Are the emergent interactions of players with each other - and with the procedural mechanics - enough to keep it fun to play in that present-tense moment, outside of that concern of ultimately “winning”?

Yeah, that was my second choice. What sucks is the existence of Escape, otherwise I’d love to also include a trio that concluded with Call of Ktulu.

My pick before reading any comments was Fight Fire with Fire - Ride the Lightning - For Whom the Bell Tolls. Fade to Black is, of course, awesome as well, so no argument here... just a question if you prefer more pure metal fury or a wider range of emotion. Either way, Ride the Lightning = Metallica’s most solid…

I went through a lot of their best albums, and tons of “three out of four are amazing” runs. :(

My bad! I responded these exact three on a different comment chain above, having not seen that you were first. Mea culpa, and I’ve got your back. :)

I meant to add that to my post, but time to leave work. Glad someone else mentioned Ride the Lightning. My favorite Metallica Album, Kill ‘em all, has a bunch of spoiler tracks as well that ruins great runs.

Tool’s Undertow is perfection from beginning to end, but the middle section “Bottom” followed up by “Crawl Away” and finished off with “Swamp Song” powered me through the angsty pain of the BIG BREAKUP of my 20s.

I’m more of a Kill ‘em all fan, but I can get behind Master of Puppets as well.

Metallica-Ride the Lightning: Ride the Lightning, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fade to Black

Yep, that’s where I landed too.

Runnin with the devil...... eruption.......you really got me.

Foo Fighters’ self-titled and There is Nothing Left to Lose albums both start strong with “This is a Call”/”I’ll Stick Around”/”Big Me” and “Stacked Actors”/”Breakout”/”Learn to Fly”

Almost any three from Weezer’s blue album, but maybe “Buddy Holly”/”Undone (The Sweater Song)“/”Surf Wax America”

“Ball and…

Probably doesn’t count because the middle track — the instrumental “Don’t Start (Too Late)” — is (very enjoyable) filler, but the first three tracks on Sabotage, man... “Hole in the Sky” and “Symptom of the Universe” are fucking *titanic*.

More Than a Feeling > Peace of Mind > Foreplay/Long Time is really insane.

I’m incredibly boring, so I’m gonna nominate Any Colour You Like/Brain Damage/Eclipse

I think Paranoid has some good runs on it. The starting 2 tracks make a good metal trip with War Pigs and Paranoid, then ease you down with the 3rd track Planet Caravan. Alternative run, Paranoid, Planet Caravan, Iron Man.

I’m sure it is already posted below, but the first three songs from Nevermind:

Either “Schism,” “Parabol,” and “Parabola” from Lateralus or “Intolerance,” “Prison Sex,” and “Sober” from Undertow

Currently in my iPhone: Little Dark Age, When You Die, Me and Michael

I’m not a huge Boston fan, but you can’t deny