echo Amidst a pandemic, people have been in a state of quarantine for quite some time. If there is anything positive happening during this period, it’s the gaming industry. Everyone has been finding ways to entertain themselves one way or another. Be it watching movies or getting occupied with a new hobby or playing games! Statistics have shown, there has been a 63% increase in video games sales in the gaming industry as people have more time than ever to play games while staying at home. In 2019, The gaming industry has contributed to a total of $151.9 billion over the world. Needless to say, gaming is one of the favourite modern pastimes. Anyone could be a gamer, even the granny you meet at the grocery store.
So let’s talk about video games! They come in different shapes and sizes (genres and supported platforms). There are over 30,000 games on Steam in January 2019. The massive steam library allows any individual with different game preferences to find what they enjoy playing especially with their easy to use user interface. However, this isn’t the typical normie’s list with all the mainstream games. So give this a shot and see if these underrated games are worth it. The games listed may not be entirely free so keep that in mind. Also, the pros and cons are listed, alongside ratings from different sites as reference.
[Town of Salem – burn the witch!]
Anyone who enjoys the idea of lying, deceiving others would strive in this game. Sharing a similar concept with Mafia, Werewolf and of course Among Us, these social deduction games require players to read other players’ minds and figure out what their roles are. ToS features tons of roles to play with and sometimes it gets overwhelming. Once the player is familiar with the roles and what they do, get ready to make others look like a fool by lying in front of them and laugh behind the screen or slap people’s faces by tearing their lies apart, not literally, that’d be rude 😉
Pros:
- Many roles to play with
- Different modes to play with
- Lying to other players and maybe lose trust in humanity
Cons:
- Teammates dependant
- High death penalty
Ratings:
- Steam: 9/10
- Metacritic users’ score: 8.1
Platform: PC, Android, iOS
Price: RM12 (steam), Free on mobile (with ads)
[Plato – make new friends through games]
Plato is a social media and gaming app which allows you to connect with other users from all around the world by playing over 30 multiplayer games such as Table Soccer, Werewolf, Pool, Ocho (Uno), Bankroll, and so on. The levelling system rewards users with coins to buy in-game cosmetics and join tourneys. The app is ad-free so users don’t get interrupted by those annoying ads. However, there are also in-app purchases to have access to different levels and in-game cosmetics.
Pros:
- Tons of free games
- Ad-free
- Aesthetic in-game cosmetics
Cons:
- Sometimes, a player might leave the game early and other players have to wait for his/her turn to end
Ratings:
- Play Store: 4.4/5
- App Store: 4.7/5
Platform: Android, iOS
Price: Free, $5 for advance levels
[This War of Mine – winter hits hard]
This War of Mine is a war survival game developed and published by 11-Bits Studio in Steam back in 2014. It’s unique appeal compared to nowadays war-themed AAA games is that the players start as a group of civilians, trying to rebuild the base by scavenging resources and materials so that they can survive the harsh reality of war. The game does not spoon-feed players with any sort of tutorial so anything is just trial and error.
With that being said, it’s one of the best experiences in a survival game as it allows players to make their own decision on what to prioritise whether it’s stealing a can of tuna from the neighbours or fighting off terrorists. Players will come across all kinds of struggles when playing the game, be it finding wood to warm the survivors during winter, food to feed their hunger and medicine to cure their illnesses. However, the player’s actions will have consequences such as stealing from innocents might upset the survivors which might lead to suicide.
In the end, it’s about managing resources and the survivors’ well-being so that the player can survive till the end game (45 days). Though it’s been a while since the launch, the game received their last update during its 5th anniversary from the developers as a form of appreciation throughout these years. Needless to say, it’s worth every penny to buy this game. Don’t worry, it’ll run just fine on a low-end pc.
Pros:
- Well-polished graphics
- Unique combat system
- One of the best stories, scenarios
- One of the best original soundtracks in any game.
- Price is reasonable for the content offered
- Low system requirement to run the game
Cons:
- Stealth is too overpowered
- Can be very difficult for new players
Ratings:
- Steam: 9/10
- Metacritic: 80%
- CommonSenseMedia: 5/5
Platform: PC, PS4 (DLC only), Xbox-One (DLC only), Nintendo Switch
Price: RM38 (steam), buy it during a sale! $4.99 (PS store)
[Bully – high school fantasy comes true]
Developed and published by Rockstar Vancouver in 2006, Bully’s initial release was a PS2 exclusive, later on, a remastered version called Scholarship Edition in 2008, the original version which was re-released on PS4 in 2016 and lastly, on mobile in 2018.
One of the best games that Rockstar has ever made that isn’t GTA. It’s a timeless classic of the open-world genre. Playing as 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins, the protagonist of the game as he has been expelled from his 7th high school and has transferred to Bullworth Academy for a year while his mother and new step-father went on their honeymoon. Once stepped foot on the new campus which was supposedly famous for ‘bringing their students back on track’ and there are already people wanting him dead. Thus, he decides to make himself popular among the various cliques by earning their respects so that he can end this madness. On the other hand, Gary Smith, the antagonist in his attempts to befriend him but was plotting to take over the school.
The game fulfills all high school fantasies such as attending English, chemistry, gym classes… Of course not, it’s about bullying, kissing, pranking other students, etc. Since Jimmy stayed for a year, it features other festivals such as Halloween and Christmas which resulted in more pranks and fights.
All in all, it’s an old game with generally positive reviews from different reviewers with a few awards to back it up, namely the IGN’s award for Best PS2 Action Game.
Pros:
- One of the best original soundtracks unlike GTAs
- Story plot is exceptionally done, the pacing is fine, doesn’t feel rush at all
- Supporting characters have their share of the spotlight
- Fun combat system, pair with combos learned from a hobo and gym classes
- Borderline offensive humour that you won’t see in other games
- You get to own a scooter and a personal go-kart???
Cons:
- Where’s Bully 2?
- Where’s Bully 2?
- Where’s Bully 2?
Ratings:
- Steam: 8/10
- Metacritic: 87%
- IGN: 8/9/10
- 1UP: 10/10
Platform: PC (scholarship edition) , PS4 (original edition), Android/ iOS (anniversary edition)
Price: RM31 (steam), $15 (PS Store), RM25.99 (Play Store)
[I Love You, Colonel Sanders! – a finger-licking good dating sim]
This one is a bit of a catch, a dating simulator by KFC. If it ain’t obvious enough, the main goal is to fall in love with the founder of KFC, Colonel Sanders, a handsome looking culinary student in the University of Cooking School: Academy for Learning. Over the 3 days, a journey to become a chef while gaining his affection. Besides, there’s a corgi as a professor, what more to ask for?
This is one of those marketing strategies made by KFC in 2015 to remain as a part of pop culture, very much like the KFC console that we have just covered. Surprisingly, this game is well received by the masses with over 92% positive reviews on Steam and it’s FREE. Kudos to KFC and let’s hope that Colonel Daddy brings more content in the future!
Pros:
- A dating sim with the KFC Daddy and it’s FREE?
- A funny game that doesn’t take up much time
- Animation of food and artworks are very impressive
Cons:
- You can’t kiss Colonel Daddy 🙁
Ratings:
- Steam: 9/10
- Google: 95%
- Metacritic: 5/10
Platform: PC
Price: Free (steam)
Written by: Alex
Edited by: Maki
