Written BY: Adio B. Royster
My colleagues at Exec Digital constantly wonder why I seem to have such a calm and cool demeanor despite living the hectic journalist lifestyle. Even though I write about the coolest cars, gadgets and travel destinations, I still need to relax from time to time.
CEOs similarly need to occasionally distract themselves with something enjoyable after a long week at work. Everyone has their secrets, and for me, nothing grounds me more than getting away for an hour or two with a controller in my hand.
If you've ever thought about playing videogames, then welcome to my heaven. I've been a gamer for most of my life and this is a subject close to my heart. I can speak with great enthusiasm on the benefits of pretending you're someone else, it's magical. It works.
FOR THE SOCIAL GAMER
Before MySpace and before Facebook were social media giants, there was Xbox Live – a feature developed exclusively for the Microsoft Xbox console. The Xbox Live was the first attempt at a massive online console gaming community where people with similar interests came together. A game called Halo – combined with Xbox Live – helped the system become widely popular.
In 2005, Microsoft introduced the Xbox 360 with a more enhanced version of Xbox Live as well as more advanced games. The flagship online game, Halo, has since seen two incarnations on the Xbox 360 – Halo 3 (released in 2008) and the recently released Halo: Reach.
Halo has set the stage for an even more popular franchise: Call of Duty. Call of Duty wasn’t very popular in the beginning, but when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare debuted in 2007, C.O.D. reached its full potential. As a result of a massive following, developer Infinity Ward produced two sequels: Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops – two games I admit to waiting in line for.
The Xbox 360 is perfect for the person who wants to connect with a massive community of people and participate in a few games of capture the flag via Halo or Call of Duty.
Exec Digital’s Top 3 Must-Have Xbox 360 Games: “Halo: Reach”; “Call of Duty: Black Ops”; “Mass Effect 2”
FOR THE VISUAL GAMER
As human beings, we always tend to gravitate towards anything that’s appealing to the eyes. Whether it’s a hot model or a fancy sports car, something that looks good makes you want it more – hence my introduction to the Sony Playstation 3.
Don’t get me wrong, the Xbox 360 has great visuals, but when the 360 came out, Sony saw what the competition was doing and did it better.
Blu-ray technology, which was exclusive to Sony when the PS3 was developed, and a new cell microprocessor helps the Playstation 3 produce the kind of graphics that are state of the art in the video game industry. The best example is demonstrated through the Uncharted series, which follows the story of Nathan Drake, the descendent of Sir Francis Drake – a treasure hunter by trade.
Uncharted and Uncharted 2 have been recognized by many to be the two of the best games available for the Playstation 3. No video game in history has featured graphics this series produced (i.e. layered graphics and real-time physics).
Another visually appealing game for the Playstation 3 allows you to virtually collect some of the cars that may be in your garage. Gran Turismo 5 is the racing simulator that many gamers have been wanting for years. The newest version of Gran Turismo features over 1,000 cars that players can choose from – including the first video game appearances by Lamborghini, Bugatti and the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
With a company like Sony providing the technology, could anyone really be surprised that Playstation 3 titles are among the best looking and best sounding games on the market?
Exec Digital’s Top 3 Must Have Sony Playstation 3 Games: “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves”; “Gran Turismo 5”; “God of War III”
FOR THE MOBILE GAMER
The Microsoft Kinect and the Playstation Move have become hot peripherals, but their innovation comes from the Nintendo Wii – the first video game console to introduce motion powered gaming.
Have you ever wanted to wield a light saber and have your actions be mimicked on screen? Star Wars: The Force Unleashed does that, and the sequel improves it. Want to swing a golf club at Pebble Beach without having to fly to Monterrey? Pick up any version of Tiger Woods PGA Golf.
When you talk about Nintendo, you have to bring up their history of popular characters and Mario (New Super Mario Bros. Wii), Samus (Metroid: Other M) and Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong Country Returns) all make the trip to the Nintendo Wii. Later this year, the iconic Zelda franchise – a franchise I’ve been playing since I was seven – makes a second tour on the Wii with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Exec Digital’s Top 3 Must Have Nintendo Wii Games: “Super Mario Brothers Galaxy 2”; “Donkey Kong Country Returns”; “Metroid: Other M”
Video games are a perfect way for people of all ages to step outside of themselves, if only for a moment. Sometimes, pretending to be someone else is the best way to find a sense of inner calm.
