Gaming Tips: What the editorial team is playing over the holidays

The holidays finally bring time for the important things in life. Twelve personal video game recommendations from the editorial team.

Screenshot from "Hellblade 2"

(Image: Ninja Theory)

at 8:03 am CET

3 min. read

By

Daniel Herbig

On mobile phones, PCs, or with VR goggles on their heads: there is no consensus in the heise editorial team about how to spend leisure time playing games during the holidays. We asked our colleagues what they are playing over Christmas and between the years. The result is a mix of more or less profound game tips, which we have summarized in a picture gallery.

Spieleempfehlungen für die Feiertage aus der Redaktion (12 Bilder)

„Winter Burrow“ (Liane M. Dubowy)

Durch den Schnee stapfen und es mir im Warmen gemütlich machen: Das will ich über die Feiertage auch im Spiel. Deshalb freue ich mich schon darauf, in „Winter Burrow“ einzutauchen. Das Indie-Game von Pine Creek Games punktet mit ordentlichen Survival-Herausforderungen: eisige Kälte, angriffslustige Feinde und knappe Rohstoffe. Aber es hat eben auch: chillige Musik, knuffige Grafik, eine große Portion Niedlichkeit und hilfsbereite Waldbewohner, die mit neuen Rezepten und Keksen aushelfen.

In isometrischer Perspektive schlüpfe ich in die Rolle der Maus, deren Elternhaus in Trümmern liegt. Mit wenig Aufwand wird aus dem Baumstumpf aber schnell ein gemütliches Zuhause, eine sichere Zuflucht im eiskalten Winter. Nach und nach baut die Maus das Haus aus. Dazu lernt sie allerlei neue Dinge, baut Werkzeuge, sammelt oder fertigt das dafür nötige Material und nimmt die Hilfe der anderen Waldbewohner in Anspruch. Den Hunger stillen gesammelte Beeren, Pilze, die sie im Ofen zu Waldmarmelade, Keksen und Kuchen verarbeitet. Um der Kälte zu trotzen, kann sie sich im Ohrensessel vor dem Kamin einrollen und einen warmen Pulli gegen die Kälte stricken.

Für mich ist also alles dabei: Die Welt, oder besser den Wald, erkunden, die Figuren und ihre Geschichten kennenlernen, in Kämpfen bestehen, und gemütliches Bauen. Winter Burrow verspricht eine recht einzigartige Kombination aus Gemütlichkeit und Überlebenskampf, die ich in entspannten Stunden mit dem Steam Deck auf dem Sofa erkunden will. (lmd@heise.de) (Bild:

heise medien

)

What is recommendable this year

For further, more objective recommendations, it is worth taking a look at the Game Awards, which were presented on January 11th. The selection of titles nominated for Game of the Year is truly successful: the turn-based tactical game “Clair Obscure” emerged almost out of nowhere at the beginning of the year to become the game phenomenon of the year. The choice for Game of the Year was a mere formality. Anyone who fancies a meaningful further development of the “Final Fantasy” game principle with a strong French flair should definitely check out “Clair Obscure.”

Also, “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2” has honestly earned its nomination: The best first-person role-playing game since “Skyrim” takes its medieval setting seriously and offers an exciting, sometimes humorous, and always believable adventure in early 15th-century Bohemia. However, you should only start playing if you are prepared to engage in a slow and demanding experience. “KCD2” is deliberately different from many RPG competitors that throw players from one action spectacle to the next.

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Indie and Switch 2

If you prefer something cozy, you can check out “Tiny Bookshop” from the Cologne-based studio Neoludic Games, which was named Game of the Year at the German Developer Award. In “Tiny Bookshop,” players run a mobile book caravan. Customers must be recommended the right books, and decorative options create a cozy atmosphere. Other indie highlights of the year include the pinball game “Ball x Pit” and the puzzle game “Blue Prince.”

“Anno 117” was released too late to be considered for the German Developer Award, but it is still recommendable. Anyone who has bought a Switch 2 and already finished “Mario Kart World” cannot avoid “Donkey Kong: Bananza,” which sacrifices the familiar jumping passages from previous installments for a new game design with destructible levels. The new “Metroid Prime 4” is also a good game, but it doesn't quite reach the quality of its predecessors.