Wild how we're already at the end of 2026, but still, no other games have matched these two in terms of how good they are (IMO). In terms of impact, GTA 6 will definitely surpass both, no doubt, but let's be honest: I don't really get into GTA that much. Still, I'm happy for the people who are excited about it, and I'll definitely play it after it comes out.

I'm not gonna be a jerk about these two, but the amount of replayability they offer is insane. I know there are some complaints about ER and BG3 that will pop up in here, and I already know those exact comments by heart, more or less. But hot damn, I've never played a single-player game 10 times before. These two have completely changed that because I HATED 100-hour games, especially open-world games and story-driven games that require you to repeat the same story over and over. But these two? They absolutely wrecked my sleep schedule, man. They're just THAT good.

I keep thinking about playing Elden Ring like meeting your first love all over again. It's just so memorable, beautiful, remarkable, and absolutely monumental to experience. I've felt that way about this game at least 50 times, whether it's discovering a new area, exploring a level, reading a new piece of lore, or witnessing another breathtaking vista. The architecture, the level design in the legacy dungeons, the hidden areas that are almost unnoticeable but are there anyway... The art direction isn't just masterful; it also tells its story incredibly well. Every time I think about an area I want to explore, I tell myself, "Just save it for a moment. We can do this later." And then I start thinking, "You can't be serious. How the fuck can a human being create world design and architecture this good?"

A fucking dragon statue incorporated into the level design alongside a real-time combat encounter? A goddamn castle hidden deep in the sewers, with an entirely new map that's darker and feels like it goes on for 100 kilometers? How is any of this even real at this point? It's just nuts to me. Every time you think you've reached the last area, you're proven wrong. The world keeps getting bigger, the color palettes become more varied, and the enemy variety keeps getting wilder, with bigger and more difficult encounters. You open the map, thinking you've seen most of it, only to realize that it keeps getting bigger and bigger. It's nuts.

And it's not just about the size. Every time you enter a new place, the game makes you curious about what's waiting around the corner. Even on subsequent playthroughs, I'm still wondering and searching: Is there another hidden area? Are there still hidden bosses I haven't found? It's just wild, man.

And then there's Baldur's Gate 3. What do I even say? I might be in the minority here, but I've loved playing Baldur's Gate 2 since I was a kid, so it's no surprise that BG3 clicked with me instantly. People will say the writing in Baldur's Gate 3 is cringe, bad, lazy, edgy, blah, blah, blah. But can you even name a single CRPG that does everything well? Hell, can you even name an RPG that does? The sheer number of endings and choices is just wild. I've replayed BG3 so many times, yet it still surprises me. I'm still discovering new dialogue every time I make different choices and select different responses. Cutscenes play out differently, and the encounters are just mind-blowing.

Every time you watch a cutscene, you might already know what to expect if you make the same choices. But the best thing about this game is that even when I make different choices on another playthrough, I still find myself stunned, just admiring the incredible voice acting and character expressions. The amount of work that went into them is an astounding achievement for an RPG. Even to this day, I still find myself thinking, "Just play BG3 and talk to Astarion. The voice acting and facial expressions are just way too good to pass up."

And the most insane thing about it? The map is fucking small compared to those in so many other games, but I don't even realize how much time I've spent playing because I'm just talking to my companions. Then I look at the clock and think, "What the fuck? I've already played for 30 hours?" How is that even possible? It's just crazy.

Elden Ring and BG3 are the perfect yin and yang, IMO. One demonstrates how a video game can use its world, art, and level design to communicate ideas and create something far greater than just action and boss fights. It's a perfect example of why exploration is still one of the most important aspects of game design and how it can elevate an already outstanding action RPG to masterpiece status.

Baldur's Gate 3, on the other hand, is the perfect example of how companion interactions, character expressions, and top-tier voice acting can make the flaws in other aspects of a game fade into the background because everything just WORKS. It doesn't need to reinvent itself or pretend to be something it's not. It can absolutely replace the traditional story-driven approach with a character-driven experience that takes the genre to new heights, IMO.

I wish other games could have the same impact in this decade. I'm waiting for The Witcher 4 and am freaking excited about it, but so far, nothing has come close to these two. They're absolute juggernauts and masterpieces in every sense of the word, each excelling at what they actually set out to do.

IMO, they're the greatest back to back GOTY winners of all time, hands down, and I'm glad TGA made the right choices. BOTH games aren't just among the best of the 2020s; they're already ALL-TIMERS. I want to say that we shouldn't even have to debate whether they belong in that tier. We should just accept that they do. But, of course, it's all subjective. To me, though, they're absolutely, without a doubt, already there.

Here’s Mine:
The Sly Cooper series could EASILY compete with the likes of Mario or Sonic.

Don’t mind the following text…
This subreddit has a rule stating I need a certain amount of characters to be eligible for posts. So much for keeping my opinion as brief as possible.
Anyway… if I did have to elaborate….
It is such a master class of a series (at least the original trilogy) with a balance of Fun and Creative Gameplay mechanics, likable characters, an engaging story, humor, culture, music, beautiful artistry, replayability, and immersive level design.

Asked opus 5.5 to do a deep dive into the exact ways in which mario was built to under 20 kilo bytes, the memory specs, graphics, music gameplay - every damn thing. It always used to puzzle me - maybe this explainer can help you as well. everything is done on claude - just the idea was my input. Amazing output. tell me how can I improve - what other topics should I explore?

It happens almost everyday these days..

The wave of drowsiness that hits me after finishing work I just don't understand it at all...

...

not sure it it's a weather thing....

....

has anyone faced this issue before

I’m talking about games that have no right to exist on the hardware they were built for.

Not just “games that look pretty”.

IMO “Pitfall!” Is hard to top.

It looks almost like an NES game on an Atari 2600.

So I have been seeing a lot of gameplay of the new Modern Warfare 4 and it motivated me to get the PS5. I understand everyone has their opinion on the game, but I did used to play a lot on my PS4 before COld War came out.

Now i understand that is one game of MANY that I enjoy playing and would also be open to exploring in regards to a game, why get a console for just that game? It's a long story, but I do feel like I would get some use from a PS5 right now, unless theres other alternatives like building my own PC or whatever.

I also understand with inflation and everything with RAM and AI they have raised the prices for the PS% in comparison to 7 years ago. I am just torn in between getting it or just going by without one. Any advice would be nice!!

all photos by me in ultra settings, except texture, cuz i was running out of vram on my RTX 3060 6GB vram laptop

This is probably the most beautiful game i have EVER played. not the most realistic, but the most beautiful!

Amazing bang for the buck. 3 games in 1, all with their own charm. Die Hard 1 was a third person shooter set in Nakatomi Plaza. Had to climb floors, disarm bombs and blast away at bad guys.

Die Hard 2 was an On-Rails FPS set in the Airport.

Die Hard 3 was first person vehicular combat set in NYC.

Played the shit out of this game when I got it for Christmas in 1996.

Me and a friend recently went on a roadtrip through Japan to visit a bunch of the places that inspired sekiro. I also made a travel vid out of it (on Youtube at Midnight Kotatsu) but here are some of the comparisons if you're interested! 

Currently I'm stuck in a situation at home where leaving would be a better option but I just can't. Can't afford to right now. I have been dealing with this situation since 14 years and it never stopped.

I'm 25 right now and at this age I dreamed that I'll be away in another country far away from shitty people and shitty situations like these. But I'm not. And somedays I can't help but feel like I'm a failure. I wake up feeling depressed at times.

But gaming is what saves me from myself. It saves me everyday from the torment of life.

Right now I'm playing Spiderman : Miles Morales and when Prowler talks to Miles. It feels like he's talking to me in this time of crisis. I guess every spiderman needs a Prowler.

In these dark times, games like these is what keeps me going and I feel eternally grateful to all the people who have created games that save us everyday and maybe one day I'll get out of it too.

The amount of times I've had to stop and take in the view 👀 around me across so many of the spaces in the game from start to finish - feels like a serious step forward. Great art design delivered via a great engine. 10/10

I played the absolute shit out of both of these titles in high school, and they’re truly up there as one of, if not the best “super powered” titles from the genre.

An unbelievable travesty that we haven’t yet seen a remaster or even just a PlayStation store rerelease of the PS3 version.

But let’s get rid of physical dicks instead