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[Alastor3]

I'll go with Portal. It's a classic, the portal are original, there are actions, platforming and puzzles. The second game add even more gameplay elements to the mix.

I'll add Resonance of Fate. Once you learn the combat system, it's a blast to play it. The only thing is, when you learn how to play it, there's a lot of repetitivity since they give you all the gameplay right at the beginning.

 

[Zeneric]

Halo CE.

 

[Why would you do that?]

WarioWare and Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven) when they first came out.

In WarioWare, the idea of playing many random minigames in succession and with increasing speed and difficulty was really awesome and was an extremely fun experience for me. The minigames themselves were very unique, quirky, and varied as well.

Rhythm Tengoku (made by the same team) tried to duplicate a little of that in a rhythm game, creating also amazing results.

 

[TheMWord]

Katamari Damacy

 

[the1npc]

Hotline miami felt very fresh, the music too GOAT

 

[BenHargrove]

Metal Gear Solid

 

[Team Alucard]

Gravity Rush.

 

[zsynqx]

Papers Please comes to mind. Never played anything like it.

 

[BennyBlanco]

GTA 3

 

[Anno]

After more than 2000 hours I'm still surprised by some of the stuff that can happen and that I have to learn in Dota 2, so I'll go with that.

 

[antitrop]

I had never played anything else like the original Grand Theft Auto. It was easy to forgive its remarkable amount of flaws, when it was so unique and original.

I'm only speaking for the game in its own time, though. I've played games since that may have been more original, but have not had nearly quite the same impact on me that GTA1 did for its day.

GTA1 blew my mind all over the place and then GTA III picked up the pieces, put them back together, and blew them away again.

 

[Shanlei91]

Tie between Samba De Amigo:

And the first time I ever spoke to Seaman.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

NiGHTS into Dreams.

Jet Set Radio

Crazy Taxi

Burning Rangers

Power Stone

Probably a bunch more but particularly NiGHTS and JSR. Those two are as different and unique in 2016 as they were when they first came out.

 

[Peltz]

Katamari Damacy
Nights Into Dreams

 

[nillah]

Uncharted. Such fluid gameplay, the maps and player movement all mesh together very well, add the solid camera it presents and you have a great experience...

 

[Zukkoyaki]

I know we've seen SRPGs before but Transistor is one of a kind.

 

[Transistor]

I know we've seen SRPGs before but Transistor is one of a kind.

You. I like you.

 

[Chronospherics]

Dyad's gameplay is pretty original since it introduces lots of gameplay mechanics as you go through. In some cases it feels like it's played differently even from level to level.

I'm surprised to see people listing games that are very rooted in the very established genre conventions. If any version of Halo is one of the most original games you have played then I do wonder what games you have played...

The most original games as I see it, defy genre conventions and traditional labels. It's hard to think of those games... but Dyad is one of them. Regrettably, things like Just Dance, are also contenders for this title.

Forsaken is another, I guess. Although other similar games may have come before it. That was the first 'free movement' FPS I played, and the experience has stayed with me. For me, the game had a really unique feel and atmosphere.

 

[Layell]

The World Ends With You does everything right by RPG gameplay

Figuring out the combat is so beautiful, because you can get into a rhythm that it quite addicting. It has no random encounters, and the gear/food systems complement the combat systems perfectly. It's a sublime experience, and it is totally fine with you reducing your HP to make the game harder and get better gear, or just taking it easy on you in order to pass by.

 

[Mik2121]

Original? Can't exactly decide but I found some of these games quite original:

Donkey Konga

Katamari Damacy

Crazy Taxi


There are many more "original" titles but they get into the "quirky" side of original and can end up feeling a bit gimmicky. There are many other original gameplay titles out there, though I don't consider most of them the best, just... the most original. I like the gameplay of more "typical" games like Destiny, MGSV and others more, in general.

 

[Elixist]

Mario 64 the feel of the control over Mario is still incredible and unmatched today.

Katamari is a good one too for sure.

 

[antitrop]

Dyad's gameplay is pretty original since it introduces lots of gameplay mechanics as you go through. In some cases it feels like it's played differently even from level to level.

I was thinking of mentioning Dyad myself, that game is so unique I've played hours and hours of it and still don't quite understand how it works properly.

 

[PhaZZe]

Portal, it just so fun and for a fps when everybody plays cod or quake, that was amazing

 

[tilomite!]

Katamari Damaci was crazy.

 

[Estellise]

Billy Hatcher for sure. It was so unique and highly addicting for me. Not to mention surprisingly challenging... I really wish Sega expanded on that IP.

 

[PhilipDoesMatter]

Legend of Legaya

 

[The Artisan]

i wanna say littlelbigplanet. i didn't know squat about the game and I saw a demo playing on a Ps3 in best buy, and I bought it right after that. It was a really really fun game,

and I'll say it every goddamn time I mentioned LBP in a post: LittleBigPlanet 2 is super underrated and is one of the best Ps3 games ever.

 

[AlephAlpha]

The platforming and climbing gameplay of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

 

[U2NUMB]

Recently I really REALLY enjoyed playing through the game Brothers. Controlling each bro with a stick allowed them to get really cool with the mechanic.

 

[Slyfer]

Dead Space strategic dismemberment

 

[Danis Saur]

So many games are unique in gameplay, for sure most memorable and "Greatest" games out there.

One for me would be Shadow of the Colossus, where fighting giants by climbing them has not been replicated (at least not as unique and almost flawless as SOTC).

Also recently Gears of War, the maneuver/movement of this third person shooter is so unique and original.

 

[AkIRA_22]

Katamari Damacy

By a country mile. I still laugh when I think about what this game was and the presentation.

 

[SonyToo!™]

Vanquish, that or Street Fighter 2 way back when

 

[Ambience7817x]

The World Ends With You does everything right by RPG gameplay

This is the best answer. Nothing else is like it

 

[Palculator]

Katamari Damacy

This.

 

[Data West]

Sunset Overdrive is a more recent example for me.

Hotline Miami as well.

 

[antitrop]

Also recently Gears of War, the maneuver/movement of this third person shooter is so unique and original.

I would nominate Kill.Switch before Gears. Gears took what KS started and polished the ever-loving shit out of it, but KS was the foundation.

The lead designer of Kill.Switch actually left Namco to join Epic during the development of Gears of War. After Epic, he went to Bioware to work on Mass Effect, guy really likes his cover systems.

 

[harrisk954]

Catherine.

 

[L00P]

WarioWare and Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven) when they first came out.

In WarioWare, the idea of playing many random minigames in succession and with increasing speed and difficulty was really awesome and was an extremely fun experience for me. The minigames themselves were very unique, quirky, and varied as well.

Rhythm Tengoku (made by the same team) tried to duplicate a little of that in a rhythm game, creating also amazing results.

'

 

[Hibiki Kurosawa]

WTF, OP!? Those are literally the two games that came to my mind before clicking on this thread. As much props to Resonance of Fate, btw, as that game never got the attention it deserved.

 

[Strangelove77]

Robot Alchemic Drive.
Never played anything like it.

 

[GamerJM]

Hm...in terms of recent games, Her Story comes to mind.

 

[Farks!]

Spoiler

Real life.

 

[Unicorn]

A lot of Sega entries in this thread.

RIP. jank overtook them.

 

[nkarafo]

This gem

The most original game i ever played and the least copied at the same time.

 

[threelights]

God Hand came, became the best action game ever made, and taught everyone the best way of making melee combat, and nobody batted an eye.

So it's still very original I suppose.

 

[Alastor3]

WTF, OP!? Those are literally the two games that came to my mind before clicking on this thread. As much props to Resonance of Fate, btw, as that game never got the attention it deserved.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

NiGHTS Into Dreams

I guess Katamari Damacy is also very original but I found everything else about the game to be annoying. NiGHTS is legit fun at least.

 

[Daingurse]

Seaman, nothing I've played has ever been more original than that.

 

[Retromelon]

Megaman battle network series. It has this combat system where battles take place on a 3 x 3 grid, where you can move your character around on in real time to dodge and aim attacks, and your attacks come from a customized deck of attack chips. It is the most fun battle system of any game boy game imo and defies genres to this day. Its a shame there arent more games like it.