Taylor Smith
I have always enjoyed playing video games, whether it was playing on my dad’s Play Station as a child or sneaking my Gameboy on car trips. Video games have fed my curious mind with puzzles, stories, and epic battles. So, I would like to share some of my favorite video games that I feel others might enjoy as much as I do.
Stardew Valley
This game is one that I have found myself getting lost in for hours at a time. A beautiful mixture of slow-paced farming simulation inspired by Harvest Moon, with hints of interactions like those in the classic Animal Crossing games. You arrive in a sleepy little country town with nothing more than a few tools, a plot of land you have been gifted, and so many opportunities to discover.
Untitled Goose Game
You are a goose. That is it. Perfection. These are the only words necessary to describe this game. It is such a simple concept, but when you waddle around causing mayhem for the people around you it makes so much sense that this hilariously amazing game is summed up in just a few words. Or honks if you are a silly goose.
Undertale
This is a game that erupted in popularity overnight. What was once planned to be a one-hour passion project has transformed into so much more than that. This 8-bit game remembers you through each playthrough. and each one changes the trajectory of the game. In fact, this game has an estimated total of 93 endings depending on who you save, kill, interact with, and more. This is the perfect game for someone who wishes for one that can be enjoyed in many ways.
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
What starts as a silly and lighthearted comedic tale becomes increasingly dark as you play through this game. Turnip Boy, the main character, must embark on a series of quests for Mayor Onion who has seized his home due to tax evasion. On this mission, the secrets of the world start to unravel as Turnip Boy must fight mutants, swim through mysterious glowing green liquids, and rip apart all mentions of taxes in the process.
Digimon Cyber Sleuth and Hackers Memory
Although these are technically two completely different games, they do go hand in hand with one another so in this case I would like to count them as one. Back when I was a child, I loved watching Digimon, but I always thought the games were subpar and chose not to indulge in them. However, I got this game as a gift and after letting it sit on my shelf for a few months I finally decided to play it.
I was immediately blown away by the game. The story was immersive, the characters were interesting, and the best part was all the different side quests you could take. It feels like the developers listened to the complaints they received about previous games and gave us a new mind-blowing game that you can easily lose yourself in for hours.
Of course, there are many more games that I like, but I have found that these are the ones I have spent the most time enjoying in the past few years. As a child, I thought that games should only ever be exciting and filled with action and adventure. Now, as I look at this list of favorites, I have realized that games can be exciting, but they should also be relaxing and enjoyable as well.
