When we think of summer, we relate it to the time to spend with friends, take a break, and go outside more. The positive influence the season and weather can give is astronomical, and you'll likely feel reinvigorated, ready to tackle whatever comes next. For gamers, this doesn't negate the want to experience entertaining stories and worlds. In fact, summer is pretty much the perfect time to dive into a terrific video game.
You may be among those who desire to begin a new adventure, and what better one to start than those with lavish landscapes, warm hues, and sunny horizons.
9 Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is slightly different from subsequent entries in this list due to its darker tone, enriched with somber storytelling, which only gets more fatalistic upon its end. You play as Jason Brody, who must step up to rescue his friends after a vacation on a mysterious island goes awry. It's on this island where Jason will change as a person, sprouting the story off in various directions.
Regardless of all the bloodshed and maiming, there's at least some nice-looking scenery to explore. And no matter which of the two potential endings you choose, you'll still get to explore the island to its capacity.
8 Assassin's Creed Black Flag
Few games capture horror and beauty, quite like the Assassin's Creed franchise. While the series has gone through multiple redesigns with later releases; Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, which chose to encompass mythology in their tales, there has never been an entry that's improved on what Black Flag set out to do. Filled to the brim with gorgeous landscapes and lush oceans, Black Flag will make you feel like you're on holiday while in the comfort of your home.
A prominent part of the game happens to be sailing boats across these oceans and engaging in ship battles, which is surprisingly more calming than it sounds.
7 Forza Horizon 3
Listen, earning your driver's license is challenging, so much so that you might decide to pack in the lessons altogether. Driving in video games, however, is much easier. You don't have the usual qualms of struggling to parallel park or steer around an awfully tight corner since you can pretty much drive around at full speed and come out the other side bruise-free. Real-life, of course, is nothing like this, so we don't have to tell you not to try this method at home.
A simple substitute for those who wish to experience the exhilarating sights available when driving should look no further than Forza Horizon 3. It's the easiest of the franchise to jump into and delivers on some beautiful views.
6 Dead Island
Zombies and summer aren't concepts that mix very often. As it happens in these zombie mediums, the weather is usually foggy and dreary, so when Dead Island decided to set these brain-eaters in a tropical paradise, it was undoubtedly a risk. Thankfully, this risk served the developers well, as fans still gleefully await the sequel's launch date, almost ten years since the trailer was released.
What Dead Island may lack in character depth and a flimsy story, it makes up for in spooks, atmosphere, and combat.
5 EarthBound
Launching in 1994 for the SNES, EarthBound surpassed what many RPGs at the time were hoping to capture. It had style, heart, and joyful quests, but most importantly, a combat system that felt rewarding. It was also the game featuring now infamous boss Giygas, who continues to procure bizarre theories to this day.
Perhaps one of its most beloved visual aspects is the colorfulness of its environment, primarily consisting of greens, blues, and yellows creating a warm and comforting atmosphere.
4 The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Wind Waker is a title everyone is bound to have heard of; after all, it is a product of one of the most popular IPs in the world. Once again, following a mythology-inspired adventure, Link sets out to rescue his sister Aryll from the people who kidnaped her.
Zelda greatly detoured from its predecessor, this time making fantastic use of cel-shaded graphics rather than the pixelated visuals previously seen in the series. This cel-shaded goodness helped make the game look radiant and alive, perfectly presenting the beauty of summertime.
3 Super Mario Sunshine
The best way to end a lovely day out is to put on your favorite comfort game and spend time engrossing yourself in its world. There are plenty of choices for this, one being Super Mario Sunshine, which will keep you entertained for hours. Akin to other Mario titles, there are plenty of worlds to explore, all of which portray the summer months somehow.
However, don't let its striking appearance fool you, as this game isn't easy to complete. Its levels are notoriously difficult, and trying to move the camera is like attempting to catch water in your hands.
2 Kingdom Hearts 2
Kingdom Hearts 2 is a paradigm of childhood innocence captured through the lens of Disney worlds. Initially beginning in Twilight Town with the character Roxas, rather than the usual theme of fighting Heartless, your most taxing task is to earn enough money to hang out with your friends before the end of summer.
The following segments after this intro don't necessarily take place in a summer-filled landscape, especially since the many Disney worlds don't tend to stick with one season. However, much of the game's atmosphere oozes with warm hues and delightful storytelling, making it an ideal choice for a chill, calm summer experience.
1 Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive is a goofy adventure through and through, and it kind of has to be since its entire premise is centered around beating up mutated humans, transformed by consumption of the fictional energy drink OverCharge. The story is silly, makes no sense, and is ultimately a blast to play as it's pure chaotic fun.
As you likely garnered from this list's focus and title of the game, Sunset Overdrive is set in summer, bringing all the best parts of the season and blending them into one brilliant monster mash escapade.
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