I spent so much time on this topic. And there are some 'firsts' that don't hold up to the magic they had. But some, even though they don't shine as much, still have surprising balance/depth/quality.

For instance, Resident Evil games, have a mood that is unparalleled (I'm exagerating a bit but you get the idea). It's blocky, slow, ridiculous technically for any next gen standards.. but the mood is so on point it makes the game worth it.