There are some older games that rise and fall in waves when it comes to their popularity, but they can never be truly forgotten. Some gamers argue that modern day games lack the creativity, uniqueness, and special details that were found in games several years ago. It isn’t just nostalgia that keeps people playing old games several years after release.

Silent Hill was released in North America for the PlayStation in January 1999. There have been several adaptions of the game in the form of a visual novel, a movie, and a reimagining which tells the story in a new way. It is said to be the game which defined the survival horror genre. Unlike the characters in the original Resident Evil series, the main character is just a simple father who is trying to find his daughter in a city infested with evil. He has no previous combat training or starting weapon at the very beginning of the game. He must rely on the tools or weapons he finds along the way during his travels. Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, and Silent Hill 4: The Room have also maintained their positions as classic games which remain well loved to this day.

Resident Evil is another horror game that endures when people play great classics. Resident Evil has been released on just about every console and operating system. If a device has gaming functionality, you can bet that Capcom has a version of this time-honored game waiting for you. The series has become more of a third-person shooter over the last several years, however it originally began with a heavier emphasis on inventory management, puzzle solving, and exploration.

The first few Persona games may have laid down the foundation for the series, however many fans have strongly recommended beginning at Persona 3. Persona 3 introduced new features to the series such as the calendar system, school simulation, and social system. These features make the game series feel more like a life simulator as players attempt to balance their daily life and their monster hunting at night. Persona 4 is also considered a “must play” by Japanese role-playing game fans, however many say that Persona 3 should be played first.

Ultima Online was released in September 1997. The game servers are still running, however the game has passed through so many companies that it is almost a shadow of its glory days. Fans have continued searching after all this time for a new successor, only to keep becoming disappointed. Server emulators have been reverse-engineered to return the game to its roots, but even this solution has not satisfied everyone. The Ultima enthusiasts may be able to one day find a modern successor for their beloved MMO if sandbox MMORPGs continue to remain popular.

There are many other classic games that come to mind when thinking about games that just aren’t made like they used to be. The Sims 2 still has a strong fanbase despite being from 2004, Oblivion from 2006 continues to be modified to create entirely new games, and hardcore fans of the Final Fantasy series still enjoy going back to the very first game from 1987.

What classic games to you keep returning to? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook!