Understood. Thanks for pointing it out. I like the setup of the site.

Interesting. I recon you're a fan of FF series since its beginnings.
Which is your favorite FF, if any?

Except that many older games do things you just don't see in more modern games.

Like, SaGa 1, 2, and Frontier all have different races, with fundamentally different character growth rules. It's not like the races in a typical fantasy RPG, where they're just stats, class restrictions, and occasionally special abilities; it's significantly more drastic than that.

Or we have the unusual HP handling of Ultima 1 and 2, two games that additionally don't really make much sense. (Why did Lord British throw Princess Julia in jail?)
My favorite FF game is definitely FF5. 1, 2, and 3 are also good. (4 has the drawback of not having much replay value, as party selection and character builds are dictated by the game and its plot, not by the player.)

emulation

or tracking down old physical copies

As for my preferred versions:
* FF1: PSX (balanced like the original (in particular, has a decent sustained challenge, though sometimes it may get a little hairy), but still offers bugfixes and quality of life improvements)
* FF2: GBA or PSP (has balance improvements, and still has the new Soul of Rebirth)
* FF3: The 2D versions are both unique, but for 3D versions the PSP version is best if you're looking for a bug-free experience
* FF5: GBA is the best in terms of content and bugfixes while still being true to the original mechanically (I don't like some of the changes of later versions), while the SFC version has a nice fan translation and better performance

Story-wise, I prefer the way original FF1 (on the NES) presents its story.

Thank you very much for the info!
Allow me to ask, why you haven't listed your preferred versions of FF4, or there are none? (I really don't know and it got me curious.)

Or you just despise FF4? :P

It's more that I've played FF4 so much over the years, due to not having access to other entries (1 NES has only 1 save slot, and 2, 3, and 5 were Japan-only until well after their original release), combined with the lack of build flexibility (you *always* have the same party at any given point in the game), that causes the game to get stake.

Other early FF games allow for some build flexibility, or let you choose the mixture of classes you're using, allowing you to try different builds and combinations on repeat playthrough, so those games don't go stale the way FF4 does when you've played it too many times.

As for my recommended versions:
* For a first playthrough, I'd go with the Japanese SFC version fan translated, or with the PS1 version. You get all the original content and difficulty, which is lacking in the US SNES release, and the difficulty is lacking in GBA and later 2D versions.
* For a repeat playthrough, I'd go with a 3D version. The DS version is the one to play if you want a challenge, as it has a feature (Rydia's Whyt summon, and minigames to boost its stats) that's not present in later 3D versions. On the other hand, later 3D versions offer a lower difficulty option, and without sometimes the game is a bit too much. The big thing with 3D versions is the augment system, which provides at least some build flexibility, at the cost of introducing permanent missables into the game.

There is no such thing.

What if I tell you: "you must have/play "Game X!" (which is a FPS), but you absolutely hate FPSs?

Same goes for any other genre, of course.
Or graphic style.
Or gameplay mechanic.
Etc.

There is no universal answer, when it comes to "must have" games.
Because everyone has a different taste, when it comes to different things.

Apart from that: nobody "must have" any game.
All games are a luxury...not one is a necessity.

I'll just list a series of games from that list instead:

Bioshock Series
Batman: Arkham Knight Series
Broken Sword Series
Commander Keen Series
Deus Ex Series
Doom Series
Dishonored Series
Fallout Series
Heretic and Hexen Series
Jazz Jackrabbit 1 and 2 Series
Leisure Suit Larry Series
Quake Series
Space Quest Series
The Elder Scrolls Series
Tomb Raider Series
Ultima Series
Wing Commander Series
Wolfenstein Series

I think a big issue with this question is that due to the length of games and innate biases in what we enjoy/dont enjoy; its hard to create a really comprehensive list of "must have" games. Also really depends on the skill of the person Im recommending the games to. I wont recommend Devil May Cry or Persona to a beginner for example (probably choose Kingdom Hearts and FFX instead as they are also great and also lower barriers to entry in terms of difficulty).

Honestly, still have alot of "must try" games that I need to play before making a more comprehensive list but my current top 9 is probably the following.
- Chrono Trigger
- Zelda Majoras Mask
- Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix
- Sleeping Dogs
- Slay the Spire
- Final Fantasy X
- Megaman X
- Witcher 3
- Resident Evil 4

In my opinion it comes down to those games that have a profound effect on us and also make us reconsider what the medium is capable of. Basically, experiences which act as a personal stepping stone of sorts by broadening our cultural perspective. And that can be pretty subjective and circumstantial; but off the top of my head, at least for me some of those games were: Shadow of the colossus, What remains of Edith Finch, Her Story, Outer Wilds, Dear Esther, Virginia, Ultima Online, Nier: Automata, September 12th: A Toy World.

Best FPS: Half Life 2
Best RTS: Starcraft
Best P&C: The Secret of Monkey Island
Best RPG: Gothic
Best Sim: The Sims
Best Tycoon: Rollercoaster
Best Turn Based: HoM&M3
Best Racing: Stunts or NFS
Best Platform: Prince of Persia
Best 3D Adventure: Tomb Raider
Best Casual: Tetris
Best Sports: Fifa 98
Best Open World: Assassin's Creed

On GOG. Must-haves for the normal person (i.e., I won't list Rimworld or Old World that are "must-haves" for me, but not a general audience). List made with first things to mind without a long thought.

FTL
Stardew Valley
RollerCoaster Tycoon 1-3
Dead Cells

I agree so much and if we're talking about profound, maybe life-changing or at least perspective-shifting games, I'd like to mention Planescape: Torment.

I got the game in my teens and I really tried, but the graphics was sooo bad and the gameplay was so unpredictable and weird, and I say that as a veteran of Baldur's Gate, which is theoretically a similar isometric crpg.

But I gave it one more try a few years later... and the story is magnificent. It's like reading an amazing, engaging book, in which you are the protagonist, but at the same time you don't know shit and are trying your best to survive and understand who you are, who you were, who you want to become. And you struggle so much in this creepy world with talking skulls and spells that crash your PC and are you literally in hell or...?

I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say anything else, I'll just ask one question...

What can change the nature of a man?

Seriously, give it a chance!

However, one could put it this way:

If you like this kind of thing (say, TB 4X), you might want to give a try to...

If you like game X, you might like game Y

And things like that. Sometimes people are glad to find tips.
Turn point?