Secret game pearls: What is the GIGA editorial team playing?
Call of Duty, FIFA, The Witcher … we all know them. But there are also plenty of fine, under-noticed game pearls that are at least as much fun. That is why we will be presenting our secret games favorites to you at GIGA for a whole week. Game pearls that we love even though – or maybe because – hardly anyone knows them.
Each of us has it in our hearts. This one game that you try out on the advice of a trustworthy friend without great expectations, that you read about in an obscure forum or that fell into your hand purely by chance while rummaging through the shelf of the game retailer – and never let go.
The first thing that always strikes me is Dragon’s Dogma a, the new edition for the PS4 captivated me for weeks a few years ago. An atmospheric, lively RPG world with a deep story, challenging quests and tough boss fights against dragons, ogres and … a huge, angry rooster.
This may sound like the standard RPG recipe, but Dragon’s Dogma is one of those games where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Seldom has I been so fascinated by a fictional world (despite the not a few moments of frustration when the NPC companions wanted to be different from me again). So if you haven’t visited Gransys and wandered through at night with a lantern in your hand, you should do so urgently.
All of us in the GIGA editorial team have such game pearls that are niche, sometimes weird and maybe not too mainstream-compatible. We’d like to share it with you, and maybe your next favorite game will be there.
If you want to read all of the articles, you will find them later in the week in this article and on our homepage.
Have fun!
Your Claudio
The GIGA editorial team’s insider tips for games
Experience a futuristic world and really live in it? This is possible in Cyberpunk 2077, but even better in Cloudpunk and (presumably) the one to come Nivalissays Marina.
Katana action like in Ghost of Tsushima, but in a GTA-like gangster setting? Sounds awesome, and it is, says Michael, and recommends it Katana Zero.
Zelda is an exciting series of games, but can you play a turnip on tax evasion? No, that’s why Martin recommends the indie hit Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion.
Horror games don’t necessarily need splatters and jumpscares to be scary. That also proves, for example Omori, a pixel art role-playing game recommended by our horror expert Marina.
Anyone who wistfully remembers classic role-playing games such as Gothic and Final Fantasy and misses their classic RPG feeling in current games should definitely take a look at the Southpark games throw. Ove explains to you why this isn’t as crazy as it sounds.
If you want to have a fun gaming evening with friends with self-made, nasty entertaining levels, but are not in the mood for the somewhat cumbersome Super Mario Maker, you should Ultimate Chicken Horse grab, says Robert.
Combine metal music with the rhythmic gameplay of classical music games and the task of fighting hellish creatures in order to save the world. Sounds wild, it is too. And therefore does Double Kick Heroes, Tobias’ insider tip, so much fun.
Heard not just because of the poetic name Lovers in Dangerous Space Times in every game collection, thinks Gregor, but also because the sci-fi co-op game with its perfect balance of simplicity and challenges is ideal for gaming evenings with friends.
While many gamers are still waiting to finally get hold of a next-gen console, Robert is looking forward to another device. Admittedly, the Nintendo Switch is no longer an insider tip, but the new one OLED switch is still a must and more than just a half-baked upgrade.
Skyrim still resonates with many RPG fans with a pleasant sound, and the longing for The Elder Scrolls 6 is growing. But don’t worry, because Marina recommends a game that can fill this gap and will delight every fan of large, open role-playing games: Enderal.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has once again kindled many people’s fascination with the western world. That you can experience this world in other ways and lose yourself in it for hours proves Desperados 3, which was wrongly neglected for Alex.
If you like to go on virtual adventure trips with your friends, then you should heed Johannes’ tip and For the King to give a chance. The turn-based role-playing game offers the perfect balance between tricky tactics and relaxed gameplay, and enough loot for long evenings on the couch.
There are supposed to be people for whom Dark Souls is too easy. Mandy is one of them, and therefore recommends the die-hard among you Getting Over It. The 2D game begins harmlessly with a man with a hammer in a bucket. What follows is a merciless challenge that will put your skills to the toughest test.
