of course with all but the first bunch being at zero, the rest may sort differently for others, no idea how that works). Either way, out of what I saw, since it'd have been way too difficult to pick otherwise and I'd have ended up with something like babark's list while you said one game and actually mean to play those games, I decided to eliminate the classics, or at least those I see as such, and any other game I considered that has already been mentioned.
So I'll go with The Bard's Tale (2004). The fact that it was ported from consoles, keeping the console controls and save points, is quite a problem, as is the dialogue system with just the snarky or nice options, no telling what would be said, and snarky usually being the advantageous option, but it's just wickedly fun thanks to the narrator and the songs and how it pokes fun at the trappings of so many other games. I mean, come on :))
But now that I picked one, I'd also mention two more I was considering which also haven't been mentioned, and those are Evil Islands and Divine Divinity. Evil Islands for the crafting system, which for me pretty much made it worth it, and I also liked the character development system, but do play on novice if you do try it, normal is just impossible, and it takes very, very careful playing and a lot of saving and loading. Divine Divinity is basically ARPG done right (or Diablo 2 done right if you want), again very free character development and a world that's actually interesting and offers reasons to wander around and explore besides the regular hacking and slashing fare, and of course it has the Larian touch.

PS: Out of what was already mentioned, adding another clear vote for King's Bounty: The Legend and Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines. Also for Gothic 2, Sid Meier's Pirates! (2004) and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but with some caveats, for Gothic 2 I'd like it to stay without the add-on because that makes it too hard, Pirates! is great for a while but can become repetitive eventually, and I prefer the second KotOR (which wasn't mentioned), despite the rushed ending. May also add a vote for Morrowind, but hesitant, because it's great until you more or less manage to explore the world, and has truly memorable moments, but after a while you (or at least I) just stop caring, and eventually stop playing in my case.