Summer is upon us and that means sun, sea, sand…and games, of course! It’s also my first Summer as part of the LadiesGamers team! What better way to wile away a warm Summer’s eve with a new title to play or even a re-visit to an old one. Choosing which titles to enjoy my Summer with is no easy feat. I’m a relatively indecisive person. Choosing just 5 is a hard decision in itself, but here are the top 5 I’ll be playing this summer and why. Come join me on my Summer gaming journey and I’ll try not to revise my top 5 too often whilst writing this!
5. Pokemon Violet
As a child who grew up largely in the ’90s (okay, I’m an 80s child but I was 4 by the time 1990 hit so I did most of my growing up (have I actually grown up? Don’t answer that!) in the ’90s) Pokemon was a big staple of my childhood.
I remember playing Pokemon on the original GameBoy, watching the cartoons religiously and collecting all the various Pokemon toys I could find (my fav was the toy Pokedex I had, which contained information on all Pokemon at the time. Remember when there were only 151 Pokemon? Those were the days!) Over time I started collecting Pokemon cards (my husband still does) and sharing my love of Pokemon with my children.
Pokemon as a gaming franchise has ballooned and evolved over recent years with state-of-the-art evolutions (Pokemon reference right there!) in technology pushing the boundaries of the modern Pokemon game. This has included the latest games in the franchise being “open world” and being able to explore freely rather than on a set path, which is something I absolutely love and is one of the biggest reason that Pokemon Violet is on my list. There is so much to see and do in Pokemon Violet and so many different people to meet.
4. Fae Farm
I have a soft spot for magic and fairies in games. I do love a bit of whimsy and games involving faeries tend to have that in spades. When Fae Farm was first released I remember my excitement. It seemed to offer everything I loved in games – fairies, crafting, dungeon crawling, an array of people to meet and interact with. Sign me up!
Fae Farm definitely delivered on its promise and it’s a game I return to again and again. With the updates and expansions, there is so much to do in Fae Farm and it offers hours of boundless fun. Another part of the game I adore is the collections element. I’m a completionist. I love challenging myself to find every crop, animal, and flower a game has to offer and filling my collection. If you’re looking for a whimsical game that delivers time and time again, then Fae Farm is the game for you.
3. Waku Waku Sweets
Waku Waku Sweets is a relatively new game to me. I picked it up in the Nintendo sale as the price was just too good at 95% off. I absolutely loved the Cooking Mama franchise for the 3DS and was disappointed that I couldn’t find a version for the Switch. This looked like it could be a possible substitute so I snapped it up.
You play as a budding chef, trying to make their way as a baker in the town they have just moved to, and at the café they have just received a job offer from. As you progress you’ll meet lots of unique characters, who would like various food items. Doing this will progress your friendship with them and will also increase your rank as you rise to become the best of the best.
The artistic style is anime. Anime is not a style I have played a lot of. It’s not that I don’t like the style. It’s just that the games I tend to pick up don’t have it.
If you’re looking for a game for the Switch that emulates Cooking Mama then, in my opinion, Waku Waku Sweets is a good substitute.
2. Harvestella
I haven’t played a lot of RPGs. They’re not the type of game I tend to gravitate towards, but the idea of a farming sim RPG had me intrigued.
You play as a young woman who wakes up with amnesia. No memory of who she is or where she came from. What ensues is a journey of self-discovery and meeting various characters who show her how to farm, how to cook and how to craft, as well as becoming allies to her cause and sending her on quests in return for various items she needs.
I’ve never played an RPG crossed with a farming sim before but I absolutely love all that Harvestella has to offer. There is so much to do and so many hours of gameplay. Harvestella is definitely a staple for the summer holidays.
1. Hogwarts Legacy
We all know what Hogwarts is, and if you don’t? Have you been living under a rock? Joking aside, I am an avid Harry Potter fan. My family and I recently did the Harry Potter tour at Warner Bros. Studios in London and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.
When Hogwarts Legacy was first released, I was excited, but then that excitement slowly turned to apprehension. My laptop is classified as a gaming laptop but it’s a few years old now and we all know how short a shelf-life technology can have, especially when it comes to games being released and the increasing need for machines with higher specs to play them on.
I was fairly confident that my machine could not support a seamless Hogwarts Legacy experience but I was excited when it was announced that the game would be coming to the Switch. However, after release the complaints started to pile in about it being laggy and having unnecessary waiting times on loading screens. My apprehension reared its ugly head again.
That being said, I didn’t want my apprehension to get in the way of my enjoyment of the game and everything else pointed to it being a very well-made game with a fantastic narrative, so I went ahead and bought it anyway and I am so glad I did.
Hogwarts Legacy is a game made for the fans. It features some of the shops that are in the books and movies (although, not all of them as the game is set in the 1800s). Character creation is adorned with various hairstyles and clothes and you can find out what House you’re in (I’m a proud Hufflepuff) as well as your wand and patronus by taking various quizzes.
Along your journey, you’ll meet various witches and wizards who will help guide you on the mystery you need to solve, as well as lots of side quests. Hogwarts Legacy provides so much content and you can even tame beasts, which is my favourite part. I still haven’t found a Niffler though. I’m not sure if one exists in the game or if it’s not something that was included (in which case that makes me very sad and I might just protest. I mean, I won’t, but still…)
For theme and gameplay alone, that’s why Hogwarts Legacy is my number 1 game I’ll be playing this Summer.
What will you be playing this Summer?
Whatever game is at your fingertips, I hope that your summer is a fab one.
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