18 Essential Landmark Titles Every Gamer Must Play

18. Resident Evil

The first entry on this list is a good example of what's to come. 1996's Resident Evil, the first instalment in what has become arguably the greatest horror game franchise so far, is - to put it bluntly - not that great of a game. Even setting aside the fact that blocky visuals and the occasional glitches are to be expected from a game released right after the launch of the PlayStation, it is undeniably flawed. In fact, it's a little bit silly. The gore is exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness, and the voice acting is questionable at best. But for the game that would set the template for every horror game to follow, that's exactly why it has to be played. The first Resi has the quality of a '50s B movie, and a charm that almost overshadows the fact that it is actually genuinely scary at times. Sure, it's dated and there are far better entries into the genre (sequels included), but this is the game that, sitting alone in a darkened room in the late '90s, set the bar comfortably high. Don't be fooled by those rose-tinted spectacles you're wearing, though. We've come a long way since.