We compiled a fair amount of brain teaser, puzzle, creative, and strategy video games while having fun with video games.
This week that we have known that the State of Alarm will last for at least two more weeks, we have to gather patience, but also video games, of which we have already carried out several compilations: long, short, free, reading about the same … But it is convenient to also keep the mind active, and we can also achieve this by playing, why not? Thus, we will compile some of the best games among all those that require a certain mental agility, memory, imagination, intelligence … Let's take note:
Creative games
Normally creative games are also associated with longevity, and it is that these are titles that can take us many hours to exploit all its tools, although some more than others. We have to start by mentioning, of course, the eternal Minecraft, aladdin of the genre for more than a decade and one of the most influential games in history, practically without limits for the player's imagination, and incidentally, perfect for More smalls. As it is also very profitable for the youngest of the LEGO Worlds house, with the inherent charisma of the pieces of the Danish company, but with much less virtues than the Mojang game.
And if we look for even more depth we have alternatives: the most recent and complete when it comes to creating practically anything (games, music, shorts …) is Dreams, by the always imaginative British of Media Molecule. The community is already creating authentic virguerías with the most powerful editor of all those we have seen in a video game, and only time will tell what the thousands of users of the game are capable of, because they have a large number of tools at their fingertips. From this friendly studio we also have Little Big Planet 3, with many possibilities when it comes to creating levels and even mini-games, and also, at a very competitive price.
Dreams, endless tools at the service of the player's imagination
Similarly, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is one of the best games of this type that has appeared in recent years, successfully combining the typical freedom of these games with a certain narrative weight and the personal touch of a long-running franchise such as Dragon Quest. Varied missions and general improvements at all levels complete a formula that has worked for Square Enix, although the combat system has barely progressed, without being a hindrance.
Puzzle games
For the bravest ones we also have a great selection that we start with The Witness, not only with really imaginative puzzles but also with a very beautiful aesthetic, hand in hand as well as one of the forerunners of the successful independent movement such as Jonathan Blow, creator of the unforgettable Braid. Incidentally, this other is also another great puzzle game that plays over time, and if we talk about one that plays with space, we will make it about Fez, the fantastic Phil Fish game released in 2012 and available for a wide variety of platforms.
Fez, a great independent classic full of originality
Who was going to tell us that the creators of Serious Sam were also going to make a great puzzle game like The Talos Principle, a game that combines imaginative puzzles with a philosophical touch that makes the game go one step further, although sometimes they seem not to have much relationship. From a similar cut we have the essential Portal 2, which is also a perfect alternative to play cooperatively, and with a much more minimalist cut comes one of the great indie surprises of 2019: Baba is You, with surprising mechanics that require the maximum creativity on the part of the player.
And for all ages, the entire Professor Layton saga, with a sizable amount of installments on Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, plus Layton's Mysterious Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, for Nintendo Switch. They are all games that combine mystery and conversations with the NPC in search of discovering clues with the resolution of puzzles, and in the company of Professor Hershel Layton and his assistant Luke Triton anyone can enjoy the adventures of this long-standing duo that has been almost a decade between us. With a similar style and also a lot of charisma we can get our hands on the also huge number of games from Phoenix Wright or Ace Attorney, as you prefer, although with law as the main theme. Its most recent release is Ace Attorney: Trilogy, translated into several languages that unfortunately cannot be found in Spanish.
Professor Layton, mental challenges for all ages
They are not strictly puzzles, but it is irrefutable that games like Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch are perfect not only for training our brain, which may be a bit stunted these days, as well as enjoying company and competing to beat scores . We also have a previous installment of Brain Training, in addition to Big Brain Academy, titles that already have more than a decade behind them and that are available for Nintendo DS.
Strategy games
If we talk about strategy games, preferably slow, we have a vast amount on PC. Only with the Paradox catalog do we have many and very complex management games, among which the extremely demanding Europa Universalis IV and others that are no simpler, such as Stellaris -which has a console version-, this spatial management, and others set in different historical periods: Hearts of Iron IV, Crusader Kings II or Imperator: Rome. With a more current setting and also with a version for consoles, we have Cities: Skylines, which, as its name suggests, proposes to build and manage our own city.
Fans of high strategy will see their expectations fulfilled with Europa Universalis IV
But as we said, the genre supports many options. Another great alternative is Civilization VI, from the hand of one of the greats of the genre such as Sid Meier, and available not only on PC, but also on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Age of Empires saga, from Ensemble Studios, Rise of Nations and Tropico 6 are also good options for fans of this type of games in which to create and advance our nation or civilization.
And if what we want is to go to war, take note: Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty and Warcraft III: Reforged, both in charge of Blizzard, Total War: Warhammer II, XCOM 2 and Halo Wars 2, the latter a bit more. Accessible, they are good options if we opt for fictitious and fantasy conflicts. However, if instead we prefer video games based on historical wars, Company of Heroes is a great option, in addition to the different and numerous installments of the Total War saga, by the British from Creative Assembly: Shogun, Rome II, Thones of Britannia and Three Kingdoms, to name a few of the most recent.
Starcraft II: the best Blizzard, in action
