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.
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.
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.
I keep seeing this in steam but haven’t actually checked it out yet
If you decide to go for it, don’t read too much, just go in blind.
My girlfriend and I really enjoyed playing Life is Strange together like this. I think we both enjoyed the setting and characters quite a bit (high school in the Pacific Northwest). We tried Life is strange 2, but never really got into it.
Also tried to like Life is Strange 2 and 3, but really couldn’t. Have you tried Before The Storm? It’s really great as well!
Detroit: Becoming Human, you can make the endless decisions together Live is Strange, as others already said
Control. It has god mode built in the settings. My wife liked it when the enemies can’t hurt her and auto aim makes running through enemies much faster for non experienced aimers.
I think Girlfriend Reviews will agree with me here, but the Resident Evil series is probably the best backseat gamer experience. I’d recommend the new one, Village.
I think generally any puzzle game will work, you can try solving the puzzles together and you’ll be the one moving the character.
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
Return of the Obra Dinn!
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”
Obra Dinn is phenomenal, you should try it right now.
These are all story based games where the player must make decisions, which is a great way of involving someone who is not actively playing:
- Tell Me Why
- Detroit: Become Human
- Heavy Rain
- Beyond: Two Souls
- Life is Strange
- Telltale Games
- Until Dawn
Telltale games are perfect. It’s usually solving a puzzle and picking dialogue. And quick time events are usually slowed down
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: https://youtu.be/3NcF7EOnjow
If you want something that’s less horror based, check out oxenfree.
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.
Sorry dude. Despite what they say, girls do not like video games. And even though you didn’t mention I know your fiance is woman with high creativity. Of course there are exceptions, but in general the truth is that girls don’t like it, and she won’t get into it. She may think of this as a chore, and even though she can be a backseat driver of one or two games, she still will not continue with it. Unpopular opinion I know but I’m telling you what will happen, mark my words.
