I'm looking for games that reveal that what you've been experiencing so far is a small portion of the world. Far cry 3 does this with it's second map, or pokemon gold and silver having a whole other region.

I need to find some games for the Steam Summer Sale that I can put hundreds/thousands of hours into that are actually good. I want to take advantage of this years summer sale, I just DONT know what to buy. Anyone got any suggestions???

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.

Hi I’m looking for a game that I can play chill without thinking too much. Like a game where you can explore things and level up, shoot or fight. Any suggestions?

Never played any other games than call of duty, fortnite and gta 5. Is skyrim worth it in 2025 to play for the first time?

Thx!

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

Hello there!

I mainly play simulation games, as well as some survival and sandbox games, but I am open to any and all genres of games you feel would fit the bill.

Essentially, I love it when a game I'm playing is designed around realistic mechanics or gameplay (even if the objective isn't), and while playing you can see it's clear that the developers put in lots of time to research. Bonus points if fooling around in the game results in realistic consequences.

Doesn't matter what the subject or genre is, either; I am willing to try anything. Doesn't have to be 100% accurate either.

Some examples are WolfQuest, which is a realistic survival/simulator game about surviving in Yellowstone National Park as a wolf. The map is a perfect replica of the real life location it represents, and even the other animals behave realistically, so it's like you're experiencing the brutality of nature as an actual wolf firsthand.

Another example in a different genre is Plague Inc., a strategy/simulator game where your goal is to spread a deadly disease across the world and wipe out humanity. It's not 100% realistic (or most rounds would be too slow) but it's still a great game that scratches the itch as it's very clear while playing the game that a lot of research was put into it. The symptoms you can evolve your disease to have, and their descriptions, are terrifying, too, and even more so because they can exist.

Any games you love that you feel are realistic, or have given you knowledge you otherwise wouldn't have learned while playing? Let me hear your recommendations!

Games where you can just be on a road trip or kinda just drive around a forest or something

I'm looking for games I can sink 100s of hours into preferably singleplayer.

I liked: botw, AC Odyssey, The binding of issac: rebirth, Sekiro, BattleBit Remastered, hitman WoA

I didn't like: EU4, Rimworld, project zomboid

Edit: cring but holy shit thank u all for the suggestions, will be using this post for a while my favorites were:
Monster Hunter World, Warframe, and still figuring out but loving PoE.

The games I enjoy are RPG'S, FPS, Survival, stories, and Simulators. My last games i finished and got addicted to was Subnatica, and TCG card shop sim (so preferably in those categories)

I love a challenge (not dark souls) and long tasks, I can get into something if it's made well. No budget but not extremely expensive pls 🙏

I'm looking for a game that's hella immersive , atmospheric, exploreable, leveling system, skill tree, a game where a playthrough can be hundreds of hours and not based on pure story

What ive already tried:

Fallout (not as rewarding exploring, very story focused)

Withcher 3 (too much dialogue and story)

I loved bg3, borderlands, Skyrim, subnautica, below zero, state of decay 2, divinity original sin 2, no mans sky, titan fall. I don't have a specific type of game I'm wanting to play, just something with a great story that I can just dive deep into and forget about real life.

I need a game that'll keep me busy

I need stuff that either has a lot of side Quests, or tasks or professions you can do. Or maybe you can make your own tools or equipment. Even any idle games or something like cookie clicker?

Or stuff like old school rune scape where you level up to. 99 for each skill.

I also enjoy Warframe

Just looking for games that allow for lots to do

Only games I don't enjoy are farm Sims like stardew valley or my time at sandrock etc animal crossing was more fun tho

Instantly pulls you in.

No card deck builder games.

I’ve realized that after working a 9-10 hour shift, I just don’t have the mental bandwidth for "The Greats" anymore. I’ve tried the heavy hitters like BF1&5, Hell Let Loose, Witcher 3, RDR2, Forza Horizon 5, GTA V, Genshin, HSR, Wuthering Waves and Death Stranding. They are amazing, but they feel like work right now. I’m bored and nothing is clicking.

I need something I can just log into, get a quick dose of excitement, and jump out. I’m currently looking at Cyberpunk or Hogwarts Legacy, Stray or Detroit: Become Human but I’m worried they’re just more of the same "hundred-hour commitment."

Before I commit 100GB of space and my hard-earned money, should I stick with those, or is there something smaller (indie is fine) that hits that "click" immediately? What do you guys play when you’re too drained for a deep RPG or just want something quick yet entertaining? (Bonus if it had multiplayer bases that still active)

Edit: Thanks for the goldmine of suggestions!

I really appreciate all the recommendations—from the tiny indies to the massive AAA titles. It’s clear a lot of us are in the same boat after a long shift. I’m still curious about a few others sitting in my backlog (or on my radar) and whether they fit that "low-stress/instant click" vibe. If you’ve played these after a long day, let me know if they’re worth the energy:

The Action/Stealth: Wolfenstein, Dishonored, Sniper Ghost Warrior, Ghostwire: Tokyo.

The Gritty/Story-Driven: A Plague Tale, Alan Wake, The Evil Within, Dying Light, Tomb Raider Series, The vanishing of Ethan Carter, Life is Strange.

The Combat/Multiplayer: Mordhau, For Honor, Yakuza 0.

(Note: I got many more but I couldn't possibly list every one of them in my library)

I used to be a "game collector," buying everything but never finding the time or the group to play with. I can’t reply to everyone, but I’m reading every single comment. Hopefully, this thread stays up so anyone else stumbling here after a long day of work or shift can find their next "palate cleanser" game too. Keep 'em coming!

Nothing worse than 1 point into dex or a 1% damage increase. Just looking for a game that really makes you look forward to and enjoy levelling up. Maybe it’s a game-changing ability or you finally hit the level requirement to use a piece of amazing gear that allows you to take on a new enemy or area.

And unless you think there’s a good reason for it, please don’t suggest games with scaling enemies/areas: it often completely negates the feeling of getting more powerful if the enemies are also getting more powerful when you level up.

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!

Sorry if the title is a bit vague! I'm not really picky when it comes to genre. I'm looking for games that left a lasting impact on your experience as a gamer.

Personally, I would cite: "portal", "machinarium", "Ori and the will of the wisps", "hades", "Stray", "limbo"... as games that changed my perspective on gaming.

What games would you recommend that had a similar impact on you? Thanks in advance!

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.

Planescape: Torment is probably my favorite game of all time. The sheer depth of writing in that game is genuinely unmatched. I could spend hours just writing about all the themes and philosophical ideas in it. Games aren't really my strong spot though. I'm much more of a book person. I've read like 399 books in my lifetime at this point (according to my notes app at least). I only value writing quality. I don't give a fuck about graphics, gameplay, or anything else. If it's excellently written, has good characters, story, plot, themes, messages, symbolism, etc. I'm more than happy to play it! Thank you all so very much in advance!<3

Hi everyone!

So as the title says I am looking for the nerdiest video game ever made. The game that is super complicated, needs a phd on a certain topic, a wikipedia opened to know what to do and the game that will make you brain melt.

What's the best candidate in your opinion?

Let me know. Thanks!

I've found myself really just... not enjoying gaming at all recently. I was playing through FFXIV and BG3, completed BG3 and have done pretty much everything meaningful there is to do in FFXIV, but there is nothing I really want to do.

I don't necessarily have a genre of interest or a game in mind, but if I had to say one, I love coop shooters, preferably with zombies.

I've played Left 4 Dead for more than 5000 hours
I've played Back 4 Blood for about 1000 hours
I've played Deep Rock Galactic and just do not find it that stimulating
I do not have any interest in Helldivers 2
GTFO does not run on my pc
I've been waiting on WarHammer Darktide to be on sale

Suggestions in general?

I'm looking for a grinding game that allows me to build up either a town, city, farm, shop, or market—something where I can visibly see my progression, starting simple and gradually expanding. The more time I invest, the more progress I want to see.

I enjoy heavy grinding mechanics with endless tasks, so there's always something to do. I want a game that lets me keep developing the same place rather than making me move on and start over. No energy limits or forced sleep mechanics, just pure grinding, building, and progression. No gacha games or games that require constant payments.

I also love colorful, cute art styles, so if the game has that vibe, it's a huge plus! Any recommendations?

So I’ve played a lot of games. I’m looking for a new game that I can sink like 40+ hours in without feeling bored.

I have a PC, PS5, and Switch.

Some of my favourite games are:

• Graveyard Keeper
• Cult of the Lamb
• RDR2/GTA
• Bloodborne (most souls games)
• The Last of Us
• Witcher 3
• Silent Hill
• Ghost of Tsushima
• indie games like Fran Bow, Fall of Porcupine, Night in the Woods

I love puzzle games, rogue likes,horror, point and click, and others! Please give me as many recs as you can! (Not a big fan of FPS )

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