I had a moment to think about why I like certain games, and I have figured out some criteria for myself,
- Vibrant colours
- Simple/Cartoon-ish looks
- Mid/High level of complexity in mechanics
That's why my current favourite game is Splatoon 3, followed by Minecraft, and the list consists mostly of Nintendo games.
What's your criteria?
I like eye candy 😏🍺
I also like defeating a Big Eldrich Bad, and a touch of exploration and discovery. Controls can be complex but they have to be intuitive and not rely on real-time battle, or just be manageable.
My favorite games ever are the Final Fantasy series, esp. VII. Also liked Legacy of Kain, Castlevania I and II, and the earliest Tomb Raider games.
Loved Lord of the Rings Online, Aion, exploring in WoW but my bandwidth won't support MMOs anymore.