7 best video games that will steal your entire weekend: From Grand Theft Auto V to The Last of Us

It's the stories, within stories. That's the beauty of losing yourself in a video game. It's not just random clicking of buttons as I once thought: It's about finding your way in a different world altogether. Sometimes, you build worlds. Sometimes, you just escape from yours for a few minutes, for a quick race or a fun combat.

But, for those few minutes, you're somewhere else. And as our conversations with video game enthusiasts tell us, there are many such games that have stood the test of time and well, patience. So, here are some of the most popular games, and of course, anything to do with Mario is always a win.

We had a little help from our previous conversations with UAE gamers too. You can check out what they said here.

At its core, Minecraft is a game about gathering and creating—but that’s just scratching the surface. You start in a vast, blocky world, armed with nothing but your hands and curiosity. The day is calm and bright, perfect for chopping wood, mining stone, or collecting food. But as the sky darkens, the danger begins. Creatures emerge, forcing you to take cover—maybe in a quick dirt hut, maybe deep underground. When morning arrives and the threats burn away, the world opens up again, inviting you to explore, build, and experiment.

Grand Theft Auto V drops you into Los Santos, a sprawling city buzzing with life, where every corner hides something new to see or do. From sun-soaked beaches to gritty back alleys, the game’s world brims with personality, inviting you to explore, cause chaos, or simply watch the city breathe. The action swings from wild police chases to meticulously planned robberies, blending absurdity with moments that feel startlingly real. Its sheer scale, sharp writing, and boundless freedom have made it a landmark in gaming, earning a place in history as one of the most played and celebrated titles ever.

This groundbreaking entry in the iconic fantasy-adventure franchise broke away from the familiar, semi-linear structure of its predecessors and embraced a daring, player-driven approach. You’re free to tackle challenges in any sequence, using your own creativity to shape the journey. Its vast, stunning world is brimming with mystery, beauty, and unexpected dangers, encouraging exploration without strict boundaries or handholding. The combination of open-ended questing, environmental freedom, and the thrill of forging your own path results in an exhilarating experience that mixes awe, curiosity, and the empowering sensation of becoming the champion of a realm.

A good story, is what we need. And, It Takes Two delivers. It's couples therapy… but with more killer squirrels, talking toolboxes, and death-defying platform jumps. It Takes Two turns a crumbling marriage into a wild, co-op-only romp where you and your partner (in love or just in gaming) are shrunk into tiny dolls and forced to work together to survive bizarre worlds. One minute you’re blasting acorns, the next you’re piloting underpants, all while bickering, bonding, and maybe learning a life lesson or two. It’s chaotic, heartfelt, and proof that nothing tests a relationship quite like deciding who gets to control the flying hammer.

Behold, the fantasy epic where your main job is “monster slayer for hire,” but you will spend half your time playing Gwent, getting tangled in political messes, or accidentally romancing the wrong sorceress. You’re Geralt of Rivia — gruff voice, killer sword skills, questionable haircut — on a quest to find your magically gifted adopted daughter before a ghostly biker gang from another dimension catches her. Along the way, you’ll battle beasts, make morally messy choices, and realise every “simple” side quest has a plot twist waiting to punch you in the feels. Oh, and yes — your decisions can decide who ends up ruling entire kingdoms. No pressure.

It’s the end of the world, and the fungus is winning. You play as Joel, a weary smuggler tasked with escorting Ellie — a sharp-tongued teenager who might be humanity’s last hope — across a post-apocalyptic America. What starts as a job becomes a brutal, emotional journey through crumbling cities, clicker-infested ruins, and moral gray zones darker than a Boston quarantine tunnel. It’s equal parts survival horror and gut-punch storytelling, where the scariest monsters aren’t always the infected. By the end, you’ll question what “doing the right thing” really means… and whether you would do any different.

Feudal Japan, 1274. The Mongols have arrived. You step into the sandals of Jin Sakai, a noble samurai torn between the honourable code he was raised with and the sneakier, “stab them in the back” tactics needed to save his home. As you ride across breathtaking fields of swaying grass, duel under crimson maples, and follow foxes to secret shrines, you’ll carve your legend as either the honourable warrior or the dreaded Ghost. It’s a story of loyalty, sacrifice, and realizing that sometimes the wind guiding you isn’t just in the game — it’s in your soul.