1. Half-Life (1998, PC)

It wasn't until the late '90s that the pure physical terror of an alien invasion could be communicated in a game. Half-Life captures the utter chaos of a♔ world torn to pieces by aliens pouring into it - and destroying everything in their path. The detailed creatures and their advanced behavior was entirely fresh, and still stands as a high watermark. The epic battles ag꧋ainst the invasion forces from the world of Xen are unsettling and extreme.

And, eventually, you become the invader - taking the fight to the alien world. It's a game that managed, through the application of quality writing as well as convincing graphics and gameplay,🐻 to really communicate the truly disq🥂uieting possibilities that lie at the core of contact with a species that has nothing in common with humanity.