With the pandemic raging and people being asked repeatedly to stay in their house, one can find themselves bored easily. If you have a smartphone, you can pick it up and watch shows and movies in Netflix/Hotstar/Amazon Prime OR play online/offline games like Garena Free Fire, Among Us, Call of Duty Mobile, Ludo King and much more. But if you have a console like PS4 or XBox One and you don’t find yourself particularly enthusiastic about flicking through dozens of choices, I give you this ultimate list which will help you choose the best of the best.
- Spider-Man (PS4, 2018): Back when Spider-Man hit the theaters in 2002, starring Tobey Maguire as the titular character, every kid in my block (including yours truly) wanted those web shooters to swing freely and fight criminals and whatnot. But no spider bit me with special powers, so disappointment reigned till adolescence. And then in 2018, Insomniac Entertainment came up with a Spider-Man video game with the tagline BE GREATER. What more could I ask for? Tons of characterisation of Spidey’s suit, compelling story lines, great characters with great combat mechanics, with Spidey swinging from building to building in New York being at the crux of it. I was filled with tears when the game ended, making it unequivocally one of my favourites.
- The Last of Us (PS3, 2012): We, the human kind, have a terrible fascination with zombies. Be it any form of media: video games, movies, TV shows, books, we devour the content without any second thought, much like the undead itself. Numerous studios have made an attempt to grab this market by hook or crook, but have always missed it. Naughty Dog Studios then did something which others mainly ignored: writing a heart wrenching story to catch the player’s attention. Here the player, through the eyes of the game’s protagonist Joel, makes sure the girl Elle stays safe with her, from the undead as well as from the hordes of living enemies who want you dead at any cost. Players will laugh, cry as well as be on the edge of their seats in every scene. You definitely don’t want to miss this game.
- Uncharted 4 (PS4, 2016): Are you a mostly Single player gamer? Do you often pause the game to soak in the environment the characters are in? Do you often seek adventures like treasure hunting with treacherous landscapes, terrible animals, spiteful villains? Well, this game is made for you. Yes, Naughty Dog Studios have meticulously filled it with enough action and a captivating tale to ensure the replay ability still remains intact, even after so many years. If you think you would need to play the previous 3 iterations to understand the story, do not fool yourself. Pick this game first and when you fall in love with the game, you can play the rest of the franchise and still feel awed.
- Gears of War(XBox 360,2006): This game ticked off in every department of what a third person shooter should look and feel like. It was a commercial achievement for all the right reasons. Shooting aliens with all the gore and blood flying to the camera, that too can be played by single or co-op missions: this is what the hardcore gamers demanded and they were fulfilled by this game. This game was also responsible for XBox 360 to sell out like hot cakes in the market. That said, there has been a decline in the quality of its fifth installment, playing the 1st Gears of War evokes a lot of joy for me.
- Forza (XBox, 2005): Mainly seen as a competitor to Gran Turismo for PlayStation, this racing genre game puts you in the driver’s seat and makes you play with cars that go toe to toe with that of F1 cars. Yes, you read it right! The racing mechanism, auto and manual, is butter smooth and makes you feel like you are actually playing in the street. With fast action and blinding speeds, plus a plethora of real life cars in the game to choose from, how can one deny the sheer fun while playing this game? Go pick up the game now and enjoy with your friends, families, anyone. P.S. Definitely not made for the faint hearted!
- Crash Bandicoot (PS1, 1996): If you want to take a break from all the shootings and killings, just want to kick back on the sofa, relax and play with the least stress possible, then I cannot recommend you enough of Crash Bandicoot. This platform based game, if boiled down can be summed up as making the titular protagonist move from point A to point B. But there are hurdles, challenges, puzzles and lots of fun to make sure it can be enjoyed by the whole family. You can even have the remastered version, wherein the graphics have been updated to today’s standard, still keeping the originality and enjoyability factor intact.
- Metal Gear Solid (PS1, 1998): Japanese legend Hideo Kojima revolutionized the gaming industry with this masterpiece. Metal Gear Solid is still regarded as the game which pioneered the stealth game genre. When you play the modern video games wherein you have to hide and shoot the enemies, you can silently thank Mr. Kojima and his wonderful creation. Though by today’s standard the graphics might feel archaic, do keep an open mind and make an attempt to complete this gem. And when completed, open yourself to it’s four sequels which are one above over the other, in terms of precision and quality.
- Halo: Combat Evolved (XBox,2001): Developed by Bungie Software, Halo: Combat Evolved is the game for you if you are into sci-fi and action both. You get to be mankind's super soldier Master Chief and battle the attacking Covenant, in the unknown world of a ring shaped planet named Halo. You'll fight on foot, inside vehicles, with alien and human weapons during your missions. You can play the game with three others through the split screen mode or maybe combat collectively with a partner through the solo player missions. With various sequels and taking new risks into a complete new direction, the makers are absolutely sure the franchise will never go stale in the foreseeable future.
So go on, choose from the aforementioned, have the time of your life. Or till the pandemic ends. Thanks for the read!