Non-obvious gaming recommendations?

[chevalier]

Hi,

I’m a formerly avid gamer looking for some recommendations.

My favourite genres include:

• RPG and similar types of games that don’t fit the definition, but I’d be new to Adventure and used to be at best mediocre at FPS/TPS
• all manner of strategy, including economy sims and builders/tycoons
• car rallies, and to a lesser extent other racers — I’m into tracks and views and so on, not really into realistic damage and accurate F1 physics

For RPG, I’ve played or decided to skip most of AAA classics, anything major gaming press would write about, so I’d be looking for non-obvious recommendations. My favourite series have included Mass Effect, Dragon Age and The Witcher, though I had some issues with the latter two, even skipped TW2 because of religious concerns after being asked to draw a Satanic symbol in-game. Obviously, while I can tolerate some passive exposure to the evil side of magic, I still want to avoid being asked to actively mimic anything remotely associable with Satanism. Whatever has happened to old-style fantasy? Must everything released nowadays be dark fantasy? I don’t want to play Pillars of Eternity or Skyrim because of all the occult business with souls.

For strategies, I’ve played a lot of the Total War series (Medieval 1 & 2, Shogun 2, intending to play Attila and Thrones of Britannia, Three Kingdoms and maybe something else), grand strategies such as Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings series (I’d rather skip this subgenre), and RTS series such as Command & Conquer, Warcraft and Starcraft. And turn-based titles such as Civilization and Heroes of Might & Magic. I like a good econ sim like Tropico (already have Tropico 5).

Rallies and racers, say, Dirt 1 to 4, Grid 1 and 2, some Need for Speed and Test Driver titles, and that’s probably it. I don’t want it too easy, but arcade more than sim.

I would especially appreciate a positive message; you know, something to brighten gloomy days. At the same time, I’d rather be doing something general, or, well, doing something, anything, rather than watching numbers increase or decrease or passively supervising something the game does on its own.

My hand-eye is impaired, which I sort of make up for with focus and training, but I’ll never be above average, so there’s a chance I might be unable to finish a game that puts much emphasis on that. Even using both keyboard and mouse is a challenge if there are too many shortcuts to remember, too many things to do etc. (it’s okay in Mass Effect or similar games, but nothing more demanding than that).

And I’m not really into tactical sims like Rainbow Six, for some reason.

And I’d appreciate nice, demanding visuals to enjoy my bargain-hunted 1070ti (in 1080/1440p) while it’s still somewhat new.

Any great ideas I’ve missed?

 

[jlc2k2]

I haven’t played it myself but have you played Red Dead Redemption? It’s been highly recommended to me and is on my wishlist. Though that probably doesn’t fit the positive message.

Have you signed up for the Epic games service that’s like Steam? If you do, Subnautica is free for a while.

 

[Roguish]

For RPG, I’ve played or decided to skip most of AAA classics, anything major gaming press would write about, so I’d be looking for non-obvious recommendations.

Not sure if this counts as non-obvious, but in the RPG department I must ask if you’ve played Planescape Torment?

It’s old and won’t raise the temperature of your graphics card by a degree, but story-wise I think there never was a better game. Available through Steam here.