Gaming is a popular pastime no matter the time of year, but when the temperature starts to drop, you might want to find a new game to play to while away those long winter nights.
Below are some excellent examples of games that are either perfect for distraction when it’s cold outside, or games that are set in winter, or set in an extreme climate. You can choose the right game for you from this list.
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Online slot games come in so many different guises and themes, so you will be able to find something that you will enjoy. Slot games can be fast and fun, and when you add in the enticing option of staking real money (and winning real money), you’ve got the recipe for a very exciting way to spend the winter.
The Long Dark
If you want to play a first-person survival game that is all about the wilds of winter, then The Long Dark is a great option. Released in 2015 and developed and published by Hinterland Games, the game centres around the actions that you take as a bush pilot who has crash landed in the frigid Canadian wilderness.
Available for consoles, Switch, and for PC, this is a survival game that uses the winter as part of the game – you need to keep an eye on things like your body temperature, the food and drink you can have, and things like windchill and even wildlife – all of which can kill you quickly if you are not careful.
Designed to bring out the psychological aspect of surviving against the odds when a geomagnetic storm sends your plane reeling into the snow, this is a game that will make you feel uncomfortable in more ways than one.
Skyrim
While not a game that is about the winter, Skyrim is set in a fictional fantasy land that is based on Northern Europe – so you’ll travel through snowy lands as you navigate the game.
Developed and produced by Bethesda and released in 2011, Skyrim doesn’t feel like it has aged at all – and the open world quests keep players interested year on year. In the main game, you control a character that is on a quest to defeat a dragon who has been prophesied to destroy the world. As with other Bethesda games, there are easter eggs aplenty, which makes it so much fun to play, even if you don’t focus on the main game.
With multiple NPCs to interact with and plenty of side quests, you can wander the snow-capped mountains and wintery lands to your hearts content.
Kona
This adventure game was developed by a Canadian studio (Parabole) – so you know that if there is a wintery element, it is going to be realistic. Published by Ravenscourt and released in 2017, Kona is a combination of a survival game and a whodunit investigation, with a supernatural vibe that will keep you glued to the screen even past your bedtime.
Set in October 1970, you play Carl Faubert, a Private Investigator that arrives in a snowy town in the North of Quebec to find the place deserted and something strange lurking in the shadows. You need to work out what is happening all while searching buildings, finding tools, and seeking shelter from the unforgiving elements.
It’s atmospheric and thrilling, with a real indie feel that the hardcore gamers will appreciate – maybe a little more than the glossy triple A titles that top the bestseller lists. You’ll want to reach the end to find out what happened to all the people that live there.
Frostpunk
If you like city-building and survival, set in a post-apocalyptic world scape, then Frostpunk is the game for you.
This is a game that is set in an alternate timeline, where the 19th Century is a harsh post-apocalyptic winter and you are part of a small group of survivors. You’ll nee to find shelter and food, collect resources and keep everyone alive – to begin with. As you play through the game and grow your supplies, you will have the opportunity to build a city to protect the survivors.
Then you get to make a choice. You can either run your city with benevolence or become a tyrannical dictator. Either way, unhappy citizens can rise up, and a revolution can destroy everything you’ve built.
Throughout the game, you will have to complete challenges and work through scenarios – all while dealing with what a nuclear winter can do to the frail human condition.
