Earlier this year, I shared what I was watching on YouTube. I do more than watch YouTube for fun, though. When I have the time, I love sitting down and playing games, and I love giving recommendations even more! I personally use my computer and PlayStation 4 to wind down, but many of my games can be played elsewhere. Whether you’re looking for your first game or your hundredth, I’ve got you covered!
- Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
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If you asked for my top ten games, BoI would certainly be in that list. It’s a roguelite where you play as Isaac trying to escape his mother. There are endless runs and styles in which to play the game. It’s oddly addicting! I love it because of how versatile it is. You can have runs where you go into a room and press the spacebar and win, and others where it’s incredibly difficult to make it past the first floor. Every run is unique and each floor has their own challenges.
If you’re interested in playing BoI, please note: it has many references and visuals of cartoon blood, gore, and other sensitive topics.
Play this if: you’re looking for a casual game that you can pick up and put down whenever you want.
- Fort Meow
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Not every game I play is geared towards adults! Fort Meow is a puzzle fort-building physics-based game. You play as Nia, a young girl who is visiting her grandparents. As she tries to discover where they are, endless cats pounce into her lap. It’s your job to build forts out of various furniture to discover deep family secrets. It’s surprisingly trickier than it sounds! It requires a fair amount of planning in the later levels. There’s an endless mode as well, so the replayability is high.
Play this if: you’re looking for something casual and cute, and if you enjoy puzzles.
- The Sims 2
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I still remember playing The Sims 2 for the first time (and the times I had to sneakily make my Sims WooHoo or try for a baby. Sorry mom). Even though it came out in 2004, much of the game still feels modern (except same-sex marriage being called “civil union.” That didn’t age well and I got a mod to rename it) and it is my favorite out of all the editions. The little things make the difference here, such as the quirkiness of the different characters. My most recently played family is a legacy challenge, and I am on generation four of ten. It’s also a game that I play in French, so I feel a little educational as I play.
Play this: if you love “playing house” or want a game that you simply cannot lose.
- Borderlands 3
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The Borderlands series is one of my favorites of all time (in case you’re interested, I’ve played Lilith, Gaige, Wilhelm and now Amara). Borderlands 3 amped up the looting in the game, and the combat is clean and just plain wild. Spoiler for my next article: a full review! Check back in a few weeks to see what I really think of the game.
If you’re interested in playing, please note: it is very graphic and gory!
Play this: if you’re looking for a looter shooter! So many options.
- Skyrim VR
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A few years back, I came home to my partner setting something up. Surprise! It’s a virtual reality headset. I’ve been playing Skyrim ever since it came out in 2011, and I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. It does have some glitches, and the graphics aren’t super crisp, but it’s fun! You get to see how big things are (much bigger than you’d expect), and you’re truly immersed in the world. If you use motion controllers, the immersion only grows. I didn’t like using it, but my partner swears by the controllers. Swinging around swords and shooting fireballs looks like fun, but I’ll stick with my standard controller.
Fun fact: I have close to 300 hours in the game. It’s also my go-to game when my erythema nodosum flares up, as I can rest my legs on a stool and become fully immersed in a fantasy land.
Play this: if you’re new to role-playing games, or just love the Elder Scrolls series.
- Beat Saber
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On the opposite spectrum of VR games is Beat Saber. My closest approximation is Dance Dance Revolution and Star Wars’ lightsabers. As blocks come towards you to the beats of music, you have to slice through them in the correct direction. The soundtracks are mostly electronic music, but they’re quite catchy. Beat Saber does have music packs for sale, but I’ve never been very impressed by them. If you can, I suggest playing on PC to mod it and add custom songs. My favorite part of the game is the exercise. It doesn’t feel like a workout game, but by the end of my sessions, I’m winded. Beat Saber is an officially recognized workout game!
Play this: if you love rhythm games, want to get some exercise without feeling like you’re working out, or if you just want to feel like a Jedi.
These are just my recommendations on what I’ve been playing this winter. Are you a gamer? Let us know what you’ve been playing by tagging @hcyorku!