Right now is a very tough time around most of the world, with many people being stuck at home for at least the next few weeks. As a result, there is no question that people will be playing a lot of video games in the coming weeks. It can certainly be hard to choose from so many games in your backlog, so we tried to come up with a list that could help narrow that down. For this list, we have focused exclusively on modern games that you can access on modern platforms in some capacity. These are 10 modern games that are good options to play while stuck at home.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Almost everybody is anticipating the release of Cyberpunk 2077 later this year as CD Projekt Red’s next massive game. While that is not going to be available to play right now, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available right now for players that missed out on this game of the generation contender that initially released back in 2015. Available across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, this game can be played by pretty much anybody. Even for those that didn’t play the first two games, this one is worth jumping in on. This is not even to mention the fact that you can watch The Witcher series on Netflix, which is also something else you can do while stuck at home. With the length of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, this should take up a good bit of your time and keep you busy. Those on Xbox One and Game Pass can even access the game as part of the subscription service as well.
Final Fantasy XIV
There was no way we couldn’t throw some sort of MMORPG on this list and we decided to go with Final Fantasy XIV. This game is available across both PS4 and PC currently, which is the main reason we included it over something like World of Warcraft that is PC exclusive. Since the base release of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, the game has received multiple expansions and can provide infinite hours of content. There are few MMOs out there that will provide you with the level of depth and content as this one, so we thought it would be a great way to waste time while at home.
The Last of Us
Most likely one of the shortest games on this list, we felt it was pretty imperative to include The Last of Us, specifically The Last of Us Remastered on this list. Like many games on this list, The Last of Us is definitely one of the best games of this last decade, if not the best. On top of that, The Last of Us Part II is only a couple months away now, so it is the absolute perfect time to jump in and get ready. Hopefully you’ve been keeping up with your PlayStation Plus free games monthly too, as this was one of them a few months ago too, which gives you even less excuses not to play this one.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda has so many games we could recommend you to play while at home, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took things to a whole other level in scale and size when it released a few years ago. There’s a very good chance that a good majority of Nintendo Switch owners have already played through this game. However, there was no way we could leave this one off the list for how big the world is inside and how there is just so much to do from the exploration to all the shrines. You could start this game and get lost in it for hours, or pick it up and play between other games. It’s just one of those games that you can keep playing and not get tired of as the hours go by.
Soulsbourne
We decided to cheat a bit with this entry, because we really couldn’t narrow it down to just one entry. You have contenders like Dark Souls Remastered, Dark Souls III, and Bloodbourne especially, so we decided to just mash the series into one entry here. Not recommended if you’re stuck at home with your kids due to the difficulty level that will likely have you spewing many a curse word. These may be the most difficult games on the list, but it’s the very rewarding type of difficulty that will have you coming back for more, even after the repeated “You Died” screens. If you’ve stayed away from the series due to this, this is the time to overcome the difficulty level and give them a try.
Super Mario Odyssey
Being stuck at home for extended periods of time can be very frustrating for those that are usually on the go and love travel. While you can’t go travel in the real world, why not go on an adventure with Mario instead to the colorful environments of Super Mario Odyssey. Like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this is a most own title for the Nintendo Switch and offers plenty of hours of content. Even if you’ve already played through the game before, I know this is one that I want to get back to and start collecting all the Moons I missed at some point. Mario was at the top of his game with his latest outing and it is a perfect way to have a little getaway while still staying in the house.
The Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim
Easily one of the most ported games of all time, The Elder Scrolls VI: Skyrim is available on basically everything by now. It’s very likely you’ve at least tried the game at some point, but it’s also quite possible the size of the world and abundance of sidequests proved to be too daunting for your everyday life. That makes the game the perfect candidate to fire up when stuck at home for a few weeks, as you can finally give the game your full attention and play through one of the best games of the last decade.
Minecraft
What can you even say about Minecraft at this point? Even when people thought the game was dwindling in popularity in the wake of Fortnite and the like, it bounced back and proved all the naysayers wrong. Like a few other games on this list, Minecraft is available on everything and is one of the cheapest games as well. Similar to Final Fantasy XIV, this game offers infinite hours of fun with you being able to build anything you want in the game. If you want a more story driven equivalent, the two Dragon Quest Builders games can also be a good option here when you need to make the time go by.
Doom Eternal
We’re going to wrap up this list with a couple brand new games, because what better to play than some brand new games you’ve been waiting for. Starting off is Doom Eternal, the followup to the very well received 2016 reboot. After being delayed from last year, people have been waiting to get their hands on Doom Eternal. And considering everything going on in the world right now that has people stuck at home, just going around and killing demons may be just the answer to help out. The game looks to be every bit as good as the reboot and we are ready to travel to Hell yet again.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Our other new release on the list is on the opposite end of the spectrum of Doom Eternal with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As someone that had an upcoming vacation have to be cancelled due to what is going on, I’m ready to get Animal Crossing: New Horizons and go to my own island courtesy of Tom Nook. People have been asking for a new Animal Crossing game for years now and it looks like New Horizons delivers in spades on the Nintendo Switch. What better way to help yourself while stuck at home than to go on a virtual vacation in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
