If your only issue is that modern games suck, rather than A) Being too exhausted after work, B) Having social media-induced attention deficit, C) Being overwhelmed with other responsibilities or anxiety, or D) Simply just not having enough time, you just have to find games that are actually good. Not AAA grindfests that aim at keeping you glued to the screen getting collectibles for 80 hours, but games that are actually trying to provide you with a worthwhile experience.
Some suggestions: Subnautica, Outer Wilds (not The Outer Worlds), Disco Elysium, Pathologic 2 (mind you, this one is extremely stressful, it’s a masterpiece but most people will not enjoy it), The Forgotten City, Hades and Omori.
Thank you for this distinction! I’ve heard people rave about Outer Wilds and all this time thought they were talking about Outer Worlds, which surprised me because I thought Outer Worlds was boring. Taking a look at gameplay now!
Perhaps you select the wrong games. I kinda stopped gaming for some years. More than an hour was exhausting and most of the games are really boring. Then i rememberd how i loved transport Tycoon and got ottd again. Tanked LOTS of hours into that game. Half a year later i stumbled over factorio again. I bought it in beta and disliked it. Lots or ottd players followup with factorio, so i gave it another try and DAMN iam hooked. Played 60h in the last few weeks, mostly 1-2h hours per day. Its crazy.
If retirement homes don’t have videogames when I’m old, I’ll lobby for voluntary euthanasia. Aging is a straight negative. Arguments about it making life meaningful are copium. I can have a meaningful life of gratitude without my body falling apart.
This is how I felt until I played Valheim and BG3. I think my preferred genres have just shifted. I need something I can relax and play at my own pace. I use to only play competitive shooters, where I needed to be “on” the whole game. Now I can only play a shooter for about an hour before my mind starts to drift and I lose interest.
I am beginning to feel like I only play video games because it feels less lazy than watching tv.
It’s like I’ve just been doing it too long. I don’t even see the game anymore I just see “fetch quest” “grind” “xp rate tuned to encourage microtransactions”.
Even leveling up is like, why? To what end? To face a “harder” enemy, to level up, to face a harder enemy, to level up…
I can’t think of a game I want to play for even an hour.
Legit y’all I wish I didn’t feel like this. Should I take some time off from it or are there any games that aren’t just literally the same thing I’ve been playing since 1993?
Unfortunately the limitations of my pathetic meat suit mean I can only play factorio effectively for about 32hrs straight before needing to power down.
I think the type of game really makes a difference. Games with fetch quests, a laundry list of waypoints on a map, and tons of bland cutscenes in between simple gameplay put me to sleep now.
Challenging games keep me better occupied, because it’s fun to be solving a puzzle of some sort (even if that puzzle is “how to approach this boss”). Strategy and tactics are consistently fun for me too.
This is why I have such a soft spot for From Software games. I don’t care if I have to die 30 times trying to cross a bridge it’ll still keep me engaged trying to figure out a way or just mastering the technique rather than play another Assassin’s Creed tailing mission for 30 minutes following some braindead ai.
I have a habit of playing those for a few days and then becoming so enraged I put it down for a year. I actually just picked PS3 Demon’s Souls to finally get platinum.
The frustration is understandable and I don’t blame anyone for rage quitting, on that note I admire your courage to actually pick up Demon’s Souls. May your controller have the fortitude to accept your wrath and remain whole.
I was feeling that way last year for a good 2 months or so, was seriously considering turning in some of my high end gear for cash and getting my streambox upgraded
Then Battlebit Remastered dropped and I realized I was just really wanting a good Battlefield-style shooter and there wasn’t one to scratch my itch
It’s started up again recently, and upon further reflection I’m in a driving game mood but all the ones out there RN are fucking oof
So maybe it’s the type/quality of the games you’re trying out that’s the issue
For me, the attention span isn’t the problem. I have been going on DOS2 and Factorio benders over the last couple years. For me, it’s about making sure that I don’t have some niggling anxiety in the back of my mind ruining my concentration. Got chores done? Dinner prepped? Laundry done? Animals fed? Game time baybee.
The trick is to push through the anxiety and truly become a worthless pile of shit destroying kids in online shooters, running solely on off-brand Cola, microwave pizza and self-loathing
Spot on. You have zero responsibilities at that age, except for maybe some homework and a few minimal chores. As an adult all you can think about is the endless todo list.
Oh man, Factorio is the black hole that has absorbed the most hours of any game I’ve ever played. I wouldn’t have enjoyed it much in my youth, but it’s the perfect fit for me now!
I just got a Steam Deck, and I bought Baldur’s Gate 3. Pretty sure I’ll finish it on my deathbed. It feels like the hour here or there that I manage to play is not getting me anywhere fast.
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