Overwatch is a multiplayer based game through and through. There is no such thing as a campaign for the game and there aren’t any game modes for single player in any function other than a free for all mode. That’s the most “single-player” any player is going to get. What’s interesting is that there is a story to the game, there is a reason for every character being in the game, and there is a reason for every objective in the multiplayer matches. There is a ton of lore that is communicated through animation short movies, dialogue between characters, and information shown in the game. But most importantly, the game is centered the cooperation of the respective teams. The game is based on character-specific abilities, so the combination of character abilities between players is the easiest path to success for their teams. Teams need to communicate about timing and strategy to achieve victory in the different game modes in Overwatch.

Super Smash Brothers is a fighting game made by Nintendo that allows players to pick from an expanding roster of famous video-game characters in order to fight one another.  The game features Mario, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Zelda, Pokemon, and many other games outside itself in the form of playable maps, characters, songs, items, and collectibles.  Players compete in combat-based match-ups that offer a wide range of versatility through pick-up items, different play-styles, and much more.  And it can be played both competitively and casually — although the casual play inevitably turns into competitive play as friends fight over the right to be called King of the Living Room.

http://www.pogo.com/games/risk

MapleStory

MapleStory is a 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG that immerses players in a large, beautifully animated world.  The art style is definitely anime, and this establishes a tone that’s particularly fantasmic in nature.  Players create their own avatar, customizing their appearance, combat class, stats, etc. and then use this character to explore Maple World.  On their adventures, players will come across many different environments, filled with a bounty of monsters to fight and items/gear to collect.  Players will also enter a series of towns/villages where they’ll be able to shop, find quests, join guilds, and interact with a large community of other players.  The ultimate goal of the game, like many MMORPGs, is to level up your avatar to max stats, complete all quests, and simply live out a fantasy life online for your enjoyment.  A long-standing staple of the MMO genre, MapleStory is a must-play for fans of fantasy.

One of the biggest names in the gaming industry has created yet another installment, its fourteenth to be exact with Call of Duty: World War II. The significance behind this release is the return to Call of Duty’s or CoD’s traditional sense of game play. The original few CoD titles were known for their realistic take on a first person shooter game revolving around actual warfare. After the tide of first person shooters became more about the fast-paced movement and shooting with games like Titanfall, CoD adopted that function of game play. Recently, CoD games had featured incredible movement such as double jumping, wall running, and unlimited sprint. This change was received with mixed reactions and a lot of original lovers of the first couple CoD games were disappointed. Those fans are pleasantly surprised in the recent release with the same mechanics of older CoD releases such as boots on the ground action, a gritty and realistic campaign, and a World War II centered game. Even the infamous Nazi Zombies mode has been given a revamp and is more gruesome than it has ever been.

      League of Legends is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena.  The game pits two teams of five players against each other in a contest to infiltrate the enemy’s base and destroy their nexus.  This action takes place on a battlefield that is halved, parallel.  There are three lanes on this battlefield, and a large jungle in between each of them.  In the lanes, there are towers that guard the way along the push towards the enemy nexus.  In the jungle, there are creatures that can be killed for the buffs that they provide, and this becomes an additional source of competition for these teams.  Each player, before the game’s start, gets to choose an avatar from a vast collection of playable “champions”, all of which have their own unique set of abilities that are to be used in combat against their opponents.  And the community of players decides where these champions best fit on the battlefield (top lane, middle lane, bottom lane, or jungle), based on the roles assigned to each champion.  Winning your lane (by besting your laning opponent in combat) and working together with the rest of your team fluidly and strategically is the key to victory.

The part of Dungeons and Dragons that separates it from other games is the amount of freedom and experimentation that the game allows for, especially in character creation. Not only can players select their character’s race and class, but also they are able to customize their personalities as well as their weaknesses. Unlike many role playing games, Dungeons and Dragons does not only rely on fighting and customization of your character’s gear in order to submerge players in game play; the only limit to play is the player’s imagination.

http://dnd.wizards.com/

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. Tripwire Interactive. 2011. Video Games.

RO2 is a WWII first person shooter set during the battle of Stalingrad. The game features 64-player team matches that pit the Nazis against the Soviets. In the interest of balance and fairness, there are some limitations on what the player can do from match to match; both teams must have a similar amount of human players, so sometimes the team the player is on is forced, and the number of players allowed to use a specific weapon is limited. Most players will be restriced to bolt action rifles (Mosin Nagants or Kar-98’s, usually), while a few might end up being outfitted with sub machine guns, semi-auto rifles, or machine guns. The game also features a command structure for the players; there is a commander who is able to call in artillery strikes and direct troops, and squad leaders capable of issueing command and marking locations for artillery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Orchestra_2:_Heroes_of_Stalingrad

The weirdest game I have every played was Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker. I played it in an arcade with by boyfriend and his brother. We each played as a one of three Michael Jacksons. The game consists of Michael Jackson using magical powers to kill a bunch of agents and rescue kidnapped children. There is a special attack in the game called “Dance Magic”. When that move is implemented all the Michael Jacksons start dancing as a heavenly spotlight shines on them. All of the enemies in the vicinity join into the dance and are destroyed because they ca not keep up with Jackson’s dance moves. Bubbles the chimpanzee is also in the game. Once bubbles is recued Jackson turns into a laser wielding robot. We spent an embarrassingly long time playing this game, because it was almost impossible to be killed. The part of the game that I found to be most fun was constantly hitting the Dance Magic button because my boyfriend hated losing control of his character and having to watch Michael Jackson dance to Smooth Criminal for thirty seconds. I don’t know who thought of this game or why but I want to find out what other games he created.

Candy Crush can be an addictive game. It is a puzzle game, with each level setting a different objective. The player is not supposed to clear the entire board, but is, instead, prompted to crush certain blocks of candy or eliminate certain ingredients. With over 2,000 levels, this game has essentially unlimited game-play. It is different than most games because there is not a clear end-goal; you just keep beating levels and playing on to the next level. Consequently, there has never been anyone that has “won” Candy Crush. This game proves an important point that games are still enjoyable even if they do not have a clear end result.

https://king.com/game/candycrush