My favorite video game of all time has to be Skyrim. I have bought it twice - once for Xbox 360 and once on Steam - then I also got the legendary edition in the new engine for free. I played it a lot growing up and hope to play Oblivion once I get it working on my computer, as it is an older game with a lot of issues. I think that if Skyrim had kept some of the gritty storytelling that I hear Oblivion has, then it would have been an even better game. Due to Skyrim's age though, I have modded it to "keep it updated" in a sense. Plus, the fanbase is still strong and basically uses it as a sandbox anyway. There is so much you can add to the game with so few mods.
My second favorite game is Rimworld, which is an entirely different genre. It's an indie title made by a single developer and I have spent way too much time building bases only for them to be destroyed and ransacked so that I have to start over. There is no explanation for why this is appealing to me, but it is. If I had to put it into words, it's likely because the struggle feels very rewarding after working so hard towards the final goal. Even if I never build the spaceship and take off, every raid I defeated and every pawn I recuit feels satisfying. It's a game about struggle and triumph and - most importantly - story telling.
One game that I purchased recently and have been really enjoying is Cult of the Lamb. It's the perfect blend of Animal Crossing and Hades. You get to make a cult for an imprisoned god who resurrected you after you were executed because of a prophecy. You have the choice to care for your cult members or just manipulate them for your own gain. You also have to fight the old gods who imprisoned your deity and had you killed. I'm not done with the game yet, but I do have a feeling we are going to turn against our master at the very end of the game. Heavy foreshadowing tells the player this.
| Video Game | Developer | Hours Played |
|---|---|---|
| Skyrim (SE + Legend) | Bethesda | ~1000 |
| Rimworld | Ludeon Studios | 422.4 |
| Planet Zoo | Frontier | 160 |
| Stardew Valley | ConcernedApe | 149 |