Asklemmy

Civilization III and/or V

Edit: If you have lot's of time available.

There was an outstanding RTS game from 1997 called Total Annihilation. The soundtrack was 11/10, it was made by Jeremy Soule, the guy who did the Skyrim soundtrack. Some might say that Supreme Commander 2 is their most recent successor to TA, but they are wrong. Check out Beyond All Reason (BAR). It's in Alpha and it's free but it's already sooooo good.

Mount and Blade Warband for me. Native is fun but the community has made so many total conversion mods for it that can be swapped in and out at the launcher. It can be Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, most points of history between now and ancient Rome, and it can even be Star Wars

Haven't seen it here yet: Metro 2033 (sequels good too)

I'd also say S.T.A.L.K.E.R for the similar elements. But it's pretty well known and if it interests you, you know why you should be playing it. :p

Metro 2033 wowed me, and I still think of it fondly. Y'see, at the time, everyone was loudly clamoring for "open world this" and "RPG progression system that" and "Every choice matters branching storylines!". Everything had to be marketed as some huge pseudo-endless experience with limitless freedom. Sure, sure, there's a place for that. BUT...

Metro 2033 is a fairly linear post apocalypse shooter based off of a novel of the same name that doesn't overstay its welcome. And know what? It feels like playing through a good book.

You experience this twisted, scary, often beautiful world through Artyom's eyes as he explores hostile tunnels and the inhospitable surface, and along the way you meet a cast of very interesting, very "alive" feeling characters. The various mutant creatures, too, have fascinating behaviors and personalities. Even though many parts are scripted, you still feel a sense of awe with seeing the consistency with how these things behave.

Subterranean tunnels and frozen post-nuke wastelands feel ALIVE when you're checking your map with a lighter, or scrounging for a gas mask after yours cracked, and you cling to the numbered, desperate breaths through your last filter. (I'm being dramatic it rarely gets THAT desperate lol.)

The real beauty of the game, like humanity's remnants, are under the surface. It's subtle. There's a hidden morality system keeping track of how Artyom reacts to the world, and the overall themes and sociology go much further than "war is bad mmkay?". Do you meet brutality with brutality, or do you combat the darkness of this world with understanding and mercy?

Sadly, Metro Last Light carries on with 2033's bad ending as canon. Which makes sense, but 2033's good ending is so GOOD.

They're regularly ridiculously cheap now, and I personally loved the experience.

Also: The best difficulty system I've ever seen in a shooter. It feels like playing on "Ranger Hardcore" is the intended experience. It doesn't go the lazy route of making the player weak and the enemies strong. It goes for realism.

Enemies get smarter but will actually go down in a good hit or two...But careful!...So will you.

Tunic - at face value it is a gorgeous, brilliantly fun soulslike. Beneath the surface, however, it becomes apparent that the "souls like" part of it is a facade for the true game. Probably one of the single greatest gaming experiences of all time.

The Witcher 3 - it often goes on sale for like... £3 or something ridiculous, and its a standout example of an excellent open world RPG.

Celeste - possibly the single greatest (2d) platforming game ever made, with a soundtrack that is truly unforgettable by the great Lena Raine. Also if you play it you'll find out you're trans*

*(your mileage may vary)

Chess

I only gotta mention one that everyone should play at least once in their lifetime: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

First off I have to show my lack of taste by mentioning I will play any mainline final fantasy game.

But games I recommend and will likely buy the next ones are Persona 3R/4G/5R and The Witcher 3 with DLC / Cyberpunk 2077.

All great games of high quality, though some do not like the W3 combat mechanics.

There could be hundreds that I post here, but going to just say the ones I go back to again and again.

Satisfactory, The Planet Crafter, Stardew Valley, Death Stranding, Kerbal Space Program, Cities Skyline, Cyberpunk 2077, Stray, Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom 1 & 2, Decent, and of course Skyeim.

Katamari! It's just such a wild and fun experience. Even the sequels.

Nier Automata: It's a game that uses every aspect of the medium. From the story, the music, game play, even the end credits, it feels like they took such care in crafting a memorable experience and didn't let anything they could use to express themselves go to waste.

What Remains of Edith Finch, specifically Lewis' chapter. I think it's an excellent portrayal of how incedious and overwhelming depression can be.

Telltale's the Walking Dead (first one only): I was not prepared for the story. I wish they took the same care in the sequals, but I feel like the quality of the first one just came out of nowhere.

Any Monster Hunter. I just think it's neat.

Celeste absolutely! It's difficult but it's really really fun and has a great story. If you ever get super invested, the community is great and the skill ceiling is so high that you can always get better when playing new maps.

Katana Zero: Just try it. It's a 2D action platformer with good story.

Recommending the obvious GOAT titles is getting kinda old now so I'll go with my personal favourite genre right now: roguelikes.

In that genre, my favourite of all time are the Darkest Dungeon franchise, Slay the Spire, Loop Hero, Vampire Survivors and Dead Cells.