this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2024
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I have this loosely defined made-up genre I call "Summer Games".

It started a long time ago subconsciously. At some point I realized that during the hottest time of the year I gravitate to certain games that I mostly play on a small device (laptop/switch/steamdeck), laying in bed, late at night, when I have trouble sleeping because it's too hot. A friend of mine once said that the reason she loves super high temperatures so much, is that what you experience leaves more vivid, burned in, memories. I think she has a point.

The criteria aren't super rigid but I hope you get the "vibe" and might know some games that fit:

  • Low-stakes/chill gameplay. I'm already sweating, I don't need sweaty gameplay right now

  • a warm aesthetic/color palette and/or setting. My outside experience shouldn't feel too different to the games inside experience aesthetic-wise.

  • It feels like a road trip, adventure or vacation. I want to get a summery memory out of this.

  • the game leaves some kind of impact.

Games I played in the past that evoked that vibe perfectly:

  • Kentucky road zero
  • oxenfree
  • road 96
  • firewatch
  • sable
  • rime
  • steins: gate
  • life is strange

Games that have fit okay-ish

  • tunic
  • journey
  • citizen sleeper
  • nightcall
  • no umbrellas allowed
  • the talos principle
  • the solus project
  • the witness
  • the vanishing of Ethan Carter

If anyone has a recommendation, I'd be thankful. This year I have started to play chants of Sennaar and it seems to fit the criteria so far.

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[–] 2ugly2live@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

"What Remains of Edith Finch" could work. And "Man eater." What's more summer than a a shark?

[–] reallykindasorta@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Have you enjoyed any of the recommendations OP? I like your original list/taste and am wondering what else fit the aesthetic

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just saw your message. I ended up replaying the old spyro games in the remastered version and loved the nostalgia trip.

Tried to get into Outer Wilds again, stopped almost instantly because I just can't figure out the movement.

Then I saw that Oxenfree 2 had released at some point, played that but wouldn't recommend ( if you played the first game you already know the big "mystery" and the new smaller mystery isn't that interesting)

I played chants of sennaar, loved it, fit the vibe perfectly. Would absolutely recommend!

I played planet of lana, it was somewhere between okay and good. Visually perfect gameplay a bit boring. Even for a short game it felt too long at the end.

Then I made the mistake of opening rimworld again and this became my (gaming) life again.

I don't know if I played it before my post or after but Talos Principle 2 was perfect just like the first one.

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[–] magic_lobster_party@kbin.run 2 points 5 months ago (4 children)

I haven’t played it myself, but Boku no Natsuyasumi is a game that recently entered my radar, which fits your description quite well. It’s a game I want to play sometime, but I have had other priorities. It’s for PSX.

It’s about a boy in a summer vacation with his family.

Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be any official English versions of the game, but hopefully you might find a solution if you think the game looks interesting enough to play it.

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] SolOrion@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

You have a Steam Deck- You can emulate a PS1. I have no idea how difficult to set up that would be, as I've never cared to play PS1 games myself. For the record, I'd be surprised if you couldn't emulate a PS3, and RPCS3 is actually the easiest thing imaginable to get set up and working. In my experience the PS2 emulator, PCSX2 is very heavy hardware wise compared to RPCS3 so that might not actually run on a Steam Deck.

[–] Lollerskater@feddit.nl 1 points 5 months ago

There have been some (spiritual) sequels which have been or soon will be localized. Perhaps those can be an entry for anyone to see if the genre floats your boat!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2061250/Shin_chan_Me_and_the_Professor_on_Summer_Vacation_The_Endless_SevenDay_Journey/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2839280/NatsuMon_20th_Century_Summer_Kid/

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[–] opgjoh@feddit.org 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Maybe the Atelier games would fit the bill? The recent entries, mostly the Ryza trilogy ("Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout", yeah, the title is a bit clunky) don't have the time limit that used to be a staple of the series. Instead, it is incredibly chill, a JRPG in a relaxed, colorful environment with an actually really fun, puzzle-like crafting system (called synthesis, their take on alchemy), which feeds masterfully into combat and resource collecting. It is very fun, and the game feels like going on a summer holiday with friends as a kid. :)

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago

Ryza could be perfect!

[–] bionicjoey@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 months ago

I'm not sure if it quite fits but the first game that came to mind was Minami Lane

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The first thing that comes to my mind is Summer in Mara. It's a chill, relatively shallow farming sim with fetch quests and exploration.

Some more based on other games you liked:

  • Arida - short-ish adventure game with a bigger emotional impact
  • Nuts - probably most similar to Firewatch; core gameplay loop is taking pictures of squirrels, but there's some plot development
  • A Juggler's Tale - side scroller adventure with some feels
  • Deponia - funny point and click adventure series; if you like the genre, try The Darkside Detective (less "summer adventure" more "weird mysteries")
  • Manifold Garden - more chill than The Talos Principle or The Witness, with less feels than the first; decent, trippy puzzle game
[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'll check them out, thanks. I've heard positive things about manifold garden already. Mystery stuff might be perfect for fall

Yup, Darkside Detective is fantastic for a non-spooky, but spooky-themed point and click adventure. If you like point and clicks, it's a bit older, but I really like Grim Fandango, which is a bit more classic point and click with a Halloween theme.

[–] kartoffelsaft@programming.dev 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Surprised TOEM isn't on your list, given the premise is pretty much exactly what you describe. Last I checked it comes up on the first page or something if you sort steam by highest rated.

Lunacid might also be a good game. I think it fits your criteria for me, but that might just be for me.

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago

I don't remember coming across TOEM, maybe I immediately ruled it out for being black and white. Lunacid looks a bit to dark and cold for me, judging by the screenshots. But I'll take a closer look at both, short previews might not transport the vibes perfectly

[–] thelsim@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

A lot of nice suggestions already, I'd like to add the Sorcery! games if you don't mind reading and enjoy exploring.
I personally really loved the world it portrayed and the tried so many different ways to finish the story.
Also, it has great maps, and I love maps :)

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago

Never heard of it, looks amazing, I'll check it out, thanks

[–] Navigator@jlai.lu 1 points 5 months ago
[–] ID411@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The game you are looking for is called Everyone’s Gone to The Rapture.

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] ID411@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago

Based on the games you’ve mentioned, you’ll love it .

A slow walking sim in an English village. Super atmosphere, interesting story, good voice acting. An authentic stroll around an English village. I know the area where it’s set, and the vibe is spot on.

[–] anguo@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

It's perhaps a bit child-oriented, but is pretty fun, chill, and you can't do more "summer vacation" than that.

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The big con looks promising

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 5 months ago

It’s fun and simple. I feel like it’s pretty in line with the vibe you’re looking for. Someone else suggested Dave the Diver and that one is a great recommendation.

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 1 points 5 months ago

Try Stranded Sails. It's a tight little adventure game.

[–] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Here Comes Niko, "the cozy 3D platformer for tired people." You play an adorable sprite leaping around a tropical island chain. I don't think it has failure modes, in general.

[–] Paradigm_shift@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago

Looks super cute

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