My comfort game is definitely Heroes of Might and Magic 2. No campaign, I just pick a large map on low difficulty, and play it through while listening to the relaxing music. For years it was my christmas chill out routine.
Castlevania: SotN is my #1 go-to for nostalgia. I play it a couple times every year. And somehow, it never gets old. The experience is basically the same every time, but super satisfying. Oddly enough, every time I finish a new Metroidvania, I usually chase it with a quick run-through of this one. Makes a good pallette cleanser!
@@FWDSUXARSE SOTN is my fave Castlevania "Metroidvaina", but my favorite traditional platformer was the PC Engine classic Dracula X Rondo of Blood and NOT the SNES version!
i've got a rotation of Evergreen games I always come back to: Earthbound Super Mario RPG Parasite Eve 1 & 2 Silent Hill 1-4 Castlevania SOTN Super Metroid Snatcher Deathgate I totally agree with what you said about wanting to have that enjoyable experience again!
Hi. Some of my most played games are: - FTL, at somewhere around 300 hours - Into the Breach (by the same developer) for somewhere around 150 hours. Both of those are rogue-lites, where a run can end early if you die, which happens in FTL the vast majority of the time. I actually win Into the Breach roughly 100% of the time now, but still love playing through it with different teams. - Xenoblade Chronicles. Somewhere around 200 hours on definitive edition on the Switch, and another long playthrough of the original Wii version on emulation. - I also really like Shmups. I spent several years playing Mushihimesama Futari. Then I went through an R-Type Leo phase. Right now I've been playing Donpachi at least daily - Time Pilot. I've been playing this almost daily for a few decades. It was my favorite Coleco Vision game,. and then when it became possible to emulate it I started playing the arcade version. It's also on my Switch. IMO it's one of the best arcade games ever made as far as difficulty curve. Even the first level isn't easy for beginners, and even after decades I rarely make it past the UFO level to loop back around. I'm sure there are others I can't think of at the moment, but those are the games that I've played the longest for the most number of hours. EDIT: I forgot to mention SSX 3 and Tony Hawk 2. I've been playing both of those for 20 years or so. They basically have infinite replayability, and great music also.
The original X-Com is probably my first evergreen game. I used to play it at least once a year since I got it for Christmas back in 1994. I liked the reboot and its sequel, but nothing has quite surpassed the original for me. Xenonauts came close as well, but I'm sure nostalgia is keeping X-Com: UFO Defense on a pedestal for me.
I don't think it's *just* nostalgia... I liked modded Xenonauts much more than the modern XCOM games and the only keeping me away from the originals is the interface, really. With OpenXCom they're still pretty good games.
For older games, I can always pop in Super Street Fighter 2 and have a good time. For recent stuff, Rocket League is my go to “turn off my brain and have fun whenever I boot it up” title
I don't blame you for revisiting Felix the Cat. It's definitely one of the coziest NES games and I'd love to see it get re-released one of these days, especially since a lot of his shorts are now in the public domain (I don't know if the character himself is though)
A SHORT HIKE always puts me in a good mood. Gliding in the sky is very relaxing. It’s the first game where I wasn’t sure if I had reached the end. It’s more casual than ANIMAL CROSSING and easy to jump in and out of. I find myself coming back to the sports games again and again and NBA 2K 11 most of all.
Crimson skies is a favorite of mine, the Hollywood air race level was very memorable. As was the earlier mission where they steal the blue streak and rescue ilsa
My evergreen games seemingly are: final fantasy 1, 10, and 12, Skyrim, path of exile, grim dawn, torchlight 2, and oblivion. Sounds like a lot but I don’t play through them entirely every year but I do visit them yearly! It’s like chicken soup on a cold day.
As someone who's been subscribed since Felix the Cat, it's always a nice surprise when you bring it up again. For me I always go back to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario Bros 3 (though 1 & 2 get replays occasionally), Jazz Jackrabbit and well ... Pac Man.
I have a handful of modern "live-service" games that I constantly rotate through, but to the spirit of the video, I always find myself returning to Mega Man 2 and Symphony of the Night every year or so.
Right on! Replayability is abuot the game being good; not just having more content, and a lot of my choices will reflect that. It's harder for me to narrow it down, since I replay most of my games, but the biggest ones are probably the Mega Man Classic and X series, Faxanadu, Guardian Legend, the SNES Ganbare Goemon games, Secret of Mana, Super Metroid, Smartball, and Super Valis 4. I can think of plenty of newer discoveries that will probably land here, but I haven't had the chance to replay all that much just yet.
Easily my number one is Link's Awakening (OG GameBoy, Switch now). I've played and beat that game more than any other game. Still play it. Ys Origins, Trials of Mana, and ACNH are currently the ones I keep going back to.
Most Recently I'm so addicted to Shredder's Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection. I wanted to beat the arcade version of Turtles in Time with all 4 characters.
Your experience in WoW is basically what mine was in MMO's and I won't touch them anymore. I totally agree with your take on CIV 5, there is just something about it.
@@Cannotbetamed1 I actually came back to WoW with the new wotlk pre-patch fresh servers and I've been enjoying it again. I can't imagine actually raiding and doing all that stuff though so I'm mainly just playing it as a solo quester, a few hours a night. That's more or less the only way I seem to enjoy mmos anymore, which I guess kinda defeats the purpose, lol. I love the persistence and the feeling of building a character, but yeah, at the end of the day, is it worth the time you could be spending with an immersive story in a well-crafted single player game? It scratches a certain itch that single player games don't, but the more I play them, the more pointless it feels. I'm starting to think that mmo-lite games are the best compromise. Games like Fallout 76 or Destiny 1/2 that have long, story-driven campaigns that you basically just play in tandem with a relatively smaller player presence (I think it's never more than like 24 players in one instance of FO76, for instance). Even ESO kinda falls in that category since there's so much fully-voiced story content that can mostly all be done solo and at your leisure. It's a nice option to feel like you're not totally alone in the game world while playing a single-player quality story (arguably) with none of the pressures or time commitments of a raiding-centric game like WoW.
Such a great video. I recently got a steam deck and I'm embarrassed to admit the game I played the most on it is pixel junk monsters and slay the spire
There's a bunch of games I always come back to, most of which are arcade titles. Tecmo's Solomon's Key in its arcade iteration is pretty much a perfect game for me. Same with Hammerin' Harry by Irem. Strato Fighter, which recently got an Arcade Archives release... The list goes on and features titles most don't expect, like Gaelco's Thunder Hoop. These are all feel-good titles I won't ever stop playing.
Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect trilogy were the game I've played multiple times. As well as Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island, and TMNT 4 Turtles in Time, all on the SNES. And I believe also Goldeneye on the N64. There's probably more that I'm not thinking of, but those are the ones I can remember at the top of my head. But those were for multiple playthroughs. I have also sunk in over 200 hours in Euro Truck Simulator 2, and over 100 for Elite Dangerous across two platforms. (Xbox and PC)
zelda games, chrono trigger/cross, hook on the snes is my version of your felix the cat. hell, a stack of snes games I run through for the feels. i probably have hundreds of hours of time in spiderman on ps4 just swinging around the city.
Pitfall! on the Atari 2600 (1982). Super Mario Bros. 2 / North American release on the NES (1988). Gain Ground on the Sega Genesis (1991). Bucky O'Hare on the NES (1992). Illusion of Gaia on the SNES (1994). Jet Grind Radio on the Dreamcast (2000).
I think my evergreen games are mostly from the SNES or PS1 era. SNES: FF 6 and Super Mario RPG. PS1: FF7, FF Tactics, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, and Star Ocean 2nd story.
Good list. Mine would include World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Goldeneye on N64, Mario Kart 64, Team Fortress 2, and Quake 3 with Weapons Factory Arena mod. I also go back and play Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2 and the original Streets of Rage a lot but those don't take long to finish each time.
This was a great topic, Pam. I generally never replay games with few exceptions. There are just too many other videogame experiences out there to be discovered! However, I do have a few that live in my mind at all times and get replayed every now and then. LoZ: Ocarina of Time is probably number one. Then Bioshock, Halo: Combat Evolved, and Alan Wake, in no particular order.
I love this topic. Comfort games are my go-to resource when I'm having mental health super happy fun times (note: said times are neither super happy nor fun). My biggest one is probably the flawed but addicting RTS game "Star Wars Rebellion" from the late '90s. Or "Journey" if I'm grieving someone and need a quick game to help me have an emotional catharsis.
Mine are Broken Sword, Oblivion and Bioshock. However, thanks to one of your videos, Paradise Killer. Beat that the other day and will be going back to it again. Really hoping for a sequel.
Thank you so much Pam! For me it's probably Ultima 7, or maybe Gothic 3 - they both have music I just can't get enough of, so I just play the games endlessly to hear the tunes.
The original Oldboy, nice I find myself revisiting the Panzer Dragoon series on the Saturn; Saga being my favourite. Adventure games are another I tend to revisit often as well. Nothing usually in particular other than “oh, hey, I haven’t played Zork (or such n such game) in a long while…”. Planescape: Torment has such a great and utterly bizarre setting with fun characters that makes it another contender to replay every few years. I still dip my toes into WoW from time to time, having played since the tail end of vanilla. One of my fav sci-fi MMOs, Earth & Beyond, has been running on a private server and so I’ll revisit that universe. Finally, speaking of private servers, Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst is another game a friend and I will get a hankering to play now and again.
The X-COM games are outstanding! Because you included Darkest Dungeon, I am hoping to see Circus Electrique in your "What you played in September" video. Similar game around being in a circus in the late 1800s in London. Very well made game and a great value at $20.
Definitely Fallout New Vegas for PC. Love Darkest Dungeons but it's unforgiving, but I keep going back. SMB3 for NES. I'd recommend you try Final Fantasy 3 (6) for SNES if you're looking for epic adventure w/amazing pixel art.
Although, now that I think there are other games I have played ad nauseum, that are a bit more sophisticated: Morrowind III, Baldouir´s Gate II, Kotor I and II, Heroes of Might and Magic III and X-Wing, Tie Figher and X-Wing Alliance.
When you said, "throw an asmr video on a second screen" you immediately spoke my language. I love interesting roleplay ASMR with an almost mindless game where you feel some sort of progression. I have way too many hours in Pressure Washer & House Flipper, but it keeps that side of your mind busy where you're watching ASMR (Frostglow ASMR, Nebula ASMR, pretty much scifi, though unintentional ASMR is good as well)
I did WoW for two and a half years starting in 2005 and used to raid a lot. But when they started with the BS of excluding entry to instances without the complete set consisting of very rare drops, one night I got fed up and quite cold turkey. Really enjoyed that game, though. Loved the soundtrack too, bought me a copy. Cute blouse, by the way.
Heroes of Might and Magic 2 is my most played game of all times. Jagged Alliance 2 is one I regularly replay every 1-2 years. Of the newer games it's Into the Breach and FTL that I return to for a run, or two. And then there is Tetris for some zen time.
What a great topic. I imagine for those of us in the retro scene, we may tend to have a bunch of evergreen games. Our tastes in this category differ as I love beat-em-ups and action platformers the most, but I do absolutely relate to the core gameplay being the most important thing to bring me back again and again. I don't care about content. It's always the game mechanics that determine if I'll return. I'll spare you my exhaustive list, because I return to a lot of games, but recent highlights for me have been Knights of the Round(arcade), X-Men(arcade), Shinobi 3, Ranger X, Shatterhand, Ninja Gaiden, Virtual On, King of Fighters 98....and so on.
The games I spent the most time on were the ones that I enjoyed playing so much that it made me want to make content for them. Portal 2 lets you create your own puzzle rooms, and it was fun doing it. Doom (2016) comes with the SnapMap utility that lets you make maps, and I made five, which took me 900 hours. I also made a map for the 2002 strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic IV. The first time I did this kind of thing was in the 80s Apple II game Lode Runner, which let you design custom levels. I also tried modding in Fallout 4: I turned that broken drive-in theater into a working one. And games like The Sims and Minecraft made custom creations a mainstream thing.
Toooooooooooo many days played on Everquest (multiple accounts and toons, raiding, guild leader, raid leader, etc.) I love long games like Mass Effect, Fallout 3/4, and will play them multiple times. And tower defense games.
Fantastic video. It's always interesting to me to hear about what other people gravitate toward and what it is about those games that resonate with them. For me, it's definitely Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Randomizer. I wouldn't be at all surprised if I was over the thousand hour mark at this point with that one. Beyond that, Chrono Trigger and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse both get annual replays, and I've put quite a bit of time into each of the souls-borne games.
Mega Man X2, NES Batman, Earthworm Jim, and Super Mario 64 jump to mind for me. They're a perfect blend of nostalgia, satisfying mechanics, and shortness.
My ever green game is Ninja Gaiden. I played it until I was great at it. I still remember the first weekend I rented it. I want my grandparents and remember being at the castle ruins and being called away for lunch and one of the happier moments of my life. Weirdly I don't know how I got the copy I owned but I got to the point I could get to Jaquio in thirty minutes. My other go to game is Mega Man 2, I've played it to the point, I go thru multiple paths. Most would likely be games on the NES, including the Mario games.
Hi Pam, nice video! My evergreen game is certainly Bloodstained: RotN The randomizer mode will probably keep me in this game forever (plus Miriam is awesome) Cheers!
Nice video; it’s nice to see fellow Canadians on my RUclips feed! My old roommate played that gothic Cthulhu-style game mentioned in the video. Looked like it was depressingly stressful, but he enjoyed it. He also introduced me to Binding of Isaac, which I’ve put hundreds of hours into now.
For me, I'd say; Ridge racer type 4 Outrun 2 Resident Evil 1 remake Godhand Haunting Ground Kingdom under fire Dodonpachi Black label Street fighter alpha 3 Tekken 5 Virtua fighter 4 Nier Gestalt Skies of Arcadia Lost Odyssey Heretic/Hexen Darksiders 2 There's probably plenty more, these are the first that come to mind.
Approaching 400 hours played in Ziggurat II (PC)... it's a roguelike dungeon crawler kinda thing that's a first person shooter, but with wands/staves/spells. It's super rad. Pretty cheap too, think I got the first one for 2.99$ and second one for 20$ on GOG
@@Cannotbetamed1 yeah... I tend to lose entire portions of days playing this thing. But you know what that's about, I assume, if you're a Civ fan... lord knows I lost an entire nights' sleep more than a few times in Jr high playing Civ I and II... fell asleep in science class, but at least I developed starship technology first 😂
Besides MMO's some of mine would be The Witcher 3, Chrono Trigger, Mass Effect Trilogy, Final Fantasy 7, Dragon Age: Origins, and most recently Total War: Warhammer (1,2,3)
I was an original EverQuest player back in early ‘99. That sucked me in for about 5 years. I’ve played a few other mmo’s but never more than a couple of weeks. There is no way my life could support playing a game, even remotely as much, ever again.
For me, some of my evergreen games would be: Streets of Rage 2, Advance Wars, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Resident Evil Remake, and the new Hitman trilogy. Appreciate the videos. Keep up the great work.
I'm surprised how many times I've played through Shadow of War, with most of the items collected. I don't usually have the patience to go find all of the nick knacks, but that game always sucks me in.
Mine is definitely World of Warcraft as well! I started playing in 2004 and I still to this day play it on and off. Literally been playing for more than half my life.
What you mentioned about going back to games that are more focused rather than different or procedural is such a good point that i dont hear too many people mention. I used to think that games that have procedural elements, multiple choice or just more build options = Replay Value. These days I strongly disagree, its the tighter focused games (which is what most 8 and 16 bit games are like) that are the ones that i want to go back to again and again. Its kind of like a movie for me, I am someone that tends to rewatch movies i like over and over and over but still catch new things i didnt see before. So many of my favourite retro games are just pure, concentrated, handmade, fun and i would happily replay them for an eternity. I also dont mind if a game has the 'illusion of choice' as long as they fool me and I don't ever feel like questioning it.
Games I play the most are Tetris attack, Dr. Mario, Sonic 1,2,3 knuckles games, Dynasty Warriors type games, NES and SNES mario games. I guess really fun NES and SNES games.
Didn't know you were into WoW back in the day, I didn't play as long but I loved it through TBC-WotLK, I understand being burnt out after playing an MMO for si long. Ironically, the only evergreen games I can think of are FF14, as despite being in the same genre, the way it's designed is much less toxic and addicting, most players just want to log in to either appreciate the new story patches, role play with friends or live in a world that is so beautiful and nostalgic, for final fantasy fans at least. The other game is Castlevania SotN for obvious reasons.
I play Super Metroid and SOTN once per year, SF2 and SF3 whenever I am in the mood for a fighter. N64 racers like Waverace 64 or Beetle Adventure Racing every once in awhile, Dark Souls 1 just to try different builds and paths through the game, about once a year. Shmups I come back to Soldier Blade, Axelay, Deathsmiles 1, and Ikaruga. I luv JRPG's, but usually only play them through once, a few twice, but thats it.
The games I have played for most the hours are Forza Motorsport 4, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 4 and Gran Turismo 6. I still play those games a few hours each a year if not more. Games I have beat most and continue play are Rage, Far Cry 5, Far Cry 2, Wolfenstein 09, Bioshock, Dead Island Riptide, Singularity, Homefront the Revolution and Dying Light the Following. Then two more recent games have made it into the near yearly play throughs; Cyberpunk and Resident Evil VIllage. I have beat them four times each so they are climbing up into most beaten territory for me.
I think I have too many to list. There are some shorter form games that I do multiple times a year... older Marios, Zelda II, Rygar, Black Tiger, Time Soldiers... too many to list. Some longer games, like Earthbound, Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy III, etc. get annual plays. Others, like Fortune Street or Culdcept Saga, I never really stopped playing. What interests me now, though, are newer games that feel like they'll be joining those ranks. Eastward, Spiritfarer, Hollow Knight, Astro Bot Rescue, Death's Gambit, Blasphemous, Yoku's Island Express, Dex, and several more modern games have caught me for multiple playthroughs already, long after I thought games were passing me by during the Wii/360/PS3 days. It's fun having so many new games starting to grip me the same way the classics have.
About games without ending, I always go back to Audiosurf, I love the idea to play with your music. About games with endings, there is a bunch of ones I like to complete again and again. Max Payne 1 and 2, Kingdom hearts 2, Diablo 2, Titan quest, Half life, Red faction, Castlevania symphony of the night and all the GBA and NDS ones, Broken sword, Dragon quest 4 and 5... It's just a real pleasure to go back to a game like this, to return to a good gameplay, live the story again... This year I played Saints row 3 for the first time and I loved it so much, I have no doubt that I will play it again.
For modern games, it has to be Middle Earth: Shadow of War. I love the story and characters so much, and even though you know the Gondorians are going to lose the Siege of Minas Ithil, I delay progressing as long as possible, as if I think I can change the outcome. Empire: Total War is another I return to from time to time, as I have a passion for the 18th and 19th centuries, plus I love playing as the British Empire. One game that always puts me in a happy place is a fan-made one called Skycraft, set up like a classic Final Fantasy game, only set in the world of Viva La Dirt League's Epic NPC Man. You can feel the love that went into the project, and it's a full RPG, which took me about twelve hours to beat. It's free to download and so worth your time! 😊
My evergreen game is WoW. I go back almost every expansion, even if I do end up stopping after a month or so. I first started when it first came out 2004 and it's still something I always go back to now. As for my most played game, it's without a doubt Counterstrike, even though I haven't played it in years. Started in 1999 and didn't stop until 2015. Crazy amount of hours sunk into it. I don't even want to think about it, lol.
Even though it was such a vortex that ate up so much time, I really miss MMO's. I was never a Warcraft person but I played Star Wars: Galaxies and City of Heroes (was in the beta for both) way back in the day and had a similar experience. They became a full-time job after a while but I loved the people I played with and it was just such a great outlet. Then the subscription model fell out of fashion and everything turned into micro-transactions purgatory. I still miss those days. I totally love the XCOM's, especially Enemy Unknown. I definitely think the second one improved upon the first but I always hit that wall where mission after mission just starts to feel like a slog and I fall out of it, especially XCOM 2. Same thing with Darkest Dungeon. I try to throw on a little Sabaton or something while playing it to set the mood and keep me in it but after a while it just reaches a tipping point where I lose interest. The Civilization games were super solid and always fun. I loved the Age of Empires series and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and played the heck out of them. Strategy games were always a win unless you were on the higher difficulty settings and the AI just hands you your head. Challenge is fine but being utterly destroyed without the slightest chance isn't my idea of a good time. In terms of games I keep going back to? Bloodlines is one I have played through a ton and just keep returning to on the regular. That gritty, sultry, 90's WoD vibe just hits me in that way only it can. Vampire came out when I was in high school and I DM'ed a group of friends. It was our thing. I always get that nostalgia hit every single time I play it and I go back maybe once a year, at least. Some games just capture a special something, ether a feeling or world or they simply bring you back to a place and time you were at when you first discovered them. Good stuff.
Evergreen: Whole Sid Meier's Civ-series including the first and the latest. Colonization and Alpha Centauri. Heroes of Might & Magic 2&3, Settlers 2&3, basically the strategy line. These are the games to get back from time to time and play a lot (sadly haven't tried XCOM or UFO). Arcade-y games you can play straight away without many cutscenes/settings needed to go through before getting into a game (Domekeeper). Sometimes thinking of playing some of those NES-games you beat multiple times just to see if you can still make it (Startropics, Zelda II). Then there are those that get you back because of daily (TF2 simply fun) stuff, achievements and login bonuses (such as WoW for many). For me, it's Gems of War (card/3-match res. mng). Challenging games to beat once: Metroid Dread, Super Meat Boy. The ones to die trying, all again: Roguelikes, Nethack, ADOM, IVAN etc. and lites like FTL. Like Civilization and many of sim genre, it's something you actually want to get back just (one more turn?) to see how it goes. Dorfromantik, a cozy landcape tile placer to perfect some scores. What I've actually played very lately is SMAC Alien Crossfire and rhythm-games.
the games I probably put the most hours into are - burnout paradise, resident evil 4, ninja gaiden black/NG2, DMC3, gears of war, halo CE, god of war 2, killing floor, path of exile, nioh 2, tony hawk 2 and sonic 3 & knuckles.
I've got a few "types" for evergreen games as well: Metroidvanias, strategy RPG's, and shmups. SOTN, Metroid Fusion, and every Castlevania on the GBA/DS scratch an undeniable itch for the first category. For SRPG's, it's Advance Wars, Shining Force III, and Vandal Hearts all the way. And for shmups? Darius Gaiden, Gradius II, and R-Type are the pinnacle to me.
With you on Civ 5. I still prefer it to Civ 6 in a lot of ways. The only thing I wish I could take from Civ 6 are the roads. Having the roads grow organically is one of the most fascinating additions to the entire series.
Xcom Enemy Unknown is my second most played game at 117 hours but I'd say I've never really gotten that far in it. I've never even played the regular game. I've only played the LongWar mod. FFX would have more play time if you combine me playing it on PS2 and PC. My most played Steam game is Slay the Spire.
I know every nook and cranny of A Link to the Past, but going back and replaying it gives me the feeling of discovering those secrets all over again.
My comfort game is definitely Heroes of Might and Magic 2. No campaign, I just pick a large map on low difficulty, and play it through while listening to the relaxing music. For years it was my christmas chill out routine.
same!
Castlevania: SotN is my #1 go-to for nostalgia. I play it a couple times every year. And somehow, it never gets old. The experience is basically the same every time, but super satisfying. Oddly enough, every time I finish a new Metroidvania, I usually chase it with a quick run-through of this one. Makes a good pallette cleanser!
I usually play Super Metroid and SOTN once a year
Same dude, sotn never gets old
SOTN the best music 👍
One of the best Castlevania games in my opinion.
@@FWDSUXARSE SOTN is my fave Castlevania "Metroidvaina", but my favorite traditional platformer was the PC Engine classic Dracula X Rondo of Blood and NOT the SNES version!
Surprisingly enough I keep going back to Skyrim I'm addicted to that game lol as well as a ton of Zelda games
i've got a rotation of Evergreen games I always come back to:
Earthbound
Super Mario RPG
Parasite Eve 1 & 2
Silent Hill 1-4
Castlevania SOTN
Super Metroid
Snatcher
Deathgate
I totally agree with what you said about wanting to have that enjoyable experience again!
This is a pretty solid list. I'd be satisfied if this was just the entirety of my game collection.
Oooo a Snatcher fan :D I'll always remember some of the iconic scenes and puzzles, like figuring out the Queen's Hospital or shooting the mirror
Hi. Some of my most played games are:
- FTL, at somewhere around 300 hours
- Into the Breach (by the same developer) for somewhere around 150 hours.
Both of those are rogue-lites, where a run can end early if you die, which happens in FTL the vast majority of the time. I actually win Into the Breach roughly 100% of the time now, but still love playing through it with different teams.
- Xenoblade Chronicles. Somewhere around 200 hours on definitive edition on the Switch, and another long playthrough of the original Wii version on emulation.
- I also really like Shmups. I spent several years playing Mushihimesama Futari. Then I went through an R-Type Leo phase. Right now I've been playing Donpachi at least daily
- Time Pilot. I've been playing this almost daily for a few decades. It was my favorite Coleco Vision game,. and then when it became possible to emulate it I started playing the arcade version. It's also on my Switch. IMO it's one of the best arcade games ever made as far as difficulty curve. Even the first level isn't easy for beginners, and even after decades I rarely make it past the UFO level to loop back around.
I'm sure there are others I can't think of at the moment, but those are the games that I've played the longest for the most number of hours.
EDIT: I forgot to mention SSX 3 and Tony Hawk 2. I've been playing both of those for 20 years or so. They basically have infinite replayability, and great music also.
The original X-Com is probably my first evergreen game. I used to play it at least once a year since I got it for Christmas back in 1994. I liked the reboot and its sequel, but nothing has quite surpassed the original for me. Xenonauts came close as well, but I'm sure nostalgia is keeping X-Com: UFO Defense on a pedestal for me.
I don't think it's *just* nostalgia... I liked modded Xenonauts much more than the modern XCOM games and the only keeping me away from the originals is the interface, really. With OpenXCom they're still pretty good games.
For older games, I can always pop in Super Street Fighter 2 and have a good time. For recent stuff, Rocket League is my go to “turn off my brain and have fun whenever I boot it up” title
I don't blame you for revisiting Felix the Cat. It's definitely one of the coziest NES games and I'd love to see it get re-released one of these days, especially since a lot of his shorts are now in the public domain (I don't know if the character himself is though)
A SHORT HIKE always puts me in a good mood. Gliding in the sky is very relaxing. It’s the first game where I wasn’t sure if I had reached the end. It’s more casual than ANIMAL CROSSING and easy to jump in and out of.
I find myself coming back to the sports games again and again and NBA 2K 11 most of all.
My evergreen games (in no order):
- Bioshock 1
- Super Smash Bros (N64)
- Pokémon Red
- Link’s Awakening
- Fallout 3
Civilization Revolution. I enjoy hearing the soldiers cheer when they win a battle.
Pac-Man, Pac-Man CE DX, Super Mario Bros, Mega Man nes games… all things I play over and over from time to time
Crimson skies is a favorite of mine, the Hollywood air race level was very memorable. As was the earlier mission where they steal the blue streak and rescue ilsa
My evergreen games seemingly are: final fantasy 1, 10, and 12, Skyrim, path of exile, grim dawn, torchlight 2, and oblivion.
Sounds like a lot but I don’t play through them entirely every year but I do visit them yearly! It’s like chicken soup on a cold day.
As someone who's been subscribed since Felix the Cat, it's always a nice surprise when you bring it up again.
For me I always go back to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario Bros 3 (though 1 & 2 get replays occasionally), Jazz Jackrabbit and well ... Pac Man.
I have a handful of modern "live-service" games that I constantly rotate through, but to the spirit of the video, I always find myself returning to Mega Man 2 and Symphony of the Night every year or so.
Right on! Replayability is abuot the game being good; not just having more content, and a lot of my choices will reflect that. It's harder for me to narrow it down, since I replay most of my games, but the biggest ones are probably the Mega Man Classic and X series, Faxanadu, Guardian Legend, the SNES Ganbare Goemon games, Secret of Mana, Super Metroid, Smartball, and Super Valis 4. I can think of plenty of newer discoveries that will probably land here, but I haven't had the chance to replay all that much just yet.
Never thought I'd see Civ 5 and Felix the Cat in the same video ever..GG!!
Easily my number one is Link's Awakening (OG GameBoy, Switch now). I've played and beat that game more than any other game. Still play it. Ys Origins, Trials of Mana, and ACNH are currently the ones I keep going back to.
The SNES triumvirate of LttP, Super Metroid, and Super Mario World will forever have a grip on me. I go back to those three all the time.
Most Recently I'm so addicted to Shredder's Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection. I wanted to beat the arcade version of Turtles in Time with all 4 characters.
Props on mentioning Oldboy on your ExpressVPN ad.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms X on PS2 is a game I can always go back to. So much game there, and the visual style and music hold up extremely well.
Another fantastic video and it got me thinking about my evergreen games! Thank you, Pam!!!
Your experience in WoW is basically what mine was in MMO's and I won't touch them anymore. I totally agree with your take on CIV 5, there is just something about it.
MMOs just take up too much time.
@@Cannotbetamed1 I played mmo from iPhone and … it just isn’t worth the time anymore
@@Cannotbetamed1 I actually came back to WoW with the new wotlk pre-patch fresh servers and I've been enjoying it again. I can't imagine actually raiding and doing all that stuff though so I'm mainly just playing it as a solo quester, a few hours a night. That's more or less the only way I seem to enjoy mmos anymore, which I guess kinda defeats the purpose, lol.
I love the persistence and the feeling of building a character, but yeah, at the end of the day, is it worth the time you could be spending with an immersive story in a well-crafted single player game? It scratches a certain itch that single player games don't, but the more I play them, the more pointless it feels.
I'm starting to think that mmo-lite games are the best compromise. Games like Fallout 76 or Destiny 1/2 that have long, story-driven campaigns that you basically just play in tandem with a relatively smaller player presence (I think it's never more than like 24 players in one instance of FO76, for instance). Even ESO kinda falls in that category since there's so much fully-voiced story content that can mostly all be done solo and at your leisure. It's a nice option to feel like you're not totally alone in the game world while playing a single-player quality story (arguably) with none of the pressures or time commitments of a raiding-centric game like WoW.
Such a great video.
I recently got a steam deck and I'm embarrassed to admit the game I played the most on it is pixel junk monsters and slay the spire
There's a bunch of games I always come back to, most of which are arcade titles. Tecmo's Solomon's Key in its arcade iteration is pretty much a perfect game for me. Same with Hammerin' Harry by Irem. Strato Fighter, which recently got an Arcade Archives release... The list goes on and features titles most don't expect, like Gaelco's Thunder Hoop. These are all feel-good titles I won't ever stop playing.
Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect trilogy were the game I've played multiple times. As well as Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island, and TMNT 4 Turtles in Time, all on the SNES. And I believe also Goldeneye on the N64.
There's probably more that I'm not thinking of, but those are the ones I can remember at the top of my head.
But those were for multiple playthroughs. I have also sunk in over 200 hours in Euro Truck Simulator 2, and over 100 for Elite Dangerous across two platforms. (Xbox and PC)
I need to do another Mass Effect playthrough some time.
zelda games, chrono trigger/cross, hook on the snes is my version of your felix the cat. hell, a stack of snes games I run through for the feels. i probably have hundreds of hours of time in spiderman on ps4 just swinging around the city.
I have been playing the same copy of advance wars 2 for 18 years on the same gbasp (once I upgraded in 2005, had the arctic at launch)
Same. That game never gets old.
It says there's a comment but I don't see anything
Castlevaina Bloodlines, Doom (1993 and 2016), Portal and Ikaruga is some of the games i usally revisist.
Pitfall! on the Atari 2600 (1982).
Super Mario Bros. 2 / North American release on the NES (1988).
Gain Ground on the Sega Genesis (1991).
Bucky O'Hare on the NES (1992).
Illusion of Gaia on the SNES (1994).
Jet Grind Radio on the Dreamcast (2000).
I think my evergreen games are mostly from the SNES or PS1 era.
SNES: FF 6 and Super Mario RPG.
PS1: FF7, FF Tactics, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, and Star Ocean 2nd story.
Nice.
Good list. Mine would include World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Goldeneye on N64, Mario Kart 64, Team Fortress 2, and Quake 3 with Weapons Factory Arena mod. I also go back and play Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2 and the original Streets of Rage a lot but those don't take long to finish each time.
I'm looking forward to the Goldeneye remaster, to see if that makes me able to play it again.
Doom 2 (1994) I've never got bored with it since release and play through once a year.
I'm playing Felix via NES emulation because of your love of that game. It's a lot of fun, but much more challenging than I expected!
Bucky O'Hare on the NES is an amazing game.
This was a great topic, Pam. I generally never replay games with few exceptions. There are just too many other videogame experiences out there to be discovered! However, I do have a few that live in my mind at all times and get replayed every now and then. LoZ: Ocarina of Time is probably number one. Then Bioshock, Halo: Combat Evolved, and Alan Wake, in no particular order.
Just got Alan Wake…never played it. Looking forward to it
@@tokenblack7983 It's the perfect time of year for an unsettling romp through the creepy Pacific Northwest. I hope you enjoy it!
I love this topic. Comfort games are my go-to resource when I'm having mental health super happy fun times (note: said times are neither super happy nor fun). My biggest one is probably the flawed but addicting RTS game "Star Wars Rebellion" from the late '90s. Or "Journey" if I'm grieving someone and need a quick game to help me have an emotional catharsis.
Mine are Broken Sword, Oblivion and Bioshock.
However, thanks to one of your videos, Paradise Killer. Beat that the other day and will be going back to it again. Really hoping for a sequel.
Paradise Killer is so good. I replayed it myself earlier this year.
Thank you so much Pam! For me it's probably Ultima 7, or maybe Gothic 3 - they both have music I just can't get enough of, so I just play the games endlessly to hear the tunes.
I definitely revisit Ultima 7, that and part 2, the pinnacle of the series before sadly nosediving.
Felix the Cat is one of the NES games I missed out that looked really fun.
The original Oldboy, nice
I find myself revisiting the Panzer Dragoon series on the Saturn; Saga being my favourite.
Adventure games are another I tend to revisit often as well. Nothing usually in particular other than “oh, hey, I haven’t played Zork (or such n such game) in a long while…”.
Planescape: Torment has such a great and utterly bizarre setting with fun characters that makes it another contender to replay every few years.
I still dip my toes into WoW from time to time, having played since the tail end of vanilla. One of my fav sci-fi MMOs, Earth & Beyond, has been running on a private server and so I’ll revisit that universe. Finally, speaking of private servers, Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst is another game a friend and I will get a hankering to play now and again.
Vectorman 1 & 2, Pitfall, Mickey Mania and The Jungle Book for the Genesis, Castle of Illusion and Contra Hard Corps for the PS3
The X-COM games are outstanding! Because you included Darkest Dungeon, I am hoping to see Circus Electrique in your "What you played in September" video. Similar game around being in a circus in the late 1800s in London. Very well made game and a great value at $20.
Games that I always play are Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Resident Evil 2, Tetris, Pacman, Super Mario All Stars, Command and Conquer Red Alert 1 and 2.
Definitely Fallout New Vegas for PC. Love Darkest Dungeons but it's unforgiving, but I keep going back. SMB3 for NES. I'd recommend you try Final Fantasy 3 (6) for SNES if you're looking for epic adventure w/amazing pixel art.
I have only played New Vegas on console and it is still so much fun.
This is going to sound pathetic, but I suspect the game i've played the most in my life is Adventure for the Atari 2600...
Same. What a great and classic game!
Not pathetic at all.
You should never have to feel like you have to meet someone else's expectations.
Like what you like and have a blast with it.
Is just..Adventure was such a simple game compared to what we have today....i can´t believe i played it so much.
Although, now that I think there are other games I have played ad nauseum, that are a bit more sophisticated: Morrowind III, Baldouir´s Gate II, Kotor I and II, Heroes of Might and Magic III and X-Wing, Tie Figher and X-Wing Alliance.
Adventure is a solid game.
When you said, "throw an asmr video on a second screen" you immediately spoke my language. I love interesting roleplay ASMR with an almost mindless game where you feel some sort of progression. I have way too many hours in Pressure Washer & House Flipper, but it keeps that side of your mind busy where you're watching ASMR (Frostglow ASMR, Nebula ASMR, pretty much scifi, though unintentional ASMR is good as well)
I did WoW for two and a half years starting in 2005 and used to raid a lot. But when they started with the BS of excluding entry to instances without the complete set consisting of very rare drops, one night I got fed up and quite cold turkey. Really enjoyed that game, though. Loved the soundtrack too, bought me a copy. Cute blouse, by the way.
Heroes of Might and Magic 2 is my most played game of all times. Jagged Alliance 2 is one I regularly replay every 1-2 years. Of the newer games it's Into the Breach and FTL that I return to for a run, or two. And then there is Tetris for some zen time.
Into the Breach is a nice one that's quick to play a round or two.
What a great topic. I imagine for those of us in the retro scene, we may tend to have a bunch of evergreen games. Our tastes in this category differ as I love beat-em-ups and action platformers the most, but I do absolutely relate to the core gameplay being the most important thing to bring me back again and again. I don't care about content. It's always the game mechanics that determine if I'll return. I'll spare you my exhaustive list, because I return to a lot of games, but recent highlights for me have been Knights of the Round(arcade), X-Men(arcade), Shinobi 3, Ranger X, Shatterhand, Ninja Gaiden, Virtual On, King of Fighters 98....and so on.
The games I spent the most time on were the ones that I enjoyed playing so much that it made me want to make content for them. Portal 2 lets you create your own puzzle rooms, and it was fun doing it. Doom (2016) comes with the SnapMap utility that lets you make maps, and I made five, which took me 900 hours. I also made a map for the 2002 strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic IV. The first time I did this kind of thing was in the 80s Apple II game Lode Runner, which let you design custom levels. I also tried modding in Fallout 4: I turned that broken drive-in theater into a working one. And games like The Sims and Minecraft made custom creations a mainstream thing.
Toooooooooooo many days played on Everquest (multiple accounts and toons, raiding, guild leader, raid leader, etc.) I love long games like Mass Effect, Fallout 3/4, and will play them multiple times. And tower defense games.
Fantastic video.
It's always interesting to me to hear about what other people gravitate toward and what it is about those games that resonate with them.
For me, it's definitely Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Randomizer.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if I was over the thousand hour mark at this point with that one.
Beyond that, Chrono Trigger and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse both get annual replays, and I've put quite a bit of time into each of the souls-borne games.
Oh yeah the randomizer would certainly make the game last longer.
I second Castlevania III, one of my favorites of all time
Mega Man X2, NES Batman, Earthworm Jim, and Super Mario 64 jump to mind for me. They're a perfect blend of nostalgia, satisfying mechanics, and shortness.
My ever green game is Ninja Gaiden. I played it until I was great at it. I still remember the first weekend I rented it. I want my grandparents and remember being at the castle ruins and being called away for lunch and one of the happier moments of my life.
Weirdly I don't know how I got the copy I owned but I got to the point I could get to Jaquio in thirty minutes.
My other go to game is Mega Man 2, I've played it to the point, I go thru multiple paths.
Most would likely be games on the NES, including the Mario games.
Hi Pam, nice video! My evergreen game is certainly Bloodstained: RotN
The randomizer mode will probably keep me in this game forever (plus Miriam is awesome)
Cheers!
Nice video; it’s nice to see fellow Canadians on my RUclips feed! My old roommate played that gothic Cthulhu-style game mentioned in the video. Looked like it was depressingly stressful, but he enjoyed it. He also introduced me to Binding of Isaac, which I’ve put hundreds of hours into now.
For me, I'd say;
Ridge racer type 4
Outrun 2
Resident Evil 1 remake
Godhand
Haunting Ground
Kingdom under fire
Dodonpachi Black label
Street fighter alpha 3
Tekken 5
Virtua fighter 4
Nier Gestalt
Skies of Arcadia
Lost Odyssey
Heretic/Hexen
Darksiders 2
There's probably plenty more, these are the first that come to mind.
Had a good time with Kingdom. The pretty pixel art stands out. The first game is free on Steam for anyone who is curious
I don't have much in terms of evergreen games, but Fallout New Vegas and Final Fantasy 8 are both games I do a replay of every 4-5 years it seems
Approaching 400 hours played in Ziggurat II (PC)... it's a roguelike dungeon crawler kinda thing that's a first person shooter, but with wands/staves/spells. It's super rad. Pretty cheap too, think I got the first one for 2.99$ and second one for 20$ on GOG
Wow, that's a lot of hours.
@@Cannotbetamed1 yeah... I tend to lose entire portions of days playing this thing.
But you know what that's about, I assume, if you're a Civ fan... lord knows I lost an entire nights' sleep more than a few times in Jr high playing Civ I and II... fell asleep in science class, but at least I developed starship technology first 😂
Oh wow, that's a great way to define the type of games.
I replay a lot of SNES Zelda, Tetris Attack, Jet Set Radio and Half Life 2.
Besides MMO's some of mine would be The Witcher 3, Chrono Trigger, Mass Effect Trilogy, Final Fantasy 7, Dragon Age: Origins, and most recently Total War: Warhammer (1,2,3)
I was an original EverQuest player back in early ‘99. That sucked me in for about 5 years. I’ve played a few other mmo’s but never more than a couple of weeks. There is no way my life could support playing a game, even remotely as much, ever again.
I played Runescape consistently for over a decade.. I feel you on the horrifying number of hours played on an MMO lol
For me, some of my evergreen games would be: Streets of Rage 2, Advance Wars, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Resident Evil Remake, and the new Hitman trilogy. Appreciate the videos. Keep up the great work.
Top 5 game series for me: Shenmue, Metal Gear, Syberia, Mega Man Legends, Deus Ex
I'm surprised how many times I've played through Shadow of War, with most of the items collected. I don't usually have the patience to go find all of the nick knacks, but that game always sucks me in.
Mine is definitely World of Warcraft as well! I started playing in 2004 and I still to this day play it on and off. Literally been playing for more than half my life.
What you mentioned about going back to games that are more focused rather than different or procedural is such a good point that i dont hear too many people mention. I used to think that games that have procedural elements, multiple choice or just more build options = Replay Value. These days I strongly disagree, its the tighter focused games (which is what most 8 and 16 bit games are like) that are the ones that i want to go back to again and again. Its kind of like a movie for me, I am someone that tends to rewatch movies i like over and over and over but still catch new things i didnt see before. So many of my favourite retro games are just pure, concentrated, handmade, fun and i would happily replay them for an eternity. I also dont mind if a game has the 'illusion of choice' as long as they fool me and I don't ever feel like questioning it.
I thought "I" was the only one left still playing Xcom 2, it's very Evergreen! ;)
Cool video, I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for time stamping it too.
Games I play the most are Tetris attack, Dr. Mario, Sonic 1,2,3 knuckles games, Dynasty Warriors type games, NES and SNES mario games. I guess really fun NES and SNES games.
Didn't know you were into WoW back in the day, I didn't play as long but I loved it through TBC-WotLK, I understand being burnt out after playing an MMO for si long. Ironically, the only evergreen games I can think of are FF14, as despite being in the same genre, the way it's designed is much less toxic and addicting, most players just want to log in to either appreciate the new story patches, role play with friends or live in a world that is so beautiful and nostalgic, for final fantasy fans at least. The other game is Castlevania SotN for obvious reasons.
SotN is a good one.
Pam would really love Final Fantasy Tactics based off her affection for X-Com. My favorite game of all time.
Xcom's Long war mod is a must try if you are a fan of the games
Pam is a Civ quitter and is ready for Halloween early. Oh and big thumbs up on Felix the Cat great game.
I play Super Metroid and SOTN once per year, SF2 and SF3 whenever I am in the mood for a fighter. N64 racers like Waverace 64 or Beetle Adventure Racing every once in awhile, Dark Souls 1 just to try different builds and paths through the game, about once a year. Shmups I come back to Soldier Blade, Axelay, Deathsmiles 1, and Ikaruga. I luv JRPG's, but usually only play them through once, a few twice, but thats it.
The games I have played for most the hours are Forza Motorsport 4, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 4 and Gran Turismo 6. I still play those games a few hours each a year if not more. Games I have beat most and continue play are Rage, Far Cry 5, Far Cry 2, Wolfenstein 09, Bioshock, Dead Island Riptide, Singularity, Homefront the Revolution and Dying Light the Following. Then two more recent games have made it into the near yearly play throughs; Cyberpunk and Resident Evil VIllage. I have beat them four times each so they are climbing up into most beaten territory for me.
... I still play victorious boxers 2 on the PS2 every now and then ...
Kingdom is one of the best games I have ever played. I can play it 7hrs straight in the plane, it is so relaxing
I mostly play dozens of Arcade Archives titles on my brother's (now my own) Switch.
I think I have too many to list. There are some shorter form games that I do multiple times a year... older Marios, Zelda II, Rygar, Black Tiger, Time Soldiers... too many to list. Some longer games, like Earthbound, Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy III, etc. get annual plays. Others, like Fortune Street or Culdcept Saga, I never really stopped playing.
What interests me now, though, are newer games that feel like they'll be joining those ranks. Eastward, Spiritfarer, Hollow Knight, Astro Bot Rescue, Death's Gambit, Blasphemous, Yoku's Island Express, Dex, and several more modern games have caught me for multiple playthroughs already, long after I thought games were passing me by during the Wii/360/PS3 days. It's fun having so many new games starting to grip me the same way the classics have.
About games without ending, I always go back to Audiosurf, I love the idea to play with your music.
About games with endings, there is a bunch of ones I like to complete again and again. Max Payne 1 and 2, Kingdom hearts 2, Diablo 2, Titan quest, Half life, Red faction, Castlevania symphony of the night and all the GBA and NDS ones, Broken sword, Dragon quest 4 and 5... It's just a real pleasure to go back to a game like this, to return to a good gameplay, live the story again...
This year I played Saints row 3 for the first time and I loved it so much, I have no doubt that I will play it again.
Saints Row 3 and 4 are both a lot of fun.
im playing the Serious Sam Collection, its awesome. gonna play the Shadow Warrior games next...love shooters
For modern games, it has to be Middle Earth: Shadow of War. I love the story and characters so much, and even though you know the Gondorians are going to lose the Siege of Minas Ithil, I delay progressing as long as possible, as if I think I can change the outcome. Empire: Total War is another I return to from time to time, as I have a passion for the 18th and 19th centuries, plus I love playing as the British Empire. One game that always puts me in a happy place is a fan-made one called Skycraft, set up like a classic Final Fantasy game, only set in the world of Viva La Dirt League's Epic NPC Man. You can feel the love that went into the project, and it's a full RPG, which took me about twelve hours to beat. It's free to download and so worth your time! 😊
My evergreen game is WoW. I go back almost every expansion, even if I do end up stopping after a month or so. I first started when it first came out 2004 and it's still something I always go back to now.
As for my most played game, it's without a doubt Counterstrike, even though I haven't played it in years. Started in 1999 and didn't stop until 2015. Crazy amount of hours sunk into it. I don't even want to think about it, lol.
Even though it was such a vortex that ate up so much time, I really miss MMO's. I was never a Warcraft person but I played Star Wars: Galaxies and City of Heroes (was in the beta for both) way back in the day and had a similar experience. They became a full-time job after a while but I loved the people I played with and it was just such a great outlet. Then the subscription model fell out of fashion and everything turned into micro-transactions purgatory. I still miss those days.
I totally love the XCOM's, especially Enemy Unknown. I definitely think the second one improved upon the first but I always hit that wall where mission after mission just starts to feel like a slog and I fall out of it, especially XCOM 2. Same thing with Darkest Dungeon. I try to throw on a little Sabaton or something while playing it to set the mood and keep me in it but after a while it just reaches a tipping point where I lose interest.
The Civilization games were super solid and always fun. I loved the Age of Empires series and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and played the heck out of them. Strategy games were always a win unless you were on the higher difficulty settings and the AI just hands you your head. Challenge is fine but being utterly destroyed without the slightest chance isn't my idea of a good time.
In terms of games I keep going back to? Bloodlines is one I have played through a ton and just keep returning to on the regular. That gritty, sultry, 90's WoD vibe just hits me in that way only it can. Vampire came out when I was in high school and I DM'ed a group of friends. It was our thing. I always get that nostalgia hit every single time I play it and I go back maybe once a year, at least. Some games just capture a special something, ether a feeling or world or they simply bring you back to a place and time you were at when you first discovered them. Good stuff.
Evergreen: Whole Sid Meier's Civ-series including the first and the latest. Colonization and Alpha Centauri. Heroes of Might & Magic 2&3, Settlers 2&3, basically the strategy line. These are the games to get back from time to time and play a lot (sadly haven't tried XCOM or UFO).
Arcade-y games you can play straight away without many cutscenes/settings needed to go through before getting into a game (Domekeeper). Sometimes thinking of playing some of those NES-games you beat multiple times just to see if you can still make it (Startropics, Zelda II).
Then there are those that get you back because of daily (TF2 simply fun) stuff, achievements and login bonuses (such as WoW for many). For me, it's Gems of War (card/3-match res. mng). Challenging games to beat once: Metroid Dread, Super Meat Boy. The ones to die trying, all again: Roguelikes, Nethack, ADOM, IVAN etc. and lites like FTL.
Like Civilization and many of sim genre, it's something you actually want to get back just (one more turn?) to see how it goes. Dorfromantik, a cozy landcape tile placer to perfect some scores. What I've actually played very lately is SMAC Alien Crossfire and rhythm-games.
My evergreen games:
Shining Force III
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Shadow Hearts I & II
Shenmue I & II
Metal Gear Solid 3
My evergreen games are Stronghold Crusader (an RTS/castle sim) and Mark of the Ninja (a 2d stealth game).
the games I probably put the most hours into are - burnout paradise, resident evil 4, ninja gaiden black/NG2, DMC3, gears of war, halo CE, god of war 2, killing floor, path of exile, nioh 2, tony hawk 2 and sonic 3 & knuckles.
Final Fantasy Tactics, made even better with the War of the Lions script. I get so attached to each of my units.
I played Destiny 2 on PC for about 1000 Hours, I also played it on PS4 form 2014 until 2018, I think that's the game I've Played the Most.
I've got a few "types" for evergreen games as well: Metroidvanias, strategy RPG's, and shmups. SOTN, Metroid Fusion, and every Castlevania on the GBA/DS scratch an undeniable itch for the first category. For SRPG's, it's Advance Wars, Shining Force III, and Vandal Hearts all the way. And for shmups? Darius Gaiden, Gradius II, and R-Type are the pinnacle to me.
I know a lot of people hate it, but.... Lufia 1 tends to be one of mine. I just keep coming back to it for some reason.
With you on Civ 5. I still prefer it to Civ 6 in a lot of ways. The only thing I wish I could take from Civ 6 are the roads. Having the roads grow organically is one of the most fascinating additions to the entire series.
Xcom Enemy Unknown is my second most played game at 117 hours but I'd say I've never really gotten that far in it. I've never even played the regular game. I've only played the LongWar mod. FFX would have more play time if you combine me playing it on PS2 and PC. My most played Steam game is Slay the Spire.
I don't know how many hours I have on the xcoms but they're split between steam and Xbox.