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Post by Moulinoski on Aug 30, 2023 8:19:24 GMT -5
Unlike the visual novel thread, this is more of recommendation request.
Who: My girlfriend. She likes to read, mainly romance novels. Her favorite movie is Pride & Prejudice (Update: And National Treasure). She likes the Secret Garden as well as Black Beauty. She likes more modern romance novels as well. She’s not really that into video games but she did like King’s Quest (especially the seventh one). She also likes the PC Harry Potter games from the early 2000’s. She likes Mario Kart (and is deceptively good at it). She also likes food. She watches things like the great bake off and is it cake. She’s also a history major and she likes oddball and creepy history stuff. She likes nursery mystery type stuff. She does not like horror, however. She likes Marvel movies. She loves traveling and her favorite country is England.
My question: I’d like to introduce her to my hobbies so we can talk about it and not have her just zone out. I figure she’d enjoy visual novels and low reaction time requirement games. I’m already thinking of introducing her to Earthbound. I know older games are more difficult for people to get into either because of an overall higher skill threshold that’s necessary to clear or because the graphics come off as cartoony or primitive, something that I’m afraid will happen when she takes a look at Earthbound.
I am keeping in mind that I want to avoid pushing my interests on her. I don’t want to force her to do anything. I do want to introduce her to a medium that’s undergone incredible growth over time which has also gained mass appeal in the past few years.
Currently, I’m thinking that visual novels and turn based RPGs are best for her, preferably in modern day settings but medieval European style fantasy is not out of the question. Any suggestions or advice?
Edit: and she loves cats as well as Jack russels.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Aug 30, 2023 8:50:16 GMT -5
By "VNs for book readers" I'd assume you'd want something rather linear, that you can play/read start to finish, "like a book".... without navigating a sprawling web of choices, having to reload saves, worry about 50 endings, etc. Here are VNDB's top rated "kinetic" (purely linear) VNs and "few choices" VNs... vndb.org/g709?m=0&l=&f=2gen&s=24wvndb.org/g1437?m=0&l=&f=2gen&s=24wHere are few obvious ones that jump out at me: The House in Fata Morgana, World End Economica, Higurashi, Umineko, ATRI -My Dear Moments-, Marco & The Galaxy Dragon, fault milestone 1/2, Witch on the Holy Night, planetarian, Harmonia, eden*, and Christmas Tina. All of these are very accessible. Most are on Steam and the eShop. I'm also a big fan of the Famicom Detective Club remakes on Switch. They technically have a lot of choices, but it's impossible to lose/die and the game will steer you on the right path. |
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Post by Moulinoski on Aug 30, 2023 9:03:21 GMT -5
Yeah, it may be best to start with something that doesn’t overwhelm the player with choices. Thanks! I’ll look into these.
I also updated my post. She loves cats so anything with a cat automatically becomes a better suggestion, haha.
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Post by Ex on Aug 30, 2023 9:05:35 GMT -5
She likes to read, mainly romance novels. She sounds like the target graphic for otome VNs. Don't know what platforms she has available, but I'll assume PC. So looking at otome games available on Steam seems a good start: store.steampowered.com/curator/9060460-Otome-Games/I'd look for the otome VNs made in Japan (not western made drivel), are all ages (or teen at most), and are recommended highly by Steam users. When I first started dating my wife back in 2010, she was not into video games at all. But she was open to playing them with me in multiplayer. I struggled initially to find games that she would like, but eventually hit upon something she did. Turned out she liked survivor-horror co-op games. That ended up being the gateway that got her into playing many other genres with me. I still wouldn't call my wife a gamer, because she doesn't play video games solo, but she does readily beat co-op games with me to this day. You just have to find the right entry point to shift their paradigm. |
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Post by Moulinoski on Sept 1, 2023 13:57:40 GMT -5
Thanks Ex You bring something up that’s good to consider: multiplayer games. She likes being competitive while I like cooperatively reaching a goal and exploring the next part in a story or experience. I’ll need to explore some games we can both play. I’ve already thought of getting It Takes Two but haven’t gotten it yet. She likes Mario Kart. I forgot to mention that she likes Hello Kitty and Pusheen and is interested in Animal Crossing so I’ve been thinking of getting her a Switch. |
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Post by Ex on Sept 2, 2023 10:23:05 GMT -5
She likes being competitive while I like cooperatively reaching a goal and exploring the next part in a story or experience. I have played, but not finished, It Takes Two with my wife. It is a good game, but we didn't like it as much as A Way Out by the same developer. The one thing I'd point out about It Takes Two, is the camera control and 3D action may be a bit much for someone who's a very casual gamer. It might be better to start her off with something that's 2D in camera orientation. In that regard, I recommend the Trine series for you and your girlfriend to play: gamefaqs.gamespot.com/games/franchise/1365-trineYou can get the first three in a compilation: www.amazon.com/Trine-Ultimate-Collection-NSW-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B07V8NDWWZ/There are 5 games in this series, with the 5th one releasing this week actually. Of the 5 games, 4 of them are 2D, with the third entry being 3D (feel safe to skip it honestly). My wife and I have beaten 1, 2, 3, and half of 4. We've enjoyed them quite a lot, very recommended for co-op. There's a website that is GREAT for finding co-op games. It's called Co-Optimius. It has a customizable filter system to choose what platform you want, want genre you want, the type of co-op you want, the age rating you want (can filter out M-rated games if need be), it's very robust. I've found loads of games using it that my wife and I have enjoyed beating over the years:
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Post by Moulinoski on Sept 22, 2023 9:01:15 GMT -5
Thanks Ex for the suggestions. I actually have been thinking of getting It Takes Two. Since I last posted, I got her a cheap second hand Steam Deck since it was a better deal. Plus, she kept using mine to play Harry Potter and the Chber of Secrets which also impacted my decision. Without my knowledge, she ended up picking up Alba on her own and was completely enthralled by it. Alba has you take on the role of a young wildlife and environmental preservationist. And by young I mean young- she’s at least like 12 years old. The game tasks you with cataloging the different wildlife in the island you’re in, fixing information posts, bird houses and feeders, and rescuing animals among other odds and ends. There’s no combat. My GF enjoyed photographing the animals the most from what I can tell. She finished it in six hours! Funny enough and another reason I got her a Steam Deck instead of a Switch is that she tried out Animal Crossing on my Switch and was completely lost without an objective to play towards. That was an interesting thing to see. She’s looking forward to Mineko’s Night Market and Another Code Recollection. |
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Post by Ex on Sept 22, 2023 9:59:05 GMT -5
MoulinoskiIf you've got her playing games on her own, sounds like you've helped her start a new hobby. Getting her a deck was a good decision because the Steam library is insanely huge, and undoubtedly she can find all sorts of stuff to her tastes. My wife and I have beaten many many co-op games together, but she never plays video games solo, or has any impetus to find ones to play on her own.
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Post by Moulinoski on Sept 25, 2023 11:30:24 GMT -5
She reached the top of the mountain in A Short Hike, another she just picked out on her own. Last I left her, she was playing Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee emulated on her Deck. It was interesting to see her play it, though. She never had a Gameboy so I think this is her first experience with the original Kanto games and she was struggling! I then think back to all those people complaining about how easy Pokémon games have gotten and my only conclusion is that those people have been playing video games- or at least Pokémon games- for a very long time.
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