Game Night with Lilly: Fall in Love with Something New
Pulse Perspective by Lilly Montgomery
The air outside has begun to grow cold. Leaves on the trees outside your windows have started to fade from vibrant green to warm yellows, oranges and reds, and the sun hides for longer and longer each day. Classes have started to settle down after a few hectic weeks. Pumpkin spice and apple cider fill both coffee cups and noses through town.
Fall has arrived in Ellensburg.
As the seasons change and the months grow longer, it is important to continue prioritizing your mental health to help prevent burnout and seasonal depression.
One of my personal favorite ways to de-stress, recharge and relax is by playing games. Here are a few of my personal recommendations for games to play this fall. PULSE Magazine is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of these games or their parent companies.
“A Short Hike”
This short adventure game sets the perfect, cozy fall mood when you’re looking for something low stress to relax with. You play as a small bird making your way around a pixelated island, walking, flying or hiking up the mountain you find there. It is easily completable in a few hours and can be replayed a few times for a slightly different experience. I would rate this game 5/5 for pure coziness.
“Castlevania: Symphony of the Night”
If you’re looking for something with a slightly more ominous tone, this vampiric role-playing game (RPG) will provide it. Put yourself in the shoes of a vampire, explore a fantasy castle and fight different kinds of enemies. As an older game, it can also provide the nostalgia of the graphics and music of video games many people may have grown up playing. I would rate this game 4/5 for spookiness, 5/5 simply because of the quantity of vampires present in the story.
“Stardew Valley”
The ability that this game has to provide routine is a fantastic reason to pick it up this fall. You take up the mantle of farmer and homesteader in a small town, befriending (and potentially romancing!) the other residents of the area. The story is very heartfelt and the graphics are simple but beautiful. Due to the nature of the game, no one player will have the same experience, making it even more unique. I would rate this game 5/5 for positive vibes.
“Werewolf”
This game is perfect for entertainment around Halloween, and can be played with an essentially infinite number of people. You and your group sit in a circle and play as townsfolk, one of whom is secretly a werewolf. "Mafia” is a very common variation of this game, but does not invoke the same feeling of Halloween that werewolves do. You can play this game with a deck of cards signifying player roles, but it is not necessary. I would rate this game 3/5 for how mad your friends might be at you, and 5/5 for potential for betrayal.
“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom”
This is my personal favorite game at the moment. It is a vast open-world adventure, and supplies players with endless routes to take and things to do. Whether you want to follow the high fantasy main story or make weapons out of carrots and fish, this game will have something for you. Its visuals are bright and stunning, and make it feel like a warm spring day even when the temperatures dip down into single digits outside. I would rate this game 5/5 in every category (I am absolutely not biased because it is my favorite).
“Firewatch”
Although this game is short, it is not one you will forget for a long time after playing. You take on the role of a fire watch lookout and spend time exploring the woods around your cabin. The natural landscape of this game is nothing short of gorgeous, and the slight undertone of suspense throughout will have you finishing “Firewatch” in one sitting. I rate this game 2/5 for length, and 5/5 for making me want to go outside.