Addicting games to play over the summer

by Ledger Staff

Top 3 Pokémon games to play over the summer
by Andrew Anderson

With summer around the corner, it’s not a stretch to say that some days will simply have to be sacrificed to sit inside, hide behind a fan and play hours of games. With that said, here are the top three “Pokémon” games to play over the summer until the release of the latest game of “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” in Nov. 2022.

Players looking for a bit of a fight need look no further than the fourth generation of games. Known as “Pokémon Diamond and Pearl,” the game offered familiar fight mechanics that offered a bit of a challenge as well as improvements upon the contest system introduced in the third generation. This game expands upon the world that is Pokémon and has one of the more gripping plots when it comes to saving that world. 

“Pokémon Black and White” from the fifth generation offers somewhat easier gameplay, but has some of the highest ratings among the series. While the battles aren’t as difficult as some of the previous games, there are new features such as Pokémon musicals, double and multi-battling and seasonal cycles. This was also the first game in the series to offer fully animated Pokémon sprites. 

Players new and old alike, however, can find enjoyment out of the latest Pokémon game to the series known as “Pokémon Legends: Arceus.” The game serves as a prequel to “Pokémon Diamond and Pearl,” but offers never before seen gameplay. With an entirely new way to record Pokémon, the game is more open-world than ever before. The Pokémon themselves also act differently to past games, some attacking on sight similar to the wild areas in “Pokémon Sword and Shield.” The newest feature? Players can be harmed by wild Pokémon, which offers an entire new twist to the series that easily earned the 12 million copies sold.

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My favorite video games to escape from reality
by Remi Frederick

Since we have an entire summer to relax after this horrible, hectic year, here are my favorite video games to help pass the time.

Stardew Valley:

First up is “Stardew Valley” which is kind of a cross between “Farmville” and “Animal Crossing.” You play as a person who has inherited a farm from their grandpa who sadly passed away. Over the course of the game, you get to know the villagers and even uncover secrets about the town and surrounding areas.

Though this game starts off a little slow, it makes up for it with cute little scenes scattered throughout the game and the relationships you cultivate with your fellow townspeople.

Overwatch:

“Overwatch” is a first-person team shooter game with sci-fi elements and set in the near future. The game even has a timeline that we discover during special events. In addition to this, the characters in “Overwatch” are all really diverse and all have complex and interesting backstories.  

I enjoy playing with a team and have made really good friends, both online and offline, by playing this game. 

The Sims 4:

“The Sims 4” is a good reality game so that you can control whatever you want, even if your real life is out of control. To be totally serious, the Sims is so incredibly customizable and to top that off there are so many different ways to play the game.

The Sims community is so helpful and makes the best custom content that can customize your game even more. 

No matter what games you play or even if you don’t play any at all, take some time this summer to relax. This year has been truly hard and we deserve a break from reality. 

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It’s summer, why not beat up robot dinosaurs?
by Ryan Mantle

With summer days, I highly encourage you to spend as much time outside as possible, but if you’re looking for something low-key to do at night, I recommend checking out “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and “Horizon:  Forbidden West.” 

These games are both open-world, so you get your money’s worth, and you get to fight robot dinosaurs with a bow and arrow. The concept might seem a little whacky at first but the story is actually pretty good. The combat keeps you on your toes and can be downright unforgiving on higher difficulties. There is a story difficulty mode too if you just want to dive into the story of Aloy, the protagonist, without worrying too much about a giant mechanical bird that shoots lightning out of its chest swooping in and wrecking you, which happens…a lot. 

The “Horizon” games take place in the far future, after humanity built an AI that wiped out all life on Earth. It’s a little bleak, but through some good old-fashioned human ingenuity, somehow life, including humans, returned. While most humans revere the old humans like gods, Aloy tries to figure out what really happened. 

Both games feature a story that is heavy on self-discovery and friendship, all while providing intense fights against robots shaped like all sorts of animals. My favorite is called a Tremortusk which looks like an Oliphaunt from “The Lord of the Rings,” but has cannons mounted on its sides to add to its already destructive capabilities. The games are a lot of fun and will leave you wanting more.