2. Killing Floor: The zombie apocalypse has been beaten to death, and so have its games. KF stands out by subverting the tone: the end is total but there is no Left 4 Dead escape plan. Instead, a group of British survivors holler about dosh over groovy metal and AA-12s. Some fights are to be faced.

3. World of Warcraft: I have literal years of playtime, so.. Often maligned, sometimes very fairly, WoW has been the forerunner of MMORPGs for 20 years. The best mechanics since Darkfall died, a constant ability to invent and refine itself, and while the focus is not on writing, it's comfy pulp S&S.