Looking for video games that will get you into the holiday spirit? We’ve collected 9 that will do just that.
Looking for video games that will get you into the holiday spirit? We’ve collected 9 that will do just that.
As the air turns colder and Mariah Carey defrosts, there’s no better time to begin the search for games to add to your winter rotation. We’ve gathered a list of Christmas-like games that include wintery settings, some with cozy vibes and some without, so grab a blanket and hot cocoa and dive right in.
Very Positive (93%) | Single Player | Action | $49.99
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, picks up one year after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man.
With Peter Parker on a “working vacation,” new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, has been left to defend New York City with Peter’s training as his only support. With new unfamiliar powers and a gang war between Roxxon and the Underground, will you be able to keep the city safe?
Set during Christmas, this superhero game’s advanced graphics and snow-covered New York City setting are perfect for a gamer craving winter-filled crime fighting.
This game acts as a standalone spin-off meaning you are not required to play the previous game before this one. However, reading a quick synopsis of Marvel’s Spider-Man before jumping into this one would be helpful to understand the storyline.
“Awesome game! Good graphics and game mechanics. recommend it 10/10!” ColorDealer on Steam
Purchase the game here.
Very Positive (91%) | Single Player | Adventure | $19.99
In Röki, Journey through the ice-covered Scandinavian wilderness as Tove, a young girl on a journey to save her family. As you adventure, uncover legends, make friends with monsters, and solve mysteries to continue your path through the woods.
With Tove’s journal, you can keep track of your progress, learn Scandinavian folklore, store loot, earn badges, and map unknown regions.
Featuring non-violent gameplay, an art style its devs call “stylish and minimal,” and a beautiful soundtrack, Röki is by far the coziest game on this list. We recommend this game if you’re looking for something casual to unwind with on a winter night.
“Absolutely stunning game. What an incredible journey it took me on, and even though I played it two and a half years ago, it's stuck with me” helloitskolo on Steam.
Purchase the game here.
Very Positive (91%) | Single Player | Survival | $34.99
In The Long Dark, you’re on your own in the never-ending frozen wilderness of Northern Canada after a geomagnetic disaster.
This game offers two modes to choose from, Survival Mode, and Wintermute.
Survival Mode puts you in a sandbox-style version of the game where your only goal is to survive. With permadeath each death is permanent and your save is deleted, meaning you must make careful and calculated decisions to win. Furthermore, you must monitor your Hunger, Fatigue, Thirst, and Cold, gather supplies, explore 50+ square kilometers, hunt, fish, and more.
Wintermute is the five-episode story mode of The Long Dark, where you play as Bush Pilot Will Mackenzie after being separated from his companion following their plane’s crash. Will he make it out alive?
There are also seven standalone challenge modes each lasting 1-3 hours and focusing on specific objectives, offering additional gameplay.
“A great game that mentally takes you to the harshest north of Canada and allows you to enjoy the solitude and atmosphere of a harsh winter.” GreatGrizzlyBear on Steam.
Purchase the game here.
Mostly Positive (76%) | Single Player | Horror | $59.99
Looking for a spookier mood this Christmas? The slasher Until Dawn is the 2024 remaster of a horror classic.
In this game, eight teenage friends return to a snowy, isolated lodge on Blackwood Mountain, where two group members went missing a year before. Choices matter as you control these eight playable characters who must survive, you guessed it, until dawn to get rescued.
Solve the mystery of what lies in the dark cold woods with enhanced graphics and a new score.
“Love the game its so much better quality then the PS version gave me nostalgia from watching it when I was younger. If you want to play a semi-scary gore based game that is based on your choice on how you would like the story to go then 100% get it.” Kana on Steam.
Purchase the game here.
Very Positive (85%) | Single Player/Online PvP/ Online Co-op | FPS | $19.99
As the only FPS on this list, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege may appear out of place. But what’s cozier then playing your favorite multiplayer shooter on a snowy night during Christmas break?
This game is a tactical-based shooter with an ever-growing list of playable “operators” in which you switch between Defense and Attack depending on the round. When playing Defense your goal is to protect the bomb in your site and prevent Attackers from diffusing it. Conversely, when playing Attack your goal is to infiltrate their site and diffuse the bomb.
There are 4 game modes offered all year, Ranked, Standard, Quick Match, and Team Deathmatch. This article will only focus on the three with winter maps.
Ranked is a game mode in which you play to earn a rank, Standard is an identical game mode but you do not earn a rank, and Quick Match is a shortened version of the game.
Currently, the game offers two snow-covered maps, “Chalet,” a ski chalet in the French Alps, and “Yacht,” a crashed yacht in Baffin Bay.
Furthermore, Rainbow Six runs limited-time seasoned events like “Rengoku,” their Halloween event “Doktor’s Curse,” and in previous years, their Christmas event, “Snow Brawl.”
Within the “Snow Brawl” event, there are still attackers and defenders but it operates more like Capture the Flag, replacing bombs with flags and guns with deadly snowballs. Event-special headgear, uniforms, charms, gun skins, portraits, and backgrounds can be earned and purchased.
“In my 95 hours of playtime, I've done more screaming and slamming my desk than ever 100% recommend it.” Todd on Steam
Purchase the game here.
Very Positive (85%) | Online PvP/Online Co-op | Social Deduction | $9.99
Looking for a game to play with friends this Christmas? Project Winter, is a game of deception where you either play the role of a survivor or a traitor. As a survivor, you must complete the objectives and escape before a traitor kills you. As the traitor, you must stop the survivors from escaping without them discovering your role and killing you.
This 8-person multiplayer features proximity voice chat, character customization, and tons of snow-filled deception. You can either play with friends or make new ones while you fight to protect your life and fulfill your role.
“Even though it's old, this game is still getting updates and new cosmetics, and the community really helps keep it alive. i truly love this game, and keep coming back to it despite everything” RandomNPC on Steam.
Purchase the game here.
Very Positive (91%) | Single Player/Online PvP/ Online Co-op | Open World | $99.99
In Red Dead Redemption 2, you play Arthur Morgan who, along with the Van Der Linde gang, spends his days fighting, robbing, and stealing to escape the federal agents and bounty hunters pursuing them.
While this is the second game in the Red Dead Redemption series, it acts as a prequel to the first game, so you can jump right into Red Dead Redemption 2. Whether you choose to play them in release order or story order is up to you.
Though only a few of the 20-25 hours of gameplay are snow-covered, those first hours spent as a winter cowboy are incredibly important for our understanding of Arthur Morgan as a character.
“Red Dead Redemption 2 is an absolute masterpiece from the storyline to the visuals. Arthur Morgan is one of the most beautifully written characters of all time.” C H I L L V I B E S on Steam.
Purchase the game here.
That’s all for this list! Stay inside with one of these 9 Christmas Video games and bring back that nostalgia of gaming through Christmas vacation.
