Caption: These games will transport you to all kinds of adventures
The demands of everyday life mean that sometimes we can’t get out there and enjoy the adventures that we’d so dearly like to. It would be great to stumble through the Amazon, hike all the way to the South Pole, or spend the night watching fireflies in the forest, but most of us will be spending the evening on the couch before heading upstairs to bed. If you fit into the latter category, but just can’t get over your lust for adventure, then fear not, there are loads of games that put adventures right at the center. These games will satisfy your need for exploration and they’re a whole lot cheaper than a flight to Antarctica.
Gonzo’s Quest
Gonzo’s Quest takes the form of a slot game, which will suit those who have limited time on their hands or those who just enjoy that format. You’ll follow a slightly goofy explorer named Gonzo on a Mayan adventure, spinning reels as you go. The game is available among other online slots on sites like PokerStars Casino but was developed by NetEnt, a huge slots provider. The Megaways mechanic is at play on this game, too, which means you’ll get a slightly different experience to the slots games that you might usually play. Megaways was invented back in 2015 by Big Time Gaming and includes a random feature, giving you the option to win in multiple different ways on every spin. For those wondering about the gameplay, you’ll spin the reels just like in a normal slot game. On the reels, you’ll find a series of masks that come tumbling down as the reels spin. Match a minimum of three masks in any one of the twenty paylines to win.
South of the Circle
Caption: The cold tundra of Antarctica is where this game is set
South of the Circle was released two years ago now, but it still feels brand new thanks to its innovative style. The game follows Peter, an academic from the University of Cambridge. He finds himself in the blisteringly cold tundra of Antarctica, an inhospitable enough environment at the best of times, but made extra inhospitable when you consider he’s also fighting for survival and its wartime too. He drifts between past and present, fondly remembering his girlfriend back at home, Clara, then snapping back to the harsh reality that he finds himself in. As the coldness sets in and Peter struggles to keep conscious, the lines between the past and present become more difficult to define. The game is not only a fascinating story but it is captured beautifully. The team at State of Play really pulled out all of the stops, capturing the characters by using actors hooked up to a 3D motion capture rig. This means that they could use renowned actors to portray their animated game, adding a sense of realism to the movement that would’ve otherwise been impossible. As a result, the game was received incredibly well, earning nominations for both the DICE Awards and the Apple Design Awards. It’s available to play on an enormous range of platforms, including PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo, so you’ve no excuse not to try it out for yourself.
Night in the Woods
This game is proof that when a truly great team comes together, they can create magical things. This 2017 release, Night in the Woods, was developed by Infinite Fall, a relatively new studio founded by Alec Holowka, a game designer, and Scott Benson, an incredible animator. Working as a team already, Infinite Fall decided to bring Secret Lab on board, an Australian studio known for its artistic flair in games. Not only was the resulting team a new collaboration, but their entire project was also funded entirely by fans who backed it on Kickstarter to the tune of 400% of the money they’d hoped for. What the whole crew managed to create is a truly beautiful game with stunning graphics, a captivating story, and a soundtrack to rival any of the big releases. In terms of gameplay, you’ll be playing as Mae Borowski, a college dropout who returns home to find that all is not as it once was. What had once been a thriving coal mining community is now a town struggling to hold itself together. Mae bumps into old friends from her previous life who are grappling with health problems, both mental and physical, in the wake of the mines closing down. This game tackles some tough subjects but does so with incredible sensitivity.
