Axiom Verge 1 is a great metroidvania. I also tried 2, but it didn’t click with me at all. Cave Story is great as well. Dead Cells, but that’s more of a rogue lite game. Binding of Isaac is also one of my favorites, but it’s a top down rogue like.
Outer Wilds. not only is it a fantastic game, but the entire premise and gameplay is centred around discovering the world. theres no progression, the story is all diagetic and not quest-bound or anything, and once you know the world you cant really discover it any more (unless you forget)
I bought a Japanese “new 3ds” system about 2 years ago off of eBay and I’ve been using it a lot! I’ve been loving the Ace Attorney Trilogy lately, but I also played
SM64 via a homebrew 3ds port
NSMB2
SM 3D Land
Shantae 1 & 2 (gbc and dsiware, but I wanna play the 3rd, which is a native 3ds game)
Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (dsiware, originally gba)
Pilotwings Resort
CTGP-7 (great mk7 modpack)
So, so much Picross
My favorite 3ds game is Pushmo! I played it when I was younger, but it’s still fantastic.
I also loved the 3ds ecosystem outside of strictly games. Mii maker, Streetpass and Nintendo Video were all really fun extras.
Also the VB emulator Red Viper just recently released, so if there’s ever a time to try virtual boy games, it’s now! 3D baybeeee!!
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Old school Zelda and direct sequel to A Link to the Past.
Fire Emblem Awakening and Fire Emblem Fates. I’ve also got Shadows of Valentia sitting on my SD card, but really don’t have the energy for tactical RPGs anymore.
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire was fun. Also enjoyed Pokémon Sun, even if just for Alolan Raichu. Love that surf rat.
Super Mario 3D Land, but I don’t know how well it holds up, considering how much 3D World improved upon the formula. Should still be a fun play.
Also, Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure 3D, which was released on other systems waaaay before the 3DS port. I never managed to play any of its original releases, but I think I might have gotten it for free or something on 3DS because I don’t remember buying it, but do remember enjoying it when I played it.
While I’m not sure the “walking sim” games are what you’re looking for, I’d add Lifeless Planet and maybe Dear Esther. Once you know what’s going on/what happened, there’s not much point in replaying.
If you’re looking for a samurai game, rather than a samurai themed game. Then there’s really no question, it’s Ghosts of Tsushima. It’s the closest thing we’ll likely ever have to a Akira Kurosawa game.
Thomas was alone.(I recommend this one up there with obra dinn)
Spec ops the line
Dlc quest
Limbo
For something quite a bit different, amnesia the dark decent.
This one might be controversial, but the original BioShock, I played it how I wanted, and >! Got the good ending!< And never felt the desire to pick it up. If you’re a completionist on the first run, and it isn’t very difficult to do (very rewarding I’d say), then there’s 0 reason to pick it up again. I felt the same about replaying BioShock infinite, but more because I just didn’t want to play it again (I felt like it had much more story to offer, and sidequests to do, but I didn’t get any of the same satisfactions from the game, first one was done and wrapped up nicely, third one was barely unraveled and I chose to read other people’s ideas of how it had ended)
I played amnesia exactly once and still haven’t brought myself to replay it. I tried a year ago (originally played in 2012) and, while I admit I didn’t give it much effort to relearn the mazes, I didn’t feel too motivated still remembering most of the plot and of course the finale.
Spec Ops The Line has sadly been delisted and is no longer available for purchase. If you already got it, you’re fine, but the only way to get a copy now is 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️
I still have fun watching other people discover it.
When people are over at my house and we are just hanging around doing nothing I like to put on a game and toss a controller to someone with no explanation and just let them play while everyone watches. Goose Game, Donut County, ABZU and Journey are always a hit even for people that aren’t normally into video games.
It’s a puzzle game of working out how to complete your to-do list, so that the next area unlocks. Beyond its meme status, I do think it’s a very smartly designed puzzler, with lots of experimentation and observation.
Danganronpa, honestly any of them. Once you know the story, who the killers are, and the twists, it quickly loses it’s charm. The only way afterwards is to watch other people play it for the first time.
Nioh. It might not be what you’re looking for since it’s fantasy but it does mix in some real elements from that period and even has some historical characters. It’s a pretty good game.
Also in the same genre and also fantasy/samurai themed, Sekiro. Not sure about historical accuracy, but you will enjoy the gameplay or die trying. Or both, those aren’t mutually exclusive
Nioh can be best described as “dark souls gameplay with Borderlands itemization” which I personally love. It’s not for everyone. But the folks it is for will love it. You know who you are.
Still waiting for a similar mod to come out for Bannerlord.
Sekiro is also good, but with Japanese myth and fantasy and not, like, based in reality other than the cultural similarities and aesthetics of the world.
Ghosts of Tsushima.
For an older maybe somewhat unheard of game, Way of the Samurai on PS2 was really fun.
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