What are some good games for having a "backseat driver?"

Hey everyone! Despite my efforts, my fiancé really doesn’t get into video games much. Mechanical skill limitations frustrate her, and sometimes her attention span for games isn’t high when she could read a book or watch a show, I want to try a new tactic to see if it works: games where she can be a “backseat driver.”

I’m mainly thinking of story focused games that aren’t reliant on mechanical skill and where having a second person watching can meaningfully contribute.

Some games I’ve thought of are the Phoenix Wright games, and Return of the Obra Dinn. Does anyone else have suggestions for games I could try to play with her?

Steamdeck verified games preferred, so I can play while docked to our TV.

Kreig,

There's a great YouTube channel that focuses around that question. Not game reviews, but reviews of what it's like to live with someone who plays that game (and how enjoyable it is to backseat that particular game)

https://youtube.com/@GirlfriendReviews

I hope it can give you some inspiration

elscallr,
elscallr avatar

I'd never seen that channel before, but the video on Elden Ring was very entertaining.

ShaunaTheDead,
ShaunaTheDead avatar

lol I loved her review of Sekiro where she said something like "as for the soulsborne series, the latest game, Sekiro, is actually IN COLOR!" that's always been my girlfriend's problem with the soulsborne series, they're so dull and depressing to look at. Sekiro looks lush and beautiful while still maintaining that environment of dread.

mihnt,
mihnt avatar

Firewatch, 100%.

iAmTheTot,
iAmTheTot avatar

If you're into horror, SOMA. It's got an amazing story you can digest together, and there's plenty of puzzles where she could help you figure out the answers. Or be a second set of eyes to look out for clues and the baddies.

EvilBit,

Her Story, Telling Lies, and Immortality (all games by Sam Barlow) are uniquely meta/postmodern FMV games with no input besides consideration, selection, search, and other very democratizable actions. I bet those would go over really well!

Hello_there, (edited )

Unpacking
Talos principle
There are also probably a lot of cutesy puzzle games out there. Grim Fandango is a great puzzle game with an interesting plot/premise. https://store.steampowered.com/app/316790/Grim_Fandango_Remastered/
Disco Elysium? Maybe? I haven't played but it's well know for it's story and decisions.

ninbreaker,

AI Somnium, Ghost Trick, if you're looking for more VN style games. There's also the Persona games, 4 and 5 have safety mode, and half the game is a social sim/VN. Finally there are games like LA Noire, Detroit: Become Human, and Disco Elysium. Games without combat and is all story.

Chris_ni,

Any decision based game would be good. Something where you’re continually made to choose between a series of options, as you can consult your fiancé for the best option.

Crusader Kings III, Stellaris and pretty much any 4X game would be good for this.

Hello_there,

Stellaris would be horrible for someone with a short attention span for games. It takes a while to even understand what's going on, and so much of the experience is micromanagement

!deleted201250,

deleted_by_author

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    Jyrdano,
    Jyrdano avatar

    I would also recommend the Life is Strange games, particularly the first one and the True Colors.

    thepixelfox,
    thepixelfox avatar

    And before the storm. Even though it's set before the first one, I feel it has way more impact if you play it after. The very end, Jesus, if you know... You know...
    Plus it gives good background on the first game.

    Haven't played true colours yet, how would you rate it compared to the first game? Cause while the second one had a good story, I don't think the game overall had the same emotional pull as the first one and I was just glad to finish it so I could stop playing tbh.

    Jyrdano,
    Jyrdano avatar

    Havent played it myself, but I was watching my GF while she played it and it seemed closer to the first game in terms of setting and story than the second one. She is really picky about which games to play, and she enjoyed it.

    saplyng,
    saplyng avatar

    Ahh, I remember when TLOU first came out my parents would sit down to watch and actually get mad if I played without them watching the story - good times

    metaStatic,

    Eve Online

    I know; I'm a terrible person.

    missingno,
    missingno avatar

    Anything turn-based can work. Slay the Spire gives a lot of room to bounce ideas off each other.

    Alatain,
    @Alatain@lemmy.world avatar

    Currently paying Outer Wilds in my steam deck while docked to a tv. It’s been very engaging and fun for my wife and I to sit down and try and solve an interstellar mystery while winding down for the night.

    Interesting game with good art style and interesting mechanics.

    JanoRis,

    This is the best suggestion so far. Outer Wilds is really nice game and fits well for the purpose asked by OP.
    Other games i can see working well:
    -Portal 2
    -Subnautica
    -DavetheDiver
    -Stardew Valley
    -Valheim (more fun coop though)
    -Satisfactory

    If you want to try to play together again Stardew Valley and Portal 2 are also solid coop choices.
    It takes two is also fun with a partner

    AssA,

    Bump Dave the diver. My girlfriend loved watching me play it. It's so cute and lovely animated and the story is pretty decent as well. Want of course the girlfriend classic: star dew valley. Which we even played together

    clovernorth,

    I keep seeing this in steam but haven’t actually checked it out yet

    auhu,
    auhu avatar

    They say it's best to go in blind.

    I hope you're not as stupid as me, because I couldn't figure it out.

    vennac,

    As someone who enjoys backseat driving games, I liked Bug Fables (cute Paper Mario inspired rpg) and Omori (psychological horror rpg).

    On Switch, I enjoyed Paper Mario: The Origami King. There’s a lot of hidden things to notice so I actually felt like I was helping, and the story was fun.

    There are some battles that might take a while, and if I got bored I would check my phone. But overall I feel like I played the games without having touched the controller.

    Molecular0079,

    I think the Divinity Original Sin series and the upcoming Baldur’s Gate 3 might be good options! They’re good story driven games with good dialog, turn-based so not too mechanically demanding, and often times require paying close attention to subtle story beats in order to get the best outcome.

    Last of Us and Uncharted 4 could also be good options because watching someone play the game is like watching a good movie.

    LFR,

    Detroit: Becoming Human, you can make the endless decisions together Live is Strange, as others already said

    lotanis,

    My wife and I call this “Single controller co-op”.

    There are classic point and click adventure games that work well like the Monkey Island series, or more recently Thimbleweed park. Any game with a significant puzzle element works well too - we’ve really enjoyed Tunic.

    MrGerrit,

    Thimbleweed park took me by surprise and really loved that game,

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