As Thanksgiving approaches, many people will have the opportunity to relax, unwind, and log the kind of gaming hours only possible during an extended holiday weekend. Halo Infinites multiplayer will likely be a highly popular choice, almost guaranteeing servers will be crammed with players the way Los Angeles 405 freeway is crammed with travelers every Thanksgiving season. So, in the event you just cant connect to a game of capture the flag, or if you have no interest in the multiplayer at all, here are the best non-Halo Infinite games were playing to make it through the holiday. Ash Parrish
Andrew Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier
It turns out the thing that finally pulled me away from Fortnite was a game thats a lot like it, only set in the world of Final Fantasy VII. The First Soldier is the most unexpected of prequels. Its set a few decades before the events of FF7, exploring the SOLDIER program thats so integral to the storyline. But instead of a single-player adventure like you might expect, its a battle royale crossed with an RPG. Think of it like Fortnite without the building, set in Midgar, and with magic spells to wield and monsters to battle. You get the same last player standing thrilled, but with deeper character progression and familiar locations to battle it out in. The gunplay is a little floaty, and the map could use some more points of interest, but theres something really fun about perching on top of Seventh Heaven with a sniper rifle. Just be sure to avoid those Tonberries.
Sean Genshin Impact
Almost every evening, my five- and two-year-old daughters ask me for Adventure Game by which they mean firing up Genshin Impact so they can watch an array of sword and magic-wielding waifus explore a radiant Breath of the Wild-style landscape. Im going to admit I initially sat on this game, turned off by the pay-to-avoid-grinding mechanics and the idea it was a Zelda clone. But so far, its surprisingly deep. The initial European castle / church vibe, with fights against goblins and automatons, soon gives way to an idyllic ancient Chinese landscape, including a gorgeous harbor town filled with agents of intrigue. (Apparently, many spots are inspired by real-world Chinese locations.) My daughters only get to watch a little bit before bedtime, though, so thats as far as weve gone. This holiday, Im going to try to get us to Genshin Impacts growing Inazuma region so we can visit Japan as well. BTW, its a great showcase game for new hardware: it runs amazingly on PS5 and surprisingly well on the latest iPhones.
Makena Stardew Valley
Over the next few weeks, Ill be spending hours on a train, in a car, and in the air trying to visit me and my partners families before the holiday season is over. Ive never been a big gamer when traveling its hard to focus on a game when Im constantly worried about losing my tickets or missing my boarding time. But Stardews simple gameplay lets me drop in and out of fishing or tending to my cows in between the stressful moments in the airport or train station. My partner and I share a farm in the game, and were able to chat about our plans for the upcoming season or designate chores. The games collaborative nature gives me an opportunity to connect with my partner while traveling rather than stuffing my nose in a book while he sleeps. Its a pleasant and less stressful way to pass time!
Adi Deaths Door
I cant personally vouch for Deaths Door yet because Ive been waiting to play it on Nintendo Switch, and it finally came out on Tuesday: a land of pure, untapped potentiality. Its an action-exploration game about a crow who collects peoples souls, which sounds cool? I hear its a little like Hollow Knight, a game Id played for about 70 hours last I checked? Ive been reading great things about it on PC for months? Either way, Ive got my Polygon beginners guide up and the start screen ready.
Alice Forza Horizon 5, Age of Empires 4
Few open-world games have dug their claws into me quite like the latest installment of Forza Horizon. Most open-world titles cause my eyes to glaze over once I see how big the map actually is, filled with tons of tiny markers that Ill never pick up and activities Ill never complete. However, cruising around Mexico in everything from modern supercars to an antique Volkswagen is strangely meditative, even with the throttle pinned at 180MPH. I know the map is absolutely littered with stuff to do, but Forza doesnt have the same FOMO as its contemporaries. There is a level of appreciation for the extensive library of cars that I will never truly understand, but there will always be a strange, primeval part of me that loves something that goes VROOM, even as someone who has never owned a car.
And for something entirely different, Ill likely also be spending a decent amount of hours with Age of Empires 4. I managed to bulldoze my way through the single-player campaigns (on easy), but Ive been working through the various masteries of the different civs (Franks FTW) and working up the nerve to fight the intermediate AI. I know Im not the only one with a special place in my heart for the Age of Empires franchise, but its been too long since weve had an honest real-time strategy to celebrate. Indeed, I fully intend to spend some quality time with AOE4.
Cameron Inscryption, RE4 VR, Shin Megami Tensei V
Ash asked us to not say Halo Infinite, which is good because thats what I was going to say (my friends and I play it, and its just good fun; sorry, Ash). Currently, Im hopping between Inscryption, the VR port of Resident Evil 4 for Quest 2, and Shin Megami Tensei V. To be perfectly honest, I was content with the idea of skipping Inscryption, but the industrys collective praise of it was coercive (and loud) enough to push me to buy it. Im not much of a card game person, but theres definitely enough intrigue and unique elements at play to keep me going. So, here I am, encouraging you to give it a try, too, if you have a PC.
Atlus Shin Megami Tensei V for the Switch was another game I was able to resist at first. I was reluctant to jump in willingly because earlier in 2021, I finally played through Persona 5 to the end. That was fun but also kind of exhausting. While SMT V is a very different beast, I knew the battles would feel similar, to the point that I had to stop and think if I really wanted to embark on whats likely to be an 80+ hour experience. Anyway, I bought it, so Ill let you know how it is in a year when I finish it.
RE4 for the Quest 2 is incredible. Armature Studio, the team that developed the VR port, touched the right amount of things to make the game feel fresh, yet in most ways, just as I remembered playing it on Gamecube. Im trying to force myself to take my time. Its too special to gobble up like a Turkey Day meal.
Gloria Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2.0 Update, Just Dance 2022
Ill confess: its been months since I last hung out with my villagers on my Animal Crossing island, and even then, I was playing in time travel mode to check out the special events Id missed (like Mario Day). Knowing how extensive the November 2021 update is, Ive been avoiding my Switch until I have time to go all in. With Black Friday and Buying Guides now out of the way, I cant wait to escape to my virtual island.
Im looking forward to sipping a latte at Brewsters, getting Kappn to serenade me on the way to exotic islands, buying a sick gaming setup for my house, and even growing veggies and learning to cook in the game. So far, Ive only managed to buy one pack of the Animal Crossing Series 5 Amiibo cards, so Ill try to bring those new villagers to my island (even though I dont like my cards). I hope I can get into ACNH 2.0 without needing to weed too much first. I cant even wrap my mind around the Happy Home Paradise expansion pack yet maybe remind me in December.
The other game Im excited to try is Just Dance 2022 for the Xbox Kinect (yes, I bought a used Kinect just for this series). Ill need to work off my Thanksgiving dinner somehow!
Antonio Metroid Dread, Dark Souls Remastered
I have barely touched Metroid Dread and my SWOLED since I got them, so Im hoping if I have any time during the holiday to play games not named Halo Infinite when Im not with family or working on our Black Friday deals coverage Ill finally make some solid progress. I loved Metroid Dread from the first moment, though I had a false start early on when I got lost and thought I might have missed something important. A fresh restart from the beginning has solved that, so now I just need to play frequently enough that I dont forget everything again. Games really could use a you havent played in two weeks, heres what you were up to type of recap.
I also just got Dark Souls Remastered on PC as a birthday gift, so I guess Im looking forward to feeling some pain during the holiday that isnt related to food comas and overeating.
Mitchell Kentucky Route Zero
Ive slowly been working my way through a Kentucky Route Zero replay (which I plan on finishing during a few flights), and its episodic nature feels perfect for those holiday nights where youre looking to wind down after everyones turned in for the night. KRZ is almost all vibes with little gameplay, but Ive loved re-experiencing the twists and turns of its Americana-fueled story, which is as weird and mythic as it is deeply sad. It may not be the game to play right before a cheerful Thanksgiving dinner, but if youre looking for something to turn over and over in your mind (or just dont want to wait until Stray comes out next year to play as a cat) over the holidays, Kentucky Route Zero is well worth your time.
Ash Exo One, Ace Attorney Chronicles 2
I am both in love with and terrified by space. Exo One marries the wonder of a simple exploration game with the sheer, unfathomable terror of space, and its therefore extremely my shit. You pilot a weird, orb-like spacecraft through empty but painfully beautiful alien worlds, picking up power-ups that make it roll faster and glide longer as you learn the story of a doomed expedition to Jupiter. Visually, Exo One is stunning. I am in awe of my surroundings as I bounce off sand dunes and skip over rolling waves, trying to hit the right piece of land in just the right way thatll make my craft zoom into the cloud-strewn atmosphere. Its wonderful. Exo One feels like the best bits of Interstellar and Sunshine pure space exploration without all the messy human stuff.
During my holiday break, Im taking care of a family member recovering from major surgery. Ace Attorney Chronicles 2 is my goodnight game. Since Im away from home, Ive had trouble sleeping, especially after a long day of keeping track of medicine, appointments, and meal plans. To unwind, Ive been slowly making my way through Ace Attorney Chronicles 2 letting my mind drift off (making my thumb accidentally hit the skip dialogue button) as I work to defend the innocent and solve murders most foul. I adore the new characters and the slow, methodical untangling of plot points introduced an entire game previous. Even if some of the puzzles require fantastical stretches of logic, Ace Attorney Chronicles 2 is the perfect nighttime calming agent to a stressed-out brain.
Barbara Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins
I havent been much of a gamer lately except for a few ongoing Scrabble games that Ive been playing with friends for about three years now. However, I just got myself a brand new Pixel 6, and so Im going to be investigating a bunch of Android games on that slightly-too-big screen. While several of the games mentioned here are on my list including Genshin Impact and Stardew Valley Im going to start with Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins. What can I say? Ive been a Doctor Who fan for many years, and an adventure game that allows me to interact and solve puzzles with a Timelord is the perfect way for me to get back into gameplay.
Richard Apex Legends, Forza Horizon 5
Sure, I might turn the clock back and get into some Big Team Battle this weekend. But mostly, Ill stick to the game that the Xbox Museum says is my most played for 2019, 2020, and 2021, with a strong chance of repeating for 2022. The new map in Apex Legends did its job for me by changing the gameplay just enough to keep things fresh without breaking what it does well. Opening up large spaces for action but separating most of them with high walls has lowered (but not eliminated) the endless chain of third parties that you get on the games other maps as long as you know how to navigate the area without jumping into the abyss.
When I need to switch things up, Im plugging in my wheel and taking on Forza Horizon 5. No, they havent addressed the Horizon series flaw of having way too many options for what you can do next... or the rubberband AI. Simply existing as the first Forza game with good lighting is what Ive been waiting for in this series.
Victoria Pokmon Snap, Pokmon Shining Pearl
In real life, my camera roll is just thousands of photos of my cat and dog so Pokmon Snap makes perfect sense. Its so soothing. Theres no battles. Its just dozens of cute pokmon going about their business in scenic locales, and its my job to be their paparazzo. An Alolan Raichu surfing the sand dunes? Yes, please. A derpy Mantine leaping out of the sea? Hell yeah. Plenty of Bidoof butts to go around.
When I need a break from Professor Mirrors arbitrary photo grading the man has no appreciation for the rule of thirds Im living my best life running around the Sinnoh region with my Piplup. Im not big into the endless gym battle grind, so the contests (aka pokmon beauty pageants) are a nice change of pace. You really cant find a better distraction from family drama than hundreds of cute pokmon.
View post:
The best games to play this Thanksgiving weekend - The Verge
- A Q&A with Katya Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman to travel to space - Astronomy Magazine - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Japans planning its first lunar steps with the Artemis program - The Hill - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- DC Eyes Beijing's Investments In Space - Payload - Payload - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- THIS WEEK @NASA: More Partners in Space Exploration, Upgrade to Testing Facilities for Artemis II - SpaceCoastDaily.com - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Explore Space and Poetry with NASA and Poet Laureate Ada Limn - sxsw.com - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- NASA warns of secret military presence in space disguised as civilian programs - TweakTown - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- NEW: UAH wins first place in college division in NASA's 30th Human Exploration Rover Challenge - Hville Blast - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Are we prepared for Chinese preeminence on the moon and Mars? (op-ed) - Space.com - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- As space exploration increases, effective space regulation is a necessity - Verdict - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- NASA Announces Winners of Power to Explore Challenge - NASA - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- NASA tests walking robot on Mount Hood for space exploration with universities - KTVL - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Five future astronauts certified from European Space Agency's 2022 graduating class - UPI News - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Sweden becomes 38th country to sign NASA's Artemis Accords for moon exploration - Space.com - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Space start-up claims to have discovered propellant-free propulsion system - NewsBytes - April 24th, 2024 [April 24th, 2024]
- Soyuz Spacecraft Launches to Space Station With NASA Astronaut - SciTechDaily - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- This Week In Space podcast: Episode 103 Starship's Orbital Feat - Space.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- From 3D To Outer Space: Register For WCC Youth Summer Camps - mitechnews.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- NASA and SpaceX: Enhancing Space Exploration with the 30th Resupply Mission - Space Daily - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- The Cosmic Enigma: How Space Exploration is Unraveling the Universe's Birth Secrets - yTech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Following Safe Return, NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 to Recount Space Mission - NASA - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- The Heat: Space Exploration - CGTN America - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX Time-Lapse Video Captures the Essence of Space Travel - yTech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- TOP 4 Reasons to Return to the Moon - The Universe. Space. Tech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX Dragon Successfully Attaches to ISS Bringing Vital Research Payloads - yTech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- End of an Era: Delta IV Heavy Makes Final Journey to the Stars - yTech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Photography exhibition at the Mound delves into space exploration - The National - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Lunar Node 1: the trailblazing lunar beacon guiding NASA's future in space exploration - Boing Boing - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX's CRS-30 Mission: Delivering Innovations and Research to the ISS - yTech - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Remembering Tom Stafford, the Space Races Peacemaker (1930-2024) - AmericaSpace - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- 9 Hints That Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Involves Space Travel - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- NASA sends science projects and hardware aboard SpaceX's 30th resupply launch to ISS SatNews - SatNews - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Docks to Space Station With New Science and Supplies - SciTechDaily - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Moon Race 2.0: Why so many nations and private companies are aiming for lunar landings - BBC.com - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NASA Selects Texas A&M As First Approved Exploration Park Facility - Texas A&M University Today - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The Space Economy in 2024 - OODA Loop - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Opinion | It's an exciting time in space exploration. But U.S. leadership is at risk. - The Washington Post - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NASA Experiment With Fire in Space Ends When Entire Spacecraft Burns Up - Futurism - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NASA Selects Texas A&M as First Approved Exploration Park Facility - NASA - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Ground-Based Lasers Could Accelerate Spacecraft to Other Stars - Universe Today - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- 8 Space Exploration Books to Add to Your TBR - Book Riot - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Meet the Elected Members of the African Space Council - Space in Africa - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NASA working with Texas A&M to build new spaceflight research facilities - 25 News KXXV and KRHD - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Inflatable Habitats: Expanding Space Exploration - Lockheed Martin - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- China's Rising Ambitions in Space Exploration: Chang'e Missions and International Cooperation - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Pressured Space Exploration in Today's Era - Mirage News - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Exoplanet Hunter Sets Its Sights on Jupiter: A New Twist in Space Exploration - SciTechDaily - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Frontier Aerospace TALOS Engines Used For Space Exploration - PR Newswire - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Exploring the Potential of Minimoons - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Understanding the Role of TRISH in Space Health and its Future Innovations - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The Future of Satellite Refueling and In-Orbit Servicing - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Japan makes third attempt to launch next-gen rocket - Yahoo Singapore News - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Uruguay becomes latest nation to join NASA's Artemis Accords - UPI News - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- An astronomer's lament: Satellite megaconstellations are ruining space exploration - The Conversation - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Asteroid Mining: A Glimpse into the Future - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Singapore's ESS and Australia's ELA Join Forces to Redefine Space Exploration - BNN Breaking - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Intuitive Machines makes history with lunar lander launch - InnovationMap - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The Potential of Minimoons in Interplanetary Exploration and Space Travel - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- In space exploration, Switzerland punches above its weight - SWI swissinfo.ch - SWI swissinfo.ch in English - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Odysseus Mission: Pioneering the Lunar Economy and Space Exploration - BNN Breaking - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Starlab Announces Leadership Team With new CEO and CFO - SpaceWatch.Global - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The New Space Race: Private American Companies Compete to Land on the Moon - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Plays Vital Role in NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications - PR Newswire - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Intuitive Machines Odyssey lunar lander to be launched early Wednesday - The Washington Post - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- New funding for space projects ensures the UK's role in global missions - Innovation News Network - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- SpaceX and Intuitive Machines Lunar Mission: Challenges, Expectations, and Future - Medriva - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Farewell to a NASA Hero: Apollo Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II Departs at 87 - SciTechDaily - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- NASA Welcomes Netherlands as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory - NASA - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- China's astronauts tend orbital garden to aid deep space exploration - Space.com - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- All-UK astronaut mission shows that private enterprise is vital to the ... - The Conversation Indonesia - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Former Astronaut Discusses Space Travel and Its Future With ... - Duke Today - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Returning astronauts to the moon is NASA's biggest challenge, but ... - Space.com - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Australias IPSEC Conference Shows Synergies Between the Space ... - Via Satellite - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Mice embryos successfully grown in space, a promising milestone ... - Salon - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Dava Newman talks Mars exploration and comunication - CMU The Tartan Online - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Science Fact or Fiction: Leveraging Space to Transform Medicine - Kennedy Space Center - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Now astronauts will not get lost in space - SAMAA - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Sci-fi inspired tractor beams are real, and could solve a major space ... - Livescience.com - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Mining Meets Space: Revolutionizing Industry Innovation with Cross ... - AZoMining - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Surf's up: Catch an atmospheric wave as ASU research team ... - ASU News Now - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Ron Baron says Tesla's valuation can hit $4 trillion, but 'SpaceX has ... - Morningstar - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]