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[Akura]

This might make me sound bad, but I've been able to shoot birds in several games...
The original Unreal, Deus Ex, Metal Gear Solid 2, probably 3.  Half life 2 I think?  Most middle-aged high budget FPSes I'd guess.

You can in MGS3. If they land near you, you can even eat them.

[Nighthawk]

Related to the TIE-fighter game's changing music, I love how each of FTL's tracks has a combat and calm version.  When hostilities start, the music fades into combat mode really seamlessly which feels really exciting.

Fire Emblem: Awakening does the same thing transitioning between tactical map and battles, and yes, it's glorious.

[Mech#4]

Related to the TIE-fighter game's changing music, I love how each of FTL's tracks has a combat and calm version.  When hostilities start, the music fades into combat mode really seamlessly which feels really exciting.
I also like that the new Lanius zone music is a creepy remix, emphasizing that these were normal sectors before something alien arrived.

I think the system used by Lucas Games to change the music based on what was happening was called the "iMuse". I remember it was also used in "Monkey Island 2", notably in Woodtick as the music changes when you go in and out of the various buildings.

[Rose]

Ptw

[Arx]

Related to the TIE-fighter game's changing music, I love how each of FTL's tracks has a combat and calm version.  When hostilities start, the music fades into combat mode really seamlessly which feels really exciting.
I also like that the new Lanius zone music is a creepy remix, emphasizing that these were normal sectors before something alien arrived.

I think the system used by Lucas Games to change the music based on what was happening was called the "iMuse". I remember it was also used in "Monkey Island 2", notably in Woodtick as the music changes when you go in and out of the various buildings.

I have the special edition collection with dev commentary, and there's actually a section of the game where pretty much all of the commentary is the devs complaining about how much work setting up the iMuse scenes was. I forget exactly what they said, but it was something along the lines of "It sounds really cool, and was exactly as much work as it sounds like it should be worth".

(Thinly veiled PTW. I like games which do this.)

[itisnotlogical]

Halo is one of the games that pioneered idle chatter in FPS games. I play through the entire thing about once a year, and it is still very rare to hear a Marine repeat themselves. In fact, I still discover a new line every once in a while.

As much as Halo is maligned for being a rather cookie-cutter series, they've always been very good about putting plenty of secrets and easter eggs in the single-player levels. In spirit, it's probably closer to classic console FPS (Goldeneye etc.) than most would like to admit.

[Trapezohedron]

I always enjoyed Halo's secrets, even if the developers didn't really have to put them in.

[Rolan7]

I think their lines are different on different difficulties, too.  I know Johnson's pep talk at the beginning is.
I've only played Halo 1 recently (PC master race  ) but I remember the lines being even better in Halo 3.  Like, after one fight a marine walked up to one of the dead and whispered that "they'd pay".  I knew they'd shout stuff when one of them died, but I wasn't expecting that.

[itisnotlogical]

I think their lines are different on different difficulties, too.  I know Johnson's pep talk at the beginning is.
I've only played Halo 1 recently (PC master race  ) but I remember the lines being even better in Halo 3.  Like, after one fight a marine walked up to one of the dead and whispered that "they'd pay".  I knew they'd shout stuff when one of them died, but I wasn't expecting that.

I think the pep talk is the only line change, but there's an added scene in the ending if you beat the game on Legendary.

[Akura]

Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver has a few, like when you enter battle your lead-off Pokemon(who normally is just standing behind you) jumps in from off-screen. But in a situation where your leader is not following you(Clair's gym, legendaries indoors), your character throws their ball in.

[sambojin]

I'm a bit of a sucker for world building stuff. Not as in map design, but just the little touches that make the world seem "more real".

A day/night cycle, weather, wildlife, wind, different sorts of trees, people going about their daily routine, responses to your actions. Anything really.

The Ultima series, GTA 4/5 and even many RTS/TBS games (AoE2's huntable animals, Civ's city states) are all good examples. They're not necessarily the core of the game, but just the nice bits of window dressing that make you feel like you're not the only "real" thing there.

Can't wait for Cogmind's cleanup crew bots as I randomly blow away chunks of a level. It'll be nice.

[Niveras]

Transistor's very fast nigh non-existent initial load time and complete lack of unskippable tech splash screens are nice. Also, after pausing after that load, going right into the most recent game rather than having to navigate a menu first.

More games should do that, hardware willing. I know some games hide load times behind them (although a lot don't and could or should), but - like movie credits at any point before the end of the movie - the average gamer isn't going to care about the tech going into the game, to want to see those things. The ones that do will do their own research to find out.

[Ghills]

Games that subtly acknowledge their gaminess.  Morrowind does this very well.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 The Ashlanders are 100% behind you, just like they've been 100% behind all the other attempted Nerevarine.    Nobody really expects the PC to succeed, but they're confident that at some point one of the Nerevarines will do the job.  It was a combination of walking into the PC's grave - because reincarnation - and the game lampshading replays and multiple save games.

Vivec has come to view his whole life as a game, and it's hinted that his godlike powers are because he has access to the construction set. Talking with him is pretty awesome.

Yeah, I know, the game has been out for 14 years already and doesn't need spoilers. But there are still people who haven't played it!

[itisnotlogical]

If you start a new game on a difficulty above Normal, Halo assumes that you know what you're doing and just skips the tutorial.

[Lossmar]

Maybe not a small touch but :
Witcher 3 world building ... Its absolutely brilliant how the feel of pre-industrial villages, fields, forests and towns has been captured in that game.. Those uneven stones, rickety fences, THICK ( not Skyrim "thick" but really THICK ) forests, bushes, muddy roads, battlefields full of blood, scorched earth, broken equipment, banners, bodies etc.

Its the first game where i walk around just looking around and listening to all those wonderful sounds - that howling wind, cracking trees etc its absolute 10/10 GOTY material right there.