New addictions

[oyceter]

I have, strangely enough, been spending all my time playing social games online. I say strange because while CB is a gamer, I am not. I discovered with my ex that I enjoy watching games with stories—I loved watching Eternal Darkness even though it freaked me out, and I had a lot of fun watching Zelda: Wind Waker. But I'm terrible at playing them... I tried other Zeldas on Wii and Nintendo DS, and I never made it past the tutorial on the former and rapidly got bored of killing things in the latter.

But then, CB got hooked on Sims Social on Facebook, and then he sicced it on me! Argh! Now I am actually active on Facebook, what the heck?! (I play on an incognito browser window and delete cookies every so often due to recent reports of Facebook tracking you everywhere.) I think Sims appeals to my rampant consumerist nature, and at least buying virtual things online with virtual cash slightly appeases the desire to do so offline. (Also, I am geekily excited about all the Halloween stuff coming out right now. My Sim can sleep in a coffin!)

And then troisroyaumes introduced me to Glitch, an extremely cute MMORPG that involves no fighting or killing whatsoever. Normally I would have found it too complicated to play—the learning curve is much, much steeper than Sims—but the absolutely gorgeous and adorable art direction kept me in it even as I couldn't figure stuff out.

So possibly now I have a free trial at Gamefly... I have tried City Interactive's puzzle/quest games Murder in Venice and Tree of Life, both of which I find very clunky in design but puzzly enough to spend my time on. Am still waiting for the new Professor Layton to come out. I tried Sakura Taisen: Takarazuka in New York in the Roaring Twenties! Sadly, not its actual name. Even more sadly, I bounced off it due to all the talking and how obvious it was that the game was written for fanboys to ogle at all the different women. Ew.

Anyone have Gamefly recs (Wii or DS preferred)?

• I don't like anything that involves combat or combat stress. As in, I found Plants vs. Zombies and Angry Birds too stressful. And I am really sad, but I couldn't get past the tutorial for Okami too =(.
  
• I can't do 3D games with a lot of movement because they make me queasy (see: Ilo Milo, which is fun and adorable and sadly makes me feel like throwing up, and Portal, which looks really cool and has great writing but makes my head spin. Picross 3D is ok because of the tiny DS screen.)
  
• I am awful at physics-based games (see: Angry Birds and Cut the Rope).
  
• I really like puzzly games like Professor Layton, and I have been chronically addicted to Picross (as well as Piczle Lines on iPhone).
  
• I can do block-type games like Tetris, Dr. Mario, and Puzzle Fighter.
  
• Despite my current addiction to Sims Social, I generally find simulation games too complicated... I hate amassing armies; I don't want to run a city or a shop, much less a country or a world; and mostly I'm as much a giant homebody in games as I am offline.
  
• I like a very easy ramp-up period. I.e. I tried Myst a long time ago, entered the world, stared at the screen for ten minutes, clicked on five things, and then gave up.

(Both Sims Social and Glitch accounts are under my legal name, ergo my not linking.

ETA: And now the Glitch account is fandom friendly!)

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

Do you find RPGs with turn-based combat too stressful? I've hit a point in my life where I really can't do much of the RPGs that have active combat because I'm developing arthritis in my thumbs, so I'm focusing on turn-based combat.

Alas, most of my favorites are for the Playstation, though. :( Oh, and one for the Xbox 360. I am limited console-wise, being quite a dinosaur.

[oyceter]

Sadly, yeah =(. I tried FFX (I think) once before and even then I hate getting hit. I think it's the "something dangerous that is not in my control or feels that way" aspect?

Hahaha, I barely have any consoles. Though I think I could probably do 360 by borrowing CB's...

[heavenscalyx]

There's a game for the 360 called Stacking (by DoubleFine). It's got gorgeous art & theming (steampunk stacking Russian dolls!) and there's... I don't think there's any combat, though there might be powers to slap people with gloves. Basically, your character is the smallest (and smartest) doll ever, and can take over other dolls' bodies by stacking inside them. If you don't think about the mind control aspects too hard, it's a pretty nifty game. :}

[oyceter]

Oooo that sounds interesting! Sadly not on Gamefly, but I will ask CB about it!

[willow]

I've been enjoying some demos of Mindcraft - even though their television spots upset me. (I saw the vids on the web and.. yeah, upsetting isms ahoy). The part I like (and thus makes me hesitant about buying, given the recent new releases - it's in beta currently and keeps releasing updated models) is that I can play on peaceful, and through the community have lots of (save game) puzzle mysteries etc to go exploring in, or do farming type things, etc, or breed my own pegasus or hunt for a unicorn to add to my stable, or design a home, garden, city, whatever, etc...

The newer releases seem very much rpg/action adventure oriented with new monster releases and a hunger bar etc and much less 'this is the product, do what you want with it' - which is the aspect that appeals to me the most.

Makes me a bit sad actually, I'd gotten excited that despite the PR which I dislike there might be an actual game that wouldn't bore me - and... well...

Now I'm curious about Glitch and going to go peek.

[willow]

Annd, I keep forgetting that I don't actually like multiplayer games. I don't want other people crowding up my screen, or wanting me to chat w/ them, or asking me to multi-task when I want to just brain-off. Also, lots of shrining and buying.

[oyceter]

Is Mindcraft the pixel-art game where you can build stuff? Or is that different? People keep reccing the latter to me, but I don't know much about it.

Ooof, yeah, Glitch is definitely multiplayer =(. It really freaked me out at first too, because Sims Social isn't realtime interaction, and I hate that everyone can watch me futz up all my jumping and whatnot.

[willow]

Uhm, there is pixel art in the game, or people make pixel art for the game. But yes, it's also possible to have 4x4 and 6x6 resolution when building stuff. I stick around 16x16 for the demos.


And yes, I tend to forget I don't like people. I think I can be 'social' then it stares me in the face and I want to punch it.

[oyceter]

Okay, yeah, that sounds like the same thing... booo monsters! I was kind of intrigued because everyone was all "You can do whatever and set your own goals!"

[willow]

It's got peaceful mode, and if you get the Peaceful Pack Mod/Add In, you won't need to kill anything to get certain supplies. But yes, I can't stand Zombies, so I don't want monsters on. I also don't want to battle Spiders - or do any battle really, all that OMG wtf. And now they've added creepier stuff, and I'm not feeling it.

[oyceter]

Okay, spiders means the game is RIGHT OUT. EW.

[willow]

Coolio. I repeat peaceful mode means no monsters at all. You'll see chickens and pigs and cows. But yeah, I totally understand the 'OMGWTF NO!'

**hugs**

[ursamajor]

Gliiiiiiiiiiiiitch. (I am Pandora Kouti on there if you'd like to friend me there. There is also a Dreamwidth group!) I was doing Sims Social immediately before I started Glitch because I adore Sim games, and I got hyounpark addicted, but then Glitch Happened.

Myst is beautiful but it annoyed the crap out of me for the longest time - it felt like there was more pressure for me to figure out what to do in the world to get anything to happen, rather than me feeling like, "Ooh, there's this nifty gorgeous world to explore, I wonder what happens if I do this?" I finally got it for my phone when it was released awhile back, but am still running around the first area trying to figure things out.

I don't know if there's a version of Katamari Damacy for the Wii (I'd thought Beautiful Katamari was being translated to the Wii, but now seems that may not have happened?), but I found it pretty easy to learn the motions for, and it's a lot of fun when you've had a crappy day and then you come home and take it out on the world by rolling up everything in the world. ;) I'm not sure if it's the kind of 3D motion that might make you nauseous, though? Haven't tried any of the 3D games you listed ...

The Final Fantasy series is still one of my alltime favorites - as the numbers go up, the stories get better - this might be something you watch while CB plays? Especially FFX. First time a video game made me *weep*. Other potential "watch but don't play" games - I've been watching Xenosaga while Hyoun plays, because the story and cut scenes are awesome, but I just found the actual gameplay irritating and boring. Though caveat, these are all PS/PS2 games as far as I know ...

[heavenscalyx]

But the higher-numbered FF games don't have mandatory cross-dressing! *just one reason I adore FF7*

For watching while someone else plays:
Suikoden (for the PS2, alas) ROCKS. My favorites are 2 and 5. Suikoden 5 has the most compelling and complicated political story, plus the love story is not romantic, it's all about family. And canonical lesbians! Suikoden 2 has pretty boy annnnnnngst.

Also Persona. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PS2) has a female protagonist who kicks ass and a creepy, realistic urban legend. Persona 3 (PS2 and PSP) has an all-new mechanic, plus, I believe, you can select levels of play including an "easy" level designed for people just interested in the story. Compelling characters and story -- one of the characters is clearly of the Arisugawa Juri archetype. Persona 4 (PS2) tunes up the mechanic and adds a canonically queer character AND a genderqueer character. The Personas are all v. creepy in their own ways, but balance the creepiness with good story and funny moments at least as well as Full Metal Alchemist does. The original Persona has been remastered for the PSP, and Persona 2: Innocent Sin has just been released for the PSP as well (was not originally released in the US due to content issues [Nazis!] and possibly also because of the availability of a gay relationship option for the male protag).

[softestbullet]

<3 Final Fantasy <3! Seconding FFX because its combat system is turn-based -- i.e. you can go as slow as you want. That might help with the stress. And of course it's gorgeous.

[oyceter]

Ahahah Sims! This is actually the first Sims game I've been able to get into, probably because CB is already in there... I tried Sims back in 2003 but was so annoyed by having to keep my Sim fed and watered! I think I also like looking at people's houses.

Katamari! I love it, but I suck at it =(. I'm really not good at moving avatars around a 3D space (I have only just quite mastered how to jump onto different things in Glitch, and it is a platform game!), so I can randomly grab stuff, but I almost always fail the time limit/circumference things.

I may also avoid FF, just because CB doesn't like it, so I can't watch him play, and I tried FFX way back when and the turn-based combat system still stresses me out.

Just found you on Glitch YAAAAY!!!

[xwingace]

Slightly out of left field, but I've learned to love the Guitar Hero games on DS (on the XBOX as wel, but on the DS is a bit of a different experience). I'm much more of a classical/instrumental music kind of girl otherwise, but these games give me something to interact with in more popular music, and with a very simple gameplay idea. Lots of movement on screen, though.

Similarly, try out Elite Beat Agents or Osu! Tatakae! Oendan! (if you can get the second one anywhere...) on DS. Same arguments/warnings apply as for Guitar Hero.

Also fun to play, but maybe you've played them already: The Ace Attorney games. Personally, I'm waiting until Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney comes out/gets localised before even contemplating buying a 3DS.

XWA

[tablesaw]

Seconding Phoenix Wright. I think it's exactly what you're looking for. They're all on DS in English. There are a lot of low-stress DS games that are like visual novels.

For a simple picrossy puzzler, I recommend Polarium on DS and Polarium Advance on GBA (if your DS can accommodate GBA games). The Scribblenauts games are fun and about creativity. More wheb I remember them.

[tablesaw]

Touch Detective, Hotel Dusk, and Lost in Blue are all visual-novel-style adventures for the DS much like Professor Layton or Ace Attorney. Trauma Center (DS & Wii) also ahs a visual-novel style, but focuses own tense surgery. No combat, but could still be stressful, since they really play up the tension.

Harvest Moon is a series of farm simulation games for multiple consoles. Animal Crossing is very low-pressure sim where you do whatever you want in your town (again, multiple consoles).

The Puzzle Quest games (multiple consoles) are RPGs, but they replace combat with block puzzle games

[oyceter]

OMG you know Picross!!! I am totally looking that up thank you.

Also yay visual-novel style! I think I like them more on DS than on Wii, just because it's easier to control. May also try Puzzle Quest... I've checked them out in stores for a while but didn't want to buy something I might not be able to play.

[tablesaw]

ALLOW ME TO BLOW YOUR MIND

[vass]

Seconding Animal Crossing, with the warning that it can be a terrible time-suck.

[oyceter]

Ahaha, now on its way from Gamefly!

[oyceter]

OMG I love music games! I didn't realize you could play them on DS without all that other fake instrument stuff?

CB also recced the Ace Attorney games! I started the first one but need to pick it back up again, and it's just about the level I like. (omg is Layton vs. Ace Attorney for real?!)

[xwingace]

Hmm, not entirely. The Guitar Hero on Tour games can all be bought with a special add-on that fits into the GBA slot of a classic DS or of a DS Lite. Of course you only need to buy the add-on once, but you do need a DS with a GBA slot.

The drum and vocal careers of Band Hero DS *can* be played without the addon, but for the guitar and bass careers of that game you still need it. Lego Rock Band DS doesn't need any special add-ons, but I've always found it less fun than the Guitar Hero games.

Check out Elite Beat Agents!/Osu! The only addon you need for that is a screen protector for the touchscreen, because you *will* be hitting it a lot, and with some strength. Another option might be Rhythm Heaven, but I haven't actually played that.

I don't know about any earlier Guitar Hero games or other consoles, but Guitar Hero 3 on Xbox 360 could be played with a standard controller. Unfortunately they disabled that option in later games.

And yes, Layton vs Ace Attorney is real. Have a look at the trailer. No release date outside Japan yet, unfortunately.

XWA

[jinian]

Rhythm Heaven is really fun, but I haven't played Elite Beat Agents, so we still can't compare the two!

[estara]

Re: Sakura Taisen. Ah well - understandable. I enjoyed it, but I do like Datesims when the boy isn't too obnoxious, lecherous and the story is fun.

If you like Hidden Object Games there are two based on Romance Novels, that have worked quite well for me - Nora Roberts Vision in White and Marjorie Liu's Tiger Eye (although that only has the first part of the novel as the background).

[oyceter]

I am sad! I think it's actually less the datesim and more the 3D aspect. I had a really hard time figuring out how to move my character somewhere and figuring out where to go and what to do. CB's brother had to tell me some icon on the screen meant I was supposed to point the Wii remote at the screen -_-;;. Um, hi, I suck at video games!

[oyceter]

Also ooo, I do like hidden object games, did not realize that is what those romance novel games were!

[kate_nepveu]

I have played a bunch of hidden object games, but only on PC and so I am not sure if that is what you are looking for?

[estara]

I hadn't played any of those before and found that if I put in the easy mode without time limit they're good fun ^^ - Vision in White has excellent voice acting and the people look very similar to how I imagined them in the book and Tiger Eye is a mix of puzzles and hidden objects and while the art is not as great it is spot on in the voices I thought.

I wish the two games had sold well enough for the sort-of-promised follow-ups but so far no luck...
They are for PC, as Kate Nepveu points out.

Also - I played Sakura Wars on the PS2, so I don't know what hell they put you through on the Wii ^^

[loligo]

I couldn't get past the tutorial for Okami too

For quite a while, Chuckles found the combat parts of Okami frustrating and upsetting, so she would make Andy fight all the battles for her, while she did everything else. I'm not sure what changed -- either she got desensitized to the danger (maybe a bad thing?) or her gaming skills improved (arguably a good thing?), but now she plays the whole thing herself. She's playing right this minute, in fact. She is pretty obsessed with it, and paints endless pictures of the wolf and all the Canine Warriors. Oh, and she spends a lot of time painting calligraphy of the various kanji that are used in the game, so at least I can tell myself it's educational?

[oyceter]

Oh that's interesting! I've heard it's easier on non-Wii platforms, but given that the fighting in Zelda on DS isn't actually very difficult but I still don't like it, I suspect the fighting just doesn't work for me =(.

[telophase]

I've played most of Okami on a PS2 and found having to draw the calligraphy with my left thumb on the stick pretty durn hard. :) Toby played it on the Wii and liked it a lot there, although there's one really annoying part that was badly designed that's just as bad - early on, a character does a dance to open flowers up, and you have to circle the buds EXACTLY at the exact points of the dance ... and when you screw up it doesn't let you skip the loooong beginning animation. That's the only thing preventing me from restarting the game on the Wii, actually. I don't want to spend hours on that section. :/

As far as Facebook tracking -- I've been using Ghostery. It disables tracking cookies, and tells you what it finds and what's disabled on the page, and has versions available for multiple browsers. I've let sites I like and trust use tracking cookies to count me, and kept the Facebook ones deactivated, except for Facebook Connect which is needed for part of Bingo Blitz on Facebook, because I am a sad, sad addict of that game. (But I turn it off when I go elsewhere!)

[softestbullet]

I just started Glitch too! It's so addictive. This is me if anyone wants to be buds.

[oyceter]

Found you!

[surpassingly]

I'm miir on Glitch, but I think you already found me :) Heeeee! Definitely agreed, the art is so cute and so well-done.

[jinian]

I finally remembered the video game I wanted to recommend to CB! It's too combat-oriented for you, but I think he'd really enjoy the Scott Pilgrim downloadable game. Very true to the comics, very retro 16-bit style, lots of fun.

And I've actually been playing a lot of Flash games lately. (It's like I am in a deprecated sub-genre within gamerdom, kind of disturbing.) They are short and often have fun or hilarious concepts that wouldn't carry a whole console release but make for a fun hour or two. I have some really good ones as my favorites on Kongregate.

[oyceter]

Ahaha, I told CB and he already had the Scott Pilgrim game and really likes it!

Oooooo, I will check out the Flash games... short is good! Especially now that I have been doing Sims Social for weeks and OMG just started Echo Bazaar whyyyyyyy......

[jinian]

Tell him I will play it with him sometime! :)

Ha ha, hope you like the Flash stuff. I'm not sure what will appeal to you most. Try Factory Balls 4?

[thistleingrey]

Alas re: Sakura Taisen--it is too much a dating sim, I guess. (Still haven't played more than the 45 minutes, but then, I just returned to the U.S. a few hours ago.)

I really liked Persona 4, but if you don't like having monsters, you may want to skip it. At least skip P3, for which one key gameplay dynamic involves shooting a character to "transform" it. Multiple times.

We could loan you Phoenix Wright if you'd like (uh, any of the four localized-U.S. ones) or the first Puzzle Quest. At least, I think I haven't sold the latter. We definitely have PW in spades. Seconding suggestion of Rhythm Heaven, which both darkforge and I found more playable than Elite Beat Agents (he went all the way through the latter, though, I think).

[oyceter]

I have borrowed PW1 from CB! Would enjoy Puzzle Quest if you can find it, though no worries if not!

[thistleingrey]

I will bring it to lunch, or at least, I have put it aside in a prominent place to bring to lunch and I hope I remember it. :P

[phi]

What is your glitch name? I just signed up but can't find you or troisroyaumes

[oyceter]

I am Squeegle!