We live in the era of competent game-making. These days, it feels like everything you pick up plays well. There are quite a few games that are unquestionably good, while also not really doing anything to stand out. Which is why I've brought you this list of games that are defined by a single aspect.

Not all of these standout aspects are enough to carry their respective games, but, at the very least, every one of these elements helps otherwise ordinary titles distinguish themselves among the rabble. There is even an example or two where that notable aspect may have catapulted its associated game into the realm of greatness.

Let's kick this off with the first example that likely popped into every reader's head: the oh-so-famous Nemesis System. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a pretty standard, open-world game. From skill trees to map-unlocking towers to the general feel of combat. It is so Ubisoft it hurts. But then there is the Nemesis System.

This mechanic creates a complex weave of different orcs that will fight you, remember you, fight other baddies, and climb a complex social hierarchy. It is one of the coolest mechanics we've ever seen implemented in this type of game. Unfortunately, Warner Bros patented it and only ever used the mechanic in the Mordor duology. Since then, we've never seen another game tackle this incredibly cool system. Why do you have to be like this, Warner Bros? Why?

The seventh generation of games was a bad, bad time for RPG fans. There were only a handful of releases, and most of them were pretty unremarkable. Time And Eternity was one of these releases, and word of mouth spread fast: it is a completely unremarkable game, and it isn't worth your time. However, despite having heard the word on the street, I bought it anyway. Why? Man, just look at it!

Time And Eternity isn't cell-shaded; it is properly hand drawn. To this day, the aesthetic is still wild. Especially in a game set in a 3D world. It is, unquestionably, a visually stunning title. As for every other element of the game, well... calling it average may actually be overly generous. The story is outright grating, and its sense of humor is more than a little icky. The combat is fine, but the enemies are spongy, and there isn't a ton of variety. So yeah, probably not worth the purchase, but that graphical style is still entrancing.

This one comes across a little harsh, as the story works well enough, and it has some good performances, but it is yet another open-world game stuffed with collectibles, a wise-cracking protagonist with a dark past, and that third-person perspective every Sony-affiliated game coming out at this time had. The zombie element isn't exactly a fresh angle either. However, it did one thing better than any other zombie game I've ever played: it featured unfathomably large zombie hordes.

Technically, the Dead Rising gamers were able to have more zombies on screen at a time. However, context is everything. Dead Rising's zombies tend to shamble around. The Hordes in Days Gone, on the other hand, would sprint at you. Having hundreds of screaming zombies, clawing over each other, spilling over vehicles, and forming blob-like masses that fill the screen is still, to this day, incredibly impressive.

On the face of it, The First Berserker: Khazan has decent Soulslike stages, a servicable story, a solid enough aesthetic, and an adequate musical score. It is the very definition of average. It doesn't do much wrong, it just rarely excels. Until, that is, you get to the combat. You can tell the developers spent an absurd amount of time tweaking the combat, as everything feels extremely satisfying.

The parry timing is perfect, and it is accompanied by a satisfying sound effect every time you hit it. The dodge roll, too, feels great. Especially since timing it just right gives you an enhanced version. Team Ninja's Soulslikes are rightfully praised for having satisfying combat, but I honestly think that Khazan feels better. I've even made peace with the fact that I think Khazan feels better than even most of FromSoftware's titles. It is only bested by Sekiro, which still has the best feeling parry in a game.

If you play Soulslikes for the combat, then I can't recommend The First Berserker: Khazan enough. It doesn't feature anything you haven't seen done elsewhere, but it nails the feel of all of it so unbelievably well that it doesn't really matter.

This is a hyper-specific entry. The Attack On Titan game is the very definition of an okay game. Like so many anime games before it, the anime has been diced up into missions, and you get segments of the story wedged between them. The mission structure feels very Dynasty Warriors, except here you are fighting massive titans instead of hundreds of incompetent soldiers. But the trademark Omni-Directional Mobility Gear mechanics? They are shockingly smooth.

The game doesn't automate them for you either. You have complete control over this steam-based, grappling-hook-assisted, propulsion system. It is truly marvelous. Honestly, with the level of control the game gives you, I think the feel of the traversal is unrivaled. Even the Spiderman games fail to match what Omega Force managed to accomplish with their Attack On Titan games. It is an impressive feat, and one we don't talk about enough. It is just stunning that such a magnificent mechanic was wedged into an otherwise bog-standard anime license game.

If there has ever been a game that is greater than the sum of its parts, it is Final Fantasy 15. Let's start with the open world, which is extremely bland. The combat? It's a complete mess, though it does look stylish at least. The story is told in an interesting way, where you only see the things that Noctis sees, but it is quite thin in the first half, and devolves into the typical campy, anime nonsense in the second. Hell, even the music is forgettable. I can't remember a single track exclusive to Final Fantasy 15. Not a single one. I can't say that about any other Final Fantasy title.

However, the chill vibes you get when just hanging out with the bros are, as the children say, immaculate. While the cast of characters isn't particularly well-developed, the friendship feels palpable. It is a real marvel, as I can't say why it all works as well as it does, but the friendship just ends up feeling real. Final Fantasy 15 beat the odds. It was an unfinished, stapled-together mess of a game that still ends up being compelling because it nails the 'je ne sais quoi' of it all.

Oh boy, I can see this one going poorly for me, but before you get your pitchforks, hear me out. A game carried by a single mechanic can still be great if that mechanic is strong enough. And I think this is the perfect example of how a game's one big mechanic can carry it. Breath of the Wild's world interactivity is, without question, some of the best we've seen. Ever.

The way you can scale anything, and how you can influence, combine, and affect the environment with your Sheikah Slate Abilities, as well as other objects found in the world, leads to the game being able to provide players with nearly endless opportunities for creativity. But that aspect really is the game. What is BOTW with its world interactivity removed? The story isn't particularly strong. The mass majority of the game has you fighting the same three enemies. The boss battles are incredibly basic, and outside of Master Kohgathey have some of the least memorable designs in a Zelda game.

The majority of the 'puzzles' in the shrines you'll encounter are pretty much self-explanatory, and they are repeated frequently - hell, there are twenty shrines where you fight the same spinning robot with a slight alteration or two. The combat feels good, but it is incredibly simplistic. To a fault, I'd argue. Breath of the Wild is a great sandbox game. It is built around that deep, nuanced level of interactivity. Remove that element, and BOTW would have very little to hang its pointy, green hat on.