The long weekend is upon us, and if you don’t have elaborate barbecuing plans or are trekking up to Seattle for PAX West, you’re going to find yourself with time on your hands. Maybe you have a backlog of games from the spring release rush that you’re hoping to chip away at. Or maybe you have nothing teed up and you’re looking for something new (or classic) to while away the hours of three glorious days to yourself. Well, we’ve got you covered.
Anything from Telltale Games
Telltale Games has become synonymous with episodic series, and over the past five years has delivered an embarrassment of riches in terms of story variety. There’s The Wolf Among Us, based on the acclaimed Fables comic series; an entire season dedicated to another story in the world of HBO’s Game of Thrones; takes on Batman and Guardians of the Galaxy; and a romp through Minecraft. And of course, who can forget the emotion and horror of their stories set in the universe of The Walking Dead — three seasons worth, to be exact!
The Uncharted series
With Uncharted: The Lost Legacy fresh on our minds, it was hard not to offer up the entire series as a binge-able option. Each game’s story runs about 12 hours or so, depending on how much of a completionist you are. That way, you can boot up your PlayStation 4 on Friday night after happy hour and end with the most recent release, The Lost Legacy, on Monday evening. Who could be a better long weekend date than Nathan Drake?
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
For those of you who are more into strategy games but still want something that will hold your attention for 72 hours, look no further than the Fire Emblem series. The most recent game, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia on Nintendo 3DS is a meaty entry into the series, with a hefty story to guide you through dozens of hours of combat. Battles play out like in chess, with a player’s units scattered across a grid, and each unit bringing their own unique set of weapons and attacks to the table. If you’re looking for something to tickle your brain as well as tick away the time, this is the game for you.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Maybe you’ve started Breath of the Wild game already, and maybe you haven’t. Either way, it’s a certified time sink. If you haven’t begun your journey into the latest iteration of Hyrule, then grab your Switch and get going, for crying out loud! You can take your time exploring the world or beeline straight through the main story to the final boss — the choice is entirely up to you. And for those of us who may haven’t found every hidden shrine and secret, and who have at least several-hundred Koroks left to find, the long weekend is a perfect time for some uninterrupted hunting.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor came out in 2014 to critical acclaim, and with its sequel Shadow of War just two months away, it’s likely time for a refresh or a first introduction. Set in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world and taking place in the timeline between the stories of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the Shadow games follow Talion, a Ranger haunted by the wraith of an ancient Elven king who has returned from beyond to take revenge on the Dark Lord Sauron. See, you’re already intrigued.
Final Fantasy XV
Though traditional Final Fantasy games were one-and-done affairs, the team behind Final Fantasy XV has treated the game more like an ongoing service, releasing new content for it every few weeks. As we approach the game’s one-year anniversary, we have another embarrassment of riches in terms of content on the horizon. This includes a multiplayer expansion, a new story-driven DLC episode in December, and a collaboration with Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series featuring crossover content — and some stylish new costumes. Power through the story to get ready for these upcoming in-game events, or if you’ve finished the story already, take some time to explore the other bonus content and side quests that the world of Eos has to offer.
Splatoon 2
Be the freshest homebody this weekend and take some time to perfect your game in Splatoon 2. This competitive shooter — though Nintendo doesn’t like to call it a shooter, since you’re splatting ink and not using bullets — is colorful and fun, with quite a boisterous online community. If the online horde mode Salmon Run is open — and we desperately hope it will be — hop in and splat through waves of increasingly weirder enemies to an amazing soundtrack.
Overwatch
Or you could just, you know, stomp fools in Overwatch all weekend. Never a dull moment here!
Pokemon Go
If you’re looking for something a little more involved — and a lot less couch potato-y — grab your smartphone of choice and take a walk. Provided you’re in a more populated area, there’s bound to be a dearth of Pokemon to catch and gyms to battle in Pokemon Go. As the game prepares to welcome Mewtwo to its ranks of catchable critters, now is a good time to level up (and get some steps in).
Life is Strange
The sequel to Life is Strange, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, releases its first episode right before the long weekend. Catch up with the story and get a little more context for the adventures of Chloe Price with the original game, which was released as four episodes back in 2015. It’s a drama set in the northwestern U.S. with some supernatural elements, sort of like a Twin Peaks light; so if that’s up your alley, then you can play through the entire series (with breaks to chew on its reveals) over the long weekend.
Power Rangers Legacy Wars
Following the success of the Power Rangers movie, Lionsgate has created the first real-time PVP mobile fighting game, Power Rangers Legacy Wars. Fans of the series will get to play dozens of characters past and present. New characters are introduced regularly.
FANDOM even got Jason David Frank, the original Green Ranger, to give us some tips and tricks. The game is both simple and engaging, utilizing a rock-paper-scissors system that translate into some fancy fighting moves and counters.
