Stay-Home CNY - Games to Keep You Occupied
恭喜发财，红包拿来。
This Chinese New Year however, it is going to be harder to collect your HongBao, not without planning your extended family's gathering schedule as meticulously as you plan your leave. With Covid-19’s presence in Singapore, Indian, Malay and now Chinese festivals take a hit, albeit with limited visitation. There’s no surprise therefore, that many plan to celebrate their Lunar New Year quietly, for fear of infecting family members, or more probably the fear of being asked, “Got girl/boyfriend already anot?” And that is why we are here today, to recommend some games to play in the free time you will inevitably have.
First up, to play games you need a console. The “Big Three” comes to mind, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox. However, unfortunately Xbox has taken a hit in recent years, and with majority of their first-party games being made available on the PC via Game Pass, there is little reason to get an Xbox unless you love the hardware and its special features. Therefore this brings us to Nintendo and PlayStation.
Nintendo Switch
With Nintendo, getting the Switch is always a safe bet as it contains a large pool of games from different genres, and has Triple A titles and great multiplayer options to boot. There are currently two “versions” of the Switch, the regular Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite. The regular Nintendo Switch Console is a hybrid console, with detachable Joy-Cons on either side of the tablet screen, and a dock mode which connects to your television. The Nintendo Switch Lite focuses on the handheld part of the equation with no dock mode, and while multiplayer is possible, it can be more of a hassle to set-up and requires external Joy-Cons.
Nintendo Switch Console Promo Selection
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Switch Lite Console Bundle Deal - https://bit.ly/370XrHh
Games:
We actually have an extensive list of recommended Nintendo Switch Games here, but as a quick suggestion, here are some of the better games to get.
Multiplayer:
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – If you’re up for some unpredictable racing adventures, this is the game for you.
Super Mario Party – Minigames galore with various game modes.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – If you love traditional 2D Mario, and love sabotaging your friends, then please get this game.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (& Monster Hunter Rise) – Yes you can play this single player, but where’s the fun in that? With the 2 year old game MHGU, and the upcoming MH Rise (26 March), enjoy the thrill of the hunt with 3 other friends.
Just Dance 2021 – Or any Just Dance really, as with Just Dance Unlimited, you get access to songs from across generations. The game is basically its title, just dance.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (12 Feb) – An upcoming remaster of a WiiU title with an added Mario Sunshinesque sandbox world, run and jump with Mario and friends in this 3D title.
Overcooked 1 & Overcooked 2 – Enjoy the nightmare of cooking with multiple people as you rush to complete orders and to keep your kitchen from catching on fire.
For Multiplayer games, getting an extra pair of Joy-Cons would improve your experience, or if you’re feeling rich, you could get an additional Pro Controller.
Single-Player:
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – In this expansive open-world title, exploration is the driving force of gameplay.
Xenoblade Chronicles [Definitive Edition] – A great story-driven Action RPG, explore the open world and engage in battle using the real-time action-based battle system.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Most probably one of the best tactical RPGs out there, this title combines daily life as a teacher, strategic battles in open fields, and uncovering a giant mystery to boot.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt [Complete Edition] – Much has been said about Witcher 3 in the past decade, and yet that is not enough to describe the feeling of playing such a story heavy, wildly entertaining RPG. It runs great on the Switch, and if you still have your save file from years ago, it supports cross-save so you can pick up right where you left off.
Dark Souls: Remastered – Possibly one of the best platforms to play Dark Souls right now, the game looks and runs great on the Switch. The allure of the game lies in its non-linear gameplay, and subtle lore which you will need to discover for yourself.
PlayStation 4
However, if what you’re looking for is an intense and immersive experience, then the PlayStation might be the machine for you. Sony has developed a number of amazing first-party titles over the years for the PS4 like Spider-Man, God of War and so on, and with the onset of the PS5, they will no doubt continue to make more great games in the years to come. The PlayStation does have a lack of good multiplayer games however, so if you plan to play with friends and family, make sure their game of choice is a fighting game.
Games:
The PlayStation has a whole host of single-player games, and so we chose a few games for you to consider.
Single-Player:
NieR Automata [Game of the YorHa Edition] – Nier is one of those games with a melancholic theme present in every aspect of the game. Even as you battle through this Action RPG, you feel a sense of lost building up which makes you question your existence. Perfect for millennials.
Marvel’s Spider-Man [Game of the year Edition] – If you ever wondered what it would be like to be Spider-Man, this game has the answer in spades. Swing through the city and stop crime as everyone’s favourite Web-Slinger.
The Last Of Us Remastered – Go back to the beginning in this game, and find out why so many people hold this game in high regard. From narrative to action beats, this game delivers in so many ways.
Horizon Zero Dawn [Complete Edition] – Literally a Man Vs Machine situation, you traverse an open-world where robot dinosaurs roam free. Uncover the mystery of the old world and realise your destiny (Which is to play this game).
Ghost of Tsushima – Do you like samurai? Do you like ninjas? Why not both? Play as The Ghost as you explore a feudal Japan and choose how you engage in battle. If you really love Japan and exploration and running towards an objective only to see a fox or bird then get side-tracked for the next 2 hours, this is the game for you.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne – This is basically Monster Hunter with no loading screens between maps, better quality of life options, and more monsters. Basically everything you love about Monster Hunter.
Final Fantasy VII Remake – We understand, FFVII was your childhood game. It seems like it is everyone’s childhood game at this point. Well, this game does your childhood justice and then some. Play as Cloud like never before in this "same same but different" game.
Persona 5 Royal – There's nothing much to say about this game, because if you like JRPGs, and basically good game design, level design, character design, art style, story, quality of life, and whatever aspect of a good game you can think of, Persona 5 Royal is your go-to game. Unless you dislike dungeon-crawling, turn-based JRPGs, then well, it’s your loss.
God of War – Not to be confused with the previous generation of God of War games, the PS4 version is a soft reboot, with Kratos finding a new life and a new weapon. You still fight gods - just that the Greek pantheon has been swapped out for Norse Gods, something that is very popular nowadays with Marvel movies featuring Thor and gang.
On a side note, if you are one of the lucky few to own a PS5, most of these games can actually be played via PS Plus Collection.
Multiplayer:
Star Wars: Squadrons – If you ever wanted an X-Wing vs TIE Fighter remake, this is as close as it gets. A surprisingly good flight simulator from EA, this game looks and plays great, especially in VR (Finally a good VR game to play on the PS4, other than Resident Evil 7).
If you do decide to get some fighting games, an extra DualShock 4 controller would come in handy, with a sale going on now till 21 Feb.
If you’re into racing games, why not go full immersion? A number of racing games like Gran Turismo Sport, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and even Need For Speed: Heat now supports racing wheels, like the Logitech G923 Trueforce Racing Wheel. And for that full racing experience, a good Playseat will get you into the groove.
Oculus Quest 2
Ah, the Oculus, relatively fresh and young compared to Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox’s long history, the Oculus provides a different form of entertainment, VR. In recent years VR has become more and more popular, and in this pandemic situation, may be the social relief many people have been waiting for. You get to meet with your friends without actually leaving your house (No more “I just left my house” excuses). The Oculus has a surprising amount of fun games, both single and multiplayer, and VRChat, basically the internet, but in 3D. While the Oculus would be the “unorthodox” choice, if the taste suits you, it might be your best purchase.
Games:
While we do admit that our familiarity with Oculus games is still at its infancy, we do hear of games through the grapevine and can recommend some.
Population: One – If you like Battle Royales, this is basically like Fortnite, except in VR.
Beat Saber – Most probably you’ve heard of this game before, and most likely this is the best Rhythm Game on VR right now.
Half-Life: Alyx – Many people are disappointed that Half-Life 3 still does not exist, but Half-Life: Alyx gives it a good shot. With features that makes full use of VR, it makes for an entertaining game.
Superhot VR – This game seems to be making waves with its gameplay being quite tailored-fit for the VR audience.
Vader Immortal – Do you like Star Wars? Did you ever want to fight Darth Vader in a lightsaber battle? If you answered yes to both, I don’t need to say more.
Minecraft VR – It is Minecraft, in VR. Is that a Creepe-
Hopefully with this list, you’ll be more informed on what sort of games you want to get on the platform of your choice, but don’t take my word for it, experience these games for yourself! And from everyone at Shopitree, we wish you a Happy Lunar New Year and good luck for this coming 2021!
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