After some thought, I have come to the conclusion it's definitely friends recommending stuff to me.
Here's a rather interesting chain of this happening for me:
(about 2000) Smash 64 recommended by my brother's friend for us, we loved it, and got it when we got an N64.
(somewhere between 2008-2011) Smash brothers brawl was very fun, since I missed melee (dont you dare say I missed out, or I will verbally bite your head off.), and it had snake, and due to many recommendations, as well as a few other things swinging me towards the series, I emulated the first solid game. I loved it.
(2013): After solid 1, I spent a tear finding the HD collection for 2+3, but it also had peace walker, and a friend of mine noted that my management of the motherbase soldiers would make me suited to Fire Emblem, so I emulated the 7th game (gba, first western release of the series.), and I loved it.
(2014-2015): A friend of mine demonstrated Valkyria Chronicles for me after I expressed interest in the steam port, due to my interest in fire emblem. It became my favorite game ever, until.......
(2015) Valkyria Chronicles showed me I could like anime-ish games, or just stuff from the eastern asia world in general. So when Eternal Senia showed up in steam, I checked it out, though, the end of this chain so far wasn't based on recommendation, though, that being said, the trailer for it, and the steam reveiws, and being free gave me enough encouragement to try it.
But as you can tell, I would have never gotten this far if it wasn't for people along the way noting my preferences suited these games, so I am very grateful to them.
Of course, I never did read reveiws, or trust the back of the box. Word of mouth influencers today are my go-to, and always have been.
Video reveiws are a thing I've only started watching in the last few years.
Bear in mind this is what gets me to consider buying a game.
If your question is more like:"which games do i like more then others? Once I've played them?What games will I continue to play?" Then I would definitely say music is the one common thing that makes games memorable for me, but it must be music that speaks to what sort of game it is, or else I'm just going to listen to it on my phone or youtube, and maybe not remember the game around it so much.
Standout examples of this, for me include: Halo, Banjo Kazooie, Super Mario 64, C&C: Red Alert (hell march FTW), Metal Gear Solid(1+2+3), Valkyria Chronicles (Succeeded Wish makes me cri, evertiem), MineCraft, Stronghold (Stix and Stones, best grand battle music), Persona 3+4, even Eternal Senia has something going for it in the music department. And no one will forget FF7's battle music, or the orignal SMB's level music.
Music affects us emotionally, and playing on our emotions is a surefire way to be memorable.
And, unfortunately, as an adult, good gameplay doesn't always cut it, not when, ultimately, I am used to so much more.
Good gameplay AND a good sense of theme, artstyle, etc, are crucial for large scale success.
As some have noted in video discussions, being "good" or "decent" isn't enough anymore, but, frankly, I would argue, it never has ever been enough.
Anyone could theoretically make a solid game (unless your someone like digital homecide, perhaps.).....but can everyone make a solid game that aims to state something about ourselves? Or have a coherent, lovely plot?
......yeah, even movies can't get that down for every production, it's just not common, that's why we value it so much.