Video games are a form of entertainment that have existed for more than sixty years. In that time, they’ve received a plethora of backlash from the masses, from claims that their immersive, violent nature desensitizes players to violence in the real world, to assertions that these games will “rot your brain”: gamers have heard it all. However, while simultaneously being denounced by the world, video games have gathered a quick and loyal following, stretching across communities and time periods, ages and gender, culminating in a huge melting pot of people who love to play video games.

I’ve been playing video games since I was very young, starting with Super Mario Bros and Nintendogs on my hot pink Nintendo DS when I was eight. This evolved eventually into games with complex universes and epic tales, like Mass Effect and Fallout. As I played these games, and fell in love, I couldn’t help but question why there was such a stigma around video games, and why so much of society brands this incredible, fluid art form as vile or unnecessary. As with any form of entertainment, there’s both the good and the bad, but the good so much outweighs the bad for me. I think that just about anyone could benefit from some video game, and there’s such a huge range of subjects and different types of gameplay, that I know there’s something for everyone. Thus, if you just don’t know where to start, or maybe you don’t think video games are for you at all, here are some categories (and these are just a few) that I know would match up with the interests of a lot of people when they’re looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night.

Mental Stimulation

So many games have some incredible interactive puzzles that really make you think. It’s not all about shooting some bad guys and getting to the next chapter in the story, a lot of games take players on a journey and allow them to be creative in observing and eventually solving complex issues. The Portal series (which I could, quite honestly, play over and over and never get bored) is an incredibly constructed game that is 100% non-violent, and is a collection of puzzles of increasing difficulty. Basically, you’re given a portal gun and have to use it, along with objects in your environment, to escape each room and (hopefully) get to the end. It’s so well-done, and great if you’re looking to exercise your brain without the stress of bad guys bombarding you from all sides. I’ll leave it at that, to keep from spoiling anything, but I swear to you it’s worth your time.

If you’re looking for a puzzle game that’s a little more action-based, then Braid may be a good choice. It’s like if Mario was made by an artist and got time-travel powers, and it is addicting. And, since it plays back to those similar mechanics, it makes for a perfect transition from the classic gaming world to the modern. While the art in this game is also noteable, it isn’t the key aspect to the game, and I think it fits better under “Puzzle games” for this list.

If you’ve never played a game, ever, then a good way to ease yourself into the world of video games (specifically, puzzle games), is World of Goo. Now, you may be thinking “But that’s an iphone game! Does that really count as a video game?” And, you’d be right. It is mainly played on iOS and Android, as well as the Wii, but I count it in this category due to the effort and complexity that was applied to the game. There is no singular definition for “video game”, and technically all those stupid little apps you have on your phone count toward the definition. However, for the sake of this list, I am mostly only including console games, and this is technically within those parameters since the Nintendo Wii is a console. It just so happens it also can be played on your phone (which I’d say is a perfect excuse to go buy it and start playing right now). Basically, your job as player is to construct elaborate structures to help cute, little goo balls get from Point A to Point B. Not only is this game incredibly fun (although frustrating at times), it also does something not a lot of puzzle games do. A lot of the time, there’s more than one solution to your objective, which gives players tons of creativity in the structures they make. There’s an awesome feeling of accomplishment when you finally solve the puzzle and you get to see your own architecture standing there on your screen. Very satisfying.

Creative Freedom

When I first started to play video games, this was the sort of game I most gravitated toward. Puzzle games are great, and I love being guided through a narrative by master storytellers, but sometimes I want to feel in control and I just want to be able to do whatever. Luckily, there are a ton of games that offer this option to players, and they happen to be some of the best games for beginners. Probably one of the most famous games for those looking for some good, old-fashioned fun is The Sims series, by EA. This was the first PC game I ever played, Sims 1 that is, and I was obsessed. Basically, the Sims is a life simulator. You, the creator, has complete freedom to either watch and control one of the hundreds of pre-made Sims (who are the virtual people in the game), or create their own with an advanced creation tool, then just go through life. Sims can get a house (and you can also build houses and other community lots to modify the neighborhood however you like), go to school, get married, have children and grandchildren. Sims can even die, in a large array of scenarios (including fire, hunger, exhaustion, drowning or just old age) The opportunities are near endless. To this day, when I happen across a game that allows me freedom, I find myself filled with that same giddy excitement when I sent my first Sims family off into the world all those years ago.

Another game that focuses more on building and exploration than, well, life is Minecraft. Once again, this game is extremely popular in mainstream culture, and I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Smack dab in the center of a graphics revolution where video games were getting increasingly more and more realistic, Minecraft broke all the rules with its pixelated world and pretty basic game mechanics. The premise is simple (a welcome change from the nightmare that was the Sims-I can’t tell you how many times I wrote and rewrote my explanation for that game). You’re a blocky, pixelated little guy in a natural landscape, where you can build to your heart's desire whatever it is you like. There are tons of things you can craft, by “breaking” the blocks that make up the world (dirt from the ground, wood from the trees, stone from the mountains, etc.), and hundreds of materials you can use. At night, things get a little scary with various monsters roaming the world, trying to kill you, so it’s recommended you build some sort of shelter for yourself before nightfall. Similar to the Sims, this is a game that I can’t really tell you how to play. You’ve just got to get it and play for yourself, build yourself a castle on a mountain, or an expansive underground tunnel house, or a cute little cottage behind a waterfall. It’s up to you.

Perhaps the idea of so much freedom is a little daunting, and you’d rather have a more immersive experience where you feel connected to your own, singular character. Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a cute, fun game that isn’t too complicated, but just complicated enough that people of all ages can enjoy it. You play as the animal town mayor of an animal world who can interact with, change, and enjoy their town. You can customize so much of the world, from the town, to your character, to your own room. Things are simpler in the world of Animal Crossing, which makes the world incredibly enjoyable to get lost in.

Storytelling

The story is, by far, the most important element to a game for me. And there are so many video games in the world that do this specific category perfectly. A video game is like being able to be a part of and interact with a book, in an all-sensory sort of way, and when done well it can be an incredible feeling. My favorite series, the one that introduced me to gaming and made me fall in love with the narrative element, was the Mass Effect Series. A collection of three games, you play as Commander Shepard, an uber-customizable main character (including the gender) far in the future. Shepard is a Commander in the American Navy and goes on multiple adventures to save the universe in the three respective games. This series is a perfect example of the sort of immersion a player can get from video games. You interact with dialogue, and choose what Shepard says, who they talk to and what missions they go on (or, if they’re mandatory, the order in which they happen). Throughout the games, you acquire new squad members (you have your own ship and everything, by the way) and can build your relationships with them. You can even get a little romantic and heat up the captain's cabin at the end of each game, if you know what I mean. It’s an epic story about a Commander who saved the world, a classic story made memorable by the well-written characters and larger than life villains.

If you’re not as much into the space theme, which I can understand (Not really, actually, what’s wrong with you? Space is the final frontier!!!), I would say Bioshock Infinite is a fantastic choice. This is another one of my absolute favorites (and the fact I’ve played it three times through should be a good indication). It’s set in the 1900’s, but with additions of high-tech that are out of place for the time period. Not to give anything away, as the story will guide you all on its own, but the player sees through the eyes of Booker Dewitt who needs to kidnap a “special” girl, Elizabeth, in order to free himself of his debt. One aspect of gameplay that this game does really well is the pairing of sneaking and shooting. The game gives you the option, in many cases, to sneak past fights and bad guys instead of engaging him (so if you’re not so good at the gunfight aspect of games, this is good news). Bioshock also comments on some social issues in a way that makes the reader really relate to the struggles being portrayed, and think back on history with an appreciative eye.

So maybe sci-fi sort of stories aren’t as much your thing, and you’re looking for something more accessible. To The Moon is a romance at its core, a beautifully written love story that had anybody with a heart sobbing by the end. Similar to the premise of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (a movie starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet), the main character Johnny elects to take part in a new and experimental procedure to alter his memories as he nears the end of his life. Specifically, he desperately wants to have gone to the moon, although he can’t remember why. The game follows the two scientists conducting the experiment as they delve into Johnny’s mind and witness all the thoughts and memories that have made him the person he is, including his life with his wife. It’s a beautiful story that has sat with me long after experiencing it, and one that still makes me tear up just thinking about.

Artistic Appreciation

DISCLAIMER: The following games may not be the best choice if you’ve never played a game before. It’s probably best to get a feel for the virtual gaming experience before diving into these, as, if you’re too focused on the mechanics and getting used to playing video games, it may be difficult to really appreciate the artistic aspect.

Video games aren’t always about playing, necessarily. Some games focus more on making an impact, letting players enter into a pre-created world and experience something more meaningful. Video games are art, and I stand by that assertion to my dying day. There’s something so impactful about interacting so intimately with the creation of another person. It can give a player insight into a specific issue, an event, or even a state of being. If you’re the sort of person who has a special appreciation for the arts, and doesn’t mind getting their thoughts pulled around a little, then some more art-driven games would be perfect to start with. Life Is Strange does the artistic approach beautifully. You see the game through the eyes of character Max Caulfield who, one average day at school, discovers her ability to “rewind” time, within some restrictions. The story follows her as she deals with this new ability, and various other events happening in the world (not to spoil anything), and any consequences to her changes to time. There is symbolism everywhere, and hints to a deeper meaning in every tiny, little detail, down to a line of graffiti written underneath a bathroom sink. In addition, the animation is beautiful, and the various photos throughout the narrative (Max also happens to be a prodigal photographer) add a second layer of artistic expression that I have never really experienced in a game before. This game marked me forever, and changed my outlook on my life. That’s how you know it’s a good game.

The Beginner’s Guide is so very hard to explain, and I don’t think it’s possible. It’s breathtaking and eye-opening: a playable existential crisis. Basically, it’s a collection of video games (finished and unfinished) created by a person named “Coda”, all with narration by a friend of his giving explanation and insight into the mind of this specific creator. If you play any game on this list, make it this one.

Another game that is artistic both in its narration and its visuals, is A Story About My Uncle. About a boy whose uncle, a fantastic adventurer and scientist, disappeared one day. It follows this boy as he discovers a special launching device in his uncle’s attic and is transported to a new and fantastic world. The adventure that follows is beautiful and entrancing, and something I would recommend for any gamer. Even the gameplay mechanics have a sort of artistic feeling to them, as to progress the player must use a special suit acquired in the uncle’s lab to jump huge heights and distances, as well as a few other features that are introduced throughout the story.

I hope you go away from this article, if not planning to actually play one of these games, but at least having an appreciation for the genre in general. They’re a form of entertainment that offers a unique form of interactivity to the experience, something that not many other media forms can offer. These are all games that I love, that I hold near and dear to my heart, but I urge you to go out and discover more. Especially today, there’s an endless supply of video games, new and old, all offering a new experience or a glimpse into another person’s story. So go off, stop at a GameStop on your way home from work, and get lost in a crazy new world!