1) Silent Hill 4
Platform: PS2 (was never ported into the remastered collection)
Silent Hill 1, 2, and 3 created staples of the horror game genre, real standards for other horror developers to look towards and aim for. But Silent Hill 4 took the series in an even darker direction; it took lore from previous games (Walter Sullivan was first mentioned in Silent Hill 2, just as an example), and created something truly terrifying, truly brutal, and truly amazing. Walter Sullivan is an incredible antagonist (if a little bit edgelordy with the whole dual-weapons thing), and while Henry Townsend isn't the best Silent Hill protagonist (probably going with James, as basic bitch as that sounds), his position as a complete outsider, simply a victim of circumstance through his apartment, was actually new - and while it was a risky move, it paid off. Sullivan thought he could kill 22 people to bring his mother back to him - he didn't count on my guy Henry.
Downsides: Gameplay is tedious, at times. Like all four of the first Silent Hill games, the combat is clunky, slow, and pretty punishing.
2) Fallout: New Vegas
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
While Broken Steel adds so much to 3's charm, and makes it an amazing gaming experience, New Vegas will probably always be my favourite Fallout game. So much variety, so much new, and expanded upon lore. So much to love and hate, so many glitches to find and exploit the living shit out of. The DLC was pretty amazing, too. Old World Blues is an amazing DLC with such character and such remarkable story to it - Lonesome Road just felt... A little forced? I know it was meant to be a little bit of everything but it just didn't carry the gravity they made it out to.
Some incredible mods, too.
Downsides: Like any Bethesda game, it's filled with glitches and bugs. Some that are game breaking.
3) God Hand
Platform: PS2
Beat 'em Ups are few and far between. They're that area that really isn't as commonly touched as most would like to think. Maybe it's because the audience can be a bit niche, the biggest time for beat 'em Ups was probably back in the arcade days of Double Dragon.
Enter God Hand. God Hand was made by Clover Studios, which later became Platinum Games. God Hand brings together comedy, intense action, and Dark Souls-level difficulty before Dark Souls was a f***ing thing. The game challenges you to make your own fighting style, buy new moves, no moves are specifically special on their own (except super moves), but you're essentially challenging not just the computer, but yourself. The game's difficulty isn't just chosen, it literally adjusts based on how often you're hit, and not hit. You fight colourful, vibrant, energetic characters, you fight f***ed-up demons and quite literally battle a Power Rangers rip off called: Mad Midget Five. The game is amazing, and offers so much to do.
Downsides: The humour is a bit dated, and it was never made for anything other than the PS2.
4) Bloodborne
Platform: PS4
Unfortunately, Bloodborne didn't get the same multiconsole treatment as the Souls games (barring Demon's Souls), but it still stands out from the rest of the series. Why?
Atmosphere, story, and gameplay.
The game is essentially a Lovecraftian horror that slowly unfolds bit by bit, the crescendo, the brutal climax has you fighting otherworldly, eldritch gods who will annihilate you if you aren't careful. The game isn't merciful, the game offers little in the way of solidarity, but if you summon people to help, it's that one little saving grace, that one little sanctuary, short of the actual sanctuary that you go to for the shop and level-up system.
It's actually a bit more fast-paced than the Souls games, and trades shield/parries/ripostes for quick dodging.
The DLC carries such heavy weight, and my first experience with it was truly painful - the first couple of enemies wiped the floor with me before I started adapting and changing my style. The bosses in the DLC are something to both fear and marvel at - they will destroy you. Especially Ludwig and Orphan. Seriously. F*** those guys.
It's another story where you piece it together, more or less. But it's worth it. It's an incredible story of corruption and the folly of man.
Downside: It's a brutal game. Prepare to die a lot, just don't break your controller. Also, PS4 exclusive.
5) Deadly Premonition
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Switch (as Origins)
Ever wanted to play a mindf*** in game form? Yeah, this is a mindf*** in game form. The game is the brainchild of SWERY65, who's a little bit like Hideo Kojima if Hideo Kojima was... A bit weirder, maybe a tad nerdier.
You play as Francis York Morgan, a special agent for the FBI investigating a murder in a small town. Except you are eccentric as hell and you see ghosts and shit no-one else seems to. Morgan digs into the case - only to find something paranormal behind all of it.
The game is oddly charming, and while very weird, that definitely seems to be its charm. I love this game for it's odd gameplay, odd story (inspired by Twin Peaks), odd characters (ever wanted to fight a crossdresser in a clock tower? You're gonna fight a crossdresser in a clock tower) odd everything. It's a dramatic, strangely compelling story that really invokes a sense of dread while simultaneously making the player question everything they've seen.
Downsides: Gameplay can be clunky, and it's got the Guinness World Record for most polarising video game in terms of reception for a reason.
6) Metal Gear Solid 4
Platform: PS3
Hideo Kojima is another one of those polarising video game figures. Someone who a lot of people either love or hate, but I personally love his stuff.
Metal Gear Solid V would have made the top if it was completed, but there are still so many questions, and I just can't abide that.
Metal Gear Solid 4 actually came out on my birthday 12 years ago. The game is a menagerie of references to the previous games, while carrying its own amazing story rather well. It's a really intense game, and while a bit cheesy in some areas, the game has so much to offer for such a short experience. So many weapons, so many items, a fucking iPod you can listen to various songs that have played throughout the series and beyond. It's all so interesting.
Downsides: The cutscenes. The story is captivating... But the cutscenes altogether take up more time than the game time, almost - if not speeding through. At the end of the third act, there are cutscenes that take up - I'm pretty sure - about an hour at least. That's actually insane.
There are so many more games I love, but these are just a few of my top favourites. Sorry they're all a bit niche, but I hope you enjoyed reading about them.