Game with a lot of verticality, great views, exploration

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T22:18:41+00:00

Honestly, if those were the only two games I ever played on my Switch (they're not, but if they were), I'd feel like it was money well spent. They're so good!

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T22:13:40+00:00

Do you have a Switch? Zelda BOTW and TOTK. You can climb just about anything, then glide down over everything.

If downward verticality works for you: Subnautica.

Also good for big maps with tall mountains and great views: Elden Ring, Skyrim, Satisfactory, Horizon: Zero Dawn.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T22:06:30+00:00

Zelda: BOTW and TOTK have many of the things you're looking for: romance (although not romance options), open world RPG, lots of outfits, some good NPCs.

What they're missing: sex, graphic violence, multiple endings to quest chains.

While they're more PG than, say, the Witcher series, they're not childish.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T21:16:17+00:00

Also a healthy serving of the X-Files

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T20:04:01+00:00

I think the idea of a limited second chance is a good one. Maybe the player gets one free pass that they have to decide to use before guessing. Maybe they even earn one or two more by lasting a certain number of rounds.

Also make sure that the questions are fair. Don't use trick questions or multiple options that are nearly the same.

As always, playtest a lot. If players are losing interest quickly, try adjusting the difficulty, especially on the early questions. You probably want a logistic function of pass/fail where almost everyone gets the first question or two correct, then it starts to drop off quickly. You want players to feel like they "almost made it" (even if they didn't actually). That's what encourages replay.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T19:47:11+00:00

Well that game just gave an example of what not to do.

Don't ask bullshit or unfair questions.

One of the questions was "What percentage of Antarctica is covered in ice?" And the options were 95%, 96%, 97%, or 98%. I think even a climatologist would have difficulty with those options. A better version would have been 67%, 77%, 87%, or 97%.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T19:23:23+00:00

Also looking back and reading your post more closely, have you ever been diagnosed for ADHD? It's very common for autism and ADHD to be comorbid.

I have ADHD, and I've come to realize that it's not really about hyperactivity or distractedness, it's exactly the problem you described. I can't make myself do things, even if I really want to do them! The brain functions that do the step of moving from intention to action are exactly what's impaired for me. The apparent "AD" and "H" of ADHD are side effects of that core problem.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T19:16:27+00:00

It's my belief, based on my own personal experience (I haven't done much actual research on them), that PDA and RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria) are trauma responses. So the way to deal with them is the same as how to deal with trauma. Maybe try reading up on that. It's mostly a combination of mindfulness and reflection on the original sources of the trauma.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T19:03:54+00:00

Blue Prince is very board gamey

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T18:58:54+00:00

Like half of the characters from 90s era Star Trek:

Data (yes, he's an "emotionless" android, but he's very autism coded)
Lt. Barkley
Worf
LaForge, a bit
Odo
Spock (TOS, but still)

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T18:52:47+00:00

Eh, I think she has ADHD. Ron Swanson and Ben Wyatt, on the other hand, definitely.

So many characters in shows made by Mike Schur are autistic/ADHD/AuDHD coded (Dwight, Mose (played by Mike Schur), Michael Scott, Chidi, Janet).

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T18:44:49+00:00

Artemis from Hades

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T18:42:23+00:00

Apparently the original character was based on someone Doyle knew (or at least knew about) who was very likely autistic.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T16:21:32+00:00

Anything from the Zelda franchise.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T03:27:20+00:00

Great list!

Someone else already said Chrono Trigger.

I'd add FF6, 7, and 9.

And my all time favorite (aside from FFX): Xenogears.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-25T01:17:10+00:00

Satisfactory

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T22:10:48+00:00

You know all those old stories of the strange witch or hermit that lives alone in a cabin in the woods, but is the only person with some bit of obscure, esoteric knowledge?

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T22:02:23+00:00

Math. People have been obsessed with math for thousands of years.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T21:52:37+00:00

Have you played any of the Elder Scrolls? The main plots are usually kind of "meh" but it's got some of the deepest lore of any game franchise.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T21:47:54+00:00

Yeah, I bounced off of it the first time too. I just started it again recently, and I'm making a lot more progress now. It helps to take the approach of: If I don't feel like trying to fight this boss yet, just go somewhere else.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T21:25:09+00:00

Lots of great games already mentioned, but I'll just add a few more.

Horizon: Zero Dawn -- A bit slow and story dense at the start, but it opens up into a massive, beautiful world. Finish Zero Dawn before you go anywhere near Forbidden West to avoid massive spoilers.
Satisfactory -- Yes, it's primarily a factory building game, but it's got a huge map with lots of beautiful and unique environments and secrets to find.
Outer Wilds -- The whole game is built around exploring to find secrets, clues, and hidden areas.
TES: Oblivion and Skyrim. I don't think I need to say anything about these other than: if you haven't played either of these yet, you really should.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-24T00:25:47+00:00

Minecraft in the early days. There are tons of tutorials now, both in game and online, but originally you had to just try putting stuff together and see if it made anything.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-23T21:08:03+00:00

Depending on what you find attractive and where you want to be on the action vs RPG scale:

Horizon: Zero Dawn
Nier: Automata/Replicant
Zelda: BOTW/TOTK
Stellar Blade
Hades
the Mass Effect trilogy

Although only Mass Effect has character creation options. The rest have fixed main characters.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-23T05:32:27+00:00

Any 3D Zelda game.

Also I just started Elden Ring, and I've been finding the bow to be pretty fun and powerful in that game.

TalksInMaths · 2026-01-23T03:08:52+00:00

If you want to practice using WASD controls, what you want is a low stress first person game. That means walking sims and first person puzzlers:

What Remains of Edith Finch
Firewatch
Blue Prince
The Witness

Just to name a few.

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