What Should I Play Next? Because I don't like making my own decisions.

[Paul le Fou]

I did love me some Hollow Knight. Eager to hear what you think of it! Pretty sure there's a thread on it somewhere around here...

 

[MCBanjoMike]

Hollow Knight is among my favorite games of all time, but in part that’s because it makes a couple pretty bold choices in its design. Not everyone likes what it does, but if it works for you you’re going to love it.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I mean, I'm not far into it but I quite like it so far and find it very playable.

 

[Issun]

And if you like Hollow Knight, I'd bet you'd like Death's Door. It translates the formula pretty well into an isometric Zeld-'em-up, and it's shorter, too.

 

[Sarcasmorator]

I mean, I'm not far into it but I quite like it so far and find it very playable.

For me it didn't quite click until I got a particular upgrade, so if it's already working for you that bodes well!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

OK, so I've just beaten Hollow Knight (95% completion, far more than I thought I was going to go for).

What do I play next:
Earthbound: Beginnings (Never played an Earthbound/Mother game and though the SNES version is the beloved one, I want to start at the beginning)
Syberia (I can't remember where I got it from by they gave it a high recommendation. I feel like it was a Festivus gift from last year or the year before. @Purple maybe?)
Dear Esther (Another game that was gifted to me and I forget by whom or what or why. I know nothing about it and I sense that's probably an advantage)
Civilization III (Never played a Civ game. Feels like a genre I should try. I mean, I vaguely remember fucking around with Sim City but mostly I wanted Bowser to attack).

 

[Issun]

Dear Esther is good and pretty short. If you play it and like it I'd recommend playing What Remains of Edith Finch afterwards.

Civ 3 is great but 4 or 5 are a gentler entry point to the series.

I also think the SNES EarthBound would be a better start. You don't need to play Beginnings to get everything worth getting out of the sequel, and Beginnings is pretty archaic in a lot of ways, from what I hear.

I don't know anything about Syberia.

 

[Becksworth]

I believe the general consensus on Syberia is it's good if you like point n click adventures, but it's also not one of the essentials of the genre.

 

[Patrick]

Yeah, Dear Esther is shorter than your average movie. It’s a weird little game & I enjoyed it.

 

[JBear]

Not necessarily making a rec, but to put it in terms I know that you'll appreciate, Earthbound: Beginnings is the Evil Dead to Earthbound's Evil Dead 2, if that helps inform your decision any.

 

[Lokii]

I agree with everyone play Earthbound.

 

[Issun]

Not necessarily making a rec, but to put it in terms I know that you'll appreciate, Earthbound: Beginnings is the Evil Dead to Earthbound's Evil Dead 2, if that helps inform your decision any.

Does that make Mother 3 Army of Darkness?

 

[Voncaster]

I'd put a large warning in front of any Civ game. Civ games can be massive time sinks.

I played Civ V and I enjoyed it. But it quickly became my most played game on steam by hours (100+). I chose to uninstall it so that I wouldn't sink any more time into it.

 

[MetManMas]

I say go for Dear Esther before you do one of the others simply 'cuz it's shorter than the others and the only skill required is navigation of a first-person 3D environment. Think of it as a palate cleanser before taking on something more mechanically involving.

 

[4-So]

I'm playing Earthbound Beginnings now and it's quite lovely and there are some cool "Oh!" moments because I played Earthbound first, but unless you're just dead set on playing it, I'd skip Beginnings and go straight to Earthbound. Those "oh" moments are mostly enemy designs, music, locations, that sort of thing. You're not going to miss key story elements by going straight to Earthbound/Mother 2.

 

[Octopus Prime]

There’s a reason it only came out in English decades later

 

[Peklo]

It's my favourite of its series, but I don't expect others to feel the same.

 

[estragon]

I also like Mother (Earthbound Beginnings), but I would put it the world map explore 'em up genre of JRPGs alongside other personal favorites that I am aware are divisive like Dragon Quest 2 and Phantasy Star 3.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

OK, so I'm going to play Earthbound: Beginnings and Dear Esther in that order. I get that the sequel is the far superior product AND I don't need to play one but... I guess I'm just curious. And I'd rather get the inferior one over with. Sorry for not heeding your warnings but I'm not the guy who skips the bad seasons of a show or the bad entries of a movie. I've watched the majority of the DC TV series so I'm aware of my own fallacy but I got to follow my styles.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Alright, what do I have next.

I can go with...

Ultimate Doom - I mean, I feel like I played the first couple levels many times but I don't remember ever finishing the game.
Infinity Runner - I have no idea what this is. I got it for Festivus so someone trusts it's a good game.
NES Open - Maybe I can finally finish this. Or did I? I think I'm close but not quite there.
Wonderful 101 - I started this and got distracted. Maybe I'll finish this one, too.

 

[Becksworth]

Considering 3 of these are games you played and never finished, I recommend Wonderful 101 as its ending will be the most satisfying to go back and make an effort to finish it to see.

 

[Octopus Prime]

"Should I play Doom" is the equivalent of asking "Should I get a pizza".

 

[JBear]

"Should I play Doom" is the equivalent of asking "Should I get a pizza".

So "Yes, as long it's not from Greco"?

 

[Octopus Prime]

I think Greco boxes are the only remaining thing you can't play Doom on

 

[Torzelbaum]

Give it time...

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Looks like my choice is.

Avoid the cacodemon. He ruins souls.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Finished Doom and I accidentally saved over NES Open (but still... I might have finished my last tournament?)

So what should I do next...

Inscryption - I remember people liked this but I know little about it. Is it cards?
Bioshock Infinite - I was happy that I got this for free and saved it for a special occasion and then a few months ago people were like "dude, this is Bad Takes: The Game". Still, not denying some curiosity. (this mostly wound up here for quasi-randomization based choosing)
The Adventures of Lolo - Wanna see a grown man break down and cry?
The Wonderful 101 - Hey, maybe I'll finally finish this!

 

[Dark Medusa]

Inscryption: It's cards! Except there's a horror metanarrative that's very clever, and the game doesn't run too long. You should do that one!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

That does sound good. I like me some meta.

 

[4-So]

I'll always vote for Bioshock Infinite, if only because I can deal with some narrative Bad Takes if the music and setpieces are good, and they are. Columbia is not as captivating as Rapture but it has plenty of moments.