Pathea Games' My Time at Portia is a cute take on Minecraft and The Sims, with some RPG elements tossed in for good measure. One wouldn't know it from the whimsical themes, but the game takes place following the collapse of civilization, from which point, emerging from the (literal) underground, players must rebu

In a way its reminiscent of the film industry in the '90s, when guys like Quentin Tarantino were causing as much buzz as names like Steven Spielberg, and for a fraction of the cost. It was a time when film studios were snatching up every indie film they could get, while others like Miramax were becoming among the most successful around for being known as the home of daring new independent films that not only excited audiences with their infinite artistic possibilities, but equally thrilled their producers with insane profit margins.

If you followed Gamescon this year, you'll have no doubt noticed that the word on the lips of every Microsoft,Sony, and Nintendo representative was "indie." Whether it be Sony revealing that Minecraft, Rogue Legacy, and The Binding of Issac would be part of the PS4 family, Microsoft unveiling a pretty daring new system to encourage indie development, or Nintendo showing that indie developers are fully prepared to make use of the unique capabilities of the Wii U, it became clear that both companies have suddenly realized that indies are no longer a niche market ran by eccentrics and snatched by the gaming version of hipsters, but a viable and exciting source of incredible new ideas, and creative final products.

When there's a lot of stress or anxiety in the world, it's nice to take a step back and relax. Animal Crossing is a game that does this well while alone or even better when hanging out with friends. It's hard to find a title where doing next to nothing can feel rewarding, but in Animal Crossing just running around with friends feels like a fun time. There's a sense of companionship when sharing items or fruit and rivalry when catching bugs or fish. The core of Animal Crossing's entire identity is community, sharing interests and differences. New Horizons has players starting from nearly nothing and building their own world along the way. Eventually players can show off their hard work with a fully decorated house or a fantastic visit to the museum. Even just sitting down to take a picture together with silly expressions gives that relief that it's alright to take a break without thinking too hard now and then. Not even a wasp sting can hurt long when a friend is there to give some medicine or at least laugh over how ridiculous it was.

While there are those who will gravitate towards single player or competitive games, I would personally recommend something with a friendly and helpful community that will help scratch your socializing itch. Of course one of those games is Final Fantasy XIV, an MMO where you can hop on with friends or find completely new players to traverse the vast world with. It’s a daunting task as there’s thousands of hours worth of content that can be dipped into, but that just ensures you’ll never be bored. We’re talking raiding, treasure hunting, PVP, decorating houses or apartments, fishing, mount farming and so much more. Of course there’s the terrific storyline that (especially in Shadowbringers) touches upon strong themes, but it’s the communal aspect that Final Fantasy XIV excels at, making this one of the best games to play whilst social distancing. You can even go onto servers that have an active role-playing community, if that’s your thing. The number of linkshells and discord servers I’ve become a part of over the last year alone has only helped me enjoy the game even more, showing me how much the community has grown. You’ll always run into someone who’s a bit toxic, but it’s such a rare occurrence. With Square Enix pumping out a steady amount of content -- with the last major update only a month old -- there’s plenty to dig through, be it for new or returning players.

It’s safe to say that Minecraft has become one of biggest gaming phenomenons ever, earning mass cultural significance and merchandising opportunities, all while solidifying Persson’s creative mastery and contributing to the indie game boom of the 2010s, but Minecraft has taught many gamers and developers alike that there are ways to approach game design from other angles and Pokémon Pokopia still provide a fulfilling experience. When it comes right down to it, gaming hasn’t had the kind of creative milestone Minecraft has shown in a long time. It uses the gaming medium in groundbreaking ways that no other medium can use; it is a work of art in every sense of the matter.

Like many other survival games set on deserted islands, Raft places a big emphasis on finding food and water. Some of the islands that players visit are also home to dangerous creatures like sharks and bears, which can make exploration both challenging and exciting due to the increased dramatic tension. Exploring and surviving with friends through the game's online multiplayer mode only makes for a more enjoyable experie