As much as I love games now, I was a late bloomer. I never had consoles as a kid, and I never desired to until high school. When I finally did buy my console, I also bought many of the big name games that had recently come out like
Call of Duty
and
Halo
.
Trust me — I still LOVE these games. Both are in my favorites. When I got into games, though, I didn’t realize what other ones to try besides the top selling war games. The following are some of my all-time favorite games. While they are still some of the top selling video games, they’re a few that beginning gamers may not first think to try out.
The
Portal
series are puzzle based. You have a portal gun, where you can shoot two corresponding holes in the walls. Shoot a blue one; walk through the yellow one to get to that location. You must navigate through maze-like rooms with just your gun. Some levels will have you so frustrated, but finishing a tricky one leaves you with more satisfaction than you could think.
The
Fable
series is essential to anyone looking for a fantasy-based role-playing games. While the graphics are not up-to-par with those of more modern games, you still get the bang for your buck. I always enjoyed how your character would change with the decisions you made throughout the game. Take the evil route through evil decision and get a grizzly appearance and townspeople will fear you.
For those looking for a more modern twist, nothing can beat
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
This game is definitely the most popular on this list. I caught on to the series late, but I was sucked in as soon as I caught glimpses of the
Skyrim
world. The graphics are absolutely beautiful, and there are endless things to do in the game. The main storyline itself is massive — then add in the side quests and you have a game you will be happy you invested in.
One of the things it took me a little while to truly appreciate was the intricate story lines in games. It’s cool if you just like it for the action, but a lot of people don’t realize that some of the stories told are more intense than any others in books or movies alike.
My favorite story-based game is
Heavy Rain
, a PS3-exclusive. It follows a man trying to get his kidnapped son back. Most of the actions you do are simple controls prompted on the screen, but the storyline will capture you throughout the whole game.
Bioshock
is another series that I love — both for the story line and for the ending. You are faced with various decisions throughout the game. What you choose will in turn choose the ending you get. I went for the evil path and wasn’t so happy with my fate.
Game options are endless; these five are just scratching at the surface of what your collection could and should hold.
Sophie Kruse is a sophomore studying journalism and is a columnist at
The Post
. What games would you recommend to a new gamer? Email her at sk139011@ohiou.edu.
