Have you tried the death stranding series? I just finished 2 yesterday. It was fantastic. In both, you can tailor your experience - skip cut scenes, drop difficulty to ‘story’ for frustrating fights, etc. But those games tell a story in a way only video games can. And all the little flourishes that emotionally connect you to your character, like rocking the controller to sooth the baby sealed in your chest pod, are so charming and affecting.

I think Mega Man 2 (1988, NES) is marvelous, and still holds up. If you’re interested in arcade emulation (eg Mame), NewZealand Story is fantastic (also 1988). Good graphics for the time, great music, and cute character design.

If you’re a fan of classic mega man, Rock n roll is absolutely amazing.