by friedtofu | 2025-07-13 22:15:18+00:00
Kibwen gets it, not to knock the other user who suggested Subnautica, but that would likely be one of the last games I would think to recommend, its too much for a first game. Too many gameplay mechanics, too many objectives(and side objectives you set for yourself) I would think it would just be overwhelming for a "first" game.

To go on top of kibwen's questions; what kind of game do you think you'd like? Do you like a long movie/book that gets you heavily invested in the character?

Do you tend to prefer genres like action, romance, comedy, drama, or even sub-genres like spy films, whodunnit, slapstick over dry humor etc etc. I'm not asking for you to respond with all of these answers but it if you're looking for something that will click with you - you have a better chance using whatever genre/styles you like in other entertainment mediums.

Lastly, do you want to see what you've "missed out on" in the last couple of decades us nerds(collectively) consider the creme de le creme? Or are you looking for a game you* specifically will enjoy? Again, just something to think about.

As someone in their mid-30s whose dad got me into gaming when I was in diapers while I watched him play Hexen and Tribes 2, here are some random games off the top of my head - these will only include 'modern' games aside from roguelike/card/'programming' games, going from what I think would be "easy" to "hard" in terms of accessibility:

Portal 1/2 Terraria/Minecraft Half life 1/2(maybe at a lower difficulty) Team fortress 2(something my father still plays today) Disco Elysium Uncharted Series """ this is the point I'd consider to be somewhat difficult at this point) many of these games I recommend just becuss the developers are known for their intuitive introductions to controls, UI, gameplay mechanics, etc. I'm really not sure about Disco Elysium though you may want to research it a bit more and see if its something youd be interested in)

""" And for some personal picks if you're able to pick these games up or want something further down the road some of my personal favorites of the last decade(definitely not titles I'm recommending for a first): """

Nier Automata/Nier Replicate Baldur's gate (series) Mass Effect(1-3, the only ones that exist :) ) The Witcher 3(the first two are great as well IMO but haven't aged well visually or in terms of gameplay mechanics) Metaphor: Refantazio The 'Yakuza' series or as its now named 'Like a Dragon' Claire Obscura: Expedition 33 Red Dead Redemption(old and new)

And if you destroy any or all of these games or find yourself to be a masochist when it comes to games you can try my personal favorite series(toss up between nier):

Dark Souls(and all of the spinoffs available to PC)

I purposely stayed away from games from genres that kibwen mentioned, although I think those are much better choices than my own.

Oh and as far as controller; either a Nintendo switch pro controller or ps4/5 controller would be my go to if you don't like the feel of keyboard/mouse. A decent headset like a Bose QC37(whatever the most recent over ear headset is) or just a decent sound system(doesn't have to be a headset) as well as a decent monitor with a refresh rate higher than 120Hz...

I went on forrr wayyy longer than I expected to, but hopefully some of what I said makes sense. If nothing else just research the 'easy' titles and kibwens recommendations.

I'd just hate for you to pickup a game that just didn't vibe with and have it ruin your reintroduction with gaming. As I alluded to at the top, movies and games share enough similarities where it feels almost like someone asking "I haven't watched movies/TV/read any entertaining books in the last few decades, which movie/TV show/book would you recommend for me?"