Game theory

There are a lot of people who are concerned about how they will keep themselves entertained right now while self-isolating. There are only that many books you can read, after all. Web shows also lose their charm after a point. And how many movies can you really watch back to back? So what does one do for fun at a time when we are being advised against all human contact for an indefinite period? Simple. Try your hand at computer games. They aren't everyone's cup of tea. People tend to either love them or have complete disregard. Still, it can't be argued that you won't even realise when the hours pass by if you choose to get absorbed in one (there is one record-breaking instance of an American woman playing for 138 hours non-stop, though that is of course an extreme case). So try out these options that avid city gamers have suggested especially for you.

Managing someone else's affairs

The Sims is a classic virtual-simulation game that has been around for two decades. Artist Viraag Desai suggests it for first-time gamers, adding that it involves managing virtual people who you name, build a house for and, as time passes, determine how they run their lives. "There's also Civilisation, where you strategically manage a certain civilisation's affairs from an early era into the future. I would suggest that people play long and convincing games that have great story lines. With these, you can start playing when it's six in the evening, and the next thing you know is that it's morning. My favourite one right now is Witcher 3, a Polish game that is considered somewhat of a national treasure in that country."

Real life mirrored on screen

If there's one game that's relevant to what's happening around us right now, it's The Last of Us, feels media professional Shilajit Mitra. That's because the story line involves a global crisis born after a virus outbreak, where people have turned into zombies and your character's objective is to help a little girl cross from one end of the country to the other. Mitra says, "Even people who aren't into gaming will like it because it's like a TV show. The kind of emotions it builds will resonate with them. You wouldn't expect this kind of a philosophical experience from a video game. A part of the gaming industry actually tackles the same sort of subjects that movies or books do, only in a more interactive way."

Having a ball with different games

There are different strokes for different folks. That's why sales executive Pratik Datta feels that you should pick a game based on your personality type. "Some people like racing games, others like fighting ones, and still others like a story," he says, adding, "But if you're looking to play a sports game, I'd suggest FIFA 20 without a shadow of a doubt. Even people who don't watch football would like it since it's such a unique experience." Datta adds that his preferred first-person shooting game is the wildly popular Call of Duty. And in the open-world format, it's Grand Theft Auto 5. He says, "There is complete and utter chaos in it since you can do anything you want, which also gives you a sense of freedom."

Why you should try your hand at soc-car

Picture a football game that has two teams facing each other with goal posts on both ends and a ball placed in the middle. Now, imagine that same game with rocket-powered cars replacing the humans, and you get Rocket League, the game that VFX specialist Arun Singh Ravi advocates. "You can divide yourselves into teams of two or three; the idea is to hit the ball into the other guy's goal. The game has its own genre, since nothing like this has ever been attempted before. But while it's easy to play, it's difficult to master. You have to spend at least 3,000 hours playing the game to reach a professional level," Ravi says.

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