Gaming

The emotional roller coaster that was the end of Chapter 5 and beginning of Chapter 6 of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Everything that went on during it solidified the game as my new favorite of all time.

If it has to be a specific moment/level/fight/etc, off the top of my head I'd love to fight the final boss in Final Fantasy 13 fresh again. Its such a cool test of everything you've learned about the combat and a great example of how a JRPG boss can be vulnerable to ailments and debuffs while still putting up plenty of fight. There are definitely better boss fights in gaming but this was one of the most fun to learn how to do in the moment and it also loses a good bit of what makes it fun when you know whats coming.
If I'm allowed to pick a game in general, absolutely Xenoblade 1 as its my favorite game of all time. Amazing combat both in terms of system mechanics and party member variety, really fun to explore enviroments that are never annoying to fight in, and near perfect side content both in terms of amount and structure. Its replay value is insane as I've replayed it 4 times (2 on Wii, 2 on Switch) but I'd love to experience it for the first time again.

Double dragon 2 in the helicopter when the twins come out of the cockpit and you’re basically stuck in a small area. Plus if you get knocked down there’s a good chance you get sucked out of the doorZ

The Witcher 3 story.

I'd love to play Noita again. I already love that game, but I'll never forget the fear and sense of mystery it evoked in me when I first played it. I beat the game without looking at any sort of wiki, guide, or community, and I'm very grateful I did (although it took me quite a while to beat it for the first time. That game is hard!).

Half Life Alyx, the moment when you realize you have to let Jeff out of the cooler. I remember just standing there frozen in silence.

I have a couple gaming moments I would love to experience again for the first time:

Destiny 1 - The Taken King raid through and through. The atmosphere, the music, the sense of "what we're doing here really matters." Raids in Destiny have always been the best part of the game for me, but that one really holds a special place in my heart.

Bioshock - There's a moment in the campaign that I won't spoil, but if you know, you know.

Fallout 3 - This game was my first open world game, so it had a lot of lasting impressions on me. All the little side stories, side quests, lore, terminal entries, etc. I spent so many hours just reading terminal logs and learning about all these people that used to exist in this world. Up until that game, most games I played were an "on-rails" experience. This was a whole new thing for me: the idea of story being what I make of it, rather than what I'm told it is.

The Last of Us - In sort of the opposite to my reasoning for Fallout 3, this one is the best linear story of all time for me. It was just such a perfectly tailored experience, there's nothing like playing it for the first time.

Titanfall 2 - "Protocol 3" (if you know, you know)

Apex Legends - Launch day specifically, because they dropped it with no prior marketing or anything. Everyone was just running around trying to learn this brand new thing. It was my first BR I had any interest at all in playing. Unfortunately, it overstayed it's welcome for me, but launch day was something else.

Nier Automata for sure.

Subnautica, Outer Wilds, Chrono Trigger, Wind Waker. In order: the first time I encountered a Leviathan, the Sun Station, the Ocean Palace, and returning to Hyrule.

I wish I could go back and play Her Story again. My wife and I stayed up all night 100%-ing that game years ago, and it was one of the best gaming experiences I've had, sharing our theories as the story unfolded. Unfortunately though, once you know the story, there's no reason to replay it.

We tried the sequel, but imo it wasn't nearly as good - both mechanically and story-wise.

So many but my favorite moment was my first playthrough of Skyrim. I had no idea what I was doing, my gear was just a hodgepodge of stuff I found and I just kept running away from dragons because I couldn't quite beat them. Then at one point I learned how to shield bash and realized I could interrupt the fire breath. I was still weak af, i had to run around and spam my weak heal spell...BUT...I was starting to win. I was going to take this one down damnit. The fight lasted so long that the music rolled into the main theme, and i was winning! I felt like a god damn hero. I wish I could forget it and do it all again.

The original Deus Ex is always top of my list. I play through probably once a year and the dick around on multiplayer for a month or so after that.

I would love to re-experience Shadow of the Colossus again. I loved the mystery and atmosphere of it. I tried the re-make and it just wasn't as special.

Also that first play through of Journey. So many amazing moments that gave be goosebumps, also have to experience the heartbreak of losing a random friend who I played most of the game with!

As well as the finale of MGS3....that The Boss final battle is heartbreaking on so many levels.

For me it's Outer Wilds. It's a kind of space exploration/deduction game where you fly around in your ship at your own pace and explore what you want to explore. After a while you discover that there are small mysteries that all point to a central giant mystery and you start uncovering that by experimenting with the mechanics and discovering new places.

It's seriously amazing but you can only ever truly experience its mystery once.

TUNIC. The correct answer is Tunic. I do not know hiow to express how strongly I feel about this.

The Neifirst fight in Phantasy Star II.

The End from MGS 3 and Glock Saint Isshin from Sekiro

Oh and maybe half life 2

Planescape Torment, Mark of the Ninja, Gunpoint, and The Swapper. All great for different reasons.

Mine has to be Xenoblade Chronicles. So many powerful moments in the story that just don't quite hit the same on subsequent play throughs. Exploring every nook and cranny and accidentally running across monsters six times your level. Then the retribution you get after leveling up and coming back to stomp that damn thing a new mud hole. It's a 10/10 masterpiece for me that I wish I could play again the first time.

Destiny 1 before all the DLC and taking away to stuff that made sense to get into goofy shit. Though I'd take being able to play it all again, too. As is I can't make myself play destiny at all any more.

But some of those early strikes solo for the first time were crazy immersive.

NieR Replicant (2021). One of my favourite games, I really liked the story and the characters