I wrote an article a few months ago featuring five games that anyone simply must play if they have the faculty to play video games. Whilst I 100% stand by my choices outlined in that article, I thought I’d expand on the list with another five games that anyone should give a chance to.
Originally released on the PlayStation Vita, this critically acclaimed game was re-released on the PS4 in 2016, with a sequel released in 2017. You take control of a strange girl called Kat, with a secret past and a pet cat which allows her to manipulate gravity, enabling her to freefall seamlessly in any direction on command. This compliments the somewhat basic combat well, as at any time you feel overwhelmed by a horde of enemies you can rocket into the sky (sometimes bringing a couple of them with you) to get a better view of the situation, and the thrill of dodging an enemy attack only to leap into the air and dropkick them never stops being satisfying.
The story is a bit of a mess, but manages to stay fun throughout, and the exploration of the four cities the game is set in is a guaranteed adventure every time.
The sequel, Gravity Rush 2, was an overall decent game with a massive new map and an assortment of new powers thrown in to add variety to the samey combat from the first. While the effort hasn’t gone unappreciated, the addition of played out light and heavy attacks couldn’t quite capture the imagination as much as I hoped, so the first of the two games is the one I want to add to this list.
The original superhero / anti-hero game for the PlayStation 3, Infamous was incredibly well received when it launched in 2009, and with a concept like this it isn’t difficult to see why! You play as Cole McGrath, a courier who finds himself gifted with incredible lightning based powers! You decide if you want to play with a benevolent or malevolent playstyle (bet you can’t guess which one I chose!), with your choices affecting how elements of the story play out. Think along the lines of a typical Telltale Games title, but with bombastic electricity based powers including but not limited to the ability to fire lightning missiles, summon lightning strikes and to fly between building with (somehow) electric based propulsion.
Launching around the same time as Prototype, another excellent game, comparison between the two was unavoidable. At the time I favoured Prototype, but looking back from a solely critical standpoint, I’d say Infamous clinches it for best of the two based on its story and main character development. If you think Prototype is the best of the two then let me know why in the comments.
A fun little arcade ‘endless runner’ game, Race the Sun finds you piloting a small solar powered plane across an obstacle riddled landscape, with the objective of staying in the light of the fast setting Sun as long as you can. I’ve spent hours on this, as the side challenges the game gives you to complete during your race attempts unlock power-ups and wing decals for you to customise your plane to your own preference and playstyle.
Race the Sun was a free PlayStation Plus game in May 2015, and so there’s a chance many of you own this game already without realising it. Even if not, it’s worth downloading and playing just a couple of races of this addictive, fun and memorable little time sink.
I recently hit 166 hours in AC: Odyssey, despite the fact I achieved the Platinum in it over 60 hours ago. To say I love the game is an understatement, and I have so much investment in the world that I can say with complete certainty I have turned over every stone in the gorgeous Greek world. The combat is deep and satisfying, and protagonist Kassandra comes across as effortlessly charming and funny when interacting with other characters in the open world. It’s not often that I can project myself onto a protagonist as well as I can with Kassandra, as the branching dialogue choices let you play as aggressive, indifferent or as compassionate as you want to be depending on the situation and who you are interacting with.
This is by far my favourite Assassin’s Creed game, and if you haven’t played it or its predecessor, Origins, yet then you are severely missing out. The lovingly built renditions of Ancient Egypt and Greece are amazing places to explore, survive and get lost in. I also greatly approve of the Discovery Tour modes built into Origins and Odyssey, which give you historical and cultural facts while touring key landmarks in combat free zones.
I am thoroughly embarrassed with myself for omitting this from my first list as I adore this game. Whilst it’s true that it is 16 years old in 2019, the timeless and beautiful art style make it look and play as if it came out the day you’re reading this! The soundtrack is best in class, and the captivating and engaging story is yet another reason for why Dark Chronicle has amassed the cult following that it has.
Re-released with trophy support for the PlayStation 4 in 2017, which even with my knowledge of the game from many previous playthroughs still took me 150 hours to Platinum, there really is no reason at all not to have this masterpiece of a game on your radar (and installed on your console)!
Thank you for reading my second part of games anyone with thumbs must play. I hope you’ll check out any games on this list you’ve not experienced already, and do let me know in the comments what games I might have missed that you would have included. I will be back soon with another article, and in the meantime you can find me on YouTube at Void Euphoric Records and are welcome to follow me on Twitter @MaliceVER.