The best games on Google Stadia - Who needs hardware - Android
Google Stadia has finally officially launched, and with it a small but respectable library of 22 games. They run the gamut of genres, but what are the best Google Stadia games available right now?
Read also: Google Stadia games: Here’s the full list
Note that not all games play equally well on the cloud gaming service, as it’s up to developers to optimize their games for the platform. On the other hand, a few games have special features that are only available on Stadia’s unique architecture, even if they’re already available on other platforms.
Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best Google Stadia games regularly as new titles make their way onto the platform.
Ubisoft
It’s no surprise that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey finds itself at the top of the list, since it was the first game offered by Google’s game streaming platform back when it was known as Project Stream. At that point it was only available at 1080p/60fps in the US, but it still managed to impress users with its playability. Now you can play it at 4K with 5.1 surround sound without any pesky download times.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey Stadia Ultimate Edition includes all season pass content.
Ubisoft’s most ambitious Assassin’s Creed title to date builds on what made Origins great. There’s an enormous world to explore that recreates the iconography, history, and mythology of Ancient Greece, a compelling main story with razor-sharp writing, and enough side content to keep you playing for weeks. The open world-RPG feel — complete with dialogue choices, skill trees, and a randomized loot system — might not be what fans of the series expect, but it’s a change for the better.
While there’s a little too much grind and generic-Ubisoft-quest-design, Odyssey is still a fittingly epic romp that isn’t afraid to crack a joke or two and features the series’ best lead character since Ezio… as long as you pick Kassandra and not the boring dudebro on the cover.
If you want the full Assassin’s Creed Odyssey experience, the Stadia Ultimate Edition also comes with all the season pass content.
Bungie
The second title on our list is included with Founder’s Edition and Premiere Edition purchases, which is literally everyone that has access to the service right now. Still, it’s the perfect way to dip your toes into Stadia without having to make any extra purchases. You can even sync your progress from other platforms, although true cross-play isn’t yet available.
Read also: The Google Stadia launch games lineup isn’t nearly as bad as you think it is
Destiny 2 straddles the fence between FPS and MMO, with plenty of content to dive into. After a tumultuous launch followed by a split from publisher Activision, developer Bungie went back to the drawing board and retooled almost every aspect of its sci-fi sequel. Armed with more in-depth expansion content, improved world building, and a rewarding loot system, Destiny 2 now delivers on the incredible potential the series has been threatening to achieve since its original outing in 2014.
The game is best enjoyed with friends in co-op mode so you can dive into the phenomenal six-person raids, but you can also play solo if that’s your thing.
Rockstar Games
Widely hailed as one of the best games of this generation, Red Dead Redemption 2 more than earns its spot among the best games on Stadia. Although it was released on PC earlier this year, the game is extremely demanding, and many gaming rigs won’t be able to play it to its fullest. Stadia won’t deliver the exact same quality as an ultra-powerful PC, but it gets pretty darn close.
No words will do Red Dead Redemption 2 justice. Go buy it now.
RDR 2 is an open world western opus from Rockstar… you know, the team that also makes Grand Theft Auto.
No description will truly do it justice, however, as everything from the gameplay and graphics to the story and dialogue are meticulously crafted. Do not hesitate to pick this one up if you haven’t already played it on another platform.
4A Games
4A Games’ epic Metro series (based on the Russian Metro 2033 novels) is back and better than ever in Metro Exodus. It’s been available on consoles and PC for a while now, but the minimum requirements prevented many players from taking part. Thankfully, Stadia is here to help.
Metro Exodus sees a rag-tag group of survivors attempt to escape from the Moscow Metro and find out what’s going on in the outside world. Vast post-apocalyptic worlds await, with irradiated dangers and unfriendly locals around every corner. It’s still distinctively Metro, but it does stray into Fallout territory at times, for better or worse.
Crystal Dynamics
Stadia is launching with all three entries in Crystal Dynamics’ reboot of the iconic Tomb Raider series, but Rise of the Tomb Raider is the best of the bunch. The PC version featured a graphical overhaul when it was released a few months after the console version, and Stadia lets you enjoy it on screens of any size.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is a third-person adventure game that sees legendary video game heroine Lara Croft brave the cold wastes of Siberia in search of the legendary city of Kitezh. The game is semi-open world, and as you gain experience you can specialize in the type of gameplay you’re interested in, whether it be stealth, scavenging, or just good old-fashioned killin’.
NetherRealm Studios
The list wouldn’t be complete without at least one fighting game, and Mortal Kombat 11 edges out SNK’s Samurai Showdown for the spot. Despite the quick reaction times needed to play fighting games competitively, input lag is hardly perceptible in MK11 for Stadia, provided you have a stable internet connection.
Mortal Kombat 11 offers the same gory, over-the-top action as the earlier entries in the series, including the return of some of the most iconic characters thanks to a time- and dimension-bending story campaign that’s as corny as it is fun. Beneath it all is a solid fighting game with tons of single-player content to work though when you’re not mashing buttons against online opponents.
Sports Interactive
Football fanatics can already play Football Manager Mobile on Android devices, but with Stadia you can get the full PC Football Manager experience on virtually any device in your home. Plus, it takes advantage of Stadia’s unique hardware to offer a better experience than you can get on other platforms.
Football Manager 2020 is the latest in Sega/Sports Interactive’s long series of soccer management games. Despite its incredible depth and long-term strategy focus, the game is surprisingly accessible and addictive. Fans of the sport will find a lot to like, and considering it’s releasing at the same time on Stadia, PC, and Mac, there’s no need to buy it on more than one platform to play on day one.
Tequila Works
There’s only a single Stadia exclusive game available at launch, and it comes from Tequila Works, the fantastic Spanish studio behind 2017’s Rime. The studio’s experience with artsy puzzlers is on full showing in Gylt, which should appeal to fans of atmospheric indie titles.
Read also: Google opens first gaming studio for Stadia, based in Montreal
Gylt is an adventure and puzzle game that has you controlling a young girl in a strange and surreal world. Puzzles aren’t the only thing blocking your path, though. You’ll have to sneak past nightmarish creatures to find your way back home. It’s a bit on the short side, and there’s no word yet on whether or not it’s coming to other platforms in the future.
19/11/2019 04:00 PM
19/11/2019 09:34 PM
19/11/2019 10:00 PM
19/11/2019 04:34 PM
19/11/2019 06:52 PM
19/11/2019 10:55 AM
19/11/2019 08:00 PM
19/11/2019 12:03 PM
19/11/2019 08:51 PM
2014 © Canadian apps and news
