The Lockdown Survival Kit: Gaming To Escape Social Isolation

Now that entertainment venues have been closed for an unspecified time period Sydneysiders are desperate for entertainment options at home. Perhaps they should consider gaming, which is often overlooked despite rivalling Hollywood as a revenue generator.

As we all head into this new ‘social distancing’ world there were luckily two very different games released last week to help appease the boredom.

First up is Nintendo’s Animal Crossing – New Horizons which is available on the Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing is a cute game which allows the player to create their own village where they are tasked with carrying out various activities such as fishing, bug catching, and fossil hunting. The game also has a very strong social aspect, in that it encourages players to visit their friend’s villages and trade different commodities.

If Animal Crossing sounds a little slow and monotonous for you then id Software has the complete opposite style of game in Doom Eternal (available on all platforms).

Doom Eternal is a fast-paced first-person shooter. Players take on the role of the ‘Doom Slayer’, an ancient warrior tasked with battling the demonic forces of hell. This game is action packed, visceral, violent and gory; the complete opposite of the kid friendly Animal Crossing. Despite its violent content Doom Eternal still encourages social play with it multiplayer ‘battlemode’, which sees players joining forces in a 2v1 fight against a giant enemy.

So why not find some friends and enjoy some social gaming while waiting out this pesky virus.