If you’ve been reading this blog, you might have noticed by now that I have a penchant for answering questions that nobody asked. This is an essential part of my blogging experience, because if a question were worth answering, I just sort of assume somebody has already answered it better than I could and then what’s the damned point.
I’ve got a friend who took an extended leave from the gaming world. He’s a busy fellow, and his time is valuable. So what should, and can, that person play? Well, I’d recommend games that were vitally significant experiences, novel in some way, and with limited time commitments. Games that are important to this culture in one way or another, and make it clear what kind of play time we’re looking at for each of these titles.
I’m also biasing games that I’m fairly sure he missed out on. I will point out if a game is available only on Windows, or if it is platform independent, because I know that’s also a key feature. The game time estimates are based on my own Steam metrics if I have them, or else based on community submissions to Howlongtobeat.com, a handy website that I only learned about thanks to writing this post.
I’m working with the years 2005-2015 as my time frame. And what a decade it was. These entries are ordered not chronologically, but by my personal sense of their priority.
Bastion
Supergiant Games, 2011
Platform Independent
6 hours
This isometric action RPG features the best narration in gaming history and I’m not even exaggerating. It’s on this list for its excellent art design, it’s blending of mechanics with narrative, and setting a high bar for voice acting. If I were forced to point to a single title in which to make the case of video games as an art form, it would be this one.
But best of all, the game doesn’t sacrifice gameplay quality or enjoyment for storytelling, as many narrative-heavy games tend to do. It has a great deal of replayability, but you’ll probably be all set after going through it once.
It’s relatively short, it plays great on Linux, and it’s a masterpiece. If you only play one game on this list, make it this one.
Transistor (Optional)
Supergiant Games, 2014
Platform Independent
5-6 hours
Supergiant Games is all about quality over quantity. To date they have released two games. This is the second. It’s still an isometric action RPG, still has amazing narration, and sports another absolutely amazing soundtrack. They switch it up with a Cyberpunk theme and make the storytelling a little bit more nuanced. If you enjoyed Bastion you should play this.
Portal
Valve Software, 2007
Platform Independent
3-4 hours
This tech demo was included in the Orange Box deal (apparently as an afterthought) and became an instant classic. It’s an excellent puzzle game that forces first-person-shooter fans to think about navigating the world in a novel way. And the execution of its mechanics is perfect. You’ll find yourself “thinking in portals” in no time, able to solve puzzles by exploiting the simple rules that are set out from the beginning. It also sports a captivating story that seems to suddenly come out of nowhere.
Portal 2 (Optional)
Valve Software, 2011
Platform Independent
7-8 hours
Longer than the original, but with better production values overall. If you enjoyed Portal and want more, give this a try. Not nearly as critically acclaimed as the original, it adds several interesting mechanics while keeping the pitch black dark humor largely intact. Also Stephen Merchant is great. I’m calling it optional because of the added time investment for much of the same game.
This game also includes a very novel 2-player cooperative mode that is completely distinct from the single-player game.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Eidos Montreal, 2011
Windows-only
20-30 hours
This prequel comes close to replicating the excellent level design and storytelling of the original. I wouldn’t say they nailed it, but it is still very much worth experiencing. The developers made sure not to repeat the mistakes of Invisible War and hired a third party contractor to handle the PC version, and it was a great decision. The Director’s Cut fixes heavily criticized boss fights, but it’s still not possible to skip killing some characters.
In this entire list, I believe this is the second longest single entry. It’s what you would want in a Deus Ex entry: large amounts of content and a deep branching storyline. But I would only recommend attempting to tackle this you know you have the time; it’s not the kind of game you can just walk away from or leave unfinished.
Minecraft
Mojang, 2011
Platform Independent
?? hours
The indie gaming darling that exploded in popularity while it was still in beta, and after launch somehow became the game that every 8-year-old plays. I’m not sure how that happened. Don’t let the demographics of the fan base distract you; this is a game that deserves the credit it received.
The problem here is the time sink. With no narrative, no hard objectives, and creative freedom, you can spend limitless amounts of time in this game. But we don’t have limitless time nowadays, do we? At the very least, play this for a few hours to see what everybody is on about, and maybe watch the video where a guy made a functional CPU in-game.
Personal aside: this game’s enjoyability scales well in multiplayer, so let me know if you want to team up.
Braid
Number None, Inc, 2008
Platform Independent
5-6 hours
This list isn’t big on platformers, but this one made quite a splash. It was one of the first indie game hits on X-Box Live and was one of the talked-about games in Indie Game: The Movie.
By the way, go watch Indie Game: The Movie. It’s free. I’ve watched it three times now.
This puzzle platformer comes with a very short time commitment, but it an artistic and design marvel that shows what a small team (two, as far as I can tell) can put together. Since Minecraft and Braid, the indie game scene positively exploded. This is a great starting point. Honestly I could have also put the other stars from the aforementioned documentary in this list: Super Meat Boy and Fez. Those are great games to explore if this one resonated with you (more the latter than the former).
Bioshock
2K Boston, 2007
Windows-only
12-15 hours
System Shock 2’s spiritual successor. It features great voice acting and storytelling, but I almost didn’t include it on the list due to how much of a slog it becomes towards the end. The combat isn’t great, and eventually starts to feel like a chore. But it’s a chore you push through because of how invested you become in the world. You can safely skip the sequels. Bioshock Infinite got a ton of press, and is worth investigating if you really want more of this style of game.
Spec-Ops: The Line
Yager Development, 2012
Platform Independent
6 hours
It occured to me that I didn’t include much in the pure FPS genre (DX and Bioshock are technically RPGs). So I might as well include the one that pokes fun at typical military shooters and hits the player with a severe mindf**k.
This game is basically Heart of Darkness set in modern Dubai, and presents itself as a cookie-cutter shooter. But over time, through clever imagery and illusions of choice, it becomes clear that the game is presenting a critique not just of the genre itself, but of the players. It caused a stir and remains controversial for a number of reasons that I can’t quite explain without spoilers. For how short and accessible it is, I think it’s worth trying.
Extra Credits said it better than I did, but listen to their advice and watch part 1 of their review, play the game, then watch part 2 to get what the big deal was all about. “Holy hell I did not see this game coming,” echoes my impressions.
Dark Souls
From Software, 2011
Windows-only
40-50 hours
This was a very hard game for me to recommend. Not for any glaring reasons; it hits so many of the right notes. It has a fair and engaging combat system, sports a perfectly executed artistic style, and has hands-down the best map design I’ve ever seen. It’s highly revered as one of the best action RPGs ever made.
But it’s long. There’s a huge amount of content here, and more importantly the game will keep you bogged down by its brutal and unforgiving difficulty. You will face challenges, and fail over and over again. You’ll inevitably overcome them, and it will feel deeply gratifying, but in doing so you’ll probably lose a great deal of time.
The problem I faced here is that the game is so well done, so highly regarded, and so influential that I couldn’t not put it on a list of essential or important releases over the last decade. But it’s near the bottom of the list for a reason: the time commitment it asks of you, the player.
Mechwarrior: Online
Piranha Games, Inc,
Windows-only
?? hours
Okay fine I’m only putting this one on the list because we both bonded over Mechwarrior when we were little kids, okay?! It’s actually not particularly noteworthy in the grand scheme of things. And it has a significant grind. But I want more people to play it with.
So one thing I just noticed is how many of these games were published in 2011 or 2007. Big years, I guess?
I did cross reference my list with a few Game of the Year lists, and found a surprisingly small amount of overlap. This was most likely a side effect of my self-imposed constraints coupled with my urge to focus on novelty and cultural impact over pure execution. Or, simply put, I don’t care how good Call of Duty 4 was, give me something different. As such, I’m asking you to trust my instincts as they do seem to conflict more than a little bit with industry insiders.
Of course, I can’t pretend to be the be-all-end-all when it comes to opinions about games. My own experiences and tastes weigh heavily on the above choices. Ultimately, with so damn much art out there to choose from, we must each form our own opinions on what constitutes novelty and impact. And, at times, help each other along in the process.