FRÉDÉRICK RAYNAL

Gloomywood What does ‘best game’ mean? The biggest number of players? The best sales? Trying to work out the answer, I asked myself: what game would I recommend to anyone without the need to ask what kind of game they like to play? It should also be a game that is so accessible that almost everyone can play it. Then I got my answer: Minecraft. It integrates a lot of very usual, simple and almost mandatory game elements inside a building game. With its solo survival mode, you have free exploration, resources to gather and craft, and fights with very universal monsters. The building part is completely integrated in the gameplay, giving the player a great feeling of freedom and a clear visible progression thanks to the heavy scenery customisation, which is unusual. We know that players get a lot of emotional bounds because of the time (and ‘work’) spent in persistent-world games – in this case, the full world is yours! With its multiplayer modes, it can turn young relentless fighters into cooperative builders! What an achievement! Surprisingly, it allows players – even those with little creativity – to show off making things instead of destroying everything. Shouldn’t it be taught at school?