Also, after looking through Steam’s list of Mac games, here are some games in no particular order, but I’m going out on a slight limb. I’ll try and note what boxes it does and doesn’t tick:
[ul]
[li] Paper’s Please: puzzle solving under a time constraint. I think the “time constraint” may satisfy your action box. You’re essentially a border crossing guard for a totalitarian definitely-not-Soviet regime. Every day in the story you’re given some new asinine restriction you have to look through on people’s passports. It’s maybe not always a “puzzle” so much as “noticing stuff”, but I think it’s “puzzly enough” that most people I’d characterize as puzzle game players would probably like it.[/li]
It does have a decent story, but it’s told largely via the gameplay. That said, people show up to your little crossing booth and will tell you things, and you can make some real choices that make the story play out in multiple different ways each time depending on who you decide to help. Some of the story choices even force you to deliberately take penalties and fail objectives!
That said, it’s NOT a sandbox game, despite the branching points it’s very linear in nature.
[li] Amnesia: The Dark Descent; Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs; SOMA – I’m recommending this largely based on the fact that you liked Bioshock and Silent Hill. These games are different in that there’s no guns. You can only run and hide from the monsters, but they’re dark horror games with some (relatively easy, admittedly) puzzle elements. Very linear.[/li]
Of these, I’d recommend The Dark Descent over A Machine For Pigs. I haven’t heard much about SOMA either way, but it’s by the same people.
I wouldn’t characterize the stories as… er… good though. I’d say they “weren’t bad” easily, “reasonably entertaining”, but they don’t pass my “good” mark.
[li] Half-Life 2: A classic, you’ll probably like it if you liked Bioshock, though it does have a few sections that haven’t aged well. Especially if you turn the difficulty up. I’d say this probably checks all your boxes.[/li]
[li] Portal and Portal 2: Puzzle game where some action is required to execute puzzles properly. Written by the same people (though the gameplay is by different people from the same company) as Half-Life 2, but no shooting.[/li]
[li] The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth: This is another “out on a limb” one. It’s kind of a dark comedy, but is incredibly, incredibly light on story and puzzling. That said, there are tons of Youtube videos on this game so I don’t hesitate in recommending it because it’s easy to find a video to watch to see if you’d like it, it’s an action game that’s randomly generated every time you play, but still very linear. [/li]
[li] Darkest Dungeon: Similar to Binding of Isaac, but trade “light on puzzling” for “light on action”. The puzzling comes in to the turn based combat. Again, Youtube is probably your friend here, but be warned that it’s not finished yet. It’s planned to be finished sometime before the end of this year.[/li]
[li] Most of Telltale’s newer Games: Most of the newer games are narrative focus. They don’t strictly have much action, but they do occasionally require quick reflexive choices. Puzzling is a bit sparse, but theoretically exists. Heavy focus on story which is usually on the darker side. I’d recommend The Walking Dead. I like the game and hate the show/comic, so if you don’t like the show don’t worry, they’re totally separate other than sharing a universe.[/li]
[li]Bioshock: Infinite: You liked Bioshock so… It’s probably a little less dark, but if you liked one you’ll probably like the other. I’m not sure a tiny iMac can actually run this game without choking, though.[/li]
[li]Transistor: This game is beautiful. I’m not sure if I’d qualify the story as “dark”, but it’s at least “serious” and not a happy-go lucky thing. It probably checks most of your boxes. Though the puzzling has more to do with the fact that you have an ability that can pause the action and let you plan out your moves. You can play the entire game as a pure action game, a pseudo-turn based game, or a hybrid based on your mood and whim.[/li]
[li]This War of Mine: It’s a game about people living in a country ravaged by war. But you don’t play the soldiers, you play the citizens just trying to survive until the war is over. Every night, you go to places to scavenge for resources. Your goal is simply to make your little colony survive for long enough. Probably “enough” action and puzzling to satisfy you.[/li]
I’d say it has a “dark setting”, but it’s not “story driven” in that it’s not like there’s a cutscene every couple days that tells you what’s happening. Most of the story you stumble upon by bumping into people while scavenging, or by listening to the in-game radio.
[/ul]
TLDR, Half-Life 2, Portal, and the games under “Amnesia” are probably your safest bets. I also put some in there a little outside of your comfort zone just for you to check out because I think you might like them.
Also, even if it hits Mac. Please do not get Heavy Rain. Heavy Rain may seem like a good, puzzle/action story-driven game with a dark story, but it is primarily enjoyable as a trainwreck like all games by that guy (David Cage). I can’t say I regret spending the time I did with it, but it is Not A Good Game™ except in that “laughing at bad movies” sort of way.
Edit: Actually, Portal may be less of a safe bet since you didn’t like The Talos Principle, but it’s so damn cheap you don’t have much to lose.