I’m a 30 year old woman who’s only really played card and puzzle games on my phone. Im considering new hobbies. Is it worth trying to get into video games for the first time. Where would I even start.

  • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    Lots of good advice here, but I would just add, start with your interests and work out from there. You like puzzle games? Portal is a great physics puzzle game, so you might like that. It’s also a 3D platformer, so you’ll find out if you like games with a lot of running and jumping. It’s also technically a first-person shooter (not in the sense that you shoot enemies, but you do shoot a portal gun at walls), so if you don’t like that aspect of the game, you’ll know that FPSs aren’t for you.

    Doesn’t have to be the type of gameplay either. You like designing things? Maybe try the Sims or Animal Crossing. Like horror movies? Maybe start with something simple but creepy, like Limbo. Detective stories? Something like Strange Horticulture might be up your alley.

    The most important thing is to look around and see what catches your interest. Read some reviews, watch some gameplay footage, and find something that’s right for you. Don’t just say, “I’m going to do video games now,” and buy a Call of Duty or Dark Souls because, “gamers,” like them.

  • facelessbs@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    https://g.co/kgs/9BWGKjZ This for a game called belatro. I hear it has the rules of poker but it’s a very replayable game that every time you play it is new and different.

    There are many games that have great stories and have game modes that make it very easy or hard to die so you can just really enjoy the story.

    Switch is the most user friendly PlayStation has some of the best single player story based game X box is mainly for online play These are all just very general statements

    Try a little bit of everything.

  • Eiri@lemmy.ca
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    2 hours ago

    Get a Nintendo console. Nintendo Games are absolutely a gateway drug. They’re high quality and generally very easy to get into.

  • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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    4 hours ago

    This is like asking if you should get into books or movies! The answer is absolutely! 💜 There are so so many games.

    The genre “cozy game” is a pretty good place to start, I think. They focus more on the vibe than challenges.

    Definitely stay away from games that use phrases like “souls like”. Those are games that are trying to be intentionally difficult for the sake of being difficult.

    A lot of this depends on what sort of console or computer you have access to. A lot of indie games are not very taxing and you can probably play them on your computer easily even if it isn’t a gaming computer. Things like Stardew Valley and Spiritfarer come to mind.

  • weeeeum@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    I would only recommend short games. Ive been gaming my whole life and basically quit recently, because I was playing grindy games that were so exhausting mentally.

    Even great games like Terraria, Minecraft and dont starve leave me exhausted. Such huge time sinks. Ive moved onto hobbies that are much more satisfying.

  • bokherif@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    Video games used to be good, now most games are just quick cash grabs. I highly recommend old classics if you’re planning to get into it.

  • ex_06@slrpnk.net
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    5 hours ago

    Games can be one of the nice forms of entertainment like tv series or films, so i’d say yes.

    Just try to look for really good games, like zelda breath of the wild, bioshock infinite, twelve minutes, sayonara wild hearts and so on. No online games, no infinite games, no games that are more like a job than a game (where you have to grind for everything) and so on. Games that let you enjoy the gameplay, the art and the story without making you feel like ‘‘oh i have to login or i lose the fit and i have to get the daily rewards and bla bla bla’’.

    • dmegatool@lemmy.ca
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      3 hours ago

      Good advice. Solo player games where you actually buy them is usually a safe bet. If it’s free, they’ll want your money later or make it an impossible grind. It’s a bit of the same on the mobile side so OP is probably aware.

      You can make some searches about good games for new comers because of all the games I’m currently playing, none would be a good start.

      Done recently that could work :

      Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s turn by turn so not reliant on mechanical skills. Can be played on concoles or pc with keyboard or controller. The story is so amazing. The acting, the branching, the choices… Loved it.

      Frostpunk. Game where you try to save people gathered around a generator cause the earth is now ice cold. You manage ressources and tech to meet people expectations. They’ll have demands but you can’t say yes to everything. Hard choice. Can be kinda hard but you just start over the scenario with the knowledge you just got. It’s mostly just figuring things out…

      Skyrim? I liked the story / setting. I don’t know if that aged alright or if there’s something better in the same genre that could be welcoming. I remember that it wasn’t particularly hard. On easy it should be more focused on the story / immersion.

  • zxqwas@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    Depends on what you want to achieve.

    Video games are an easy way of losing yourself in a hobby for an afternoon. Can become addictive and you may lose the entire weekend.

    Do you want games that focus on the social aspect and make friends? The story? Quick reactions and precise timing? Building something? Compete? Challenge yourself and improve (at ultimately a pointless task in a video game)? Simulate something accurately?

    Before you start, as a gamer what do you non gamers do to spend your free time on anyway?

  • chloroken@lemmy.ml
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    12 hours ago

    Yes. Start with Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. From there, post threads asking for suggestions based on what you liked.

    Just avoid games that cost a lot or have lots of micro transactions. Its like smoking cigarettes, better to not start.

  • morgan423@lemmy.world
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    11 hours ago

    Something else to consider is that it’s a wonderful social window if you have friends that you don’t get to hang out with very often due to geography and life.

    I have a couple of good friends who are too far away after I moved to another area. We play games online and have a nice social hangout for a few hours each Saturday. Voice chatting works great.

    It’s fantastic to be able to regularly spend time with them.

  • UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml
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    11 hours ago

    If you have a PC download steam and get half life 2 for free.

    We all have our type of game. Try out a ton of new genres. Maybe you don’t like shooters and you like simulators. Or maybe you like roguelikes. Or just platformers or building games. Don’t stop trying new things till you find the genre that is right for you, then ask people for recommendations within that genre.

    I had a comment earlier that had a bunch of.free games, I will try to post links later.

  • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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    12 hours ago

    I got my 75 year old father into video games.

    With him, I started by getting him an xbox and an xbox live account (which allows playing multiplayer games online).

    We play World of Tanks now together quite a bit.