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Background: I'm a chronic min/max-er in almost every game that I play. In MMOs, I'll play FOTM classes or follow build guides to the letter. I'll spend time trying to get the optimal graphics settings. To me, there has always been "a right way" to play a class, the game, etc. And that thinking has worn. me. down. I've realized that it's less about trying to be good at the game and more about offloading the cognitive load that comes with learning complicated game systems onto someone else. --- I'm one of those people who loves a good challenge (favorite games include Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Hollow Knight), and I'm currently playing Helldivers 2 while waiting for FF7 Rebirth to come out. Between the action in those games and the inability to just let myself relax, I'm just looking for a game that isn't mindless, but...mindful? Something I can play that's "cozy" and relaxing, but also engaging and purposeful. Enter one of my other favorite games: Stardew Valley. While you can choose to min/max, it never feels like you have to. In fact, it never feels like you "have" to do anything. It never feels like I'm playing the game "wrong" somehow; investing time in doing one thing that I enjoy it doesn't have drastic negative consequences or catch-up elsewhere. Yes, maybe I won't grow the most valuable crops if I just want to fish, but the fish sells for money that I can use to still improve the farm in a different way. If I want to fish, I can fish; if i want to farm, I can farm. The problem with Stardew Valley is that my partner enjoys it for the same reasons, and we've played it to death. I'm also trying to find a game that I can play on my own. So, all of this might be a stretch, but I'm hoping someone can recommend me a game or games that will help me relax with the following wishlist:
People have recommended Animal Crossing: New Horizons to me, but, even though I haven't played it, that game just screams "grind" to me. I know that's probably a lot to ask for, but I'm really hoping for some recommendations to help me unwind.
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Feb 24, 2024 03:08
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| # ¿ May 13, 2024 03:39 |
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FutureCop posted:I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for the best top-down Diablo-ish ARPG with really satisfying, juicy and impactful combat feedback and effects. I'm talking hits that really feel and sound like they're physically connecting and making enemies react by reeling away or exploding into gibs, slower animations that have great anticipation wind-ups to really sell the power behind the move, distinct and vibrant sound and graphics to make every skill feel special and crackle with energy, and so on. It feels like a lot of these ARPGs turn you into this lighting-fast animation-cancelling insta-cast spammy character that carves through goons like a hot knife through butter, and while that certainly has an appeal and I enjoy games like that, a lot of the times it can feel so frictionless, so unimpactful, and I was wondering if there were some that go another way. Another option is perhaps a certain class in an ARPG that really sells this aspect more so than the others. So, while I can't speak for it personally, some friends of mine have been trying to get me into Last Epoch. It just launched version 1.0 on Steam this week, and people have compared it favorably to Path of Exile and Diablo 4 if you were dissatisfied with those. After watching this YouTube video on picking a class, the Void Knight, Lich, and Necromancer classes look interesting enough for me to pick it up eventually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdSD0bNDnq4 Again, no personal experience with this one, and I think the servers might be getting slammed, but it could be worth a look. I wish that Lost Ark had turned out differently for me. The gatekeeping is ridiculous.
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Feb 24, 2024 14:58
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Jack Trades posted:Are you familiar with our lord and savior My Time at Sandrock? Coming from Stardew Valley, how does this compare to SV and Coral Island, another game a friend of mine is recommending to me in the same vein? Reviews have me leaning toward Sandrock, but does anyone have experience with both (or all 3)?
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Apr 22, 2024 10:13
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Does anyone have any opinions on the various "HD-2D" games out there (e.g. Octopath Traveler 1/2, Live A Live, Sea of Stars, etc.)? I want to try something with that HD pixel art style and a good narrative, but ideally not too challenging.
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Apr 22, 2024 22:54
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Can anyone recommend some cheap, non-PS+ featured, PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 console exclusive games for under $10-15? I've got some PlayStation wallet funds to spend, the May Savings sale is on, and I need to make two full game purchases to level up my Playstation Stars rank. If I'm going to buy something on the PS Store, I ideally want it to be something I can't get on Steam and that has either replayability or is worth the price of admission up front. I don't want to go for throwaway games like "Pet the ___". I'd like to find some kind of a gem down in the lower price ranges.
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Apr 27, 2024 20:53
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