To what may be the surprise of many, video games are not inherently mindless. Many popular games require a lot of mental activity. Strategies need to be planned. The layout of the battlefield needs to be assessed. Multiplayer games require teammates to communicate with each other to ensure everyone has their assigned tasks.
One such variable to be considered in video games is the management of resources. These items come in the form of weapons, food, potions, and medical supplies. Being able to use these items at the right time and for the right things can be critical when it comes to victory or defeat in a game. Here are some games that reward skillful resource management.
7 Minecraft Popularized Resource Management Games
Minecraft is the undisputed king of resource management games, having popularized the subgenre with its massive following. It can be played in either survival mode, where resources are limited and dangerous mobs are a factor, or it can be played creatively, where every block and resource is available for the imagination.
As new materials are gathered throughout Minecraft’s survival mode, new recipes are unlocked for new tools, foods, etc. These allow avatars Steve and Alex to better fend off enemies, as well as build shelters and machines to help with daily tasks. Depending on the difficulty level, choosing the right items to use at the right time is crucial.
6 TerraTech Is LEGO Rock Raiders On Steroids
It’s a miner’s life in TerraTech, which is essentially the next evolution of the concept for LEGO Rock Raiders. The gameplay revolves around building vehicles for mining materials on a distant planet, while fending off rival miners.
The game’s robust vehicle construction provides a number of parts, from wheels to weapons and power supplies. The way the player vehicle is constructed will affect its weight and how it handles it. Different parts and vehicle designs may be required for specific missions, depending on whether they require speed or firepower. Minerals can be collected and sold immediately, or a refinery can be built to process them.
5 Stardew Valley Evolved The Cozy Game
It’s a farmer’s life for the protagonist of Stardew Valley, in which he or she leaves their monotonous day job at the Joja Corporation for a life of self-sufficiency and working off the land. Farmers will find multiple ways to make a living, including growing crops, raising livestock, and working in the mines.
The various ways that farmers can maintain themselves mean there are plenty of resources to acquire and utilize. New farm equipment can be built. Metals can be transmuted. Crops can be either sold or processed into mayonnaise, cheese, wine, and jams for the market.
4 Island Saver Is A Crash Course In Money Management
For those on a budget, Island Saver is a free game with a colorful cartoon aesthetic that anyone can enjoy. The game sends a “Bionaut” to a series of islands, where they must clean up the litter and bring back the “bankimals” that inhabit unique ecosystems.
Being that Island Saver was published by a bank, money management is a major element of the game. Collecting cans and bottles will yield coins, which can be used to buy items and weapon upgrades. A certain percentage of coins will be taxed in order to fund the machines which enable the recycling of litter. Taking a loan from a bank is always an option, but failing to make regular payments on time will ultimately cost more.
3 Breath Of The Wild Gives A Classic Franchise A Modern Spin
The influence of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been felt throughout the video game industry. Several games since its release have implemented its combination of a beautiful, vast world and nonlinear gameplay. Even the Blue Blur has got to go open.
Breath of the Wild has a rich resource management system. The game’s central income is the rupee, which can be used to buy ingredients for food recipes and potions, as well as arrows. Items in the game can be sold as well, including precious stones and monster parts. These monster parts can not only be used in potions but they can also be exchanged at Kilton’s monster shop for currency required for exclusive items.
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Lay Down Roots In Unknown Horizons
For those who are a fan of city building games, Lost Horizons is a fun option. It tasks players as managers of a settlement in uncharted territory. To keep the town prosperous, the needs of the settlers will have to be met.
This will require the acquisition of multiple resources. Farmers, hunters and fisherman will have to provide food. Miners and lumberjacks will harvest materials such as clay and wood that can be converted into pottery or used as building materials for other facilities like taverns and cigar manufacturers. Trade will have to be managed in order to ensure the colony gets resources that it doesn’t have, as well as to sell goods for money to acquire those resources.
1 Eat Ketchup-Flavored Potato Chips In The Long Dark
It’s a fight for survival in the Canadian wilderness. A cataclysmic event has wiped out all power to Great Bear Island, and everything, from the bitter cold to the Canadian wildlife, wants a piece of the lone survivor.
To get through another day in The Long Dark’s desolate environment, stats like hunger, thirst, and tiredness need to be addressed. Carrying too much equipment will also slow down the survivor, which cannot be afforded in the middle of a freak blizzard when one is being chilled to the bone.