Video Game Recommendations

[Jerry1]

I’ve had some health issues and expect that I’ll be more inclined to stay inside this winter. I have a PS5 that I got mostly for when the grandkids come over but I have one game I like playing - 2K Golf. In fact, I just updated to the latest version - 2K23. I like it because it’s a one player game that I can play anytime. I also like it because it’s range of difficulty goes from pretty easy to extremely difficult. Then of course, it fits into my fantasy of some day being a good golfer. Well maybe never IRL, but in the game, I’m doing pretty well.

For those of you who play video games, what is one or two you would recommend and why do you like it? I’m looking to add a couple more games for the winter, which is unfortunately right around the corner. Thanks.

 

[aja8888]

W2R is a game playing fanatic. Maybe check in with her!

 

[W2R]

W2R is a game playing fanatic. Maybe check in with her!

I love playing video games, but I haven't played Playstation games in a very long time. I play Nintendo games, on the Nintendo Switch console. Since he has a Playstation 5, he'll probably want a game that would work on that console.

Sorry, Jerry! I'm sure some other people here can help. We have lots of forum members who enjoy video gaming. Katsmeow comes to mind, IIRC? And others!

 

[Jerry1]

I love playing video games, but I haven't played Playstation games in a very long time. I play Nintendo games, on the Nintendo Switch console. Since he has a Playstation 5, he'll probably want a game that would work on that console.

Sorry, Jerry! I'm sure some other people here can help. We have lots of forum members who enjoy video gaming. Katsmeow comes to mind, IIRC? And others!

Still, what type of games do you like and what is it about them that you like. I’ve tried most of the battle games (where you fight an opponent) with the grandsons and I don’t really like them. I’m not good, for one, and they’re not much fun if it’s only one person playing against the game generated players.

The games where you go around rooms and look for stuff and figure out secret passages are okay, but I’m pretty dense and I find myself stuck pretty quickly. Maybe if I applied myself

 

[11522914]

I'm a huge Call of Duty fan. It's a shooter war game. They usually come out with a new version once a year. Probably play at least an hour a day.

You can play the campaign in single mode and pick which level you feel comfortable with. It can be quite challenging and frustrating but you're playing against the computer.

I actually don't play the campaign mode anymore. I buy it to play the multiplayer mode. You play against other players throughout the world.

And these players are tough. Until you get good it can be quite frustrating. Learn in campaign mode before you attempt multiplayer.

Here is a trailer for the newest version coming out.
https://youtu.be/r72GP1PIZa0

I play on a Xbox One.

Edit. I just saw your last message. You probably won't like this game.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Have you checked your local library system? Ours loans out video games.

Another way to look at games before you purchase them is to watch players live-stream their games on Twitch. There are often videos of past livestreams as well.

There are now online computer versions of the games. DS loves to play a group version of Zelda Ocarina of Time, in which players find items for other players, the music is scrambled, and the dungeons may be scrambled. And they joke and chat throughout. It can be quite hilarious at times. He livestreams his games on Twitch then posts them on his private YouTube channel.

 

[Jerry1]

Edit. I just saw your last message. You probably won't like this game.

I do like the idea of playing a game with others around the world but I get your point, you have to be good at it before you venture into that territory or you’ll just be frustrated. Being kind of new to gaming, I figure i may need to pick out a game or two to focus on for any multiplayer action. In fact, golf has a way to play others, but I haven’t got good enough to try entering that space. And, when I play golf, I feel like I’m playing against myself instead of trying to beat the computer.

 

[11522914]

I do like the idea of playing a game with others around the world but I get your point, you have to be good at it before you venture into that territory or you’ll just be frustrated. Being kind of new to gaming, I figure i may need to pick out a game or two to focus on for any multiplayer action. In fact, golf has a way to play others, but I haven’t got good enough to try entering that space. And, when I play golf, I feel like I’m playing against myself instead of trying to beat the computer.

I understand. The realism of COD is unbelievable. You feel like you're right in the battlefield. I play on a 70 inch tv screen. And I love playing other people because you capitalize on their mistakes or inexperience. Computer opponents just don't compare.

Check out the Uncharted series. I haven't played that in awhile but it wasn't nearly as intense or frustrating but quite challenging and fun.

 

[W2R]

Still, what type of games do you like and what is it about them that you like. I’ve tried most of the battle games (where you fight an opponent) with the grandsons and I don’t really like them. I’m not good, for one, and they’re not much fun if it’s only one person playing against the game generated players.

The games where you go around rooms and look for stuff and figure out secret passages are okay, but I’m pretty dense and I find myself stuck pretty quickly. Maybe if I applied myself

My favorite game for the past few years has been Animal Crossing. Basically you are in a town with anthropomorphic animal residents that wear clothes and speak English. You can do a lot of things to make the town nicer; for example, you can flatten or build mountains, re-route streams, build bridges and stairways and roads, expand the size of your home, put statues around town, and so on. You can catch (and sell!) fish and insects, you can dive for undersea creatures, shop for cool stuff at the town's store, talk to the animals, donate critters to the museum, and so on. The game never ends because you can keep collecting stuff and improving the town indefinitely. There's no rush or pressure because you can take as long as you want, with no problems.

It's not a good game for those who want to have battles and win wars, since it's more of a "how nice can I make this town?" type of game. It's a great game for stress relief. You can either play it alone, or with others whose character can visit your town (and vice versa) via the internet.

You can see what it's like to play any video game by searching on Youtube for "let's play" videos of the game.

 

[old medic]

Never been big on video games.. never owned a console, but have played a bunch of different games on computer over the years. I rather play something that you need to build or figure out than War/Shooter games.
Our grandson got me into playing Minecraft a couple years back.

 

[Jerry1]

Thanks WR2 and old medic, I’ll look into some sim games. I’m sure there’s plenty for the PS5.

 

[VanWinkle]

Former World of Warcraft player here. Great Role playing game with different groups across the world. It is an on-line subscription game with a vast world to explore. This is PC based and requires high end graphics capability to get the most out of the game. Do not start this game unless you have a lot of time to kill.

VW

 

[Qs Laptop]

I highly recommend the Nathan Drake "Uncharted" series. I've played the first two in the series, "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" and "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves", back when my sons were still living at home. This was on a PS3 but I'd imagine they'd work on a PS5, since it's one of PlayStations most popular games ever.

This is a game that plays like a movie where you take on the role of Nathan Drake, a globetrotting adventure seeker who is looking for a treasure. Along the way you meet all sorts of characters, picking up clues to the location of the treasure. As you explore there are puzzles to solve and bad guys to fight.

It's a one-player game, however there is some sort of optional online group aspect to it, though I didn't play that because I didn't feel comfortable matching up my skill level with others.

I like the game because there was a narrative, a story to follow, and as the player you had to use your brains just as much as your PlayStation controller. The graphics are very well done and improve with each sequel in the game. You do get into some perilous situations which require innovative thinking and physical skills to survive. You have a buddy named Sully, who is in his 50's and is an entertaining wise cracking sidekick who helps you along the way.

 

[Aerides]

You probably want to do a little reading on terminology to find your preferred genres and then poke around in them.

Battle games can mean a lot:

• Battle royale is the newer entry where you try to be last man standing among several opponents (fortnite works that way).
• FPS - first person shooter - you probably see a gun on the screen and not your character. Call of Duty and the like.
• RPG - role playing games. If you like fantasy and mediaval stuff (knights and dragons and wizards) there is a whole world here. Most of the Final Fantasy series would apply, except 14 which is...
• MMORPG - role playing in big open worlds with thousands of others. You form groups (party) to raid dungeons, fight dragons. FF14, WoW, many in this space. Most of these now cater to all levels. Hard core raiders don't interact with newbs, but newbs gather and do not tolerate "salty" stuff. But yeah, save one of these for a later go.
• Sports - EA stuff, there's a game for all of them, NBA, NFL, Hockey.

Oh and if I had a PS5 I'd be playing Stray. You play a stray cat, it's a single person puzzle oriented game and looks great.

DH is excited for Marvel's Midnight Sun's - a tactical marvel hero single-player coming in early Dec.

For ideas on current games, have a read on Kotaku. They are big gaming site with reviews of everything. They have lots of "best of" lists so you can dig around and see what's out there, with a good write up on each to get an idea of what looks interesting. Anything you like will be $10 cheaper in November, and a lot of new releases will be hitting for the holidays.

 

[W2R]

You probably want to do a little reading on terminology to find your preferred genres and then poke around in them.

Battle games can mean a lot:

• Battle royale is the newer entry where you try to be last man standing among several opponents (fortnite works that way).
• FPS - first person shooter - you probably see a gun on the screen and not your character. Call of Duty and the like.
• RPG - role playing games. If you like fantasy and mediaval stuff (knights and dragons and wizards) there is a whole world here. Most of the Final Fantasy series would apply, except 14 which is...
• MMORPG - role playing in big open worlds with thousands of others. You form groups (party) to raid dungeons, fight dragons. FF14, WoW, many in this space. Most of these now cater to all levels. Hard core raiders don't interact with newbs, but newbs gather and do not tolerate "salty" stuff. But yeah, save one of these for a later go.
• Sports - EA stuff, there's a game for all of them, NBA, NFL, Hockey.

Oh and if I had a PS5 I'd be playing Stray. You play a stray cat, it's a single person puzzle oriented game and looks great.

DH is excited for Marvel's Midnight Sun's - a tactical marvel hero single-player coming in early Dec.

For ideas on current games, have a read on Kotaku. They are big gaming site with reviews of everything. They have lots of "best of" lists so you can dig around and see what's out there, with a good write up on each to get an idea of what looks interesting. Anything you like will be $10 cheaper in November, and a lot of new releases will be hitting for the holidays.

+1 I used to play RPG's a lot back in the 1980's and 1990's, and enjoyed them too.

Another thing to think of is this: You already have a PS5, and they are very expensive and nearly impossible to get for any price without either sitting on a waiting list for eternity or dealing with scalpers. There must be SOME game that you had in mind, that you were dying to play, and that requires a PS5, or you wouldn't have gone through all that! So, maybe it's time to get THAT game.

 

[Car-Guy]

The last video game(s) I played were Pong, Space Invaders and Pac Man but I was a kid when I played them. Well maybe in my 20's... Maybe I'm missing something but I don't keep up with this stuff so I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[Aerides]

The last video game(s) I played were Pong, Space Invaders and Pac Man but I was a kid when I played them. Well maybe in my 20's... Maybe I'm missing something.

Yes, but that's fine. It's like saying "I haven't watched TV since 'I Love Lucy' what are you all talking about?"

Marquee games often have bigger sales than movies these days.

 

[Car-Guy]

Marquee games often have bigger sales than movies these days.

I'm still learning new things here .

 

[Masquernom]

For Play Station, I've played Diablo III. For computer, try Everquest. You can play Everquest for hours per day for years. If Everquest is too hard, World of Warcraft is an easier alternative.

 

[Jerry1]

+1 I used to play RPG's a lot back in the 1980's and 1990's, and enjoyed them too.

Another thing to think of is this: You already have a PS5, and they are very expensive and nearly impossible to get for any price without either sitting on a waiting list for eternity or dealing with scalpers. There must be SOME game that you had in mind, that you were dying to play, and that requires a PS5, or you wouldn't have gone through all that! So, maybe it's time to get THAT game.

Actually, I had no game in mind. What happened is that I wanted to get one for my daughters house for last Christmas (for the grand kids). And, because it was supposed to be hard to get, I’d be a hero! Well once I got into it, I was able to get them pretty easy. I ended up getting three PS5’s and one Xbox. I love a shopping challenge. That was more fun than shopping at Amazon, for sure

So I sold one of the PS5’s and the Xbox (no profit, just to make some friends kids happy) and I gave one PS5 for Christmas (and I was a hero. Gonna be hard to beat that this year), and I kept one for myself for when the kids come over. Having it here, I did find and like golf, but I really didn’t have anything in mind when I bought it except that I was up for a challenge.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I also play MLB: The Show, which is a baseball simulation. Stunningly accurate graphics. Game play can be set to easy and goes up to near impossible. I play against the computer, but again, there is a thriving online community where you can test your skills against others. I'm too much of a chicken to try this (so far.)

You can opt to be the general manager of a team. Draft players, make trades, demote and promote being minor/major leagues, etc. Or you can be the manager of a team and make all the in-game moves. In other words, you don't have to pitch and bat if you don't want to. There are so many options and skill levels that it's relatively easy to pick up how to play this game by choosing beginner levels.

I like to do the feature "Road to the Show" where you are a recently drafted 20-something trying to get to the big leagues. You start at the minor league level in A ball and try to work your way up. It's a good way to learn how to play The Show and you get to see your progress as your "career" progresses. I've only made it to AAA. I usually like to be a pitcher because then you are in for a lot more gameplay than a position player.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I'm picky about video games, I really can only get into puzzle/world exploration games. I hate time pressure to perform intricate inputs, I much prefer searching and exploring. If those sound like things you'd like, I have played Portal and Portal 2 through more than a few times, they're hilarious and fun. Some other, more story-driven games that require exploration, investigation, and puzzle solving are Twin Mirror and Tell Me Why, and anything from the Tales from the Borderland, Life Is Strange, and Monkey Island series.

 

[qwerty3656]

On switch I enjoy Breath of the Wild, my kids keep telling me to try Mario Cart. On PS4/5 I am currently playing Elden Ring, but it is a very difficult almost exclusively combat type game.

 

[kingkarmann]

I don't have first hand experience but I understand "Leisure Suit Larry" can be a fun distraction...

 

[ER Eddie]

For those of you who play video games, what is one or two you would recommend and why do you like it? I’m looking to add a couple more games for the winter, which is unfortunately right around the corner. Thanks.

Hi, Jerry. I enjoyed PS4 all last gen and recently picked up a PS5. I am currently enjoying Horizon Forbidden West. I don't think it would be a good choice for you, though, since you sound kind of new to gaming. It's an RPG with a lot of unique mechanics, and it can be tough if you're not accustomed to the "language" of these games.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a good platformer-shooter. I don't know if you've played any of the other R&C games. They are family-friendly, rather straightforward games with cartooney characters and plenty of humor and action. You can go on Youtube and check out gameplay video (that's a good way to get a sense of whether you might enjoy a game -- check out gameplay video or reviews). Ratchet and Clank on PS4 might be a better intro, or at least cheaper (most PS4 games are playable on PS5).

If you haven't checked out the Uncharted franchise, consider that. It has an Indiana Jones vibe -- lots of action, good characters, humor. The first three games are the best, the last (4) is a bit lame, imo (new director turned it into a family drama). You can get them individually for cheap, or all three in visually remastered form in Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection for about $20.

If you like sports games, there is also baseball (MLB The Show) and football (Madden) to consider. I've never played them, so I can't really comment. If you are up for a hardcore racing sim, there is Gran Turismo. There are more casual racing games as well (e.g., Need for Speed). Not really my thing, but some people like them.


Tips:

1. If you're a beginner, set the game difficulty to easy. You can raise it up to normal if it turns out to be unchallenging.

2. If you get stuck, you can look up walkthroughs on the net or Youtube. For instance, if you're stuck in Uncharted 2, you can just google "Uncharted 2, chapter four" (or whatever), and there will be someone walking you through what to do, sometimes with a video. Everyone gets stuck, so no shame in getting a little help.

Happy gaming.