Some Good-Ass Games at Good-Ass Prices for a Totally Normal, Not at All Horrific Week

Uhhhhhh. Thank God it’s Friday?

I can’t lie, it feels a little odd writing about video games considering that a failed coup just occurred two days prior and left multiple people dead. To be frank, it’s a fucking lot to think about. I don’t begrudge anyone who would like to spend this weekend curled up in a blanket, binge-watching trash TV, and just turning off your brain.

Today’s list is meant to facilitate peak-escapism. Whether that be running and gunning, exploring vast worlds, or simply building your own civilization, my hope is that today’s list will facilitate some solid vibes.

Doom: Eternal, $19.99 (PlayStation, Xbox)

Man, the gun feel in Doom: Eternal is just so incredibly satisfying. Every pull of the trigger, swipe of a chainsaw, and kick in the face just feels so, damn, good. Not to mention the fast-paced mobility and the platforming elements that are sprinkled throughout the game’s environments. The sequel finds that hell has straight-up invaded Earth and it’s up to you to fuck its shit up. With an over the top arsenal that includes guns, launchers, chainsaws, and even swords, slaying demons hasn’t felt this good since, well, Doom (2015).  

Note: the game’s sale price ends on PlayStation this Saturday so if you’re interested, I’d suggest copping sooner rather than later. Also, Xbox peeps can download the game with a Game Pass subscription.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, $19.99 (PlayStation)

Now, I can’t attest to how well this game plays on consoles due to having the PC version, but it has a solid Metacritic score, with most reviews praising the ease of functionality on console. I don’t why, perhaps it’s just because I’m a fucking weirdo, but strategy games are incredibly soothing for me. There’s just something about navigating menus, managing resources, and watching my civilization come together that just does it for me. This is very much an acquired taste. If you’re looking for non-stop, thrill-a-minute action, refer back to Doom.

If you have a taste for what is essentially a bureaucracy simulator, it’s easy to lose hours in this game. Straight-up, I’ve only played Civilization V and VI a handful of times, but I sink hours into them every time I play. During winter break of my sophomore year of college, I remember starting Civ V up in the morning, playing, and then suddenly realizing “oh shit, it’s nighttime now.”

So, if this sounds like your speed and you’re in the mood to lose a few hours, look no further.

Immortals Fenyx Rising, $29.99 (PlayStation, Switch, Xbox)

If you hit up Best Buy or Walmart right now you can find physical copies of Immortals Fenyx Rising for half off. The game released the same day as Cyberpunk 2077 which explains why it kind of just flew under the radar with very little fanfare. It also didn’t help matters much that initial impressions of the game had it pegged as a Breath of the Wild clone.

While it does share many similarities with BotW, particularly in providing a vast open-world in which most areas can be explored, the mythological setting does provide some unique charms. Full disclosure, I’ve yet to play this one myself as this is the definition of an “I’ll wait for it to hit sale” game.

At full price, I really had no interest in picking this one up. Its reviews were good, not great, and I was already set to play Cyberpunk. Considering it’s now half off and I have no plans to return to Cyberpunk until it’s completed development, I think I just might pick this one up.

This weekend marks the end of the big holiday sales, so if there was a game you were curious about last year, or you’ve just been eyeing a certain game for a minute now, I would suggest taking a glance at the Xbox and PlayStation marketplaces to see what you can grab. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to spend the rest of this evening cuddling my dog and playing Civ.

Stay safe, wear a mask, and play more video games.