# My next video game

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** video-games-e-games\
**Created:** [January 6, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784 "2023-01-06T13:24:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/21 "2023-01-07T06:49:26Z")

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> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> I will represent the alternative view. I got about 50 hours into it and felt like hardly anything had happened over the last 20, so I stopped.

Likewise, I thought RDR2 was too slow for me (and I liked RDR1). And I’m not a fan of fiddly details like having to stop and feed your horse periodically!

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**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/22 "2023-01-07T07:00:12Z")

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you could try vampire survivors on steam …its not graphic intensive at first but once you get past lvl 50 on some modes its been known to crash pcs due to how many things are on the screen at once

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**Author:** ![wjChia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wjChia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wjChia)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/23 "2023-01-07T07:05:17Z")

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if you have a decent phone/tablet, you can try Vampire Survivors on mobile first; it’s released by the same devs and is completely free! Only ads you’ll see are the ones you choose to view so you get a free life in the game.

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**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/24 "2023-01-07T11:43:19Z")

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What’s a cover shooter? Is that where you get to stand back and shoot from a distance? I love those games. I’m usually terrible at close up fighting and melee. For example, is Mass Effect a cover shooter?

If my monitors only go to 4k/60p, is there any reason to have frame rates faster than 60, or should I turn on V-sync?

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/25 "2023-01-07T13:13:20Z")

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> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> What’s a cover shooter? Is that where you get to stand back and shoot from a distance? I love those games. I’m usually terrible at close up fighting and melee. For example, is Mass Effect a cover shooter?

Mass Effect 2 and 3 are definitely cover shooters. Notice how every combat area in those games featured a series of low walls/barriers/tables that you immediate rush to hide behind, then pop up and shoot? That’s a cover shooter.

> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#):
>
> I think the latest Doom and Wolfenstein games would fit your criteria.

The new _Doom_ games are a bit too intense and chaotic for my tastes, but _Wolfenstein: the New Order_ and _Wolfenstein II: the New Colossus_ are both amazing. The two of them, along with _Titanfall 2_ (single player campaign) are, IMHO, the ultimate linear first person shooters, the absolute culmination of the genre. They’re as good as games like that get.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/26 "2023-01-07T13:52:22Z")

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Agree that Titanfall 2 is excellent.

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**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/27 "2023-01-07T15:51:38Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> The new _Doom_ games are a bit too intense and chaotic for my tastes

Man, no kidding! I’m playing that right now and it’s just bedlam, and really difficult. I’m still in the opening parts and I’m constantly low on ammo and health.

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/28 "2023-01-07T16:08:22Z")

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> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> I would also say to check out The Division/Divison 2 if you like shooters, and cover shooters in particular.

I thought about recommending these but then dithered since they’re technically online games. But you don’t need a group for anything but the most “end game” content and I’d actually recommend against a group for the story missions so you can explore the environment at your leisure. I’d also say to start at Division 1 which is a bit more atmospheric and still looks great today.

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**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/29 "2023-01-07T16:53:06Z")

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Maybe Control? It’s pretty fun, and supports both ray tracing and DLSS to play around with.

It’s more of a horror story (creepy, not scary) than a shooter, but there is lots of shooting and it is first person perspective.

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**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/30 "2023-01-07T17:41:31Z")

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Technically online, sure. And there will be other people in the world when you’re at safe houses, HQ etc. but you never need to interact with anyone if you don’t care to. And online/co-op is not necessary to play the game or complete it. I’ve completed both campaigns at varying difficulty levels solo.

It’s a challenge but far from impossible. The only key is you MUST use the cover. If you don’t you will get your ass blown off every time. The cover is fun, though.

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/31 "2023-01-07T18:35:16Z")

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> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Technically online, sure.

Oh, I know. I have a bajillion hours in both. OP said that he didn’t want online so I mentally shelved it but I agree that they’re great games and even the first one still looks great on a strong GPU with the dials cranked.

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**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/32 "2023-01-08T05:24:25Z")

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> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> The only key is you MUST use the cover. If you don’t you will get your ass blown off every time.

I played Division 1 almost exclusively with the riot shield + pistol; most of the time I could avoid using cover.

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/33 "2023-01-08T05:42:09Z")

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You were just carrying your cover around with you 😃

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**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/34 "2023-01-08T16:23:42Z")

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Horizon: Zero Dawn is excellent too, BTW. Another for the list.

I really can’t remember having to feed my horse in RDR2 though. Was there a difficulty setting to avoid that?

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/35 "2023-01-08T16:24:12Z")

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I concur, although for a somewhat different reason.

I found with RDR2, that it was _TOO_ open-world. Way too easy to just sort of get drawn off on side quests without necessarily knowing what was “core” quests, and what wasn’t. It needs larger story “guardrails”- things that if you go off track too far or too long, reminds you about what you should be doing to advance the story, so you don’t go flailing around for 30 hours doing dumb stuff that doesn’t actually advance the story.

It looks absolutely gorgeous though, and is pretty evocative of the parts of the US that it mimics, at least the ones I’ve visited personally.

If you _really_ like shooters, and really like military themed ones, “Escape from Tarkov” might be an option. It’s weird in that it’s a game you buy, but it’s in perpetual beta, and the characters, etc… get wiped every six months (or so) when there are major updates.

Game-wise, it’s a looter-shooter where your goal is to (eventually, once it’s built out) gather up stuff, and engineer an escape from Tarkov, which is the Russian city where you’re stranded after civil order collapsed. Right now, it’s just a really realistic and lethal FPS where you go gather stuff and build out your hideout while avoiding criminals, scavenging locals, and other private military contractors who are all marauding looking for stuff and to survive.

It’s got pretty strong post-apocalyptic vibes, combined with gameplay that’s very different than your usual mil-themed shooter like CoD or Battlefield. You die, you don’t respawn in that particular raid, and people can come steal your stuff off your body. And for the next raid, you only have the stuff you’ve accumulated in previous raids to kit yourself out with. So if you get killed too much, you’re running around with really janky stuff, or none at all.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/36 "2023-01-09T17:11:23Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> _Titanfall 2_ (single player campaign)

Really! I never give the single-player campaigns of multiplayer focused shooters so much as a second glance. Even the best CoD campaigns were more like action movie set pieces rather than competent shooters.

I have access to Titanfall 2 through Game Pass so the only price of admission is the download. I’ll give it a look.

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**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/37 "2023-01-09T21:11:20Z")

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> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> I will represent the alternative view. I got about 50 hours into it and felt like hardly anything had happened over the last 20, so I stopped.
> 
> I mean, it’s purely a matter of taste. For anyone who dug it, I’m glad you had fun and I won’t try to convince you that you didn’t. It’s just not for me.
> 
> (For what it’s worth, I’m a huge fan of Western movies, with a deep list of favorites from all eras. You might think this makes me a sucker for what RDR2 is doing, but no, just the opposite: I felt like its immersion in day-to-day minutiae

I loved the first Red Dead Redemption, but found the day-to-day minutiae of RDR2 slightly anxiety inducing. I’m a casual gamer, so found brushing my horse and oiling my weapons was a drag. Making sure I was using the right gun to hunt rabbits was deeper into detail than I want to go in a game.

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/38 "2023-01-09T22:19:59Z")

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> [@Yookeroo](#):
>
> Making sure I was using the right gun to hunt rabbits was deeper into detail than I want to go in a game.

The first time I mutilated a 3-star buck with a 12 gauge:  
_WTF? It’s BUCKSHOT! It says it right in the name!_ 😃

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**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/39 "2023-01-11T03:38:20Z")

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I did a lot of looking at Escape from Tarkov after I saw this post over the weekend…I’m not usually a PvP type, but man, it looks intriguing.

Except…looks like you pay a minimum of $50 for a beta game. And there is a touch of pay-to-win, in that you can spend up to or over $150 for greatly expanded storage slots.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-next-video-game/977784/40 "2023-01-11T04:31:37Z")

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The only real advantage to the $150 thing is that you get the full-tilt stash right out of the gate, and a larger keister. (gamma case vs. alpha case where you can keep stuff that won’t get lost if you’re killed. The joke is that it’s basically your prison wallet)

The thing with Tarkov is that it’s one of the very, very few shooters where you actually get anxious while you’re playing, since you don’t respawn and there’s a very high probability that you’ll lose your gear. And the actual game mechanics are **lethal** in a way that CoD/Battlefield doesn’t even dream of- plenty of one-shot deaths, plenty of one-shot disablings, and stuff like if you’re wounded, you leave blood trails and make a bunch of racket groaning and breathing heavy, not to mention that you can bleed out over time, and so forth.

It’s considerably more hardcore than most shooters/PvP games.

Another consideration is that the last wipe was like 12/28, so you’re only a couple of weeks in.

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