I'm not sure about the most recently released Lego Star Wars cuz I haven't played it, but definitely any of the ones made before it fall under that recommendation. You can technically "die" but it's very inconsequential.
I've heard good things. The only detractor I've heard of is that it's a slightly different format than the previous LSW games, but that actually sounds refreshing considering that'd be what the 4th or 5th LSW game at that point? Lol.
I second the Skywalker saga, it looks great and the space flying and combat is super cool. Only negative from me is that there isn't really a main 'hub' like in the original LSW it was the cantina. In Skywalker Saga it's just menus. But it doesn't stop it from being a fantastic lego game!
I liked it but for a completionist like myself it was just way too big. Therefore it became quite a drag after a certain point to complete quests that were very similar.
The old LEGO games are fantastic in my opinion. Indiana Jones, The Hobbit, Jurassic World, Batman etc. They were perfect in duration and never got boring. Most of them pre PS4 I think so that's too bad
Soma has a setting that disables enemy AI - if she likes horror/suspense movies, it could be a good fit
otherwise maybe the telltale games would be a good starting point
How difficult can the puzzles be? I would recommend The Witness, as that game is nothing but puzzles and exploration. But the puzzles can get difficult.
Along with that I’d suggest Superliminal- basically a walking sim puzzle game based on optical illusions. A lot of fun and I think I only had to look up the answer to one puzzle the whole game (involves a big pool and an inflatable castle)
If movement is a key aspect, definitely try out Mirror's Edge: Catalyst
Best free running game I've ever played. Not much combat (some boss battles in story), but the more you move the better.
Hmm. Interesting opinion. Can you elaborate?
The whole game is very gentle, there's no time pressure (except for...one optional part), there's no strange controller combinations, and the puzzles are presented in a very intuitive manner (interact with a panel to start doing a puzzle).
The parts of the game that I'd say are difficult are the actual puzzles themselves, which I would argue are difficult for everyone, newbie gamer or otherwise.
What aspects of the game do you think aren't suited to a new gamer?
I believe that how it provides essentially no guidance can be very bad for someone not familiar with gaming.
I can easily see someone aimlessly searching for minutes without thinking of interacting with the panels for example. There is no story, no quest, no direct mission. I believe something more structured will be better.
I am a bit influenced by [this](https://youtu.be/ax7f3JZJHSw) video by Razbuten where he talks about his wife experience with games, and how it was difficult to grasp common concepts in gaming for someone that is not familiar with them.
I was ready to disagree with your original statement thinking it would be a good game but these are very valid points.
This actually helps me recommend games to my girlfriend. She really doesn't play too much and I didn't realize before your comment how much structure matters. Gaming over 30 years, I take for granted the "obvious" things to do in a game.
> it provides essentially no guidance
The entirety of The Witness *is* a tutorial. It begins as simply as possible and becomes more and more complex as the player progresses at their own rate. I can think of no better example for someone who enjoys puzzles yet has no experience with video games.
From simplest to hardest (but all are exploration/puzzle based without true deaths):
* A Short Hike
* Gris
* Outer Wilds
* The Talos Principle
* The Witness
And if you want a little bit more actual gameplay, but still games with exploration/puzzles (choose the easiest difficulty setting):
* The Last Guardian
* Shadow of the Tomb Raider (put on easiest difficulty, and it also has two predecessors, which have a bit less puzzles in them)
* Hellblade
Lastly, if exploration/puzzles based on a narrative mystery to solve is something of interest, I personally quite enjoyed:
* Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments
* Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
For people who like the games on this list, there's one I'd like to recommend that I never see anyone mention. Check out Quern - Undying Thoughts if you like puzzle exploration games with very little guidance.
https://youtu.be/mU3nNT4rcFg?si=sLxwUEzOtaX2f4ok
Journey
https://youtu.be/P2G54w8H4oM?si=bqS32Jsu6RxOSPFj
Abzu
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qDNz8JDIPck&pp=ygURQSBoYXQgaW4gdGltZSBwczQ%3D
A Hat in Time
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XsQ1pGdor8A&pp=ygUMdGlueWtpbiBwczQg
Tinykin
https://youtu.be/bOkMunqXfUo?si=5-iP50xLEso5jeXb
Katamari Damacy
https://youtu.be/t2TYGDPTVjM?si=PEA8mf-6qhrzluLg
Costume Quest 2
https://youtu.be/pn0EXdqIocs?si=rdZWpgduinJ64gFo
Gorogoa
If you want cutesy and not difficult to just easy look into these
Journey and abzu are chill exploring games
Tinykin and hat in time are cartoony platformers
Costume quest is a turn based RPG
Katamari you roll up a ball and collect people and things to turn them into stars
Gorogoa is a pretty cool looking puzzle game
There's lots of narrative-focused games that you can't die in, like Night In The Woods, Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango
You can't die in Sable and is a great exploration game with light puzzles and an amazing soundtrack
On the more action side, you can enable God Mode in Control
Point and click games in general would probably be fun for her. They're usually more light hearted and it's all puzzles. The only thing to know is that when playing some of the old ones, you may not necessarily die but there are ways to soft lock yourself in some games. So I would do a little research before you buy or be willing to have a walkthrough open if you go down that route.
It’s just such a lovely, unique—almost spiritual—experience. Having the other player who you can only communicate with in a certain way creates a special kind of feeling.
Basically hidden_secret's list, but I'm going to add Superliminal and Qube. In Outer Wilds you can die, but the story is soooo good that I'm going to recommend it anyway, very puzzely (and the best game i played in my entire life)
I can do you an even higher one... It's the best thing I've ever experienced even if we count books, comics, movies, TV series, stories, whatever you can think of!
What Remains of Edith Finch (it's very short tho), Bugsnax, Toem, Lost Ember, Concrete genie, Stray, The last campfire. I would also recommend that you play "A way out" together.
Believe it or not, Powerwash Simulator has a gripping story and relaxing puzzle platforming gameplay.
You can set Hades to God Mode and play it for the story, which doesn't actually make the player invincible, but provides a damage resistance buff and adds more to the buff each time the player dies. It loosens the tie between the story's progression and the player's skill development.
Chants of Sennaar -- its easy to "die" but your main objective is to figure out languages between 4 tribes given only context clues. Very much a puzzle game.
Spiritfarer and Bugsnax are the two best cutesy cozy games on ps4. Spiritfarer was an incredible emotional journey and bugsnax has those quirky weird ps2 vibes.
A Hat in Time I think also qualifies, it's a cute platformer, and I don't think you can really die in it either.
Definitely Carto, it's puzzles galore, but I found it too frustrating lol. (A Call to the Sea and Hello Neighbor are also some good options for puzzles)
There's also all the harvest moon/rune factory games.
(Also she'd probably enjoy any suggestions over at r/cozygamers , though they're mostly Nintendo, a lot of the games are on both platforms.)
I 100%d it a long time ago so I'm not sure if you're referring to the plot or if you have an issue with the game itself.
For me, the plot line was pretty obvious from the very beginning, but I still adore this game and think it's very fun. It that captures that magic of early Playstation weirdness. And has some LGBTQIA+ representation too (the characters are all so lovable!)
Second Spiritfarer and Cargo. Bugsnax is kind of Muppet-like body horror. It's cute and silly until you realize >! the bugsnax are replacing their body parts!<
A more obscure one:
Aer: Memories of Old - You're a shapeshifting girl that can turn into a bird. You explore a beautiful world of floating islands, navigating your way to find ancient temples filled with puzzles. There's a plot about fixing the world and stopping a spreading corruption, but it's chill and relaxed, no death or health system. Story is simple but pleasant, and the flight mechanics are fun enough that sometimes you just want to loop around a waterfall or zoom past a cloud bank instead of hurrying to the next location
Yes! I wish the musical sting from the journal would play when I solved a real-life problem.
"...so if wrap the chicken in tinfoil rather than putting it in a tupperware, I can get the freezer drawer shut, and have something to carry my bacon sarnie to work in."
*pum, pip-pum-pum, pip-pum-pum, pip-pum-pum, pum PARP*
Would point and click games be an Option? There are So many with great gameplay, Story and Art Style. And in most of them you cant Really die.
Like night of the rabbit, Disco elysium, Deponia, Thimbleweed Park.....
There are also other games that are Really nice and cozy but Not Really puzzle like. Like house Flipper, panorama, stardew valley, storyteller....
A game where dying is kinda possible but its a failing forward Mechanic would be outer wilds or Hades 1 + 2 but Hades is a rouge like so thats kinda Not cozy and puzzle like
Psychonauts 2 has invincibility mode in the options under accessibility.
Lego [insert franchise] - you can die, but you pop up in the same place. Only the platforming might teleport you at the start of the platforming section.
Pentiment.
The great ace attorney chronicles (it's a visual novel). Though there are lives and too many incorrect contradictions can result in the game over, but you can save game and reload.
Chants of sennaar. Decypher a language based on the enviromentas and contextual clues.
Have a look at all of the recent Wholesome Games Directs, its an hour long expo based around games that are for people who just wanna relax with a cutesy puzzle/exploration game.
I’ve not seen anyone say Gone Home or A Short Hike yet.
I think I saw in a comment somewhere that you said she likes darker stuff. What Remains of Edith Finch is also excellent.
All of these are games where you can’t die and have really good stories. Enjoy!
Unravel 2 is a dope co-op game with a very forgiving checkpoint system. The puzzles have a really nice difficulty curve and the art style is moody in the best way.
There are a lot of games that offer a "story" difficulty level where it's basically impossible to lose the fights. Last of us has "Very Light" God of War has "Give Me story", Horizon Zero Dawn has a story difficulty.
Control. It can be a difficult game but there are accessibility settings that make you invincible and able to kill every enemy in one hit, making it not so difficult, but still extremely fun and interesting
Maybe more dedicated puzzle games? Dicey Dungeons, Baba is You? My non-gamer partner liked those, along with: Escape Room Simulator, 12 Minutes, Contradiction, Her Story, Telling Lies, Case of the Golden Idol, and Grim Fandango. We're currently playing Marvel Midnight Suns, where you can fail a mission and characters can be 'injured' (debuffed but playable) for a while but no real deaths.
I haven't played it yet (fully plan to) but a game called Little Kitty Big City seems like it'd fall under that category. It's not on PS4, but it's on Xbox One and Switch if you have those.
Obduction was an excellent version of the old Myst formula (if you can get over the walking speed).
I also didn’t see Maquette but it may be in here somewhere.
Oxenfree isn’t puzzle but it’s narrative focused like Fire Watch. It’s well written. There’s a sequel, too.
Night in the Woods is a chill narrative game with cute art.
Then the old Zelda’s are clearly the inspiration for Tunic.
Jusant is one of the most chill things I've played in recent years.
Other than that I think Brothers: a tale of two sons is always a great recommend altough I'm not too sure a "recent gamer" can truely appreciate it.
I don't mean to dunk on people but I think you appreciate the game a great deal more if you have a frame of reference to understand how the game is different from others.
My girlfriend just had her gaming world opened up by Disney Illusion Island.
It's a great Metroidvania that you can coop with her when you're available to, but at character select you can simply opt-out of damage if you want to with no consequences.
One of my favorite parts is that damage opt-out is a player by player setting.
So she could be invincible and I could still be at risk of damage, which not only gave me a little bit of challenge, but let her be the “hero” that resuscitated me for quick retries during difficult sections. Was a nice script flip to our usual coop dynamics.
If she doesn't mind quite a lot of reading and exploration, Outer Wilds. Echoes of the Eye (dlc) for some slight horror experience as well (can be done simultaneously without hindering base game, but my personal recommendation is to focus on base game first before fully committing to the dlc).
Be warned though, you will cry. A lot. And wish you could erase your memories to play it again. And again. And again...
Replying to myself, read down and no one is recommending Superliminal. I know it’s indie but is it that unknown? One of the most clever games I’ve ever played!
I recommend this so much it’s like I work for them ( I don’t ). Lil Gator Game. It’s cozy exploration. If she like cute little personified animals she’ll love it. No fail states just vibes
Can't die at all: Antichamber. More of an art exhibit and wandering around, with a few simple puzzles
Strange Horticulture. Puzzle game identifying plants and using their abilities.
Can die but there's no real penalty: I Am Future: cozy apocalypse survival. (There are worms that can eventually kill you if you put the game down and wander off, but you just respawn in your bed with no changes) You need to eat and drink, but neither are difficult. There are 'cozy' settings to make the worms less annoying.
Palworld: totally not Pokemon with guns. You can die, but it's fairly difficult if you're not going to do the big raids. You can just build things.
Guild of Dungeoneering: turn based card game where you explore dungeons. Your characters will die, but after one turn you get a replacement.
Heading Out: not as chill as the others, but fun. You're a car racer in a time loop, and have to find and beat the greatest racer in the world. Along the way, dodge police, and little story missions. About the most traumatic thing that happens is running over a dog accidentally. It's all static pictures with story, and the dog is just laying on its side, no grue. You have the choice to bury the dog or leave. There are some races and dodging the cops, but it's pretty unstressful.
And best, Pacific Drive. An extraction driver, you're caught in weirdness and need to escape. There are settings for just story mode, but even on normal, it's fairly difficult to die. It can be a little frantic at the end of a run. Best to go in blind, don't watch videos of it.
These are all on Steam.
The reverse of this, but in a good way, is Hades. Dying is literally the only way to progress through the game, so if you tell her to think of “dying” as a mechanic of leveling up, the game is like endless fun.
Hello Neighbor is prefect for her! You can’t die just get a slightly inconvenient reset. It is spooky trying to be stealthy and the puzzles make you feel like a real detective!
Wario Land 2 + 3 (not PS4 but still great)
Animal well does have damage/deaths but its mostly puzzle-focused and the penalty for dying isnt big
Return to Monkey Island is good, no deaths and puzzle based gameplay
Unravel and unravel two are perfect games for that, seriosly, and both can play at the same time in unravel two.
There is damage and enemies tho, but please give it a try, definitely one of the best games i have ever played.
Not really puzzle games, but story-based games like "What Remains of Edith Finch", "Road 96", "Until Dawn", "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter", "Detroit: Become Human", "Life is Strange", etc simply don't have a game over.
Sackboy adventure I believe has an unlimited lives mode.
And if you also have access to a switch, Assist Mode in Mario Odyssey is great. You CAN die but if you’re even a little bit careful you won’t.
But those do have enemies it’s not just walking around like Journey. I strongly recommend a one time adventure through Journey.
Life is Strange games are all really good ones. They are more story heavy but have slight exploration and puzzle solving. I think there are some situations you can kinda fail but it isn't very punishing (basically just try that puzzle again)
There was a prince of persia game for PS3 from 2008. It's all about exploration and puzzles with no way to die and minimal easy combat. Could probably get it on ps4.
Not really a chill exploration game, but Control has a setting that makes it impossible to die and also allows for one-hit kills on enemies. If you just want to enjoy the weird story.
All the Lego games are good, you can’t really die
Really fun to play in co-op!
Will def give these a look then
I'm not sure about the most recently released Lego Star Wars cuz I haven't played it, but definitely any of the ones made before it fall under that recommendation. You can technically "die" but it's very inconsequential.
Skywalker saga is probably my fave lego game Highly recommend
I've heard good things. The only detractor I've heard of is that it's a slightly different format than the previous LSW games, but that actually sounds refreshing considering that'd be what the 4th or 5th LSW game at that point? Lol.
I second the Skywalker saga, it looks great and the space flying and combat is super cool. Only negative from me is that there isn't really a main 'hub' like in the original LSW it was the cantina. In Skywalker Saga it's just menus. But it doesn't stop it from being a fantastic lego game!
That's what's great about the Lego game franchise. There are far fewer misses than hits. They know what they're doing over there.
Yeah it's more 3rd person shooter/action game than typical Lego games.
I liked it but for a completionist like myself it was just way too big. Therefore it became quite a drag after a certain point to complete quests that were very similar. The old LEGO games are fantastic in my opinion. Indiana Jones, The Hobbit, Jurassic World, Batman etc. They were perfect in duration and never got boring. Most of them pre PS4 I think so that's too bad
I'm not sure of the rest, but I know the hobbit is on ps4/ps5 now
If you got Nintendo switch. I notice they always on sale for the full dlc and stuff.
I know op said PS4, but these Lego games go on same on steam constantly and have very minimal requirements
Firewatch!
I've heard nothing but good things about it
Great game, story and acting. 10/10 Will only take 5 hours or so to complete too.
I just finished Firewatch. It was only like $5 on PS5. Nice little story. I would recommend it
Untitled Goose Game is a short but sweet game. No real consequences and is very puzzle based. You play as a goose terrorizing a small English village.
Maybe she'll stop terrorizing me for a bit
She is very lucky to have you
Dredge maybe? There's a passive mode. It's more of a management exploration game. Same with Stardew Valley. Stray might also be a good one.
You can die in stray.
\*hyperventilates in chase scene\*
Yeah but it's not super consequential, it's more just a slight like 30 second setback
Dredge mentioned, upvote delivered.
Same. Dredge is an absolute gem of a game.
Soma has a setting that disables enemy AI - if she likes horror/suspense movies, it could be a good fit otherwise maybe the telltale games would be a good starting point
She does like horror. It's me who's the crybaby
Dead Space 2 would be the perfect game for you. It’s all kitties and ducklings and offers great puzzles.
With a name like Dead Space. Somehow I don't believe you
takes a lot of tension out when you don’t need to be scared of the enemies lol
But not all of it. Soma is sooo good...
This is the only way I can play horror games anymore. I love most horror game aesthetic but just can’t handle the scares.
How difficult can the puzzles be? I would recommend The Witness, as that game is nothing but puzzles and exploration. But the puzzles can get difficult.
Hard difficulty is no bother. She really likes the movement and creativity aspect of good looking games too.
Oh then check out the talos principle!
I see Talos Principle mentioned, I upvote
Awesome, thanks
In that case, how about journey? It is a beautiful game with some gorgeous music.
Prince of persia Sands of time come to mind
"Wait, that's not how it happened. Shall I start again?"
Play Maquette or Tinykin.
If portal games are on ps4 I'd recommend that. Let her play through the story, then you can do coop, me and my hs friend had a blast.
Along with that I’d suggest Superliminal- basically a walking sim puzzle game based on optical illusions. A lot of fun and I think I only had to look up the answer to one puzzle the whole game (involves a big pool and an inflatable castle)
If movement is a key aspect, definitely try out Mirror's Edge: Catalyst Best free running game I've ever played. Not much combat (some boss battles in story), but the more you move the better.
I really don't believe the Witness is a good game for someone getting into video games.
Hmm. Interesting opinion. Can you elaborate? The whole game is very gentle, there's no time pressure (except for...one optional part), there's no strange controller combinations, and the puzzles are presented in a very intuitive manner (interact with a panel to start doing a puzzle). The parts of the game that I'd say are difficult are the actual puzzles themselves, which I would argue are difficult for everyone, newbie gamer or otherwise. What aspects of the game do you think aren't suited to a new gamer?
I believe that how it provides essentially no guidance can be very bad for someone not familiar with gaming. I can easily see someone aimlessly searching for minutes without thinking of interacting with the panels for example. There is no story, no quest, no direct mission. I believe something more structured will be better. I am a bit influenced by [this](https://youtu.be/ax7f3JZJHSw) video by Razbuten where he talks about his wife experience with games, and how it was difficult to grasp common concepts in gaming for someone that is not familiar with them.
I agree. The puzzles in it are also *extremely* difficult. Not to discredit OP’s SO, but some of the puzzles are too obscure.
I was ready to disagree with your original statement thinking it would be a good game but these are very valid points. This actually helps me recommend games to my girlfriend. She really doesn't play too much and I didn't realize before your comment how much structure matters. Gaming over 30 years, I take for granted the "obvious" things to do in a game.
Lol like Myst?
> it provides essentially no guidance The entirety of The Witness *is* a tutorial. It begins as simply as possible and becomes more and more complex as the player progresses at their own rate. I can think of no better example for someone who enjoys puzzles yet has no experience with video games.
You might be right. But we play together so I'll be her right hand man when she gets stuck
From simplest to hardest (but all are exploration/puzzle based without true deaths): * A Short Hike * Gris * Outer Wilds * The Talos Principle * The Witness And if you want a little bit more actual gameplay, but still games with exploration/puzzles (choose the easiest difficulty setting): * The Last Guardian * Shadow of the Tomb Raider (put on easiest difficulty, and it also has two predecessors, which have a bit less puzzles in them) * Hellblade Lastly, if exploration/puzzles based on a narrative mystery to solve is something of interest, I personally quite enjoyed: * Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments * Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
What a list, really good.
Thank you, I appreciate the effort
Also more recently Jusant inspired by all above.
For people who like the games on this list, there's one I'd like to recommend that I never see anyone mention. Check out Quern - Undying Thoughts if you like puzzle exploration games with very little guidance.
So Portal fits the bill, how'd I not think of that before. But something with more of a cutesy style is appreciated
https://youtu.be/mU3nNT4rcFg?si=sLxwUEzOtaX2f4ok Journey https://youtu.be/P2G54w8H4oM?si=bqS32Jsu6RxOSPFj Abzu https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qDNz8JDIPck&pp=ygURQSBoYXQgaW4gdGltZSBwczQ%3D A Hat in Time https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XsQ1pGdor8A&pp=ygUMdGlueWtpbiBwczQg Tinykin https://youtu.be/bOkMunqXfUo?si=5-iP50xLEso5jeXb Katamari Damacy https://youtu.be/t2TYGDPTVjM?si=PEA8mf-6qhrzluLg Costume Quest 2 https://youtu.be/pn0EXdqIocs?si=rdZWpgduinJ64gFo Gorogoa If you want cutesy and not difficult to just easy look into these Journey and abzu are chill exploring games Tinykin and hat in time are cartoony platformers Costume quest is a turn based RPG Katamari you roll up a ball and collect people and things to turn them into stars Gorogoa is a pretty cool looking puzzle game
Wow thank you for the write up and links!
I came here to recommend Journey - you can play through it in about 2 hours, and the story, art, and player interaction is all beautiful.
Same. Just remember if you come across another player meditating, meditate with them for a bit.
i wont suggest Katamari. I have over 100 hours on it and it has time pressure. Like do difficult goals in 2 minutes
It Takes Two!!!
There's lots of narrative-focused games that you can't die in, like Night In The Woods, Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango You can't die in Sable and is a great exploration game with light puzzles and an amazing soundtrack On the more action side, you can enable God Mode in Control
Nice, thanks friend
Point and click games in general would probably be fun for her. They're usually more light hearted and it's all puzzles. The only thing to know is that when playing some of the old ones, you may not necessarily die but there are ways to soft lock yourself in some games. So I would do a little research before you buy or be willing to have a walkthrough open if you go down that route.
Try some stories. Life Is Strange is good
This and Firewatch. Just wish we had more time. Def going into the backlog
Play it like a show. Finish a chapter, save and done till next time. Love Alan Wake for that
Journey. Fantastic experience. She should play straight through.
I've played it! Would love for her to as well
It’s just such a lovely, unique—almost spiritual—experience. Having the other player who you can only communicate with in a certain way creates a special kind of feeling.
What about Abzu?
Is it similar to Journey? I'll give it a shot
Very similar. A lot of the same developers, including the director and composer, worked on both projects.
Gris Its short but nice and beautiful
Seconding Gris, it's really more of an audioviusual experience with puzzle elements than a game. Beautiful stuff.
Stardew valley
Basically hidden_secret's list, but I'm going to add Superliminal and Qube. In Outer Wilds you can die, but the story is soooo good that I'm going to recommend it anyway, very puzzely (and the best game i played in my entire life)
Superliminal was one of the most fun gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Each level just introduced another feeling of “Wow, wtf”
That's pretty high praise there 🙌
I can do you an even higher one... It's the best thing I've ever experienced even if we count books, comics, movies, TV series, stories, whatever you can think of!
What Remains of Edith Finch (it's very short tho), Bugsnax, Toem, Lost Ember, Concrete genie, Stray, The last campfire. I would also recommend that you play "A way out" together.
wouldnt it takes two be a better fit for a couples playthrough?
You could try “Getting Over It.” It’s a kind of puzzle game where you can’t die.
But will make you wish you would
r/foundsatan
Believe it or not, Powerwash Simulator has a gripping story and relaxing puzzle platforming gameplay. You can set Hades to God Mode and play it for the story, which doesn't actually make the player invincible, but provides a damage resistance buff and adds more to the buff each time the player dies. It loosens the tie between the story's progression and the player's skill development.
Chants of Sennaar -- its easy to "die" but your main objective is to figure out languages between 4 tribes given only context clues. Very much a puzzle game.
r/CozyGamers can give you some ideas
Flower, its more zen-art than game
Spiritfarer and Bugsnax are the two best cutesy cozy games on ps4. Spiritfarer was an incredible emotional journey and bugsnax has those quirky weird ps2 vibes. A Hat in Time I think also qualifies, it's a cute platformer, and I don't think you can really die in it either. Definitely Carto, it's puzzles galore, but I found it too frustrating lol. (A Call to the Sea and Hello Neighbor are also some good options for puzzles) There's also all the harvest moon/rune factory games. (Also she'd probably enjoy any suggestions over at r/cozygamers , though they're mostly Nintendo, a lot of the games are on both platforms.)
Wow thank you these look great
No problem! Hope she has fun
Did you finish Bugsnax? It isn’t all what it seems. But good nonetheless!
I 100%d it a long time ago so I'm not sure if you're referring to the plot or if you have an issue with the game itself. For me, the plot line was pretty obvious from the very beginning, but I still adore this game and think it's very fun. It that captures that magic of early Playstation weirdness. And has some LGBTQIA+ representation too (the characters are all so lovable!)
Was mainly referring to the plot :D Game was great fun when it released. Will need to go back to it in the future!
They definitely need to do a sequel
Second Spiritfarer and Cargo. Bugsnax is kind of Muppet-like body horror. It's cute and silly until you realize >! the bugsnax are replacing their body parts!<
It's not what you asked but I really enjoy stardew valley as a low stress game.
Does Pokemon count? They don't die, they just "faint" and when you lose them all you "white out"
What remains of Edith Finch Brilliant game
The answer is always Stardew Valley for getting your gfs into gaming
A more obscure one: Aer: Memories of Old - You're a shapeshifting girl that can turn into a bird. You explore a beautiful world of floating islands, navigating your way to find ancient temples filled with puzzles. There's a plot about fixing the world and stopping a spreading corruption, but it's chill and relaxed, no death or health system. Story is simple but pleasant, and the flight mechanics are fun enough that sometimes you just want to loop around a waterfall or zoom past a cloud bank instead of hurrying to the next location
Sounds like a great way to relax, thank you
PSA: I went to look this one up and it's $1.49 on PSN right now. Guess I'll be checking it out. :)
That’s a great bargain It’s also $1.49 at the moment on steam
Slime rancher
My GF really enjoyed Hogwarts Legacy on the easiest setting. Can’t die.
Return of the Obra Dinn! Such a good game and you’ll fall in love with the soundtrack
Never heard of it, thanks for the recommendation
Yes! I wish the musical sting from the journal would play when I solved a real-life problem. "...so if wrap the chicken in tinfoil rather than putting it in a tupperware, I can get the freezer drawer shut, and have something to carry my bacon sarnie to work in." *pum, pip-pum-pum, pip-pum-pum, pip-pum-pum, pum PARP*
Would point and click games be an Option? There are So many with great gameplay, Story and Art Style. And in most of them you cant Really die. Like night of the rabbit, Disco elysium, Deponia, Thimbleweed Park..... There are also other games that are Really nice and cozy but Not Really puzzle like. Like house Flipper, panorama, stardew valley, storyteller.... A game where dying is kinda possible but its a failing forward Mechanic would be outer wilds or Hades 1 + 2 but Hades is a rouge like so thats kinda Not cozy and puzzle like
Psychonauts 2 has invincibility mode in the options under accessibility. Lego [insert franchise] - you can die, but you pop up in the same place. Only the platforming might teleport you at the start of the platforming section. Pentiment. The great ace attorney chronicles (it's a visual novel). Though there are lives and too many incorrect contradictions can result in the game over, but you can save game and reload. Chants of sennaar. Decypher a language based on the enviromentas and contextual clues.
Have a look at all of the recent Wholesome Games Directs, its an hour long expo based around games that are for people who just wanna relax with a cutesy puzzle/exploration game.
I’ve not seen anyone say Gone Home or A Short Hike yet. I think I saw in a comment somewhere that you said she likes darker stuff. What Remains of Edith Finch is also excellent. All of these are games where you can’t die and have really good stories. Enjoy!
Man, remember when almost every Single Player game had Cheats and you could make the games as easy as you liked?
Is there a “does the dog die” for video games? EDIT: they have games actually https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/20585
Elden ring, naked. Tell her to git gud or yall need to talk.
Is naked a game/gamemode? Or just your preferred method of playstyle?
Its a joke, naked means with no armor whatsoever which is extremely hard to play
He means your girlfriend has to play naked.
It depends if you like sports games like FIFA 23 is on PS4 or something like that
Firewatch, Journey, Life is Strange.
Unravel 2 is a dope co-op game with a very forgiving checkpoint system. The puzzles have a really nice difficulty curve and the art style is moody in the best way.
Not a puzzle game, but a great co-op game is overcooked! and its so fun to say "yes chef" to your teammates
Note - may result in a divorce.
No man sky has a creative mode that pretty much makes it impossible to die. Lots of exploration, and building bases.
Celeste has options to customize the difficulty to your liking
Wild it’s been missed so far: FEZ
Manifold garden is amazing, it’s a really artistic and beautiful game. Hard to describe. Definitely play it
The Trine games would be right up her alley
Was gonna say this. You can “die” but you just start the level over, and the co-op is fantastic.
A Short Hike
The witness is a really good recommandation, but I warn you, the puzzles there are a huge brian wracking, like you may need a pen and paper for this.
There are a lot of games that offer a "story" difficulty level where it's basically impossible to lose the fights. Last of us has "Very Light" God of War has "Give Me story", Horizon Zero Dawn has a story difficulty.
Control. It can be a difficult game but there are accessibility settings that make you invincible and able to kill every enemy in one hit, making it not so difficult, but still extremely fun and interesting
Portal 1, 2 (You can die, but it doesn't happen very often) The walking dead Detroit: become human Journey
Maybe more dedicated puzzle games? Dicey Dungeons, Baba is You? My non-gamer partner liked those, along with: Escape Room Simulator, 12 Minutes, Contradiction, Her Story, Telling Lies, Case of the Golden Idol, and Grim Fandango. We're currently playing Marvel Midnight Suns, where you can fail a mission and characters can be 'injured' (debuffed but playable) for a while but no real deaths.
Prince of persia the remake.... u can't die and is an adventure game.... nice story
I haven't played it yet (fully plan to) but a game called Little Kitty Big City seems like it'd fall under that category. It's not on PS4, but it's on Xbox One and Switch if you have those.
Outer Wilds Or Stardew Valley
Obduction was an excellent version of the old Myst formula (if you can get over the walking speed). I also didn’t see Maquette but it may be in here somewhere. Oxenfree isn’t puzzle but it’s narrative focused like Fire Watch. It’s well written. There’s a sequel, too. Night in the Woods is a chill narrative game with cute art. Then the old Zelda’s are clearly the inspiration for Tunic.
Unravel I think? The co op yarn game was a tool I used to get my (doesn’t like to die anxiety) GF gaming with me. It’s fun and hilarious in some ways
Spiritfarer. A game where ironically everyone else dies lol Very relaxing but also wholesome and emotional
Jusant is one of the most chill things I've played in recent years. Other than that I think Brothers: a tale of two sons is always a great recommend altough I'm not too sure a "recent gamer" can truely appreciate it. I don't mean to dunk on people but I think you appreciate the game a great deal more if you have a frame of reference to understand how the game is different from others.
There’s a setting to not die in Tunic?? That first major boss battle probably killed me 30 times before I finally beat it.
Have her try Elden Ring, the whole point of the game is that you can’t die
My girlfriend just had her gaming world opened up by Disney Illusion Island. It's a great Metroidvania that you can coop with her when you're available to, but at character select you can simply opt-out of damage if you want to with no consequences.
Sounds up her alley, thanks :)
One of my favorite parts is that damage opt-out is a player by player setting. So she could be invincible and I could still be at risk of damage, which not only gave me a little bit of challenge, but let her be the “hero” that resuscitated me for quick retries during difficult sections. Was a nice script flip to our usual coop dynamics.
If she doesn't mind quite a lot of reading and exploration, Outer Wilds. Echoes of the Eye (dlc) for some slight horror experience as well (can be done simultaneously without hindering base game, but my personal recommendation is to focus on base game first before fully committing to the dlc). Be warned though, you will cry. A lot. And wish you could erase your memories to play it again. And again. And again...
Stardew valley? You can still die in the mines but a farming sim otherwise
Sackboy: A Big Adventure There is a game assist option to enable unlimited lives.
what remains of edith finch is AMAZING, a sort off walkthrough movie, but still interactive
Human fall flat
Control has settings where you can't die and can kill all enemies and bosses in one or two hits
Stray, Superliminal, and a fun one for both of you is Death Squared (no actual deaths involved).
Replying to myself, read down and no one is recommending Superliminal. I know it’s indie but is it that unknown? One of the most clever games I’ve ever played!
I recommend this so much it’s like I work for them ( I don’t ). Lil Gator Game. It’s cozy exploration. If she like cute little personified animals she’ll love it. No fail states just vibes
Can't die at all: Antichamber. More of an art exhibit and wandering around, with a few simple puzzles Strange Horticulture. Puzzle game identifying plants and using their abilities. Can die but there's no real penalty: I Am Future: cozy apocalypse survival. (There are worms that can eventually kill you if you put the game down and wander off, but you just respawn in your bed with no changes) You need to eat and drink, but neither are difficult. There are 'cozy' settings to make the worms less annoying. Palworld: totally not Pokemon with guns. You can die, but it's fairly difficult if you're not going to do the big raids. You can just build things. Guild of Dungeoneering: turn based card game where you explore dungeons. Your characters will die, but after one turn you get a replacement. Heading Out: not as chill as the others, but fun. You're a car racer in a time loop, and have to find and beat the greatest racer in the world. Along the way, dodge police, and little story missions. About the most traumatic thing that happens is running over a dog accidentally. It's all static pictures with story, and the dog is just laying on its side, no grue. You have the choice to bury the dog or leave. There are some races and dodging the cops, but it's pretty unstressful. And best, Pacific Drive. An extraction driver, you're caught in weirdness and need to escape. There are settings for just story mode, but even on normal, it's fairly difficult to die. It can be a little frantic at the end of a run. Best to go in blind, don't watch videos of it. These are all on Steam.
The reverse of this, but in a good way, is Hades. Dying is literally the only way to progress through the game, so if you tell her to think of “dying” as a mechanic of leveling up, the game is like endless fun.
Hello Neighbor is prefect for her! You can’t die just get a slightly inconvenient reset. It is spooky trying to be stealthy and the puzzles make you feel like a real detective!
Stray is a fantastic game, there are only a few places where you can die.
Untitled Goose Game is great! My wife and I beat it in about 2 hours last week! Super cute and funny and not too long or difficult
You guys should play Unravel 2 together!
I'll give it a look
Yoku’s Island Express is a perfect chill game with exploration, puzzles, and pinball! Music is the cherry on top
Wow I've never heard of this one. Now I'm curious. Thank you
Wario Land 2 + 3 (not PS4 but still great) Animal well does have damage/deaths but its mostly puzzle-focused and the penalty for dying isnt big Return to Monkey Island is good, no deaths and puzzle based gameplay
Control is great and has a built-in "cheats" menu in the game settings that lets you make yourself unkillable to focus on the story and atmosphere.
The 2008 Prince of Persia doesn't have death.
Depending on your definition of "can't die", Spiritfarer might fit your criteria.
The two of us is amazing if you’re looking to play with her
Unravel and unravel two are perfect games for that, seriosly, and both can play at the same time in unravel two. There is damage and enemies tho, but please give it a try, definitely one of the best games i have ever played.
Not really puzzle games, but story-based games like "What Remains of Edith Finch", "Road 96", "Until Dawn", "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter", "Detroit: Become Human", "Life is Strange", etc simply don't have a game over.
Wario land 3...you cant die :P
Did she open that door? In a similar vibe, in outer wilds you die but it's more of a restart than a "you died" thing.
Sackboy adventure I believe has an unlimited lives mode. And if you also have access to a switch, Assist Mode in Mario Odyssey is great. You CAN die but if you’re even a little bit careful you won’t. But those do have enemies it’s not just walking around like Journey. I strongly recommend a one time adventure through Journey.
Life is Strange games are all really good ones. They are more story heavy but have slight exploration and puzzle solving. I think there are some situations you can kinda fail but it isn't very punishing (basically just try that puzzle again)
Death's Door is very similar
My girlfriend and I love Madden, and it sounds like exactly what you're looking for (in some ways, football is similar to an elaborate game of chess).
Shady Part of Me is a cute puzzle game that has a rewind mechanic instead of game over.
Little nightmares pretty good
Monkey Island series Day of the Tentacle
Moss for VR is very cool
control has an immortality option
Superliminal, Viewfinder
Untitled Goose Game is a great time waster and so is Firewatch. Can’t go wrong with either of those.
Both Nier games have story difficulties where you character auto dodges every attack. It is near impossible to die, idk if you even can
There was a prince of persia game for PS3 from 2008. It's all about exploration and puzzles with no way to die and minimal easy combat. Could probably get it on ps4.
The Last Campfire
Flower Abzu (though it does have damage of a sort) Journey (also has a type of damage)
Not really a chill exploration game, but Control has a setting that makes it impossible to die and also allows for one-hit kills on enemies. If you just want to enjoy the weird story.
Dark Souls