With the rest of the world cooped up at home due to local lockdowns and mandatory quarantine, the online gaming community has never seen such a surge in online users like this before.
Steam, for one, has surpassed its concurrent user record (not just once but twice) only within a span of a few weeks. The platform continues to break previous records as more players go online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leading digital distribution service recently hit 22 million peak users, and has once again hit an all-time high at 24 million on April 3 and 4. And it seems like the numbers will only keep rising over the course of the mandatory social distancing protocols.
Save lives, stay at home, & play video games
A great philosopher once said: pic.twitter.com/vGZc1ohLzi
â CTRL+ZED (@CTRLZED_Online) March 17, 2020
Thousands of healthcare professionals and essential workers not only have to risk their safety out there but are continuously doing their best to help us live our everyday lives as efficiently as possible. What better way to repay that favor than to listen to safety protocols and stay at home?
Twitch star Pokimane said it best, urging gamers to: âPlease stay home and play video games.â Keeping yourself preoccupied with video games is a great idea to destress! Accordingly, weâve recently compiled some of the best games you can start playing for this year.
But of course, the list doesnât stop there. Here are some other standout games you might want to check out if youâre starting to feel bored at home:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
New Horizons is the latest Animal Crossing game that we need, but don’t deserve. The title dropped exactly at the right time the world needs it. While we’re all stuck inside our homes, there’s no stopping us when it comes to living our best life in our fantasy deserted island. It’s free (virtual) real estate, after all! Who doesn’t want that in these troubling times?
Why play this game?
Jump on the Animal Crossing: New Horizons hype and see why everyone is obsessing over it. You’ll never run out of things to do on your islandâ planting trees, catching different bugs and fishes, breeding flowers, building your dream home. The adorable graphics make for a peaceful gaming experience. Consider this game as the perfect escape for today’s global turmoil.
Doom Eternal
Following its successful reboot in 2016, Doom is back! Help Bethesda pick up the Doomguy’s chainsaw once more to send him back into the demonic fray. The story is made richer this time with Heaven and Hell denizens and a new resources system. Unlock upgraded armour, health and ammo by either burning, killing, or chainsawing your enemies into oblivion.
Why play this game?
Doom Eternal comes with enticing reasons to keep players occupied, including a huge number of demons for players to slay and dispatching enemies in various ways for a wide variety of resources. This new take on multiplayer will surely impress both long-time and new Doom fans!
Call of Duty: Warzone
Seems like the Battle Royale hype is far from over. Call of Duty wowed fans for dropping a free-to-play full CoD BR game featuring multiple modes, taking homage from Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode.
Why play this game?
The familiar squad-based gameplay is a great way to bond with your online homies over the lockdown period. It also has an integrated progression with Modern Warfare’s battle pass. The more you play, the more you can continue to level up and unlock new weapon skins, blueprints, and more.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Trainers, gear up! Pokemon Sword and Shield game plays like the traditional Pokemon Roleplaying Games (RPGs) you’ve grown to love at some point in your life. Hunt new pokemon, join new gym battles, visit new cities, and overcome new challenges. You gotta catch them all, indeed.
Why play this game?
Two new DLCs for Pokemon Sword and Shield are confirmed for June and in the fall. The first is called “The Isle of Armor”, and the second is “The Crown Tundra”. These expansion packs will surely increase the longevity and popularity of the game.
Untitled Goose Game
Wreck havoc as a goose! This indie game continues to prove why it’s considered as a sleeper hit. Play as a goose and unleash your inner wild child as you start terrorising the residents of a local village. Chase people or steal special itemsâ your call.
Why play this game?
This cute and mischievous puzzle game is a great way to spend your free time without committing too much to the game’s plot-heavy storyline. Choose to pull pranks as you like. There’s also a dedicated honk button and seriously, it can’t get any better than that.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
The force is strong in this game. With the recent conclusion brought by Star Wars Episode IX â The Rise of Skywalker (2019), it’s time to dust off your lightsaber and continue your Jedi training in the Fallen Order. The single-player game offers a story-driven experience, tapping into the early years of the Empire following Order 66.
Why play this game?
The story is set between the Ep III and IV games. Non-linear levels also allow you to unlock secrets and discover new shortcuts. Fallen Order’s combat also features plenty of challenges for all aspiring Jedi masters.
Persona 5
This game is set in modern-day Japan, following a group of teen vigilantes who split their time between being normal students and crawling through metaphysical dungeons. Between saving the world like epic heroes, these characters still find time to enjoy the most mundane things in their everyday living.
Why play this game?
Persona 5 is the perfect choice if you’re missing some semblance of normalcy or a routine in your life lately. Although it’s not exactly the real thing, the game allows your characters to appreciate the little moments like getting dinner with your friends, going to the park to get some fresh air, and reading a book on a public train.
You probably can’t do these outside activities for the meantime but what’s there to lose if you let your character do it in your place?
Subnautica
Subnautica is a survival adventure game set in an open world aquatic environment where you have to fend after yourself and freely explore the ocean on an alien planet (planet 4546B). This evocative but occasionally terrifying underwater survival game thrives on mystery.
It was first released in 2018 but many players continue to explore the game, with Jacksepticeye playing it since release and Pewdiepie recently starting his YouTube series on the said title.
Why play this game?
If you’re a fan of survival games, Subnautica has a great balance between having to keep oneself alive and exploring or improving your inventory. With its beautiful and unparalleled graphics, it’s truly a great game if you have patience and enjoy thinking outside the box.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
This one’s for you, mobile gamers! If you don’t have the best PC set or console to keep up with heavy games, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is the best alternative if you miss playing League of Legends or Dota 2.
MLBB is dubbed as the most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game on mobile. Team up with your friends and strategically push turrets just within your fingertips.
Why play this game?
Unlike other moba, Mobile Legends has a fast-paced gameplay which allows you and your friends to quickly climb up the rankings. A MOBA match usually lasts for 30 minutes to 1 hour on PC, but on mobile it usually runs around 15-30 minutes at most.
The game’s graphics also doesnât consume much of your phoneâs battery or strains its system. And the more you play, the more it gives in-game rewards and freebies that helps you enjoy the game further.
The Witcher 3
Toss a coin to your Witcher. The Witcher 3 is set after the events depicted in Netflixâs recent âWitcherâ TV show starring Henry Cavill, and is long considered as one of the best role-playing games ever made. The title is set in a densely populated open virtual world which is a wartorn fantasy realm.
Why play this game?
Many players appreciate how “complete” the game is, with just the right balance of rich storyline, flawless gameplay, stunning graphics, great music, and interesting characters. It’s no surprise how it won IGN’s Game of the Year in 2015.
Conclusion
While self-proclaimed wellness gurus urge everyone to be productive over this quarantine period, itâs not a bad idea to spend some time picking up a game you recently dropped because youâve been too busy or grinding new levels on a game someone sent to you long ago as a gift.
Remind yourself we all have different ways to cope in the midst of a pandemic. The important thing is: you stay at home and enjoy whatever it is you intend to do in your free time. This is the best time to become a gamer. And even if youâre not born with fast reflexes, the good news is, thereâs a game for everyone! Game on.
