Staying at home has never been a more attractive option, thanks to COVID-19. The global response to the coronavirus leaves many of us with extra time to spare. It's time to go through your backlog, revisit your old favors, or try something new.
In compiling this list, we've prioritized the games that you probably already have, or that you can easily buy online; social distancing means not going to your local game store. If you are looking for a game that will envelop your soul and help you lose all concept of linear time, look no further than these suggestions.
the trigger of a stopwatch
If we list games that make you forget about the concept of linear time, we have to start with Chrono Trigger. This is the gold standard for classic JRPGs. Legendary music will be stuck in your head for days. The characters are inherently adorable and are dripping with personality. If you've only played it once, you've barely scratched the surface. You never got the 13 endings, did you?
Stardew Valley
Running away from home and tending to Grandpa's farm has never been a better idea. Get lost in the smallest details of the crops, meet neighbors, raise cattle. Stardew Valley builds on much of the structure presented by games like Harvest Moon, but takes it a step further with more interesting dialogue, immersive routines, and more options on how to live your life.
No Man's Sky
If you're anything like me, you've bought into the No Man's Sky hype and played it for a few days before the uninspired gameplay stops you. Over the past 4 years, No Man's Sky has released update after update to bring it in line with the dev team's initial promises. It's really good now! Dig it into your library and spend some time discovering new planets, because the one we're on is kind of a drag right now.
Fortnite
Are you terrible at Battle Royale games? Now is the time to dive into Fortnite. It's an open secret, but Fortnite is a much easier game when the kids come home from school. For every 16-year-old World Cup champion, there are a hundred teens rushing through walls. Practice your goal and learn the map now, and by the end of this quarantine you will be ready to go pro.
Guild Wars 2
Nothing eats up time like an MMO. Everyone has a friend who keeps trying to get you to play Guild Wars 2, and being stuck at home for weeks on end means you have no excuse not to try it. The initial game is free to play, so you'll be able to take in the stunning scenery and hang onto the story before GW2 asks you to remove your wallet. If you like the grind, there is plenty to do. If you prefer story-driven progression, you'll find it here. GW2 has enough to keep you entertained for a while.
The legend of Zelda: the breath of nature
No modern game is so exciting to explore Breath of the Wild. The open world seems really big; a good change to be quarantined. Take a walk. Get the hell out of here. Find a treasure. Kill interesting monsters. If you are tired of the usual adventures, you can find and feed 16 different dogs. In BotW, there is always something you haven't done yet.
