Fallout London currently has my attention. It's remarkable how it's possible to build a game that doesn't feel like a tiny playpark with the tech. London is BIG!
I feel like it's rare to encounter another person that doesn't love San Andreas. It was fine, I guess, but I really didn't find the setting compelling. The kitchen sink approach to game mechanics didn't help either.
I feel like I'm the only person that grew up with Mario 64 but doesn't love it. I was really excited by it initially but when I played the game properly it just had this oppressive feeling of isolation and melancholy to it that was so off-putting.
I'm still waiting on the killer titles for the current generation of consoles. I'm frankly amazed that games have become so difficult to make, given how the graphical improvements aren't leaps. Build a stylish lighting system, make sure your textures and geometry aren't too ropey, and then make something creative.
I know it's not that simple, obviously, but I was playing through a fifteen year old FPS yesterday and the difference between now and then is just not that big. It's not nothing but the Gameboy philosophy of doing more with less would go a long way.
I agree that the original is tighter, but I love the free-form adventure of 2.
Did you ever play it modded? The Restoration Project, Updated has two amazing addons that add more talking heads and more voice acting and they're both of phenomenal, basically seamless quality. It's really like putting on a fresh coat of paint on the old thing.
Fallout 2 is probably one of my favourite games of all time. Absolutely amazing game, if a bit sprawly. I've played through it many times and expect I will do again.
Red Alert 2 - the pinnacle of the isometric RTS genre. Bordering on too silly but without tipping into absolute farce. Mechanically very strong, the art is lovely, and even has nostalgia for me.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. Massive game but a run can be completed relatively quickly. I always disable the music because I don't like games that try to scare and intimidate me. I'm pretty good at the game so it tends to be pretty relaxing for me, if a bit fugue-state-y.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2: the apex of the Battlefield multiplayer games for me. The others have plenty going for them, but BFBC2 was the best compromise between destructibility, player counts, etc. for my tastes. Sniping took significant skill and one couldn't go prone - it meant that open areas didn't feel like a death sentence (looking at you, later BF games!).
Assassin's Creed: Origins/Odyssey two open world games with beautiful maps and locations to explore. I think I preferred the setting of Origins but the story of Odyssey. A bit of escapist fantasy, I suppose. I loved the Ezio trilogy too, mind you.