Advice

Dear Mother: It feels like everyone's played these video games. Should I?

How important is the video game canon, after all?

Zoë Hannah Feb 6, 2026

A close-up of a wired controller sitting on a person's thigh. They are wearing a t-shirt and fishnet tights. — Photo by Denis Big / Unsplash

[Ed. note: The following question has been edited for clarity and style.]

Hi!

I'm 16 and my family got an Xbox for Christmas. This is my first foray into console gaming, and I've noticed that there seems to be a canon of games that most people have played.

I already have (very reasonably priced, preowned) copies of the Mass Effect and Bioshock trilogies, and I've started on Perfect Dark and New Vegas through Game Pass. What other "classics" do you recommend? I prefer shooters and RPGs, but I'm open to any genre.

Love,
Gamer Jane

Gamer Jane,

Your question makes me thrilled (that you found us, that you're gaming, that you're playing great games) and also a little sad. That second feeling comes from a specific part of your letter — a part that I, Zoë, have long struggled with: "I've noticed that there seems to be a 'canon' of games that most people have played."