It has been scientifically proven that an hour of gaming a day does wonders for the brain. Video games can help build your lateral thinking skills, an essential part of IQ testing. Gaming can also improve one’s ability to strategize and perceive a situation, helping us grasp the whole picture and find the quickest route to the solution.
Being a gamer myself, I take joy in knowing my hobby can provide me with qualities that are useful in other aspects of life. To me, gaming is a form of relaxation; it leaves me refreshed and ready to get to work. Contrary to some beliefs that video games are brain deadening, research actually shows an adequate amount to be beneficial. So to the gamers out there (especially now that exams are over), your hobby is super justified!
I would like to share with you a list of my favorite games; I would appreciate if you have any recommendations for me as well.
1) Borderlands 2: An astonishingly good soundtrack, a group of super cool heroes, an awesome villain named ‘Handsome Jack’, and an annoying little robot mentor-‘Claptrap’; this game is off the hooks! If you’re looking for smooth, bug-free gaming, then this is for you. I love the producers’ creative naming skills, and the graphics are just beautiful. This is a first person shooter game, but yet it’s completely different from COD, Medal of Honor, and the likes. If you enjoy playing those games, I would highly recommend you try this one out.
2) Dead Island: Whoever said zombie games are pointless after 2012 has probably never played this one. I think my favourite part of this game is how realistic it is. Am I the only one who watched the introduction again and again? I think not. The intro was very well laid out, featuring the 4 characters and really bringing out their personalities. I really respect games that don’t rely on jump scares to raise its creepiness, and this game is a great example. When you get further into the game, it becomes more of a co-op. But if you strategize it well, one player will get you pretty far.
3) Assassin’s Creed 3: It’s Assassin’s creed, need I say more?
4) Resident Evil 4: My favorite out of the RE series. You play as Leon, in a rural Spanish village, on a mission to rescue the president’s daughter. I enjoyed the story of this game; everything was well connected, no random variation of any sort. I think this is the first RE game I’ve played, maybe that’s why it seemed slightly more difficult than the others. Horror game lovers, this is a must play.
5) Cry of Fear: I REALLY like horror games, especially ones founded on psychology. The story in this one is tragic, a glum start and a glum ending. A few well-placed jump scares here and there helps amplify what the main character, Simon, is experiencing. This is a game that’ll keep you thinking even after you finish it, I find it to be a similar effect to after finishing a great book.
6) Dishonored: in a way, the gameplay is similar to Dead Island and Rage. And just like Dead Island, this game requires a lot of strategizing; there’s an easy way and a hard way to handle the combats. Stealth is key in this game, and gadgets play a big part in guiding you through. Even though I’ve experienced a few frustrating bugs with the save system, it’s nothing to dampen my overall impression of this game.
7) Dead Space 2: Survival horror is the genre of this game. But personally, I didn’t find it particularly terrifying. I did, however, enjoy the gameplay and the graphics. The game began in an asylum in a space station, where the protagonist-Isaac, suffering from memory loss, is being freed by a friend. But a sudden outbreak of monsters called nercromorphs claims the friend’s life. Isaac is left to escape on his own and faces both mental and physical challenges to stay alive.
8) Silent Hill Downpour: Actually, the whole Silent Hill series should be on this list, but that would take up too much space. I just finished this one recently and really like the whole atmosphere of the game. I didn’t care much for the movies, but the Silent Hill games really are exceptional.
9) Batman Arkham City: Batman you’re awesome! This was such a great game, all the action, and the Batman.
10) Alice Madness Returns: Guess what my all-time favorite video game is? That’s right, this one! I am absolutely obsessed with this game. First there’s the art, simply gorgeous beyond comparison. It completely captures the mysterious, pensive aura of Wonderland mixed with a toxic corruption. Then there’s the soundtrack, which corresponds to the settings perfectly. The gameplay was quite excellent in my experience; my only complaint would be the sometimes repetitive platforming. But the story, detailed and well thought out, with every single factor falling perfectly into place, well outshines all flaws. From the quirky characters to the eccentric designs, playing this game is like walking through Wonderland museum.