Extra Lives: Games for the long weekend

Extra+Lives%3A+Games+for+the+long+weekend

Nick Booth, JagWire copy editor

The Thanksgiving weekend is finally here, and we have six days of free time. But how to spend it? Reading? Netflix? No. This break is the perfect opportunity to curl up by the fire and play a good video game. With that in mind, I have a few suggestions on titles to consider while enjoying your time off. All of these can be found on Steam. (Unfortunately, since I’m a PC gamer, these will all be PC titles. Sorry, console people.)

“Primordia”

Wadget Eye’s known for good old-fashioned point and click games like this, and “Primordia” doesn’t disappoint. Enter the world of Horatio, an android living in a post-apocalyptic society where robots rule and humans are mysteriously out of the picture. After his source of power gets stolen, he gears up with his trusty sidekick Crispin to get it back, taking them to the pseudo-socialist city of Metropol. The best thing about “Primordia” is that it really is a thinking man’s game, but it doesn’t have to be. Along the journey, you’ll find mature themes taking on fundamental philosophical questions: What will the world be like after we’re gone? What role should the government play in the lives of the people? What does it mean to be human? Or, if you just want to get on the gameplay, you don’t have to pay attention to all of that. If you want  a classic style adventure game with a philosophical twist, this is right for you. Takes about six hours to beat

“Fistful of Frags”

This game started out as a mod for “Half-Life 2” but eventually got its own (free) release earlier this year. It’s a multiplayer deathmatch shooter set in the Wild West. It’s incredibly addicting and fun to play. What’s really so great about this game is the reload times. It sounds strange, I know. But the reload time on the weapons, a seemingly insignificant detail, along with a couple of fun perks, really changes the whole dynamic. It’s a multiplayer experience unlike most others. It doesn’t require that much out of your computer, either; it can run on just about anything. Also, your health power-up is moonshine. Everything about this game gives off the western atmosphere, and it works out really well.

“Thomas Was Alone”

What can I say about this game that hasn’t already been said? If you haven’t played it, you really ought to. If you have, go play it again. Its incredible story and solid gameplay provide an experience that isn’t worth missing. As you guide a group of rectangles through a series of increasingly more difficult puzzles, you learn a little bit about friendship, life and love. Oh, and the soundtrack’s phenomenal. Add that in with some cool jetpack DLC, and you’ve got yourself a good time. Takes about four hours to beat

“Fez”

Okay, so a lot of people don’t like Phil Fish. I myself criticized him in the wake of the controversy over GamerGate that started a few months ago. I do have to admit, though: This guy makes a darn good video game. If you’re looking for a game you can get lost in for hours on end, this is perfect for you. “Fez” sucks you in with a cool gameplay mechanic then keeps you with beautiful landscapes and extraordinary ambiance. To get the true ending, you’ll have to navigate the game’s various cyphers and codes, and the sometimes means busting out the good old pen and paper. (That is, unless you just want to look up the answers online) This game will challenge you and amaze you, and alway have you coming back for more. Takes at least 10 hours to beat.

(Visited 32 times, 1 visits today)