It’s that time of year when throwing on the down coat to meet your friends loses its novelty, and so does weaving through crowds of other puffy-coat-clad bar-hoppers as though the bar were an overcrowded bumper-car arena. The time of year when one too many surprisingly steep Uber charges makes you decide you’ll spend all your nights reading. When no gastropub, concert venue or Michelin-rated bistro could possibly trump the comfort of your fleece throw. (Wool socks, too.)
It is now that the virtues of the night in and the adult sleepover shine. We had the right idea as kids: a few friends, a couch, a game console, maybe a pizza. Adult extravagance can have its place here, though; all it takes to elevate the classic game night is a capable host. Once you accept that responsibility, there are plenty of benefits to enjoy. For instance, your friends come to you. You choose the entertainment. And you decide what everyone’s drinking tonight. That said, hear out our recommendations before getting too drunk with power.
Want more options? Check out last year’s pairings.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
PS4 Pick: This cute-as-hell bullet hell puts you and one shipmate at the helm of a clearly understaffed, clearly two-sizes-too-big space ship, scrambling from room to room to steer it away from harm, commanding an increasingly gratuitous arsenal of laser cannons, and, most likely, screaming at each other (offscreen). If you and your shipmates are charismatic screamers, consider making like the rest of the internet and posting a video of your playthrough.
Pairing: Chilean Pisco Sour You see how colorful this game is? For the full effect, the drink’s gotta match. Since Lovers is a two-player affair, put the rest of your friends to work shaking and straining some Pisco Sours as they wait for their turns. Learn the Recipe
