our favourite Summer Games | Team Talk

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With the holidays just around the corner, the summer gaming drought is almost upon us, which means it's time to dust off our favourite games to play while hiding from the sun.

Whether you're getting your friends together for 1, 2 Switch on the roof from that Switch launch trailer, or losing yourself in a sprawling single player adventure from dawn till dusk, we all have gaming moments which remind of us the summer time, when the weather is occasionally fine.

What's your favourite? Let us know in the comments.

​by Team PTC

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​@pass_controller

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Wii Sports | James Parry

The Nintendo Wii was released in November 2006, and even by the following summer the only game to write home about was Wii Sports.

Not only was it a game-changer in the way that controllers worked, introducing the now second-nature motion control functions, it also brought young and old together in a way which debatably hadn't happened in gaming before.

Since it was the first summer back since starting university, which involved moving to Preston of all places, I was used to being further away from my family than ever before. Fortunately, Wii Sports gave us a way to connect again.

While just a handful of simple games – and, let's be honest, maybe only three worth playing – it was the pinnacle of simplicity, but rounds of tennis, bowling and golf in particular with my sisters let me reconnect with them in a way no real-world sport could have.

The intuitive nature of the control style was so powerful that it broke down the barriers which had stopped us gaming together in the past, and had us shouting at the TV in protest of almost every point lost or won.

There's something special about being able to come together for family BBQs and other events in the summer season, and for a time Wii Sports was there to make those moments even better.

Arkham City | Chris Brand

Ah, summer. It's a time for beer gardens, frosty pints, BBQs and good friends. Or it would be, if I still drank alcohol or had any friends.

For me, summer is all about sitting on my comfy old couch with a large fan blasting cool air straight at my chops, a controller in my hand and my eyes working overtime, acutely aware of any movement in my peripheral vision that could signify the presence of the spiders that are just waiting to ruin my day.

If weather absolutely has to exist, I'd much prefer dull, overcast, autumn evenings to this horrible, bright warmth that we're subjected to for a few days every year. As such, I'm choosing to hide away with The Dark Knight, his brooding countenance matching my own miserable face. 

Arkham City is the best of the bunch, serving up a superb storyline and expanding upon the original whilst still keeping all of the elements that made it one of the best superhero games around. Just like Arkham Asylum, the opening cinematic sets up the plot right before the punching starts.

The brief tutorial/refresher on how combat works has stuck with me, as there's a very believable reason for why our protagonist has been stripped of the fancy Bat-gadgets that we spent so much time procuring in the previous title.

The game is well-paced, with memorable boss fights and a fairly gentle difficulty curve that gives players plenty of time to get to grips with new mechanics and tools as they are introduced. Whilst the combat may not be quite as crisp as it is in Arkham Knight, it's still a noticeable improvement over Asylum and holds up well to this day.​

Firewatch​ | Sam Sant

I enjoy venturing outdoors during the hot summer weather (shocking, I know) and often feel guilty about staying inside; one of the best ways I’ve found to combat this is taking vicarious trips in games.

Firewatch is set in the gorgeous, sun-drenched Wyoming wilderness. Players wander around scenic landscapes while chatting to Delilah, protagonist Henry’s supervisor, over a radio. Great weather, scenery and company (the pair can grow quite close together) are largely what define the archetypal “perfect” summer.

Not everything goes exactly to plan, however. As strange events begin to occur, Henry and Delilah are drawn to investigate a potential shady conspiracy. Without ever becoming downright unnerving, this imbues the game with a sense of adventure familiar to summer ramblers taking the time to explore unknown places.

Crucially, Firewatch is also simple to drop in and out of and doesn’t take more than a few hours to complete. It’s easy to accommodate amongst a busy summer schedule without the risk of eating into real-world plans, should that be of concern.