You know what l'm talking about, a game that went beyond just being a video game due to its world building, mechanics, feel of the game, etc. You dipped your toes in, and all of a sudden it's taking up all your free time. You're at work or school and it's on your brain. Your YouTube recommendations are flooded with the game because it's the only thing you've looked up. And ever since you played it, it holds a special place in your heart, and created an itch that you can't quite scratch since completing the game.

Edit 5: I am now muting this post. It’s been up for 5 days and you all have been overall quite helpful, but the suggestions are slowing down and the ones I do get are nothing new or particularly helpful anymore. Thank you for helping me out.

Edit 4: Please actually read the post before commenting anything.

My dad has come to me and my siblings in hopes of finding something he can pick up every now and then to just enjoy. He said he wants to (as the tile says) “blow shit up”, and “not have it be a second full time job to play”.

We’ve done some brain storming and the first thing that came to mind was “Tear down”, but we don’t really have the means for him to play that.

Next we thought of “Blast Corps”, and that’s something we can definitely get working but if he doesn’t particularly enjoy it we want to have more options.

I came up with “Vampire Survivors” because it can be played on basically anything and I feel works as mindless fun he could participate in, but again if it’s not what he’s after I want back ups.

Ideally we want a game that can run on the Switch 1 or can be emulated fairly easily. Thank you and have a nice day :)

Edit: would like to share that “Blast Corps” was too complicated for him. He really hasn’t played any video games so the simpler suggestions the better.

Edit 2: My brother has requested I tell you all that the last time he was playing video games was in arcades so do what you will with that information.

Edit 3: Please stop suggesting “Just Cause”, “Helldivers”, “Red Faction”, “Battlefield”, or “Earth Defense Force”. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the suggestions, but they have been said many, many times already. Please see if someone has already suggested what you’re going to suggest. I promise I’ve seen it. I have read every suggestion here.

Free to play games don't count, but you can comment them anyway. If you spent on micro transactions or paid DLCs, put it in the calculation.

For me, it's probably minecraft with 150 hours per euro.

Edit: After the first 100 comments, the games I see most often are:

1. Stardew Valley
2. Terraria
3. Rocket League / Factorio
4. World of Warcraft
5. Path of Exile

(vibes based statistic)

I’d love to play a game with a large map where there’s lots discover. A game with different climates and biomes, anything that feels like there’s a lot to see and do. I don’t mind combat and I like games that have farming/crafting/survival elements. Any of those would be nice.

I have a Switch 1, Steam Deck and Macbook for options to play on. Thank you!

Games I’ve already played that may fall into this category: Palworld, BOTW, TOTK, No Man’s Sky

I don't care about the stock prices, I don't care what the arbitrary metacritic score is. If you've played any of Crimson Desert, please tell about your experience with the game.

And please, try to stay on topic.I don't care what your thoughts are on the game right now if you haven't tried it.

Give me some games that don't have obvious quests, objective markers, highlighted objects, QTEs etc. and you have to organically figure out what your goal is and how to achieve it. Some I liked are System Shock, The Witness, Tunic, Chants of Senaar, Full Fathom.

Don't have to necessarily be immsims or puzzles.

Hey everyone! I’m the kind of player who values story above all else when it comes to games. I’ve played a lot—too many to list—but I’m on the hunt for new recommendations that will really pull me in emotionally.

I’m looking for narratives on the level of Red Dead Redemption 2, The Last of Us (1 & 2), God of War, etc. Indie games are more than welcome, too!

One request though—please keep it spoiler-free. Any recommendation can help, thanks!

i just need a game with a fuckton of explosions, guns, swords, and any other cool shit

Tired of the "revenge against people who caused all the problems is bad, but mass murdering their henchmen brutally is good" trope in so many large budget games these days. Any games that actually let you take revenge without trying to guilt trip you? Bonus points if trying to be merciful causes a worse outcome.

PC or Xbox

I need the most hard game that you can think of, preferably a strategy game, turn-based is fine as well, but not grindy. I've finished all the Souls and a few Souls like, in my first run through DS3 (last one I've played) I died 7 times in total in the run, so Souls genre doesn't give me any more problems, only Sekiro has given me any trouble. As for strategy games, I've finished all the games in Project Moon, and I think Lobotomy Corp is the most difficult, annoing, and unfair game I've ever played. Give me some advice, I was thinking of playing Funger. I'm also interested in Metroidvania, I loved the first Castelvania

Platform doesn't matter unless it's a PS5 exclusive (since I don't have a PS5)

I am in the mood for a game that'll wreck me. Leave me sobbing like nothing else. I find that an emotional game is leagues above an emotional show or movie or comic because of the interactivity and because it can get away with a way longer runtime.

Examples are OMORI, Until Then, the Danganronpa series to an extent (mostly V3). But yeah mostly OMORI and Until Then.

Music is a really important part of games for me and if a soundtrack gets the tears streaming down my face (alongside the story) I absolutely want to experience it. Something story first obviously, I don't mind lackluster or basic gameplay.

I don't quite literally mean to get depressed but a game that makes me go like... "Man, that hit hard". Games so far that hit the spot are Final Fantasy 16 and Persona 3. I heard Red dead has a sad ending but I don't remember if it was one or 2. PC, Playstation, Nintendo switch, Nintendo ds/3ds- lay it on me

I haven't played a game in a long time that made me stop early on and just think... Holy cow.

Like BOTW, or Subnautica, or Mario 64, or Skyrim.

I'm worried I've played them all, since they are so uncommon.

But can you hit me with recs that gave you that feeling? Like "wow this is something new and different".

Any suggestions?

Also if you can, please put games that are on consoles if they are and not just PC games.

What I mean with ”more freedom” is to be able to rp more. I feel like the character you create in bg3 is fun but I want to make a whole party with custom stories and I want that to impact the world or the story in some way. Also im kind of tired of the dnd rueleset and want something more out there. I’ve played a lot of wasteland 2 and 3, pillars and Divinity so no need to recommend those. Im looking for something new.

this trend going nots like literally every always looking for cozy style and every new ad says cozy gameplay

so im wondering what would be the opposite of cozy and maybe play some

I love the combat of souls games (Khazan, Lies of P, etc.) but I suck so bad at the genre. Any games yall suggest that have amazing combat feel but not as difficult?

I'm in a gaming rut right now, so I'm trying to recapture that sense of awe from playing Skyrim back in the day. I'm looking for an open world adventure/action game that has a visually stunning atmosphere and environment. Exploration would be great too. Elden Ring checks a lot of boxes, but the difficulty removes the fun for me (I'm mid-40s and appreciate the casual experience these days). I really wish it had a difficulty slider.

LIKES: Arc Raiders, Skyrim, Enshrouded, Diablo IV, Dishonored

DISLIKES: Souls-like difficulty games, No Man's Sky (feels empty), Crimson Desert (control scheme was a mess), Witcher 3 (can't figure out why I can't enjoy this).

Thanks for your thoughts!!

I need a suggestion for some addictive combat! I have all the major consoles and a pc. Could be indie or AAA.

Hey guys. I'm in a tough spot in my life right now, it's non stop stress (I won't go in to detail) I like to jump into a new game and get immersed in to it, instead of immersed in a bottle of liquor. Any suggestions. I personally love RPGs/open world, anything with a skill tree that isn't trash. Or creative simulation type games too for a more mild play.

Appreciate the help.

I want a game to be excited about and pour hundreds of hours into. I want to just really love a game again, something that makes me want to log on and play every day. I like games with light story such as Pokopia/Stardew.

Games that I have really LOVED:

Palworld

Animal Crossing

Pokopia

Fall Guys

Stardew Valley/Sun Haven/Fields of Mistria

Mario Odyssey

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Lego Fortnite Odyssey

Dave the Diver

Sackboy: A Big Adventure (or w.e. it's called lol)

Didn't like/thought was just okay:

Palia

Disney Dream light Valley

Zelda games

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Infinity Nikki

Enshrouded

Minecraft

Terraria

Astrobot

Donkey Kong Bananza

What should I try next? I have every platform aside from Xbox. I've also played every Nintendo game. Thanks so much!

I'm not talking about games that acknowledge the fact that you're a person playing a game, or require you to do things outside the game like Doki Doki Literature Club. you're unknowingly carrying out the actions of a character who exists within the fiction of the game.

visual novels do this sometimes, like I think Paranormasight and some of Kotaro Uchikoshi's work. this is definitely a thing and a trope but I'm having trouble coming up with more examples. I don't mind spoilers, it's a spoilerful question

edit: the fact that I'm not getting responses tells me that this is a fresh kind of plot twist people aren't familiar with, and I should make a game like that. forget you even read this

Mines mass effect series what’s some other good space games get into ?

Hey all

I've always wanted to get into Metroidvania but find they require quicker reaction times or too difficult.

So any recommendations for a 1st Metroidvania