It is now a proven fact that video games make for a healthier and smarter you. Amongst hundreds of video games analyzed, the following games are recommended for your mental and physical health...


1. Starcraft (latest Starcraft II)

Developer – Blizzard Entertainment

Genre – Real Time Strategy

Starcraft is a futuristic military science fiction strategy game set in the beginning of the 26th century. It was designed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Contrary to popular belief, it has been proven that an intense session of Starcraft can actually increase your brain power while fortifying your mental strength. This is because the game involves a continuous use of planning, strategic thinking on the fly and rapid physical and mental coordination.

According to TechCrunch – in a study carried out by participants who clocked 40 hours of gameplay over an extended period of two months, studies showed that individuals who played starcraft exhibited measurable improvements in certain mental functions following the period of gaming. According to the study, playing starcraft “stressed rapid simultaneous maintenance, assessment, and coordination between multiple information and action sources which was sufficient to effect change.’’ The result of playing starcraft and other RTS games is “an underlying dimension of cognitive flexibility” across several laboratory tests.

Researchers at Queen Mary University and University College London performed a study which showed that playing starcraft and other real-time strategy games improved the cognitive flexibility of gamers. Cognitive flexibility is simply your brain multitasking the same way your computer opens up Microsoft Word with Excel running in the background. Playing such games enable you to think on the go or entertain and process different thoughts at once.



2. XCOM: Enemy Unknown (latest XCOM 2)

Developer – Firaxis Games

Genre – Turn-based Tactics

Published by 2K games, Enemy Unkown follows the strategy game UFO: Enemy Unknown created by Mythos Games and Micropose in 1994. The game puts a player in control of troops in the field in a series of turn-based tactical missions. The player also directs research and development of new technologies recovered from alien technology and captured prisoners at the same time managing XCOMS fiscal resources while expanding the base of operations and monitoring and also respond to alien activity. Tactical abilities include squad positioning or formation, exploiting your environment as cover and military engagement techniques such as assault or suppressive fire to reduce annihilate your enemies or make good your escape.

According to research carried out by the Silicon Valley research group, S.R.I, video games like XCOM can significantly raise cognitive function for students and improve puzzle-solving capabilities and memory. Such games also improve additional functions such as hand-eye coordination, pattern discrimination, special visualization abilities and reaction time.


3. Civilization (latest CIV VI)

Developer – Firaxis Games

Genre – Turn-based strategy, 4x

Explore. Expand. Exploit. Exterminate. No other game captures the 4x genre like Civilization VI. The objective of the game is to lead your nascent civilization from an early powerless settlement through many centuries to become a world superpower by achieving victory through either of the following; military might, technological superiority, or diplomatic leadership. With a lot of micromanagement involved and facing off against very daunting AI elements represented by Qin Shi Huang, Cleopatra and Theodore Roosevelt, there is simply no way this game won’t help your IQ for the better. Lest I forget, Civilization VI was voted Best PC Game and Best Strategy Game at the Game Critics’ Awards 2016 and Best Strategy Game at The Game Awards 2016.

4. Call of Duty (latest Infinite Warfare)

Developer: Infinity Ward

Genre : Action, First-person Shooter

It has been proven that sometimes, the best way to sharpen your brain is to grab your weapon of choice, take the safety off and start blasting. A study conducted by the University of Rochester on FSP (First-person-shooter) games like Battlefield and COD showed that participants had stronger focus and made decisions faster. As a result, such video games could provide a valuable training exercise for helping individuals in real life scenarios. Insight from the study include; faster reaction time opposed to their non-gaming counterparts in concluding specific tasks; the ability to stay focused and maintain mental clarity in stressful or time constrained conditions, efficiency and stability in certain tasks such as keyhole surgery or laparoscopy. Also, people who play first-person shooter games like COD and Battlefield become 58% better at perceiving fine differences in contrast according to a research conducted by Daphne Bavelier, a professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester.

5. Diablo III

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment

Genre: Action, RPG, Hack n Slash

Diablo III is the 2nd sequel in the Diablo franchise. Players select one of six character type – Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor or Wizard. Games like Diablo III enable gamers take responsibility and deal with the consequences of their actions especially when played in Hardcore mode where characters are permanently unplayable and cannot be resurrected when killed.


TitanFall (latest TitanFall II)

Developer: Respawn Entertainment

Genre: First-person Shooter

With multiple ways to achieve mission objectives such as long-ranged or short-ranged weapons or stealth and the requirement of solving environmental puzzles while facing off against gamers as intelligent as yourself – or even more, Titanfall is one first person shooter game that truly heightens a player’s decision making skills and reaction time. Titanfall 2 also includes six new titans such as the Ogre-class Titan Scorch – a pyromaniac whose specialty involves incendiary weapons. A new Atlas-class Titan, Ion uses a laser-based arsenal to wipe out its enemies. Ronin –as the name implies, is a strider-class Titan who decapitates its enemies with a ginormous sword. The defensive Titan with ballistic weapons, Legion, Northstar, also a strider class titan and the only titan with the ability to fly and finally Tone, a titan with lock-on weapons. Gamers spoilt for choice on how to enhance their brain. Titanfall received over 50 Games awards and Titanfall 2 was voted the Best Online Multiplayer at the Game Critics Awards 2016.

7. Battlefield (latest Battlefield 1)

Developer: EA DICE

Genre: First-person Shooter

Battlefield 1 has a core gameplay centered on cooperation. Inspired by happenings in World War 1, players utilize weapons in that era including bolt-action rifles, flamethrowers, mustard gas and semi-automatic weapons to defeat the enemy.

Just like its eternal rival, COD, an intense session of Battlefield can help with reflex, cognitive function and hand-eye coordination. Players also do well under pressure in real life situations. Set in the period of World War 1, it does no harm at all that players can learn a little bit of history and the events that has spiraled down to shape the world today. It had a glut of nominations and was voted the Best Action Game at the Game Critics Awards 2016.

8. Destiny

Developer: Bungie

Genre: Action, RPG, MMO, First-person Shooter

Just like its rival Titan Fall and from the stables of Activision, Destiny has most of the characteristics and features which would bring massive entertainment as well as enhancing rapid eye-movement and decision making skills. As a massively multiplayer online game, players take on the role of a Guardian as they utilize a power called Light to make a last stand and fend off attacks from different invading alien races. Character classes include Titans, Warlocks and Hunters.

9. Company of Heroes

Developer: Relic Entertainment

Genre: Real-time Strategy

To sound a note of warning, this is not a game for little kids. The game allows players learn a little bit of history and understand the idea of sacrifice – micromanagement and resource control. Set in the war-torn era of World War 2, you’ll be dealing with harsh weather conditions while trying to find ways of keeping your soldiers warm enough to fight another day. The game encourages players to think outside the box. With blazing gunfire and the sound of cannons in the background, this game will test your ability to analyze and make decisions under the pressure of combat. Resources in the game are, Fuel, Munitions and Manpower. Sometimes players are forced to sacrifice resources in the short-term for greater long-term goals. Company of Heroes scooped the 2006 PC Game of The Year by IGN and Gamespy.

10. Europa Universalis (latest Europa Universalis IV)

Developer: Paradox Development Studio

Genre: Grand Strategy

Based on a board game of the same name, Europa Universalis offers players the choice of taking control of one of seven European countries in the era between 1453 to 1792 and negotiate your way to victory through military might, diplomacy or colonial wealth. As a grand strategy game, Europa Universalis teaches you to adapt to changing situations.


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