As this year comes to a close it is important to reflect on things that have transpired and how the world has changed for better or worse. It’s been very difficult to sit here and write about video games with all that has been going on; from the Covid-19 Pandemic to the people suffering job losses due to the pandemic and all the society changes that has come with our experience with Covid-19. This pandemic has taken many things from many people and due to the magnitude of the situation it has been personally difficult to critic a game both positively or negatively in light of recent events.
That being said I wanted to highlight a few games that I’ve been playing this year that I have enjoyed and have help keep me sane during this pandemic and immense amount of time spent inside.
Red Dead Online
I’ve spent a ton of time in this game this past year. It’s been a great co-op experience and the vast and beautiful world has been a refreshing sight to behold while stuck inside most of the year. While modders and glitches have been present throughout my time with the game, the overall laid back atmosphere and western theme was quite enjoyable. With the game being $5 I definitely recommend grabbing a friend or two and getting lost in the beautiful Wild West for a while.
Gears of War 5
I have not spent as much time in this game as I would like to at this point but this game instantly took me back to being 15 and playing the first game with my brother over Christmas break. I also got the chance to play the co-op modes with some friends and that was equally as exciting and fun. If you are craving some Gears of War this is a good place to start, plus it’s on Steam as well!
Raft
The Raft is still in Early Access but has been a ton of fun collecting items from the ocean and building a raft with friends. It’s quite relaxing to sit back and fish the waters collecting wood and other materials to improve your raft. This is yet another game that has really aided in escaping the confines of your own home.
PGA 2k21
The Golf Club finally got it right. Well right enough to recommend the game with the help of 2K and a PGA license. This has been a ton of fun to play this year and the ability to play user created courses really expands the play-ability and longevity of the game. While it’s not perfect it’s pretty damn good and is extremely enjoyable with friends. If you’re looking for a society join Starway Sports for a relaxed and fun time.
Session
Session is a skateboarding game that focuses on realism and physics. Another early access I picked up in the Steam Summer sale I’ve spent quite a lot of hours making custom skate decks for this game while waiting for the next big update hopefully coming in early 2021. Check out JL Nightmares summary of Session 0.0.0.6 update that is coming in 2021 for more info on what to expect from this game.
