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League of Legends - I realistically have to put this here because if I don’t, I’m not sure how I justify the massive amount of time I’ve spent playing it in the last decade (probably a major multiple of any other game). It’s funny, because this game has major problems with both its online community and simply the structure of the game (which allows any one player on a five player team to essentially ruin the game for the rest of the team). Yet it’s still addictive to me to this day.
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Monster Hunter: World - I had never played a Monster Hunter game before this. It combines the best aspects of an MMORPG for me (the instance fighting of a “boss” type monster and loot chase) without all of the utter grinding garbage and social crap you have to deal with in an MMORPG. And it’s even better, because it’s an actual combat game, not just a button pressing exercise.
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Dark Souls - One of the few games I have completed in the last decade (I’ve played a lot, but few finished long games). I think this was the incredible atmosphere, combined with the challenge that actually made me beat my head against the wall until it was over.
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XCOM 2 - Sanded the rougher edges off of XCOM, and was everything I would want a sequel to be.
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Factorio - Yeah, don’t know the Early Access rules, don’t care – I’ve been able to play this like a complete game for years now. It is engrossing, even for someone as logistically, engineeringly, and logistically challenged as I am. I sometimes weep and the thought of what I could do if I actually had the brain to understand the circuits, gates, and other automation functions that are available. As it is, I just have a blast building my little factory.
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Terraria - By far the best value I have ever gotten out of gaming (on a price basis). I love this game - it’s like what I imagine Minecraft is, but with actual goals, bosses, and win conditions. I love the discovery, the building, the sense of progress, the ongoing updates over the years, everything about this.
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Batman: Arkham City - Combined the open world of a Grand Theft Auto with much more fluid fighting mechanics. Best of both worlds, and a great theme (not hard with Batman, but still, they didn’t screw it up somehow).
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Stardew Valley - Normally I don’t like games without clearly defined win conditions. But this one managed to have just enough in-game goals (so it’s not utterly a sandbox, which I don’t like), that it sucked me in and allowed me to enjoy the peaceful farming life. This game is made with love, and it shows.
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Rimworld - Again, one of the few games I “finished” (recognizing it is the type of game that is meant to be played nearly forever, with mods, etc.). I’m putting this on here because it shows it is possible to make something like a Dwarf Fortress, but have it actually be playable and fun without a monstrously hindering UI. Maybe this is my grudge pick against a different game that I really want to play, but refuse to until it comes out with a functional UI.
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Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - I have not won this. I have probably restarted it five times. I have played a fair amount of it, however, and I think it is almost necessary to acknowledge its professionalism and affect on the gaming world. It even has its own “arrow to the knee” meme to this day.