RPG: Horizon Zero Dawn
What’s not to like about Horizon Zero Dawn? It has gorgeous, sweeping landscapes, intense combat, and a great story. Moreover, there is much more to this game’s world than meets the eye. As the protagonist, Aloy, continues her journey to solve the mystery of her origin, she also finds out much about the mysterious animal- (or dinosaur-) like creatures that roam her world.
Indie: Night in the Woods
In Night in the Woods, you play as Mae, a young woman who has recently returned home after dropping out of college. Things get weird as she stumbles upon a secret in her hometown of Possum Springs. The deeper she delves into the mystery, the more she uncovers about why the coal mines closed and why her friend disappeared. The game’s focus is on storytelling, exploration, and character depth, and it also touches on topics of mental illnesses and stagnation, meaning that those looking for more intense gameplay should look elsewhere.
Multiplayer: Rocket League
Who knew playing soccer with rocket-powered cars would be so fun? Dash, spin, and even fly around, just to get the giant ball into the opponent’s goal. There are also many items to choose from to customize your car, from bodies to wheels and accessories. Also, there are other game modes, if the normal soccer mode gets a bit stale.
Single Player Shooter: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
William ‘BJ’ Blazkowicz is back with another brutal, bloody, and action-packed adventure through Nazi-controlled America. He may be injured, but he’s no less a badass for it. The sequel keeps much of the first game’s features, namely the guns, the customization, and the dual wielding. Although this game more of the same stuff that its predecessor delivered, it’s still just as fun.
Multiplayer Shooter: PUBG
A hundred players all duking it out, battle royale style, in an ever-shrinking map. Supplies are scarce, and survival is sometimes a matter of chance. You’ll die many times before tasting the sweetest chicken dinner of your gamer life. Savor it, because it’ll take more than a hundred deaths to taste it again.
Platformer: Super Mario Odyssey
Mario’s back with yet another adventure to save Princess Peach from Bowser (…surprise). This time, he’s accompanied by Cappy, a spirit that manifests as Mario’s hat. Aside from his usual repertoire of various jumps, Mario can use Cappy to ‘capture’ various living characters or inanimate objects. Capturing an object or character allows Marioto use their unique abilities. Moreover, the game takes place in a 3D sandbox environment (like Super Mario 64) that focuses on exploration rather than linear completion.
Game of the Year: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
This is the game that knocked the gaming world off its feet. A game with gorgeous graphics, simple but challenging gameplay, and quirky characters to breathe life into a rather straightforward but engaging story. While it suffered issues at launch, updates quickly fixed that, and its DLCs are enjoyable in their own ways. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a true masterpiece anyone can enjoy, even those new to the franchise.