I think the first game I used mouse aim on was Quake 2, so it's only like 15 years for me ;-). I think Bulletstorm was actually the first FPS I played with a pad and it felt so much better. But Bulletstorm was very gimmicky, so the gamepad added a lot. GTA 4 showed me it's best for most 3rd person shooters. Especially when driving is involved.

On the other hand, I played Rage with mouse + keyboard ...

For me, the general "gamepad feel" was worth getting over the adjustment period. And I hardly play MP, so "works better" isn't really an issue for me.

Just about any platformer. Some people like TW2 better with a gamepad.

That's weird, I thought somebody would have mentioned a PS2 game by now.

Anyway, it's clear I'm not alone. I too have played a FPS with a gamepad only to feel like the biggest retard on the planet; like trying to control the view with two amputated stumps for hands with the dead zone set to 95.

Just about the only FPS that I can imagine working well with a gamepad is Classic Doom, because the game automatically aims the guns for you, and you couldn't look up or down before the source ports.

I'm not fully sure it is only about what you're used to (if that is what you were suggesting). I always played e.g. Doom 1-2 with only keyboard, I didn't feel mouse offered any big benefit in them.

I started playing Duke3D the same way, but at some point I decided to give the mouselook a try. Duke3D is officially the first (FPS) game for me where I used mouse aiming. And I feel I got it instantly, it felt very easy and natural from the start, something that gamepad FPS has never felt to me even after prolonged PS2 (or even PSX) FPS sessions. Hence, I am pretty sure I'd probably feel the same even if I had ever played only console FPS before with gamepads.

It is a bit like I do have to rely on the touchpad on my laptop quite often (not for gaming, but desktop work). I can get used to it, but it always just feels much inferior to using a mouse. Don't get me started on those tiny rubber thumbsticks on some laptops, I've always hated them with a passion...

I've also seen one kid, which was pretty much console gaming kid only, to pick up the WASD+mouse controls quite fast when he started playing Minecraft on PC. He wasn't really gaming on PC before that, yet he seemed to master the kb+mouse setup quite fast.

I was able to play Halo and it's sequels relatively easily on a friend's machine. I also played the first Darkness and Infamous on a friend's PS3. Some games are easier to manage than others, and I do think you get used to it as you play the game. Still I never, ever felt comfortable.

I played Skyrim with a pad for a while at launch because the mouse control was so fucked. It was pretty grating the whole time, despite being usable.

Definitely the Arkham games, as mentioned. Most platformers (Psychonauts, Dustforce, Super Meat Boy, etc), racing games, even some third person shooters. Oh, and Bioshock for the weapon and plasmid wheels which the PC controls didn't have for some reason.

I'm going to go out and say it...

SKYRIM. Skyrim was a massive fuck you to those who don't have gamepads and is night impossible to play without a gamepad. Ok, It's possible, just irritating as hell.

Installing SkyUI pretty much fixes it, but yeah, the default menus and such are very gamepad-oriented.

Those menus are not even good on gamepads, I have no clue what was Bethseda thinking. I mean, PC loyalists constantly moaned about Oblivion's UI, but it was perfect on a gamepad - and pretty too. What Skyrim's got would fit better in a text adventure, 20 years ago.

Not just the menus, I wish there was just a toggle sprint key. Instead I have to hold the key every time I want to sprint, not even a problem on the console as the button is within easy reach.