clovernorth

What are some good games for having a "backseat driver?"

https://lemmy.world/post/967190

What are some good games for having a "backseat driver?" - Lemmy.world

Hey everyone! Despite my efforts, my fiancé really doesn’t get into video games much. Mechanical skill limitations frustrate her, and sometimes her attention span for games isn’t high when she could read a book or watch a show, I want to try a new tactic to see if it works: games where she can be a “backseat driver.” I’m mainly thinking of story focused games that aren’t reliant on mechanical skill and where having a second person watching can meaningfully contribute. Some games I’ve thought of are the Phoenix Wright games, and Return of the Obra Dinn. Does anyone else have suggestions for games I could try to play with her? Steamdeck verified games preferred, so I can play while docked to our TV.

Jul 3, 2023 at 12:58amWeb
Show threadAviandelight Jul 3, 2023
I’m and avid gamer but my heart can’t take survival horror games. I usually backseat help out with the puzzles while my husband plays them. He doesn’t mind since I’m really good at puzzles.
Show threadWanderJul 3, 2023

Oh, I think I have the perfect series of games to you because they also work as movies, sort of.

Check out the dark pictures anthology, until dawn and the quarry, all developed by supermassive games.

Here’s a trailer: youtu.be/3NcF7EOnjow

youtu.be/ESPKeMinQgI

If you want something that’s less horror based, check out oxenfree.

Until Dawn - Launch Trailer | PS4

YouTube
Show threadNone_sJul 10, 2023
Detroit: Become Human was my favorite of this sort of game. Not in the horror genera though. My wife loved watching me play it and giving suggestions.
Show threadkingcakeJul 3, 2023
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime on Steam

Explore a neon galaxy in your very own battleship in this 1- to 4-player couch co-op adventure.

Show threadOmegaMouseJul 3, 2023
I played this with my partner - it’s perfect as one person can do as much or as little work as they want. And you can take the game at your own pace. Great co-op game.
Show threadcybericJul 3, 2023

I would suggest the Zero Escape series (999, Virtue’s Last Reward, Zero Escape), Danganronpa, and Escape Room Simulator.

The first two are similar to Pheonix Wright and the last one is just plain fun

Show threadclovernorthJul 3, 2023
Sweet, I’m wishlisting all of these! If you have a favorite you’d recommend I pick out first let me know. Thanks!
Show threadcybericJul 3, 2023
I would recommend playing the Zero Escape series in order. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to the Professor Layton scale twists and turns.
Show threadmorgan423Jul 3, 2023
Into the Breach is perfect for this. It’s played on a coordinate grid, so giving suggestions on what to do per turn would be very easy without needing a bunch of description to explain exactly what is being talked about.
Show threadAlatainJul 3, 2023

Currently paying Outer Wilds in my steam deck while docked to a tv. It’s been very engaging and fun for my wife and I to sit down and try and solve an interstellar mystery while winding down for the night.

Interesting game with good art style and interesting mechanics.

Show threadclovernorthJul 3, 2023
I keep seeing this in steam but haven’t actually checked it out yet
Show threaddividuumJul 3, 2023
As they have not been mentioned before: We played „The Witness” and “Return of the Obra Dinn” together and are currently solving “The Case of the Golden Idol”
Show threadKnechtSep 11, 2023
Obra Dinn is phenomenal, you should try it right now.
Show threadEvilBitJul 3, 2023
Her Story, Telling Lies, and Immortality (all games by Sam Barlow) are uniquely meta/postmodern FMV games with no input besides consideration, selection, search, and other very democratizable actions. I bet those would go over really well!
Show threadCyanPurpleJul 3, 2023
What remains of Edith Finch is a good backseat driver experience. You might also like Last of Us if you prefer something with a bit more action.
Show threadTubeless5812Jul 3, 2023

TLOU (and eventually TLOU2) is one of very few games my wife has watched me play all the way through and is kind of special in that way. I think, from her perspective, the story was good enough that it was like binge watching a show.

It definitely helps that TLOU isn't an open world game and doesn't really have RPG mechanics. Plenty of other games that could be fun to watch, like RDR2, God of War or Witcher 3, get boring fast when there's too much travelling, side quests or collecting.

Show threadHorzaJul 3, 2023
Return of the Obra Dinn!
Show threadsoulsourceJul 3, 2023

The Witcher 3. It’s a very story heavy game with lots and lots of dialogue and long cutscenes. My wife wouldn’t play it herself for exactly those reasons, but she watched most of the time while I played it.

Another recommendation would be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The Koroks to be precise. Four eyes see more than two.

Show threadazezeBJul 3, 2023
I suggest Telltale games, like the walking dead and the wolf among us. You can make choices together to shape your own story. It’s more like watching a TV show together.
Show threadlotanisJul 3, 2023

My wife and I call this “Single controller co-op”.

There are classic point and click adventure games that work well like the Monkey Island series, or more recently Thimbleweed park. Any game with a significant puzzle element works well too - we’ve really enjoyed Tunic.

Show threadMrGerritJul 3, 2023
Thimbleweed park took me by surprise and really loved that game,
Show threadLFRJul 3, 2023
Detroit: Becoming Human, you can make the endless decisions together Live is Strange, as others already said
Show threadMolecular0079Jul 3, 2023

I think the Divinity Original Sin series and the upcoming Baldur’s Gate 3 might be good options! They’re good story driven games with good dialog, turn-based so not too mechanically demanding, and often times require paying close attention to subtle story beats in order to get the best outcome.

Last of Us and Uncharted 4 could also be good options because watching someone play the game is like watching a good movie.

Show threadvennacJul 3, 2023

As someone who enjoys backseat driving games, I liked Bug Fables (cute Paper Mario inspired rpg) and Omori (psychological horror rpg).

On Switch, I enjoyed Paper Mario: The Origami King. There’s a lot of hidden things to notice so I actually felt like I was helping, and the story was fun.

There are some battles that might take a while, and if I got bored I would check my phone. But overall I feel like I played the games without having touched the controller.

Show threadmeatloafJul 5, 2023
puzzle games in general would be engaging. In my experience having someone backseat a puzzle game can increase the enjoyment for both people. It’s fun to have 2 peoples takes on a problem and have them eventually combine into a solution. Maybe try portal 2