I still remember getting lost in Shenmue’s harbor docks at 2 AM. The forklift grinding felt like homework, but that rainy 1980s Japan? Pure magic. BAFTA’s poll shocked folks – how’d this janky Dreamcast gem beat Doom and Mario? Maybe influence isn’t about smooth controls.

Shenmue’s win splits gamers hard. Purists mock its stiff fights and “how about a game of lucky hit?” dialogue. But play it now – those clunky systems birthed modern open worlds. The grocery store with working snacks, NPCs following daily routines… sound familiar? Red Dead 2 owes it lunch money.

When I first traded discs in 2001, no game FELT that alive. Yeah, I tripped over furniture constantly. But chasing sailors through streets that breathed? Unmatched. Compare that to Doom’s shotgun ballet – both broke walls, just different hammers. Which matters more: tight gameplay or world-building guts?

Old games wore their rough edges proud. Modern titles buff every pixel till they squeak. I miss when “immersive” meant risking awkwardness for ambition. Ever tried explaining Death Stranding to non-gamers? Kojima’s weird delivery quests got that Shenmue DNA – love it or hate it, you’ll remember it.

Devs chasing “influence” should study this list. Perfection’s overrated. Give me bold messes that swing for fences. Shenmue’s forklift sim might’ve bored me, but its guts shaped my favorite worlds. Here’s hoping tomorrow’s games dare to be clumsily brilliant too.