Game Suggestions For My Dad

[NeoShinGundam]

So my Dad is getting back into gaming after a 10-year hiatus (due to child rearing and all that stuff). He's made most of his way through Infamous, and I want to be able to suggest something OTHER than Infamous 2. No offense to the game (he's enjoying the first one), but since he hasn't been paying attention to video games for quite a while I want to show him some of the other stuff that's out there.

So here are my two suggestions: 1) Not-Too-Different - "God of War Collection"; 2) Very-Different - "Mass Effect 2" or "Fallout 3". So what are your suggestions? Thanks for any help/similar stories you guys can provide.

 

[Zorak the Mantis]

What are his interests? Is he into Sci-fi or Fantasy? Rpg's or FPS's? Start by answering those questions and I think you'll have a good sense of what to try next.

 

[100tacks]

I was going to start this exact same thread. My dad (who is 58) has never played games before, but he bought a blu-ray player that streams Netflix so poorly I convinced him to get a PS3 instead. To my shock and awe he is even considering buying some games. He likes sci-fi and action movies, loves to read, loves gadgets and tech stuff, but has NEVER played ANY video games. I'm looking for a gateway game that will give him a good introduction. Any suggestions?

 

[BNSNightshade]

my dad really likes rts for some reason. you should give that a try!

 

[NeoShinGundam]

Okay, he likes both SF, fantasy and comic-books. He enjoys the original Star Trek and the first 3 Star Wars, but he LOVES The Lord of Rings. The oddest thing I've picked up on in conversations about games is his disdain for 2D games. He's said in the past that his favorite arcade game was called "Battle Zone." It looked a lot like this: http://youtu.be/sza2ke2TEnM

I can't think for the life of me any retail games coming close to that in terms of gameplay. I know there are probably some downloadable games similar to Battle Zone, but I'm trying to scope out retail titles as possible birthday gifts.

Speaking of PSN, 100tacks I suggest you download 3 different titles from PSN and show them off to your dad. I suggest something arcadey (Pac-Man Championship), something actiony (Death Spank), and something shootery (Dead Nation or Himmelstrummer). You can use them as a litmus test to see where his tastes lie. Downloaded games are also shorter/simpler than retail games so that may help.

 

[Nouw]

If you're up for some bonding, try Killteam. It's a co-op from-the-top shooter set in the grim darkness of the far future.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

He sounds like he may enjoy Dragon Age if he digs fantasy stuff like LotR. If he's into sci-fi as well, and you want to game along with him, local or online, I highly suggest Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon.

Also, my dad loves Red Dead Redemption, so, yeah.

 

[NeoShinGundam]

Well, thanks for the help guys. My Dad finished Infamous 1 & immediately rushed out and bought the sequel. I think now I'll just show him how to navigate PSN and download demos for himself so he can explore different titles on his own. A bit defeatist maybe, but he should develop the confidence and knowledge to shop on his own.

 

[AnAngryMoose]

I was going to start this exact same thread. My dad (who is 58) has never played games before, but he bought a blu-ray player that streams Netflix so poorly I convinced him to get a PS3 instead. To my shock and awe he is even considering buying some games. He likes sci-fi and action movies, loves to read, loves gadgets and tech stuff, but has NEVER played ANY video games. I'm looking for a gateway game that will give him a good introduction. Any suggestions?

If he likes sci-fi and action movies then Mass Effect is right up his alley.

 

[Tharwen]

Dwarf Fortress. It's completely intuitive and after just half an hour playing for the first time, I found that the simple control scheme and gameplay mechanics just seemed to click with me. My friends regularly ask to have a go for a few minutes and they always pick it up right away and start having fun, even if I'm halfway through a tricky game.

It doesn't hurt that it's bloody gorgeous too.

 

[Johnny Impact]

I was going to start this exact same thread. My dad (who is 58) has never played games before, but he bought a blu-ray player that streams Netflix so poorly I convinced him to get a PS3 instead. To my shock and awe he is even considering buying some games. He likes sci-fi and action movies, loves to read, loves gadgets and tech stuff, but has NEVER played ANY video games. I'm looking for a gateway game that will give him a good introduction. Any suggestions?

My Favorite Full Games
Batman: Arkham Asylum
inFamous
Dead Space
Brutal Legend
Assassin's Creed II
God of War III
Burnout: Paradise


My Favorite Downloads:
Super Stardust HD
Super Pac-Man Championship Edition II DX
echochrome
Dead Nation
PixelJunk Monsters

My advice is don't try to ease him in with anything cute or brainless. Plunge him into Batman or Assassin's Creed. Don't worry about complex controls putting him off -- if they do, he was never meant to be a gamer.