Student Life: Top Five Games

If cats were University students...

Being in my third and final year of University, means that in just a few weeks I’ll be thrown out into the terrifying real world. Consequently, I’ve decided to look back over my time as a student, and consider which games, released during my University career, have accompanied me through the last three years here. I’ve managed to boil what started as a rather long list of games, down to just five.

5. Gears of War 2 (Nov 08. Xbox 360) - Gears of War 2 has become widely regarded as one of the best games currently available on the Xbox 360, and with good reason. Featuring an intuitive cover system and addictive combat, I consider it easily one of my most enjoyed games of my time as a University student. With the additional ‘Horde’ mode and the ability to play through the entire campaign cooperatively with a friend, Gears of War 2 provides players with hours of bloody entertainment.

4. Left 4 Dead 2 (Nov 09. PC/Mac OS X/Xbox 360) - Having thoroughly enjoyed the original Left 4 Dead, when its sequel was announced at E3 in America last year, November couldn’t come soon enough. With more special infected, mêlée weapons and a whole new cast of survivors, the zombie apocalypse was made all the more fun. The way that the maps themselves adapt to suit the way that you are playing means that every match you play is a fresh experience.

3. Fallout 3 (Oct 08. PC/Playstation 3/Xbox 360) - Bethesda’s third instalment in their dystopian wasteland series, provided me with a worryingly engaging game. Emerging from Vault 101 two hundred years after a global nuclear war, the player sets out to find his father who inexplicably fled the safety of the vault. The open ended nature of Fallout 3 meant that decisions you make within the game have visible ramifications; within the first hour of the game, you’re given the opportunity to either defuse or activate a nuclear warhead in the middle of a town.

2. Grand Theft Auto IV (Apr 08. PC/Playstation 3/Xbox 360) - When Niko Bellic stepped off the boat as her arrived in Liberty City, I knew I’d be with him for a long, long time. GTA IV is undoubtedly one of the most engrossing video games I’ve ever played. Players take control of Niko Bellic, a likeable, if slightly shallow character, who has come to America to distance himself further from an ambiguous past in Eastern Europe. GTA IV offers an enormous and interesting storyline, and gives players fantastic multiplayer options ensuring hours of fun. The game is highly enjoyable and a must-have in any gamer’s collection.

1. The Orange Box (Oct 07. PC/Playstation 3/Xbox 360) - Containing five fantastic games in one bundle, Valve’s Orange Box is without a doubt the one gaming purchase that will always be affiliated with my time at University. I remember playing Half Life 2 for the first time whilst I was still living at Hardwick halls, and how Gordon Freeman’s muted journey comfortably distracted me away from pending assignments. Similarly, running through the Aperture science labs in Portal for the first time was an unparalleled experience, and playing Team Fortress 2 online has rewarded me with hours of enjoyment.