By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 9, 2024
Video games have evolved beyond the brain rot older parents think they are! They make a great gift during the holiday season for most kids and many adults. A gamer who unwraps the gift unravels a tremendous escape into vibrant virtual worlds powered by software shielded from the harsh realities of real life. Games provide an escape from life and include fun fantasies ranging from villainous venturing to sports heroics and everything in between. In a video game, a player can jump high, battle valiantly, create or rewrite history, and take advantage of a special ability.
Whether looking for gaming glory or something more subdued and/or silly than sports, this quiz has you covered as thoroughly as the best Madden cornerback. We quiz you on your gaming needs, preferences, time availability, budget, and entertainment story preferences to ensure you score a touchdown if you touch our selection in stores! Handheld consoles lack attention, but those with regular gaming consoles or a gaming PC have access to most of these versatile selections!
Video games
The video game that jumpstarted intrigue in electronic games was 1972's Pong, produced by Atari. The video game industry experienced major ebbs and flows in the following decade. Pac Man and Donkey Kong (released in 1980 and 1981 respectively) catapulted into pop culture and helped create a competitive gaming scene. The following year, the infamous E.T. virtual disaster nearly destroyed the video game industry.
The industry recovered, and by the '90s, companies competed for a treasured place in gamers' hearts and homes in response to the demand for home console gaming. Sony released the original Playstation in 1994. The Playstation 2 debuted five years later, becoming the best-selling console in history — an honor it still comfortably enjoys today. Systems, system features, software, accessories, controllers, and games themselves endured exponential evolution. Today, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony wrestle for the heavyweight championship waged in the "console wars." Sony defends a respectable lead, with the PS4 selling the most units of the current generation and the PS5 outselling the latest edition in the Xbox series. Personal Computers serve as a more expensive, more powerful alternative to console platforms.
Which Video Game Should I Play?
Deciding on a video game to play can be as mind-boggling as choosing the perfect avo from a basket of a thousand — they all look good, but you just know there's that one destined for your guacamole. With an ever-expanding universe of gaming options, from indie darlings to blockbuster behemoths, it feels like navigating a maze designed by a particularly sadistic game developer. But don't toss your controller out the window just yet! We're here to light up the path to your next gaming adventure like that helpful fairy in... what's its name? Oh yes, every fantasy game ever.
Let's face it, video games are the peanut butter to our jam, the ketchup to our fries, the... save point to our impossible level. Whether you're a fearless knight in shining armor itching for battle, a strategic mastermind conquering alien lands, or just a humble pixel farmer, the gaming world is our digital oyster, and we're all after that legendary pearl of an experience. So, what's stopping us from strapping on our virtual boots and diving headfirst into digital bliss?
It turns out, choice paralysis is a real boss battle in the gaming realm. With so many genres and titles vying for our thumbs' attention, picking the one that’ll snag our souls for a marathon session is crucial. Like an epic quest that begins with a single button press, we at BrainFall are here to snatch that indecisiveness by the horned helmet and toss it into the pixelated abyss. Stick with us, and we’ll embark on a quest for the Holy Grail of gaming: the perfect game for your very specific, very awesome taste. Grab your mythical, metaphorical sword, and let’s vanquish this beast of indecision together!
Choosing Your Next Video Game Adventure
Hey there, fellow joystick warriors! Whether you're into the epic stories and vivid characters of single-player odysseys or the heart-racing thrills of a multiplayer battle royale, we've got the scoop on how to pick your next digital conquest. Let's dive into the pixelated playground of current faves, genre gems, and expansive universes that’ll suck you in faster than a black hole in space!
What's Trending Now
2022 was the year for gaming, but don't think the hits have stopped coming. Right now, Elden Ring is the talk of the town with its challenging combat and gorgeous open world that will test your gaming mettle. RPG lovers are still raving about The Witcher 3, and the ever-evolving saga of Final Fantasy 14 ensures there's no shortage of breathtaking adventures.
Multiplayer Game Maniacs! Fortnite and Rocket League keep us glued to our screens while making and breaking alliances. And of course, for those who enjoy a good sandbox experience, Minecraft continues to be a blocky masterpiece of endless possibilities.
Genre Breakdown: From Stealthy to Speedy
Finding your genre soulmate can be as tricky as a level 99 boss fight, but don't fret! Here's the rundown:
- Action-Adventure - Ready for sword-slinging and treasure-hunting? Think God of War epic sagas.
- First-Person Shooter - Got a finger twitchy for the trigger? Check out games where the bullet ballet never ends.
- Turn-Based Strategy - Fancy yourself a tactician? Games like Total War: Warhammer 3 demand smart moves and patience.
- Racing Games - Fasten those seatbelts because titles like Gran Turismo are ready to take you from zero to hero.
- Platformers - Jumping pixel to pixel, these games will test your timing and challenge your dexterity.
Extra points for the unsung heroes: metroidvanias and puzzle games – because who doesn't love a brain workout with their button-mashing?
To Infinity and Beyond: Exploring Open Worlds
Raise your flag, captain, and set sail for the open-world seas! Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 transport us to vast frontiers where every nook and cranny hides stories. Our dear sandbox games give us the keys to a kingdom of discovery. Looking for a mythic tale? Baldur's Gate 3 has you covered with its rich narrative and strategic combat.
From exploration to creating a legend of your own, the worlds are infinite and the quests are many. So, ready your controllers, and let's find out which world is calling to you. Game on!
System Specs & Where to Acquire Games
Before you dive into the marvelous world of video games, let's make sure your PC isn’t going to throw a pixelated tantrum. Your gaming experience hinges on your system specs, and acquiring the hottest games needs to be a breeze. We're going to cover the latest GPUs, the go-to gaming platforms, and the all-important sound tech that'll make your ears tingle with joy!
Achieving Pixel Perfection: Graphics Cards & GPU
When it's all about that high-definition life and seamlessly dodging danger in Divinity: Original Sin or treading the mystical paths in Monster Hunter: World, the heart of your PC gaming experience is without a doubt, the graphics card. Our beloved GPU has to be robust enough to handle the polish of the latest roguelite adventure or the next AAA mystery that unravels before our avatar's eyes. Think of the GPU as the magician letting us witness marvels in full glory.
- Recommended Graphics Cards:
- For epic storytelling: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- For roguelite randomness: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
All Aboard the Gaming Platforms
Picking our digital playground is crucial, folks! It's where we’ll meet the community, snag the most killer DLC, and take part in some good ol' online multiplayer mayhem. Steam, with its ludicrously large library, is like the grand-daddy of PC gaming platforms—thanks, Valve! But let's not snub the shiny Epic Games Store, where the free games flow like nectar. Picking between them is like choosing your favorite ice cream flavor—both are sweet, so why not both?
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Steam
- For Steam Deck users: A portable paradise
- Library: As extensive as our snack choices during a gaming binge
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Epic Games Store
- Weekly Free Game: Because who doesn’t love freebies?
- Exclusives: Sometimes, they've got the cool kids we can't play elsewhere
Soundscapes and Silences: It's All About the Soundtrack
Last but not least, if a game's soundtrack doesn’t give you chills or pump you up for an epic boss fight, then what are we even doing here? The auditory journey can turn the tide from a casual fling to a lifelong gaming romance. A rich soundscape can add layers to the gaming world, while well-timed silences can bring us to the edge of our seats in suspense.
- Immersive Experience:
- Soundtrack gods: Imagine battling to the tunes of the gods... of Blizzard or Capcom.
- Headphones: We recommend noise-canceling ones for that full immersion, without the groans from our unimpressed non-gamer roommates.
