Welcome to the final week of the Boss Rush Bucket List! The writing staff at Boss Rush has curated a list of the top 50 games released since 2014 that are a must-play. Each week, we listed numerous games of every genre while counting down the top ten titles. Read on to complete your journey with part III of action/adventure…and dare to guess what is Boss Rush’s number one recommended video game to play before you kick the bucket!

Concrete Genie

By: Logan

Developer:  Pixelopus. Publisher:  Pixelopus

Release Date:  10/09/2019. Platform(s): PS4

Concrete Genie in three words: Artistic, open world, and creative 

Concrete Genie is a game built to let your imagination roam free. In Concrete Genie, you play a character named Ash who is trying to restore the beauty of his world with the gift of art. Ash uses a magical paintbrush to show that beauty can be brought out in everything–you just have to believe, but beware, Ash will be challenged by bullies who try to deface his art. 

Concrete Genie is a perfect game to teach gamers about hope and how using your imagination can lead to wonderful possibilities. Concrete Genie is rated for gamers of all ages, even those who may have lost touch with their creative side.

Snack Pairing: The best snack for Concrete Genie is the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Your imagination will be used plenty in the game; keep it simple for the snack! 

Ghost of Tsushima

By: Stoy

Developer: Sucker Punch. Publisher: Sony

Release Date: 07/17/2020. Platform: PS4

Ghost of Tsushima in Three Words: Samurai Revenge Epic

To say Ghost of Tsushima has a great story would do it a disservice. It is an epic tale about a samurai Jin Sakai, who has witnessed firsthand his home, the island of Tsushima, being raided and pillaged by the great Mongol army. Somehow, you survive the invasion battle, and as you progress through the early parts of the game you find that you must abandon your samurai creed and code to fight a new kind of enemy, one the likes of the Japanese people have never faced before. The game is fictional in nature, however the events surrounding the invasion are indeed true. 

The game is an open world action adventure game that pits you in deadly sword fights and other forms of melee combat, as well as bow and arrow confrontations. You travel the island (beautifully designed) and liberate villages, towns, and help the local populace all the while gathering allies to fight in your cause. As you progress, you become stronger, discover new abilities, gain more weapons and armor, and pet foxes! Throughout the game, Jin struggles with defending his code, and also defending his home and the people he is sworn to protect. The story takes emotional turns, not only for you, but for the allies you fight alongside. One of, if not the, best Playstation 4 game to own. Be sure to occasionally stop and watch the grass flow with the wind, and listen to the subdued and somber flute notes that play in the background. 

Beer Pairing: A refreshing Citra IPA would be the preferred beer. Aromatic citrus hops, little bitterness and a creamy mouthfeel is a perfect pairing for slicing and dicing those damn Mongolians. 

Detroit: Become Human

By: LeRon

Developer: Quantic Dream. Publisher: Quantic Dream, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Initial Release Date: 04/24/2018. Platforms: PC, PS4 (and PS5 via backwards compatibility)

Detroit: Become Human in Three Words: Are You Alive?

Detroit: Become Human is a powerhouse action-adventure title from the creators of Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Fahrenheit (better known worldwide as 2005’s cult classic hit Indigo Prophesy). If you are not familiar with those titles, imagine a completely cinematic an interactive “choose your own adventure”. Players will take control of three different characters (androids) and make decisions across three concurrent story paths that will determine the fate of not just Artificial Intelligence, but also the ultimate fate of humanity.

As Connor, Kara, and Markus, multiple choices and outcomes will all structure how you, the player, will progress through the game. If you make mistakes, some will bear consequential outcomes while others may lead to very dire circumstances (including the death of the main characters and loved ones). If a main character is killed off, there is no “game over” screen. The story will still continue with the remaining characters (until they are also dead). With a wonderful blending of quick time events, dialogue triggers, and scene countdown (which will force a quick action from players), this third-person adventure game will keep players riveted to their seats and controllers trying to unlock the secrets and outcomes which can be seen in a flowchart during and after each of the game’s chapters.

Just because the main characters are androids, that doesn’t mean that Detroit: Become Human lacks heart.

Snack Pairing: My snack pairing of choice for Detroit: Become Human would be Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats because with all of the fast paced action and decision making this “narrative” style game throws at you, you’re going to want something you can pop into your mouth fast to keep your eyes on the screen and your hand on the controller. Also, the sugar rush will keep you wired to this sci-fi epic.

Hades

By: Dan

Developer: Supergiant Games. Publisher: Supergiant Games, Take-Two Interactive, Private Division

Initial Release Date: 12/06/2018. Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5

Hades in Three Words: You. Will. Die.

In Hades, you play as the son of Hades: Zagreus, and your goal is simply to escape your home of Hades, the only place you’ve ever known. Hades, the temperamental and emotionally abusive father of Zagreus, is determined to impede his son’s escape by setting up a series of security checkpoints. In this single player rogue-like, you’ll be able to choose between 6 different weapons, and control Zagreus through multiple chambers in 4 sections trying to fend off monsters, gods, and even your implied ex. Throughout your journey of escape, you often receive help called “boons” from gods such as Zeus, Artemis, or Poseidon that’ll greatly increase your power, and keep every run fresh because it’s different every time. Hades is unlike other rogue-likes, where it is so well written; it’s a game that understands the player’s journey. Each play through has us caring about Zagreus’s personal and haunting questions about himself that are not only worth asking, but most importantly, worth answering.

Boss Rush Bucket List Top 10: #1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

By: LaMont

Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development. Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: 03/03/2017. Platform(s):Wii U, Nintendo Switch

Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in three words: Breath of Air! 

Like his previous journeys, Link is on a massive quest to master his strength and skills to defeat the evil Gannon and restore order in Hyrule–except this time, the kingdom is already in ruins when Link awakens from a deep sleep for 100 years. You have to piece together your memory of what exactly happened as the Calamity Gannon re-emerges and continues to rule over Hyrule once again. I remember when I first gazed at the trailer, it was introduced through the advertising of the Nintendo Switch in 2017, and I was blown away: the crispy clear graphics, the beautiful wavy seas, Link hunting for his dinner by taking out a wild boar–I even remember being amazed by the grass. “Look at the grass! Look at the grass,” I’d say. It was definitely a picture perfect Legend of Zelda game to me as it remains to be that way to this day. 

Link can use all sorts of armor and weapons at his disposal, and he can even cook meals to restore health or enhance his abilities. Link also makes use of a tablet that harnesses Sheikah technology. His memories would eventually take him to quests to reclaim titan creatures called Divine Beasts that were once piloted by his fallen comrades in battle. An epic story for an epic game indeed. My only gripe  about this are the breakable weapons, and while it serves as a hearty challenge, I wish there was a way to repair your favorite weapons. I also wasn’t a fan of the gyro control mini missions to guide metal balls in holes and things like that, but I absolutely love exploring the vast lands and never rushed through the game at all. I simply love this game, and it is a true staple for the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U. 

Snack Pairing: When I think of this iteration of Link, I think of his will to survive in the wilderness. Of course, one of the things he does is hunt game and cook what he kills. So, I like a nice Salisbury Steak with gravy and rice, or if he is fishing, delicious salmon would also be really good with broccoli and a nice glass of iced tea.

This wraps up week ten of the Boss Rush Bucket List!

I want to thank all the writers that contributed to the Boss Rush Bucket List: Block, Celeste, Charlie, Dan, David, Eddie, Jack B, LaMont, LeRon, Logan, and Stoy.

Remember, there are hundreds of amazing games that have been released since 2014, and this is just our personal, curated recommendations. If you see a game that is not listed, we would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts on these nominated games on our friendly Discord channel!

This week’s contributors: Logan, Stoy, LeRon, Dan, LaMont