I could never get into The Witcher knowing he was a mercenary. Same for Assassin’s Creed. Elex and Chernobylite are two that I really enjoyed even though they had their graphical limitations. These days I mostly just play Portal 2 community maps as a way to destress after a working day.

My father’s battalion spent most of their time in North Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_Battalion_(New_Zealand)

I liked Shakespeare - Hamlet, MacBeth, Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest. Probably year 10 or 11. Also Animal Farm.

I didn’t care much for Lord of the Flies, or My Family and Other Animals. Probably year 9.

Others I remember fondly were The Silver Sword and Stig of the Dump, from year 5.

I only read the Old Man and the Sea later as an adult, along with other Hemingway books which I enjoyed.