It’s an understatement to say that this year has been a great year in the world of video games. From big-budget masterpieces to indie breakthroughs, there’s no shortage of great games for 2022 that can make it hard to buy the gamer of your life.
Luckily, News@Northeastern spoke with a group of gaming experts from Northeastern University to help you up your gifting game. You won’t find the big AAA games of 2022 like “Elden Ring” or “God of War Ragnarök” in this freebie guide – there are plenty of posts out there that can attest to that. But if you’re looking for more under-the-radar games, fun tabletop offerings, or the best gaming gear, Northeast College has you covered.
Games, games and more games
The world of video games, like movies, includes everything under the sun, from blockbuster titles to small indie experiences.
“Sleeping Citizen” developped by Gareth Damien Martin, was recognized as one of the best games of the year, big or small, and was high on North East art and design professor Chris Martens’ year-end list. Martens calls “Citizen Sleeper” a narrative-driven cyberpunk game about surviving as a social outcast on a space station. It has light role-playing and resource management and heavy ideas and emotions carried by “incredibly evocative writing and thought-provoking character arcs”.
Martens also recommends the isometric adventure, inspired by Zelda and full of mystery. “Tunic” and “Relax,” a combination of Japanese role-playing game and farming simulator, for those who want to look beyond traditional AAA gaming experiences.
When it comes to indie games, there’s no one better to offer recommendations than Celia Pearce, professor of game design at Northeastern and president of the IndieCade festival. Known as the Sundance of the video game industry, IndieCade is an annual spotlight on the best in indie games, and this year was no different.
“The same thing happens every year,” says Pearce. “I just think, ‘How do people make such fantastic games?’ And they continue to do so.
Pearce says any of the games that appeared at this year’s festival would make a great gift this holiday season, but she gave specific shoutouts to several games.
Jury Prize Winner “Unpacking,” developped by witch ray, is a “zen puzzle game” that follows the story of a woman through puzzles based on unpacking her belongings. Each time she takes a new step in her life – moving into a college dorm for the first time or moving into her partner’s apartment – the player must unpack and find space for familiar, mundane items. It’s an idea that creates simple yet engaging puzzles and a surprisingly emotional story told entirely by the simple act of unboxing.
For those who like “NPR-like games,” Pearce suggests the IndieCade Grand Jury Award winner “Svoboda 1945: Liberation”, developped by Charles Games. “Svoboda” is a choice-driven narrative game where players investigate an old feud in a village on the Czech-German border. Featuring conversations with live cast, the game delves into the chaotic aftermath of World War II and how people come to terms with history’s dark tendrils.
Vacations are best shared with family, and games are no different, which is why Pearce recommends “Babble Royale” of House games for everyone. Created by a family-friendly development team, Pearce calls it a “battle royale pun” that’s perfect for bringing the youngest and oldest members of your family together.
And if you’re unsure which game to buy — or know a picky gamer — Martens says don’t be afraid to buy gift cards for their favorite platform, whether it’s Steam or a Nintendo, PlayStation, or Xbox console.
Active games
The game doesn’t have to be stationary, says Amy Lu, an associate professor of communication studies in the Northeast.
For a good but still fun workout, she recommends the virtual reality rhythm game “Beat Saber”, “FitXR” a VR training game, and “The Thrill of Battle” a thrilling VR boxing experience. Or if you prefer a mindfulness session, says Lu “Tripp”, “Nature hikes” and “shady” are good choices that also take advantage of CR technology.
play equipment
For many gamers, it’s not just about the games they play, but how they play, the peripherals they use, and the accessories they have.
If you’re looking to get someone into the world of virtual reality, Lu and Mark Sivak, associate professor of art and design education at Northeastern, say the Meta Quest 2 is the best place to start.
“Despite this [being] released a while ago, it’s still the best affordable standalone VR headset with a good game library,” says Lu.
Not only does Meta’s VR headset not require a computer to operate, but its tracking and display technology is vastly improved over the original iteration of the technology, says Sivak.
Table games
Want to bring the whole family together? There’s nothing better than a good board game.
Sivak recommends quick and easy-to-play games that can work for kids and adults, like “Skull King” a game of tricks “easy to play and endowed with great strategic depth”. “Sushi Go” a collection game on the theme of sushi, is also a big hit in Sivak’s house, he says.
“This game is simple to play, even with my 8 and 6 year olds, and plays quickly, plus it’s cute and comes in a very portal box,” says Sivak.
If you’re drawing blanks on good table game giveaways, Martens recommends using Shut Up & Sit Down’s game picker. Enter information about the number of players you want, the complexity of the ruleset, and the style of play, and this handy tool will spit out picks hand-selected by the site’s board game reviewers.
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