November is finally here, and with it, the start of the holiday season. What better way to get in the mood than to play a video game all about thankfulness? To help you get started, I’ve put together a list of 5 video games that celebrate themes of thankfulness, either directly in their stories, as a piece of their underlying world, or through their gameplay style.
#1: Celeste – Celeste is a challenging 2D platformer with a retro-inspired pixel art style that forces players to think critically in order to overcome its many trials as they journey up Celeste Mountain. The game’s emotional story explores themes of thankfulness and gratitude as the protagonist Madeline learns to overcome her anxiety, accepting who she is and learning to love her flaws. It is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox for $19.99.
#2: Biped – Biped is a quirky co-op puzzle adventure game where 2 players control robots that are forced to constantly work together in moment-to-moment problem solving to overcome obstacles. Players are practically forced to find thankfulness for their teammate in order to make it through the adventure, as the game’s design philosophy is inherently tied to deep and constant cooperation between the 2 players. Biped is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox for $14.99.
#3: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Breath of the Wild is a jaw-dropping open world action adventure game where you explore the ruins of a destroyed kingdom, ultimately saving and restoring it. Throughout the journey, players learn how to live with the land through scavenging materials, harvesting plants, and cooking meals, developing a sense of gratitude for the land and thankfulness for the ability they have to thrive in the natural world. The title can be found exclusively on the Nintendo Switch for $59.99.
#4: Overcooked 2 – Overcooked 2 is a chaotic party game where you and up to 3 other players have to complete food orders for your restaurant using an unconventional control scheme and within ever-shifting kitchen environments. In order to survive the culinary onslaught, players must learn to be thankful for their teammates, working together to fulfill the correct orders before they expire. Plus, what’s better for the thanksgiving season than a game about chaotic kitchens? Overcooked 2 is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox for $24.99.
#5: Undertale – Undertale is a turn-based RPG that flips the genre on its head, allowing players to choose who to kill and who to spare as they journey throughout the monster-filled underground in order to make it back home to the surface. The story of Undertale is rich with themes of thankfulness as the protagonist helps many monsters to look past their own flaws, embracing who they are and finding gratitude in a dark, underground world. Undertale is available on PC for $9.99, and Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox for $14.99.
As you unwind over the coming season, I hope these games remind you to be thankful, and enjoy times of rest and community. Happy holidays and happy gaming!
Photo Credits: Nintendo Store (nintendo.com)
