FPS games for weak constitutions
October 31, 2014 11:48 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for recommendations for fun, entertaining, beautiful and immersive FPS games for the PC. Age is mostly immaterial, as long as they're graphically rich, but the one big caveat is that I really don't like horror or bloody violence.
It seems like most of the big FPS titles involve either nerve-shredding terror or grisly violence or both. Are there any titles that involve exploration around epic locations, with a bit of light combat and puzzle solving thrown in? Survival horror is absolutely out - I can barely watch playthroughs on Youtube - and any game where you have to dispatch people in unpleasant ways with knives and whatnot don't really do it for me. I don't mind a bit of shooting - the last game in this genre I enjoyed was the very first Far Cry, but it got far too frightening in the later levels to the point where I really wasn't enjoying it.
I read this question and the answers skewed to puzzle-driven games. These are fine, but doesn't anyone make a great spy simulator? Or first person bank heist game? It doesn't have to be a long, grinding quest that takes forever, although I love the idea of exploring big, lovingly assembled environments like Skyrim and GTA, they seem too open-ended to me (having only watched, not played them). Also Minecraft is out - I don't want to compete with my 10 year old. With thanks in advance.
It seems like most of the big FPS titles involve either nerve-shredding terror or grisly violence or both. Are there any titles that involve exploration around epic locations, with a bit of light combat and puzzle solving thrown in? Survival horror is absolutely out - I can barely watch playthroughs on Youtube - and any game where you have to dispatch people in unpleasant ways with knives and whatnot don't really do it for me. I don't mind a bit of shooting - the last game in this genre I enjoyed was the very first Far Cry, but it got far too frightening in the later levels to the point where I really wasn't enjoying it.
I read this question and the answers skewed to puzzle-driven games. These are fine, but doesn't anyone make a great spy simulator? Or first person bank heist game? It doesn't have to be a long, grinding quest that takes forever, although I love the idea of exploring big, lovingly assembled environments like Skyrim and GTA, they seem too open-ended to me (having only watched, not played them). Also Minecraft is out - I don't want to compete with my 10 year old. With thanks in advance.
Came in to say Portal. Now I am seconding it.
posted by bedhead at 11:59 AM on October 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by bedhead at 11:59 AM on October 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
Have you tried Gone Home? It's of the genre (derisively, sometimes) called "walking simulators" - lots of environment and exploration, no shooting or killing at all, very light puzzle solving.
Team Fortress 2 might be good for multiplayer if you're into that - violent, yes, but it's all very cartoony and to me doesn't have the same grisliness factor as a lot of the "murder simulator" type games.
Payday and Payday 2 are heist simulators, but I believe they both quickly devolve into "kill everything" after a point (I haven't played either of them).
Deus Ex: Human Revolution could also be a good choice. Heavily story driven, some tense moments, but you can choose to play the game completely non-violently (by sneaking around and stunning enemies instead of going in guns blazing... but you could do that, too, if you want).
posted by backseatpilot at 12:03 PM on October 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
Team Fortress 2 might be good for multiplayer if you're into that - violent, yes, but it's all very cartoony and to me doesn't have the same grisliness factor as a lot of the "murder simulator" type games.
Payday and Payday 2 are heist simulators, but I believe they both quickly devolve into "kill everything" after a point (I haven't played either of them).
Deus Ex: Human Revolution could also be a good choice. Heavily story driven, some tense moments, but you can choose to play the game completely non-violently (by sneaking around and stunning enemies instead of going in guns blazing... but you could do that, too, if you want).
posted by backseatpilot at 12:03 PM on October 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
L.A. Noire is a good bit like a more directed GTA, with less violence I think, and LA is really nice to explore, but: some grisly murder scenes, though not that many.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 12:06 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 12:06 PM on October 31, 2014
I thought about it and wondered if you ever though about trying World of Warcraft? I haven't played it in a long time but sometimes the exploration was really fun and the cartoony aesthetic keeps the violence from being too grisly. I also think potentially Fable might work for you. Neither of them are really FPS, but I think most first person shooters are going to emphasize the shooting too much.
There are some old point and click adventure classics still around that might be appropriate like Myst and Riven, if Gone Home is too housebound. I've heard of a game called Syberia that's in that genre, too. Apparently there's a Myst based MMO that's describing itself in terms you might like? http://mystonline.com/en/about/:
There are some old point and click adventure classics still around that might be appropriate like Myst and Riven, if Gone Home is too housebound. I've heard of a game called Syberia that's in that genre, too. Apparently there's a Myst based MMO that's describing itself in terms you might like? http://mystonline.com/en/about/:
Myst Online: Uru Live is a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) unlike anything else. Instead of repetitive kill/take/buy gameplay of other MMOGs, the very essence of Myst Online is to explore vast, fantastic worlds; savoring and uncovering new areas and new information at every turn.posted by foxfirefey at 12:36 PM on October 31, 2014
Thief
seconding Myst, especially the recent ports and adaptations
posted by the man of twists and turns at 12:52 PM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
seconding Myst, especially the recent ports and adaptations
posted by the man of twists and turns at 12:52 PM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
Miasmata is a game from a couple years ago you might want to check out. Its a first person game about being stuck on a lush tropical island with some sort of mysterious disease. The entire gameplay is basically walking around this really beautiful lush landscape collecting plants and flowers that you can use to treat the symptoms and then eventually craft a cure. The main challenge is navigating your way around the island without falling off cliffs, drowning, or running out of water. No shooting involved.
posted by parallellines at 1:28 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by parallellines at 1:28 PM on October 31, 2014
About Team Fortress 2, there are servers (like the excellent, Christian-but-accepting "The FISH" servers) that run 'party mode', where the occasional somewhat-gory bits are replaced by party streamers and balloons. Maybe you can even turn off the gore entirely in the options? There are several other games that have that option as well, although I can't think of them off the top of my head. There's the military simulator Arma 3 (or 2), which has minimal blood and no gore to speak of, though it's a rather technical game. Speaking of Deus Ex, the first game is excellent, if rather dated. And speaking of old, great games, No One Lives Forever (and I believe the sequel) is very highly rated.
posted by Drexen at 1:49 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by Drexen at 1:49 PM on October 31, 2014
If you like shooting, but not the gore or the scary bits, maybe Borderlands 2?
Yes, it is a shooter, and therefore violent in that sense, but it really isn't that scary -- and there really isn't that much (realistic) gore -- it's more like shooting cartoons than real people -- which made it much more enjoyable to me.
Plus the environments are fairly open and you can just explore to your heart's content.
posted by smidgen at 2:11 PM on October 31, 2014
Yes, it is a shooter, and therefore violent in that sense, but it really isn't that scary -- and there really isn't that much (realistic) gore -- it's more like shooting cartoons than real people -- which made it much more enjoyable to me.
Plus the environments are fairly open and you can just explore to your heart's content.
posted by smidgen at 2:11 PM on October 31, 2014
I came to recommend a unique shooter/mmo called Planetside2. It is free to play (although a fairly cheap subscription allows you to gain experience and benefits much faster). The idea is a 3 way war in the distant future over an alien planet (with no actual aliens). There is no blood and the way the play is handled is more like a giant game of paintball on the computer There is technically death/shooting people but you are back in the game in 10s or less and so deaths are meaningless-more like getting tagged out in a game of tag-a new game is starting soon so take a breather.
The scenery is great, changes somewhat as the game updates and expands, and each continent has its own theme-desert, jungle, savannah, ice, etc.
What makes it a unique shooter game is the respawn mechanic above and the scale of it. Currenlty there is 4 'continents' each about 15x15 km and you can go anywhere in the continent at any time. Fights between 2 or even 3 of the factions can also erupt at any time anywhere along the faction boundary (which moves as you capture and lose bases) and can range in size from 1 or 2 per side up to hundreds and you can pick the size and intensity of the fight.
The game is very challenging and fairly frustrating if you are coming from a team deathmatch perspective where deaths actually matter, but if you are looking for a good mmo with lots of action and little to no crafting or grinding to get to the good stuff, it is a great game.
It is also about the only fps that doesn't give me motion sickness but is still beautiful, immersive and entertaining (which also really, really helps my enjoyment).
Check it out at planetside2
posted by bartonlong at 3:22 PM on October 31, 2014
The scenery is great, changes somewhat as the game updates and expands, and each continent has its own theme-desert, jungle, savannah, ice, etc.
What makes it a unique shooter game is the respawn mechanic above and the scale of it. Currenlty there is 4 'continents' each about 15x15 km and you can go anywhere in the continent at any time. Fights between 2 or even 3 of the factions can also erupt at any time anywhere along the faction boundary (which moves as you capture and lose bases) and can range in size from 1 or 2 per side up to hundreds and you can pick the size and intensity of the fight.
The game is very challenging and fairly frustrating if you are coming from a team deathmatch perspective where deaths actually matter, but if you are looking for a good mmo with lots of action and little to no crafting or grinding to get to the good stuff, it is a great game.
It is also about the only fps that doesn't give me motion sickness but is still beautiful, immersive and entertaining (which also really, really helps my enjoyment).
Check it out at planetside2
posted by bartonlong at 3:22 PM on October 31, 2014
Even though it isn't First Person I had a great time playing and finishing Lifeless Planet recently. I would call it a 3d platform puzzler. Check out the video *and* definitely wait for a price drop.
posted by dgeiser13 at 6:51 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by dgeiser13 at 6:51 PM on October 31, 2014
Mirror's Edge? It's not that open-ended, but combat is totally optional. About the only puzzle-y parts are figuring out how to get to some ledge.
posted by curagea at 9:03 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by curagea at 9:03 PM on October 31, 2014
The Stanley Parable is a sort of FPS exploration game with many odd twists. Zero combat; no puzzles aside from finding hidden easter eggs.
posted by mbrubeck at 9:19 PM on October 31, 2014
posted by mbrubeck at 9:19 PM on October 31, 2014
You can play Dishonored, a steam-punk sci-fi type adventure, without killing anyone. In fact the game rewards you for choosing non-lethal options. Here's a youtube playthough taking that approach: Dishonored
posted by conrad53 at 8:14 AM on November 1, 2014
posted by conrad53 at 8:14 AM on November 1, 2014
If you are looking for some "running-around-and-shooting-at-things" action without the customary piles of gore, maybe Tower of Guns could scratch the itch.
posted by nautone at 2:23 AM on November 2, 2014
posted by nautone at 2:23 AM on November 2, 2014
Definitely Gone Home, as mentioned above. And Dear Esther. No shooting, but immersive first-person exploration.
posted by jbickers at 5:53 AM on November 3, 2014
posted by jbickers at 5:53 AM on November 3, 2014
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posted by Jairus at 11:56 AM on October 31, 2014 [10 favorites]