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Looking for games that feel like a summer adventure

I have this loosely defined made-up genre I call “Summer Games”.

It started a long time ago subconsciously. At some point I realized that during the hottest time of the year I gravitate to certain games that I mostly play on a small device (laptop/switch/steamdeck), laying in bed, late at night, when I have trouble sleeping because it’s too hot. A friend of mine once said that the reason she loves super high temperatures so much, is that what you experience leaves more vivid, burned in, memories. I think she has a point.

The criteria aren’t super rigid but I hope you get the “vibe” and might know some games that fit:

  • Low-stakes/chill gameplay. I’m already sweating, I don’t need sweaty gameplay right now
  • a warm aesthetic/color palette and/or setting. My outside experience shouldn’t feel too different to the games inside experience aesthetic-wise.
  • It feels like a road trip, adventure or vacation. I want to get a summery memory out of this.
  • the game leaves some kind of impact.

Games I played in the past that evoked that vibe perfectly:

  • Kentucky road zero
  • oxenfree
  • road 96
  • firewatch
  • sable
  • rime
  • steins: gate
  • life is strange

Games that have fit okay-ish

  • tunic
  • journey
  • citizen sleeper
  • nightcall
  • no umbrellas allowed
  • the talos principle
  • the solus project
  • the witness
  • the vanishing of Ethan Carter

If anyone has a recommendation, I’d be thankful. This year I have started to play chants of Sennaar and it seems to fit the criteria so far.

CancerMancer ,

I think you might like Superliminal or Hardspace Shipbreaker.

I’m less sure about the following but still wanted to suggest them:

  • Dinkum (it’s like Animal Crossing but in Australia)
  • Astroneer (pretty chill exploration and mining game)
  • Roots of Pacha (a more story-focused Harvest Moon like game)
MarcomachtKuchen ,

What an incredible description of Dinkum

CancerMancer ,

The vombats even poop cubes man.

OmegaMouse ,
@OmegaMouse@pawb.social avatar

I’m not sure if this is the best recommendation looking at your criteria, but Slime Rancher (1 and 2) are chilled games that have beautiful and colourful visuals. To me it feels like a summer vacation - one where you’re staying at a farm and catching adorable slimes.

Another recommendation I’d have is Tearaway unfolded. It’s a super charming adventure in a papercraft work. It really stuck with me and felt like an adventure. It’s only on PS4/5 as far as I’m aware though, but if you happen to have one of those I guess you could cast it to your Steam Deck using Chiaki. Or on the off-chance that you have a PS Vita, the original version of the game was on there.

kurcatovium ,

Try Eastshade, should check all the boxes IMO. store.steampowered.com/app/715560/Eastshade/

Any game from Amanita Design might fit the bill too (Machinarium, Botanicula, etc.).

If you don’t mind reading a lot, there’s Roadwarden store.steampowered.com/app/1155970/Roadwarden/

Paradigm_shift OP ,

Wow eastshade looks amazing! The Amanita Design games might suit my Fall-mood better. Roadwardwen looks interesting too. I’ll look at the preview slides on my steamdeck and see if it’s still readable

palebluethought ,

Psychonauts 1/2. The first game literally takes place at a summer camp. Second one has basically the same vibe.

thelsim ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar

A lot of nice suggestions already, I’d like to add the Sorcery! games if you don’t mind reading and enjoy exploring.
I personally really loved the world it portrayed and the tried so many different ways to finish the story.
Also, it has great maps, and I love maps :)

kartoffelsaft ,

Surprised TOEM isn’t on your list, given the premise is pretty much exactly what you describe. Last I checked it comes up on the first page or something if you sort steam by highest rated.

Lunacid might also be a good game. I think it fits your criteria for me, but that might just be for me.

Paradigm_shift OP ,

I don’t remember coming across TOEM, maybe I immediately ruled it out for being black and white. Lunacid looks a bit to dark and cold for me, judging by the screenshots. But I’ll take a closer look at both, short previews might not transport the vibes perfectly

bionicjoey ,

I’m not sure if it quite fits but the first game that came to mind was Minami Lane

sorrybookbroke ,

Likely in the ok-ish section but Celeste has that vibe going for it

OmegaMouse ,
@OmegaMouse@pawb.social avatar

Amazing game, but I’m not sure I’d describe the gameplay as chill!

ID411 ,

The game you are looking for is called Everyone’s Gone to The Rapture.

Paradigm_shift OP ,

Perfect, thanks!

ID411 ,

Based on the games you’ve mentioned, you’ll love it .

A slow walking sim in an English village. Super atmosphere, interesting story, good voice acting. An authentic stroll around an English village. I know the area where it’s set, and the vibe is spot on.

filister ,
  • Slay the princess
  • Until then
  • Coffee talk
  • Detroit Become human

The last one is more like an interactive movie than a visual novel, but it is still pretty cool

sugar_in_your_tea ,

The first thing that comes to my mind is Summer in Mara. It’s a chill, relatively shallow farming sim with fetch quests and exploration.

Some more based on other games you liked:

  • Arida - short-ish adventure game with a bigger emotional impact
  • Nuts - probably most similar to Firewatch; core gameplay loop is taking pictures of squirrels, but there’s some plot development
  • A Juggler’s Tale - side scroller adventure with some feels
  • Deponia - funny point and click adventure series; if you like the genre, try The Darkside Detective (less “summer adventure” more “weird mysteries”)
  • Manifold Garden - more chill than The Talos Principle or The Witness, with less feels than the first; decent, trippy puzzle game
Paradigm_shift OP ,

I’ll check them out, thanks. I’ve heard positive things about manifold garden already. Mystery stuff might be perfect for fall

sugar_in_your_tea ,

Yup, Darkside Detective is fantastic for a non-spooky, but spooky-themed point and click adventure. If you like point and clicks, it’s a bit older, but I really like Grim Fandango, which is a bit more classic point and click with a Halloween theme.

Nemo ,

Try Stranded Sails. It’s a tight little adventure game.

mindbleach ,

Here Comes Niko, “the cozy 3D platformer for tired people.” You play an adorable sprite leaping around a tropical island chain. I don’t think it has failure modes, in general.

Paradigm_shift OP ,

Looks super cute

orca ,
@orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts avatar

The Big Con

Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove!

Paradigm_shift OP ,

The big con looks promising

opgjoh , (edited )

Maybe the Atelier games would fit the bill? The recent entries, mostly the Ryza trilogy (“Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout”, yeah, the title is a bit clunky) don’t have the time limit that used to be a staple of the series. Instead, it is incredibly chill, a JRPG in a relaxed, colorful environment with an actually really fun, puzzle-like crafting system (called synthesis, their take on alchemy), which feeds masterfully into combat and resource collecting. It is very fun, and the game feels like going on a summer holiday with friends as a kid. :)

Paradigm_shift OP ,

Ryza could be perfect!

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