I have a couple of examples:

Hell Let Loose: Hopefully I'll never actually need this one: In the game, if you hear a gunshot and you're still standing, you have a split second to react before the next one. The game forces you to learn situational awareness, instinctively process directionality from sound and visual context and cover mechanics. These are concepts that an "average european" like me, not at war, doesn't typically think about on a daily basis.

Civilization III: If you zoom out enough, whole-timeline view of "civilization" gave me a strange kind of insight (even if still inexact) into how real societies work. At that scale, history stops looking like a series of unique events and starts looking like patterns repeating, the masses behaving somewhat predictably, expansion, resource competition, empires extending and collapsing. It's made me see real-world news and history through that "zoomed out" lens ever since, contemplating what I would have done if X or Y, rather than "it is what it is"

I love the old-school console wars. I always remember my friends arguing over Mario vs Sonic and such.

So apparently the National Museum of Play is in Rochester, NY which I was flying to for business. That’s the main theme of the airport and there’s various cases of old toys and collectibles along with a large amount of free to play games and arcade cabinets and other games.

The beer is cheaper than 90% of airports. I always have my Switch 2 with me but it’s cool you can play Ms. Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and others while your flight is being delayed for the 5th time.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), one of the world's leading digital rights organizations, says Sony's digital-first strategy is eroding what it means to own a video game. The group argues that consumers are increasingly purchasing revocable licenses instead of products they fully control.

I started with Resident Evil 4 on the PS2.. now a good chance to get most of the collection for $50 (no RE9 )

Info from website

*****************************************************

Build your own Resident Evil Bundle RELOADED

Celebrating the announcement of Resident Evil Veronica! Grab some of the finest dark and wonderfully disturbing titles in the Resident Evil franchise!

About this Bundle

Experience the dark and intense world of Resident Evil with the freshly reloaded Build your own Resident Evil Bundle from the masters of thrilling horror at Capcom.

Choose from this demonically gripping array of games and enjoy the delights of survival-horror!

• Resident Evil Village
• Resident Evil 2
• Resident Evil 3
• Resident Evil Revelations 1 & 2 Deluxe Double Pack (ft. Resident Evil Revelations and Resident Evil : Revelations 2 - Deluxe Edition)
• Resident Evil 4 (2005) & Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition Double Pack
• Resident Evil 6 Complete & Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Double Pack
• Resident Evil & Resident Evil 0 Double Pack
• Resident Evil Classic Triple Pack (ft. Resident Evil (1996), Resident Evil 2 (1998), and Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (1999))

Whether you're new to these beautifully crafted horror games, or a returning fan looking to expand your adventures into darkness, this is your chance to pick up a dazzling collection of must-have titles.

Build your own Resident Evil Bundle now, scavenge your survival kit and embrace the fear! 

^(\ All games are supplied as official Steam keys. Available while stocks last.)*

I always love that moment in a game where you unlock something and can immediately tell it’s going to change the rest of the experience.
For me, nothing tops getting the Blades of Chaos in God of War. It’s such an incredible story moment, but they’re also just ridiculously fun to use. Combat instantly felt faster, more versatile, and I remember thinking, “Yeah… these are never coming off.”
Another one for me is the Super Shotgun in DOOM Eternal. The second I got it, the whole game just clicked. Flying around the arena with the Meat Hook made me feel like I’d finally become the Doom Slayer the game wanted me to be.
What’s the first weapon or ability that comes to mind for you?

This doesnt seem to have been posted yet but if it is, feel free to take down mod.

A nice little piece has been going around in Asia this past day, with Nvidia's Jensen Huang paying tribute to Sega for its $5m bailout back in 1995. Without that money, Nvidia would likely have folded. So in a way we have Sega to thank for where gaming and GPU tech is at today.

Sega holds a special place in my heart....many many years ago, Dreamcast was the first console I had ever wanted to buy and because my parents wouldn't let me, I had tried putting away pocket money for months in a futile attempt to save up for one. 😂 And although they have pulled out of the hardware business, it just feels right to have Sega still around, snug in the corner of a fast changing gaming landscape.

Here's to Sega - for Nvidia, for Saturn, for Dreamcast, and for these many years of silent contributions to our beloved hobby.

I’ve been playing Dragon Quest XI lately, and it’s made me appreciate games that are unapologetically “vanilla.”
It doesn’t have some groundbreaking combat system. It doesn’t try to flip every JRPG trope on its head. It just takes the classic formula and executes it incredibly well. Charming characters, fun turn-based combat, a great sense of adventure, and a world that’s a joy to explore.
It’s kind of like eating an amazing vanilla ice cream. Nobody orders vanilla because it’s the most exciting flavor—they order it because when it’s done really well, it’s hard to beat.
It’s made me wonder what other games fit that description. Games that don’t reinvent the wheel or do anything particularly revolutionary, but are so polished and well executed that they end up being some of the best in their genre.
What games come to mind for you?