Any games (especially GOG ones) that captivated you right away and didn't offer you enough time to get bored with them in the beginning? I've got a sizable GOG backload to work on, but more and more I'm finding that I'm having a tough time getting into a new game. I'll play one for 10 minutes and it will be OK but just doesn't intrigue me so I keep bouncing from one game to the next instead of finishing one.

I have a similar problem, but not because i have too many games, i am just lazy with learning curves.

I instantly enjoyed these GOG games; Fantasy wars, Eador Genesis and Disciples

Deus Ex, but I have to assume you've already played it.

Psychonauts - Grabbed this on a whim here on GOG and found it to be a very humorous, intriguing, and fun game.

Duke Nukem 1+2 - I generally finished each episode in 1 or 2 sittings. These have aged very well, in my opinion.

-Sacrifice (First played it before GOG even existed, but you get the point)
-King of Dragon Pass
-Eador: Genesis
-Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3
-Disciples 2
-Lone Survivor
-FTL: Faster Than Light
-Dangerous Dave 2
-Salvation Prophecy
-Diablo 2
-The Witcher
-Carmageddon 2
-Planescape: Torment
-Warcraft III

Well, this is highly subjective, so I doubt it will be of much help to you, but these are some GOG games that fit the description for me:

Planescape Torment, Arx Fatalis: Both start in medias res with your escape and a quest for your identity. Torment has an intriguing, mysterious setting and plot of which I wanted to learn more, Arx Fatalis doesn't, but makes up for it with thrilling atmosphere and great FPP exploration (one of the few games that actually managed to scare me a bit).

Jade Empire: Although the story starts a bit slow and has the typical BioWare clichés, in this game I didn't mind at all because I found the oriental setting and the kick-ass combat exciting right from the beginning. (Besides, when I say "slow", I don't mean "Baldur's Gate slow" or "Neverwinter Nights slow"; it doesn't take too long for the action to start and I found the exposition and tutorial part a lot less boring than in those two.)

Shadow Warrior (2013), Enclave: Never mind their story, these games have great atmosphere paired with fast-paced action combat and simple, yet very enjoyable upgrading systems.

SteamWorld Dig: Very simple, very easy, yet totally addictive; I couldn't stop playing it.

To me, the most engaging games are all about atmosphere and world design, rather than mechanics. So, it's no surprise my favorite genres are RPG, platformers or action/adventure games. Here's a little list of the games that provided me with a really intense experience:

Gothic. Not that I didn't struggle to master the controls, but at once the world sucked me in. It has outdated graphics and jaggy polygons, sure, but every centimeter of that world is so carefully designed you just want to see what behind the next rock, the next tree.

I loved every bit of that game, and then Gothic 2 was even better. Walking down the little path outside of the tower where you start the game, looking at the first environments, it was one of my most beautiful gaming moments.

Of you want a more recent game, Alan Wake also took me and didn't let go. It's a horror game, but it's not really extremely scary (and I usually get very scared in horror games), just extremely well written.

Prince of Persia 2008, if you're willing to accept that it's considerably easier than the previous games, is also very beautiful and engaging.

I'm also playing Fez these days and this game is like watching Totoro or a similar Miyazaki film over and over. Just sooo beautiful.

Volgarr the Viking, surprinsingly, is keeping me steadily entertained. I thought I wouldn't like such a hard game, but I can't put down the controller. Failing and retrying is what the game is all about, so dying isn't really frustrating after all.

Lastly, Might & Magic 6 is still as engaging today as it was in 1998. There is a story, but you really don't need to care for it, it's as paper-thin as Duke Nukem 3D's plot. The game is all about exploring and fighting hordes of monsters in turn-based combat; 2mn from the start you're hitting goblins in the face, and 50 hours later you're making meteors fall down on dragons, and it's never boring. The one great trick of this game? You can fly!

The Chronicles of Riddick

I had very little faith in this game, i bought it because i wanted to give it a chance... Im very glad i did. The stealth, fighting, and pacing (oh the pacing!) were perfect. The story felt together and well told. The atmosphere was beyond anything i can compare it to.

It just played great, the tempo of sequences between story, running around, fighting and exploring felt just perfect. It wasn't to hard or to easy and i found there were many options for just about any situation.

of the 111 games from gog, Riddick is my favorite above them all... yes even the witcher, because with the witcher i knew what to expect and it delivered as I knew it could...

but with Riddick it was magic, unforgettable magic.... and even on a second play though i was still captivated enough to finishing it and enjoyed every sequence start to finish.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl

Rouge Legacy. That game grabbed me from the start and I didn't realize it until I had played 3 straight hours.

Shadow Warrior (2013) I'm playing this now. It is so much fun!

Painkiller is certainly very easy to get into. There's not a whole lot to learn in terms of controls, and the game drops you straight into a whole load of action from the beginning. It never gets repetitive either: every level feels unique in terms of design, and the bosses are some of the best I've seen in any FPS.

You could also give Magicka a shot. Combining elements is incredibly satisfying from the very start, and trying out all of the possible combinations will hold your interest for a long time. Aside from that, you'll most likely enjoy the game's humour as well.

Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars opens with a clown bombing a cafe. Needless to say this raised a few questions that left me wanting to play through the whole game in order to find the answers.

Totally agree with Expeditions: Conquistador. Really, really enjoyed that game. Also, for me I loved FTL and KoDP

I most likely forgot many of my childhood classics but here we go in no particular order:

- Sleeping Dogs
Setting, graphics, style, fast-paced action and a good story. One of the best games I've played in the last 5 years. Only downside are the clunky controls when using guns, otherwise a superb game. Don't play it without a XBOX controller.

- Gothic 2
Had me hooked since I saw the game box . Despite some bugs one of the finest and hardest RPGs ever made with an amazing (German) cast and a good story. Finished it about 8 or 9 times.

- The Guild 1
To this day still the best economic simulation set in the late medieval. Still suffers from way too many bugs and glitches but it has all the things you can dream of: money, intrigues, a huge variety of jobs, a lot of different goods, fighting, murder and also love

- Warcraft 3
Good campaign and story, awesome world editor and also balanced regular game modes. Perfect RTS.

- Anno 1602
I still have to build one more mine and also a new ship and....oh damn how did the last five hours pass by that quickly?

- Max Payne 1
This game has it all: good story, fast action, bullet time and diversified levels. One of the finest shooters ever made.

- NBA 2K11
I had never played a game of this series before when I bought it in 2010 but the intro with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls instantly sucked me in. To This day it is still one of the best intros to a game ever and drops you right in the action. (game 1 of the 1991 NBA finals) Just take a look at this! Oh and also don't play it without a controller.

- GTA: Vice City
80s

- The Walking Dead Season 1
Exciting and well written with an amazing cast.

- Far Cry 2
Unique setting, huge world and good combat. Respawning enemies ruin the fun at times though.

- Dead Island
Best played alone because then it is actually scary. The Borderlands-like multiplayer is nice but I'd not recommend it when playing it for the first time. Very good atmosphere. Has some bugs and weapons deteriorate way too fast.

- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Easy to learn, hard to master. Fun arcade racing with awesome graphics and a huge assortment of characters. Controller recommended!

- Battlefield 1942
At the time it was simply amazing to have the opportunity to play with 63 other people at the same time. Non-stop action and good maps.

- FTL
One more try....