Take an adventure into new worlds all from the comfort of home
With most everything closed down or consisting of limited allowance, finding ways to escape can be difficult. With most still ordered to stay home and others almost completely unable to leave due to COVID-19 restrictions, many still struggle with the question of how to obtain relief when going stir crazy. One answer to this dire situation might be the virtual escape via video games.
Video games consist of fantasy worlds that you are transported into and interact with everywhere you go. For some, this could be the escape they are looking for during these unprecedented times.For people who have an Xbox or PlayStation, here are five video games to enjoy for the remainder of quarantine, and beyond.
“Grand Theft Auto V”
This game series has been around for years and every time a new one is released fans flock to play. “Grand Theft Auto V” has been one of the biggest hits of the series. This can be attributed to not only the quality of the graphics, but the storyline also allows players to switch between characters and experience three different and interconnected narratives. The “GTA” series has been notorious for its violent nature and harsh language — this newest release is no different.
“Red Dead Redemption II”
This game is a prequel to the first “Red Dead Redemption” that takes place in 1911. This newest and second game takes place in the American Old West of 1899 showing players what happened before 1911 while also providing backstories of characters that appear in both games. The character you play, Arther Morgan, is a member of the gang Van der Linde. The game follows the gang’s decline and their interactions with other gangs and lawmen. Since this game takes place in 1899 it contains harsh language toward certain groups of people and it has its share of gang-related violence.
On the other hand, if violence is not something you are interested in, Nintendo provides fantasy gaming experiences with little to no violence for its players.
“Animal Crossing New Horizon”
The “Animal Crossing” series has been a hit since it first came out in 2001 for the GameCube, but the whole world could not wait to get their hands on “Animal Crossing New Horizon.” This revamped version issues a new spin on the game, allows the gamer to make the island their very own and enables players to establish personalized shops and new homes wherever they please — some players have even made their islands based off of their favorite TV shows or movies.
Since its release in March, this game has taken the public by storm. With the pandemic going on it supplies players with a sense of escape into their very own world, not to mention the laid back vibe of the game provides a separate peace of mind. This is available on the Switch and the Switch Lite.
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe”
Another one of Nintendo’s biggest hit games that is available on the majority of their consoles is “Mario Kart” — where you can play against friends while driving your favorite Mario characters around the map. Many of Nintendo’s consoles have their own version of “Mario Kart” that brings a new experience every time. This “Mario Kart,” in particular, garnered a lot of attention because players were able to play against friends via the internet — which is why the Switch has been such a big hit with Nintendo fans.
“Super Mario Galaxy”
The title is just as it sounds; Mario travels around different galaxies battling different bosses to rescue Peach from Bowser. This is an older game from 2007 for the Wii but it is different from the traditional Mario games. Since you are in zero-gravity space and have Mario flying around in directions you don’t want him to go, this version brings a whole new challenge of gameplay to get used to. The game also has a sequel called “Super Mario Galaxy 2.”
