As it tends to every year, school starts for me after PAX, crunching together con coverage, GeekGirlCon prep, and general blogging all in one forgotten section that kind of falls off of the to-do list when juxtaposed against school, robotics, and theatre. Nonetheless, I'm here and just barely hanging on as usual! Something that's helped me stay on track and not crash, however, has been finding little bits of time here and there to play games. Here are my top 5 games that have kept me sane while I plug on by.
1. Guild Wars 2 (Free/$40 Premium) - Time: 2 hours+
On those rare nights where I have more than an hour or so to play games, GW2 is where I go. I can't say enough great things about this game. It's gorgeous, friendly to play for those who can't log on every single day, and the community is great. What I especially love about it, though, it how much fun it is to play with friends. When I'm not running my ranger solo, I'm exploring with APP and sending her all of my chef crafting ingredients. Because she and I can't hang out in person that often because of my crazy schedule, having a game to play is really useful for staying in touch.
2. Viridi (Free/<$1 In-Game Purchases) - Time: 5 minutes
I've adored Viridi since before it was public. Ice Water Games has been a favorite of mine for Eidolon, and having gotten to be a part of the testing process for Viridi was a lovely experience. Now that I can have a pot of succulents on my phone, I can find my zen moment anywhere, whether that's right before a test, on the bus, or in the middle of English. The soundtrack is also great, and I tend to have it playing while I sleep.
3. Crypt of the NecroDancer ($15) - Time: 10-30 minutes
What I love about Crypt of the NecroDancer is that it's easy to pick up and learn, but difficult to master. It's a great game for picking up for a few minutes to chill out. Dancepad Mode, which is easier than the game itself, is so chill that even after drowning in AP Calculus homework I can still rack up a pretty good score. When I need to beat something up, Crypt is something that always satisfies the need.
4. Besiege ($7.99) - Time: ???
Besiege. Oh, Besiege. As a roboticist and physics lover, building games hold a very special place in my heart. Besiege fits under the umbrella of Crypt where destroying things is definitely the end goal, but the engineering aspect can help me get into a mindset where I can then pour my heart out into CAD after a play session or really think about how my mechanisms are going to work. My only gripe with Besiege (which isn't a gripe at all) is that I can spend hours upon hours building and working, and when I look over at the clock, the time has simply gone away...
5. Kentucky Route Zero (Price) Time: 20-30 min
I can't write enough about Kentucky Route Zero. What Kentucky Route Zero, a poetic, surreal low-poly enigma of a game, does for me is mellow out my tensions and open my mind up to new possibilities, leaving me amused and fresh for some new learning when I put down the game. I have bonded so closely with the characters, I'm hesitant to inch closer to the end...
What games keep you in check when you're busy? Tell me all about them!
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