The holidays have traditionally been a time where families and close friends come together under one roof to spend quality time together.
Unfortunately, while the 2020 holiday season will still be going forward according to schedule this winter, how we get to spend time with our friends and relatives will be much different than we’re used to.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full force — and with social gatherings either not recommended or outright banned — people are now forced to seek alternative methods so that they can still connect with their loved ones.
Luckily, even though in-person group activities — such as board games or enthusiastic rounds of charades — are not possible this year, the good news is that there is an assortment of online video games options that should help fill that void and allow festive folks to still enjoy fun activities with their loved ones, despite being in separate places.
Here are three video game titles that will not only help you connect with your family/friends during this unusual season, but also add some holiday joy as well.
Among Us
This addicting multiplayer game has a simple premise: Players play as a team of space crewmates, diligently completing tasks to fill their taskbar completely, which results in a win for the crew.
The twist? Amongst the crew, there are 1-2 imposter crewmates whose ultimate purpose is to sabotage tasks and “eliminate” the real crewmates without getting caught and voted off the ship.
Deception, deduction, and teamwork are just some of the skills that are incorporated in Among Us, which is made all the more fun when playing with a party over group video/voice chat. It enables crewmates to work together, as well as allowing imposter players to work on their acting skills so that they can lie their way to victory!
The game is offered on both PC and mobile devices and should definitely provide hours of entertainment, especially if you have always dreamt of digitally backstabbing your loved ones in cold blood.
The Jackbox Party Pack (1-7)
The Jackbox Games series has long been a tremendous alternative to board games, offering up a variety of entertaining social games that are easy to play, as long as everyone playing has an Internet connection and a smartphone at their disposal.
There are seven party packs total in the series, each with their own unique set of games. Some examples include Quiplash (where you answer questions with hilarious quips to make everyone in your party laugh), and Drawful (think zanier Pictionar), just to name a couple.
Setup is easy as well. The game owner uses video call or screen-share so the rest of the players can view the game. Everyone participating then enters in a “room code” on their mobile devices, which allows the group to play the game and submit answers together, while safely being in their own individual households.
After playing through this groundbreaking series, you will not miss traditional board games another day in your life.
Rocket League
For more hardcore gamers, Rocket League is an online, multiplayer game that offers a unique take on soccer.
Rocket League replaces soccer players with rocket-powered vehicles that can fly around in the air and blow each other up. If you have any sports enthusiasts in your life who are looking for something different, make sure to give this high-octane sports title a shot.
With Rocket League, you can customize and personalize your car though a trusted gaming marketplace like Eldorado.gg. Eldorado allows you to buy and sell game currencies, items, accounts and boosting services.