Getting into Gaming: a Guide for Broke College Students

By Luke Condon

It’s the start of another academic year at UCC, and new beginnings are plentiful, whether you’re starting a new course, making new friends, or picking up new hobbies. If you’re a new student at UCC, chances are you’re planning on doing all three of these; if you’re a returning student, well, maybe the latter two are more up your alley. Assuming that most people have the whole ‘starting a course’ bit covered at this point (if not, you should really look into that), you’re still going to have to meet people, and picking up a hobby is a great way of doing so. Besides, it’s nice to have something to spend your time on apart from coursework and drinking. To that end, why not delve into the world of gaming? Across multiple platforms and countless genres, you’re bound to find something you enjoy, and there’s opportunities for socialisation, entertainment, and relaxation aplenty. 

However, one rather significant blockade can scare many would-be gamers off: the entry price. Indeed, brand new games consoles start at around €400 these days, and gaming PCs might be twice or even three times that much. Given that most students have their hands full with rent, college fees, and other general expenses, it’s a steep cost to ask of someone who isn’t even sure if they’ll stick with the hobby. But there’s no need to dive straight into the deep end here; there’s plenty of affordable options to try out before you go shelling out your life savings on a PS5 and a few games. Even if you’re well acquainted with video games and the costs they entail already, it’s possible to cut down on the amount you spend without sacrificing the quality of games you enjoy. 

Your first port of call here is going to be choosing a platform for your gaming needs. We’ve already ruled out the idea of buying an outrageously expensive PC setup or console, so where does that leave us? In my eyes, the best choice is to repurpose a non-gaming device you already own, such as a laptop, mobile phone, or tablet. This will cost you a grand total of 0€, leaving you with little sunk cost should you decide that video games aren’t your cup of tea after you’ve tried out a few of them. Of course, choosing a gaming platform that hasn’t actually been designed for the purpose of gaming has its disadvantages; the average college laptop isn’t going to have as much processing power as a built-for-purpose gaming rig, and so you’ll have to stick to less graphically demanding games unless you want your computer burst into flames. You may also need to pick up a few accessories to enhance your experience, although a cheap computer mouse is the only one that’s really mandatory (attempting to control an in-game character with a laptop touchpad is no fun at all). Other optional purchases include an external keyboard, mouse mat, and headphones. 

 When it comes to mobile devices, you can safely download and play the majority of games available on the app store for Apple systems, but be wary if you choose to use an Android; it is possible to install malware onto your device unknowingly, which will severely impact your ability to use it for video games, so make sure to approach your downloads with a healthy degree of caution and only install apps from trusted sources. Again, mobile phones and tablets aren’t quite as powerful as tailor-made gaming handhelds, but in this case, you won’t need to worry about not being able to run games on your device, as mobile games are universally designed with the same hardware limitations in mind. Instead, you’ll just have to keep an eye on that battery level; mobile games can drain your power at an alarmingly fast rate! 

Now, then, you’ve chosen your platform; let’s talk games. If you’re looking for games you can play on your college laptop, you’ll first need to download a game storefront from which you can start to procure a collection of titles. The most popular of these is Steam, a digital store programme that will house your games neatly and give suggestions on games you might like to play next based on which ones you’ve enjoyed. The Steam store regularly hosts seasonal sales that will allow you to snag some titles at a fraction of their usual price; look out for the upcoming Halloween sale towards the end of October.

 Some newly released console games command a whopping price of 80€, a figure that seems to rise with each new console generation. Fortunately, the games I’ll be recommending here won’t cost you even a quarter of that. In the interest of covering as many bases as possible, I’ll mention games that span a number of genres, whilst also sticking to titles that should run on less powerful hardware, although you’ll likely have to turn the graphics settings down a bit. Additionally, if a game has a demo available, it never hurts to download that first to check if your laptop can handle the game before buying. Keep in mind that the Steam storefront allows players to refund games as long as they’ve played no more than two hours.

I’ll start with Inscryption, a game released to critical acclaim in 2021. It defies classification; it’s simultaneously a card playing game, a puzzle game, and a horror game. There really isn’t a whole lot I can say about Inscryption without spoiling its many twists, but if any of the previous descriptors sound appealing to you, definitely give it a shot (and don’t let the ‘horror’ label frighten you; there’s nothing too nightmare-inducing). More interested in role-playing games? Try Persona 4, which takes the form of a turn-based action game at times, only to then throw you into mundane situations like navigating classrooms and working part-time jobs. Persona 4’s excellent murder-mystery storyline and well written characters are sure to keep you invested throughout its many hours of content. If you’re not interested in a plot and simply want to have some fun, look no further than Battleblock Theatre, a multiplayer 2D platforming game that can only be described as whimsical. Battleblock Theatre can be played alone, but it’s best enjoyed with a friend; you’re supposed to work together to progress throughout the game’s levels, although it’s equally enjoyable to sabotage your partner by attacking them with a variety of silly weapons including deadly frisbees and explosive frogs. None of these games require quick reflexes or precise inputs from players, so a lack of gaming experience won’t put you at much of a disadvantage. 

Admittedly, mobile games aren’t quite my forte; however, PC games are, and thankfully many of them have received high-quality mobile adaptations for you to enjoy on your device of choice. Most of these ports are also more reasonably priced than their PC counterparts, so they’ll rarely set you back more than a fiver. First on the list we have Papers Please, a game about inspecting travel documents. Sounds boring, maybe, but Papers Please tells an intriguing story of political turmoil and class struggle whilst also providing an addicting gameplay loop. If that sounds a bit too heavy for your liking, give Crypt of the Necrodancer a go; it’s a game that’s all about music, requiring you to do everything to the beat of the game’s soundtrack. You can slay enemies with rhythm as you listen to in-game music, or you can connect your own songs to give the game a personal touch. Crypt of the Necrodancer is a bit more mechanically challenging than the other games I’ve spoken about, so don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to get accustomed to. I’ll finish out with a personal favourite of mine, but be warned: you’ll need a Netflix subscription for this one. Into the Breach is an excellent strategy game in which you fight off invasions of colossal insectoid monsters using a combination of shrewd tactics and gigantic war robots. It’s included as part of Netflix’s newly launched games scheme, which can be found by scrolling down on the homepage of the mobile app (it’s understandable if you hadn’t heard of it up until now; Netflix released it seemingly unannounced, and it’s still unclear what they hope to gain from the whole project).

This list of games is in no way exhaustive. In fact, I’ve barely scratched the surface, considering the vast ocean of games available on both laptops and mobile devices, but you’ll hopefully by now have a decent understanding of what to look for when starting out your gaming career. If you’re truly interested in getting into gaming, then treat this article as a stepping stone; go do your research, try out lots of different games, and above all, have fun!