You’re drowning in pre‑orders—but meanwhile, your real backlog weeps. Let’s be blunt: your digital library is guiltier than most. You’re constantly installing new things while leaving solid gold to collect virtual dust. But guess what? Some of those games are masterpieces—some of my personal favorites, in fact—so quit the impulse buying and start finishing (and then I’ll stop judging you for not completing your games). Shall we?
1. Hollow Knight
You got spooked in Deepnest, hit uninstall, and moved on. Typical. But this is more than an indie darling—it’s a ghost-town labyrinth coated in regret and perfection. When it clicks, it consumes. That’s why it deserves a second (and final) playthrough. And I get it – don’t get me wrong, I was the same. I couldn’t find my way around the world of Hollow Knight the first time I installed it on my Nintendo Switch. But I came back a few years later, with some more Metroidvania knowledge in my backpack, and it clicked. Did I still make mistakes? Yes, obviously. Did I die a lot of meaningless deaths? Yes, absolutely. Do I recommend this game to people who enjoy challenging Metroidvania-style games with a flavor reminiscent of the Souls series? Yes, so pick up the controller of choice and stop complaining. Silk Song is on its way, and you need to finish this first.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
You spent too much time on Gwent and side quests and forgot there was a main story. Big mistake. Push through the mist, finish that Bloody Baron plotline, and see why this thing is still the gold standard in RPG storytelling. And who knows, we might be lucky and get a Switch 2 remaster/port like Cyberpunk to play with Geralt anywhere we like (and no, not in that way. Get your mind out of the gutter). The Witcher 3 offers so much, but also offers so much that it gets you distracted for the wrong reasons. Take the time of the summer holidays and hop back into the saddle. Don’t forget to toss a coin to your witcher when the new season (without Henry) drops.
3. Diablo III
Probably my favorite review to date at GamingBoulevard for the Nintendo Switch — and for a good reason. I live for the soul‑crushing thrills of rifts, loot, and demon‑slugging on the go. Diablo III combined the elements I loved from the first two entries and gave them a massive makeover into something epic. Compared to Diablo IV, I still prefer to dip back into part three. No apologies here; move on.. So if you’ve dipped in, even for one character run, you’ve cheated yourself out of the best loot chase money can’t buy. Jump back in, chase that perfect drop, and see why I fell in love all over again.
4. Borderlands (any)
Another no-brainer is either Borderlands or Borderlands 2, or the Pre-Sequel, or Borderlands 3 — I’m famously passionate about the series’ humor, chaos, and personality vibes If you started shooting Claptrap(s) and stopped after a mission or two, you’re missing out on vaults, loot mayhem, and some of the funniest co‑op chaos you can still download today. The collect-a-ton formula in Borderlands always amazed me. The level of ingenuity and storytelling, combined with a one-of-a-kind art style, is something to behold. They are usually dirt cheap during the Steam Summer Sales (Pandora Collection offers almost all games and DLC for like 20€), and even now, they are still worth playing through. See for yourself what the movie could have been if it had incorporated the same humor and charisma that these games offer.
5. No More Heroes
Tied for second in my list is No More Heroes (or its sequels) with that biting, absurdist style I love — I believe it belongs in any gamer’s library. You should at least try to play through one of these to get a look into the mind of one of the most iconic game developers out there. If you played the intro, laughed at the animation, and turned it off thinking it was niche, you were wrong. It’s the kind of weird genius that ages like fine wine. Finish it. You’ll thank me later, and don’t you dare to skip out on the Travis Strikes Again tie-in game; you won’t understand the lore behind the series when you go through ‘just’ the main titles.
6. Prey (2017)
You probably expected BioShock and got a weird sci‑fi psychological puzzle box instead. Many backed off early when the alien neuromods messed with their brains. But once you embrace the paranoia, Prey becomes the immersive sim to end all immersive sims. No, it has nothing to do with the 2006 Prey game. But it does show that the word ‘Prey’ has an impact. Prey showed the world that you don’t always need a skill tree to create an immersive and challenging experience in a new way of world-building. And, heck, even Cyberpunk 2077 drew inspiration from the neuromods found in Prey. Oh, and if you need more convincing, this has alternate history written all over it; Prey takes place in an alternate timeline where, in 1958, the Soviet Union encounters a species of eusocial aliens, called the Typhon, aboard their satellite Vorona 1. The Soviet Union collaborates with the United States to combat and capture the aliens, keeping this effort secret from the general population. Together, they build the space station Kletka to be used as a prison for the Typhon situated in orbit around the Moon… I won’t spoil the rest, but you know I’m a sucker for alternate history stuff. What are you waiting for?
7. NieR: Automata
First ending? Amateur hour. The real magic waits in C, D, and beyond. The emotional payoff hits like a freight train, one ending at a time. Existential dread never looked—or felt—this stunning. And for those who say, ‘I’ll just watch the anime,’ what kind of anime fan are you? Dive deeper into the lore of what makes NieR amazing. It has Final Fantasy elements, it has Xenoblades elements, it has Devil May Cry elements, and you get a post-apocalyptic world. What else do you want? Go for those extra endings, you won’t regret it.
8. Dark Souls III
Yes, it wants you to suffer. But oh my—when it clicks, you’re not just playing, you’re forging identity. Every boss is a private lesson; every shortcut is a form of religious ecstasy. It’s punishment masquerading as philosophy. If you stalled at an early boss combo, go back and learn the dance. Don’t skip ahead towards Elden Ring or Nightrein, come back and finish the trilogy. And it helps to beat these kinds of games. You will develop a specific muscle memory that helps with other games and pattern-based boss battle games in the same genre. So yeah, it’s like the old saying: Hie thee to mastery! – Or like the kids are saying nowadays, ‘Git Gud. ‘
9. Alan Wake
You walked through half the woods, got spooked, shut it down, and never looked back. Big regret. A chill atmosphere, storytelling that delves into your subconscious, and enough tension to make you dread your shadows. Give it another shot. Remedy describes Alan Wake as “the mind of a psychological thriller” and “the body of a cinematic action game” put together. In interviews, the game’s creators argue that the game does not squarely belong in the survival horror video game genre, and I agree. It’s one of the best psychological games out there and needs a revisit (just like SOMA).
10. Max Payne 3
Soul-laced third-person shooting with slow-motion ballet at its core. You might’ve uninstalled after the intro’s grittiness overwhelmed you—come back. The story gets personal, the bullet-time feels addictive, and I chose Diablo over many others to decompress, which means this kind of visceral action matters. I loved The Matrix, and yes, bullet time felt overused during those years. Both in video games and in movies/series. But don’t let this stop you from picking up a fantastic game like Max Payne.
Bonus Entry: Baldur’s Gate 3
No, you don’t need another new Tav. Finish one of your playthroughs before starting a new one. I know that creating builds is a fundamental part of the BG3 gameplay, but please, for the love of Withers, finish Act 3 at least once! It’s not as overwhelming as you think it is. And while you are at it, try a Dark Urge Resist run. It is one of the most satisfying runs you will do. Trust me on this one. Or embrace, I won’t judge.
Stop Waiting, Start Playing
Pick. One. Game. Install it. Set small goals, such as “beat one chapter per weekend.” Track your progress. And heck, even liveblog your wins. You’ll feel lighter. This summer’s drought in releases is your golden opportunity: stop gawking at PlayStation events. Dive into something that matters. The games are already sitting in your library. Finish what you started. And if you need a distraction while you do the dorado farming in Borderlands, you know where to find me.
