Lots of people have replied with similar experiences.

But personally? I’m having the time of my life currently playing tons of new games. I love trying new ones and getting surprised, and maybe falling in love with a genre I hadn’t considered before.

I feel totally contrary to what others are saying: as I’ve gotten older, I find myself enjoying games way more. My time is more valuable to me now than ever before, so I want to fill it with things that are joyful and meaningful. Often those things are art. Games to me have always been very special in the way they can deliver a powerful artistic experience.

I think they also have a special power to be blatant disgusting soulless cash grabs, to be fair. As the years go by I feel like many aspects of the industry have become particularly unpalatable. But many studios are still releasing good games, and so far I’ve continued to find joy in seeking them out.

Not too many people on this post are actually listing games. So, in no particular order, here are some games I absolutely adored that I played recently. Games from the last ~year that have touched and moved me in some way. Experiences I don’t think I’ll forget.

Sable Chicory: A colorful tale Manifold Garden Signalis OneShot The Talos Principle Night in the Woods Citizen Sleeper Webbed Rusted Moss Armored Core VI Iron Lung Slay the Princess Ghostrunner Mundaun Crosscode Eastward Animal Well Pseudoregalia Dave the Diver Nine Sols Patrick’s Parabox Cocoon Smushi Come Home

Not to imply that I expect you or anyone else to take a deep look here or to try any of these games. Just wanted to throw my perspective out there, and to show the games in concrete terms that have left an impression and continue to motivate me to keep looking and keep trying more

obligatory but entirely sincere addition for those looking for palate cleansing games: Outer Wilds

and for those after a variety of others, in particularly no order, that may or may not come up as much:

• The Powder Toy
• Heaven’s Vault
• Vilmonic
• Intraquartz
• Interior Worlds
• Mixolumia
• Thousand Threads
• Mu Cartographer
• Hypnagogia: Boundless Dreams
• Jazzpunk
• Crossniq+
• BrogueCE
• Heart&Slash
• Umurangi Generation w/ Macro
• NeonXSZ
• Paradise Killer

But this is all from a flipside of a flipside, so each is as likely to appeal as repel, quick slide to catch clicks and clunks