First off, we here at Respawning are not trying to make light of the Coronavirus pandemic that is spread across the planet right now and our thoughts go out to any families effected by this awful virus. With that being said, it’s all anybody is talking about so what better topic for a Let’s Talk? Chances are there are a lot of us who will be working from home very soon or be self-isolating, and with every big event on the planet (including E3!) being cancelled or postponed, we’re going to be playing a lot of video games! So let’s try put a positive spin on this terrible situation and discuss the best games to play while cooped up at home…
Be prepared for barrage of RPG recommendations here! I’ll start with game I’ll be filling my time with now that there’s no bloody football and that’s The Witcher 3. It’s a game which I’ve been playing for about 6 months now and I’m probably only about half way through it, it’s gigantic and could easily keep you busy for weeks on end and you still wouldn’t have finished everything the game has to offer! Plus this is a game which is nearly 5 years old so is usually available for a very decent price alongside its enormous DLC to keep you busy for even longer. Already played it? Then maybe play it again because you know… it’s brilliant!
Well if we’re all going to be knocking around waiting for this viral apocalypse to blow over, lets get into a game together, Apex seems like a good pick?
Apex Legends stands on a pedestal to me for being the only battle royale game I don’t want to take a flamethrower to. With a fun cast of playable characters, interesting maps with plenty of versatility and a god damn high fiving robot. There isn’t much in this game to really hate, and its free to play, seeing as we’ve all burned through our pocket money by bulk buying toilet paper and pasta, we need that free fun.
Besides, in the event that the world collapses and we’re all in some Mad Max universe, we need to know how to enjoy some gladiatorial combat am I right?
Okay Coronavirus, it sucks and if anyone gets it then my heart goes out to you. As for the topic of being at home for a few weeks, with the type of games I play, I’d get through quite a lot of them. I’ve got Mario, Ni no Kuni, deadly premonition and many more games to finish. I guess I’d try different games too, Ni no Kuni for instance is a JRPG that can give hundreds of hours and is a Ghibli production (so I’m all in) but I really don’t enjoy them, I’m hoping Ni no Kuni will change my mind. If not I’d be playing Mario, switch ‘n’ shoot and axiom verge.
But if I’m being honest I’d probably watch a ton of TV and movies…I love gaming honest!
Time for me to be topically relevant. If I had to self-isolate, and have to pick/recommend a game to play, I would choose; The Division 2. More importantly, I’d choose the new DLC, Warlords Of New York, recently released for the game. I’ve been playing the DLC pretty much every day since its launch. And I LOVE it. The new DLC has also upgraded a lot of the core game features too, making crafting easier. It has also added new activities and new season rewards and levels to aim for. Plus, the comparison of the story line and real life are pretty scary, so if everything does go to hell, consider it a training simulator.
Additionally, if you’re not familiar with The Division games, or haven’t really paid much attention to cut scenes whilst playing, and would like some information about what exactly is going on in the game, and see me and my crew take down the aforementioned Warlords, check out my YouTube series; The Division Briefing, airing a new episode every Monday at 6pm EST. Episode 1 is available now – Check it out
We’ve spent most our lives letting games distract us, why change the habit of a lifetime whilst we’re all stuck self-isolating? So here’s a few of the games I’d keep myself occupied with. The first would be The Stanley Parable. Whether you want to stick to the Narrator’s instruction to the tee, or completely destroy his life, this game can lead to hours of fun without getting repetitive. With the second game due for release this year, what better time to remind yourself why this was so much fun to begin with!
Another game I’d keep close by is any version of Pokemon. The simple gameplay means I wouldn’t have to leave my bed to play it, and you can even challenge yourself to try complete every generation. Just make sure you’ve got as many batteries as you do toilet roll to keep those old Gameboys and Switch’s running!
At times like these, it’s important to distract yourself, and give yourself routine. So why not something like Stardew Valley? Available on all current-gen consoles and PC, the famous indie title puts you in charge of a newly inherited farm in a small-town community. Farm crops, build, fight monsters, and make friends with the townsfolk. You can also romance some of them. It’s a neat, addicting game that you can easily sink hours into – and it’s also quite cheap, going for around £10.99/€13.99.
