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My Gaming Recommendations!

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Here’s a curated list of game categories I personally recommend for both newcomers dipping their toes into gaming and seasoned players hunting for fresh experiences. Most links featured here are for PC gamers, but there are some console/app store exc...

As a legal disclaimer, this list contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you.
Sections
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Arcade/Puzzle

Arcade-like and various puzzle games I recommend

 
Madison Anders profile picture
Chuzzle Deluxe is a cute, fun title-matching game. You can choose the standard, endless, puzzles, and a speed mode!
Chuzzle Deluxe | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Feeding Frenzy was one of my favorite arcade-like games growing up as a kid. The entire premise of the game is to complete each level by eating fish around your size until you grow, while also avoiding enemies. There is also a storyline within the ga...
Feeding Frenzy 2 Deluxe | PC

Cozy

Cozy games for those who want something peaceful to relax to as there is nothing stopping you from playing the game at your own pace.

 
Madison Anders profile picture
Minecraft is another iconic title I think of whenever I think of a cozy game.

Minecraft is blocky 3D sandbox game with no goals for the player to accomplish unless you make your own. You can either play survival, crafting and living off the world as you go or play creative mode to see whatever you can build with the blocks at ...

If vanilla Minecraft ever gets boring to you, there are many mod managing software you can download to mod Minecraft to the experience you want to have; whether it be graphical, adding new materials, adding new mobs, etc.!
Minecraft, Java Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Slime Rancher is a super cozy game! I personally enjoy this game and have 100% it across two platforms. The link provided is to a Steam key, but you can find keys for Xbox and Playstation!

In Slime Rancher, you play as Beatrix LeBeau who takes up ownership of The Ranch on the 'Far, Far Range'. While exploring the different areas, you can come across many unique, adorable slimes that you can wrangle up and house on your ranch to make mo...
The game is very cutesy in it's art-style, everything looks so soft and huggable.

There is no rush in this game, unless you play the Rush Mode; you make take it at your own pace and play your own way.
Slime Rancher | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
If you love Slime Rancher 1, you will definitely enjoy Slime Rancher 2; which is still in EARLY ACCESS and will receive new updates to the story shortly, but there is still lots of content to explore! The link provided is to a Steam key, but there is...

Slime Rancher 2 still has you under the protagonist, Beatrix LeBeau. Beatrix receives a mysterious letter in a boat about The Rainbow Island, packing all your necessities you travel across the Slime Sea to venture into this new territory. 
The game itself still has the same cutesy art-style but a huge graphical upgrade; some of the landscapes are absolutely breath-taking! There are more unique slimes and food to grow as well. 
There is much to explore with the story as well, but it is still currently being developed as of writing this. Please go show the team some support while they work to make another fantastic cozy game!
Slime Rancher 2 | PC
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Madison Anders profile picture
Stardew Valley is my first thought when I think of a cozy game.

Stardew Valley is a great game that you can play at your own pace, and has the aspect of having the options of romancing and marrying some of the various bachelor/bachelorette NPCs. 
It's a cozy farming sim that also has areas outside of farming like foraging, mining, and fishing. Stardew is a game people should give a try!
Stardew Valley | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
If you enjoy games like Minecraft or Terraria, Tinkertown is that same style. Survival, open-world/sandboxish (being able to terraform your world and build your own base), etc. 
The link provided is to a Steam key, but there is console ports of this game as well.

Tinkertown, for me, was a super enjoyable game. You can take everything at your own pace and the gameplay is not too difficult, there was nothing stressful or rage-worthy about playing this game. It's a simple survival-crafting game in a cutesy style...
Tinkertown is also being developed and updated by a super helpful and friendly dev team, I've been able to sort out bug issues with my worlds through them. Give this game a try and show them some support!
Tinkertown | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
WEBFISHING is a multiplayer chatroom game with fishing as it's main aspect, but if you don't want to chat with others, you can make a solo world to enjoy fishing and customizing your character.
WEBFISHING | PC

Horror!

Horror games for those who love scares and feeling uncomfortable from great ambience or story-telling.

 
Madison Anders profile picture
7 Days to Die is an open-world survival horror game with your end-goal being to survive for as long as possible. You can choose to spawn in a randomly generated world or one of the pre-set worlds set in a fictional county in Arizona. 

The lore of the game hints that zombies came from a virus called Septdiurnal Virus (SDV), after using nuclear weapons in attempts to destroy infected areas, which lead to a third world war.
7 Days to Die | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Amnesia: Rebirth is another game within the Amnesia franchise by Frictional Games. 


Rebirth's story takes place in 1937, set in colonial Algeria. You play as our protagonist Tasi, who has no recollection of her memories and seemingly survived a plane crash that included her expedition crew. With no one in sight, Tasi begins her jour...
Your mission is to avoid monsters and survive for the sake of you and your baby, while also trying to discover the truth.
Amnesia: Rebirth | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror game developed by Frictional Games. 

In the game, you play as your protagonist Daniel, waking up with no recollection of his memory on the floor of the destroyed Castle Brennenburg. You must avoid monsters and maintain your sanity as you try to retrace your steps to learn the truth of w...
Amnesia: The Dark Descent | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Amnesia: The Bunker is one of the newer games from Frictional; but still provides all the creepiness and ambience like all the other games in the Amnesia series. 
The link provided is to a Steam key.

Amnesia: The Bunker takes place in… you guessed it, a bunker. You play as a French WW1 soldier, Henri Clément, trapped in the bunker with no recollection of how he got in this mess to begin with. While searching the bunker, you learn that there is a ... 

Amnesia games are never a miss, in my opinion. Each game comes with terrifying ambience and setting, and each story always comes with a nasty surprise when you learn what memories each characters in the installments tried to forget. I always recommen...
Amnesia: The Bunker | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Content Warning is a Lethal Company-like game where you can play either solo or with friends. The premise of the game is to use your diving bell to explore the “Old World”, gathering footage of the area and monsters you may encounter, whilst also try...

I honestly enjoyed this game a bit more than Lethal Company as there are many different monsters you can encounter, some can be common and some can be insanely rare! You never know what you can encounter during some of your runs and it adds a bit of ...
Content Warning | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Fear and Hunger is a survival horror RPG that is NOT for the faint of heart. It is also a very hard and unforgiving game. It deals with a lot of tough subject matter as well, it is a massive trigger warning for a majority of people.
While there is nothing “jumpscare-y” about Fear and Hunger, it makes up for it in it's disturbing visuals and storyline. Fear and Hunger's lore as been very fascinating to delve into. If your a person who is driven by story and deep subject matter, F...
Fear & Hunger | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Phasmophobia is a horror game about figuring out what ghost you are dealing with at a location without dying to it. It is also a multiplayer game so you can be scared whilst in the company of friends. Soon, it will have it's own console ports and off...

I recommend Phasmophobia as it is very fun to me, it offers me scares like no other when running away and hiding from dangerous ghost types.
Phasmophobia | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Project Zomboid is an early access Indie game that is an open-world isometric post-apocalypse zombie game!

I have been very interested in Project Zomboid as a kid, I've seen it grow from pixelated to the new game it is now. This game wouldn't fall directly in the lines of horror, but it can be a very tense and unforgiving game. Zomboid brings me the most ... 

If the vanilla version of the game bores you out, there is a huge dedicated modding community on Steam that can bring you many changes such as QoL, new maps, or different skills and features for you and your character.
Definitely give Project Zomboid a try!
Project Zomboid | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Scratches is a beautifully made, ambience driven horror game.
I found myself captivated by it's story instantly. If you enjoy games that leave you feeling uncomfortable and scared by story and visuals; Scratches is a game you should try!
Scratches, Director's Cut | PC
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MMOs

Massively-multiplayer-online games (MMOG, more commonly MMO) for those who want to interact with large gaming communities in-game.

 
Madison Anders profile picture
This game is free! Palia is labelled as a MMO, but I've heard some players regard it as a solo co-op experience due to some content being instanced. It is still actively being developed, so keep an eye out for new content or updates!

Palia is a life-simulation game, where you can craft, cook, fish and farm with friends. Some players relate it as a “third-person Stardew Valley”. It is definitely a game I'd suggest for those who want a casual, cozy, crafting survival-like game with...
Palia | Free-To-Play PC & Nintendo Switch Game
 
Madison Anders profile picture
While not technically labeled an MMO, it's more of an MMO-lite as servers can only hold 24 players at a time. Fallout 76 is still an open-world RPG, this time taking place in Appalachia. It offers the same aspects of all the other games in the franch... 

I fairly enjoyed playing this game with friends and designing my own C.A.M.Ps. It's fun to experience the multiplayer and helping out other players within the server. It's come a long way since the buggy, awful launch it had; it's a lot more enjoyabl...
Fallout 76 | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is quite honestly my favorite MMO I have played. The link provided is to a Steam key purchase, but there is also keys listed for consoles on Fanatical or CDKeys as well!

Coming from someone who has no experience in MMOs and only played the RPG Elder Scroll games, ESO was a bit of a learning experience. After learning how the game and an MMO works, this game is very addicting!
ESO offers a lot of lore through quests, 4-man dungeons, 12-man trials (raids), etc. than any other game in the series. The story of ESO takes place in the Second Era, about 800 years before the stories of Morrowind and Oblivion. Fun fact is that all...

As a game itself, ESO is very addicting. You can create your own character, choosing from 7 classes (2 needing to be purchased in their online store, 1 behind a main DLC) and a role: tank, support, or DPS. You have to grind armor sets and experience ...
The community of ESO is always friendly and helpful as well! You can always join guilds or find friends using the online chat. You will met a lot of memorable people, all super friendly and helpful in helping you build your characters. 
If MMOs are your type, definitely give ESO a try, especially when it's on sale to buy it at a nice $5!
The Elder Scrolls Online - Standard Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Wizard101 is a MMO I played as a kid and delve into as an adult now here and there. It is still enjoyable now as it was then. The only downside to this game is a large amount of content being locked behind a membership, but it is nothing too crazy ex...

You play as a wizard who must save the Spiral, Wizard101's fictional universe. You can choose different schools to base your character's magical spells such as: Storm, Fire, Ice, Myth, Life, Death, and Balance. 
My personal favorite school is Death as it is great for solo play, offering high damage and self-healing.
Wizard101 also has it's own lore and storyline classified into different arcs. It's rich in lots of quests and story!
Wizard101 | PC

RPGs

Role-Playing Games for those to choose their own adventure and interact with the world setting!

 
Madison Anders profile picture
Baldur's Gate 3 is an RPG based on Dungeons and Dragons and it is the third game in the series. It features turn-based combat and multiplayer as well!

The main goal of Baldur's Gate 3 is removing a mind flayer parasite from your body as it could become a threat at any point, while also recruiting companions with the same afflictions among your journey.
Baldur's Gate 3 | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Bloodborne is a beautiful game, dare I say, a masterpiece. This game is exclusively a Playstation game, we can only dream to see a port to PC or other consoles.

Bloodborne is a great game by FromSoftware, taking place in a gothic Victorian-era setting. Bloodborne deals with the themes of cosmic horror. If you've ever played any FromSoftware games, you know that the combat can be difficult as times, especiall... 
My main reason for recommending Bloodborne is it's amazing visuals and storyline. It has the most fascinating lore out of any game and people have found many ways to interpret it's story. 
If you love unforgiving combat and an amazing story, Bloodborne is definitely a game to try.
Bloodborne | PlayStation 4
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Dishonored is one of my top favorite games. It's an action-adventure game with stealth elements, but being stealth is your choice! The link provided is to a Steam key, but there is also keys for console players as well.

The story of Dishonored takes place in Dunwall, an industrial-era city, that has become plague-ridden due to the conflicts arising in the world. You play as Corvo Attano, a bodyguard to the Empress of the Isles, who is also your lover that you have a... 
The story and the plot you uncover is very captivating.

If you played games like Vampyr or Thief, you would probably enjoy Dishonored as well!
Dishonored | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Dishonored 2 is a continuation of Dishonored's story. In this game, you have the choice of playing as a grown Empress Emily Kaldwin or an older Corvo Attano each using the supernatural powers of the Outsider. You still have the non-linear choices of ...

Dishonored is my top favorite RPG, it has stunning visuals and the storyline is full of lore to explore.
Dishonored 2 | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Elden Ring is an action RPG developed by FromSoftware. It's directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding lore written by George R. R. Martin.

Elden Ring is another good open-world combat-focused RPG from FromSoftware. It has fascinating lore, much of which is still hidden within the game as Miyazaki said. We're still barely close to uncovering it all. It's a very fun game, it can be frustr...
Elden Ring | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
This Fallout is the first game within the franchise. It offers the same open world, exploration, and RPG elements as the newer games. The only difference is the style of gameplay as it requires a manual that you must read to understand the game, but ... 

I've played and completed the main story of the game, it's very enjoyable and a whole different experience than the games I am used to. It's always great to delve into the older games like these.
Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Fallout 3 is another game within the Fallout franchise, taking place 200 years after the Great War in the Capital Wasteland ( consisting of Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania). You play as the 19 year old resident of Vault 101 with the...

This game is regarded as one of the best games within the Fallout franchise, along with New Vegas.
Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
While I'm personally not a big fan of the writing and story for Fallout 4, it will be the one most gamers will absorb first since it is the more modern game in the Fallout franchise. 

The main story of Fallout 4 takes place 210 years after The Great War and 10 years after Fallout 3. You can choose your Sole Survivor to be either Nora/Nate (fully customizable as well), waking up after being stuck in long-term cryostasis for hundred...
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Fallout: New Vegas is by far my most favorite Fallout game. This Fallout takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada and the surrounding Mojave Desert. It offers the game elements and aspects as all the other games in the franchise.

This game is a classic, it is the most well-known and iconic Fallout game there is. This game and Fallout 3 are neck-to-neck with which one seems to be the greatest of all time to people.
Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Morrowind is another older Elder Scrolls title, but is definitely a game that Elder Scroll lovers should give a try at!
It is an older game, released in 2002, so it doesn't hold up by today's standards and has combat that is unlike modern Elder Scrolls games. I have even struggled a bit when first learning, but it soon became enjoyable when getting used to how this ga...
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Game of the Year Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
My favorite game out of the Elder Scrolls series has to be the original Oblivion. 

While Oblivion does not hold up to today's standards in terms of graphics as it released in 2006, I believe this game is very enjoyable as the buggy goofy mess it is. It offers more in lore and I absolutely love all the designs and story.
I suggest any Elder Scrolls lover to check out Oblivion!
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GOTY | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Skyrim is another childhood classic of mine! I played this game a lot when I was 11-12 years old, and still to this day it is one of my favorites.
The link provided is to a Steam key, but there are console ports as well.

Skyrim is a universal classic at this point, very iconic and well-known. If you haven't played it, give it a shot!
If you like fantasy, action, role-playing games; Skyrim may be up your alley. In the Elder Scrolls lore, Skyrim takes place 200 years after the game Oblivion in the land of Skyrim. A quick synopsis without spoiling much: You begin the game as a priso... 
There are returning factions from the other games such as the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood to join depending on whether you want a more sinister character. You could even join the Mages Guild or do quests for the 14 Daedric Princes.
If you buy the GOTY edition: you will get 2 DLCs full of new lore and questlines and the ability to buy plots of land and build your own house.

Skyrim offers the same amount of lore, questing, and amazing adventures just like every other game in the series. I definitely suggest for anyone who hasn't played but loves Elder Scrolls or RGPs to give it a shot.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Special Edition | PC

FPS

FPS games that I recommend gamers to try!

 
Madison Anders profile picture
Borderlands is an iconic and comical FPS Looter Shooter with elements of an RPG. You choose from 4 different classes/characters: Mordecai, Roland, Lilith, and Brick.

Borderlands is a game a lot of gamers should try, not only for it's extremely fun gameplay, but also because of it's comical cast of characters and story.
Borderlands | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Borderlands 2 is a continuation of the Borderlands storyline. Just like it's predecessor, it is still a FPS looter shooter with elements of an RPG. You have 4 different playable characters to choose from in the base; Axton, Maya, Salvador, and Zer0. ... 

Borderlands 2 is a classic, probably the most beloved and known Borderlands game for it's comedic timing.
Borderlands 2, Game of the Year Edition | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Half-Life is a 1998 FPS game developed by Valve Corporation. It is an older game, so it may not hold up to a lot of modern standards, but it is a very enjoyable game overall due to it's story and the lore surrounding the Half-Life universe.

The story in this game is that you play as a scientist, Gordon Freeman, who must escape from the Black-Mesa Research Facility after it became overrun with alien creatures following the “Black-Mesa incident”. These aliens come from a “Borderworld” cal...
Half-Life | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Half-Life 2 is a 2004 FPS game developed by Valve Corporation. It features like puzzles, driving vehicles, and psychics-based gameplay.

Half-Life 2 is a continuation from Half-Life's story after the Black-Mesa incident, where the protagonist Gordon Freeman, awakens from his statis 20 years later. The world around him is currently being conquered by a multi-dimensional alien Empire ca...

This game adds more lore and great story-telling to the massive universe of Half-Life.
Half-Life 2 | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Marvel Rivals is a very recent game, one that people say will bring the downfall of Overwatch as it has become it's next best competitor. 
As someone who is an avid Overwatch player, I think many players will also enjoy Rivals for the same feel and style. It gives older Overwatch players the feeling of back when the game had open-queue and everyone could pick whatever they wanted (even ...
I also feel Rivals is easier to pick up and is for more casual gamers, but it is still very fun regardless.
Marvel Rivals | Free-To-Play on both PC & Console
 
Madison Anders profile picture
I have been a competitive Overwatch player since 2018, I have loved this game every step of the way. I know many player despise it right now and want to see it's failure, but I want to see them grow from what it once was. 
Overwatch has been like my LoL, I am super addicted to the gameplay and the love of coordinating with my teammates. While the community may be a mixed bag, there is definitely a lot of good players out there in this game. I recommend anyone to give O...
Overwatch 2 - Free-To-Play on both PC & Console
 
Madison Anders profile picture
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl (2007) is an FPS survival horror game that takes place in an alternative Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The zone is filled with anomalies, both physical and meteorological phenomena, that do not obey the laws of physics. 

This is the first game in the franchise. The story is about playing as the protagonist Mecheniy, or the "Marked One", and being set to kill another stalker named Strelok, or Shooter from Russia. You learn about your identity and past while helping ot...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl | PC
 
Madison Anders profile picture
Team Fortress 2 or TF2 is a iconic and classic multiplayer FPS. If you've played Overwatch, it is similar with it's cast of characters that are under defensive, offensive, or support classes. 

The community is a bit better than Overwatch's, as they aren't as toxic, but there is a few bad apples here and there. Usually the community is full of helpful and funny people.
Team Fortress 2 | PC

Strategy

My recommendations of strategy games to test your complex thinking skills.

 
Madison Anders profile picture
Plague Inc. is a strategy game in which your goal is to infect the entire world with your pathogen of choice. You must make complex choices to make sure your pathogen survives before humans can cure it.

It is available on the App store or on PC!
Plague Inc: Evolved | App Store