While Reader Voracious generally focuses on the bookish adventures taken when reading, another big part of my life are video games. Unsurprisingly, I love the adventuring of RPG games the most, gravitating towards franchises rich with lore and worldbuilding.
Three years ago, my dear pal Cassie tagged me in 10 Games I Wish I Could Play Again For the First Time. Of course I didn’t share my list right away, oh no. In true Kal fashion I hoarded this tag in my drafts like Scrooge McDuck hoards gold coins until my patrons voted for my list of 10 video games to be unleashed into the world.
10 Video Games I Wish I Could Play Again for the First Time
1) Fable
Fable is the game that opened my world up to RPGs and will always hold a special place in my heart! Until this game was released, my gaming was basically point-and-click computer games and classic Nintendo titles (pre-Gamecube). The Fable franchise is why I am an Xbox gamer.
The humor, the lore, the item descriptions, and the truly ridiculous side quests are all iconic. I’ve played this game (and franchise) countless times and they are still enjoyable twenty years later. I cannot wait for Fable 4 whenever it is actually released.
2) Dragon Age: Origins
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: romancing Alistair is one of my life’s true joys.
The Dragon Age franchise is close second in my heart. I remember the pure joy playing this game for the first time and encountering the breadth of lore. This game is one of the most replayable but I wish I could experience the FEELINGS of getting Alistair to proclaim his love for the first time.
3) King’s Quest VI “Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow”
Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow is the pinnacle of the King’s Quest video game franchise from the 1990s. Besides Oregon Trail and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, my childhood was spent playing this game once we got a computer in my home. (I bought the game on FLOPPY DISCS from a swap meet.)
If you enjoy point-and-clicks and puns, this game is for you! From the Dangling Participle who speaks in dangling participles to the Underworld, KQ6 is the definition of iconic. It also draws from fairy tales and is just such a treat to play.
4) Monkey Island
If you play point-and-clicks, chances are you’re aware of the Monkey Island franchise. I wasn’t introduced to the games until after graduating high school but THIS GAME. Pirates. Puns. Puzzles. What’s not to enjoy?
These games are irreverent and constantly break the fourth wall, making the first experience memorable. The puzzles can be pretty weird, too.
5) Sunless Sea
If you enjoy reading and story-rich games, Sunless Sea is the game for you! It’s a text-based pc game based on Fallen London – the free web-based game.
The world of Fallen London and Sunless Sea is dark and gothic, and the game is punishing. You’re a sailor exploring the Unterzee… but it’s dangerous as heck and you will die. A lot. The game is ultimately about exploring the world and building a legacy for your line of sailors. It’s a game not meant to be beaten in one playthru but there’s nothing like the first time exploring and uncovering the lore.
6) Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I almost put the original Animal Crossing here because that was a video game I played the most on the Gamecube. I remember when my partner at the time and I were fighting, he would log in and run through my flowers! (Jerk.)
But ACNH has been such an important and calming game for me since the pandemic began. I love the customization and the villager hunting… but honestly the early game is my favorite part, so I wish I could do that again without needing to reset.
7) Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
*gasp* Not BoTW?! <— you
Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda installment (I think I really just love Gamecube era too much lol). I love Breath of the Wild, don’t worry — but I want nothing more than to play Wind Waker again. Please? I also just long for an era of Zelda where completion wasn’t the most daunting task ever.
8) Fable II
I know, I know. BUT LISTEN. Fable II is actually, somehow, better than the original game and deserves its own spot on this list.
Better mechanics, an amazing story, still hilarious as hell. The world was expanded and still felt manageable. The third game went too far and was a dud in my opinion, but this game is so good.
9) Assassin’s Creed II
A list of formative games wouldn’t be complete without AC2 on it, specifically Brotherhood being my favorite of the Ezio trilogy.
The freedom of free running (and falling a lot because I suck)! Exploring Italy. The characters. Early Assassin’s Creed is so much fun for the exploration… before the freaking map towers infected literally every RPG ever since. Ugh! I didn’t enjoy a lot of the subsequent games, but absolutely love Assassin’s Creed Origins as it captures the same feeling and heart.
10) Alice: Madness Returns
Does anyone remember when American McGee’s Alice was everywhere? Maybe it’s just me because I worked at Suncoast between 2002 – 2004, but for some reason this period of my life and whenever I first played Madness Returns are cemented together.
It’s dark and grim and so much fun. A platformer with the feel of an RPG where I didn’t mind too much all the dying.
End Notes
Here ends my list of 10 video games that I’d love to be able to experience for the first time again. All of these games hold a special place in my heart for creating who I am as a gamer and are ones I still play today. (Except for Wind Waker. Nintendo please port this game to the Switch I BEG OF YOU.)
Let’s discuss in the comments!
💬 Have you played any of these video games?
💬 What are the video games YOU wish to experience again for the first time?
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I’ve only played Animal Crossing from this list but I loved hearing about all your other favourites! Animal Crossing has been one of the only game franchises I’ve played since I was a child (the other one being the Professor Layton games!) and I totally agree, the early gameplay is the best. I’ve restarted my island plenty of times just to do it all again…but I never actually finish any island haha.
I’m not a huge gamer and I’m not familiar enough with rpgs to really enjoy them, I played Breath of the Wild once and was thoroughly overwhelmed and never touched it again. But maybe one day I’ll get into more complex games, I feel like I could get a lot of enjoyment out of them once I learn the ropes.
As for a game I wish I could play again for the first time, I have very specific memories of a PC game I played as a child where you play a guy building boats. The boats can be really funky and you drive around little islands and do quests for your neighbours. It was so wholesome and fun and I just vividly remember the art and sound design. Unfortunately, it doesn’t run on anything but Windows XP (rip) and are no longer available anywhere.
Resetting ACNH islands to feel alive! Honestly I have never even remotely finished an island, I am not good and feel bad about it. I want to reset again but I have a really good villager lineup right now, so I haven’t done it yet.
BoTW is honestly SO OVERWHELMING. I feel like open world RPGs have gotten too damn big and more often than not it activates my anxiety. You might enjoy the Fable games – they each clock in at like 20 hours, so you get the joy of the story and world and adventure but it isn’t a lifelong commitment to beat lmao.
OMG the boat game sounds fun and it’s a shame you can’t play it anymore. You might like My Time at Portia though — you craft and do quests for villagers. Really calming and soft.
The Fable games are AMAZING! I recently played Fable 1 again haha.
I love the Fable franchise SO MUCH, and cannot wait for the new game! I just hope the new team does it justice. I want to reply the first one soon, but gotta wait a bit since apparently I only own Fable 3??? which seems sus
Awesome Post! I too wish I could play ACNH for the first time again.
It was just the Perfect Game for the moment at the start of the pandemic! And while we can reset to get some of that experience back, there’s nothing quite like the first time and learning everything about the game.
Ugh, Wind Waker. What a gem. 🥺 I’m hoping to get Isaac to give the HD remaster of that a try soon on our old Wii U (if I can find everything for it lol).
Wind Waker is such a wonderful game and I need a way to play it now. NEED. Like I am prepared to buy a GC and copy of the game when I am financially able lol, but why can’t Nintendo port it?!
Oh my goodness. With a few exceptions, you could be copying this list from me. (I would have Oblivion on my list, because the joy I got realizing who the Big Name voice actors were when I first played the game? Priceless.)
The whole King’s Quest series has a special place in my heart, but you nailed it: VI is hands-down the best of the lot. I also agree with your thoughts on romancing Alistair.
And I’m guessing you are aware, but I have to make sure: did you see that we are getting a NEW MONKEY ISLAND GAME this year? Most of the original team is involved I believe, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.
GAMING TWINSIES! I almost put Oblivion on the list but it was pushed off, def up there for me though! I think that game was Elder Scrolls at its finest. Morrowind was fun too, but Oblivion is just *chef’s kiss*
I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEW MONKEY ISLAND GAME, like I am going to become so insufferable once it is released Nicole! Did you play the Tell Tale version of the game from a few years back? Tales of Monkey Island? Not as great
Animal Crossing is up there with one of my faves! I had so much fun playing that with friends online when I was younger. There are some here that I have yet to try and I hope that I enjoy them as much as you have! 🙂
Animal Crossing is just such a wonderful game and I hold the franchise close to my heart! I hope you enjoy the other games when you try them out.
Hehe floppy discs, I remember those thanks to my dad. Young Clo always thought they looked cool. I hope one day I get to play animal crossing new horizons because it’s honestly everything I ever wanted. When I first began with wild world, I just wished we had more freedom to move things and customise things. One day…
I’d love to be able to play some of the Pokemon games for the first time again, I used to be obsessed with them and Harvest Moon games too! Also Genshin Impact but playing it for the first time and keeping my knowledge on it so I don’t make the same mistakes hehe.
The fact you remember floppy disks kind of freaks me out lol. I hope you can someday play ACNH though because it is so much fun, the FREEDOM! omg I forgot about Harvest Moon, I loved that game back on the Gamecube! Never played any Pokemon game but PoGo lol
We’ve never played any of these before!
They are so much fun if you ever feel like giving them a try!
I have heard so much about The Dragon Age! Currently I am playing Fallen London, and the lore and world-building is phenomenal!
SCREECH! Fallen London is SO GOOD – the Failbetter team is truly masterful with the gothic lore and worldbuilding! And the fact that the game is free? Amazing. Highly recommend Sunless Sea if you can afford it as it expands on the lore so much
I think at the very top of my list is Dragon Age: Inquisition. I remember being in complete awe of the world– the way the sun shined through the trees in the Emerald Graves or the rain drenching the Storm Coast– the artwork was incredible. And OMG, the Trespasser DLC left me devastated. I actually CRIED at the end of it.
I would also add the rest of the Dragon Age games, the Mass Effect trilogy (plus Andromeda), and Final Fantasy VIII (this was the first RPG I had ever played, and it blew my mind. Every game before this was a platformer, which I’m terrible at.)
Dragon Age: Inquisition is such a beautiful, jaw-dropping game! It is just… so overwhelming for me. I never finished it and I’ve tried to start a couple new playthroughs over the years but literally canNOT do the beginning five hours of the game again lmao.
I’ve never played Final Fantasy and only kinda played ME3, but those games/franchises did SO MUCH for the gaming industry. Also I am also terrible at platformers lol. Thanks for your comment!
Ezio’s story was god tier!! Also I loveddd Fable.
I would love to play Final Fantasy IX and X for the first time again.
Ezio! Fable! Yaaasss glad we have similar taste in games, and Ezio’s story WAS god tier – I think the only other that came close was Bayek in AC: Origins which I know is a spicy take lol
AH i want to play the dragon age games so badly! they seem like so much fun. i wish I could play final fantasy x for the first time!
OMG Kaya YOU SHOULD! Seriously they are wonderful games and I want everyone to become a Grey Warden to fight the dark spawn.