With a summer of social distancing ahead of us, video games offer an addicting way to pass the time. Here are three games that may have slipped under your radar when they were first released that deserve a second look.
Titanfall 2
To say Titanfall 2’s marketing almost killed the game would be an understatement, which is a shame because Respawn Entertainment delivered what was arguably one of the best sequels of the last decade. With some hard-earned lessons from Titanfall 1 in mind, the studio created a sequel with a well put-together and thrilling storyline, albeit a short one. Players take on the role of Jack Cooper, a militia rifleman stuck behind enemy lines who must stop the evil Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and prevent them from destroying the militia. The game boasts an extensive array of game modes, from the unique Last Titan Standing to more classical ones such as Capture the Flag. Many classic maps—Angel City from the previous game, for example—return alongside new ones for a reworked multiplayer experience. Doing away with the first game’s more cumbersome mechanics, players choose from a set of distinct titans, weapons, and abilities to customize their loadout to their liking. The game also includes a new titan, the Monarch, and a free PvE game mode called Frontier Defense. Titanfall’s unique combination of free-moving, wall-running, and double-jump gameplay is merged nicely with the more cumbersome but powerful titans, delivering a fast-paced multiplayer experience distinct from any other first-person shooter game out there.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Despite being considerably shorter than players expected, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is still a phenomenal game. Mankind Divided returns players to the character of Adam Jensen in a world that has quickly come to hate mechanically augmented people like himself. Jensen must work to uncover the shady force trying to turn the world against him. Set primarily in a unique cyberpunk version of Prague, players are treated to Deus Ex’s unique combination of stealth gameplay and gunplay as they traverse through the story and its wealth of adjacent side quests. As well as the cybernetic abilities he previously had, Adam has an extensive new array of augmented powers to aid him in his mission, which players can unlock and upgrade to suit their playstyle. Will you slip through the area silently and nonlethally, will you go in guns blazing, or perhaps somewhere in between? The decision is entirely up to you, and player choices presented throughout the game will have far reaching effects on the conclusion.
Stellaris
Having been on PC for many years, Stellaris was ported to consoles last year. Given its niche appeal as a strategy game, it slipped under many people’s radar. Stellaris could best be described as one of those free mobile games that proclaim in their advertisements, “build fleets, colonize planets, dominate the galaxy!” with the added allure of ridiculously fleshed-out mechanics. Players create an interstellar empire—or republic, monarchy, or megacorp—pick a species, and set their governing ethics. They’re then let loose into a galaxy of intrigue, danger, and mystery. Players can form alliances with their neighbours, or simply conquer every alien race they come across. Stellaris allows for a myriad of play styles and options as players colonize the galaxy, and the game invites countless replays. Stellaris received a massive free update on Tuesday, which will add expansive new features such as trade routes and star ports as well as reworked mechanics and planetary management systems.
Featured Image by Respawn Entertainment
