Video games have evolved far beyond being just an enjoyable pastime; today they represent a multibillion-dollar industry boasting its own esports tournaments, movies, amusement parks and specialized stores such as the adopt me shop.
Some games, like The Stanley Parable and Papers Please, subvert player expectations with unexpected humor; others, such as Grow Home and Abzu, transport them into an entirely new realm of beauty.
1. PaRappa The Rapper
PaRappa the Rapper was one of the foundational titles that helped define modern rhythm games. Now available remastered as a PlayStation classic, its unique combination of upbeat music and 2D paper characters shines brighter than ever.
At Karaoke Revolution, its whimsical story of an adorable dog trying to win over his flower-shaped lover with his signature rhymes and catchy soundtrack quickly made it a cult classic. Additionally, its futuristic vibe made it a precursor for other rhythm games like Beatmania, Guitar Hero and DanceDance Revolution; moreover its catchy songs continue to delight players today – dancing or singing along to DDR is always great fun; or why not sing-a-long Karaoke Revolution for something completely new and different? You won’t miss this remaster of its predecessor!
2. Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is an N64 classic that was recently revamped on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), reintroducing Joanna Dark and her alien conspiracy right to your living room. Though perhaps not appropriate for new generations of gamers used to Halo or Call of Duty games, Perfect Dark offers something different and may appeal more strongly to fans who enjoyed its predecessor or want a change from Halo or Call of Duty games. For anyone who enjoyed its predecessor or just looking for something different this is an excellent option.
The original’s visual oddities have been toned down, making the gameplay feel fresher and smoother than ever. Multiplayer options range from CTF and King of the Hill, as well as bounty hunter pop-a-cap and point defense hacker central.
3. Medieval
Medieval is one of the most reassuring games since Grand Theft Auto. A life simulation, players enter an alternative medieval world to cast spells with your maniacal wizard and preach from cathedral pulpits before watching their city grow before them.
Crusader Kings 2 stands apart from traditional survival games in that its focus lies in building your medieval kingdom through epic real-time strategy battles. Choose between Vikings, knights and Samurai when customizing your medieval army – combat with NPC warriors on both sides adds cinematic flair!
This dark medieval game throws players into Henry of Skalitz’s shoes, giving them access to an immense medieval world with a fascinating tale. It masterfully blends simulation, roleplaying, and strategy elements for an impressive gaming experience.
4. Solitaire
Solitaire (commonly referred to as patience) is an individual card game played solely with one opponent. Once so popular that Microsoft included its version on every Windows computer.
Solitaire Roguelike is an intelligent and highly polished take on Solitaire that should not be missed by fans of roguelikes. The FMV cutscenes offer engaging storytelling while the plot delivers plenty of entertainment value.
The gameplay itself is accessible for newcomers to the genre. Though there may be an uneasy balance between dramatic storytelling and relaxing card playing, which doesn’t detract from an enjoyable overall experience. Furthermore, this title also boasts a skirmish mode and daily challenge leaderboards to test yourself further.
5. Horror
Horror has seen both highs and lows throughout its long history, but groundbreakingly creative movies like Us, classic slasher films such as Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, genre parodies such as Scream, and even entertainingly awful mess-ups such as Santa’s Slay demonstrate that its scare factor remains alive and well.
Papers Please is an immersive first person video game which explores real world issues such as immigration in an approachable and heartwarming fashion, making this an essential game for fans of story-driven titles. A must for gamers looking for an emotional experience!
6. Roguelike
Roguelikes are an incredible genre that show us a game can be free, visually minimalistic and still be rewarding – not necessarily complex games like FPSs! Roguelikes provide us with proof that being simple doesn’t limit its fun potential.
Attacking enemies in a dungeon is both thrilling and punishing; taking hits in a roguelike can be devastating, ruining a run completely, making roguelikes one of the best games for teaching patience.
Nier Automata blends together elements from various genres into an exhilarating ride of gameplay options in an intriguing futuristic dystopia story.
