First of all, why the hate for microtransactions? There are a bunch of great games you can play for zero dollars for as long as you want thanks to microtransactions: Tribes Ascend, Path of Exile, Planetside 2, Tera, The Secret World, Card Hunter, DOTA 2, Team Fortress 2...

EA is pretty terrible, but it's hard to name a corporation of equivalent size and status that isn't. As far as I know they're not really trailblazing a trend of screwing consumers so much as they're stagnating the industry by releasing boring rehashes and poorly-designed and -tested products like SimCity. On-disc DLC and online passes are annoying, but I think both existed prior to EA using them. Do I think they're a terrible game company? Yes, but I don't think they're actively, intentionally terrible - just poorly managed and lazy.

If I had to pick the gaming company that gives me the most grief, it's Square Enix. I've played every Final Fantasy game since FFIV, including the spin offs and MMOs, and it's painful to see the franchise being dragged into the mud and trampled. Bioware's slow transition into cinematic mediocrity with the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series is nothing compared to Square Enix's total flogging of their IP.

...I can't seem to put text beneath the quote here, but @adrianjarca, I totally agree that Skyrim is a joke compared to Morrowind or even Oblivion in terms of its being dumbed down for a broader audience. I don't think they ruined Fallout so much as re-imagined it, but I think I know what you mean. Have you heard of Wasteland 2, a sequel to the game Fallout was based on that's closer to the first 2 fallout games in terms of gameplay?

Only one game could make me weep with such joy and dismay.

Dark Souls.

Maybe two if you count Demon's Souls.

(The Walking Dead by Telltale also made me weep, but it wasn't really a "game" so much as a choose-your-own-adventure.)

No More Room In Hell and DayZ frequently get mentioned as horror games, although they're more like zombie shooters with high realism.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and VTM: Bloodlines are closer to the core concept of a "horror" game, and will occasionally scare the hell out of you.

Outlast, Slender, and Amnesia are all terrifying, although Slender was much better as a free download to play at parties with the lights off. The original Amnesia is one of the few games I like but haven't finished, because it got too tense and I nope out whenever I think of starting it up again.

I went through this exact process a few years ago when I had just graduated from college. Diversifying genres is a good idea - puzzlers in particular are great for gaming fatigue. You may also want to try multiplayer co-op games with friends (or strangers), or single-player games that are known for moving storyline or beautiful artwork (Bastion, Journey, Dear Esther and The Walking Dead come to mind) rather than tense gameplay.

Honestly, though, maybe you just need a break? it won't hurt to get into another hobby for a little while, and come back if you see something down the line that looks good. It's not like gaming is a high-maintenance activity; your thumbs won't atrophy.

Hope you do find something that brings you back, though!

Dear Gamespot,

For years gamespot has been my preferred game news website, but I've noticed a trend lately toward video reviews and features rather than text. I understand the motivation to provide an interactive experience for an audience of people who, by the nature of the hobby that brought them here, prefer a more active format than plain text. Fortunately most (all?) reviews seem to still provide a text version, but this does not seem to be the case with a number of video features.

Now, I mostly come here for news and reviews, and I can still get those. But it would be great to have subtitles or a transcript provided for other features to make them accessible to users like myself who have difficulty hearing. Are there any plans to provide such a feature, or is it already available and hidden in a menu somewhere?