By Hayeon Kayla Lee ‘23
Recently, during this online school year, one of the hobbies that has been most valuable to me has been playing video games. This is an activity that I did even when the school year was in person, but I found that I have come to appreciate my hobby much more now that we are learning remotely. It has served as a respite from the chaos that seems to be hitting the world every single day. That said, here are some video games that I have been playing and my thoughts about each one!
Disclaimer: This is just my personal opinion. If you find yourself starting to get red, hands sweaty, mom’s spaghetti, stop reading, take a break, and forget that this article ever existed! Love the video games you want to love!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Ah, one of the games that took the internet by storm at the beginning of the pandemic. As a huge Nintendo fan and a lover of the Animal Crossing franchise, I too fell immediately down the rabbit hole of serving my trash panda king, Tom Nook. I would set my alarm to go buy my Sunday radishes from Daisy May, collect my Bunny Day eggs for the slightly disturbing Zipper, and hit my rocks every day for gold and iron. However, as the days went by, due to Animal Crossing running on the same time as real life, I felt an immense amount of stress each time I missed a day. I also found myself angry that my island was not the perfect Pinterest island that everyone seemed to have. Call me dramatic, but there was even a point where I could not pick up my Switch without feeling a certain dread that Sherb had left my town or the weeds that I picked had grown back. This game is not for the faint of heart.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
This is my first Zelda franchise game, but it was absolutely breathtaking. From the soundtrack to the game mechanics, the beautiful art, and the captivating storyline, I now understand the hype that surrounds this game. As it is a story-based game, I will not be spoiling it for anyone, but if you happen to have a Switch and are wondering what to do with your time, this would be the game that I recommend. (I’ve set my morning alarm to the “Guardian Theme,” which wakes me up immediately out of fear and adrenaline, and my horses that all have died due to various accidents come to haunt me in my sleep.)
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a highly detailed RPG farming game that is wholesome and calming. As the main character, you have decided to quit your corporate job with Joja, the Amazon of the Stardew world, and moved to your late grandfather’s empty cabin and farm. There, you begin your life as a farmer in Stardew Valley and find yourself slowly getting the hang of and enjoying life in the countryside. I found this game much more relaxing than Animal Crossing because, if you are not playing the game, time does not run in the game world. I recommend this to anyone looking for a wholesome, relaxing game with a surprisingly in-depth storyline.
Genshin Impact
“Breath of the Wild” but gotcha-fied. I enjoy the fan art and the fan comics more than the game. However, if you like spending hundreds of dollars trying to get your 2D partner, and it brings you joy, who am I to stop or judge you? 10/10 for the character designs, but 0.1/10 for the originality of the game.
League of Legends
I play League on a daily basis. However, as the famous Twitter quote by @impossibilyeve states, “PSA!!!! If you see League of Legends anywhere online, DO NOT download it!!!! It will install a virus called League of Legends to your pc, and if you run it, it will launch League of Legends.” Play at your own risk.
Wynncraft
Old Minecrafters might remember a time when the Minecraft-based MMORPG Wynncraft was at its height. One of the largest Minecraft maps to be created, Wynncraft brings a touch of nostalgia that guild-based MMORPG bring. Although the server and community is much smaller than what it was at its height, if you enjoy mini-quest and dungeon-style game play, I highly suggest revisiting Wynncraft.
I hope you enjoyed this light-hearted game review. If you want more, you can always comment, and, if you have game recommendations, feel free to reach out. Stay safe and healthy everyone!