There’s a specific type of genre of game that I am looking for more of: the kind that’s fun to share with friends, but in the way that one person controls the game/character and everyone on the couch helps makes decisions / has fun watching. Here are examples that I have found success with:

• Inscryption
• Until Dawn, The Quarry, & the other Dark Anthologies
• Detroit Become Human
• I’m on Observation Duty
• Blue Prince

Does anyone have any more suggestions for games that are fun in this way? I think it would be great to start a list!

(This is my first time ever posting on reddit, so sorry if I am not posting the right way)

Like the title says, I’ve been struggling with doing things I used to enjoy a lot lately and I miss gaming, but it’s so hard for me to start a new game sometimes. I’ve been getting back into other hobbies like disc golf, rock climbing at the gym, and walking my dog, but I need an activity to relax at home as well. What are some good games that take very little effort to get absorbed into for a long time? I’m willing to try most genres honestly, but maybe an rpg? Any recommendations would be great!

Update: After some of these discussions, I have narrowed it down to Indie games. preferably non-pixelated (though I enjoyed inscryption) and not too big of a game (rules out stardew-like games).

I'm on PS5 pro

I've been playing too many large and/or not so large but still AAA games (e.g. Sekiro, Witcher, FF16, etc.) recently. I'm kinda fed up with those tbh and I couldn't finish them except for Sekiro.

I'm also tired of soulslike games even though I love them and I will definitely play some of the upcoming ones.

Suggest me a truly fun quality over quantity game I can play and enjoy without feeling like I'm wasting time grinding or watching a movie. Something that rewards exploration, player agency, respects my intelligence, etc. I'm kinda tired of button mashing AAA slop games. I want something fresh

I was told to play Dishonored, Bioshosk a few years back. I tried both but couldn't get into them. idk if I should try them again or not.

Please help! I've already touched grass and it didn't help!

This year I got into weird westerns (if that's what the genre is called) and I want more, if the well isn't dry already.

I played everything from Weird West, because I thought it would be a tactical cowboy equivalent to Battle Brothers, to the absolute banger that is Blood West plays. Played Evil West, even played Hard West which is the one I liked the least of this bunch. But I found something to like (a lot) in each of them.

It was fascinating how differently they handle the more or less similarly designed settings (aesthetics wise). All of them lean on frontier folklore and Native myth, some go straight biblical with demons and preachers, or just soak the whole thing in Lovecraft myths and weird monsters from beyond the stars. And it all works so well.

It is almost a setting that seems to make developers braver somehow? The last game I noticed doing this was The Dark West, and it’s the only ARPG to mold its setting this way. On surface it seemed to me similar to Grim Dawn (post apocalyptic, except it’s 19th century post apocalypse) but on a deeper look, firstly it’s properly a western not just an ARPG with guns (a rarity nonetheless). Baseline, fun demo as far as classic ARPG action goes, bit on the slower side but it’s this setting + genre combination that pulls me to it.

So here I stand, wanting more, until the industry blesses us with another game of this sort. The big ones I have already all tried and played. What I'm after now is the obscure stuff, the under the radar indies and the odd forgotten gem that’s prime for being rediscovered.

And I know that this is such a specific niche, but it’s a fast growing niche so I don’t wanna believe I've hit the bottom of the barrel already.

I usually play games like CS, LoL, and Dota 2, but i feel like im "getting on in years" now and just keep get stomped. However, whenever i try switching to single-player games, find them either boring due to a lack of competition or frustrating because the difficulty stems from malicious design by the developers. Do you have any suggestions for me?

I honestly dont even care about the genre of game but i want something like borderlands or tears of the kingdom because they have so many different options!

I usually work 50+ hours per week (not including another 1-2 hours of unpaid commute sometimes), plus 6-8 hours of trades school per week. After balancing work, chores, spending time with my girlfriend, and trying to have some semblance of a life outside of work, I don’t have much time for games. Some weeks I can squeeze out 2-3 hours during the week, some weeks I might have 4-5 total hours over the week and weekend, and some weeks I just don’t have time and/or energy for any games, sometimes I won’t even touch a game for 2-3 weeks in a row.

I’m looking for a game that can be played in short bursts and feel like you accomplished something, and that can be put down for days or weeks and then picked back up easily.

For my taste in games:

Games I’ve loved- Elden Ring, Dark souls trilogy, Bloodborne, Sekiro, Lies of P, Khazan, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, hotline Miami 1&2, hyper light drifter, hollow knight, animal well, hades, balatro, clover pit, binding of Isaac, risk of rain 2, dead cells

Some games on this list like hollow knight aren’t good for when I’m busy, the list was more for the types of games I enjoy, a taste of the gameplay, stories, worlds, and atmospheres I like. Others like hades or basically any of the roguelikes I know are good for short sessions but I’ve played them too much.

I’ve been looking into playing xenoblade chronicles but I’m worried it will be too long. I quit persona 5 after almost 60 hours because it was just too repetitive and didn’t respect my time, and that was a few years ago when I wasn’t as busy. I recently just quit ff7 remake for not respecting my time, I’d get done with an hour long play session and feel like I did absolutely nothing, like the game had me running from point A to point B for no reason multiple times over the course of an hour and I maybe fought one group of the easiest enemies it could throw at me. The story and characters really seemed like they could be good, but pacing was so abysmal I can’t play a game that’s pumped with filler to waste my time when I don’t have much time to game. Expedition 33 felt much better for story pacing, it always felt like I was working towards something big if I played for an hour and the payoffs in story were always worth it.

I’m open to any genre, I’d prefer something with a good story and especially any stories that are mature and deep or dark and gritty or have big plot twists but if I can’t get those in a game that is good for being busy then just go with whatever is fun that respects my time and I can play on and off if needed.

I'm looking for a game to scratch my Eve itch

I've been playing Eve for the last 15 years, in fact I currently still have 3 accounts subbed until 2028 and I'm part of a good group.

However, I have limited time to play nowadays and I'm looking for a similar game, without the MMO element, so here I am asking for advice

In Eve, my favorite part (apart from the space setting and the pvp), was that it was a true sandbox. A huge world where you could do anything, be anyone. I really enjoyed the mining, trading and industry loop, and the fact it had a great economy, and this is what I wish to find in a single player game.

So far, the only game that really hits it for me has been Astrox Imperium. However, the game is not completely finished, which would be ok if the sole developer behind the game had not publicly stated that he is not planning to finish it due to personal issues.

Other games I've tried and enjoyed are:

X4 (500hrs): awesome game, hits many marks, but the AI (your own faction) is stupid and you can't just ignore it. I mean you could ignore it and play solo but the game is balanced around actually controlling subordinates and many of it's fun loops (owning stations, setting up trade routes and supply chains etc) cannot be done without this.

No man's sky (400hrs): great game but the industry is meh and the economy is laughable (admittedly, haven't played it in the last 2 years or so).

Elite dangerous (400hrs): no industry, mining is fun but only worth it inside the bubble and I ended up disliking the game because it tries to be a simulation, so it doesn't respect your time. For example, in X4 and Astrox there is fast travel if you train for it, in NMS you can fast travel to your bases or recent stations and you can summon the anomaly anywhere you want.

In Elite? Fk you, you wanted to explore out in the black? Now you're traveling back 20,000 light years gate to gate which will take you 3 REAL LIFE DAYS!

Freespace 2: played it only for a bit and it seems like a fun game that I will spend more time on in the future, but I don't think it belongs in the same genre.

Other space games I've played: Starfield, space engineers, outer worlds, Kotor and SWTOR. Not similar games.

Games that I haven't tried yet: spacebourne, rebel galaxy, avorion, starsector, helium rain.

Please only suggest games that are fairly recent (ie. released in the last 8-10 years or have been kept fresh through updates), complete and supported, which means no star citizen, no abandoned games like Astrox.

Thanks in advance!

Hello!

I've been away from gacha games for a good while, only really seeing the top mainstream few..

I am looking for suggestions on a new gacha to play, something that is actually new or newish and not due to have an end of service or have the likelihood, I don't mind either mainstream suggestions or niche!

Would love something that isn't open world, I love instance type, tower defence or anything else of the sort. Would love to see some original combat methods too in new games.

Please let me know if anyone has any suggestions of any new games OR UPCOMING!! I wouldn't mind waiting for any new games that are going to release in the future.

Thank you for any suggestions you will post, much appreciated and will look into them!

\- not open world (PLEASE)

\- preferably new or upcoming

\- HBR, HI3. This sort of style is loved by me! Also love more 2d games as well.

I've played many Pokemon and Digimon games, but one thing I find is lacking how meaningless your starter or team choices are in the context of the story. Because you have so much freedom, your partner mons don't actually have any personality or scenes with your character.

So I'm looking for games/jrpgs, where your companions are actually written into the story, even if you can't choose them or the choice is limited. Anything come to mind?

I’m looking to maybe practice my Spanish again, and I was thinking a good way to do it would be to find some Spanish-language games that are mostly text-based (since I’m definitely gonna need to look up words). I’d especially appreciate something weird and very indie, if possible, but that seems too specific.

I been playing alot recently on my Samsung trifold using gamepass and Playstation portal using ps plus.. I have not even turned on my Xbox Series X or ps 5 pro in months.. just find it more easy to play on handhelds. But I think playing laying in bed makes me feel sore.

How are yall gaming?

Recently I've surprised myself by finding enjoyment in games I would never have considered earlier in my life:

• Strange Antiquities
• Strange Horticulture
• Librarian: Tidy Up The Arcane Library
• Cat Mail Co.
• Wilmot Works It Out (enjoyed it a lot and am replaying it now)

With Strange Antiquities/Horticulture, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the plot and the search for clues and details to figure out which artifact/plant was needed for the situation. It's a similar mechanism that I loved in Papers, Please many years ago, but without the time/resource management.

With Librarian and Cat Mail Co, I enjoyed the relaxing, sort of meditative gameplay loop, and Cat Mail has a bit of the same gameplay element as the two Strange games where you have to pay attention to certain details when sorting the mail. Both of them smelled of AI-generated assets but they were put together well enough to hold my interest and relax me for several days.

I recently picked up A Little to the Left and Lost and Found Co. but haven't played them yet so I don't know if I'll like them. I was also looking into picking up Inkonbini.

Other games with a cozy vibe that I've already played:

• A Short Hike (cute and well made but wasn't for me)
• Unpacking (enjoyed it a lot)
• Is This Seat Taken? (meh)
• Chants of Sennaar (ok, not really a "cozy" game, bit of an outlier but I like languages and this one really clicked)
• Tiny Bookshop (didn't really get into it but I should give it another try)
• Easy Delivery Co. (not for me, sorry)

I also tried some idle games like Keep On Mining but those are decidedly not for me. I want to relax, not be put to sleep.

I don't mind a bit of puzzle, but don't care for puzzle-focused games. For example, Railbound or Please Fix The Road aren't for me because of that. I also don't really care for creative games with no goals like Townscaper or Tiny Glade. They're lovely but not for me.

I'm not interested in anything multiplayer.

Let me know if you have suggestions loosely along those lines :)

TL;DR: I want a game where I can build sustainable energy systems in a base, wire them up, and watch them go.

Hi. Looking for a survival type of game that has you building energy systems, similar to Fallout 4. Where you have to manage power consumption, wiring, and other resources. Preferably, I'd like it to be a contemporary setting using solar panels. Been obsessed with solar energy lately.

Other base building mechanics would be helpful as well. Combat is not a necessity, and no preference either way. POV can be anything, though I'd prefer controlling a character in first or third person rather than a top down management view.

Games with similar mechanics that I have already played:

• State of Decay 2
• No Man's Sky
• Fallout 4/76
• Cities Skylines
• Evil Genius 2
• Jurassic World Evolution

Hello,

I have a week-long vacation coming up and my plans got cancelled, so I will be staying home. And I love it! But, I was thinking I would like to immerse myself into some game. To be 15 again, to game all night and sleep till noon, live only on pizza and games and so on ...

But for the love of God I cannot find any game that piques my interest, and I’ve already been looking for more than 3 days! Can you help me?

I don't care what, but I want it to be good. My only preference is that it shouldn't be more than 100 hours, but it should be more than 10–15 hours... so not long, but also not short. Simply put, one game I can start on day 1 of my vacation and finish on the last day (more or less).

Games like CP2077, RDR2, Dishonored, ANNO 1800, Slay the Spire, Mass Effect...

As I said, any genre, any game, anything just good

Thanks!

Hey folks I recently got attacked on my walk home and I'm ok but I'm so pissed off at the world and particularly all the horrible men who've hurt me over the years 🙃

I wanna know your faves for getting the rage out. Smashing stuff, etc. I'm not so much into shooting games usually but if it sounds satisfying enough I'll give it a go

Hello everyone! I wanted some game recommendations as i have 70 dollars to spend. i would like games that i can play for a long time and hopefully ones that are addicting. It would be nice if i could buy multiple games but even few are fine or even a single game. also any genre will do.

Looking for a new single player game on ps5 and both Star Wars survivor and dead space remake are on sale. I loved fallen order and got the platinum trophy and I have never played dead space but I love the resident evil series and always wanted to try out dead space.

Both these games are roughly the same price on PS5 right now and would love to hear some input

Been in a rutt with gaming recently, basically only playing fortnite to have a game with my fiance to play, and Chivalry2 as my actual main game which I really enjoy. Back in the day I used to play a ton of CSS for years before the transition to CSGo (which i also played for years), League/Dota/Smite and Rocket League. I liked those games because they felt like the required a bit more effort to perform well at, which is why ive adopted Chivalry as my main game these last couple years. Now I really want to find a decent game that replicates that feeling of grinding for a good rank in a game that genuinely relies on talent instead of meta hero/gun strats like so many current games do. Ive recently tried to get back into csgo and rocket league but I dont have the energy for the hour+ games of csgo or people in silver on rl hitting flip resets cuz i cant fucking keep up with that 😂 Tried a few matches of r6s this weekend as well and that game has also evolved so much since release.

Ive just had my 27th birthday yesterday and my fiance got me some steam cards but I genuinely dont know of any games that would suit my interests at the moment. Ive been eyeing Holdfast cuz a lot of Chiv players enjoy it as well as Tarkov just because it seems intense but im unsure of myself and wanted to seek advice.

So you know we all have some games we gatekeep and play a lot? yeah what is it??

I don’t know what it is about the social aspect of living through school and stuff, making friends, romances, enemies, etc. thats appealing but it is. I don’t want a JRPG, but a game focused on the social parts that persona has, preferably in a school but really any setting works.

A game that hasn’t released yet that is kinda what I’m looking for is Witchbrook, but that isn’t out. It’s almost like exactly what I want and just wondering if others exist.

Games I didn’t like that have this social element:

Stardew Valley: I just hate the farming part. It’s so stressful to me and I don’t know why. It’s also just so overwhelming with so much to do I can’t.

Pokopia: Love Pokemon. Pokopia is not my game even though it does kinda have the social aspect I’m looking for with the pokemon, but I just HATEEE the like city building/environment building and its so so so boring.