This article is a guest contribution from game enthusiast and sometimes Dungeon Master, Mo.

If the thought of governmentally mandated social isolation is a daunting prospect, perhaps you can use the 21 days of lockdown to work through your gaming backlog or replay some old favourites.

A bit of escapism, in the form of a sprawling Roleplaying Game (RPG), or games which require hours to “git gud”, would certainly not go amiss in these uncertain times.

It turns out there are limits to what Bheki Cele can do. He can’t, for example, stop you from visiting a virtual tavern to play some Gwent.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some games to stave off the quarantine blues.

The Witcher 3 – The Wild Hunt

For those of you have seen the Netflix series, why not take the opportunity to live your best life as Geralt of Rivia, the titular Witcher?

Go cavort with sorceresses, hunt monsters and work your way through the epic story of The Witcher 3, set against the backdrop of an oncoming apocalypse at the hands of the Wild Hunt.

Check out the opening cinematic:

For those of you who have played the Witcher 3 already, why not try it on a higher difficulty setting, make different choices, or build your character in a new way?

Don’t forget the story expansions, “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine”.

The Witcher 3 is available on PC, Xbox One, PS4, and most recently the Nintendo Switch, which, despite its limited graphic capabilities, runs the game relatively well.

The Legend of Zelda – Breath of the Wild 

For a game that will occupy hours of your time, you need not look any further than Breath of the Wild.

This game redefined open-world gaming with its breathtaking visuals and innovative physics engine.

There is a reason that so many game reviewers picked Breath of the Wild as their game of the last decade (it is certainly my game of the last decade, if not the best game I have ever played).

Take a look at the trailer:

If you have already played Breath of the Wild, try it again on Master Mode, which completely changes the way one plays the game and provides a very different sort of challenge with a few tweaks to the gameplay mechanics.

Breath of the Wild is available on the Nintendo Switch.

Minecraft 

I know this is not a sprawling RPG, but rather, it is a game with a relatively simple premise. Hit blocks and place them – virtual Lego, if you will.

However, when one scratches below the surface of the game you discover the truly unlimited potential for creativity. Go and watch the YouTubers who play this game for a living you will soon discover that getting good at Minecraft is no easy feat.

Why not try to figure out clever ways to build automatic farms, super-smelters and item sorters? To get you started, have a look at the HermitCraft YouTube channel for some tips. Here’s my favourite HermitCraft YouTuber, MumboJumbo, who explains how to “be good at Minecraft”:

Building these Minecraft contraptions is genuinely satisfying.

Minecraft is available on PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

The Dark Souls Series (Dark Souls 1, 2 and 3)

Confession time – I have not managed to complete the first Dark Souls game… yet.

The game, although beautifully grim and atmospheric, is unforgiving in its difficulty and the words “YOU DIED” will flash across the screen so many times that it becomes burned into your subconscious as you adventure through Lordran.

21 days in confinement, however, should be enough to “git gud” (as the kids say) at the game and conquer this testament to perseverance and incremental improvement.

Who says gaming does not teach you anything?

Dark Souls 1 is available on PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Switch.

Dark Souls 2 and 3 are available on Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC.

Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 (and Neverwinter Nights)

If, like me, you are missing your weekly DnD sessions (thanks, COVID-19), why not pick up the re-released versions of Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 as well as Neverwinter Nights?

Although Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 were released in 1998 and 2000 respectively, with Neverwinter Nights released in 2002, these isometric RPGs, based on the DnD Third Edition game mechanics, have lost none of their charm.

These games were recently re-released for the Xbox One, Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Switch, and have always been available on PC.

Go and explore the Forgotten Realms and plunge yourself into a world of heroes.

Have a look at the trailer for the Nintendo Switch release of these games:

Stay safe, don’t panic, and keep gaming.