In the mood for: games in games

Darling it’s better down where it’s meta

THE LAST OF US

It’s not all bleak after the apocalypse. The Left Behind expansion shows a more innocent Ellie as she and best friend Riley sneak into an abandoned shopping mall where they find an arcade. The cabinets are kaputt, but a little imagination is enough to transform Ellie into the bad-ass Angel Knives in fighting game The Turning.

THE WITCHER 3: 2

WILD HUNT

Even witchers need down time. Gwent is a fast-paced card game at which Geralt can challenge pretty much any merchant or tavern owner. The rules can be daunting, and should you enter the Gwent tournament, the high-stakes players are more formidable than any monster you encounter.

YAKUZA 0

The Yakuza series is the undisputed king of distracting side-activities, and Yakuza 0’s ’80s setting makes it perfect for revisiting Sega classics like Super Hang-On and Out Run. The sight of Kiryu and Majima sitting at these cabinets while dressed to the nines is a delight in itself.

RED DEAD

4

REDEMPTION 2

Like any good cowboy, you can kick back at camp or a saloon to play some good old-fashioned poker. Based on Texas hold ’em, be prepared to raise your bets and bluff your way to winning the pot. If you fancy your chances, you can also play poker in Red Dead Online.

ASSASSIN’S CREED 5

VALHALLA

Forget raiding and pillaging – chances are Eivor will be too occupied in their quest to become the champion of Orlog. On the surface, it’s a simple-looking dice game, but it’s hooked more Vikings than a barrel of mead. There are even plans to release a physical version of Orlog.

FINAL FANTASY VIII

Lots of games include a card game these days, but Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII was surely the OG. You can challenge just about anyone you meet to a match simply by pressing r.

LIFE IS STRANGE: 7

BEFORE THE STORM

Before The Storm shows Chloe Price’s nerdy side, as you can choose for her to join classmates Steph and Mikey for some tabletop roleplaying. As she plays an elf barbarian described by Mikey as “skinny and kind of weird” but also “really angry”, it’s not totally escapism for old Chlo.

UNCHARTED 4

PlayStation’s original bandicoot returns as evening entertainment for retired treasure hunter Nathan Drake. As it turns out, trying to keep Crash alive and nab the high score in this classic 3D platformer is tougher than any gunfight in a forbidden city Nate has ever had.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS

A narrative adventure game with hardcore difficulty shouldn’t work. For college dropout Mae, however, mastering the roguelite Demontower on her laptop might be easier than dealing with real issues. The game’s protagonist also happens to be a cat, just one fighting enemies in dungeons.

“BEFORE THE STORM SHOWS CHLOE PRICE’S NERDY SIDE […] JOIN CLASSMATES STEPH

AND MIKEY FOR SOME TABLETOP ROLEPLAYING.”