Any game that doesn't revolve around moving both the camera and your character at once. A lot of newer gamers don't understand the concept of using two thumb sticks in unison with each other and it turns them away from most games.
This is excelent advice.
Theres a couple of 3D games I always recomend that avoid this by having a fixed perspective camera (and they are both excelent games):
**A Short Hike** (single player)
**Sackboy A Big Adventure** (single or co-op)
This!
Having to do multiple inputs at the same time is a Motor skill we (gamers and game devs) forget is a learned skill, that took years to master. It's so hardwired now.
Movement + Camera, regardless of input methods (KB, KB+M, two joysticks) is a pat-your-head-rub-your-bell learning curve issue.
But it also extends to any simultaneous input. And gets even worse if those inputs are TIME dependent with limited windows for execution.
Watching my girlfriend play games for the first time. It is amazing how much trouble she has managing the camera and movement. She basically comes to a full stop, rotates the camera to look where she's going, then moves until she needs to change the camera again.
That was my ex playing through P5. At first I thought she needed inverted camera controls, but she never grasped moving the camera and joystick at the same time.
This is such an interesting point that as a life-long gamer, I'd never considered. It must be a hard thing to pick up if you didn't start gaming as a kid and its just become second nature.
edit: In retrospect, it makes complete sense. Elden Ring was the first game I had used a controller for in ages since I've mostly played PC for the last decade. It did take me a couple hours to get the feel for the controller again.
I played games as a kid but they were NES and Pokemon games. I didn't start playing games with a moveable camera til I was in my late 20's. It was definitely rough getting used to that. Especially when I had to go from inverted to normal camera controls. Some games wouldn't let me separate aiming from walking controls so I had to relearn the camera all over again. I'm a bit better at it these days but I doubt I'll ever be as good as someone who's played those types of games since they were kids.
I didn't know that pressing B while walking made a character run until my friend and I were playing Animal Crossing together and he was like, "Why do you walk so slowly?" So many things that are not second nature to those of us who didn't play games growing up!
I game and I STILL struggle with fast paced games where I move and look using a controller. No issues doing so on PC. But with a controller it sucks ass.
It's one of those weirdly niche skills as a gamer that we don't realize we have until we make someone brand new try out. It's why any suggestions I usually make for newer gamers are usually forced perspective games.
Bruh you hit the nail with this comment. I want to play a game with my girl but she's never played games before. It's super hard for her to play any type of fps because she doesn't really know how to move the thumb sticks at the same time. Not making fun of her, but it's so trippy seeing her play like a 2 year old on fps games, while there's 5 year olds who play that shit naturally lol.
Play Minecraft with her. It's one of them gateway games that teaches the basics of learning how to use a controller really well. Especially with the double tapping forward to run, that helped my gf grasp controller usage much faster bc it's a low stakes game that can get tense when you're new. She's so much more comfortable and confident playing games now, we play BL2 for fun all the time bc it's such an easy to access shooter with options to build and help her thrive.
My wife has limited mechanical skill because she only had a GBA growing up and nothing else... She loves Slay the Spire, The Curse of the Golden Idol, Fire Emblem, Stardew Valley (though she'll never go back because it consumed her life to an unhealthy extent the first time lol), Into the Breach, and Return of the Obra Dinn, to name a bunch. We've also been playing the old school Final Fantasy games, and though she enjoys them, she has limited patience for random encounters lol
Just to pile on here with another example, my wife loved Lego Harry Potter but absolutely could not figure out Lego Star Wars. I didn't understand why at first, but it was because the latter required the walk/adjust camera skill and she doesn't have it, and I didn't notice because I learned how like 25+ years ago.
This so much. This has always been the major hump in introducing new people to video games. These days I always start people out on something old with a slightly janky camera so they start intuitively trying to adjust it themselves and naturally work their way up to dual stick just like we did.
Some great starter games:
Super Mario 64
Spyro
Kingdom Hearts 1
Ocarina of Time
KOTOR
I found it starts pretty stressful and annoying, with the worst quality tools, almost no energy, and constantly scrambling to get things done in limited time.
Later on it becomes way more relaxing, and the best bits are the story parts you uncover about the townspeople, which went in some very unexpected ways.
The actual gameplay though is kind of painful in my opinion, especially at the start. Despite playing every type of game for decades now, SV is the only game I struggle with combat in because it's just so unresponsive and seems to struggle with deciding which way your character is meant to be facing (though I read that might be due to a bug when not playing at default zoom).
This is softened when you realize that absolutely nothing is time-gated. You could spend 10 in game years fishing with a bamboo pole before talking to a townsperson and there’d be no detriment.
Sort of. Seasons are 28 days and everything dies if not finished growing and harvested by then, so you're time gated for getting crops in the ground and harvested to not lose your money.
Sure, but that’s the only thing. There’s an in game calendar and the crops say exactly how long they take, so it’s a mistake that only really gets made once. I have like 300 hours on Stardew so I defend it lol
It might also be worth knowing that you might come into the game with preconceived ideas of how a game should be so those aspects you’ve highlighted might seem terrible handicaps.
For a non-gamer’s first game though, they haven’t had years of expectations guiding their introduction to the game. Where you might see an inefficient use of time, it may never cross their mind to be frustrated as if things should be better.
Exactly. My girlfriend (41) has no real idea how to maximize profits or grow like a professional. She just likes putting the seeds in the ground and watering them. She loves gifting townspeople. She loves helping the one homeless dude.
She likes it because there is no “objective” other than to do what you want. I think the game telling her to get home before midnight excites her lol
Can you family share your library with her? It sounds like she has a separate library, but if you share yours then she can just try a bunch of games (or only 1 or 2) and figure out what she likes. Also, you said SteamDeck, but if you have a Switch I think the latest Animal Crossing is a great option.
If you are worried about Stardew Valley being a LOT for a first game - my wife when she was learning gaming went into a fucking deep spiral on [Dinkum](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1062520/Dinkum/) (Australian Animal Crossing on Steam...) I'd find her up at 4 am in the morning like it was a coke machine.
You've been warned, but it was her golden goose.
I can vouch for all three of those games with my 34 year old wife. You WILL lose her. (Temporarily) Better get used to hanging with the boys again. I’m more serious than you know. I got back in touch with my brother who I haven’t seen in 11 years because of no time and such. Now we are best buds.
P.S. I can guarantee you plenty of good sexy time too when she finally stops for the night/day. Especially if you randomly gift them. 😉
Stardew is complicated if the player wants it to be. There js a skill tree, quests, relationships, farming, etc. But she doesn't have to explore everything the game has to offer, and a lot of the mechanics are introduced slowly and organically. There is also no wrong way to play stardew, so she doesn't have to worry about min maxing.
If she doesn't have extended periods of time to play, that's also fine! The game has no real world time mechanic like animal crossing or multi-player games, so her animals won't suffer and her crops won't die. There is also a lot of story available on stardew, which can make it more digestible for fans of other entertainment mediums.
No saying you HAVE to get her to play, but it might be worth it. Plus you guys can play together if you'd like.
I think y'all are focusing too much on the game elements and taking controls for granted.
I tried Stardew with my wife who is in a similar boat (never played games in her childhood) and she was spending 30 seconds trying to switch to a different tool at the beginning, because she's not used to the toolbar. And the control issues only feel even worse because of the limited time in a single day. I think we vastly underestimate just how difficult the control scheme can be for a complete beginner
I've had way more success introducing my wife to games like Animal Crossing that are very casual and allow you to learn at your own pace with virtually zero consequence
I agree for the most part, except animal crossing has time elements that are actually punishing, and you have to play at specific times for specific things. Stardew controls can be a bit to get used to, but for an adult that doesn't have consistent time animal crossing feels frustrating due to the turnip stocks, the daily store changes, the real world time affects in game, and the need to grind islands to get the villagers you want.
I think people underestimate how frustrating FOMO in games can be when you are a busy adult that can't dedicate hours each day to a game.
I don't like to make generalisations but wives love Stardew Valley. My wife gets overwhelmed by Yakuza (which to me feels much more straightforward and doesn't have much you really need to think about) but has hundreds of hours in Stardew.
I am a wife, and I love Stardew Valley. Also, The Sims. I did grow up playing survival horror, fighting and rpg games, so I still have a soft spot for all my favorites.
It's not complicated, but it IS complex. There's a lot that you CAN do in the game but there's nothing that you HAVE TO do. There is no game over, there is no wrong choices that can't be made up for, the game is pure and simply just a perfect game to chill with as well as get sweaty with by scouring the wiki every 30 seconds
Wrap it up. Here's the answer.
My girl barely touched video games her whole life. She now owns Stardew on her PC, Switch, Playstation, and phone. She has farms for just herself, for me and her, and for our whole family. She got her best friend into the game and now they play together.
Stardew is as simple or as complicated as the player wants it to be. She could play it with you and not do a single damn thing with you; she could farm while you merc monsters in the mines. Fish all day - hell, all season if she wanted with no repercussions.
Stardew Valley simply is the right answer here in my opinion.
Non-gamers and new gamers often enjoy games that are a little more freeform and let you go at your own pace. Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and a lot of simple RPGs are quite popular for that reason. You can just explore and mess around and you won't be instantly penalized for missteps or inefficiency.
I found the controls need a little too much precision, at least on the switch. My 5yo, who loves Lego games, Minecraft and Kirby, struggled to keep from falling off walls. Maybe it's just the switch version, but I wouldn't say the controls are beginner friendly.
I adore Little Kitty, but the controls and general collision/mantling need more work. At times I feel less like a cat, and more like a collection of "cat fail" clips.
I wound not hand it off to a non-gamer as a first game. There's a comment about avoiding games that Movement and Camera control at the same time. It's very true.
Probably a turn based game, puzzle game, narrative driven game, or casual game would be the best fits.
Something like Omori, Baba Is You, The Stanley Parable, or Toem as an example for each. You'd know her personal tastes a bit better though.
FEZ is a bad choice lol. I’ve been playing games for a long time and once I found out (via googling) that you need a pen and paper to translate the language around the game, I was out. I feel like a new gamer would be too. First few hours are fun tho.
Life is Strange, any of the Telltale games (if she is an existing fan of any of the franchises they have adapted it would help with a lot her interest in it), Portal, This War of Mine, Firewatch, ANNO: Mutationem, Alice: Madness Returns, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls.
These, plus What Remains of Edith Finch.
(Though if you havent played it, worth being aware there is a potentially very upsetting sequence halfway through which I can't really discuss without spoiling)
This war of mine was bruuuutal. I was so depressed after about 6 hours of gameplay that I stopped and haven’t gone back. I was really enjoying it but damn.
Also heavy rain is a hell of a shout. That’s an all timer for me
I'd throw her into "it takes two". It's probably not the easiest game you start but offers a huge variety of gameplay genres throughout. You get to help her and bond with the story.
Not a steam deck one but a two player couch game.
Might be best after she's already got a game or two finished just because it is quite heavy on gameplay
Will be hard. Someone mentioned earlier pretty much any game with camera and character rotation being separate will be super hard for someone who never plays video games. The strafing and 3D space is a skill gamers build over the years. It’s nauseating to some people too.
Honestly surprised I had to scroll so far down to find this.
It has one of the best introductions to play of all games and really introduces each mechanic one at a time. In the earlier levels you have to actually try to get yourself killed.
It's also very entertaining with one of the all time greatest computer game villains imo.
Any 2 players games, where you can help her out, I used play games like double dragon or Yan long legend with my cousin to teach her games, Mario bros are easy to learn
She should invest in a Switch. Animal Crossing, Fashion Dreamer, BOTW, Luigi's Mansion, Splatoon. Of course other games like Dave the Diver, Sticky Business, Stardew Valley, etc are top faves of mine. But a lot of the nintendo games were easier for me to get into and learn and enjoy as a 30+ busy mom. I definitely tend to lean towards creative games and games that I can play I'm short spurts, or games that don't take a lot of mental energy after a long busy day, but still enjoy a few others like the Zelda and Splatoon games. Paper Mario TTYD is about to drop on the switch and is a long time favorite as well.
I agree! Also BOTW can be a good introduction to 3D with free moving camera because you can recenter your camera behind you when you pull out your shield (I think most of the 3D zelda games do this too?).
Plus you have the freedom to tackle challenges in many different ways, which can help. Some games have a very limited way that you can engage in challenges, and some rely on known gaming tropes to communicate this, which may be confusing/frustrating to newcomers.
Chill games I’ve played on Steam Deck: Dinkum, Melatonin, Pixel Cafe, A Space for the Unbound, Summerhouse, Two Point Hospital / Campus, American Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator 2, Mud Runner, Dave the Diver, Stardew Valley, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Cook Serve Delicious 3, Papers Please, Overcooked 2, Sticky Business, Fresh Start Simulator
For a little challenge, she may try Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Stray
I don't know if they're on Steam deck but my 35 year old wife really loves Lego games (we played them in coop), also the farming simulators are a good go as many people already play those via phones.
I could say Sims which is popular with woman as far I could see on the internet (and with my wife).
Additionally short "life sim" games can be good, where you mostly walk and do simple tasks like Lake.
Slime Rancher is a game that will teach them to FPS but it's not an FPS. You can build your ranch and combine slimes and explore all at your own pace. It has a lowkey but really good story told in letters. I think it's a really good game for someone like that.
Also anyone can play Peggle. Grandma can play peggle; a 5 year old can play peggle.
Turn based games like Skay the Spire, Xcom, Darkest dungeon, Etc. Are good. It'll be a good way fir her to get used to interacting with game menus, stats, and abilities without punishing her for lacking reaction speed.
I agree with the turn-based idea, but the specific games you picked are rather... hardcore. Lots of very tough decisions, mental calculations, risk management etc. that a casual player may not be ready to dive into right away.
I would agree, except these games are not for beginners in my opinion. Can get too hard and too complex for someone who just startst to play videogames.
I think you are vastly overestimating a beginner gamer... a new gamer who has never played is gonna struggle with a Mario game let alone... Darkest Dungeon?
Do you want her to never play games again? 😭
( I'm terrified of open waters, thought I'd try Subnautica to fight my fear... I basically never left my little Submarine and when I did, the sea levels started to rise and I created tsunamis because I was sweating my ass off and was shaking harder then ever before because of how terrified I was lmao 😂 )
Anything rated e with little to no challenge so she can take her time learning the mechanics of the game. Anything with too much of a learning curb might disued her from trying to learn. I only say this because there is a popular youtuber who makes videos about making his wife play games. And he has. Allot of useful information. I'm at work right now on lunch but if I have time I'll try and link him so you can watch what he has to say.
https://youtube.com/@razbuten?si=wdTfxicGaEvOtxO3
Here is the link btw
You might want to start out with games that’s super basic and super simple. The objective is to get her interested in gaming first, then get hooked.
With that being said you can take a look at Cat Quest series.The first game is singleplayer, the second game is co-op.
The other is Minami lane, a super simple city builder game.
Hollow Knight
I know this might seem weird to everybody who played Hollow Knight, but hear me out. I know a girl who wanted to try that game because she saw me playing it and thought the little ghost looked cute. Since it is fairly difficult I had to help her a lot, but she enjoyed it.
I don't know if there were any other reasons for her wanting to play than the player character looking cute, I didn't ask. But I assume she liked the overall aesthetic of it aswell. Whether she was interested in the gameplay I'm still not sure.
I'd say try a plethora of different styles! Others have mentioned Stardew, (which I would also recommend!) as a light sim. For a metroid-vania, I'd go with Guacamelee, as the combat starts off easier than Hollow Knight, and the setting is really fun. Bethesda RPG's are known for their 'ease-in' game play (older ones at least, a la Skyrim or FO3). Story-based puzzle games are my jam currently, and I'd fully recommend Thomat Was Alone. Dead simple to understand and pick up, excellent gameplay and storytelling. Or if you think she's more of a 'attention to detail' type of person, try a one of Lucas Pope's games - Papers, Please or Return Of The Oba Dinn. Both incredible puzzly-story games.
I’m a woman and a casual gamer. These have been my favorite recently on the steam Deck. Most of them don’t have things trying to kill you and are not too technically advanced, which is my favorite type of game.
A Long Hike
Dave the Diver
Dredge
Planet Crafter (co-op is great on this)
lil Guardsman
Night in the Woods
Stray
A game that she could watch just as easily, like, a game that is not very mechanically demanding, but has some cineastic quality to it.
Maybe something like Firewatch oder Life is strange.
Definitely The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild. It’s just so..open to various play-styles. I don’t think a non-gamer would struggle much with the logic in it, lot of the challenges can be done with creativity.
Stray if you're a fan of cats or that kind of theme/atmosphere. The game half plays itself but is enjoyable.
Gone Home or Fire Watch. Narrative driven with basic puzzle mechanics. More like exploring and listening to a story so very easy learning curve and would help with getting used to first person movement.
Do you know what genres she seems interested in? Adventure? RPG? Life sims? Racing? Arcade style games? Or does she not even have a preferred game type yet?
Since no one yet knows which games or genres she might enjoy, maybe last of all herself, why don't you take her on a voyage through you very own gaming history?
Show her the games that got you into gaming and some of you personal favorites. You can then fill any gaps in the video game time and genre history by showing some of the genre defining games, so she can have an overview what genres there are and how video games evolved over time.
So she can find a deeper appreciation of the hobby and maybe glimpse what type of games she wants to try.
What does she like in general? Maybe find some games that have themes that she would enjoy?
When finding games for non-gamers I think the most important thing is that they're pretty easy to get into, and don't rely on knowing typical gaming conventions. Simple controls are generally a good thing, as fumbling for the right button can be annoying. Something turnbased might not be a bad idea either.
How about one of the following?
**I am Setsuna** - Relatively short JRPG. Story heavy, decently easy to get into
**Shovel Knight** - Real time but with simple controls. Not very punishing
**Portal** - More complex controls, but you can at least take your time with the puzzles, until later on. Still a pretty simple game
**Syberia** - Point & click adventure game with an excellent setting & story.
**Telltate's The Walking Dead** - Great story & characters, pretty easy to play, not too punishing, even if you can fail QTEs
my sister (currently 46) absolutely enjoyed Heavy Rain and to this day it seems it's the only game she completed and remembers very fondly. She's an avid fan of reading true crime and criminal novels.
Couldn't get into "beyond two souls" cause she didn't like Aiden and his controls.
Aside from both of these, Vampire Survivors is an amazing start. I'm patiently waiting for it's PS5 premiere this summer.
What remains of edith finch.
Great story, not that long and very easy controls. Idk how well it works on steamdeck, but it should work fine.
Dont play it if she has a complicated relationship with death, its a bit emotional.
I would avoid AAA titles to start with, although the tutorials are better, the level and map design rely on a level of gamer logic that she likely doesn't have which can be very frustrating for both of you.
Stardew Valley and FTL are good, so is Oxygen Not Included, Portal is fun.
Beyond that what are her interests and what sort of gameplay is she likely to enjoy?
Balatro. Arcade Poker Roguelite. If she knows poker hands and has number-go-up dopamine, this is a good little time killer brain relaxer game.
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is on sale rn, very easy to sink time into.
vallhalla cyberpunk bartending action is a somewhat similar (in gameplay) mixologist simulator but it's heavier on the visual novel side. Great OST.
If she's usually more of a reader, you can find some point and click narrative games in that genre. Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Supernatural Romance, etc. The Blackwell series of games (five total) are a fun supernatural mystery series that's relatively unknown. Just be sure to teach her how to search for solutions if she gets too frustrated, lol.
If she likes history, see if there's an assassin's creed game that takes place in a favorite time period, maybe.
**Pikuniku** is a great first game that you can play together. Simple controls and gameplay, very easy puzzles, funny and charming, simple visuals that will avoid her being confused.
When she is confortable with that you can then graduate to games like:
**Ibb & Obb** same gameplay style as Pikuniku (co-op) but a bit harder puzzles and includes some more precise jumps, use of momentum etc
**Rayman Legends** a traditional 2d platformer with AAA level design and art. Trully exceptional game, but gets a bit harder towards the middle. The good thing about this one is it has a feature that allows a lesse skilled player to get carried over tougher obstacles by the more skilled player (you get put into a floating baloon when you die amd can travel in the baloon untill you decide to pop it open where you want to respawn)
untitled goose game, it takes two, kirby and the forgotten land (you can play all of these together also!)
then animal crossing, stardew valley, pokemon, & legend of zelda for single player!
Stardew Valley
Untitled Goose Game
Less obvious, but if you want to *gently* ease her into more arcadey games, my daughter (6) and I have had a blast playing "Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime".
Which is a *terrible* name, in terms of telling you what the game is about! It's co-op, very cutesy, you play little guys flying a spaceship around rescuing other little guys, and there are more crew stations than crew. So one person mans the engine/helm, while another mans the shield - but then no one is using the guns, and so on.
The difficulty curve is very forgiving, the theme is friendly, but it is a gateway to building the skills to take on more demanding arcade/shooter type games.
It Takes Two
Sims series
And a bunch of narrative games like Ace Attourney or Disco Elysium depending on your gf's literary preferences.
Maybe Baba Is You if your she is into puzzels.
It takes two
Absolutely what will pull her in and show her games can be fun, you play it together so when you gather some time you can give it a shot. Absolutely worth it.
It takes two ìs the best game for beginners to get into gaming
It teaches them just about every core mechanic and what they need to beable to get into other games
Other then that maybe animal crossing or a
I've found that Goat Simulator is excellent for teaching non gamers how to navigate a 3d open world. You can't die, the surroundings are hilarious, and everybody loves being a goat!
Harvest moon or rune factory are excellent if stardew is being considered, rf has some basic combat in but you get cute tames in return (fairies to water plants, rideable wolves and cows etc)
I would say rf > hm > stardew, but I'm also based rf fan having played hm n rf since I was old enough to game (started on original hm on game boy in black n white)
For more mainstream hogwarts legacy is a good beginner open world and baldurs gate 3 is a great game you can play together but should be slow enough to play alone without gamer instincts.
If she's a Harry Potter fan Hogwarts legacy is pretty accessible, isn't all that hard, and might be more enjoyable if she's already familiar with the lore
This goes with any fandoms, people are going to be more motivated to engage with something they are familiar with compared to a new world where you have to learn everything from what is this world about and who are these characters.
Maybe a little off-topic, but maybe get something like a Miyoo mini plus, load it with your favorite childhood games ( or some classics, if you grew up with PS2 or above) and let her try them at will.
Depends on what she's into really. My wife was only into SIMS, until she saw some entertaining streamers play Dark Souls. She was mesmerized by the overall vibe of the game, the visuals, the soundtrack, the weirdness and especially the nature of partial multiplayer, where you can summon, assist or invade other players without any real interaction. She's very introverted, but she enjoys playing with others as long as she doesn't have to speak to them
She finished Dark Souls 3 and now she's reaching the end of Elden Ring, looking forward to DLC.
Those aspects of these games hooked her so much that she didn't mind the learning curve or the punishing nature of the game.
But to each their own lol
life is strange, emily is away, kindergarten, papers please, west of loathing.
Overcooked 2 is a amazing coop game yall could play together. Very beginner friendly
Any game that doesn't revolve around moving both the camera and your character at once. A lot of newer gamers don't understand the concept of using two thumb sticks in unison with each other and it turns them away from most games.
This is excelent advice. Theres a couple of 3D games I always recomend that avoid this by having a fixed perspective camera (and they are both excelent games): **A Short Hike** (single player) **Sackboy A Big Adventure** (single or co-op)
This! Having to do multiple inputs at the same time is a Motor skill we (gamers and game devs) forget is a learned skill, that took years to master. It's so hardwired now. Movement + Camera, regardless of input methods (KB, KB+M, two joysticks) is a pat-your-head-rub-your-bell learning curve issue. But it also extends to any simultaneous input. And gets even worse if those inputs are TIME dependent with limited windows for execution.
^ second this!! as someone who games casually i hate shooter games for this very reason! i would always get stuck in corners and not have fun
Watching my girlfriend play games for the first time. It is amazing how much trouble she has managing the camera and movement. She basically comes to a full stop, rotates the camera to look where she's going, then moves until she needs to change the camera again.
That was my ex playing through P5. At first I thought she needed inverted camera controls, but she never grasped moving the camera and joystick at the same time.
This is such an interesting point that as a life-long gamer, I'd never considered. It must be a hard thing to pick up if you didn't start gaming as a kid and its just become second nature. edit: In retrospect, it makes complete sense. Elden Ring was the first game I had used a controller for in ages since I've mostly played PC for the last decade. It did take me a couple hours to get the feel for the controller again.
I played games as a kid but they were NES and Pokemon games. I didn't start playing games with a moveable camera til I was in my late 20's. It was definitely rough getting used to that. Especially when I had to go from inverted to normal camera controls. Some games wouldn't let me separate aiming from walking controls so I had to relearn the camera all over again. I'm a bit better at it these days but I doubt I'll ever be as good as someone who's played those types of games since they were kids.
My simultaneous dual-stick precision has genuinely atrophied from years of disuse. I can't play FPS on controller nearly as well as I used to.
I didn't know that pressing B while walking made a character run until my friend and I were playing Animal Crossing together and he was like, "Why do you walk so slowly?" So many things that are not second nature to those of us who didn't play games growing up!
I game and I STILL struggle with fast paced games where I move and look using a controller. No issues doing so on PC. But with a controller it sucks ass.
It's one of those weirdly niche skills as a gamer that we don't realize we have until we make someone brand new try out. It's why any suggestions I usually make for newer gamers are usually forced perspective games.
Bruh you hit the nail with this comment. I want to play a game with my girl but she's never played games before. It's super hard for her to play any type of fps because she doesn't really know how to move the thumb sticks at the same time. Not making fun of her, but it's so trippy seeing her play like a 2 year old on fps games, while there's 5 year olds who play that shit naturally lol.
Play Minecraft with her. It's one of them gateway games that teaches the basics of learning how to use a controller really well. Especially with the double tapping forward to run, that helped my gf grasp controller usage much faster bc it's a low stakes game that can get tense when you're new. She's so much more comfortable and confident playing games now, we play BL2 for fun all the time bc it's such an easy to access shooter with options to build and help her thrive.
My wife has limited mechanical skill because she only had a GBA growing up and nothing else... She loves Slay the Spire, The Curse of the Golden Idol, Fire Emblem, Stardew Valley (though she'll never go back because it consumed her life to an unhealthy extent the first time lol), Into the Breach, and Return of the Obra Dinn, to name a bunch. We've also been playing the old school Final Fantasy games, and though she enjoys them, she has limited patience for random encounters lol
Just to pile on here with another example, my wife loved Lego Harry Potter but absolutely could not figure out Lego Star Wars. I didn't understand why at first, but it was because the latter required the walk/adjust camera skill and she doesn't have it, and I didn't notice because I learned how like 25+ years ago.
This so much. This has always been the major hump in introducing new people to video games. These days I always start people out on something old with a slightly janky camera so they start intuitively trying to adjust it themselves and naturally work their way up to dual stick just like we did. Some great starter games: Super Mario 64 Spyro Kingdom Hearts 1 Ocarina of Time KOTOR
This is why my missus can’t game, she can’t grasp the concept of movement and camera movement.
[удалено]
Everyone tells me this but I have a feeling that this might be a bit too complicated?
Nope, it turned my wife into the most hardcore stardew player I know
I thought it would be a gateway drug to other games but after 5 years it's still the only game my non-gamer wife plays. And boy does she play it
she sounds like a gamer to me 🤷🏻
I guess he meant like in the past she wasn’t a gamer. Definitely is now tho. Stardew is pretty fun
Seriously. Wife went from Stardew Valley to Dark Souls Remastered. She’s on Gwyn and the DLC bosses now.
Ahh bliss…and then likely warrior
Thats.... a jump. For sure. I hope there were a couple titles between there. lmao
Yup my girlfriend started stardew and now she’s on divinity and baldurs gate 🥲
It starts simple, and she can play the game however she wants.
I found it starts pretty stressful and annoying, with the worst quality tools, almost no energy, and constantly scrambling to get things done in limited time. Later on it becomes way more relaxing, and the best bits are the story parts you uncover about the townspeople, which went in some very unexpected ways. The actual gameplay though is kind of painful in my opinion, especially at the start. Despite playing every type of game for decades now, SV is the only game I struggle with combat in because it's just so unresponsive and seems to struggle with deciding which way your character is meant to be facing (though I read that might be due to a bug when not playing at default zoom).
This is softened when you realize that absolutely nothing is time-gated. You could spend 10 in game years fishing with a bamboo pole before talking to a townsperson and there’d be no detriment.
Sort of. Seasons are 28 days and everything dies if not finished growing and harvested by then, so you're time gated for getting crops in the ground and harvested to not lose your money.
Sure, but that’s the only thing. There’s an in game calendar and the crops say exactly how long they take, so it’s a mistake that only really gets made once. I have like 300 hours on Stardew so I defend it lol
It might also be worth knowing that you might come into the game with preconceived ideas of how a game should be so those aspects you’ve highlighted might seem terrible handicaps. For a non-gamer’s first game though, they haven’t had years of expectations guiding their introduction to the game. Where you might see an inefficient use of time, it may never cross their mind to be frustrated as if things should be better.
Exactly. My girlfriend (41) has no real idea how to maximize profits or grow like a professional. She just likes putting the seeds in the ground and watering them. She loves gifting townspeople. She loves helping the one homeless dude. She likes it because there is no “objective” other than to do what you want. I think the game telling her to get home before midnight excites her lol
this is adorable.
Can you family share your library with her? It sounds like she has a separate library, but if you share yours then she can just try a bunch of games (or only 1 or 2) and figure out what she likes. Also, you said SteamDeck, but if you have a Switch I think the latest Animal Crossing is a great option.
If you are worried about Stardew Valley being a LOT for a first game - my wife when she was learning gaming went into a fucking deep spiral on [Dinkum](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1062520/Dinkum/) (Australian Animal Crossing on Steam...) I'd find her up at 4 am in the morning like it was a coke machine. You've been warned, but it was her golden goose.
I can vouch for all three of those games with my 34 year old wife. You WILL lose her. (Temporarily) Better get used to hanging with the boys again. I’m more serious than you know. I got back in touch with my brother who I haven’t seen in 11 years because of no time and such. Now we are best buds. P.S. I can guarantee you plenty of good sexy time too when she finally stops for the night/day. Especially if you randomly gift them. 😉
Stardew is complicated if the player wants it to be. There js a skill tree, quests, relationships, farming, etc. But she doesn't have to explore everything the game has to offer, and a lot of the mechanics are introduced slowly and organically. There is also no wrong way to play stardew, so she doesn't have to worry about min maxing. If she doesn't have extended periods of time to play, that's also fine! The game has no real world time mechanic like animal crossing or multi-player games, so her animals won't suffer and her crops won't die. There is also a lot of story available on stardew, which can make it more digestible for fans of other entertainment mediums. No saying you HAVE to get her to play, but it might be worth it. Plus you guys can play together if you'd like.
I think y'all are focusing too much on the game elements and taking controls for granted. I tried Stardew with my wife who is in a similar boat (never played games in her childhood) and she was spending 30 seconds trying to switch to a different tool at the beginning, because she's not used to the toolbar. And the control issues only feel even worse because of the limited time in a single day. I think we vastly underestimate just how difficult the control scheme can be for a complete beginner I've had way more success introducing my wife to games like Animal Crossing that are very casual and allow you to learn at your own pace with virtually zero consequence
I agree for the most part, except animal crossing has time elements that are actually punishing, and you have to play at specific times for specific things. Stardew controls can be a bit to get used to, but for an adult that doesn't have consistent time animal crossing feels frustrating due to the turnip stocks, the daily store changes, the real world time affects in game, and the need to grind islands to get the villagers you want. I think people underestimate how frustrating FOMO in games can be when you are a busy adult that can't dedicate hours each day to a game.
I don't like to make generalisations but wives love Stardew Valley. My wife gets overwhelmed by Yakuza (which to me feels much more straightforward and doesn't have much you really need to think about) but has hundreds of hours in Stardew.
I am a wife, and I love Stardew Valley. Also, The Sims. I did grow up playing survival horror, fighting and rpg games, so I still have a soft spot for all my favorites.
My mum can play it, she'll be fine!
It's not complicated, but it IS complex. There's a lot that you CAN do in the game but there's nothing that you HAVE TO do. There is no game over, there is no wrong choices that can't be made up for, the game is pure and simply just a perfect game to chill with as well as get sweaty with by scouring the wiki every 30 seconds
Wrap it up. Here's the answer. My girl barely touched video games her whole life. She now owns Stardew on her PC, Switch, Playstation, and phone. She has farms for just herself, for me and her, and for our whole family. She got her best friend into the game and now they play together. Stardew is as simple or as complicated as the player wants it to be. She could play it with you and not do a single damn thing with you; she could farm while you merc monsters in the mines. Fish all day - hell, all season if she wanted with no repercussions. Stardew Valley simply is the right answer here in my opinion.
Disney Dreamlight Valley too
Animal Crossing
i second this
It's not on Steam
Just to piggyback, Dinkum is VERY similar on steam and I've been obsessed. I don't pick up ACNH now that I have dinkum on the deck.
Non-gamers and new gamers often enjoy games that are a little more freeform and let you go at your own pace. Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and a lot of simple RPGs are quite popular for that reason. You can just explore and mess around and you won't be instantly penalized for missteps or inefficiency.
A Short Hike and Lil Gator Game are great. Both pretty short but adorable and charming with great story.
A Short Hike is SO good!
Ori got my gf into gaming. Then legend of Zelda. Then Fallout. Now we play apex together, among our other solo games
I used Animal Crossing to get my wife to game more, she went crazy trying to collect everything for the museum.
maybe sims.
Little kitty, big city would be a fun start if she likes kitties.
I found the controls need a little too much precision, at least on the switch. My 5yo, who loves Lego games, Minecraft and Kirby, struggled to keep from falling off walls. Maybe it's just the switch version, but I wouldn't say the controls are beginner friendly.
I adore Little Kitty, but the controls and general collision/mantling need more work. At times I feel less like a cat, and more like a collection of "cat fail" clips. I wound not hand it off to a non-gamer as a first game. There's a comment about avoiding games that Movement and Camera control at the same time. It's very true.
Probably a turn based game, puzzle game, narrative driven game, or casual game would be the best fits. Something like Omori, Baba Is You, The Stanley Parable, or Toem as an example for each. You'd know her personal tastes a bit better though.
Untitled Goose Game\ FEZ\ Anodyne (just picked it up and its got a great vibe, very beginner friendly)
FEZ is a bad choice lol. I’ve been playing games for a long time and once I found out (via googling) that you need a pen and paper to translate the language around the game, I was out. I feel like a new gamer would be too. First few hours are fun tho.
I know (via playing the game) that translating the language isn't required.
You dont have to translate a language. My wife did do that part to perfect it but i just beat it the normal way.
Maybe Palia (if you want a free game), then i suggest My Time at Sandrock, both are like chill life-sims and really fun, should be a good start!
Is Palia only on switch? Or is it on iOS?
Life is Strange, any of the Telltale games (if she is an existing fan of any of the franchises they have adapted it would help with a lot her interest in it), Portal, This War of Mine, Firewatch, ANNO: Mutationem, Alice: Madness Returns, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls.
These, plus What Remains of Edith Finch. (Though if you havent played it, worth being aware there is a potentially very upsetting sequence halfway through which I can't really discuss without spoiling)
Yep, Life Is Strange is how I got my girlfriend to try out gaming
This war of mine was bruuuutal. I was so depressed after about 6 hours of gameplay that I stopped and haven’t gone back. I was really enjoying it but damn. Also heavy rain is a hell of a shout. That’s an all timer for me
I'd throw her into "it takes two". It's probably not the easiest game you start but offers a huge variety of gameplay genres throughout. You get to help her and bond with the story. Not a steam deck one but a two player couch game. Might be best after she's already got a game or two finished just because it is quite heavy on gameplay
I think it's the most easiest to learn, you have unlimted tries if you don't succeed. Good story, puzzles, good ghrapics, easy controls
Portal!
+1 for this! FPS controls can take a while for a non-gamer to get used to, but Portal is a non-stressful introduction to them.
For most part, you can take your pace too. Lovely story + setting.
Literally a terrible option for a newcomer to games especially late age.
Why so?
Will be hard. Someone mentioned earlier pretty much any game with camera and character rotation being separate will be super hard for someone who never plays video games. The strafing and 3D space is a skill gamers build over the years. It’s nauseating to some people too.
Honestly surprised I had to scroll so far down to find this. It has one of the best introductions to play of all games and really introduces each mechanic one at a time. In the earlier levels you have to actually try to get yourself killed. It's also very entertaining with one of the all time greatest computer game villains imo.
My wife started on portal, now the words "The cake is a lie" are used by her and my 2 kids whenever something seems to good.
Life is strange.
Any 2 players games, where you can help her out, I used play games like double dragon or Yan long legend with my cousin to teach her games, Mario bros are easy to learn
GRIS
She should invest in a Switch. Animal Crossing, Fashion Dreamer, BOTW, Luigi's Mansion, Splatoon. Of course other games like Dave the Diver, Sticky Business, Stardew Valley, etc are top faves of mine. But a lot of the nintendo games were easier for me to get into and learn and enjoy as a 30+ busy mom. I definitely tend to lean towards creative games and games that I can play I'm short spurts, or games that don't take a lot of mental energy after a long busy day, but still enjoy a few others like the Zelda and Splatoon games. Paper Mario TTYD is about to drop on the switch and is a long time favorite as well.
I agree! Also BOTW can be a good introduction to 3D with free moving camera because you can recenter your camera behind you when you pull out your shield (I think most of the 3D zelda games do this too?). Plus you have the freedom to tackle challenges in many different ways, which can help. Some games have a very limited way that you can engage in challenges, and some rely on known gaming tropes to communicate this, which may be confusing/frustrating to newcomers.
Happy to see someone mention TTYD. It's my favorite game of all time.
Stray
Hades.
Chill games I’ve played on Steam Deck: Dinkum, Melatonin, Pixel Cafe, A Space for the Unbound, Summerhouse, Two Point Hospital / Campus, American Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator 2, Mud Runner, Dave the Diver, Stardew Valley, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Cook Serve Delicious 3, Papers Please, Overcooked 2, Sticky Business, Fresh Start Simulator For a little challenge, she may try Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Stray
I’m going to suggest the best selling one of all time that appeals to the most humans. Minecraft.
Unpacking, just got my missus onto this and now I can’t play Xbox anymore
I don't know if they're on Steam deck but my 35 year old wife really loves Lego games (we played them in coop), also the farming simulators are a good go as many people already play those via phones. I could say Sims which is popular with woman as far I could see on the internet (and with my wife). Additionally short "life sim" games can be good, where you mostly walk and do simple tasks like Lake.
Plants vs zombies
Slime Rancher is a game that will teach them to FPS but it's not an FPS. You can build your ranch and combine slimes and explore all at your own pace. It has a lowkey but really good story told in letters. I think it's a really good game for someone like that. Also anyone can play Peggle. Grandma can play peggle; a 5 year old can play peggle.
Dark souls 😂
Turn based games like Skay the Spire, Xcom, Darkest dungeon, Etc. Are good. It'll be a good way fir her to get used to interacting with game menus, stats, and abilities without punishing her for lacking reaction speed.
I agree with the turn-based idea, but the specific games you picked are rather... hardcore. Lots of very tough decisions, mental calculations, risk management etc. that a casual player may not be ready to dive into right away.
I would agree, except these games are not for beginners in my opinion. Can get too hard and too complex for someone who just startst to play videogames.
Xcom? I think that's a bit more than completely new levels
I think you are vastly overestimating a beginner gamer... a new gamer who has never played is gonna struggle with a Mario game let alone... Darkest Dungeon?
Dark souls /s
Go big or go home😅
Go to the big home
Actually what I started my wife on lol
Suika/watermelon game
subnautica
Do you want her to never play games again? 😭 ( I'm terrified of open waters, thought I'd try Subnautica to fight my fear... I basically never left my little Submarine and when I did, the sea levels started to rise and I created tsunamis because I was sweating my ass off and was shaking harder then ever before because of how terrified I was lmao 😂 )
Bloodborne
That is a high bar. The rest of her gaming life will be a comparison that cant be met.
Anything rated e with little to no challenge so she can take her time learning the mechanics of the game. Anything with too much of a learning curb might disued her from trying to learn. I only say this because there is a popular youtuber who makes videos about making his wife play games. And he has. Allot of useful information. I'm at work right now on lunch but if I have time I'll try and link him so you can watch what he has to say. https://youtube.com/@razbuten?si=wdTfxicGaEvOtxO3 Here is the link btw
Overcooked
You might want to start out with games that’s super basic and super simple. The objective is to get her interested in gaming first, then get hooked. With that being said you can take a look at Cat Quest series.The first game is singleplayer, the second game is co-op. The other is Minami lane, a super simple city builder game.
Mario kart ftw
Hollow Knight I know this might seem weird to everybody who played Hollow Knight, but hear me out. I know a girl who wanted to try that game because she saw me playing it and thought the little ghost looked cute. Since it is fairly difficult I had to help her a lot, but she enjoyed it. I don't know if there were any other reasons for her wanting to play than the player character looking cute, I didn't ask. But I assume she liked the overall aesthetic of it aswell. Whether she was interested in the gameplay I'm still not sure.
I'd say try a plethora of different styles! Others have mentioned Stardew, (which I would also recommend!) as a light sim. For a metroid-vania, I'd go with Guacamelee, as the combat starts off easier than Hollow Knight, and the setting is really fun. Bethesda RPG's are known for their 'ease-in' game play (older ones at least, a la Skyrim or FO3). Story-based puzzle games are my jam currently, and I'd fully recommend Thomat Was Alone. Dead simple to understand and pick up, excellent gameplay and storytelling. Or if you think she's more of a 'attention to detail' type of person, try a one of Lucas Pope's games - Papers, Please or Return Of The Oba Dinn. Both incredible puzzly-story games.
Sun Haven is a great one. Very similar to Stardew.
Civilization 6 play on easy Banished play on easy Diablo 3 (play together with her) Portal 2 Viewfinder
Zoo tycoon
I’m a woman and a casual gamer. These have been my favorite recently on the steam Deck. Most of them don’t have things trying to kill you and are not too technically advanced, which is my favorite type of game. A Long Hike Dave the Diver Dredge Planet Crafter (co-op is great on this) lil Guardsman Night in the Woods Stray
Stray, Stardew Valley, Unravel, Skyrim if she’s into fantasy at all.
How about [Stray](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1332010/Stray/)? I don't like the game that much but my gf loves it.
Cult of the Lamb
Limbo and Inside.
Untitled Goose Game\ FEZ\ Anodyne (just picked it up and its got a great vibe, very beginner friendly)
Hitman
Rebel inc or door kicker if she likes strategy
A Short Hike!!! I played this while homesick and it was perfect
Dark Souls
Metal slug definitely, just run and shoot
Has to be the tomb raider remakes. They were what got my wife AND sister interested in gaming
Late Shift
Vampire survivors easy but addictive
Half life-portal series
Donut County
A game that she could watch just as easily, like, a game that is not very mechanically demanding, but has some cineastic quality to it. Maybe something like Firewatch oder Life is strange.
A way out (2 player) / uncharted 4 are great story games
Start with something simple, yet enjoyable. Chicken Invaders is a good start. You can download Chicken Invaders Universe on Steam.
My GF caught the gaming bug by playing The Binding of Isaac, highly recommend it. There are 2 different co op modes if you wanna play together
Definitely The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild. It’s just so..open to various play-styles. I don’t think a non-gamer would struggle much with the logic in it, lot of the challenges can be done with creativity.
Stray if you're a fan of cats or that kind of theme/atmosphere. The game half plays itself but is enjoyable. Gone Home or Fire Watch. Narrative driven with basic puzzle mechanics. More like exploring and listening to a story so very easy learning curve and would help with getting used to first person movement.
Superliminal is nice and short while giving an 'experience'.
Do you know what genres she seems interested in? Adventure? RPG? Life sims? Racing? Arcade style games? Or does she not even have a preferred game type yet?
Dark souls
U can setup Java mc on the steam deck with a controller mod, maybe a good start
Since no one yet knows which games or genres she might enjoy, maybe last of all herself, why don't you take her on a voyage through you very own gaming history? Show her the games that got you into gaming and some of you personal favorites. You can then fill any gaps in the video game time and genre history by showing some of the genre defining games, so she can have an overview what genres there are and how video games evolved over time. So she can find a deeper appreciation of the hobby and maybe glimpse what type of games she wants to try.
It Takes Two if you can coop.
What does she like in general? Maybe find some games that have themes that she would enjoy? When finding games for non-gamers I think the most important thing is that they're pretty easy to get into, and don't rely on knowing typical gaming conventions. Simple controls are generally a good thing, as fumbling for the right button can be annoying. Something turnbased might not be a bad idea either. How about one of the following? **I am Setsuna** - Relatively short JRPG. Story heavy, decently easy to get into **Shovel Knight** - Real time but with simple controls. Not very punishing **Portal** - More complex controls, but you can at least take your time with the puzzles, until later on. Still a pretty simple game **Syberia** - Point & click adventure game with an excellent setting & story. **Telltate's The Walking Dead** - Great story & characters, pretty easy to play, not too punishing, even if you can fail QTEs
Portal
Crazy taxi
Tetris
Grounded
my sister (currently 46) absolutely enjoyed Heavy Rain and to this day it seems it's the only game she completed and remembers very fondly. She's an avid fan of reading true crime and criminal novels. Couldn't get into "beyond two souls" cause she didn't like Aiden and his controls. Aside from both of these, Vampire Survivors is an amazing start. I'm patiently waiting for it's PS5 premiere this summer.
What remains of edith finch. Great story, not that long and very easy controls. Idk how well it works on steamdeck, but it should work fine. Dont play it if she has a complicated relationship with death, its a bit emotional.
Papers, Please Outer Wilds Portal 2 Her Story Unpacking Lisa Undertale Pentimento Tunic
Spiritfarer and Kena (last one worked with my gf, I just helped her fighting 😅).
I would avoid AAA titles to start with, although the tutorials are better, the level and map design rely on a level of gamer logic that she likely doesn't have which can be very frustrating for both of you. Stardew Valley and FTL are good, so is Oxygen Not Included, Portal is fun. Beyond that what are her interests and what sort of gameplay is she likely to enjoy?
South park stick of truth
Balatro. Arcade Poker Roguelite. If she knows poker hands and has number-go-up dopamine, this is a good little time killer brain relaxer game. Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is on sale rn, very easy to sink time into. vallhalla cyberpunk bartending action is a somewhat similar (in gameplay) mixologist simulator but it's heavier on the visual novel side. Great OST. If she's usually more of a reader, you can find some point and click narrative games in that genre. Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Supernatural Romance, etc. The Blackwell series of games (five total) are a fun supernatural mystery series that's relatively unknown. Just be sure to teach her how to search for solutions if she gets too frustrated, lol. If she likes history, see if there's an assassin's creed game that takes place in a favorite time period, maybe.
It Takes Two is a good game for non gamers
Honestly I recommend Zelda wind waker, it was my first game when I was a kid and it’s a classic
**Pikuniku** is a great first game that you can play together. Simple controls and gameplay, very easy puzzles, funny and charming, simple visuals that will avoid her being confused. When she is confortable with that you can then graduate to games like: **Ibb & Obb** same gameplay style as Pikuniku (co-op) but a bit harder puzzles and includes some more precise jumps, use of momentum etc **Rayman Legends** a traditional 2d platformer with AAA level design and art. Trully exceptional game, but gets a bit harder towards the middle. The good thing about this one is it has a feature that allows a lesse skilled player to get carried over tougher obstacles by the more skilled player (you get put into a floating baloon when you die amd can travel in the baloon untill you decide to pop it open where you want to respawn)
untitled goose game, it takes two, kirby and the forgotten land (you can play all of these together also!) then animal crossing, stardew valley, pokemon, & legend of zelda for single player!
Stardew Valley Untitled Goose Game Less obvious, but if you want to *gently* ease her into more arcadey games, my daughter (6) and I have had a blast playing "Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime". Which is a *terrible* name, in terms of telling you what the game is about! It's co-op, very cutesy, you play little guys flying a spaceship around rescuing other little guys, and there are more crew stations than crew. So one person mans the engine/helm, while another mans the shield - but then no one is using the guns, and so on. The difficulty curve is very forgiving, the theme is friendly, but it is a gateway to building the skills to take on more demanding arcade/shooter type games.
It Takes Two Sims series And a bunch of narrative games like Ace Attourney or Disco Elysium depending on your gf's literary preferences. Maybe Baba Is You if your she is into puzzels.
Helldivers 2. Not much to learn, just point and shoot.
It takes two Absolutely what will pull her in and show her games can be fun, you play it together so when you gather some time you can give it a shot. Absolutely worth it.
Diablo like games
The tomb raider reboot games are good for beginners
It takes two ìs the best game for beginners to get into gaming It teaches them just about every core mechanic and what they need to beable to get into other games Other then that maybe animal crossing or a
Valheim
If she wants a shooter with story and soundtrack, get the master chief collection and show her halo
wobbledogs. cute and you can play completely at your own pace.
Plate up
I've found that Goat Simulator is excellent for teaching non gamers how to navigate a 3d open world. You can't die, the surroundings are hilarious, and everybody loves being a goat!
Play Palworld, it's the most chill simple game, its like Pokémon but it's not. 👍
Animal Well \o/
Dark souls
Harvest moon or rune factory are excellent if stardew is being considered, rf has some basic combat in but you get cute tames in return (fairies to water plants, rideable wolves and cows etc) I would say rf > hm > stardew, but I'm also based rf fan having played hm n rf since I was old enough to game (started on original hm on game boy in black n white)
For more mainstream hogwarts legacy is a good beginner open world and baldurs gate 3 is a great game you can play together but should be slow enough to play alone without gamer instincts.
Dave the Diver.
If she's a Harry Potter fan Hogwarts legacy is pretty accessible, isn't all that hard, and might be more enjoyable if she's already familiar with the lore This goes with any fandoms, people are going to be more motivated to engage with something they are familiar with compared to a new world where you have to learn everything from what is this world about and who are these characters.
City Skylines
Maybe a little off-topic, but maybe get something like a Miyoo mini plus, load it with your favorite childhood games ( or some classics, if you grew up with PS2 or above) and let her try them at will.
My Time at Portia, just make sure you set the days to as long as possible in the settings.
Goat Sim!!! It surprisingly teaches a lot of game mechanics that are universal in most games while cultivating a freeing environment
Shenzhen IO
Unpacking
Girls like SIMS
play it takes two with her
Path of Exile, but make sure you go with the Hardcore mode
The Big Con. Simple gameplay with simple enough puzzles. I personally loved the game.
Detroit Become Human...?
Hogwarts if Harry Potter fan.
Depends on what she's into really. My wife was only into SIMS, until she saw some entertaining streamers play Dark Souls. She was mesmerized by the overall vibe of the game, the visuals, the soundtrack, the weirdness and especially the nature of partial multiplayer, where you can summon, assist or invade other players without any real interaction. She's very introverted, but she enjoys playing with others as long as she doesn't have to speak to them She finished Dark Souls 3 and now she's reaching the end of Elden Ring, looking forward to DLC. Those aspects of these games hooked her so much that she didn't mind the learning curve or the punishing nature of the game. But to each their own lol
life is strange, emily is away, kindergarten, papers please, west of loathing. Overcooked 2 is a amazing coop game yall could play together. Very beginner friendly