By: Max Cannon
A lot of different games flash across my TV, some of them good and some of them are not so good. If you're looking for a great gaming recommendation you are reading the right article. Each and every month I'll give you the update on my favorite game I played over the last 30 or 31 days. Some of these games will be newer releases and some will be ancient games that I dug out of my dusty old cabinet but they'll always be something I'm passionate about. This month's game is...
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
The Best Game I Played: December 2017 | PlayerUnknown's BattlegroundsCourtesy of Bluehole
The Start of Something New
Every round of this T-rated multiplayer shooter starts the same, 100 players leap out of a plane and parachute onto a massive island and loot weapons and gear to guarantee your spot as the last man standing. This may sound familiar to anyone that's gotten a chance to try out Fortnite 's new Battle Royale mode but PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (or PUBG, as it's often called) was the first game to really popularize the mode and even inspired Fortnite's developers over at Epic Games. And we're bound to see several more to copycat this new genre but PUBG will spend a long time at the center of the conversation. While Fortnite makes up for its smaller world with a building mechanic, PUBG offers up an expansive world and a much greater emphasis on the loot you'll find.
The game's newest map, Miramar, is still exclusive to PC.Courtesy of Bluehole
Fortnite's cartoony art style is more one of a kind but PUBG's more grounded take makes it easier to get fully immersed in the world, pair the visuals with the game's sound design and you'll find yourself flinching at every door you hear open. When a dual starts out in PUBG there's very little chance that both parties will walk away unscathed but Fortnite's more arcadey shooting encourages you to be a bit more adventurous at times. In fact, a big part of PUBG's thrill comes from the feeling that your world could come crashing down at any second.
Slow and Steady
While the PC release of the game technically hit a full launch in December 2017, the game was available in an early access state for almost the entire year. The game's buzz reached such an incredible fever pitch that it had broken the record for most Steam players playing in a single moment at 1,349,584 total players. This game's popularity only made console gamers more hungry to try things out and for the time being, it seems like the only non-PC place to try out the game is on Xbox. The jump to a console wasn't without some noticeable growing pains, the precision of a mouse is lost on a controller, gamers rely more on vehicles now, and the game is still in the stages of early access on Xbox. Luckily enough for Microsoft, PlayStation doesn't have the game because of a temporary exclusivity deal with Xbox and PlayStation doesn't currently allow titles that are still in development -- though they have made exceptions to that rule.
PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS - Xbox One Trailer
Though some PCs can squeeze out some real power, most people aren't playing PUBG for the looks. Rather, the tense environment hooks players in and doesn't let go. The idea that you'll be sent back to the title screen at any second by a sneaky player really makes each life seem valuable. Obsessing over the right scope, a healing item, or helmet while you know that one of the 99 enemies you're facing could peek over a hill at you in any second gives true value to the opening seconds of a match.
Deciding to sneak through some tall grass or cruise in a vehicle could be the difference between winning and losing.
While Fortnite is a fine substitute for people unable to play PUBG, and you can't argue against the free price tag, there's nothing like barging into a room to find the perfect frying pan as you sneak up on an enemy to give them a game over before they can do the same to you.
Have Your Say!
Did you ever get a chance to try PUBG or Fortnite? Which games took up your holiday season? Comment below!
