Siliconera Selects: Recent Games to Play That Require a Big Investment

Since people might be finding themselves stuck inside over the next few weeks, they might wonder what sorts of games they could play that would last for not just a few hours, but maybe for even a month. Well, lots of games from Japanese developers do a great job of fitting the bill. 

RPGs

• Top Pick: Atelier Dusk Trilogy Deluxe Pack (Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC) – This is a good possibility simply because of the value it offers. You’re getting three rather strong Atelier installments: Atelier Ayesha, Atelier Escha & Logy, and Atelier Shallie. Every one of them has at least around 30 hours of gameplay and different sorts of endings based on your activities.
• Runners-up:
  • Persona 5 Royal (PlayStation 4) …though Persona 5 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 will also do in a pinch.
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (PlayStation 4, PC, and eventually the Switch)

Strategic-RPGs

• Top Pick: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch) – We’ve definitely talked about how great Fire Emblem: Three Houses can be. It’s a massive strategy game with school life elements. Plus, now that all the DLC is out, you can also add on the Cindered Shadows extra campaign.
• Runners-up:
  • Langrisser I & II (Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC)
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV (PlayStation 4 and PC)

Life and Building Sims

• Top Pick: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) – While it isn’t available until March 20, 2020, I feel confident enough trusting in Nintendo and the series to go ahead and say this is going to be a life simulation and island building title that will keep people amused for weeks, if not months and years.
• Runners-up:
  • Rune Factory 4 Special (Switch)
  • Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC)

MMOs

• Top Pick: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers (PlayStation 4 and PC) – For years now, Final Fantasy XIV has been this extensive MMORPG getting plenty of support and attention from Square Enix, to the point where Naoki Yoshida worked magic when he took over to revitalize it. Shadowbringers is its latest expansion and it tells this extraordinary story that, if it was a standalone, offline game, no doubt people the world over would be raving about it.
• Runners-up:
  • Phantasy Star Online 2 beta (Xbox One)
  • Black Desert Online (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC)

Fighters

• Top Pick: Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (PlayStation 4 and PC) – This could be divisive, but hear me out. Street Fighter V is in a really good place right now. There’s the latest edition out with Seth, Gill, and adjustments. Capcom is still supporting it. It’s a pretty cool and affordable scene. You can really take your time to learn how to use a character and, as some might say, git gud.
• Runners-up:
  • Granblue Fantasy Versus (PlayStation 4 and PC)
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

Multiplayer Games

• Top Pick: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC) – If you can’t play with people around you easily, then hopping into Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion can give you a way to still socialize and make memories. You can all work together toward a common goal, which is beating monsters. You can see the progress you’re all making together. (If you’re looking for a free-to-play, multiplatform alternative, Dauntless will do in a pinch.)
• Runners-up:
  • DOOM Eternal (PlayStation, Xbox One, and PC)
  • Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (PlayStation 4 and PC)

Mobile Games

• Top Pick: Fire Emblem Heroes (Android and Apple iOS) – I know, Fire Emblem Heroes isn’t perfect. It has its hurdles and situations where you can feel like people are paying to win. (I’m looking at the Arena whales.) But if someone is only just starting, they can get a lot of units for free and go through three rather lengthy storylines for free. (The last one isn’t finished yet.) 
• Runners-up:
  • Granblue Fantasy Mobile (Android, Apple iOS, and PC)
  • Fate/Grand Order (Android and Apple iOS)

In case you’d like more games to play, you can check out the Siliconera Selects Switch and PlayStation 4 guides.