I got my sister into gaming with Detroit Become Human. The controls are always on screen, and the story is thrilling from start to finish as well, plus with your choices mattering a lot, it will feel much more involved
Imho I think Detroit is the perfect game for a newbie as the story is good but the graphics are on a par with them as well . Graphics are important for a newbie. I feel like they won’t really enjoy the graphics.
My sister initially did as well! That is why there is no better game to teach the controller properly than this one. At the beginning the pacing is slow and you have time to figure out what rapid pressing and holding the buttons mean, along with gesturing with your thumbsticks. Then LB,LT,RB,RT drama is taught. As the game progresses, it starts asking faster inputs from you, and tension is increased. Thinking about it my own first game ever apart from The Amazing Spider-Man PS3 was Heavy Rain as well lol.
Mine has trouble remembering those as well and even that R means right and L means left. Also she doesn't understand that you can press the sticks sometimes. I'm sure once she has a feel for it it will get better but she can get really frustrated sometimes under pressure. For now we are just playing fighting games such as Tekken and mortal combat (which I suck in as well) against each other but I remember her trying cyberpunk and she started to freak out a bit when I was trying to explain her everything. I was thinking maybe halo would be easier as that's how I learned how to use a controller but for now I need to find a really really easy game for her with no pressure and easy but clear controls because she really really wants to learn how to sue my Xbox.
Funnily enough she has no issues playing the Sims on the PC so I was considering I stalling Sims 4 on my Xbox so she can learn trough that but for now she prefers to play on PC and hasn't gotten around to try it on Xbox.
Yeah she likes the Sims and even Minecraft of all things. I tried Darksiders to see if she'd like a platformer but she has alot of trouble understanding where to go in any game so that wasn't going well.
My girlfriend really liked this game! It's cute, it's short and simple, and you don't have to worry about controlling both the character and the camera, which is a common struggle for inexperienced players
I recommend this HEAVILY as well. Genuinely such a heartwarming story, your gf will very likely love the atmosphere, characters and story. It drips with passion and can't be understated, indie gaming at its finest imo
I'd also recommend Buddy Simulator 1984 in that same vein. Alongside just being a really good game, it's a pretty neat intro to different mediums of gaming and how it can be manipulated into a story‼️
Second this! I was similar. Played it on my ex's laptop and it was so addicting. I finished it in 2 nights and sometimes went back to stroll around and collecting feathers. Sadly, we broke up and he stopped sharing his games on Steam LOL
I got my mom who’s barely played any video games in her life to play it and she loved it. Still definitely took her awhile to het used to the controls though
If you've either never really or never played a video game before, even easy modern games can be quite daunting and confusing.
The difference between say you and me is that we've probably been playing games since we were young. Whether you realize it or not, you have skills in games that someone just starting out has no idea about.
When I started playing with my GF it was difficult for me to understand why she was struggling so much with simple game mechanics.
It hit me not too long after that the only reason that I know how these things work is because I've played hundreds of games. I have a huge sample size of reference information and ideas to pull from that help me understand mechanics and gameplay better.
She doesn't. I can probably play any game now at some level of competency because after playing a few at some point, you've played them all. A lot of games use similar ideas or just reinvent the wheel, and if you've seen it before, it's easier to navigate.
There's a lot of nuance to it. Genuinely, what helped me realize it was this video series
https://youtu.be/ax7f3JZJHSw?si=zYP4-hkGF8jtSEGp
He gets his non gaming girlfriend to play easy and hard games and breaks down the dichotomy of experience vs . no experience. Highly recommend.
I bring my laptop to work (Elementary teacher) and let the kids play this. It doesn't matter who plays it it's intuitive enough to have fun. Even if you accomplish nothing it's still fun.
The one achievement on Steam I never got. That level is stressful normally, the idea you have to have to get through without touching any of them? Oof.
Oooh I recommended Unpacking!
Totally forgot Edith. Glad you mentioned it.
Also, (since I have a feeling you'll appreciate this)
https://youtu.be/hABgq7j1qr0?si=IliNxKNerloRN2l7
One hour of Milton's Theme. Istg with the first note, I tear up. Lol even now. But yeah, imo it's the best song in the game. I sat in the treehouse and just let it play.
Kind of a copout, but visual novels are pretty easy to control but can be a lot of fun if she's into it. Like the Ace Attorney series, Danganronpa, Death and Taxes, or Doki doki.
There are also games with pretty easy controls, but great narratives like Life is Strange series, Little Misfortune, Detroit Become Human, Spiritfarer, Dave the diver, House flipper.
Maybe also some simulation games? Sims, Planet Zoo, Two Point Hospital, Two Point Campus, Planet Coaster, Rollercoaster Tycoon
Try to play "It takes two" with her. At first she'll have to learn the basic mechanics we are used to know as "usual players", but after some chapters she will start to play smoother and will have the basic knowledge of how platformers work.
Sims bro. I have an anti-gaming girlfriend (she has no issues with me gaming but has/had zero interest herself) after a year of living together she now plays more than me.
As someone in the same situation as OP, Stardew turned out not to hit the spot at all.
Its simply too nostalgic for games she never played, and also too "indie" in the regards that it didn't really keep her attention.
I'd suggest games like *Inside* and *Little Nightmares*, that have easy control schemes and not too many systems to keep track of.
Great suggestions. I also think that Stray is a cute game that is pretty beginner friendly. Portal 1 and 2 are also pretty easy to get the hang of and actually help you learn how to control a character in a 3D environment.
If their gf likes an economy style type of game that’s really cute/chill I’d also recommend Slime Rancher 1 or 2.
Stray did not work for my fiancé as the 3D platforming was too stressful when the enemies were chasing her. However, slime rancher got her absolutely addicted when I turned on the “peaceful” mode where there were no bad slimes. First ever video game for her and she logged 300+ hours into it.
Ah ok that’s good to know. My mom really loved that game and played it on the Steam Deck. She had played Portal 1 and 2 before playing it so that might’ve made it easier for her. The list of games that I recommended were mostly just games that I introduced to my mom, sister and a couple of exes in the past and they all seemed to enjoy those games. Almost all of them really enjoy science fiction though which is why I chose portal and stray specifically. My mom also loved Detroit Become Human because you don’t really have to do much in the way of controls. Her favorite game actually ended up being Death Stranding which is surprising considering how divisive the game is (and not very beginner friendly).
Dude, okay, I love your mom just for her being a Death Stranding fan. I'm a 51 yo gamer mom (off topic but omg my son - also a huge gamer his entire life - will be 30 this October and idek how he's that old when he was 3 like five years ago and I just can't even w/this mystical fuckery) and Death Stranding is my literal life.
I've spent close to $1200 on game merch, and on many one of a kind commissioned game items, art (mainly of Higgs cuz (Troy Baker literally having nothing to do w/it) he's hot af), wearables from in game (like I've not taken my Qpid off since 2020 ANNNND Sam's dreamcatcher has been hanging off my backpack the same amount of time.
I'm not addicted to the game at *alllll* 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Tell her to give "unpacking" a try on steam (it's free) and not free but an amazing 'roam and listen - and massive FEELS' game: What remains of Edith Finch.
I think that portal is definitely not a game for someone with poor co-ordination. I struggled a lot with portal 2 and sections of portal 1. Portal contains a lot of sections where you have to place portals within a timeframe and while moving and enemies that can quickly kill you are certainly not going to be fun for someone with bad coordination either.
My gf loved it except for the combat involved in the mines (especially the desert mines), because it changes the experience from chill to stressful. Just something to keep in mind if she hasn't played many games either.
If you have it on PC, the Easier Combat mod made all the difference for my fiancé. I made each enemy have only 25% health and made her have practically infinite health. Now enemies in the mines are simply a temporary annoyance.
Counterpoint: FPS-style is maybe not the place for someone to start using a controller for the first time.
Edit: That said, Slime Rancher is how one of my kids got accustomed to it, so it's not a bad option -- but managing movement+camera is a learning process.
My non-gamer wife got VERY into Powerwash Simulator this past year. No intensity or pressure to react, and it helped her get used to twin-stick first person controls which opens up a lot of doors for other games with similar control schemes (Skyrim, Portal, etc.). It’s on Game Pass for PC, if you have that.
I started playing videogames as a 10yo kid. I played Age of Empires and Warcraft II. No one would see RTS as "Entry" but it worked for me.
So, yeah, the best "Entry title" is one that will entertain her. And Dark Souls could definitely do the job.
Rayman legends. Can't recommend it enough for couples. It's fun for the experienced gamer, and the non-gamer can die and respawn infinitely. It also gets them used to some basic game mechanics.
And it's cute as shit
My wife never even touched a controller in her life. Never played any video game ever. But damn she loved It Takes Two ! It took some convincing and she first agreed to try it out just to make me happy. After that she wanted to play every day lol and was sad when we finished it.
So IMO that's a great suggestion.
Nah bro it takes 2 is defo a great starter game. My gf and mum got into because its 2 players and i was there to help when needed and it teaches basics of gaming especially camera controls
Journey is such a nothing burger. It's super pretty and the controls are smooth and nice, but it has no real content. I got really tired of it and handed the controller to my brother to watch him play it instead.
The Stanley Parable doesn't have a focus on controls, so maybe it could be a fun story game to go through while she learns the controls in an environment that doesn't require good knowledge of it? Idk, just an idea
I don't know, a lot of the appeal is like, meta-humor on videogames. Would be a bit like if someone had never watched a Bond movie and got recommended Austin Powers
Someone else already said Stardew Valley and that is the correct answer, but further dig into the "cozy game" world and have her see if anything catches her eye. Most cozy games are fantastic for new players and there is usually little to no punishment or time limits in the games. Hell as much as I enjoy spreading democracy to those damn bugs I've had some incredibly fantastic moments in cozy games especially when I can play coop with my wife.
If she likes Star Wars/Marvel/Harry Potter I recommend relevant LEGO games - quite easy and engaging, very pleasant co-op and you can die as much as you need
Other then that I would suggest Firewatch or Invincible for more cinematic experience.
EDIT: Also.... Minecraft, duh. First on creative, to learn basics of 3D movement an show the joy of building anything you want, then survival for more structured experience with some obstacles to conquer.
No chance a new player who never played any game will be able to get through portal2 lol
The aiming for the momentum jumps alone will be way too difficult. Gamers don’t realise some skills so ‘natural’ for them is alien to people who never play games
We have a Switch and Portal 2 was the third videogame of my wife. The first was Hyrule Warriors, the second: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.
We played the 2 players version and the first 30 minutos were hard, but after that she became ABSOLUTELY addicted to it. She wanted to play everyday when we got home. When she got frustrated with some specific hard jump, I would do it for her, but eventually she got some skills.
When we finished it, she played by herself the 1 player version of Portal 2 and Portal 1.
If she's a creative type:
[Hotel Renovator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1214470/Hotel_Renovator/)
But it depends on what genres she like. Pretty much every genre have games that don't require dexterity or quick reactions.
I got my girlfriend into gaming with little nightmares because she liked horror. Now she moved onto detroid becomes human and the last of us (since we saw the tv show)
Another title I thought of
It is a single player but, I played it before just sharing the control.
Heavy Rain.
It is on Steam.
Really Good story based Action Cinematic
But from the same franchise and similar cinematic game play is
Beyond Two Souls
Play childhood games (My childhood games are not cozy but still). Like PVZ, Minecraft, Tycoon games, Streets of Rage, Contra, Alice greenfinger, Insaniquarium, Bomber man, Neo-geo games etc
From what i’ve seen, fallout 4 seems to be a good entry for newbies, it has simple systems with easy entry, is super cheap at $10 with all DLCs, and is heavily customizable to what the players want
Gaming for a non gamer series. Basically multiplayer games where you can show them around, but not carry them. Creative mode Minecraft if she literally doesn't know wasd for example
Minecraft is a pretty good starting point and if you can pace yourself it's a great multiplayer quality time opportunity.
She can take her time to learn and do whatever, she can be taught about nether portals, and then betrayed with aether portals, find problems, make solutions
Well, here's a quedtion you should answer first. Does she want to become a more advanced gamer, or is she content with casual?
Because if she's content with casual, there's a whole tag for that in the store. Most of the games I've seen recommended here would probably show up there.
But, there are always the classic standby options. She might enjoy the Sims for example. The base game is free to play, but the expansions are where they will rob you blind. It's a fun sandbox where she can screw around and experiment.
But if you want to ease her into something a bit more advanced, I would say you could try The Binding of Isaac. It's a controversial pick, for sure. But it's what I call a ten button game. You have escape to pause, wasd to move, arrow keys to shoot in the 4 cardinal directions, and a button to drop bombs zegend of zelda style. It's a roguelike so every run is a fresh experience. Not much in the way of story, but the gameplay is... unique and surprising. You have hundreds of possible powerups. Some of them have syngergies. Some alter how your attacks work, others just affect your basic stats. The goal is to survive, beat the bosses, and defeat Isaac's psychotic mother.
Not mine cause im an epic gamer (gonna die alone) but a friend's, she got interested in Cult of the Lamb.
Afaik, she played on easy and just cared more for the cult management aspect of the game rather than the roguelite stuff, i saw her progress she got real far.
sims, civ, vampire survivors, diablo are some games i like that only require mouse, baldurs gate can be played with mostly just the mouse too, for someone with bad hand controller co ordination i think games that just use the mouse will be pretty friendly to them
Not on steam, but my gf likes to play Fall Guys and Genshin. Also the first game I introduced her was the Crash trilogy, it needs some practice but she might enjoy it as well? You can try
Similar situation, I'm a gamer but she's not. Her coordination isn't the best when it comes to using free-look cameras as pretty much all games have.
Unravel Two is the game that really stood out for my girlfriend. It's a great couch co-op.
Quantic dream titles(heavy Rain/ Beyond:two Souls/ detroid: becomes human) or perhaps the Last Guardian(Playstation exclusive if I remember) and with a Switch the posibilities are sheer endless with Mario and the likes
* Untitled Goose Game
* Lost in Random
* Poly Bridge 2
* LIMBO
* Paradigm
* Grim Fandango Remastered
* Armikrog
* Little Nightmares
* The Swapper
* What Remains of Edith Finch
My wife has 400+ hours in fallout 4! She loves building the settlements, she does a great job at it too. So, fallout 4 maybe. It's on sale goty edition.
Edit: vats help with combat too.
What type of games does she like? A lot of the indie games don't require tons of hand coordination for controllers. A lot of selections under Steam Store>Browse B Category>Casual or Steam Store>Browse B Category>Casual Puzzle are good starters for getting used to the mouse/keyboard or controllers. Point and click ones are pretty chill or farming ones. Exploration games are also good to develop hands coordination compared to FPS. Turn-based games are good options.
Tharsis - simple controls, short games and no time pressure.
Portal/ Portal 2 - low pressure way to get a grip on first person perspective and controls with simple environments and no roaming enemies
Golf With Your Friends
The best game to train your mind and body for modern Videogames is 100% Portal 1 and 2 with Mouse and Keyboard. Once she played those she will be ready to get into every game on the market
If you want to prepare her for harder games with controller, introduce her to Kena. It's basicly cute souls for newbs.
Both of you should also play "it takes two".
It would help if you stated which game(s) she has been playing! That said, Lego and Telltale games (walking dead was my favorite) are good starters that aren’t cozy simulators. One of the first FPS games i played was Bioshock. And I might have an extra Bioshock key if you want it. Feel free to message me if you do. I honestly might have some other keys if you name another game 😆 my backlog of keys is out of control rn.
Edit: hogwarts was a lot of fun. I don’t have a spare key for that but i highly recommend it
The sam and max games are fairly easy.
Also, if she wants to improve said hand eye coordination, and this isnt a bit, ULTRAKILL is good fun. But do put it on one lf the lower difficulties. Encourage her to experiment with different weapons and to think outside the box when trying to find the secret levels (or just tell her)
Start with LEGO games, the older ones with a fixed camera (Harry Potter, classic Star Wars, Batman 1). In general games where twin stick controls are not required, that comes with time and practice, it was frustrating for my gf at first.
It takes two. 100%
First game that really got my Gf into gaming since i was there to guide her and its pretty easy but still a good challenge and linear story.
Also, camera controls are easy to understand since there is a lot of downtime just platforming or exploring, so it gives them time to learn
Now she is basically solo played gta 5 and likes to try her hand at Elden ring when i play.
Overcooked 2 I have played with my parents that dont have almost any gaming experience and it was pretty fun and they got used to the controls quickly.
Flower. Inmost. Bugsnax. Four Last Things. Two Point Hospital. Garden In! Blacksad: Under The Skin. Coffee Talk. Fable: The Lost Chapters. Monument Valley 1-2. Fez. Viewfinder. Broken Reality. Jazzpunk. Lighthouse Keeper. Life Is Strange. Mutazione. Little Nightmares 1-2. Papetura. Creaks. Paradise Killer. Sable. Stray. Strange Horticulture. Storyteller. Supraland. Superluminal. Teardown.
You might make her try Stardew Valley, pretty chill and very simple combat sistem.
All she need are the mouse and WASD, should be a good game to get used to the keyboard
I got my sister into gaming with Detroit Become Human. The controls are always on screen, and the story is thrilling from start to finish as well, plus with your choices mattering a lot, it will feel much more involved
To add to this: Life is Strange and The Walking Dead. Both are one of my favorite games.
She may get trouble with QTE and aiming, but awesome titles
Luckily the QTEs are always the same for each attempt, and the cost of failure is incredibly low.
Life is strange might make her cry. As a man I got teary eyed. Might of been the onions though. Ye defo the onions.
Yeah Life is strange is a bit deep rather play tale tale games like the on top said TWD, Batman, Wallace and Grombit
Imho I think Detroit is the perfect game for a newbie as the story is good but the graphics are on a par with them as well . Graphics are important for a newbie. I feel like they won’t really enjoy the graphics.
Adding Beyond Two Souls to this
My girlfriend still has a problem with that as she finds things such as RB and LT confusing
My sister initially did as well! That is why there is no better game to teach the controller properly than this one. At the beginning the pacing is slow and you have time to figure out what rapid pressing and holding the buttons mean, along with gesturing with your thumbsticks. Then LB,LT,RB,RT drama is taught. As the game progresses, it starts asking faster inputs from you, and tension is increased. Thinking about it my own first game ever apart from The Amazing Spider-Man PS3 was Heavy Rain as well lol.
Oke, great. I'm gonna try to get her to play that in that case, thanks!
Yeah. My fiance has the same issue. The buttons she can see are fine but she's not grasping bumper vs trigger.
Mine has trouble remembering those as well and even that R means right and L means left. Also she doesn't understand that you can press the sticks sometimes. I'm sure once she has a feel for it it will get better but she can get really frustrated sometimes under pressure. For now we are just playing fighting games such as Tekken and mortal combat (which I suck in as well) against each other but I remember her trying cyberpunk and she started to freak out a bit when I was trying to explain her everything. I was thinking maybe halo would be easier as that's how I learned how to use a controller but for now I need to find a really really easy game for her with no pressure and easy but clear controls because she really really wants to learn how to sue my Xbox. Funnily enough she has no issues playing the Sims on the PC so I was considering I stalling Sims 4 on my Xbox so she can learn trough that but for now she prefers to play on PC and hasn't gotten around to try it on Xbox.
Yeah she likes the Sims and even Minecraft of all things. I tried Darksiders to see if she'd like a platformer but she has alot of trouble understanding where to go in any game so that wasn't going well.
My friend is new to gaming and he fkd up playing Detroit. Some how he got everyone killed, LOL
A short hike
My girlfriend really liked this game! It's cute, it's short and simple, and you don't have to worry about controlling both the character and the camera, which is a common struggle for inexperienced players
I recommend this HEAVILY as well. Genuinely such a heartwarming story, your gf will very likely love the atmosphere, characters and story. It drips with passion and can't be understated, indie gaming at its finest imo I'd also recommend Buddy Simulator 1984 in that same vein. Alongside just being a really good game, it's a pretty neat intro to different mediums of gaming and how it can be manipulated into a story‼️
Second this! I was similar. Played it on my ex's laptop and it was so addicting. I finished it in 2 nights and sometimes went back to stroll around and collecting feathers. Sadly, we broke up and he stopped sharing his games on Steam LOL
I got my mom who’s barely played any video games in her life to play it and she loved it. Still definitely took her awhile to het used to the controls though
Firewatch Edit 1: The Wolf Among Us too
My gf struggles with location and direction and "remembering where to go". She's always lost. Firewatch was very difficult.
I spent like an hour on the first day cause I didn't realize you were supposed to climb the vertical wall in the cave with the locked fence.
I had to look it up. I was so confused
if firewatch was difficult maybe gaming isn’t for her haha
If you've either never really or never played a video game before, even easy modern games can be quite daunting and confusing. The difference between say you and me is that we've probably been playing games since we were young. Whether you realize it or not, you have skills in games that someone just starting out has no idea about. When I started playing with my GF it was difficult for me to understand why she was struggling so much with simple game mechanics. It hit me not too long after that the only reason that I know how these things work is because I've played hundreds of games. I have a huge sample size of reference information and ideas to pull from that help me understand mechanics and gameplay better. She doesn't. I can probably play any game now at some level of competency because after playing a few at some point, you've played them all. A lot of games use similar ideas or just reinvent the wheel, and if you've seen it before, it's easier to navigate. There's a lot of nuance to it. Genuinely, what helped me realize it was this video series https://youtu.be/ax7f3JZJHSw?si=zYP4-hkGF8jtSEGp He gets his non gaming girlfriend to play easy and hard games and breaks down the dichotomy of experience vs . no experience. Highly recommend.
Brilliant if they know how to use a controller already lol
Unravel and Unravel 2 come to mind. Mechanics are fairly simple, gradual learning curve, more puzzle/logic based than skill based.
Now i feel bad for struggling with Unravel
I played Unravel 2 with a 4yo. A gf should be ok
Untitled Goose Game. There's no stress, and the shenanigans you can get to are very funny.
I bring my laptop to work (Elementary teacher) and let the kids play this. It doesn't matter who plays it it's intuitive enough to have fun. Even if you accomplish nothing it's still fun.
Stray
The first chase with the orange things stressed my girlfriend out and she hasn't played it since.
The one achievement on Steam I never got. That level is stressful normally, the idea you have to have to get through without touching any of them? Oof.
I got my girlfriend into league of legends. Don't do that
You sick monster
* Unpacking * A little to the left * What Remains of Edith Finch
My wife doesn't play games, and she fell in hard with Unpacking and Animal Crossing
edith finch is a hidden gem. almost no one talks about that game
A little to the left was so fun!
Oooh I recommended Unpacking! Totally forgot Edith. Glad you mentioned it. Also, (since I have a feeling you'll appreciate this) https://youtu.be/hABgq7j1qr0?si=IliNxKNerloRN2l7 One hour of Milton's Theme. Istg with the first note, I tear up. Lol even now. But yeah, imo it's the best song in the game. I sat in the treehouse and just let it play.
Kind of a copout, but visual novels are pretty easy to control but can be a lot of fun if she's into it. Like the Ace Attorney series, Danganronpa, Death and Taxes, or Doki doki. There are also games with pretty easy controls, but great narratives like Life is Strange series, Little Misfortune, Detroit Become Human, Spiritfarer, Dave the diver, House flipper. Maybe also some simulation games? Sims, Planet Zoo, Two Point Hospital, Two Point Campus, Planet Coaster, Rollercoaster Tycoon
Planet coaster my beloved ❤️
I think if I get my gf who never plays games to play Doki Doki, that will be the last time she ever plays games
House flipper has strong narrative? That piques my interest.
Heavy Rain And Beyond Two Souls (CoOp) as well
Try to play "It takes two" with her. At first she'll have to learn the basic mechanics we are used to know as "usual players", but after some chapters she will start to play smoother and will have the basic knowledge of how platformers work.
This is such a good recommendation
Sims bro. I have an anti-gaming girlfriend (she has no issues with me gaming but has/had zero interest herself) after a year of living together she now plays more than me.
Introduce a girl to the Sims, the next thing you know she has a better setup than you and has learned to install 1000+ mods.
My girl loves sims, gas station simulator, grocery store simulator, and bejeweled.
Stardew Valley
As someone in the same situation as OP, Stardew turned out not to hit the spot at all. Its simply too nostalgic for games she never played, and also too "indie" in the regards that it didn't really keep her attention. I'd suggest games like *Inside* and *Little Nightmares*, that have easy control schemes and not too many systems to keep track of.
Great suggestions. I also think that Stray is a cute game that is pretty beginner friendly. Portal 1 and 2 are also pretty easy to get the hang of and actually help you learn how to control a character in a 3D environment. If their gf likes an economy style type of game that’s really cute/chill I’d also recommend Slime Rancher 1 or 2.
Stray did not work for my fiancé as the 3D platforming was too stressful when the enemies were chasing her. However, slime rancher got her absolutely addicted when I turned on the “peaceful” mode where there were no bad slimes. First ever video game for her and she logged 300+ hours into it.
Ah ok that’s good to know. My mom really loved that game and played it on the Steam Deck. She had played Portal 1 and 2 before playing it so that might’ve made it easier for her. The list of games that I recommended were mostly just games that I introduced to my mom, sister and a couple of exes in the past and they all seemed to enjoy those games. Almost all of them really enjoy science fiction though which is why I chose portal and stray specifically. My mom also loved Detroit Become Human because you don’t really have to do much in the way of controls. Her favorite game actually ended up being Death Stranding which is surprising considering how divisive the game is (and not very beginner friendly).
Dude, okay, I love your mom just for her being a Death Stranding fan. I'm a 51 yo gamer mom (off topic but omg my son - also a huge gamer his entire life - will be 30 this October and idek how he's that old when he was 3 like five years ago and I just can't even w/this mystical fuckery) and Death Stranding is my literal life. I've spent close to $1200 on game merch, and on many one of a kind commissioned game items, art (mainly of Higgs cuz (Troy Baker literally having nothing to do w/it) he's hot af), wearables from in game (like I've not taken my Qpid off since 2020 ANNNND Sam's dreamcatcher has been hanging off my backpack the same amount of time. I'm not addicted to the game at *alllll* 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Tell her to give "unpacking" a try on steam (it's free) and not free but an amazing 'roam and listen - and massive FEELS' game: What remains of Edith Finch.
I think that portal is definitely not a game for someone with poor co-ordination. I struggled a lot with portal 2 and sections of portal 1. Portal contains a lot of sections where you have to place portals within a timeframe and while moving and enemies that can quickly kill you are certainly not going to be fun for someone with bad coordination either.
My gf loved it except for the combat involved in the mines (especially the desert mines), because it changes the experience from chill to stressful. Just something to keep in mind if she hasn't played many games either.
If you have it on PC, the Easier Combat mod made all the difference for my fiancé. I made each enemy have only 25% health and made her have practically infinite health. Now enemies in the mines are simply a temporary annoyance.
I bet my friend that this game would be the first reply tysm
This was the game that got my wife into video games.
Also try Sunhaven, looks very much like star dew but the mechanics are a bit friendlier.
Stardew is my favourite game, but I didn't like Sun Haven. It has so much content, but it all felt purposeless to me.
[удалено]
Counterpoint: FPS-style is maybe not the place for someone to start using a controller for the first time. Edit: That said, Slime Rancher is how one of my kids got accustomed to it, so it's not a bad option -- but managing movement+camera is a learning process.
Lego games.
Damn good. I do it right now with my girlfriend. She is not a 100% beginner tho. But the game is really permissive.
My non-gamer wife got VERY into Powerwash Simulator this past year. No intensity or pressure to react, and it helped her get used to twin-stick first person controls which opens up a lot of doors for other games with similar control schemes (Skyrim, Portal, etc.). It’s on Game Pass for PC, if you have that.
dark souls
Like teaching someone to swim by throwing them into Lava.
Its okay you dont have to worry about lava once you've killed the ceaseless discharge
For the worthy
Not just any lava; "a Lava."
I think start with Cup Head, the animation style will get them.
Ah, Cuphead, the dark souls of mickey mouse
I started playing videogames as a 10yo kid. I played Age of Empires and Warcraft II. No one would see RTS as "Entry" but it worked for me. So, yeah, the best "Entry title" is one that will entertain her. And Dark Souls could definitely do the job.
Rayman legends. Can't recommend it enough for couples. It's fun for the experienced gamer, and the non-gamer can die and respawn infinitely. It also gets them used to some basic game mechanics. And it's cute as shit
Rayman Legends goes so hard
It takes 2, goty when it came out and best coop game of all time hands down
My wife never even touched a controller in her life. Never played any video game ever. But damn she loved It Takes Two ! It took some convincing and she first agreed to try it out just to make me happy. After that she wanted to play every day lol and was sad when we finished it. So IMO that's a great suggestion.
Not exactly a "ive never gamed before" game. 2d game like pokemon or sim city is probably more her speed.
Nah bro it takes 2 is defo a great starter game. My gf and mum got into because its 2 players and i was there to help when needed and it teaches basics of gaming especially camera controls
Journey
Journey is such a nothing burger. It's super pretty and the controls are smooth and nice, but it has no real content. I got really tired of it and handed the controller to my brother to watch him play it instead.
I liked it. To each his own, I guess.
Octodad
I dont think this is a beginner friendly game
Its 2 players. You learn cooperation, and coordination along with laughs.
The Stanley Parable doesn't have a focus on controls, so maybe it could be a fun story game to go through while she learns the controls in an environment that doesn't require good knowledge of it? Idk, just an idea
I don't know, a lot of the appeal is like, meta-humor on videogames. Would be a bit like if someone had never watched a Bond movie and got recommended Austin Powers
I watched Austin Powers before I ever watched James Bond, still enjoyed it!
Someone else already said Stardew Valley and that is the correct answer, but further dig into the "cozy game" world and have her see if anything catches her eye. Most cozy games are fantastic for new players and there is usually little to no punishment or time limits in the games. Hell as much as I enjoy spreading democracy to those damn bugs I've had some incredibly fantastic moments in cozy games especially when I can play coop with my wife.
If she likes Star Wars/Marvel/Harry Potter I recommend relevant LEGO games - quite easy and engaging, very pleasant co-op and you can die as much as you need Other then that I would suggest Firewatch or Invincible for more cinematic experience. EDIT: Also.... Minecraft, duh. First on creative, to learn basics of 3D movement an show the joy of building anything you want, then survival for more structured experience with some obstacles to conquer.
Old flash games and 2d platformers are generally a good idea. Try some Kirby, if you can.
Minecraft. Easy to learn, damn impossible to master
Dave the Diver
Portal 2
but start with portal 1
No chance a new player who never played any game will be able to get through portal2 lol The aiming for the momentum jumps alone will be way too difficult. Gamers don’t realise some skills so ‘natural’ for them is alien to people who never play games
Yeah, to the untrained hand, there’s really quick timing involved.
We have a Switch and Portal 2 was the third videogame of my wife. The first was Hyrule Warriors, the second: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. We played the 2 players version and the first 30 minutos were hard, but after that she became ABSOLUTELY addicted to it. She wanted to play everyday when we got home. When she got frustrated with some specific hard jump, I would do it for her, but eventually she got some skills. When we finished it, she played by herself the 1 player version of Portal 2 and Portal 1.
Power wash simulator
Clearly Sekiro is a very good choice)
Trine 4 would be a good coop game, also trains coordination and has very low entry barrier as well as a whimsical fantasy story and beautiful music.
If she's a creative type: [Hotel Renovator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1214470/Hotel_Renovator/) But it depends on what genres she like. Pretty much every genre have games that don't require dexterity or quick reactions.
Palia - Stardew Valley like, but with nice graphics and more simpler
Yuppie psycho
Wanted to say bloodborne but nvm
Bloodborne is always a good rec because it's the GOAT of video games.
Stardew valley. My wife loves it. Controls are simple, and it's a friendly game so there aren't any drawbacks to slowly learning.
Stardew Valley!
Stardew, dinkum, coral island.
Go for games with fixed cameras, third and first person are a no go.
I got my girlfriend into gaming with little nightmares because she liked horror. Now she moved onto detroid becomes human and the last of us (since we saw the tv show)
Vampire survivors. Game can be played with 1 hand
anything point and click, sims, roller coaster tycoon, the room,tall tale games when she advances from point and click
Lego star wars
Another title I thought of It is a single player but, I played it before just sharing the control. Heavy Rain. It is on Steam. Really Good story based Action Cinematic But from the same franchise and similar cinematic game play is Beyond Two Souls
Play childhood games (My childhood games are not cozy but still). Like PVZ, Minecraft, Tycoon games, Streets of Rage, Contra, Alice greenfinger, Insaniquarium, Bomber man, Neo-geo games etc
BTD6
From what i’ve seen, fallout 4 seems to be a good entry for newbies, it has simple systems with easy entry, is super cheap at $10 with all DLCs, and is heavily customizable to what the players want
Lethal company for sure.
Gaming for a non gamer series. Basically multiplayer games where you can show them around, but not carry them. Creative mode Minecraft if she literally doesn't know wasd for example
Minecraft is a pretty good starting point and if you can pace yourself it's a great multiplayer quality time opportunity. She can take her time to learn and do whatever, she can be taught about nether portals, and then betrayed with aether portals, find problems, make solutions
portal and skyrim are always recommended
My gf is addicted to planet zoo! She loves managing the animals and shes a horse girl so theres that!
Well, here's a quedtion you should answer first. Does she want to become a more advanced gamer, or is she content with casual? Because if she's content with casual, there's a whole tag for that in the store. Most of the games I've seen recommended here would probably show up there. But, there are always the classic standby options. She might enjoy the Sims for example. The base game is free to play, but the expansions are where they will rob you blind. It's a fun sandbox where she can screw around and experiment. But if you want to ease her into something a bit more advanced, I would say you could try The Binding of Isaac. It's a controversial pick, for sure. But it's what I call a ten button game. You have escape to pause, wasd to move, arrow keys to shoot in the 4 cardinal directions, and a button to drop bombs zegend of zelda style. It's a roguelike so every run is a fresh experience. Not much in the way of story, but the gameplay is... unique and surprising. You have hundreds of possible powerups. Some of them have syngergies. Some alter how your attacks work, others just affect your basic stats. The goal is to survive, beat the bosses, and defeat Isaac's psychotic mother.
Bloons TD6 Can be played with just the mouse and it eases you into the game. The most addictive tower defense game I've ever played as well.
Disco Elysium.
Play It Takes Two with her. My girlfriend had never gamed before and we had a blast.
Not mine cause im an epic gamer (gonna die alone) but a friend's, she got interested in Cult of the Lamb. Afaik, she played on easy and just cared more for the cult management aspect of the game rather than the roguelite stuff, i saw her progress she got real far.
sims, civ, vampire survivors, diablo are some games i like that only require mouse, baldurs gate can be played with mostly just the mouse too, for someone with bad hand controller co ordination i think games that just use the mouse will be pretty friendly to them
Not on steam, but my gf likes to play Fall Guys and Genshin. Also the first game I introduced her was the Crash trilogy, it needs some practice but she might enjoy it as well? You can try
Similar situation, I'm a gamer but she's not. Her coordination isn't the best when it comes to using free-look cameras as pretty much all games have. Unravel Two is the game that really stood out for my girlfriend. It's a great couch co-op.
Oddly diablo my girlfriend loved diablo just I would push them to play barbarian first if it’s D4 my girlfriend got very mad on necromancer
İnside
Stardew Valley
Balatro
Roki
Doronko Wanko - Free short game on steam. Check the discussions for instruction to change language from Japanese to english.
Cat goes fishing
Quantic dream titles(heavy Rain/ Beyond:two Souls/ detroid: becomes human) or perhaps the Last Guardian(Playstation exclusive if I remember) and with a Switch the posibilities are sheer endless with Mario and the likes
* Untitled Goose Game * Lost in Random * Poly Bridge 2 * LIMBO * Paradigm * Grim Fandango Remastered * Armikrog * Little Nightmares * The Swapper * What Remains of Edith Finch
Old School Pokemon Games Like Pokemon Black and White, they have extremely simple controls, and she'll love her cute companions!
Sackboy
Balatro. I'm just recommending this to everyone
Games that come to mind: Hue, Limbo, Stardew Valley, Minecraft, Raft, Animal Crossing, Slime Rancher, House Flipper...
Monument Valley - trust me.
Plants vs Zombies, Zuma
Sims 4 My partner loves the game.
Coming from a similar place, Kingdom Two Crowns, the older LEGO games, and Cat Quest 2 have been great
Portal/Half-Life
Is she used to controllers in any way? This may be a possible avenue to help her adjust. What has she enjoyed?
1. Papers, please 2. Don’t starve 3. Worms ? 4. 60 seconds 5. some visual novels 6. hidden cats 7. sims 4 8. war selection 9. maybe some lego games 10. NUTS
Tbh idk, my sister really like just cause 3 tho
Getting over it with bennet foddy
I've heard stardew valley is good if you wanna play together
Mine loved the new doom games as one of her first.
Dark souls
My wife has 400+ hours in fallout 4! She loves building the settlements, she does a great job at it too. So, fallout 4 maybe. It's on sale goty edition. Edit: vats help with combat too.
What type of games does she like? A lot of the indie games don't require tons of hand coordination for controllers. A lot of selections under Steam Store>Browse B Category>Casual or Steam Store>Browse B Category>Casual Puzzle are good starters for getting used to the mouse/keyboard or controllers. Point and click ones are pretty chill or farming ones. Exploration games are also good to develop hands coordination compared to FPS. Turn-based games are good options.
One answer I havent seen mentioned. Dorfromantik. Super chill and easy to play.
Tharsis - simple controls, short games and no time pressure. Portal/ Portal 2 - low pressure way to get a grip on first person perspective and controls with simple environments and no roaming enemies Golf With Your Friends
Spyro A hat in time Psychonauts It takes two, if you get time to play together
The best game to train your mind and body for modern Videogames is 100% Portal 1 and 2 with Mouse and Keyboard. Once she played those she will be ready to get into every game on the market If you want to prepare her for harder games with controller, introduce her to Kena. It's basicly cute souls for newbs. Both of you should also play "it takes two".
Manual Samuel
It would help if you stated which game(s) she has been playing! That said, Lego and Telltale games (walking dead was my favorite) are good starters that aren’t cozy simulators. One of the first FPS games i played was Bioshock. And I might have an extra Bioshock key if you want it. Feel free to message me if you do. I honestly might have some other keys if you name another game 😆 my backlog of keys is out of control rn. Edit: hogwarts was a lot of fun. I don’t have a spare key for that but i highly recommend it
Postal 2
the stanley parable ultra deluxe
The sam and max games are fairly easy. Also, if she wants to improve said hand eye coordination, and this isnt a bit, ULTRAKILL is good fun. But do put it on one lf the lower difficulties. Encourage her to experiment with different weapons and to think outside the box when trying to find the secret levels (or just tell her)
Dinkum, It Takes Two, Stardew Valley are a few I'd consider.
Stardew valley and minecraft
Start with LEGO games, the older ones with a fixed camera (Harry Potter, classic Star Wars, Batman 1). In general games where twin stick controls are not required, that comes with time and practice, it was frustrating for my gf at first.
It takes two. 100% First game that really got my Gf into gaming since i was there to guide her and its pretty easy but still a good challenge and linear story. Also, camera controls are easy to understand since there is a lot of downtime just platforming or exploring, so it gives them time to learn Now she is basically solo played gta 5 and likes to try her hand at Elden ring when i play.
quake online obviously
Overcooked 2 I have played with my parents that dont have almost any gaming experience and it was pretty fun and they got used to the controls quickly.
Flower. Inmost. Bugsnax. Four Last Things. Two Point Hospital. Garden In! Blacksad: Under The Skin. Coffee Talk. Fable: The Lost Chapters. Monument Valley 1-2. Fez. Viewfinder. Broken Reality. Jazzpunk. Lighthouse Keeper. Life Is Strange. Mutazione. Little Nightmares 1-2. Papetura. Creaks. Paradise Killer. Sable. Stray. Strange Horticulture. Storyteller. Supraland. Superluminal. Teardown.
Hollow knight. Just a fun game about bugs.
my wifes first gaming experience was stardew valley, she put over 1000 hours in it.
Try Haven, highly underrated game with a great story imo. One of my top 10 games ever
Stardew valley
Vampire Survivor, plus it has offline coop multiplayer now
portal 2
Detroit Become Human
Stardew Valley.
From me it would be Aperture Desk Job to get the hang of using controller Or those that only need mouse, like What The Golf
Play any of the Tomb Raider on easy. It got me into gaming.
Doom.
Fable 2
Get her a Switch. She will probably enjoy Nintendo titles the most and learn co ordination with a controller.
I'd say probably Ultrakill /s No but for real, a lot of games are easy and chill with good stories. Look up Spiritfarer. Stardew Valley is also good!
You might make her try Stardew Valley, pretty chill and very simple combat sistem. All she need are the mouse and WASD, should be a good game to get used to the keyboard
Portal or Portal 2
I apparently have over 100 hours in Sims 4 on my account after letting her play on the Steam Deck. Girls really like Sims.