Best games to play while practicing social distances

Written By Jake Dabkowski

As someone who’s practiced social distancing since I was 11, I feel qualified to suggest what you do with your time. Without further ado, I present: the best games to play while socially distancing yourself.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: When Nintendo began the development of a new Zelda game in 2011, they sought to reinvent the series. In a spiritual sense, “Breath of the Wild” is most similar to the original Legend of Zelda from 1986. Both games feature an emphasis on exploration and a nonlinear story, which can essentially be summed up as “travel the world and then fight Ganon.” The game takes place in a postapocalyptic Hyrule, 100 years after Ganon destroyed Hyrule castle and unleashed his forces onto the land. Every situation in this game has a litany of possible solutions, and the gameplay is reflective of the nonlinear nature of the game. If you’re looking to go on an epic adventure during your quarantine, “Breath of the Wild” got you covered. Just remember that it’s about the journey, not the destination.

Persona 5: One part dungeon crawler, one part social simulator, in “Persona 5” you play as Joker, leader of the Phantom Thieves, who discovers he and his friends, have the ability to enter the Metaverse and change the minds of the bad people of the world, forcing them to confess their crimes. While doing this, you’re forced to balance all of the things that come with high school, friends, grades, extracurriculars, jobs and saving the world. Even if you’re not a fan of JRPGs, “Persona 5” is an unforgettable experience with an absolutely banging soundtrack. The game can take anywhere from 60 to 200 hours to complete, but you’ll have plenty of time in the coming weeks of quarantine.

Call of Duty: Warzone: Last year Fortnite and PUBG popularized the Battle Royale genre, and dozens of knock offs followed. However, nothing innovated the genre and was mostly just the same format and tropes. That is, until “Warzone,” that implements the classic “Call of Duty” gunplay while adding some new things to the genre. It’s free to play and is definitely worth checking out, even if you’re a casual FPS fan.

Mario Odyssey: If you played “Mario 64” as a kid, this game is for you. Visually incredible, it looks and feels like I remember “Mario 64” looking like a kid, only now realizing that graphically that game has aged well. “Odyssey” takes Mario on a journey across 17 distinct Kingdoms, making you collect moons to power up your airship along the way. The gameplay has been refined, and you’re accompanied by Cappy, a hat spirit inhabiting Mario’s cap, allowing for unique ways of navigating across the levels. If you’re looking for a 3D platformer, look no further than “Mario Odyssey.”

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Although it isn’t out yet, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” seems to be the best possible game for quarantine. The laid back nature of “Animal Crossing” makes it perfect for people trying to relax in the face of a global pandemic. In “New Horizons,” you’ll be given your own deserted island to transform into a tropical paradise. The gameplay is in real-time, and the weather changes as the seasons change. Whether you’re a seasoned “Animal Crossing” veteran, or this will be your first rodeo, “New Horizons” shapes up to be the best game in the series.