Games that capture your imagination.

[Aerowaves]

I haven't played a game that really captured my imagination for a while...any recommendations? Something that you really found yourself getting into.

Not exactly the same as immersive; I'd consider Fallout 3 to be immersive but at the same time I wasn't really committing myself to it with an intangible sense of wonder and awesome on the same level as I found myself getting into, for example, Mass Effect 1 + 2.

 

[Worgen]

Im gonna say metro 2044, I just started playing it after getting it on steam sale and so far Im really damn impressed with it, it feels like a real world, its got a very interesting setting and I like the idea of military grade rounds being really good and used as a form of money

 

[Aqualung]

I get really into Lord of the Rings Online. Because your character doesn't really have a backstory, I opted to make my own... so if you're into roleplaying or just seeing the world from your characters' point of view, it becomes very dramatic and entertaining.

Granted, my guardian is level 55, so it's easier to get immersed in finding a ring of power than it is slaying 8 wolves.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

Im gonna say metro 2044, I just started playing it after getting it on steam sale and so far Im really damn impressed with it, it feels like a real world, its got a very interesting setting and I like the idea of military grade rounds being really good and used as a form of money

I got totally sucked in by that game.
I did feel like I'd kind of ruined it for myself when it got to the point that I couldn't be bothered slowly shuffling away from librarians. Shotgun ftw.

 

[obliviondoll]

Personally, I didn't find that Fallout 3 caught my imagination as well as it really should have. I'd loved the first 2, and while it was good, it just... didn't make me lose myself in its story.

Rather like Mirror's Edge for the real feeling of caring about the world you're in, honestly.

I'd recommend playing Alpha Protocol as well - don't buy it without renting/borrowing first, get a feel for whether you'll enjoy it. if you do, buy it. I love it, some friends who I thought would love it just can't stand the way combat handles and find it breaks them out of the game completely.

 

[Lullabye]

Imagination?
um, Spore?
How about the Persona series?
Hell, even Shadow of the Colossus.
Psychonauts
BanjoKazooie
Mario Galaxy
Armored Core
all these require some stretch of imagination to play.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

Im gonna say metro 2044, I just started playing it after getting it on steam sale and so far Im really damn impressed with it, it feels like a real world, its got a very interesting setting and I like the idea of military grade rounds being really good and used as a form of money

I got totally sucked in by that game.
I did feel like I'd kind of ruined it for myself when it got to the point that I couldn't be bothered slowly shuffling away from librarians. Shotgun ftw.

I'm not sure if you mean Metro 2033 or not but when I first played Metro 2033 I actually had a dream about it the same night, so it has my vote.

 

[sanguinator]

oblivion and the mass effect games.

 

[The Madman]

World of Warcraft, there, I said it.

The world is absolutely massive and full of so many tiny details its hard not to get sucked in if you take the time to appreciate them, meanwhile many of the quests are actually surprisingly enthralling with well done dialogue and interesting premise. I know the game is more widely known for people getting addicted, grind quests, and raiding, but for those few that take the time to enjoy the game as more than just a series of statistics and numbers there's a lot to enjoy! Helps that there's also three games worth of backstory for the setting as well, not even counting expansions, books, comics and the like.

Apparently I'm not the only one to think so either with entire websites based around debating WOW's story and even musicians wiritng songs based on their favorite questlines... no, seriously, and its pretty good too:

Spoiler

Other than that I've always loved The Longest Journey, its story, setting and characters, and desperately want Funcom to continue the series soon and let us continue to learn what happens next. I mean you can't just end it the way it did in Dreamfall, gotta know what happens to Zoe and April Ryan! Dammit Funcom, quit playing around with MMO and get back to doing what you do best!

 

[Aerowaves]

Yeah, not WoW. I'd prefer a decent storyline and good gameplay AS WELL AS a well-crafted universe....and when I tried it the first two weren't good enough to introduce me to any of the third that there may have been. Guild Wars was good in that respect, imo....but I'm rather looking for single-player games. MP doesn't really make the experience personal to the individual in the same way as SP does...though with SWTOR and GW2 coming out that may change I suppose.

 

[AlternatePFG]

Metro 2033 is very good like everyone else said. Great atmosphere, easily sucks you in.