I'm tired of playing violent games.

[LilithSlave]

I would just like to ad a beginning disclaimer that I am not against violent games. Not that such will stop being from jumping me and arguing against me that I do and that's wrong, given what I've learned from my time here and how defensive people can get.

I do, while I think that all of the pro censorship, "please of think of the children" people out there are idiots. I can agree on one thing, video games do seem to depend on violence too much and too often. There's a lot of violence in movies, too. But they get more variety. It seems like video games are more violent more often than any other media. And while opposing violent video games is stupid, I do think the... ratio could be a little different.

But what I'm looking for is that exception and that smaller part of the ratio. I've been playing video games lately, and to be honest, while I like certain types of violence in video games as much as the next person, especially casting fun magic, that's a pile of fun. I'm getting a little tired of fighting stuff and I would like a break.

And so I was just wondering, other than just sparking a thread about whether violence happens too often or not, or people mentioning non-violent games that they like. I'd also like some help finding some good non-violent games to occupy my time. Because while I do like them, I'm pretty burnt out on them right now.

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

Little big planet isn't violent, nor is portal or portal 2 or pretty much any puzzle game. Some platforming games are not that violent or violent at all. You want non violent games? Get a Wii, while I think the system kind of sucks it does have some good games (which are mostly non violent). Wario ware games aren't violent, mario galaxy isnt violent even though you still curb stomp goombas but that isn't the focus (platforming is).

 

[LilithSlave]

Oh, don't worry about systems. I own all of them. Well, not ever single one. But all of the modern systems.

Mario games are kinda cartoony, but still technically kinda violent.

 

[Aleate]

Its violent and weird but...
Have you tried Catherine?
Its quite good... but gets a bit bloody at points.

So yeah... most puzzle games are pretty nice.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Ignoring the mobs then Minecraft has taken hours of my life just designing buildings when I'm not at my computer o play it. It have played it more then oblivion, fallout and halo 3 put together. I played them a lot.

 

[shrekfan246]

I think it depends on your definition of "violent" in relation to video games. . . I, for one, would not consider something like Sonic Colors on the Wii to be a "violent" game, though there certainly is action and whatnot. LittleBigPlanet on the PS3 is a great example of a non-violent game, in my opinion. It's pretty much pure platforming fun, and while your character can "die" it's usually in amusing ways typical of platforming games.

While there is "violent" content in it, there is no real on-hand violence in Amnesia: The Dark Descent (save for being clawed up by monsters if you're seen). I'd also say Super Meat Boy, Portal, and Portal 2 aren't particularly violent games. And while the series is technically an artillery-based strategy game, I personally consider the Worms series of games to be much more comedy/parody than actual violence.

I think it depends on your threshold for what constitutes "violent". Do you think the main gameplay should not revolve around your character beating up other NPC's? Do you think there should be no combat/danger involved whatsoever? Do you think the main character should lack the capacity to fight, but can still die? Do you consider games like Mario or Sonic to be "violent" because they do involve jumping on the heads of other things and have boss fights?

Oh, I wouldn't particularly categorize Kirby's Epic Yarn as a violent game either, and the various "party games" like Mario Kart, Mario Party, etc. All in all, I'd say if you're really looking for non-violent games, you should go for indie titles or Wii games because those are where the largest libraries will be (in my opinion).

 

[LilithSlave]

Mario games are kinda cartoony, but still technically kinda violent.

If Mario games are violent, then Charlie Sheen has a sense of respect for women.

They're definitely generally about fighting stuff.

I'm surprised y'all are saying that, though.

 

[Zeema]

why not play a Final Fantasy Game?

there not violent

get FF9 its my personal Fave

 

[LilithSlave]

Wait, wait, Final Fantasy isn't violent?

Flower?

I'm curious about that game. How is it?

 

[Roroshi14]

One of my favorite series is the Harvest Moon series. N64 being my personal favorite. It's totally non violent and very addictive until you get married and have a kid then it gets kinda boring, but starting over isn't painful so the replay value is pretty high, if you like that sort of game.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I think the problem is not so much the violence itself, but rather how the violence is used. To often, and this applies to both movies and games, violence is thrown in just for the sake of violence as opposed to violence with a purpose, perhaps to send a message or to impact the audience in some way.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Fancy Pants Adventures? Super Stardust? Little Big Planet? Uh...Flower? Haven't tried it yet, maybe that Eufloria one? Er...Pokemon Snap? I just got off a God of War cluster, so my gauge is kind of skewed towards the bloodier end of the spectrum right now. But those are some nonviolent, or at least cartooned minimal violence similar to Looney Tunes, and they're all pretty good...Maybe Kirby's Epic Yarn? But I didn't have as much fun with that one, thinking it was going to be more of a traditional Kirby title, rather than something more akin to a cousin of the classic pink puffball. But, it's nonviolent, for sure.

 

[LilithSlave]

Do you consider games like Mario or Sonic to be "violent" because they do involve jumping on the heads of other things and have boss fights?

Most Mario and Sonic games are somewhat violent, as a major aspect of gameplay.

Sonic Riders and Mario Kart, not so much.

 

[Gamer In Thought]

I'm not certain how you'd get away from "violence" in games. Sans puzzle games, some sports games, exergames, and games made for wee ones (children) most games have a "take down the 'bad guy'" element to them. It's human nature to have that "me vs something else" mentality. Games just play on that. No pun intended.

As lame as it sounds, I enjoy a good round of Hexic (XBox 360) when I want to get away from guns and thinking.

 

[LilithSlave]

One of my favorite series is the Harvest Moon series. N64 being my personal favorite. It's totally non violent and very addictive until you get married and have a kid then it gets kinda boring, but starting over isn't painful so the replay value is pretty high, if you like that sort of game.

Ah, I love Harvest Moon! I could definitely use more games like that.

And sorry for the almost double post. There was a delay for it showing up so I posted it again. I fixed it and put unique content in this one to make up for it, though.

most games have a "take down the 'bad guy'" element to them.

I don't think that's necessarily a good thing.

Anyway, I like hearing the suggestions. But I'd personally like some explanations on the gameplay and why it's a "must play" game that I must play. Name dropping is okay, but it's not super convincing.

 

[Estocavio]

Play Healing With Color. Its actually not bad.
http://greenergames.net/

 

[Braedan]

The Katamari Damanci (spelling?) type games are very relaxing and can be really fun. A number on Steam for cheap I believe. The Wonderful End of the World has a pretty nice and varied art style.

The reason I see it that video games are so violent, is because for a game to be entertaining, like all media, it need conflict. The easiest conflict to portray would be physical conflict, so we have lots of violence.
Books on the other hand, where you can have much more deep characters, are difficult to show violence due to the fact that we have to imagine instead of watch, so we have more psychological conflict.
Movies are a bit of a middle ground because real actors make it easy to show much more emotion and character struggles, and the visual nature makes it easy to show physical as well. In my opinion anyway.

As soon as we can find a way for video game characters to connect with players more easily, the more non violent games we will have I predict.

 

[Craorach]

You keep repeating that statement, but could you explain exactly how you consider Mario and Sonic violent.. I haven't played either in years but all I can remember of them is running through the level avoiding things for the most part. Certainly you jump on things heads but that is hardly violent in the grand scheme of things.