Daria Paterek
It’s winter (not officially- but it’s snowing)! Daria highlights her favourite video games that either showcase winter or help you immerse yourself into the season.
Don’t Starve
‘I suppose I deserve that.’
Don’t Starve is a survival game where you enter a strange world full of peculiar creatures, dangers, and surprises. You get the choice to play as multiple characters (which you unlock the longer you play), which each have their unique talents and personalities. To survive, you need to gather resources, craft items and maintain your sanity.
Don’t Starve is a tough game initially, yet what makes it great for winter is the atmosphere created by the game. The art style exudes cuteness and distinctiveness. Winter is one of the two seasons that affect the surface, the character’s body temperature, and the creatures that spawn.
For cold winter nights, putting an adorable hat on your character while sitting by the fire at night in Don’t Starve will give you the perfect cosy feel.
Until Dawn
‘Understand the palm of my hand, b***h!’
When we think of winter games, we imagine a relaxed, cute, and warm video game. One that we play tucked away under our covers while drinking a hot chocolate. But Until Dawn is not that kind of game.
Until Dawn is an interactive horror action game set in Blackwood Mountain. Set in winter, Until Dawn is a very atmospheric game with an engaging story. The game follows eight teenagers who are trapped in the mountains and isolated due to a blizzard.
As a story-driven game, there is a lot of emphasis and detail in the surroundings. Full of secrets and beautiful imagery, the players are encouraged to explore all the areas and appreciate the work that went into the world-building of Until Dawn.
Undertale
‘It is a beautiful day outside.’
Undertale is a great indie game. Firstly, you can decide your playstyle. You can either be a pacifist, warmonger, or neutral. Undertale contains memorable characters, a cute design, and an unforgettable soundtrack.
After completing the first section of the game, you encounter a town called Snowdin. The town is covered in snow, ice, and festive lights. The atmosphere in Snowdin is cosy, helping you immerse into the winter season.
This War of Mine
‘In modern war… you will die like a dog for no reason.’
If you’re looking for a challenging game this winter, This War of Mine is for you. This War of Mine is a war survival game, which rather than focusing on front line soldiers, focuses on the civilian experience of war. You play as a group of three/four civilians who try and survive and navigate war. In the daytime, survivors must stay in their makeshift house, craft resources, and cook food. In the nighttime, the player can search nearby locations for resources and risk encountering NPCs/ enemies.
The most challenging aspect of the game is surviving winter. The winter weather creates several additional hardships, reflecting real life. This includes various locations becoming inaccessible, higher prices from traders, and your characters (potentially) freezing to death.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
‘Wow, it’s a snowflake! It’s like a tiny, beautiful sculpture!’
Let’s end the list with something sweet. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the game works as a real-world time. So if you play during the winter, the game will reflect that. Snow will fall, the town will be decorated festively, and characters will be dressed up in Christmas clothes
You should definitely play Animal Crossing: New Horizons during winter, as the world feels alive and truly immerses you into it.
Daria Paterek
Featured image courtesy of Atle Mo via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article videos courtesy of GameNews, Playstation , FwugRadiation, GameSpot, and Nintendo via youtube.com. No changes made to these videos.
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