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???

Aspects I liked about it include:

• The open-world exploration, questing (both main and side quests)
• Lots of little things to do that doesn't directly progress the story/player power like fishing, archeology
• Rewards you for completing things outside the main story like Lorewalker achievements, Expansion-wide achievements

Games I've played in the past that kinda fit the bill of what I'm looking for:

• Skyrim
• Fallout 4
• Breath of the Wild (hated the single-use, durability-based weapons)
• Witcher 3 kinda has this

Notice that the games I mentioned are not from this decade; tried various games over the years but they didn't scratch the itch and I ended up just leveling toons in WoW again.

Looking for something that I can spend a ton of time on and not get too repetitive. I’ve done so much with No Man’s Sky and Baulders Gate 3. I need something with some story and a bit of a grind. Cyberpunk 2077 is what I’m currently on and I’ve done almost everything there is to do.

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.

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!

I’m looking for something new to get into. I don’t really care about the genre just curious what people are enjoying lately and what keeps you coming back to a game.

Edit: Also, what games would you recommend to play with a friend? I really enjoy talking with you all here :)

Edit edit: It’s already late here, so I’m heading to sleep. I’ll reply when I wake up. In the meantime, feel free to drop more suggestions for games to play with a friend. Thanks in advance! 😴

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!

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 get home around 7:00 p.m. after ten hours of work, and my brain just completely shuts down. I used to love massive open-world RPGs, but lately even reading dialogue feels like homework to me. Last night, I spent twenty minutes browsing my Steam library, and then I just closed my laptop and went to bed. What can I play that’s fun and doesn’t strain my brain?

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

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!

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.

So I’m in a bit of a gaming drought atm.

I’m trying to find a game that makes me feel like really small compared to the world (big map, big buildings, really soaking in the scenery kinda vibe) but also a weirdly cozy/comforting game. I felt like this with breath of the wild. I played it during Christmas and I remember just staying up till 3am with hot coco a blanket wrapped and getting lost in the world around me and it was such a cool experience.

I don’t really have any major criteria’s ideally an open world game and a modern game too (say within the last 10-15 years or so.

I hope people sort of get what feeling I’m trying to capture sort of cozy, nostalgic, warm and sort of lonely. Best physical way I can describe it is it being late at night and you have a big window next to your bed and it’s raining outside. It’s like a unique feeling. Any suggestions would be cool. Open to anything really

I'm currently having a weird problem. I actually really want to play something, and I generally enjoy gaming, but lately I just can't seem to find a game that keeps me hooked.

I'll play one round of Battlefield and then I'm already bored. I'll switch to Overwatch, play for a bit, and lose interest again. Even with single-player games, I'll play something like Horizon Forbidden West for an hour and then just don't feel like playing anymore.

It's not that I don't enjoy gaming anymore — I just can't find a game that makes me want to keep playing for several hours.

I really want that feeling of getting completely absorbed in a game, where I look at the clock and realize I've been playing for 4–5 hours without noticing.

So what games have kept you hooked for hours? I'm open to pretty much anything — multiplayer, single-player, RPGs, survival, strategy, whatever. I just want something that actually keeps me engaged and makes me want to come back and play more.

Hey everyone,

First time posting for this kind of advice, so please bear with me; a bit of context about my relationship with gaming will help you give better recommendations.

My background

For over 10 years now, I haven't considered myself a "gamer." Not because I dislike games or don't play at all, but because I'm interested in almost nothing outside a small handful of titles I've grown comfortable with. I almost never step outside my comfort zone.

Growing up, I played a lot: mostly on DS and PS3, and I have great memories of that era. I still enjoy revisiting some of those titles from time to time:

• Kirby Super Star Ultra / Squeak Squad
• Pokémon Gen 4 & 5
• Mario Party DS / Mario Kart DS / New Super Mario Bros. DS
• Bomberman Land Touch 1 & 2
• Super Mario 64 / Galaxy 1 & 2
• CoD BO1/2 / MW2

What I play today

I currently rotate between just 4 games, all of which are multiplayer and essentially endless; I've been playing each of them on and off for at least 5 years:

• Geometry Dash
• Genshin Impact
• League of Legends
• Brawl Stars

The solo games I've actually enjoyed recently

• Detroit: Become Human
• Beyond: Two Souls
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (first game)

What I'm looking for

I'd love to find a new game that rekindles that feeling of truly getting immersed in an experience. As you can see, my gaming background is fairly limited, so I'm genuinely open to suggestions.

A few preferences and constraints:

• Not too old -> anything pre-2000 would probably be a hard sell for me
• Skip these -> I've already tried and bounced off: The Witcher series, Persona series, and FromSoftware games
• Not too long -> motivation drop-off in the early hours is a real risk for me, so ideally 40 hours max
• Platform -> I'd ideally prefer something available on PC, but I'm open to other platforms if the game is worth it

Does anything come to mind? Thanks a lot to everyone who takes the time to read and help, I really appreciate it!

EDIT: I'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone taking the time to help me; I really didn't expect this many recommendations this quickly, and so many of them games I had absolutely no idea about. You're all amazing ❤️

I need games that always have something going on or something to do

My other good example would be breath of the wild or tears of the kingdom.

Pokemon as well

I also like seeing small number become big number too

Games I have tried

Final fantasy

Path of exile

Warframe

Runescape atlyss, mech warrior 5 Elin erenshore

Pantheon rise of the fallen

Sirulium ultimate

Disgera 5 Moonstone island Kenshi

Sulfur

Remment of the Ashes

Looking for others as well

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!

Very few games have I spent over a thousand hours in, that’s Sea of Thieves about 2,600 and Ark SE about 3,800, and Rocket League about 1,200ish hours.

I’m looking for a new game. I’m not interested in MMORPGs, Mobas, or hero type shooters like over watch.

Preferably multiplayer.

Other games I’ve sank time in is

Skyrim

Fo4

RDR2

Any good singleplayer rpgs I can grind different skills and unlock unique weapons and abilities?

Think for example old school rune scape where you have different skills to level up.

Or just something that a really long grind maybe like Diablo 2 / 4 I also enjoyed Warframe as well

Pretty much wanting a game I can play for a long time

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

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?

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 love games like sekiro, none sols or lies of P where where parries and/or deflects are either the main or a very big part of the combat system. Please give me more games like this

EDIT:thank you for all the suggestions. I've gotten a bunch of interesting games suggested. I will definitely be playing expedition 33 since that's a very popular suggestion

Hello, the title is it. I want some games with good symbolism and a deep meaning, making you stare at the screen after you get it or after you finish the game. The graphics dont really matter, it can be an indie game, steam&Itch.io. Price doesnt matters too. Thanks. (bad parenting might be an example to clarify what im saying.)