In this time of Coronavirus closures, I am one of those fortunate enough to be working from home. There are many of us, sending emails in our pajamas, getting acquainted with Microsoft Teams, finding ways to enjoy ourselves at home with fewer and fewer places to go. I know that I’m not the only one who’s looked to video games to fill some of that void.
Here’s the best, easiest, and most definitely free way to play games for, I’m guessing, the majority of you all reading this here: dig into those backlogs. The number of games I’ve bought and saved to play for a rainy day is too large. Consider it hubris, or maybe this is how being an adult gamer goes, but I buy far more games than I ever complete. What a terrible problem to have, right? I expect that statement to be read with eye-rolling discontent, and rightfully so. 2020 is for cracking seals and ripping off plastic wrap.
I’m hoping that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice clicks the second time through.
Now, what if your backlog is completely cleared and you need something new to play? You might not be able to pop into your local game shop and ordering online can be a risk if a title gets delayed. You may not even have the money to afford a new game. Fortunately, there are plenty of games that you can download right now and you do not need to spend a single penny.
Free to play Mobile games (iOS/Android):
– Hidden City
– Mini Metro
– Mahjong Journey
– The Secret Society
– Jewels of Rome
– Homicide Squad: Hidden Crimes
– The Hidden Treasures
– Pirates & Pearls
– Survivors: the Quest
– Jewels of Mahjong
– Wordplay: Exercise your brain
The important point here, I feel, is that there can be a silver lining to every situation and that while I’m okay with it (as far as I know, this is quite the test) I know a lot of people just cannot handle being alone for long periods. That’s obviously going to be a big problem for them because there’s no way out of self-isolation that doesn’t risk you or people you love. But video games not only offer you something stimulating to do, rather than just gluing your eyes to your streaming service of choice, but many of the games also have voice communication where you can chat to friends and family online and even play with them if they’re into games as well.
If you have the means, please consider using some of the money saved to support smaller devs. It sounds like even popular apps are taking a big hit, a fact likely to only get worse. However, if you do throw down some coin on an AAA title might I suggest Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I’m hearing that it is a polished and quality product. The game is an extremely cheerful place — and we could all use a lot of that right now.
-Dagobot
Get at me on twitter: @markdago
Like me on THE Facebook: facebook.com/markdagoraps
Download my latest EP for free: markdago.bandcamp.com
Listen to MY podcast http://poppundits.libsyn.com