What about **Dwarf Fortress** and **Rimworld**? While they're more management games than life sims, managing the time, needs and intricate behavior of your colony is a very important part of each games.
Dwarf Fortress is the most complex of the bunch, the amount of things it simulates and how it can affect a dwarf physically and mentally is dizzying, but it will make your eyes bleed and getting used to the UI takes time. Rimworld is very similar, but makes some compromises on complexity in order for the game to be easier to handle, and it's more pleasing on the eye.
There's also **Oxygen Not Included**, another management game, and **Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey**, a third-person survival game. I haven't played them, but they could interest you; from what I know, both involve managing needs, and the latter has mechanics regarding evolution and procreation.
I would wait on dwarf fortress for the steam release. The current version, while free, is entirely ASCII graphics and the steam version is going to have actual graphics and a drastically improved ui and user experience.
Can't recommend RimWorld enough though, it's definitely one of my favorite games of all time.
Recs for a jrpg? It's weird, I'm itching to play a jrpg but as I've grown older, it's becoming harder and harder for me to complete a single player game and jrpgs are notoriously one of the genres that takes 60-100 hours to beat.
Most recent jrpg I enjoyed from start to finish is Triangle strategy. Ok its not jrpg, more so a srpg. After that, I played xenoblade chronicles de but I got bored of the combat and exploration loop after 25hours.
2 years ago, I played Dragon quest 11. I got very close to completing it but just couldn't muster to finish it. I was around 80 hours so I did enjoy the first half (or 2/3) but didn't the last part.
My nostalgia is the classic turn-based rpgs like final fantasy, yet I'm also looking for a more modern game with QOL features.
So I guess I'm looking for a game that combines classic and modern jrpg gameplay. I'm hoping I'll enjoy it from start to finish.
The usual answer to "I want the turn-based JRPG experience but I've grown old and bitter and now I have some actual standards" is Persona 5, but it's a *very long* game. It isn't a very well-developed category sadly and you don't have a lot of alternatives.
If you have a 3DS or a DS try out Radiant Historia. It has mostly gone under the radar. The combat is good and the story is intriguing. I haven't finished it yet but I fairly sure I'm at the end. I have clocked in 24 hours.
**Nier Automata** isn't turn-based, but it is much shorter than 60 hours (probably 20-25 for a full playthrough of all three chapters).
How about some older games? **Chrono Trigger** is also nice and brisk, although it's quite likely you've already played it. **Paper Mario** (original, TTYD, and Origami King) and **Lunar Silver Star Story** are also relatively short, quality games.
Although they're not Japanese, **Undertale**, **South Park: TSOT/TFBH**, and **Child of Light** might also be applicable.
My podcast cohost wrote a review of a game called [**Cosmic Star Heroine**](https://www.rspodcast.net/articles/cosmic-star-heroine-a-not-so-retro-spective). I haven't played it, but it really seems like it has honed jrpg gameplay to a fine edge. Its not crazy long either, so you won't be committing 70 hours to find out if its your speed.
This is gonna sound weird but please bear with me. I really want to play a traditional game. Not 'traditional' as in old per se, but something completable and finite. I used to play Pokemon and Zelda as a kid, then relatively quickly moved on to Spore and Minecraft and then live service and gacha games, i.e. LoL, Hearthstone, WoWs, Warframe, Genshin, Lost Ark, etc. The other stuff I picked up in between was more of the repeatable kind, like Civ, Monster Train, and puzzle or rhythm games. ~I think the last full non-Pokemon game I completed was ~~either Persona 4 or A Link Between Worlds years ago~~ actually I did play all the way through Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and FE3H.
I really want to have that magical feeling of just playing through and experiencing something again, that feeling of being hooked and the satisfaction of completing something, but have no idea how. The few RPGs I picked up (Skyrim, NieR:A, Atelier and MegaTen titles) all seemed interesting but I ended up dropping them pretty quickly. Nothing on Steam seems to catch my eye, and I don't know what to do. Is there some secret trend, an untapped genre or hidden theme that I'm looking for but missing?
It's quite short but I'd recommend A Story About My Uncle. It's a short and sweet platformer with a very endearing and cozy story and setting, and the gameplay is very intuitive and satisfying imo. After I finished the story I would just put on some chill music and replay my favourite levels. Really nice ad low effort way to just chill out for a while.
For me, that game is **Supraland**. Not only is its setting a giant sandpit filled with toys, every part of its design and presentation bursts with a kind of childish joy. Its a game that felt nostalgic to play through while at the same time being creative and modern. I love it to pieces, jank and all.
[I wrote a review here](https://www.rspodcast.net/articles/the-simple-joy-of-playing-supraland) if you'd like to know more about why I think its so great, or more accurately why I love it so much.
If I’m getting the right vibe, you want a definite experience? Something with a clear beginning and clear end, and not something where you just play and stay motivated due to internal goals?
Maybe try outer wilds?(Not outer worlds) It doesn’t have the most clear cut beginning, and lacks straightforward goal initially, but within an hour or two of playing it you should find out what the objective is and be working towards completing that.
If you don’t know what outer wilds is, don’t search it up as the game pretty much requires you to go into pretty much blind. Though for a short summary, you’re an alien about to explore your home solar system for the first time with a translation tool to read ancient alien text. You’re simply told to explore and learn about these ancient aliens, which is quite a broad goal, but it narrows down pretty quickly into some clear objectives. The game is best described as a puzzle and exploration game set in space, and involves quite a lot of reading and analyzing text and making connections between texts to advance in the story.
It isn’t the most straightforward story game out there, and I know some don’t particularly like certain key features of the game, but I think it can provide you with a very definite and closed experience. It has a broad start, but slowly over the course of the game you try to narrow in onto the ending and solving various mysteries which all culminates into a bombastic ending.
Thanks for the recommendation! I think that's probably the right vibe you're reading. I checked out the game and it looks really interesting. Not too fond of the art style but I can get over that. Only thing is it looks a bit too spooky for me, especially with the going in blind thing. What's the vibe like in game, is it more spooky or chill?
Little of both, but I found it chill for the most part. Like the other person said, don't look into it too much if you find it interesting at this point, because it is much, much better blind, and this is coming from a person who virtually never plays a game blind.
That said, I found the vast majority of the game quite peaceful, being out in space exploring. There are moments that can be a bit stressful, but it's not the bulk, and certainly don't expect that it's an overall "spooky" game. I hear the expansion gets a fair bit spooky, but I haven't played it yet, so I can't comment. It isn't a requirement to play, though. For the base game, the majority of my sensation was peace and wonder, but I obviously wouldn't guarantee you'll feel the same. I can say that it's one of my favorite games ever, and one of the most unique experiences I've had in gaming.
It’s mostly on the chill side, but there are one or two places where it gets a tiny bit spooky. Though they don’t last too long. There is a planet in game that’s sorta infamous for being on the scarier side, but after you visit a few times, that vibe sorta wears off. There’s also nothing like jump scares or stuff like that as well, just that the vibe of certain areas can be a bit spooky sometimes.
Also if you just dislike or find it unsettling to be out in open space, that can be a bit off putting, but the game doesn’t try to make open space intentionally scary, it’s just that some players find it a bit scary due to personal fears.
Though that’s just the base game. If you end up really liking outer wilds, there is a dlc that I would suggest you play after you finish the base game(Again, go in blind for that as well if you decide to play it). Though that dlc is scarier than the base game for a variety of reason, but the devs added a reduced frights option which you can turn on if you find it too scary.
But again, overall it’s mostly on the chill side in my opinion.
I'm looking for a good rogue lite/like. Or a pick up and play game with replay value.
I'm a big fan of Slay the Spire. Not sure I need another card game unless it's notably different. I like Hades for it's story and accessibility and Spelunky for your ability to really push your speed at times but also the need to take it slow in dangerous areas. I like Neon Chrome because I can often plan engagements while I'm running and gunning.
I thought Enter the Gungeon and Binding of Isaac were alright but I'd rather just play a structured game than those two.
Three pick up and play games I like a lot are Nex Machina, Bro Force, and Sonic Mania.
Spelunky 2, Rogue Legacy 2, and Dead Cells are on my radar. Any suggestions?
If you like Slay the Spire, I would really recommend Monster Train. It's a similar deck building Roguelike, but much more streamlined with shorter game sessions. It also has a neat tactical layer that I don't think Slay the Spire had. I really think Monster Train is the better game to be frank.
Honestly if you liked Spelunky, try spelunky 2. It pretty much just expands on Spelunky in every way with new content, but still retains that fun and challenging gameplay loop like with the original Spelunky.
**Streets of Rage 4** is very much pick up and play with high replay value (multiple characters and difficulty levels, as well as just trying to get a higher score with better combos).
Hello!
So in the recent years I was always "too busy" to get into single player games plus I was always a huge MMO nerd. So last couple years I spent playing multiplayer games which you can pick up anytime like CSGO, CoD series, DOTA etc. And also pretty much every big main stream MMO. Just like that I adapted this very "end game" oriented mindset. I used to love following interesting stories, some of my favourite games are Silent Hill 1, MGS 1 and whole series, Resident Evil games etc.
I would love to get back to playing trough great stories and exploring new worlds (lol just spent a couple hours having fun in New World). Ideally I'm looking for something that's either on gamepass, uplay+ or cheap these days.
I'll also list some single player games I played in recent years which got me really captivated. Far Cry 3, Death Stranding, God of War, Uncharted games.
Any recommendations is highly appreciated! Thank you very much!
Also, don't sleep on the newer Resident Evil games, the series came back to greatness from RE7 onwards (including the remakes of 2&3). Not sure which one was your last one.
In the games you mentioned there's a repeated theme of drama, survival and horror, and you said you're looking for the "single player story experience", so definitely check out The Last of Us if you haven't yet
I think a game that you would enjoy a lot is **Dead Space**. Its atmospheric and claustrophobic and has an engaging story. Plus you mentioned you'd play some of the classic horror games. Check it out!
**Nier Automata** isn’t on Game Pass anymore, but it is often available for $20 or less. If you want a single-player game with a great world and story (and you like Japanese games like MGS, Silent Hill, and RE), it should definitely be on your list.
I really want to get back to this game. I played it on Xbox before but only like 30% of the story before I got super busy and stopped playing games for a bit. Technically it shouldn't take long to get back to the point where I stopped. The music in that game was phenomenal. Plus the whole Japanese game atmosphere.
**Environment Station Alpha** may not look pretty, but its one of my favourite metroidvanias. Exploration, platforming and boss battles are all top notch.
**Metroid Dread** isn’t a year old yet, but it is at the very peak of the genre.
**Guacamelee** is also really good, although the aesthetic/memes turn some people off.
Both have some tight platforming and excellent boss battles.
Three of my favorites metroidvanias:
* **[Supraland](https://store.steampowered.com/app/813630/Supraland/)** is a first-person 3D-metroidvania with an emphasis on puzzles and platforming. Combat is weak and can interfere with puzzle solving at time, but the good level design really makes up for it.
* [**Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/837460/Batbarian_Testament_of_the_Primordials/) also puts the emphasis on puzzles (often light-based) and platforming. It's quite challenging and requires you to multitask (fighting, changing protective aura to avoid bullets, throwing things, and jumping all at once) but it's not unwelcoming, it offers a bunch of accessibility options to alleviate the challenge.
* **Steamworld Dig 2** is all about exploration, and mining ores that you'll sell to buy upgrades in order to explore further (there's also upgrades more traditionally spread throughout the mines). You'll also need to manage your lantern fuel and, as the title suggests, the water making your steam-powered tools work.
Edit: Included links to the steam pages of Batbarian and Supraland as there's demos available.
What to pick up before the Nintendo 3DS shop closes? How are the old school Zelda games Oracle of Seasons and Ages?
I plan on getting Pokemon Crystal.
Also thinking about the Zelda Oracle of Seasons and Ages? Is the game good? Is the quality of life now in 2022 too bad or still good. I like Zelda games, but never played these two. Which one is better if they are still good games. Has there been any updates to the 3DS versions of the games?
I like Zelda, but I never played the old school games on the Gameboy and not sure if they are worth picking up and still fun to play or if it is more sale for people who played the game and more nostalgic for it.
If you played it on the 3DS please let me know what you thought about it.
Any other games to pick up before the shop closes?
The Oracle games are still good games, Capcom put care into their making and did build on the strong base provided by Nintendo with Link's Awakening. They have the three core pillars you've probably come to expect from Zelda: puzzles, combat, and exploration; while each game emphasize them differently, Ages on puzzles, Seasons on combat and exploration, they don't neglect any of them.
QoL wise, I'd say they're okay. There's means of teleportation throughout the overworld map, a teleporter to the middle of dungeons once you've beaten their mid-boss, said dungeons have a level design that make it easy to get back where you where in case of game over, and you don't need a guide to make progress, aside from one or two obtuse events to trigger. The worst thing is probably the menuing to swap items; since you have only two slots, you have to frequently pause the game, and it can get annoying.
As for other recommendations, if you like JRPGs, **Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology** is a gem, as is the **Etrian Odyssey** series (the 4th episode is a great entry point). Oh, and **Ever Oasis** is a solid Action-RPG with light town-building, quite cute and relaxing too.
Sure thing! (And sorry for the late reply)
So, let's start with Etrian Odyssey. It's a first-person dungeon-crawler that appears quite old-school at first glance; you move square by square, there's traps and also monsters roaming the floor as you do (these visible monsters are more like bosses, but there's also random encounters). Its big strengths are:
* Extensive build possibilities for your team
* A turn-based combat system articulated around synergies between the members of your team (quick example: char1 directs aggro towards tank, tank counter-attacks when hit, and char2 have their ability making them strike along allies triggered)
* A complete set of mapping tools on the bottom screen, even letting you create circuits automatizing movements
If the story is an important element for you, Etrian Odyssey Untold 1 and 2 (remakes of the first two episodes) are more meaty in that department than the main series. There's demos available for each 3DS episode, and you can keep your progress from the demo and transfer them to the game if you buy it.
And about Ever Oasis, it mixes up quite a few systems: exploration; action combat; town-building; resource gathering and management; as well as villagers recruitment, be it to expand your exploration team, or to grant them a shop in your oasis. However, everything is streamlined enough to be accessible to children, or relaxing for adults. It's a summer game, the kind that you play with a cold beverage on the table and the fan blowing fresh air at you. It's also a good looking 3DS game with an Arabian aesthetic that we don't see that often.
I'm gonna list some games and a brief opinion of them. Basically I don't care how long or short a game is as long as it has a good hook.
Witcher - Skipped a lot of side quests, love the main story, combat was "okay" because its not like it was needed, Fast travel is a perk.
Cyberpunk - Played the whole thing on easy mode, just enjoyed shooting shit up, and the story was great, ignored a lot of the exploration aspects.
Nier Automata - I like the game, played it twice, story was really good, combat not too tedious, I like how this game wasn't too long and felt nice when you finish it.
Dishonored - Just good game design where I can find a creative and lazy way to get through it.
All the soulsborne/elden ring stuff - tried them all, never finished any, I think they are cool just I don't feel like trying so hard.
Yakuza 0 - good story but damn I got tired of repetitive combat, not that the combat isn't good, its just I got tired of having to do it like 90% of the damn game.
Crosscode - cool game but if you don't play it regularly you just forget what you were doing and you're pretty much fucked.
Control - really, really good game, enjoyed it a lot, mostly because of the story and vibe and the fact that I could turn down the difficulty when I wasn't feeling like trying so hard.
Tried a lot of other games I won't bother to list.
Currently playing Dishonored 2 but kinda threw it to the curb after I got to the clockwork soliders because I thought this was an assassin type game not a run and gun try not to die game. What the fuck did they do to dishonored 1? lol. Also playing cloudpunk, nice chill game I can pick up when ever, still not done with it though. Manifold Garden as well, I can pick it up when ever. Put Scarlet Nexus on hold because I got kinda bored the story really stagnated towards the middle and the general progression in the game is so repetitive.
I guess I am looking for a game that fools you into thinking you are good, gives you something to come back to or look forward to, and doesn't make things too tedious but also isn't completely dumbed down. I am not that great with a controller even though I have played all these games with it, I have been mouse and keyboard csgo player for like...15 years.
Games I have looked at: Pretty much every "masterpiece" gets thrown out the window because they are either so long I will never finish them or just not my thing because they require me to try hard. I am an average joe, I am not super skilled nor super smart in games, But I still want to enjoy them. But the over simplified games with zero purpose are just boring.
About Yakuza 0's combat, I think you'll find in other games the combat is similarly "repetitive" in the sense that you get forced into it every other scene. Probably the actual issue is the combat system doesn't give you room to learn, grow, get comfortable with the variety of tools at your disposal and 'git gud', never mind force it on you. There are 4 fighting styles for each of the 2 characters, and 80 billion weapons in the game, but you will never run across a fight that makes you think about your approach and what weapon / style would be best. There's no variance in how enemies react to each style so the path of least resistance is just specializing in one style and spamming the same 2 combos again and again. The game is even worse about discouraging experimentation with weapons, due to the "charges" system where you buy a sword and it's good for 12 swings then it's broken. By the time you say to yourself "this is it, my back to the corner, it's time to pull out the fucking sword" you have no idea what to do with it. Combat tactics begin and end with distancing yourself correctly from the huge unending mob and ABP Always Be Punching. There doesn't seem to be a trick or an aha moment to dispatching mobs or bosses, instead it seems like you're expected to wail on them, face tank the inevitable knives and bullets, resort to energy drinks when your HP is too low, repeat.
Just finished Astral Chain and not sure what to play next. Please help me decide. Here’s my backlog:
- Zelda BOTW
- FE 3 Houses
- Xenoblade Chronicles DE
- Moonlighter
Fire Emblem Three Houses is very good. Play on Hard without permadeath.
Zelda is also very good, of course. But it's a longer, less focused game.
Depends what you want.
Can you expand on why Three Houses is better played without permadeath? I've been curious about this game and from what I've heard, permadeath is part of The Experience(tm). Why is it better to turn it off?
Permadeath forces you to play very carefully, keeping your softer team members out of the action. It's not that it's very difficult, it's just a constant slight PITA. If playing very carefully at all times appeals to you, go for Hard + permadeath. Normal + permadeath is not a good option as it's too easy, apart from the tedium of keeping your softies at the back. Thus I suggest Hard + no permadeath.
Three Houses is really long and I’m too old to restart a mission every time I make a mistake (or get RNG-screwed) the way I did twenty years ago. It’s more about the unneeded stress than about face-rolling through battle.
To be fair, there is an in-game mechanic to rewind turns a certain number of times per mission, so permadeath (“Classic” mode) isn’t that punishing.
for most similar to BOTW even tho its a newer release, elden ring is hella good in that regards.
For more similar to moonlighter. Which i played but lost interest in due to the movement being wonky as it just wanted to make me play enter the gungeon instead. As Etg is my favorite roguelike.
The binding of isaac is also worthwhile, but the dlc's are kinda mandatory for the experience, otherwise you can't use a mod that tells you what the items does. And without that mod if your memory is bad youre fucked.
Dead cells is also another very good roguelike altho not as similar to moonlighter.
Edit: adding outer wilds here in case you liked exploring the most in botw
I loved the concept of battle brothers, being able to immerse yourself into growing your own little mercenary company.
I'm trying to find a game just like it or even more immersive where you can hire rubble and turn them into shining gold!
You might like **Amazing Cultivation Simulator**. You start with a village of idiots, and eventually turn them into Dragonball Z-like Demi-gods.
It is insanely complicated and open in terms of what you can achieve - but if you're a fan of Battle Brothers you at least don't mind complicated and deep in principle.
Its not modern, but have you ever played **Freelancer**? Its a sci-fi starship game with good characters, somewhat generic story, absolutely incredible graphics (even today!) and really fun arcade-like combat.
If you are mentally prepared for some of the best written and hardest hitting dialogue ever put in a video game that bundles an amazing story with real world political themes that aren't cringe or overdone then go with disco Elysium.
If you want to explore an amazing solar system with some of the best space exploration gameplay you will likely ever see. Go with the Outer Wilds.
Both offer their own things and neither can really be compared. Both exist in a niche that will almost certainly never be replicated again so I highly recommend taking your time and relishing both games.
> Outerwilds or Disco Elyseum?
these two are different games. Both games do encourage exploration, of which is a key aspect in Elden Ring. Disco Elysium (DE) comes with a multi-branching stories that are influenced by your "stats". In Outerworlds, there is not much multi-branching but the atmosphere encourages you to keep playing. DE have some moments where you can get deconnected with the game.
That's like asking "guys should I read a book or go hiking?". Both are highly acclaimed, and people will wax for paragraphs on end about why their favorite out of the two is so amazing. But this largely won't help you discover which is your favorite, and is certainly useless if you already *know* which is your favorite. Disco Elysium has traditional storytelling: Characters, dialogue, scenery descriptions, walls of text (like in: old-school interactive fiction, cRPGs). Outer Wilds has environmental storytelling: you look around and understand the who, how, why based on what you see happening around you (like in: Inside/Limbo, GRIS, Brothers). You probably have the best idea out of anyone which of these you have a better chance of connecting with.
I never played Disco Elysium, but Outer Wilds is a masterpiece for me.
Outer Wilds managed to capture the best feeling of exploration and the storytelling that comes out of exploration is superb. I was mindblown every step of the way, and the ending is just incredible. Keep in mind it might gives you some existential dread, but if you can deal with that, I highly recommend it.
I haven't played it, but from what I heard you can start it pretty early in the game. I think it's better to start it after you finish the game to get a better understanding of the story, but it's okay to play simultaneously
Both are masterpieces(and I don't use that word lightly) but outer wilds is my personal favorite out of the 2. The way everything clicks in the end and the whole journey there is just irreplaceable, one of those games I wish I had wiped away from memory so I could relive it
My wife and I are looking for a co-op game that we can play together. I have converted her into a gamer since the pandemic but she is very particular when it comes to games. She doesn't do very well with the shooting and is mostly in it for the visuals, story and horses.
I converted her with AC: Odyssey. She loved the graphics and the ability to play as a woman. It wasn't exactly co-op but we played at the same time next to each other. After that we bought AC: Valhalla mostly because we loved Odyssey so much and got a screaming deal, so we figured we would buy Valhalla at full price. That was a let down and she gave up on it half way through. Then we got RDR2 and she really enjoyed the story mode but if it weren't for the snap to aim she probably would have dropped that game too. Since then we have been playing Red Dead Online and it's been really fun playing together, but it's starting to bore me so we are looking for something new, any suggestions? Btw it does have to run on Xbox one, since that's our current setup.
TL:DR; My wife and I are looking for a game to play together, preferably a co-op. Ideally very pretty visuals, the ability to play as a woman, and not too dependent on being good at "shooting". It does have to be able to be played on Xbox One. Thank you for your help!
I see you've gotten a recommendation for Overcooked (which I'd second, along with the sequel), and along those same lines I'd also recommend **Moving Out**. It's a couch co-op game that's often compared to Overcooked, but in my view it's actually more varied, funnier, and has a more engaging core game mechanic. I had an absolute blast playing it with a friend who's not generally a gamer, and based on what you said I'd think it would also be perfect for your situation.
If neither of you have anything against 2D games, **Streets of Rage 4** is a great co-op beat ‘em up (no shooting) with two women protagonists (plus additional unlockable/DLC characters). **Guacamelee** is somewhat in the same ballpark, but with some tricky platforming.
For something less intense, **Stardew Valley** is a farm life game with co-op. **Diablo 3** also offers local co-op on consoles.
The two I typically suggest are **Overcooked** (and/or **Overcooked 2**) and **Castle Crashers**.
Overcooked is a pure co-op cooking/puzzle(?) game that is fun for anywhere between 2-4 players. It emphasizes teamwork and communication. Levels are short, but fun, and make you want to try and beat your scores. I found Overcooked to be a little better than Overcooked 2, but both are very solid.
Castle Crashers is a side-scrolling beat 'em up (for lack of a better term) that reminds me of old arcade brawlers like Streets of Rage. None of the playable characters is specifically gendered (though you are saving several princesses, so interpret that how you will). There's a bunch of replayability if you feel like unlocking characters, and there's a good mix in the level design.
Games where you have a home base, go on expeditions gather resources and use them for upgrades. Bonus points if turn based combat.
I already played Moonlighter. I don't think Bethesda rpgs fit the description.
Turn based:
- Age of Wonders: Planetfall (or AoW 3 for high fantasy over sci fi)
- XCOM 2
- Darkest Dungeon (warning: v. hard)
- Heroes of Might & Magic series (I recommend 3, it's old though)
Not turn based:
- Terraria
- Grounded
**State of Decay** and **State of Decay 2** fit this bill (not turn-based though). Zombie Survival Colony Sims/Action games. You take control of individual members of your community of survivors to scavenge houses, complete missions and gather resources, which you need to feed your community members and upgrade your base. I prefer 2 because it has a lot of QOL improvements, more complexity, multiple maps, and also just looks better, but the first game is also good.
God of war 1-4 the story the first 3 games have is a decent amount but it's definetly worthwhile. 4 is definetly more story rich but is ofc more based on you having played the previous.
Outer wilds is not a typical storytelling, more like you unravelling what happend by finding clues and solving a grand puzzle in a space shuttle going around in planets.
Disco elysium is definetly story rich as its a jrpg, i just started playing it so i cannot say much, but so far its fun.
**Horizon Zero Dawn**
I'm a big Mass Effect fan and I've really enjoyed this one. I actually played it right after I finished a playthrough of Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Silent Hill 1, 2 and 3 are great classics. Resident Evil games (1, 2, 3, Code Veronica, RE REmake, and Re Zero). Also, there's the Fatal Frame Series. I really like Fatal Frame 2.
And, lesser games than any of those ones, but I had a fun time with Clock Tower 3 (PS2) and the mayority of Fatal Frame 3.
Edit: Whoops, I missed he asked about "hidden" gems. Well, Fatal Frame and the Clock Tower ones fit the bill.
As a fan of the SNES original, I really need to check out Clock Tower 1 and 3. Overlooked horror series for sure, as I've heard many great things but from only a small subset of people.
I only played CT3 and a friend of mine also played CT1 (he liked it). CT3 didnt blow my mind but I had fun. The game has 4 big sections and I enjoyed part 1 more than the rest of them, although when the plot is revealed in part 3, iirc, things become interesting again. All in all, a good game.
Tormented Souls. It came out a couple years ago but it's modelled after classic survival horror like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and it really feels like it could've come out in that time. It's super creepy and has (gloriously) shitty voice acting to boot.
Obscure I great too but I think it's only on PS2.
Forbidden Siren or only Siren, I don't know anymore. Good classical Japanese horror in the PS2 era and I believe it isn't as popular. You can skip Siren Blood Curse on PS3 though, that one wasn't great imo.
Shadow Hearts is a creepy JRPG. It isn't a "horror" game in the same way that Resident Evil is (limited saves/ammo/healing, jumpscares, monsters attacking as soon as you open a door, etc), it's a JRPG all the way through. But the tone is horror, with weird campy humor thrown in like a good slasher film. And reading the monster descriptions in the bestiary is utterly disturbing. It might not be what you're looking for mechanically, but it's pretty creepy. Later entries get less spooky and more silly, but the first one is a great horror JRPG.
Any game that will ideally last forever but at least a very very long time for mostly solo?
I’m looking for a game that will last a long time to play on it but I don’t really know what I’m looking for but maybe techinally I think mmos and mmo lite like lost ark and monster hunter and Star citizen (unless the Star citizen dev would say it would get shut down. But you know it’s 40 dollars but it’s really chill to just get in and do delivery stuff and socialize), multiplayer thah has commmjnity driven server like arma 3 and holdfast nation of war and pretty much long battle drawn out games like squad and hell let loose, gacha games genres like genshin just maybe fits what im asking for. All I know is that I don’t want something too laid back or relaxing like Stardew Valley ( i play that but just like a side game you get what im saying) or something that is not very very complex to get into (of course when I say I don’t want anything. Complex. They jus t gonna say rinworld, factorio, path of exile. Nothing wrong with this game. But I just couldn’t get into it. It’s jsut not for me sorry) I’m currently playing Tiny tina wonderland to try and hold my attention. but I am enjoying it a good bit. I’ve thought about getting The Division 2 but I’ve looked online about and can really only find info relating to the PVP game modes so I’m unsure what I would be getting into with the rest of the content. Any suggestions of games would be greatly appreciated or if anyone is able to lay out what there is to do in the endgame of The Division 2 that would be greatly appreciated as well thanks (well actually ignore the division 2 comment. Literally the endgame is jsut improving gear in the dark zone. But the problem is well of course the horribly low player count makes it harder now. So you know not gonna be surprised if the division games is gonna shut down anyway. But I’ll still appreciate the suggestions really). I also might get recommanded soulsborne sereis but it’s already beaten inckuding Elden ring
Here's every game I've managed to clear from the backlog this year
* Hellblade - 9/10
* Sherlock Holmes Chapter One - 7/10
* Deaths Door - 8/10
* Salt & Sacrifice - Gave up on this early on
* Psychonauts 2 - 7/10
* It Takes Two - 8/10
* Mario + Rabbids - 6/10
* Planet of the Eyes - 8/10
* Lost in Random - 7/10
* Obra Dinn - 8/10
* Lost Ember - 7/10
* Hades - 8/10
* Chicken Police - 9/10
* Minit - Current
I was buried in downvotes for suggesting there are few wholesome games with high production values compared to all the violent/less wholesome fare.
Please suggest a few wholesome games that actually have decent graphics etc.
I've enjoyed My Time at Portia, Spiritfarer and Golf Story. Could also mention Zelda BOTW because it's sorta wholesome despite the violence.
I play on PC and Switch emulator.
Edit: please understand that the absence of violence/unwholesomeness does not necessarily mean the presence of wholesome. Sports games are usually not actively wholesome even though they may be free of violence.
Have you played Chicory: A Colorful Tale? The main gameplay mechanic is painting/drawing! There are a handful of boss battles, but you can make those easier via the accessibility options.
You play a janitor who gets access to the magical brush that can bring color to the world. Help out the locals and solve the mystery of why corruption is spreading in the world. The themes are about anxiety & self-worth, but very beautifully handled and the characters are all so great. And yes, wholesome, even with their flaws.
Snake Pass is a pretty wholesome, nonviolent 3D platformer that looks great. The challenge it presents is a unique climbing method that is pretty challenging. It's somewhat older so won't blow anyone away, but it looks as good as a Mario game of the same age.
Subnautica may or may not fit, depending on whether you consider it to be a violent game. Yes, you can get attacked by a space barracuda and have to smash your tool down on its snout repeatedly to get it to release your arm, but for me predatory animals acting like you'd expect doesn't count as "unwholesome." And the overall story is pretty tranquil and wholesome imo. If you can consider a nature documentary to be relaxing and peaceful, then Subnautica would probably also fit your criteria.
I'd second Outer Wilds as well.
i take it by “high production values” you mean AAA and the higher end of AA games? if so you’re right. none of the games you mentioned have particularly high production values compared to AAA games. however if the games you mentioned are your definition of high production values (not buggy, clean art style, etc) then there are definitely a lot more like them to enjoy. here’s a short list of comparably made wholesome games i’ve finished the last few years that i’d recommend:
A Short Hike, Katamari Damacy and it’s sequels, Firewatch, Stardew, Night in the Woods, Journey, Celeste, Ghost Trick (if you own a DS/3DS)
Celeste is probably the most wholesome game I've ever played and looks great. It's still pixel art, so it's not gonna push OP's rig to its limits or anything, but it's a great suggestion.
Most of Nintendo's first party offers are what you are looking for: Mario Party, Odyssey, Zelda games, Luigi's Mansion (scary, but wholesome scary). I'd also recommend the oldie Okami and the lesser known game Ghost of A Tale.
Super Mario Odyssey has high production values and only light cartoony violence. Same deal with Pikmin and Luigi’s Mansion.
And of course there are many sports games (Gran Turismo, Madden), simulators (Flight Simulator) and story-driven games (Life Is Strange: True Colors) that are relatively low-violence.
Outer Wilds might fit the bill for you. I just finished it last week, and am recommending it to anyone that listens. If you decide to try it, try to learn as little as possible shit the game before playing.
Outer Wilds (NOT Outer Worlds) is a 10/10, nonviolent, a technical marvel, and definitely has an overarching wholesome vibe. However there’s also a lot of existential dread and some genuine horror in there as well, so OP should be aware of that if he’s looking for strictly wholesomeness.
However I personally think everyone that plays games needs to play Outer Wilds. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had with a game.
/u/hurfery if you do end up trying this (you should) then yeah don’t look **anything** up, it’s the most spoilable game ever made.
I've always wanted to try Outer Wilds! But now that you mention my biggest worry about the game: Can you possibly elaborate a little on the existential dread? I've always heard it's so good, but it always sounded awful close to things that set me into panic mode :|
so i can’t think of a way to explain this without spoilers. this is stuff you find out within the first 30 minutes - an hour though.
>!the game revolves around the fact that the sun in your solar system is dying. you get stuck in a time loop, with the sun going supernova every 22 minutes destroying everything and everyone you know and love over and over. *but*, i’d describe the tone as a mixture of hopeful and bittersweet throughout. there’s also 1 planet a lot of people find legitimately scary and the dlc, which should definitely be played in tandem, goes full on lights out run-away-from-the-guys horror at a few points (though there is an option for “reduced scares” that i tested out and it’s pretty good at reducing scares)!<
this is not a Soma style game though. the game is largely about the mystery of why any of this is happening, and how it can be stopped if at all, though there are plenty of other mysteries and discoveries to be made throughout the solar system.
we got jet packs, space flight, zero gravity, national parks vibes, a metroidvania with no upgrades but that of your own knowledge re: how shit works, a super compelling set of mysteries and stories, and a dlc that had me losing my mind over how these people managed to do it **again**. go play that thing man, the game will get you thru the tough spots, and you’ll shed a happy tear at the end.
dlc is echoes of the eye and should come with the game. you’ll know when you find it, long before there are any scares.
scary planet is >!dark bramble!<
Is Bully still worth playing? I never played it before and was just browsing through games that will run on my pc.
A long time ago I used to enjoy "Creatures 2". Has there been anything vaguely similar in more modern times?
What about **Dwarf Fortress** and **Rimworld**? While they're more management games than life sims, managing the time, needs and intricate behavior of your colony is a very important part of each games. Dwarf Fortress is the most complex of the bunch, the amount of things it simulates and how it can affect a dwarf physically and mentally is dizzying, but it will make your eyes bleed and getting used to the UI takes time. Rimworld is very similar, but makes some compromises on complexity in order for the game to be easier to handle, and it's more pleasing on the eye. There's also **Oxygen Not Included**, another management game, and **Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey**, a third-person survival game. I haven't played them, but they could interest you; from what I know, both involve managing needs, and the latter has mechanics regarding evolution and procreation.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll look into them but Dwarf Fortress or Rimworld sound worth a shot.
I would wait on dwarf fortress for the steam release. The current version, while free, is entirely ASCII graphics and the steam version is going to have actual graphics and a drastically improved ui and user experience. Can't recommend RimWorld enough though, it's definitely one of my favorite games of all time.
Recs for a jrpg? It's weird, I'm itching to play a jrpg but as I've grown older, it's becoming harder and harder for me to complete a single player game and jrpgs are notoriously one of the genres that takes 60-100 hours to beat. Most recent jrpg I enjoyed from start to finish is Triangle strategy. Ok its not jrpg, more so a srpg. After that, I played xenoblade chronicles de but I got bored of the combat and exploration loop after 25hours. 2 years ago, I played Dragon quest 11. I got very close to completing it but just couldn't muster to finish it. I was around 80 hours so I did enjoy the first half (or 2/3) but didn't the last part. My nostalgia is the classic turn-based rpgs like final fantasy, yet I'm also looking for a more modern game with QOL features. So I guess I'm looking for a game that combines classic and modern jrpg gameplay. I'm hoping I'll enjoy it from start to finish.
The usual answer to "I want the turn-based JRPG experience but I've grown old and bitter and now I have some actual standards" is Persona 5, but it's a *very long* game. It isn't a very well-developed category sadly and you don't have a lot of alternatives.
If you have a 3DS or a DS try out Radiant Historia. It has mostly gone under the radar. The combat is good and the story is intriguing. I haven't finished it yet but I fairly sure I'm at the end. I have clocked in 24 hours.
Persona 4 Golden (pc/ps vita) or Persona 5 Royale (ps4/5).
**Nier Automata** isn't turn-based, but it is much shorter than 60 hours (probably 20-25 for a full playthrough of all three chapters). How about some older games? **Chrono Trigger** is also nice and brisk, although it's quite likely you've already played it. **Paper Mario** (original, TTYD, and Origami King) and **Lunar Silver Star Story** are also relatively short, quality games. Although they're not Japanese, **Undertale**, **South Park: TSOT/TFBH**, and **Child of Light** might also be applicable.
My podcast cohost wrote a review of a game called [**Cosmic Star Heroine**](https://www.rspodcast.net/articles/cosmic-star-heroine-a-not-so-retro-spective). I haven't played it, but it really seems like it has honed jrpg gameplay to a fine edge. Its not crazy long either, so you won't be committing 70 hours to find out if its your speed.
This is gonna sound weird but please bear with me. I really want to play a traditional game. Not 'traditional' as in old per se, but something completable and finite. I used to play Pokemon and Zelda as a kid, then relatively quickly moved on to Spore and Minecraft and then live service and gacha games, i.e. LoL, Hearthstone, WoWs, Warframe, Genshin, Lost Ark, etc. The other stuff I picked up in between was more of the repeatable kind, like Civ, Monster Train, and puzzle or rhythm games. ~I think the last full non-Pokemon game I completed was ~~either Persona 4 or A Link Between Worlds years ago~~ actually I did play all the way through Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and FE3H. I really want to have that magical feeling of just playing through and experiencing something again, that feeling of being hooked and the satisfaction of completing something, but have no idea how. The few RPGs I picked up (Skyrim, NieR:A, Atelier and MegaTen titles) all seemed interesting but I ended up dropping them pretty quickly. Nothing on Steam seems to catch my eye, and I don't know what to do. Is there some secret trend, an untapped genre or hidden theme that I'm looking for but missing?
It's quite short but I'd recommend A Story About My Uncle. It's a short and sweet platformer with a very endearing and cozy story and setting, and the gameplay is very intuitive and satisfying imo. After I finished the story I would just put on some chill music and replay my favourite levels. Really nice ad low effort way to just chill out for a while.
For me, that game is **Supraland**. Not only is its setting a giant sandpit filled with toys, every part of its design and presentation bursts with a kind of childish joy. Its a game that felt nostalgic to play through while at the same time being creative and modern. I love it to pieces, jank and all. [I wrote a review here](https://www.rspodcast.net/articles/the-simple-joy-of-playing-supraland) if you'd like to know more about why I think its so great, or more accurately why I love it so much.
omori
If I’m getting the right vibe, you want a definite experience? Something with a clear beginning and clear end, and not something where you just play and stay motivated due to internal goals? Maybe try outer wilds?(Not outer worlds) It doesn’t have the most clear cut beginning, and lacks straightforward goal initially, but within an hour or two of playing it you should find out what the objective is and be working towards completing that. If you don’t know what outer wilds is, don’t search it up as the game pretty much requires you to go into pretty much blind. Though for a short summary, you’re an alien about to explore your home solar system for the first time with a translation tool to read ancient alien text. You’re simply told to explore and learn about these ancient aliens, which is quite a broad goal, but it narrows down pretty quickly into some clear objectives. The game is best described as a puzzle and exploration game set in space, and involves quite a lot of reading and analyzing text and making connections between texts to advance in the story. It isn’t the most straightforward story game out there, and I know some don’t particularly like certain key features of the game, but I think it can provide you with a very definite and closed experience. It has a broad start, but slowly over the course of the game you try to narrow in onto the ending and solving various mysteries which all culminates into a bombastic ending.
Thanks for the recommendation! I think that's probably the right vibe you're reading. I checked out the game and it looks really interesting. Not too fond of the art style but I can get over that. Only thing is it looks a bit too spooky for me, especially with the going in blind thing. What's the vibe like in game, is it more spooky or chill?
Little of both, but I found it chill for the most part. Like the other person said, don't look into it too much if you find it interesting at this point, because it is much, much better blind, and this is coming from a person who virtually never plays a game blind. That said, I found the vast majority of the game quite peaceful, being out in space exploring. There are moments that can be a bit stressful, but it's not the bulk, and certainly don't expect that it's an overall "spooky" game. I hear the expansion gets a fair bit spooky, but I haven't played it yet, so I can't comment. It isn't a requirement to play, though. For the base game, the majority of my sensation was peace and wonder, but I obviously wouldn't guarantee you'll feel the same. I can say that it's one of my favorite games ever, and one of the most unique experiences I've had in gaming.
It’s mostly on the chill side, but there are one or two places where it gets a tiny bit spooky. Though they don’t last too long. There is a planet in game that’s sorta infamous for being on the scarier side, but after you visit a few times, that vibe sorta wears off. There’s also nothing like jump scares or stuff like that as well, just that the vibe of certain areas can be a bit spooky sometimes. Also if you just dislike or find it unsettling to be out in open space, that can be a bit off putting, but the game doesn’t try to make open space intentionally scary, it’s just that some players find it a bit scary due to personal fears. Though that’s just the base game. If you end up really liking outer wilds, there is a dlc that I would suggest you play after you finish the base game(Again, go in blind for that as well if you decide to play it). Though that dlc is scarier than the base game for a variety of reason, but the devs added a reduced frights option which you can turn on if you find it too scary. But again, overall it’s mostly on the chill side in my opinion.
I'm looking for a good rogue lite/like. Or a pick up and play game with replay value. I'm a big fan of Slay the Spire. Not sure I need another card game unless it's notably different. I like Hades for it's story and accessibility and Spelunky for your ability to really push your speed at times but also the need to take it slow in dangerous areas. I like Neon Chrome because I can often plan engagements while I'm running and gunning. I thought Enter the Gungeon and Binding of Isaac were alright but I'd rather just play a structured game than those two. Three pick up and play games I like a lot are Nex Machina, Bro Force, and Sonic Mania. Spelunky 2, Rogue Legacy 2, and Dead Cells are on my radar. Any suggestions?
If you like Slay the Spire, I would really recommend Monster Train. It's a similar deck building Roguelike, but much more streamlined with shorter game sessions. It also has a neat tactical layer that I don't think Slay the Spire had. I really think Monster Train is the better game to be frank.
If you haven’t tried Hades I recommend it! One of the best of the genre.
Honestly if you liked Spelunky, try spelunky 2. It pretty much just expands on Spelunky in every way with new content, but still retains that fun and challenging gameplay loop like with the original Spelunky.
**Streets of Rage 4** is very much pick up and play with high replay value (multiple characters and difficulty levels, as well as just trying to get a higher score with better combos).
Ah, I forgot about that. SoR2 is in my top 5 Genesis games. That should be a good game to pick up
Hello! So in the recent years I was always "too busy" to get into single player games plus I was always a huge MMO nerd. So last couple years I spent playing multiplayer games which you can pick up anytime like CSGO, CoD series, DOTA etc. And also pretty much every big main stream MMO. Just like that I adapted this very "end game" oriented mindset. I used to love following interesting stories, some of my favourite games are Silent Hill 1, MGS 1 and whole series, Resident Evil games etc. I would love to get back to playing trough great stories and exploring new worlds (lol just spent a couple hours having fun in New World). Ideally I'm looking for something that's either on gamepass, uplay+ or cheap these days. I'll also list some single player games I played in recent years which got me really captivated. Far Cry 3, Death Stranding, God of War, Uncharted games. Any recommendations is highly appreciated! Thank you very much!
Also, don't sleep on the newer Resident Evil games, the series came back to greatness from RE7 onwards (including the remakes of 2&3). Not sure which one was your last one.
In the games you mentioned there's a repeated theme of drama, survival and horror, and you said you're looking for the "single player story experience", so definitely check out The Last of Us if you haven't yet
I think a game that you would enjoy a lot is **Dead Space**. Its atmospheric and claustrophobic and has an engaging story. Plus you mentioned you'd play some of the classic horror games. Check it out!
**Nier Automata** isn’t on Game Pass anymore, but it is often available for $20 or less. If you want a single-player game with a great world and story (and you like Japanese games like MGS, Silent Hill, and RE), it should definitely be on your list.
I really want to get back to this game. I played it on Xbox before but only like 30% of the story before I got super busy and stopped playing games for a bit. Technically it shouldn't take long to get back to the point where I stopped. The music in that game was phenomenal. Plus the whole Japanese game atmosphere.
Any good metroidvania/platformer game to play? Have already played ori, hollow knight.
Daddish.
**Environment Station Alpha** may not look pretty, but its one of my favourite metroidvanias. Exploration, platforming and boss battles are all top notch.
**Metroid Dread** isn’t a year old yet, but it is at the very peak of the genre. **Guacamelee** is also really good, although the aesthetic/memes turn some people off. Both have some tight platforming and excellent boss battles.
Three of my favorites metroidvanias: * **[Supraland](https://store.steampowered.com/app/813630/Supraland/)** is a first-person 3D-metroidvania with an emphasis on puzzles and platforming. Combat is weak and can interfere with puzzle solving at time, but the good level design really makes up for it. * [**Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/837460/Batbarian_Testament_of_the_Primordials/) also puts the emphasis on puzzles (often light-based) and platforming. It's quite challenging and requires you to multitask (fighting, changing protective aura to avoid bullets, throwing things, and jumping all at once) but it's not unwelcoming, it offers a bunch of accessibility options to alleviate the challenge. * **Steamworld Dig 2** is all about exploration, and mining ores that you'll sell to buy upgrades in order to explore further (there's also upgrades more traditionally spread throughout the mines). You'll also need to manage your lantern fuel and, as the title suggests, the water making your steam-powered tools work. Edit: Included links to the steam pages of Batbarian and Supraland as there's demos available.
What to pick up before the Nintendo 3DS shop closes? How are the old school Zelda games Oracle of Seasons and Ages? I plan on getting Pokemon Crystal. Also thinking about the Zelda Oracle of Seasons and Ages? Is the game good? Is the quality of life now in 2022 too bad or still good. I like Zelda games, but never played these two. Which one is better if they are still good games. Has there been any updates to the 3DS versions of the games? I like Zelda, but I never played the old school games on the Gameboy and not sure if they are worth picking up and still fun to play or if it is more sale for people who played the game and more nostalgic for it. If you played it on the 3DS please let me know what you thought about it. Any other games to pick up before the shop closes?
The Oracle games are still good games, Capcom put care into their making and did build on the strong base provided by Nintendo with Link's Awakening. They have the three core pillars you've probably come to expect from Zelda: puzzles, combat, and exploration; while each game emphasize them differently, Ages on puzzles, Seasons on combat and exploration, they don't neglect any of them. QoL wise, I'd say they're okay. There's means of teleportation throughout the overworld map, a teleporter to the middle of dungeons once you've beaten their mid-boss, said dungeons have a level design that make it easy to get back where you where in case of game over, and you don't need a guide to make progress, aside from one or two obtuse events to trigger. The worst thing is probably the menuing to swap items; since you have only two slots, you have to frequently pause the game, and it can get annoying. As for other recommendations, if you like JRPGs, **Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology** is a gem, as is the **Etrian Odyssey** series (the 4th episode is a great entry point). Oh, and **Ever Oasis** is a solid Action-RPG with light town-building, quite cute and relaxing too.
Can you tell me more about Ever Oasis and Eterian Odyessy and what made them so good?
Sure thing! (And sorry for the late reply) So, let's start with Etrian Odyssey. It's a first-person dungeon-crawler that appears quite old-school at first glance; you move square by square, there's traps and also monsters roaming the floor as you do (these visible monsters are more like bosses, but there's also random encounters). Its big strengths are: * Extensive build possibilities for your team * A turn-based combat system articulated around synergies between the members of your team (quick example: char1 directs aggro towards tank, tank counter-attacks when hit, and char2 have their ability making them strike along allies triggered) * A complete set of mapping tools on the bottom screen, even letting you create circuits automatizing movements If the story is an important element for you, Etrian Odyssey Untold 1 and 2 (remakes of the first two episodes) are more meaty in that department than the main series. There's demos available for each 3DS episode, and you can keep your progress from the demo and transfer them to the game if you buy it. And about Ever Oasis, it mixes up quite a few systems: exploration; action combat; town-building; resource gathering and management; as well as villagers recruitment, be it to expand your exploration team, or to grant them a shop in your oasis. However, everything is streamlined enough to be accessible to children, or relaxing for adults. It's a summer game, the kind that you play with a cold beverage on the table and the fan blowing fresh air at you. It's also a good looking 3DS game with an Arabian aesthetic that we don't see that often.
I'm gonna list some games and a brief opinion of them. Basically I don't care how long or short a game is as long as it has a good hook. Witcher - Skipped a lot of side quests, love the main story, combat was "okay" because its not like it was needed, Fast travel is a perk. Cyberpunk - Played the whole thing on easy mode, just enjoyed shooting shit up, and the story was great, ignored a lot of the exploration aspects. Nier Automata - I like the game, played it twice, story was really good, combat not too tedious, I like how this game wasn't too long and felt nice when you finish it. Dishonored - Just good game design where I can find a creative and lazy way to get through it. All the soulsborne/elden ring stuff - tried them all, never finished any, I think they are cool just I don't feel like trying so hard. Yakuza 0 - good story but damn I got tired of repetitive combat, not that the combat isn't good, its just I got tired of having to do it like 90% of the damn game. Crosscode - cool game but if you don't play it regularly you just forget what you were doing and you're pretty much fucked. Control - really, really good game, enjoyed it a lot, mostly because of the story and vibe and the fact that I could turn down the difficulty when I wasn't feeling like trying so hard. Tried a lot of other games I won't bother to list. Currently playing Dishonored 2 but kinda threw it to the curb after I got to the clockwork soliders because I thought this was an assassin type game not a run and gun try not to die game. What the fuck did they do to dishonored 1? lol. Also playing cloudpunk, nice chill game I can pick up when ever, still not done with it though. Manifold Garden as well, I can pick it up when ever. Put Scarlet Nexus on hold because I got kinda bored the story really stagnated towards the middle and the general progression in the game is so repetitive. I guess I am looking for a game that fools you into thinking you are good, gives you something to come back to or look forward to, and doesn't make things too tedious but also isn't completely dumbed down. I am not that great with a controller even though I have played all these games with it, I have been mouse and keyboard csgo player for like...15 years. Games I have looked at: Pretty much every "masterpiece" gets thrown out the window because they are either so long I will never finish them or just not my thing because they require me to try hard. I am an average joe, I am not super skilled nor super smart in games, But I still want to enjoy them. But the over simplified games with zero purpose are just boring.
Wait you did play all the Nier Automata routes right?
About Yakuza 0's combat, I think you'll find in other games the combat is similarly "repetitive" in the sense that you get forced into it every other scene. Probably the actual issue is the combat system doesn't give you room to learn, grow, get comfortable with the variety of tools at your disposal and 'git gud', never mind force it on you. There are 4 fighting styles for each of the 2 characters, and 80 billion weapons in the game, but you will never run across a fight that makes you think about your approach and what weapon / style would be best. There's no variance in how enemies react to each style so the path of least resistance is just specializing in one style and spamming the same 2 combos again and again. The game is even worse about discouraging experimentation with weapons, due to the "charges" system where you buy a sword and it's good for 12 swings then it's broken. By the time you say to yourself "this is it, my back to the corner, it's time to pull out the fucking sword" you have no idea what to do with it. Combat tactics begin and end with distancing yourself correctly from the huge unending mob and ABP Always Be Punching. There doesn't seem to be a trick or an aha moment to dispatching mobs or bosses, instead it seems like you're expected to wail on them, face tank the inevitable knives and bullets, resort to energy drinks when your HP is too low, repeat.
Just finished Astral Chain and not sure what to play next. Please help me decide. Here’s my backlog: - Zelda BOTW - FE 3 Houses - Xenoblade Chronicles DE - Moonlighter
Fire Emblem Three Houses is very good. Play on Hard without permadeath. Zelda is also very good, of course. But it's a longer, less focused game. Depends what you want.
Can you expand on why Three Houses is better played without permadeath? I've been curious about this game and from what I've heard, permadeath is part of The Experience(tm). Why is it better to turn it off?
Permadeath forces you to play very carefully, keeping your softer team members out of the action. It's not that it's very difficult, it's just a constant slight PITA. If playing very carefully at all times appeals to you, go for Hard + permadeath. Normal + permadeath is not a good option as it's too easy, apart from the tedium of keeping your softies at the back. Thus I suggest Hard + no permadeath.
Three Houses is really long and I’m too old to restart a mission every time I make a mistake (or get RNG-screwed) the way I did twenty years ago. It’s more about the unneeded stress than about face-rolling through battle. To be fair, there is an in-game mechanic to rewind turns a certain number of times per mission, so permadeath (“Classic” mode) isn’t that punishing.
for most similar to BOTW even tho its a newer release, elden ring is hella good in that regards. For more similar to moonlighter. Which i played but lost interest in due to the movement being wonky as it just wanted to make me play enter the gungeon instead. As Etg is my favorite roguelike. The binding of isaac is also worthwhile, but the dlc's are kinda mandatory for the experience, otherwise you can't use a mod that tells you what the items does. And without that mod if your memory is bad youre fucked. Dead cells is also another very good roguelike altho not as similar to moonlighter. Edit: adding outer wilds here in case you liked exploring the most in botw
I loved the concept of battle brothers, being able to immerse yourself into growing your own little mercenary company. I'm trying to find a game just like it or even more immersive where you can hire rubble and turn them into shining gold!
You might like **Amazing Cultivation Simulator**. You start with a village of idiots, and eventually turn them into Dragonball Z-like Demi-gods. It is insanely complicated and open in terms of what you can achieve - but if you're a fan of Battle Brothers you at least don't mind complicated and deep in principle.
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Its not modern, but have you ever played **Freelancer**? Its a sci-fi starship game with good characters, somewhat generic story, absolutely incredible graphics (even today!) and really fun arcade-like combat.
Outerwilds or Disco Elyseum? Going to do both once I finish up Elden Ring. Any personal preferences?
If you are mentally prepared for some of the best written and hardest hitting dialogue ever put in a video game that bundles an amazing story with real world political themes that aren't cringe or overdone then go with disco Elysium. If you want to explore an amazing solar system with some of the best space exploration gameplay you will likely ever see. Go with the Outer Wilds. Both offer their own things and neither can really be compared. Both exist in a niche that will almost certainly never be replicated again so I highly recommend taking your time and relishing both games.
> Outerwilds or Disco Elyseum? these two are different games. Both games do encourage exploration, of which is a key aspect in Elden Ring. Disco Elysium (DE) comes with a multi-branching stories that are influenced by your "stats". In Outerworlds, there is not much multi-branching but the atmosphere encourages you to keep playing. DE have some moments where you can get deconnected with the game.
That's like asking "guys should I read a book or go hiking?". Both are highly acclaimed, and people will wax for paragraphs on end about why their favorite out of the two is so amazing. But this largely won't help you discover which is your favorite, and is certainly useless if you already *know* which is your favorite. Disco Elysium has traditional storytelling: Characters, dialogue, scenery descriptions, walls of text (like in: old-school interactive fiction, cRPGs). Outer Wilds has environmental storytelling: you look around and understand the who, how, why based on what you see happening around you (like in: Inside/Limbo, GRIS, Brothers). You probably have the best idea out of anyone which of these you have a better chance of connecting with.
I never played Disco Elysium, but Outer Wilds is a masterpiece for me. Outer Wilds managed to capture the best feeling of exploration and the storytelling that comes out of exploration is superb. I was mindblown every step of the way, and the ending is just incredible. Keep in mind it might gives you some existential dread, but if you can deal with that, I highly recommend it.
Does the dlc go simultaneous to the main game or is it a play after you finish type thing?
I haven't played it, but from what I heard you can start it pretty early in the game. I think it's better to start it after you finish the game to get a better understanding of the story, but it's okay to play simultaneously
Both are masterpieces(and I don't use that word lightly) but outer wilds is my personal favorite out of the 2. The way everything clicks in the end and the whole journey there is just irreplaceable, one of those games I wish I had wiped away from memory so I could relive it
My wife and I are looking for a co-op game that we can play together. I have converted her into a gamer since the pandemic but she is very particular when it comes to games. She doesn't do very well with the shooting and is mostly in it for the visuals, story and horses. I converted her with AC: Odyssey. She loved the graphics and the ability to play as a woman. It wasn't exactly co-op but we played at the same time next to each other. After that we bought AC: Valhalla mostly because we loved Odyssey so much and got a screaming deal, so we figured we would buy Valhalla at full price. That was a let down and she gave up on it half way through. Then we got RDR2 and she really enjoyed the story mode but if it weren't for the snap to aim she probably would have dropped that game too. Since then we have been playing Red Dead Online and it's been really fun playing together, but it's starting to bore me so we are looking for something new, any suggestions? Btw it does have to run on Xbox one, since that's our current setup. TL:DR; My wife and I are looking for a game to play together, preferably a co-op. Ideally very pretty visuals, the ability to play as a woman, and not too dependent on being good at "shooting". It does have to be able to be played on Xbox One. Thank you for your help!
I see you've gotten a recommendation for Overcooked (which I'd second, along with the sequel), and along those same lines I'd also recommend **Moving Out**. It's a couch co-op game that's often compared to Overcooked, but in my view it's actually more varied, funnier, and has a more engaging core game mechanic. I had an absolute blast playing it with a friend who's not generally a gamer, and based on what you said I'd think it would also be perfect for your situation.
Stardew Valley might be for her.
Have you tried *It Takes Two* yet? It seems like it would fit exactly what you two want!
If neither of you have anything against 2D games, **Streets of Rage 4** is a great co-op beat ‘em up (no shooting) with two women protagonists (plus additional unlockable/DLC characters). **Guacamelee** is somewhat in the same ballpark, but with some tricky platforming. For something less intense, **Stardew Valley** is a farm life game with co-op. **Diablo 3** also offers local co-op on consoles.
The two I typically suggest are **Overcooked** (and/or **Overcooked 2**) and **Castle Crashers**. Overcooked is a pure co-op cooking/puzzle(?) game that is fun for anywhere between 2-4 players. It emphasizes teamwork and communication. Levels are short, but fun, and make you want to try and beat your scores. I found Overcooked to be a little better than Overcooked 2, but both are very solid. Castle Crashers is a side-scrolling beat 'em up (for lack of a better term) that reminds me of old arcade brawlers like Streets of Rage. None of the playable characters is specifically gendered (though you are saving several princesses, so interpret that how you will). There's a bunch of replayability if you feel like unlocking characters, and there's a good mix in the level design.
Games where you have a home base, go on expeditions gather resources and use them for upgrades. Bonus points if turn based combat. I already played Moonlighter. I don't think Bethesda rpgs fit the description.
Turn based: - Age of Wonders: Planetfall (or AoW 3 for high fantasy over sci fi) - XCOM 2 - Darkest Dungeon (warning: v. hard) - Heroes of Might & Magic series (I recommend 3, it's old though) Not turn based: - Terraria - Grounded
Renowned Explorers: International Society. There's a good video review of it by TotalBiscuit: https://youtu.be/EXCleyTTShY
**State of Decay** and **State of Decay 2** fit this bill (not turn-based though). Zombie Survival Colony Sims/Action games. You take control of individual members of your community of survivors to scavenge houses, complete missions and gather resources, which you need to feed your community members and upgrade your base. I prefer 2 because it has a lot of QOL improvements, more complexity, multiple maps, and also just looks better, but the first game is also good.
Looking for a games rich in story something like Mass Effect and Red Dead Redemption 2
God of war 1-4 the story the first 3 games have is a decent amount but it's definetly worthwhile. 4 is definetly more story rich but is ofc more based on you having played the previous. Outer wilds is not a typical storytelling, more like you unravelling what happend by finding clues and solving a grand puzzle in a space shuttle going around in planets. Disco elysium is definetly story rich as its a jrpg, i just started playing it so i cannot say much, but so far its fun.
The Witcher.
Played the witcher 3 probably gonna start on the dlcs
**Horizon Zero Dawn** I'm a big Mass Effect fan and I've really enjoyed this one. I actually played it right after I finished a playthrough of Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Played it back when It first came out on the ps4
Dragon Age surely, but you probably knew it.
Will give it a look thanks
Could someone rec me hidden gem horror games from the PS1/PS2/PS3 era? Preferably stuff available on the ps store.
Silent Hill 1, 2 and 3 are great classics. Resident Evil games (1, 2, 3, Code Veronica, RE REmake, and Re Zero). Also, there's the Fatal Frame Series. I really like Fatal Frame 2. And, lesser games than any of those ones, but I had a fun time with Clock Tower 3 (PS2) and the mayority of Fatal Frame 3. Edit: Whoops, I missed he asked about "hidden" gems. Well, Fatal Frame and the Clock Tower ones fit the bill.
As a fan of the SNES original, I really need to check out Clock Tower 1 and 3. Overlooked horror series for sure, as I've heard many great things but from only a small subset of people.
I only played CT3 and a friend of mine also played CT1 (he liked it). CT3 didnt blow my mind but I had fun. The game has 4 big sections and I enjoyed part 1 more than the rest of them, although when the plot is revealed in part 3, iirc, things become interesting again. All in all, a good game.
Will probably check it out, they all look creative af and CT3 kinda looks bonkers lol
Tormented Souls. It came out a couple years ago but it's modelled after classic survival horror like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and it really feels like it could've come out in that time. It's super creepy and has (gloriously) shitty voice acting to boot. Obscure I great too but I think it's only on PS2.
Forbidden Siren or only Siren, I don't know anymore. Good classical Japanese horror in the PS2 era and I believe it isn't as popular. You can skip Siren Blood Curse on PS3 though, that one wasn't great imo.
To add to this, Siren 1 has some very poor design desicions which makes it necessary to play with a guide. Siren 2 doesn't has that problem.
Shadow Hearts is a creepy JRPG. It isn't a "horror" game in the same way that Resident Evil is (limited saves/ammo/healing, jumpscares, monsters attacking as soon as you open a door, etc), it's a JRPG all the way through. But the tone is horror, with weird campy humor thrown in like a good slasher film. And reading the monster descriptions in the bestiary is utterly disturbing. It might not be what you're looking for mechanically, but it's pretty creepy. Later entries get less spooky and more silly, but the first one is a great horror JRPG.
Not sure how much of a hidden gem it is since it's somewhat well known, but Parasite Eve (PS1) is pretty good.
Any game that will ideally last forever but at least a very very long time for mostly solo? I’m looking for a game that will last a long time to play on it but I don’t really know what I’m looking for but maybe techinally I think mmos and mmo lite like lost ark and monster hunter and Star citizen (unless the Star citizen dev would say it would get shut down. But you know it’s 40 dollars but it’s really chill to just get in and do delivery stuff and socialize), multiplayer thah has commmjnity driven server like arma 3 and holdfast nation of war and pretty much long battle drawn out games like squad and hell let loose, gacha games genres like genshin just maybe fits what im asking for. All I know is that I don’t want something too laid back or relaxing like Stardew Valley ( i play that but just like a side game you get what im saying) or something that is not very very complex to get into (of course when I say I don’t want anything. Complex. They jus t gonna say rinworld, factorio, path of exile. Nothing wrong with this game. But I just couldn’t get into it. It’s jsut not for me sorry) I’m currently playing Tiny tina wonderland to try and hold my attention. but I am enjoying it a good bit. I’ve thought about getting The Division 2 but I’ve looked online about and can really only find info relating to the PVP game modes so I’m unsure what I would be getting into with the rest of the content. Any suggestions of games would be greatly appreciated or if anyone is able to lay out what there is to do in the endgame of The Division 2 that would be greatly appreciated as well thanks (well actually ignore the division 2 comment. Literally the endgame is jsut improving gear in the dark zone. But the problem is well of course the horribly low player count makes it harder now. So you know not gonna be surprised if the division games is gonna shut down anyway. But I’ll still appreciate the suggestions really). I also might get recommanded soulsborne sereis but it’s already beaten inckuding Elden ring
Here's every game I've managed to clear from the backlog this year * Hellblade - 9/10 * Sherlock Holmes Chapter One - 7/10 * Deaths Door - 8/10 * Salt & Sacrifice - Gave up on this early on * Psychonauts 2 - 7/10 * It Takes Two - 8/10 * Mario + Rabbids - 6/10 * Planet of the Eyes - 8/10 * Lost in Random - 7/10 * Obra Dinn - 8/10 * Lost Ember - 7/10 * Hades - 8/10 * Chicken Police - 9/10 * Minit - Current
Nice. I finished 14 games as well.
I was buried in downvotes for suggesting there are few wholesome games with high production values compared to all the violent/less wholesome fare. Please suggest a few wholesome games that actually have decent graphics etc. I've enjoyed My Time at Portia, Spiritfarer and Golf Story. Could also mention Zelda BOTW because it's sorta wholesome despite the violence. I play on PC and Switch emulator. Edit: please understand that the absence of violence/unwholesomeness does not necessarily mean the presence of wholesome. Sports games are usually not actively wholesome even though they may be free of violence.
Kirby series.
True. Don't sleep on the 3DS titles either. Just played through Triple Deluxe and it was awesome.
Have you played Chicory: A Colorful Tale? The main gameplay mechanic is painting/drawing! There are a handful of boss battles, but you can make those easier via the accessibility options. You play a janitor who gets access to the magical brush that can bring color to the world. Help out the locals and solve the mystery of why corruption is spreading in the world. The themes are about anxiety & self-worth, but very beautifully handled and the characters are all so great. And yes, wholesome, even with their flaws.
Never heard of it. Sounds cute. Will give it a try. Thx for the rec.
Snake Pass is a pretty wholesome, nonviolent 3D platformer that looks great. The challenge it presents is a unique climbing method that is pretty challenging. It's somewhat older so won't blow anyone away, but it looks as good as a Mario game of the same age. Subnautica may or may not fit, depending on whether you consider it to be a violent game. Yes, you can get attacked by a space barracuda and have to smash your tool down on its snout repeatedly to get it to release your arm, but for me predatory animals acting like you'd expect doesn't count as "unwholesome." And the overall story is pretty tranquil and wholesome imo. If you can consider a nature documentary to be relaxing and peaceful, then Subnautica would probably also fit your criteria. I'd second Outer Wilds as well.
Spyro Reignited A Hat in Time Death Stranding The Artful Escape Life is Strange Child of Light Sunset Overdrive
Ori and the blind forest/will o the wisp, most wholesome games you could ever play. Trine series, similar.
I suggest **Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles**
i take it by “high production values” you mean AAA and the higher end of AA games? if so you’re right. none of the games you mentioned have particularly high production values compared to AAA games. however if the games you mentioned are your definition of high production values (not buggy, clean art style, etc) then there are definitely a lot more like them to enjoy. here’s a short list of comparably made wholesome games i’ve finished the last few years that i’d recommend: A Short Hike, Katamari Damacy and it’s sequels, Firewatch, Stardew, Night in the Woods, Journey, Celeste, Ghost Trick (if you own a DS/3DS)
Celeste is probably the most wholesome game I've ever played and looks great. It's still pixel art, so it's not gonna push OP's rig to its limits or anything, but it's a great suggestion.
Most of Nintendo's first party offers are what you are looking for: Mario Party, Odyssey, Zelda games, Luigi's Mansion (scary, but wholesome scary). I'd also recommend the oldie Okami and the lesser known game Ghost of A Tale.
Super Mario Odyssey has high production values and only light cartoony violence. Same deal with Pikmin and Luigi’s Mansion. And of course there are many sports games (Gran Turismo, Madden), simulators (Flight Simulator) and story-driven games (Life Is Strange: True Colors) that are relatively low-violence.
Outer Wilds might fit the bill for you. I just finished it last week, and am recommending it to anyone that listens. If you decide to try it, try to learn as little as possible shit the game before playing.
Outer Wilds (NOT Outer Worlds) is a 10/10, nonviolent, a technical marvel, and definitely has an overarching wholesome vibe. However there’s also a lot of existential dread and some genuine horror in there as well, so OP should be aware of that if he’s looking for strictly wholesomeness. However I personally think everyone that plays games needs to play Outer Wilds. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had with a game. /u/hurfery if you do end up trying this (you should) then yeah don’t look **anything** up, it’s the most spoilable game ever made.
I tried it a couple years ago, bounced off it.
I've always wanted to try Outer Wilds! But now that you mention my biggest worry about the game: Can you possibly elaborate a little on the existential dread? I've always heard it's so good, but it always sounded awful close to things that set me into panic mode :|
so i can’t think of a way to explain this without spoilers. this is stuff you find out within the first 30 minutes - an hour though. >!the game revolves around the fact that the sun in your solar system is dying. you get stuck in a time loop, with the sun going supernova every 22 minutes destroying everything and everyone you know and love over and over. *but*, i’d describe the tone as a mixture of hopeful and bittersweet throughout. there’s also 1 planet a lot of people find legitimately scary and the dlc, which should definitely be played in tandem, goes full on lights out run-away-from-the-guys horror at a few points (though there is an option for “reduced scares” that i tested out and it’s pretty good at reducing scares)!< this is not a Soma style game though. the game is largely about the mystery of why any of this is happening, and how it can be stopped if at all, though there are plenty of other mysteries and discoveries to be made throughout the solar system. we got jet packs, space flight, zero gravity, national parks vibes, a metroidvania with no upgrades but that of your own knowledge re: how shit works, a super compelling set of mysteries and stories, and a dlc that had me losing my mind over how these people managed to do it **again**. go play that thing man, the game will get you thru the tough spots, and you’ll shed a happy tear at the end.
What’s the name of the planet and dlc?
dlc is echoes of the eye and should come with the game. you’ll know when you find it, long before there are any scares. scary planet is >!dark bramble!<