Last year, I wrote an article listing various video games you could play with your significant other for Valentine’s Day, but many of us are alone this year for various reasons. I for one can get disenfranchised by seeing the holiday merchandise at stores or seeing my friends spending Valentine’s Day with their partners.
But fear not! I’m here with another list of video game recommendations. However, this time, it’s for all you single people on campus. Let’s buy ourselves chocolates and flowers to spend the day relaxing with my list of single-player games.
Balatro
This game was a surprising nominee for Game of the Year in the Game Awards but lost to “Astro Bot.” “Balatro” is described as a deck-building roguelike where players play multiple hands of poker. Rather than simply letting the hand of fate guide you, players can build their decks with various tarot cards to enhance their playstyle.
It follows the usual rules of poker but also includes a score mechanic. Defeat the enemy — referred to as a Blind — by beating the score laid out with a limited number of hands. Even though it’s not as big of a title as its GOTY competitors, “Balatro” tickles the itch in your brain that craves smooth graphics, high scores and devastating combos.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Although it’s a few years old at this point, “Red Dead Redemption 2” can still hold its own against recent releases in its enjoyability and overall experience. Developed and published by Rockstar Games in 2018, “RDR2” allows players to adventure the fictionalized western area of the United States in 1899 as Arthur Morgan. Morgan is a member of the Van der Linde gang and completes various missions throughout the game.
Some missions continue the story while others are side quests, though there is a reason to complete everything you can in “RDR2.” The open-world Wild West aspect draws players in, and it feels like there’s always more for you to do. If you’re lucky enough on one of your rodeos, you may encounter the Ku Klux Klan. Killing Klan members positively impacts Morgan’s honor points, so there is a reason to enact justice.
Dredge
Black Salt Games created a masterpiece with “Dredge.” The haunting single-player experience puts you in the shoes of a mysterious fisherman who fishes in dangerous waters. Many of the game’s mechanics are centered around upgrading your ship and equipment, but there’s much more to the story than that. Throughout the game, you’ll meet unsettling NPCs with their own requests and stories attached to them.
As you continue to fish in the seas, you’ll find that there’s more to this nameless fisherman than you think. The game takes on a cosmic element and includes one of the most well-placed and well-designed twists that I’ve ever seen in a video game. Anyone who loves cosmic horror and Lovecraftian stories — besides the racism — will definitely enjoy “Dredge.”
Papers, Please
As one of my all-time favorites, “Papers, Please” holds a special place in my heart as one of the most satisfying gaming experiences. You play as the new inspector for the border checkpoint in Arstotzka, a fictionalized authoritarian-communist country set in 1982. It’s your job to check the paperwork of those passing through.
As the game progresses, the regulations and paperwork become more and more complex, but there are also stories attached to the people who are trying to cross. It quickly becomes apparent how human everyone, including the player, is. It’s up to you to decide their fates and subsequently influence your own. The game contains many endings, so have fun. Above all, glory to Arstotzka!