Bucket List Video Games Everyone Should Play

Every once in a while, I’m reminded to cherish life and make the most of it, because you never know when you’ll kick the bucket. In those last moments, you’ll want to recall the good things that made life worth seeing through to the end.

Sorry if that line was a downer, but in the spirit of remembering good things in your last moments or accomplishing your bucket list goals, I thought it’d only seem fitting that I included the video game medium in the category for today’s discussion.

Video games that, for me, invoked an unparalleled level of emotion with an unforgettable experience that I’ll forever cherish. So strap in, you’re going to see me talk about these bucket list video game titles of mine with great adoration and eternal admiration.

10 Mass Effect Trilogy

Truly Legendary In All The Right Ways

I’ve decided to kick things off with one of gaming’s most iconic RPG trilogies, one that came straight off the hot stoves of BioWare’s golden age, and that deserves to be played by everyone when given the chance.

Although the Mass Effect Trilogy starts slowly as a chaotic cat-and-mouse hunt against Sarren, it ends up turning into an iconic adventure as Commander Shepard and their Normandy crew race against time to save the universe from the Reapers and the Illusive Man’s cunning deceptions.

Even if you’re not particularly fond of space-based RPGs, the entire trilogy with the Legendary Edition is an easy purchase since you’ll get to experience one of the best character casts in an RPG series, as well as possibly relive the greatest suicide mission with the second game’s final sequence.

9 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

The Boy Who Leaped Through Time

I didn’t have a chance to grow up with Nintendo like many did, so out of most Legend of Zelda titles, you can bet that Zelda: Ocarina of Time was one that I had my eye on for the longest time. I’m so freaking glad I eventually gave it the proper attention during my adolescence.

It tells a heroic coming-of-age story with young Link that eventually leads up to the game shifting you around with its clever usage of time travel to thwart Ganondorf’s destruction of Hyrule.

I’d be willing to argue that I equally love Majora’s Mask, but since you’ll need to play both anyway, Ocarina of Time will perfectly acquaint you with its ingenious puzzles and dungeons, ones that might even have you sometimes scratching your head to figure out the solution.

8 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grove Street 4 Life

Out of my many religiously-played childhood games, GTA San Andreas is one that I often look back upon fondly, knowing I memorized every single thing it had to offer across my dozens of saves of it on the PS2.

Vice City and III were good in their own right. Still, in terms of defining the sandbox genre, San Andreas had everything—a timeless three-city map based on California, an entertaining gang warfare story, and a handful of mechanics that the older titles just couldn’t achieve.

It was one of the few PS2 games that I consider pushed the console to the limits. And if you’re one of the rare minority that didn’t play it, I do sincerely hope you give one of the best GTA titles from Rockstar a shot here before you kick the bucket.

7 Super Mario Odyssey

The Golden Boy Of The Franchise

Super Mario Odyssey isn’t just one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch; it is honestly the pinnacle of the franchise, combining the best of everything that made the previous 3D platformers of our Italian plumber so beloved.

The sheer creativity that oozes out of every single level and gimmick it presents—there’s never a dull moment here. Each world is intricately designed with secrets that may even sometimes reward you for your expert platforming skills, which is always a lovely gesture for me to see from the developers designing these little details.

And just like how everyone else puts it on such a high pedestal, even when you’ve got equally brilliant titles like Galaxy and 64, Odyssey is just in a different ballpark that undoubtedly makes it deserving of being one of those bucket list titles you need to experience in your lifetime sooner rather than later.

6 GRIS

Grief, Affection, Acceptance

I’ve had the fortunate pleasure of playing through a vast number of brilliant indie titles throughout my life, but if I had to choose one that I never shut up about with my friends or strangers when they need recommendations, it needs to be GRIS.

It’s a hand-painted 2D platformer that meticulously showcases a story through its on-screen visuals and pageantry about overcoming the five stages of grief.

And with such serene art direction and a resonant soundtrack as the cherry on top, I urge you to give its slow-burn yet heartfelt adventure a chance if you’re ever in the mood for a game that’ll give you tons of therapeutic moments to make it an everlasting experience.

5 Dark Souls Remastered

Prepare To Die

It’s vital to acknowledge the games that laid the foundation of being innovative for their time, and what better way to honour that statement than with a quintessential bucket list video game that’s regarded as the ultimate game of all time by the Golden Joystick?

Dark Souls became one of the most iconic RPGs in the industry. A rich yet grueling world that mercilessly punishes you at every step with tooth and nail enemies and bossfights, and an intriguing exposition with rich lore that inhabits the characters and locales within it.

While Demon’s Souls set the stage for Soulslikes created by FromSoftware, Dark Souls refined the formula and increased its popularity and relevance dramatically. This also eventually led us to Elden Ring, another one of the best video games of all time.

4 Disco Elysium

Nailing Philosophical Writing & Intuitive Role-play

You’re doing yourself a major disservice if you still haven’t experienced the epitome of video game writing and world-building that is found within Disco Elysium.

What makes it such a well-renowned title among many, including my own circle, is mainly due to how the game doesn’t shy away from interweaving critical topics like existential dread and political turmoil into its overall narrative while simultaneously managing to incorporate absurdities like dark comedy.

Plus, what made it such a riveting experience for me personally was the whole concept of the Thought Cabinet—forcing you to have a personal conflict with yourself at every crucial step and tilting your moral compass so much that each playthrough can feel totally different depending on where you invest your stats.

3 The Last Of Us Part 1

It Can’t Be For Nothing

It can’t be a bucket list of video games that everyone has to play without The Last of Us being mentioned in some capacity. Even over a decade later, with a sequel and TV show, the original game remains beloved by everyone. The Part 1 remake makes it more feasible than ever to dive into this critically acclaimed title.

It’s a game filled with a rollercoaster of raw emotions, featuring Joel and Ellie’s gut-wrenching journey together as they traverse a hauntingly beautiful post-apocalyptic landscape with no shortage of clickers and stragglers adding misery to their travels.

At its core, it’s a title that broke records for Naughty Dog and PlayStation with its unfettered storytelling. To this day, it remains a cinematic adventure title that’s a fantastic recommendation for any non-gamer or casual player looking to get into the genre. Just be sure to give them tissues to wipe the tears away.

2 Kingdom Hearts 2

Where Fears And Lies Melt Away

COVID marked a fatiguing and incredibly depressing period in my life, and it was also the exact time I discovered the Kingdom Hearts series for the first time.

Driven by my love of Disney and JRPGs, my initial journey with the franchise is one I’ll treasure sincerely for saving me from a steady mental decline, especially with Kingdom Hearts 2, which is heralded by many and even outside the fanbase as one of the greatest games of all time.

It has the perfect storytelling, pacing, and action combat in the series, with incredible worlds to explore, and an ending that eloquently reunites the trio of Destiny Islands.

If you manage to bear the first game’s mildly aged design and can reach KH2, you’re in for a ride with a video game that I’ll firmly uphold as a worthy bucket list title for everyone to play in their life.

1 Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Any Love Of Any Kind

‘Walking Sim,’ or a movie game. Call it whatever you want, but regardless of what your stance is on it, Death Stranding 2 surpassed all my expectations ever since I first ended the original game and couldn’t stop yapping about it to all my friends.

The hype I had for it was delivered in every regard and then some, with Kojima’s brilliant direction and ensemble cast paving the way for a journey that sparked resilience, comfort, and carrying the undying weight of grief on your shoulders.

And look, I understand that this game’s entire narrative structure won’t make much sense to people, especially those who have a low attention span. But part of what makes Death Stranding 2 and even the original stand out is the journey you make along the way. I mean it literally, not even as a joke.

Whether it’s connecting every facility in this post-dystopian world or getting to see each additional character’s backstory unfold, there’s so much warmth to be found in this otherwise bleak story that people make it out to be.

And that’s particularly why it’s a game you HAVE to play and give the proper attention to. I can’t emphasize that enough. If you do end up adoring it, I bet you’ll also grin every time WoodKid or Low Roar’s tracks end up playing during the journey’s pivotal moments.