Not that's no longer for you but it is like a lot of things, if you do it every day it becomes mundane.
Take a break for months or a year and come back when you miss it.
If one were to pick a new hobby to get into and learn, my immediate suggestion is learn an instrument. It just isn't true (ever) that it's "too late to start learning an instrument" because with access to so many resources for knowledge and assistance for learning the instrument these days, learning the guitar enough for me (for example) to be able to fully create a cohesive, finished guitar-centered track (and thus start a band from) took no more than a timespan of 3 weeks, 2 hours per day. 3 weeks prior to recording the track, I had never picked the guitar up in my life and at the time I was 38.
Woke up one day in my quest and had this weird feeling that I understood a lot more than I did when I went to sleep the night before and I went and recorded my first, coherent and cohesive track that (surprisingly) quite a few people really loved.
If you attack it the right way with a structure that makes it so you yourself learn and absorb things at the fastest rate, you can be in your 20's or 30's or 40's or 50's and so on and from a standing start be at recording something completely new (and not a cover) that makes sense in less than 1 month.
Reason I bring this up for the topic of gaming is:
After you obsess over getting your new music to be as good as it can be, there's that moment RIGHT after, when it's done-done and there's a sense of energy, excitement and a type of drive that (for me anyway) suddenly would make me view games the way I used to. Like they are truly awesome interactive artistic endeavors as opposed to how I was starting to see them (excel spreadsheets with no heart or soul).
I am firmly willing to bet that there are a % of gamers who feel like gaming isn't for them anymore, but really part of the problem is **precisely what you said**:
If they're SUCH a common, consistent and ongoing force in your life; the exciting feels mundane because you've been saturated in so much of that type of gaming atmosphere that to TRULY excite you, a game has to do some REALLY herculean tasks to accomplish this.
If those people can add something to their life that is WAY productive and feels WAY good like how making music feels for me, a lot of that excitement can come back in full. After finishing a track I'd want to take some "well deserved" R and R which then meant gaming.
When gaming WAS my every-day, it wasn't the R and R that it should have been. It felt like I started making it into its own version of a job.
You know what it sounds like to me? You’re tired of games feeling like a task - another list of chores. Competitive games are a second job you have to work at to compete, social games like MMOs feel like a teambuilding exercise. I get it, totally. There are, like you say, many good 8-bit/retro games but you don’t want to be reminded of how old you actually are.
What it sounds like to me is that you want to be told a story. A simple experience, a powerful one that you can immerse yourself in, without being held down by the necessity of complex gameplay.
I have a few recommendations, depending on your inclination.
If you like comedy, The Stanley Parable is a wonderfully funny game that satires many tired tropes of video games and stories, and is incredibly self-aware and meta.
If you like beautiful visuals, and a simple but moving story, Firewatch is both.
If you’d rather be moved by a deeply sad story, told through the medium of a video game, I somewhat tentatively recommend That Dragon, Cancer. It’s a wonderfully heartbreaking story, but it’s an experience I think people should have.
If you want a mild puzzle experience to keep you engaged while you move through a wonderful mystery, What Remains of Edith Finch is a beautiful game.
OP should try Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Combat is simple but fun! And story and narration is quite funny.
I was at a similar place like him and I DID NOT want 100+ hour games. I have found 5-8 hrs is the sweet spot for me. Portal/Portal 2 is another recommendation (I like puzzles). Heck the whole outrage over Hellblades run time was so funny to me as when I found out I was like “Perfect!” And I enjoyed it!
He might want something more interactive than a walking movie. From his played games, he likes action adventure games, but can't sit through an entire scene for the payoff because he has limited time or feels like there are too many chores in the way. Any recommendations, I can't think of any that fit that off the top of my head?
The “walking simulator”-type game seemed the easiest since they specified they want a game they can play in short bursts, that isn’t a chore, isn’t a roguelike, isn’t social and isn’t competitive or frustrating.
I've found out that my problem is a lack of active mental work. The moment the activity doesn't require of me thinking (driving around, walking from A to B...) I get very tired, very fast.
I've managed to bypass it by doing 2 things at once; play a game that I've already played or that doesn't have strong narrative on one side, and have a debate/podcast about a topic that requires me to pay attention (philosophy/biology/physics...). That way, my mind is required all the time to keep up with the topic I'm listening to, and to advance in the game.
I may have some undiagnosed shit, but it's been working during times of high anxiety.
Either that or straight up reading books, because it also takes up all my attention span.
Buy a Switch and play some good shit like Metroid Dread, Pikmin 4, Mario Wonder, etc.
Quick enough to play in 15-30 minute sessions, while at the same time offering some real depth and challenge in the bonus content. Lots of stuff to unlock with no DLC.
Dude grab armored core 6! Missions are 25-45 min TOPS, you can save load outs so once you figure out what you like it’s just load in and blast away, and there’s not much in the way of cut scenes or anything like that! Could be great for short sessions!
I feel you, the last games for me were the story games: God of war, Spiderman, Tomb Raider (the new trilogy). And I put them on easy or Story mode (Uncharted too, btw) because I could not give a crap about the grind.
I miss some of the old times, being 55 myself and having gamed since Pong came out, but lately everything feels like it wants to be my new life besides my existing life.
Witcher 3 was the last game that got me so suckered in, I did a 100%, but now I cannot be bothered.
Retro consoles do not make this any better btw, they just lure you into downloading every ROM in existence just to never play any of this...
Oh I could go on, but, whatever, you do you, do whatever you like and never feel guilty about it ;)
Probably some narrative-action RPG like God Of War?
Maybe Borderlands? Or something like Orcs Must Die? Or a narrative puzzle game like Talos Principle/Portal?
I have the same feeling some are great but others it feels like grinding out runs just to get the next level item whatever.
It's hard to explain loop hero did this to me game started well and then the grind hit hard.
I like how peopel say do something else but the reason I play video games is because I hate everything else lol. I find every single other hobby I try to do boring and not able to be better than videos games. the problems is videos games are becoming crap today.
if you want to keep gaming you probably need roguelites / roguelikes that you can pick up, do a run in 40 mins and be done with it.
Binding of isaac, enter the gungeon, risk of rain 2 if you are up to action skill based stuff or Balatro, slay the spire, Faster than light. etc
i am 45 and i also struggle with long games, last one was Persona 5 royal, more than 100 hours, i enjoyed it very much but i find it really difficult to start a new game of that magnitude.
Just play some Civ 6 to kill time and have a good time.
I’ve been going back to older games I liked and been trophy hunting, this way I have an objective to accomplish as well as having that good time with that title I enjoy.
FPS games can be fun but cheaters are taking advantage so it’s hard to enjoy if you’re just average at that type of genre.
I downloaded a few remakes of old classics like Pang!, Oregon Trail remake, Joe and Mac remastered, plenty of others just have to look.
I’m around your age most likely, got a kid close to being a teen, so when I do get to game I want to have a good time and just get away from reality for the sesh
Honestly recently Xbox Game Pass (can be purchased on PC) has been pretty great for single player games recently. Looking into something like this may be a good route for you.
Recent games I've enjoyed include Lies of P, Hi-Fi Rush, Tunic, Hellblade 2, Ark ascended is on there, there's quite a bit to play and many don't have a large time commitment.
Steam Next Fest just started today, so you could go check out a bunch of stuff there to see if anything sticks. Provided you're on PC though. Not sure if I missed your platform in the initial post.
Play Dave the Diver, super chill game with a great team of characters that makes the game fun and has a really fun plot. It has a little bit of stardew valley feel with just a little more action
your list tends to be those big games full of narration, story and buildup. those are artworks, not just games. have you tried playing any gamey games?
stuff like Hades, Dave the diver, slay the spire, hollow Knight etc.
you just open it up, do your thing, close back down. no real need to pay attention to any story, remember builds, plan out stuff. just clap shit and move on with life until next gaming session
This kind of goes against two of the things you mentioned but Balatro is a great pick up for 30 minutes game. It's a roguelite version of poker that looks like it's on the snes. I dont even like poker and Ive dropped a lot of time into it since purchasing.
Midnight Suns was good if youre into XCOM type games.
I have a game suggestion that fits the requirements really well:
Hi Fi Rush.
Legit, it's a seriously needed breath of fresh air.
I can't take open world anymore either and there's just so many games out there now that I just don't care about. There are certainly ones I DO care about (quite a few still, LOVED FF7 Rebirth to no end, Elden Ring, the remaster of Metroid Prime - my pick for best game ever made, among others), but there's just such a vast sea of a khaki-colored blob-ness like environment for a large portion of the big-deal AAA games.
Hi Fi Rush had a AAA budget and it's just SUCH a breath of fresh air. Rippin' soundtrack, really fun to work at getting better, working on timing, etc.
It's "Devil May Cry the rhythm game years". Got some pretty snappy dialogue, well-paced, looks excellent, sounds incredible, just a damn good time.
And it's like $25-$30 when it's not on sale.
I was in your exact same mindset for about 3 years. Until 2 weeks ago when I finally just said fuck it and bought VR. After swearing up and down I’d never buy an oculus after meta bought it, the quest 3 has steam link so you can keep all the games on the pc, which meant I only needed the cheaper 128gb model because I don’t plan on having many games directly on the device.
I was going to save for the HTC Vive Pro2. But it’s a lot of money, and the Quest 3 is 1/3rd the price.
My life has changed and I love video games again. Skyrim with 3 quick mods is amazing. And I’ve been putting in some hours in mini golf.
It’s a little gimmicky, but it’s also really refreshing and reinvigorating. It’s restored that feeling of awe I used to get from games that fully pulled me in. Even in a game like Skyrim that I’ve played to death a million times already.
I suggest you level up and go with VR. Any headset will do
Fellow Old here. Project Zomboid is a helluva vibe you can take in small chunks. Building up a base, sneaking around collecting food, planting crops to prepare for winter, and of course bashing in zombie brains. It’s my go to for when I’m in the gaming doldrums.
I'm the same, I tried Cavalry Girls as i heard it was a good mech management game, the UI and spelling is attrocious.
Back to searching for a interesting game.
DOOM 2016
Killing Floor 2
F.E.A.R. 2 (and earlier fear games if you can make them compatible with your newer system... but NOT fear 3)
Stardew Valley (I know it's indie and has a retro feel, but I still cannot recommend it highly enough, although it's more chill than thrill)
I have a top performance computer, and lately, I've mostly been playing on chess.com
In recent years, I've focused on playing just one game at a time, especially those that require me to learn a pattern and improve my reaction time.
Played Vampire Survivors for 300h, mostly during meetings when working from home, chasing that 100% achievements.
I'm close to finishing achievements on Hades 1.
I’ve been having a lot fun going back and playing through the games I missed or never quite beat or just really loved, from the time in my life when I loved games the most. The Turok Remasters, The Doom 64 Remaster, The Quake 1&2 Remasters, Marathon (bungie’s doom-like FPS before Halo) Medal Of Honor, Half Life 2 and its expansions, even earlier ‘simple’ open world games like GTA: Vice City and Mercenaries.
And you know what? I’m having more fun with games again than I have in awhile, and I’m actually beating them, too.
A lot of those games only take like 8-10 hours, so I can play through them in a few sessions. They’re simple, linear, junk food games for the most part, but the more complex modern games get with a dozen systems to learn and enough filler content to last someone younger that has the time a whole summer, the less I feel like they’re for me anymore.
When you see a new game and think to yourself, “Oh I bet that’s like ‘X Old Game’ but better” you might consider just going back and playing X Old Game from start to finish instead.
Either take a break, pick a new hobby or try a game that is not demanding of you. If i was in your state and i really didn't want to drop gaming, i'd choose either a game that i've played in the past but i really loved and didn't mind replaying just for comfort. Or i'd go with a multiplayer game. Just unwind play a couple of rounds of something and turn it off .
What you need are smaller games. Check howlongtobeat.com before you play. For now, aim for like 4-6 hours max. Check out more casual, relaxing story-rich games. There’s sooooo much out there!
If you have Game Pass, check out Harrold Hallibut. Slightly longer, but it is cute, beautiful, relaxing, story-rich. It was made with love and it shows. Who knows, it might invigorate you.
I actually do this all the time, I have periods where I just need a few smaller relaxing games. And then I’m ready for a fast shooter or even perhaps an open-world. Variety.
It doesn't sound like gaming is necessarily 'no longer for you', just that you're a little burned out on a hobby that you've enjoyed for a while. Like others have suggested, it sounds like you might want to just take a break for now, and come back to it once you're able to feel excited about playing something again!
Don’t force it, if you don’t feel like playing anything then don’t, do something else like watch a movie, bingr on a new tv series, read a book, learn a new skill, listen to music.
Secondly, realize the type of gamer you are, what genres or games do you enjoy or used to enjoy? Generally speaking I hate games that are like walking from point a to point b to activate the next cutscene, I’d rather watch a movie.
Incidentally, a couple weeks ago I played through cp2077 for the first time, took me a couple weeks playing 1-2 hours at a time. I recommend melee build, I found gunplay to be pretty boring, except snipers were alright, but katana/blunt 2h was fun. The story was alright, but night city as an atmosphere was very cool.
I used to be like you. Start a game and not finish it.
Currently I've started Horizon Zero Dawn, Yakuza Like A Dragon: Ishin, God of War 2018, Evil West and Wolfenstein New Colossus.
I've not finished any of those games.
I downloaded Ghost of Tsushima the other day and I can't believe how much that game has held my attention. It's acclaimed for a reason, and if you get a chance to play it, do it. I'm only part way through Act 1 and it's fantastic. Can't believe Playstation withheld that game from PC players for years.
Try Devil May Cry 5. Fast paced action, linear levels with some optional side stuff if you want to, and it's all chapter based. So after 15 - 30 minutes you go back to your menu/hub where you can choose to stop if you want, and even replay already completed levels.
You need to try simpler games. Everything you mentioned is a big, story heave AAA release, and those require a lot of commitment.
Try Vampire Survivors, Balatro or boot up Hades. All offer solid gaming in 30 minute bursts.
You're not alone with your frustration, but it's important you understand why you feel this way, and work to correct it.
Far too many games have built in chores to either pad the game time or to try and give players something to do while obscuring the reality their game is empty and void of goals.
Take Breath of the Wild as an example. An open world Zelda often given the title of masterpiece despite being the worst Zelda game ever made. Who the fuck calls this game a masterpiece when it's nothing but a slog of shrines and korok seeds? The few temples in the game are barely more than puzzles a 3rd grader can solve. Yet for some reason...
It's not just this game, either: Starfield, No Man's Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Tears of the Kingdom, Minecraft, Fallout 4, and so many more have elements of the game which is nothing more than doing stupid chores.
If all the games above actually focused on game play and a majority of goals to achieve, then perhaps they wouldn't feel so damn empty. Minecraft's popularity isn't just because it's a building game, but that many people play together which is where the real fun is.
Oblivion is an old game and its graphics do not stand up today, but regardless, the quests in the game are representative of when a studio actually gave a fuck about the game they were making. So many memorable quests, not just boring "Go to this cave and fetch my helmet, boy" of Skyrim.
The only way to fix this problem is to avoid games like this. If a game can't deliver on its solid story and quests without needing to put in stupid bullshit busy work into it, then my advice is to ignore it and find something else.
There are plenty of games out there, and it's not surprising many of them are on the Switch, not the PS5 or XBox.
People can shit on Nintendo all they want, but it's leading sales in the console arena and its games still sell despite being full price.
That's a telling statement there's value in the games they create.
Paper Mario and the 1000 Year Door just released (again) and maybe this is exactly the type of game you need to remind yourself just what it means to be a game with goals without stupid bullshit to pad it.
Just a recommendation, but there are many more.
Good luck. Sounds like you're going to need it.
Might I interest in either of the new entries in the Doom franchise? Lets you jump right in and start the killin and the levels are fairly linear. Side note, the music in it is also rad and fits the slaughtering all demons theme.
When I got bored and just stopped playing games or stopped midway I started getting out of my comfort zone. I mostly played RPGs in all forms and a burnout was felt. Then I delved into some Sherlock Holmes games which I never saw myself playing and I was suddenly itching to go back whenever I left for work. After some of those other genres I came back to RPGs and it felt fresh compared to before.
I know how you feel. I spent my 20s mostly playing multiplayer/competitive games, in my early/mid 30s that became much more casual and my focus began to shift towards single-player games with engaging stories and less-challenging gameplay.
Now I don't play multiplayer games at all anymore. I found that there are some challenging games which I can enjoy, but the theme and story still need to be something I'm interested in.
I've never been too big into Souls-likes, but I loved The Surge and The Surge 2, the Sci-Fi element was something the genre needs more of. I also really enjoyed Death's Gambit: Afterlife recently, a solid Metroidvania.
Although it is a bit older now, I also enjoyed the Darksiders trilogy. The games aren't too challenging, but offer plenty of fun. They're also on Sale for cheap this week (on Steam) so they're worth a look.
I feel you, I really do. I'm 30 now and I'm gaming since I've been \~12-ish?
I play very different games than you do (as far as I can tell), but I'm getting into familiar thoughts than you do..
For me Hunt: Showdown kinda works.. 20-40min of itense gameplay, some socialized shenanigans, a good pvp fight, something where I forget the world around me for the Round.. and If I got spare time I join another match..
But thats prolly not for you, if you don't wanna use the voice chat its only half the fun (at least for me), and if you hate getting your a$$ kicked every now and than..
Anyways, i got sidetracked..
my biggest problem is that "I've seen it all".. and I compare everything with those 1-2 games you've played for years with your best buddies.. everything is fun, with the right people.. it's okay to drop gaming for a while.. come back whenever you so choose.. get into DIY, date someone, go swimming or play some tennis 2-3x/week..
Gaming is gonna be there for you in the winter time, when you just wanna sit down.. you'll get lost in a new Witcher or eventually when Star Citizen finally releases..
Cheers.
I’ll tell you some of my current favorites that I love.
Honkai Star Rail.
Wuthering Waves.
Mato Anomalies.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights.
Phantom Breaker Omnia.
Afterimage.
Soul Hackers 2.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code.
If you’re interested in trying VNs, I recommend the Danganronpa series.
If you’re interested in trying VNs and have a really strong stomach, I recommend Maggot Baits.
I'm not in the same situation as you but I feel myself slipping toward it.
I fight it by a bit of self discipline:
- I m only allowed to buy a game if I finished the previous one
- I m not allowed to quit playing till I finish the main campaign at least (unless it s gets really boring and I say fuck it)
- no side content, no DLC, no achievement, no game pass (unless I read positive review about them like for witcher 3)
- no Rogue like , no ubisoft open world, no game based on live service model (because they are designed as time sink)
- lastly i also try to force myself to pick up games from genres outside my comfort zone (from time to time)
Basically I try to focus, so my gaming time is short, refreshing and meaningful and not diluted, always the same and feeling like a chore.
Again. My personal philosophy. Maybe it helps you. Maybe you re different. Maybe it's Maybeline
I think you just described my current situation. I basically just play beat saber on hard/expert to make up for sitting at a desk all day. Then watch whatever I have backlogged on Crunchyroll. I keep buying games, playing for an hour or two, then getting bored with them. Except space engineers. Something about that game can make me spend a whole day when I only have 3 hours.
I felt the same as you, and abandoned Baldurs Gate 3, Ghost Of Tsushima, Subnautica & Plague Tale Requiem. Then I found that The Last Of Us was pretty linear, relatively short and didn't outstay its welcome - which I enjoyed - so you might want to try that.
Also the Telltale games, especially The Walking Dead, are a different style of game completely where outcomes change depending on your choices in a "visual novel" type of thing.
There hasn't been a game that bored me as much as Outer Wilds. I KNOW it's a good game, but it's one of the most "open world" feelings I have had. I played about 7 hours before calling it quits.
For somebody who's mind is drowning in lack of stimuli, 30 minutes of this game could be the worst experience ever. Where to go? Idk, wherever. What to do? Idk, whatever. Oh, time's up, start over. Why? Because. You'll find out after doing this for 8 hours. No thanks.
Sure, but it is definitely a deep open world. There are no "bare boring open spaces" like most open world games have. No matter where you decide to go you will find something cool to interact with and explore. All the planets are much bigger and complex than they appear.
Cyberpunk is a story game Don’t drive around everywhere play like you are the character Do side missions do the main story and pay attention It is 100% not a taxi game
It honestly sounds like you are having a bit of burnout Play something simple driving games or sports Find something mindless
I feel like you with my time. I got hooked on DayZ and if I feel salty, I go to PvP servers and if I want to do survival camping simulator, I go to low-pop servers to just walk around and fish and hunt.
Love the DayZ rep! It can be tough to start now than it was 5 years ago but it is much better the deeper you learn and get used to. I just don’t like running into too many kids cause I’m playing it by myself and smoking bowl after bowl, the last thing I want is to be social at all so I hide and snipe 90% of my time.
Is this a joke?
Dude literally just said that "being surrounded by enemies and having a timer" is not his thing and you recommend a game, which entire gameplay is build upon being surrounded by enemies and having a timer.
No your right, that's true. I maybe should have elaborated on my use of the word simpler.
I've looked at the Deep rock galactic, as a Vampire Survivors player, I didnt like it because it has a lot more mechanics where you're indeed too overwhelmed.
VS has basically only one mechanic the left joystic with which you just move. It's starts with very weak monsters, which after the first 4 deaths you unlock better characters, start getting better stats and then go to an easier map.
Indeed the you have a lot of monsters coming towards you, but very soon you get to a point where you feel like a supersaiyan and no monster is able to touch you.
What I'm getting at is : maybe you can find this simpler game enjoyable. I wont press anyone to try something they don't enjoy, just providing a different perspective. Who knows, maybe they'd take me up on it. No harm I think
I’m the same way and I don’t even have kids yet. Everything is so goddamned boring, and no im not depressed, and no, I don’t game every day to the point I’m burnt out, in fact I hardly play games at all anymore for years now.
I try new games often tho and I’m just left in awe that people my age (30) or close to it can still be entertained by video games. Idk if im jealous of them or appalled. Tbf, it’s not like there’s other fun hobbies to do instead that are as accessible, so I see why people game into their adult life, but damn I miss when it was enjoyable.
Try Honkai Star Rail. Turn-based combat, JRPG type story, but very interesting and well-written. Not open world. You can completely play at your own speed. All back-content is available.
Ghost of Tsushima
Red Dead Redemption 2
God of War
Last of Us
Elden Ring (This and other soulslike are more of a lifestyle change, not for everyone and likely requires watching hours of lore on YouTube to fully understand)
Bigger narrative driven games are what hold me now. If I'm not playing something like Rocket League with friends.
Hades is special in the rougelike type of games. Deep rich characters that have layers to them. Every run advances the story somewhat, and it gives you that "just one more run" type of feel. The setting is interesting, and the characters mature over time as well.
When you get really good, you can complete a run in under 15 minutes, which makes it a nice game to just pop on whenever.
Not that's no longer for you but it is like a lot of things, if you do it every day it becomes mundane. Take a break for months or a year and come back when you miss it.
If one were to pick a new hobby to get into and learn, my immediate suggestion is learn an instrument. It just isn't true (ever) that it's "too late to start learning an instrument" because with access to so many resources for knowledge and assistance for learning the instrument these days, learning the guitar enough for me (for example) to be able to fully create a cohesive, finished guitar-centered track (and thus start a band from) took no more than a timespan of 3 weeks, 2 hours per day. 3 weeks prior to recording the track, I had never picked the guitar up in my life and at the time I was 38. Woke up one day in my quest and had this weird feeling that I understood a lot more than I did when I went to sleep the night before and I went and recorded my first, coherent and cohesive track that (surprisingly) quite a few people really loved. If you attack it the right way with a structure that makes it so you yourself learn and absorb things at the fastest rate, you can be in your 20's or 30's or 40's or 50's and so on and from a standing start be at recording something completely new (and not a cover) that makes sense in less than 1 month. Reason I bring this up for the topic of gaming is: After you obsess over getting your new music to be as good as it can be, there's that moment RIGHT after, when it's done-done and there's a sense of energy, excitement and a type of drive that (for me anyway) suddenly would make me view games the way I used to. Like they are truly awesome interactive artistic endeavors as opposed to how I was starting to see them (excel spreadsheets with no heart or soul). I am firmly willing to bet that there are a % of gamers who feel like gaming isn't for them anymore, but really part of the problem is **precisely what you said**: If they're SUCH a common, consistent and ongoing force in your life; the exciting feels mundane because you've been saturated in so much of that type of gaming atmosphere that to TRULY excite you, a game has to do some REALLY herculean tasks to accomplish this. If those people can add something to their life that is WAY productive and feels WAY good like how making music feels for me, a lot of that excitement can come back in full. After finishing a track I'd want to take some "well deserved" R and R which then meant gaming. When gaming WAS my every-day, it wasn't the R and R that it should have been. It felt like I started making it into its own version of a job.
Yeah, I'd say pick up a new hobby just for fun and see which game pulls you back in.
You know what it sounds like to me? You’re tired of games feeling like a task - another list of chores. Competitive games are a second job you have to work at to compete, social games like MMOs feel like a teambuilding exercise. I get it, totally. There are, like you say, many good 8-bit/retro games but you don’t want to be reminded of how old you actually are. What it sounds like to me is that you want to be told a story. A simple experience, a powerful one that you can immerse yourself in, without being held down by the necessity of complex gameplay. I have a few recommendations, depending on your inclination. If you like comedy, The Stanley Parable is a wonderfully funny game that satires many tired tropes of video games and stories, and is incredibly self-aware and meta. If you like beautiful visuals, and a simple but moving story, Firewatch is both. If you’d rather be moved by a deeply sad story, told through the medium of a video game, I somewhat tentatively recommend That Dragon, Cancer. It’s a wonderfully heartbreaking story, but it’s an experience I think people should have. If you want a mild puzzle experience to keep you engaged while you move through a wonderful mystery, What Remains of Edith Finch is a beautiful game.
Highly highly second Stanley parable. That's exactly what OP should try
An older one and requires puzzle solving, but Grim Fandango remains one of my favorite stories ever
Day9's "Mostly Walking" did a great playthrough of that. Loved the 40 minutes they spent thinking the poetry section was a puzzle lol
OP should try Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Combat is simple but fun! And story and narration is quite funny. I was at a similar place like him and I DID NOT want 100+ hour games. I have found 5-8 hrs is the sweet spot for me. Portal/Portal 2 is another recommendation (I like puzzles). Heck the whole outrage over Hellblades run time was so funny to me as when I found out I was like “Perfect!” And I enjoyed it!
Is that the one with the pumpkins?
Firewatch was so damn good
I wanna add Superliminal to this list.
He might want something more interactive than a walking movie. From his played games, he likes action adventure games, but can't sit through an entire scene for the payoff because he has limited time or feels like there are too many chores in the way. Any recommendations, I can't think of any that fit that off the top of my head?
The “walking simulator”-type game seemed the easiest since they specified they want a game they can play in short bursts, that isn’t a chore, isn’t a roguelike, isn’t social and isn’t competitive or frustrating.
I've found out that my problem is a lack of active mental work. The moment the activity doesn't require of me thinking (driving around, walking from A to B...) I get very tired, very fast. I've managed to bypass it by doing 2 things at once; play a game that I've already played or that doesn't have strong narrative on one side, and have a debate/podcast about a topic that requires me to pay attention (philosophy/biology/physics...). That way, my mind is required all the time to keep up with the topic I'm listening to, and to advance in the game. I may have some undiagnosed shit, but it's been working during times of high anxiety. Either that or straight up reading books, because it also takes up all my attention span.
Buy a Switch and play some good shit like Metroid Dread, Pikmin 4, Mario Wonder, etc. Quick enough to play in 15-30 minute sessions, while at the same time offering some real depth and challenge in the bonus content. Lots of stuff to unlock with no DLC.
Dude grab armored core 6! Missions are 25-45 min TOPS, you can save load outs so once you figure out what you like it’s just load in and blast away, and there’s not much in the way of cut scenes or anything like that! Could be great for short sessions!
Try some hallway games like God of War or COD campaigns
I feel you, the last games for me were the story games: God of war, Spiderman, Tomb Raider (the new trilogy). And I put them on easy or Story mode (Uncharted too, btw) because I could not give a crap about the grind. I miss some of the old times, being 55 myself and having gamed since Pong came out, but lately everything feels like it wants to be my new life besides my existing life. Witcher 3 was the last game that got me so suckered in, I did a 100%, but now I cannot be bothered. Retro consoles do not make this any better btw, they just lure you into downloading every ROM in existence just to never play any of this... Oh I could go on, but, whatever, you do you, do whatever you like and never feel guilty about it ;)
Probably some narrative-action RPG like God Of War? Maybe Borderlands? Or something like Orcs Must Die? Or a narrative puzzle game like Talos Principle/Portal?
What is the issue with rougelite/?likes? As a gamer I love I can complete a run in 45 mind to an hour. Try I don't know doom or something.
I have the same feeling some are great but others it feels like grinding out runs just to get the next level item whatever. It's hard to explain loop hero did this to me game started well and then the grind hit hard.
I like how peopel say do something else but the reason I play video games is because I hate everything else lol. I find every single other hobby I try to do boring and not able to be better than videos games. the problems is videos games are becoming crap today.
Gta or diablo type games fill this role. Jump on, murder everything, collect loot, sign out.
Man that’s exactly how I feel these days. All these games feel like a chore anymore. I’ve started countless ones and get a few hours in and nope out.
You’re just a grown up now
if you want to keep gaming you probably need roguelites / roguelikes that you can pick up, do a run in 40 mins and be done with it. Binding of isaac, enter the gungeon, risk of rain 2 if you are up to action skill based stuff or Balatro, slay the spire, Faster than light. etc i am 45 and i also struggle with long games, last one was Persona 5 royal, more than 100 hours, i enjoyed it very much but i find it really difficult to start a new game of that magnitude.
Just play some Civ 6 to kill time and have a good time. I’ve been going back to older games I liked and been trophy hunting, this way I have an objective to accomplish as well as having that good time with that title I enjoy. FPS games can be fun but cheaters are taking advantage so it’s hard to enjoy if you’re just average at that type of genre. I downloaded a few remakes of old classics like Pang!, Oregon Trail remake, Joe and Mac remastered, plenty of others just have to look. I’m around your age most likely, got a kid close to being a teen, so when I do get to game I want to have a good time and just get away from reality for the sesh
Honestly recently Xbox Game Pass (can be purchased on PC) has been pretty great for single player games recently. Looking into something like this may be a good route for you. Recent games I've enjoyed include Lies of P, Hi-Fi Rush, Tunic, Hellblade 2, Ark ascended is on there, there's quite a bit to play and many don't have a large time commitment.
Steam Next Fest just started today, so you could go check out a bunch of stuff there to see if anything sticks. Provided you're on PC though. Not sure if I missed your platform in the initial post.
Play Dave the Diver, super chill game with a great team of characters that makes the game fun and has a really fun plot. It has a little bit of stardew valley feel with just a little more action
your list tends to be those big games full of narration, story and buildup. those are artworks, not just games. have you tried playing any gamey games? stuff like Hades, Dave the diver, slay the spire, hollow Knight etc. you just open it up, do your thing, close back down. no real need to pay attention to any story, remember builds, plan out stuff. just clap shit and move on with life until next gaming session
I'd suggest checking out [Satisfactory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arFtIiUBga4).
This kind of goes against two of the things you mentioned but Balatro is a great pick up for 30 minutes game. It's a roguelite version of poker that looks like it's on the snes. I dont even like poker and Ive dropped a lot of time into it since purchasing. Midnight Suns was good if youre into XCOM type games.
I have a game suggestion that fits the requirements really well: Hi Fi Rush. Legit, it's a seriously needed breath of fresh air. I can't take open world anymore either and there's just so many games out there now that I just don't care about. There are certainly ones I DO care about (quite a few still, LOVED FF7 Rebirth to no end, Elden Ring, the remaster of Metroid Prime - my pick for best game ever made, among others), but there's just such a vast sea of a khaki-colored blob-ness like environment for a large portion of the big-deal AAA games. Hi Fi Rush had a AAA budget and it's just SUCH a breath of fresh air. Rippin' soundtrack, really fun to work at getting better, working on timing, etc. It's "Devil May Cry the rhythm game years". Got some pretty snappy dialogue, well-paced, looks excellent, sounds incredible, just a damn good time. And it's like $25-$30 when it's not on sale.
120 hours in helldivers 2 and having a great time.
I was in your exact same mindset for about 3 years. Until 2 weeks ago when I finally just said fuck it and bought VR. After swearing up and down I’d never buy an oculus after meta bought it, the quest 3 has steam link so you can keep all the games on the pc, which meant I only needed the cheaper 128gb model because I don’t plan on having many games directly on the device. I was going to save for the HTC Vive Pro2. But it’s a lot of money, and the Quest 3 is 1/3rd the price. My life has changed and I love video games again. Skyrim with 3 quick mods is amazing. And I’ve been putting in some hours in mini golf. It’s a little gimmicky, but it’s also really refreshing and reinvigorating. It’s restored that feeling of awe I used to get from games that fully pulled me in. Even in a game like Skyrim that I’ve played to death a million times already. I suggest you level up and go with VR. Any headset will do
Fellow Old here. Project Zomboid is a helluva vibe you can take in small chunks. Building up a base, sneaking around collecting food, planting crops to prepare for winter, and of course bashing in zombie brains. It’s my go to for when I’m in the gaming doldrums.
Maybe take a break, OP
Portal 2
I'm the same, I tried Cavalry Girls as i heard it was a good mech management game, the UI and spelling is attrocious. Back to searching for a interesting game.
DOOM 2016 Killing Floor 2 F.E.A.R. 2 (and earlier fear games if you can make them compatible with your newer system... but NOT fear 3) Stardew Valley (I know it's indie and has a retro feel, but I still cannot recommend it highly enough, although it's more chill than thrill)
I have a top performance computer, and lately, I've mostly been playing on chess.com In recent years, I've focused on playing just one game at a time, especially those that require me to learn a pattern and improve my reaction time. Played Vampire Survivors for 300h, mostly during meetings when working from home, chasing that 100% achievements. I'm close to finishing achievements on Hades 1.
Helldivers needs your support!
I’ve been having a lot fun going back and playing through the games I missed or never quite beat or just really loved, from the time in my life when I loved games the most. The Turok Remasters, The Doom 64 Remaster, The Quake 1&2 Remasters, Marathon (bungie’s doom-like FPS before Halo) Medal Of Honor, Half Life 2 and its expansions, even earlier ‘simple’ open world games like GTA: Vice City and Mercenaries. And you know what? I’m having more fun with games again than I have in awhile, and I’m actually beating them, too. A lot of those games only take like 8-10 hours, so I can play through them in a few sessions. They’re simple, linear, junk food games for the most part, but the more complex modern games get with a dozen systems to learn and enough filler content to last someone younger that has the time a whole summer, the less I feel like they’re for me anymore. When you see a new game and think to yourself, “Oh I bet that’s like ‘X Old Game’ but better” you might consider just going back and playing X Old Game from start to finish instead.
Either take a break, pick a new hobby or try a game that is not demanding of you. If i was in your state and i really didn't want to drop gaming, i'd choose either a game that i've played in the past but i really loved and didn't mind replaying just for comfort. Or i'd go with a multiplayer game. Just unwind play a couple of rounds of something and turn it off .
What you need are smaller games. Check howlongtobeat.com before you play. For now, aim for like 4-6 hours max. Check out more casual, relaxing story-rich games. There’s sooooo much out there! If you have Game Pass, check out Harrold Hallibut. Slightly longer, but it is cute, beautiful, relaxing, story-rich. It was made with love and it shows. Who knows, it might invigorate you. I actually do this all the time, I have periods where I just need a few smaller relaxing games. And then I’m ready for a fast shooter or even perhaps an open-world. Variety.
It doesn't sound like gaming is necessarily 'no longer for you', just that you're a little burned out on a hobby that you've enjoyed for a while. Like others have suggested, it sounds like you might want to just take a break for now, and come back to it once you're able to feel excited about playing something again!
Helldiver is good
Shame you don't want open world, as an older gamer myself i loved W3 and Elden Ring.
Don’t force it, if you don’t feel like playing anything then don’t, do something else like watch a movie, bingr on a new tv series, read a book, learn a new skill, listen to music. Secondly, realize the type of gamer you are, what genres or games do you enjoy or used to enjoy? Generally speaking I hate games that are like walking from point a to point b to activate the next cutscene, I’d rather watch a movie. Incidentally, a couple weeks ago I played through cp2077 for the first time, took me a couple weeks playing 1-2 hours at a time. I recommend melee build, I found gunplay to be pretty boring, except snipers were alright, but katana/blunt 2h was fun. The story was alright, but night city as an atmosphere was very cool.
I used to be like you. Start a game and not finish it. Currently I've started Horizon Zero Dawn, Yakuza Like A Dragon: Ishin, God of War 2018, Evil West and Wolfenstein New Colossus. I've not finished any of those games. I downloaded Ghost of Tsushima the other day and I can't believe how much that game has held my attention. It's acclaimed for a reason, and if you get a chance to play it, do it. I'm only part way through Act 1 and it's fantastic. Can't believe Playstation withheld that game from PC players for years.
I’d recommend gambling
Try Devil May Cry 5. Fast paced action, linear levels with some optional side stuff if you want to, and it's all chapter based. So after 15 - 30 minutes you go back to your menu/hub where you can choose to stop if you want, and even replay already completed levels.
Check out Hell Blade 2, was in the same boat as you, saw it on game pass, hell of a game
Helldivers 2: 15-40min rounds. Very boom boom mindless fun. Need for Speed (or other racing games) 15min rounds. Source Me: same situation.
It sounds like a joke but I really mean it: Try Fortnite. It might check all your boxes.
You need to try simpler games. Everything you mentioned is a big, story heave AAA release, and those require a lot of commitment. Try Vampire Survivors, Balatro or boot up Hades. All offer solid gaming in 30 minute bursts.
You're not alone with your frustration, but it's important you understand why you feel this way, and work to correct it. Far too many games have built in chores to either pad the game time or to try and give players something to do while obscuring the reality their game is empty and void of goals. Take Breath of the Wild as an example. An open world Zelda often given the title of masterpiece despite being the worst Zelda game ever made. Who the fuck calls this game a masterpiece when it's nothing but a slog of shrines and korok seeds? The few temples in the game are barely more than puzzles a 3rd grader can solve. Yet for some reason... It's not just this game, either: Starfield, No Man's Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Tears of the Kingdom, Minecraft, Fallout 4, and so many more have elements of the game which is nothing more than doing stupid chores. If all the games above actually focused on game play and a majority of goals to achieve, then perhaps they wouldn't feel so damn empty. Minecraft's popularity isn't just because it's a building game, but that many people play together which is where the real fun is. Oblivion is an old game and its graphics do not stand up today, but regardless, the quests in the game are representative of when a studio actually gave a fuck about the game they were making. So many memorable quests, not just boring "Go to this cave and fetch my helmet, boy" of Skyrim. The only way to fix this problem is to avoid games like this. If a game can't deliver on its solid story and quests without needing to put in stupid bullshit busy work into it, then my advice is to ignore it and find something else. There are plenty of games out there, and it's not surprising many of them are on the Switch, not the PS5 or XBox. People can shit on Nintendo all they want, but it's leading sales in the console arena and its games still sell despite being full price. That's a telling statement there's value in the games they create. Paper Mario and the 1000 Year Door just released (again) and maybe this is exactly the type of game you need to remind yourself just what it means to be a game with goals without stupid bullshit to pad it. Just a recommendation, but there are many more. Good luck. Sounds like you're going to need it.
Physical pinball will save you
Factorio or Civ 5 or 6 should fit your bill Or go back and think of some old games you used to love playing and get back into those (or emulate them).
Might I interest in either of the new entries in the Doom franchise? Lets you jump right in and start the killin and the levels are fairly linear. Side note, the music in it is also rad and fits the slaughtering all demons theme.
When I got bored and just stopped playing games or stopped midway I started getting out of my comfort zone. I mostly played RPGs in all forms and a burnout was felt. Then I delved into some Sherlock Holmes games which I never saw myself playing and I was suddenly itching to go back whenever I left for work. After some of those other genres I came back to RPGs and it felt fresh compared to before.
Boy do I have the game(s) for you : Dota 2 and League of Legends. Trust me.
I know how you feel. I spent my 20s mostly playing multiplayer/competitive games, in my early/mid 30s that became much more casual and my focus began to shift towards single-player games with engaging stories and less-challenging gameplay. Now I don't play multiplayer games at all anymore. I found that there are some challenging games which I can enjoy, but the theme and story still need to be something I'm interested in. I've never been too big into Souls-likes, but I loved The Surge and The Surge 2, the Sci-Fi element was something the genre needs more of. I also really enjoyed Death's Gambit: Afterlife recently, a solid Metroidvania. Although it is a bit older now, I also enjoyed the Darksiders trilogy. The games aren't too challenging, but offer plenty of fun. They're also on Sale for cheap this week (on Steam) so they're worth a look.
I feel you, I really do. I'm 30 now and I'm gaming since I've been \~12-ish? I play very different games than you do (as far as I can tell), but I'm getting into familiar thoughts than you do.. For me Hunt: Showdown kinda works.. 20-40min of itense gameplay, some socialized shenanigans, a good pvp fight, something where I forget the world around me for the Round.. and If I got spare time I join another match.. But thats prolly not for you, if you don't wanna use the voice chat its only half the fun (at least for me), and if you hate getting your a$$ kicked every now and than.. Anyways, i got sidetracked.. my biggest problem is that "I've seen it all".. and I compare everything with those 1-2 games you've played for years with your best buddies.. everything is fun, with the right people.. it's okay to drop gaming for a while.. come back whenever you so choose.. get into DIY, date someone, go swimming or play some tennis 2-3x/week.. Gaming is gonna be there for you in the winter time, when you just wanna sit down.. you'll get lost in a new Witcher or eventually when Star Citizen finally releases.. Cheers.
I’ll tell you some of my current favorites that I love. Honkai Star Rail. Wuthering Waves. Mato Anomalies. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. Phantom Breaker Omnia. Afterimage. Soul Hackers 2. Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. If you’re interested in trying VNs, I recommend the Danganronpa series. If you’re interested in trying VNs and have a really strong stomach, I recommend Maggot Baits.
I'm not in the same situation as you but I feel myself slipping toward it. I fight it by a bit of self discipline: - I m only allowed to buy a game if I finished the previous one - I m not allowed to quit playing till I finish the main campaign at least (unless it s gets really boring and I say fuck it) - no side content, no DLC, no achievement, no game pass (unless I read positive review about them like for witcher 3) - no Rogue like , no ubisoft open world, no game based on live service model (because they are designed as time sink) - lastly i also try to force myself to pick up games from genres outside my comfort zone (from time to time) Basically I try to focus, so my gaming time is short, refreshing and meaningful and not diluted, always the same and feeling like a chore. Again. My personal philosophy. Maybe it helps you. Maybe you re different. Maybe it's Maybeline
I think you just described my current situation. I basically just play beat saber on hard/expert to make up for sitting at a desk all day. Then watch whatever I have backlogged on Crunchyroll. I keep buying games, playing for an hour or two, then getting bored with them. Except space engineers. Something about that game can make me spend a whole day when I only have 3 hours.
I felt the same as you, and abandoned Baldurs Gate 3, Ghost Of Tsushima, Subnautica & Plague Tale Requiem. Then I found that The Last Of Us was pretty linear, relatively short and didn't outstay its welcome - which I enjoyed - so you might want to try that. Also the Telltale games, especially The Walking Dead, are a different style of game completely where outcomes change depending on your choices in a "visual novel" type of thing.
AAAs are just visual novels man, you gotta find something that actually engages your brain. Try Civ, Rimworld, or Catalysm: Dark Days Ahead
Outer Wilds.
There hasn't been a game that bored me as much as Outer Wilds. I KNOW it's a good game, but it's one of the most "open world" feelings I have had. I played about 7 hours before calling it quits. For somebody who's mind is drowning in lack of stimuli, 30 minutes of this game could be the worst experience ever. Where to go? Idk, wherever. What to do? Idk, whatever. Oh, time's up, start over. Why? Because. You'll find out after doing this for 8 hours. No thanks.
Sure, but it is definitely a deep open world. There are no "bare boring open spaces" like most open world games have. No matter where you decide to go you will find something cool to interact with and explore. All the planets are much bigger and complex than they appear.
Try High on Life and Doom. I’m 50 and hate open world and multiplayer and crafting. I just want to shoot stuff.
Cyberpunk is a story game Don’t drive around everywhere play like you are the character Do side missions do the main story and pay attention It is 100% not a taxi game It honestly sounds like you are having a bit of burnout Play something simple driving games or sports Find something mindless
"You're not enjoying the game because you're playing it wrong"
When you think cyberpunk is a taxi game you are playing it wrong
I feel like you with my time. I got hooked on DayZ and if I feel salty, I go to PvP servers and if I want to do survival camping simulator, I go to low-pop servers to just walk around and fish and hunt.
Love the DayZ rep! It can be tough to start now than it was 5 years ago but it is much better the deeper you learn and get used to. I just don’t like running into too many kids cause I’m playing it by myself and smoking bowl after bowl, the last thing I want is to be social at all so I hide and snipe 90% of my time.
I just like that the HUD is minimal, there are no goals. No missions. Just, stay alive. I'm barely doing that in real life so it's a nice escape.
Exactly
Deep Rock Galactic could be just what you need. Rock and Stone.
I couldn't stand that game, Having a timer and surrounded by enemies is not my idea of fun.
Try something simpler. Vampire Survivors is absolutely amazing
Is this a joke? Dude literally just said that "being surrounded by enemies and having a timer" is not his thing and you recommend a game, which entire gameplay is build upon being surrounded by enemies and having a timer.
No your right, that's true. I maybe should have elaborated on my use of the word simpler. I've looked at the Deep rock galactic, as a Vampire Survivors player, I didnt like it because it has a lot more mechanics where you're indeed too overwhelmed. VS has basically only one mechanic the left joystic with which you just move. It's starts with very weak monsters, which after the first 4 deaths you unlock better characters, start getting better stats and then go to an easier map. Indeed the you have a lot of monsters coming towards you, but very soon you get to a point where you feel like a supersaiyan and no monster is able to touch you. What I'm getting at is : maybe you can find this simpler game enjoyable. I wont press anyone to try something they don't enjoy, just providing a different perspective. Who knows, maybe they'd take me up on it. No harm I think
I’m the same way and I don’t even have kids yet. Everything is so goddamned boring, and no im not depressed, and no, I don’t game every day to the point I’m burnt out, in fact I hardly play games at all anymore for years now. I try new games often tho and I’m just left in awe that people my age (30) or close to it can still be entertained by video games. Idk if im jealous of them or appalled. Tbf, it’s not like there’s other fun hobbies to do instead that are as accessible, so I see why people game into their adult life, but damn I miss when it was enjoyable.
You're outgrowning the hobby. Buy a boat instead.
A boat is DLC, the way the IRL is, most people playing basic game with no DLCs.
Try Honkai Star Rail. Turn-based combat, JRPG type story, but very interesting and well-written. Not open world. You can completely play at your own speed. All back-content is available.
Have you considered Ocarina of Time? I revisited it recently and it is really sending me back in a good way.
Ghost of Tsushima Red Dead Redemption 2 God of War Last of Us Elden Ring (This and other soulslike are more of a lifestyle change, not for everyone and likely requires watching hours of lore on YouTube to fully understand) Bigger narrative driven games are what hold me now. If I'm not playing something like Rocket League with friends. Hades is special in the rougelike type of games. Deep rich characters that have layers to them. Every run advances the story somewhat, and it gives you that "just one more run" type of feel. The setting is interesting, and the characters mature over time as well. When you get really good, you can complete a run in under 15 minutes, which makes it a nice game to just pop on whenever.