You mention you played and loved Days Gone and The Last of Us. Did you play those through entirely, or just bits and pieces? I think Days Gone, TLOU and TLOU2 are awesome, and well worth a Playstation (or gaming PC for DG and TLOU1). Especially because the Playstation has a lot more (non-zombie) games that are similar in scope and quality, and not available on Xbox.

I suppose one of the most high profile examples in recent years is TLOU:

2013 PS3: The Last of Us

2014 PS4: The Last of Us Remastered (improved graphics, 60fps, bugfixes)

2022 PS5: The Last of Us: Part I (improved graphics)

I was disappointed by Unreal 2, back in 2003. It was hyped beyond belief, I totally fell for it, and what was released was wholly average campaign of boredom. I haven't really allowed myself to get unrealistically hyped up for anything since, and that's been pretty much the end of me getting disappointed by shitty releases.

OP makes so little sense. Developers create base games and DLC, because people buy it, not the other way around. If you don't want to add DLC to the games you've bought, then don't buy that DLC. If you think a game isn't worth the price tag, don't buy the game.

Do not mistake your personal dislike for paid DLC, for an industrywide dislike for paid DLC. Apparently, lots of people love buying additional stuff for their games. It makes perfect sense that developers answer that desire by offering stuff at a price.

Stop buying the latest COD at full price and then five more skins/guns/whatevers, buy better games at better prices. I promise, you're not missing out on much.

$60 is a normal price for a new game, I think.

With inflation and a new generation of massively expensive games, we're seeing a price increase. Not so odd, if you ask me.

I rarely buy games new, let alone at $60. There is so much on offer in every price range, I'm not so worried about some games being expensive.

Rocket League. If I keep it installed and if I let myself, I'd play that for an hour or two every day, instead of playing other games that actually offer new, fun experiences.

The Hitman World of Assassination trilogy is fantastic. For AC, I think Origins is a good start for the modern games. If you're up for decade-old design, then the Ezio trilogy is a classic.

I've always been a PC gamer. There was, however, a time period between early '07 and late '10 that my PC was a little out of date, and I gamed primarily on Xbox 360. The list of absolutely awesome games I enjoyed on that platform feels endless, and with the dawn of easy online multiplayer, Achievements and downloadable indie games, that console generation felt like a whole new world:

New IP: Crackdown, Gears of War, Bioshock, Assassin's Creed, Enslaved, Deadlight, Braid, Limbo, Splosion Man;

New worlds within IP: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Star Wars: the Force Unleashed, Halo Wars, Race Pro;

Next-gen sequels: Halo 3, Forza Motorsport 2, Call of Duty 4, Grand Theft Auto 4, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, Red Dead Redemption;

Sequels within the generation: GTA4 DLC and GTA5, Halo ODST, Reach and 4, Forza Motorsport 3 and 4, Assassin's Creed 2 and Brotherhood, Gears of War 2

From 2010 onward I upgraded my PC again and slowly switched back to the mouse and keyboard, but I'll always look back fondly on the X360 generation.

Half-Life to Arkane. It might not be the perfect Half-Life Valve wished it were, at least it'd get done.

Outcast (1999) is my personal favourite. An epic open world adventure, far ahead of its time, beautiful to the senses and with a magical soul to it that masks almost all of its flaws.