Greetings mouse jockeys! Today I will discuss with you the merits of single player games. Gaming is a constantly changing landscape, with various different games having effects on what gamers play. From transformative games such as Fortnite (whether you like it or not, no one can deny the effect Fortnite has had on the gaming community), to good ol’ fashioned classics such as Call of Duty Black ops, gaming is in the healthiest state it has been in years. There is such a wide variety of games to choose from, that it can be hard to choose which to play. Recently, the mentality has shifted more towards multiplayer games. There are vast tournaments for games such as DOTA and Overwatch, and people continue to stream games such as Call of Duty and Apex. But what has happened to the single player game? Recently, it feels like true single player games, without the assistance of any co player or multiplayer mechanisms, has fallen by the wayside. This is something that gaming companies should consider changing, as many gamers wish to see more linear single player games added to the great amount of content that is out there.
One of my personal favorite single player games is Borderlands 2. For any who have not played it, essentially it is a first person shooter (FPS) game with a story about the player trying to save the world from an evil guy named “Handsome Jack.” There is a co-op feature in the game, but unlike Borderlands 3, which features a great deal more of multiplayer assistance, Borderlands 2 can be played by yourself. I beat the game completely on my own, and I loved every moment. As FPS is my main form of gaming, I wish there was more variety of good FPS single player games out there. For me, the other option currently is the timeless classic Bad Company 2. A Battlefield game, this remains the pinnacle of FPS campaigns, for good pacing and seamless gameplay. It remains a favorite amongst many players, and was a great intro into the world of FPS gaming.
I am also an avid Pokemon player. I am stoked about the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield (which I will be writing a review on next week). And one of the things that has made the game franchise so successful is the single player focused campaign. Certainly, one of the great allures to pokemon is the ability to connect with other players, trade pokemon, and battle each other. But the main focus has always been about the single player experience. It is why the games have remained so popular with gamers. The campaigns are fun, get progressively more challenging, but remain fairly open world. With Sword and Shield the next games in this flagship franchise, the open world aspect appears to get a whole lot bigger. The gameplay also continues to be refined and features added to keep the games fresh. From the introduction of Mega Evolution in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, to the new feature of Gigantamax in Sword and Shield, the games remain innovative and fresh to play.
Ultimately, what you play is up to you. The beauty of gaming is that there is a massive list of great games to play across all genres. But I urge all of you to find a single player game that speaks to you. You learn so much about gaming through single player games, you don’t have to stress about dealing with whiny preteens, and you can take your own pace through it all. That’s it for today folks, stay tuned next week to hear my review about the new Pokemon games!
-The Law
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