Decision paralysis is real with the limited time available in our adult lives and the seemingly infinite number of games to play.
Seeing that most of us have spent the bulk of the last two years locked inside, video games have soared in popularity and here at Naked we are no exception to the trend. Being a tech company we have a pretty avid group of gamers in our midst so we figured we could share our bountiful gaming knowledge with the world 😏.
The question that ends friendships: how we game
We have all the popular gaming avenues represented at Naked, but console definitely has the edge over PC. We decided not to include mobile because no matter how many hours you’ve poured into Candy Crush, it doesn’t hold a candle to any of the games we’ve listed here.
Here’s our team’s roundup of all the games living rent free in our heads right now.
Our water cooler chat can get pretty heated when it comes to our favourite games, so we tried to recommend something for every kind of gamer.
For those who like a challenge
Elden Ring (2022) recommended by software developer, Gerome
“The game rewards you for going, "ooh, I wonder what's over there", with interesting discoveries all throughout the world. Learning an enemy's moveset and waiting for the perfect moment to strike back makes it rewarding to beat an enemy after dying 50 times. Like with all dark-souls-like games, after beating it, when you restart the game with a new character, you realise your character didn't get stronger – you did.”
For the cinematic narrative fan
The Last of Us (Part 1 and 2), recommended by scrum master, Emily
“This might be an oldie but it’s definitely a goodie. Part 1 came out all the way back in 2013 and had players following Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States after it was ravaged by a zombie-fying fungal disease. You can’t help but get sucked into the engrossing story. I have spent many late nights playing this game simply because I was dying to find out what happened next. There’s even an HBO show based on it coming out next year [2023].”
GTA V (2013) recommended by software developer, Joseph
“GTA was a hit from its very first release in 1997. The latest installment still graces many ‘best games of all time’ lists and is a firm fav at Naked. It’s impossible to run out of things to do. With the introduction of multiple playable characters and an awesome online experience this one will remain high on my list until the next installment comes out for younger generations to enjoy.”
For fans of adventure
Horizon Forbidden West (2022) recommended by Operations team member, Damian
“The newest offering in the Horizon series has perhaps been the most anticipated title on the Playstation 5. You are immersed in a world 1000 years after the planet was destroyed by machines. Humans have regressed to nomadic tribes and dangerous, animalistic machines roam the planet keeping the delicate natural balance in place. It's one of the first games that really showcases the capabilities of the PS5. The graphics are incredible and the way it incorporates the controller features takes the experience to a whole new level.”
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2020), recommended by AI team member, Philip
“This game gave me a real sense of adventure. While it has an immersive storyline that takes you over much of its map, there are huge areas that are left to be explored for the sake of being explored. The Legend of Zelda series began in 1986 – if you’re like me and have played a number of these games over the years, Breath of the Wild will scratch that itch of nostalgia that I bet you have while simultaneously blowing every other game in the series out the water. It’s a good game!”
Marvel’s Spiderman (2018) recommended by AI team member, Erin
“If you’re into big, open world action-adventure games but don’t do the whole wilderness thing Marvel’s Spiderman is the game for you. For those of us that don’t have the dough to make a trip to New York City this game is the next best thing. The gameplay and physics are incredible and even after sinking 100 hours into this game, you’ll still find something new every time.”
Upcoming games we’re excited about
Joshua, Operations team member, is most excited about God of War Ragnarok
“2018's God of War was the reason a lot of people bought Playstation 4. It gave a new perspective on Norse mythology. The world was beautiful, the combat was fun, and the characters were well thought out and got you emotionally invested. But the game ended on a cliffhanger so I can’t help but wildly anticipate the next installment.”
Emily, scrum master, has been a lover of Pokemon for years so Pokemon Legends: Arceus is at the top of her “need-to-play-now” list (Nintendo Switch)
“Pokemon has been captivating generation after generation since its pixelated origins on the Gameboy in 1996. We’re currently on the 8th generation of the typically linear, battle and trading based formula. Pokemon Legends: Arceus will be an open-world game borrowing heavily from the massively successful Breath of the Wild and utilising the popular reflex-based style of catching.”
Damian, Operations member, is hoping he doesn't have to wait too long for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC)
“I’m apprehensive in my anticipation for this game, if the movies are anything to go by we could still be waiting a long time for this one. But still excited after seeing the first look of this game at E3 last year. It’s a first-person, open world action-adventure game that will have players joining the fight between the Na’vi and the Resources Development Administration.”