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:
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Low-stakes/chill gameplay. I’m already sweating, I don’t need sweaty gameplay right now
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a warm aesthetic/color palette and/or setting. My outside experience shouldn’t feel too different to the games inside experience aesthetic-wise.
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It feels like a road trip, adventure or vacation. I want to get a summery memory out of this.
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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.
A Short Hike. Essentially a short, cute animal-characters “collectathon” walking-sim/3d-platformer with some low-stakes “arcade” bits here and there. The low-res pixel-effect can be turned off.
AER: Memories of old. Quite a bit in same vein as Rime/Sable, travel between floating islands and participate in low-stakes puzzles/platforming. Pretty charming, imo… and short. Can be finished under 2 hours.
Stardew Valley but you have to keep your inner micro-manager under check
I don’t know how many hours I already put into stardew valley haha. The latest update/free DLC was amazing as well
This has been my primary summer game, although I admit what with the seasons changing in game I am now in winter while being hot indoors. Was going through responses to see if anyone brought up Stardew.
“A Short Hike” for sure, “What Remains of Edith Finch” could fit and nobody mentioned it.
Superflight is great and quite different from most of the suggestions you are getting.
(The Stanley Parable I don’t think fits but if you want to try it out I suggest you do not take the “Deluxe” version and sitck to the original one)
Came to say A Short Hike. First thing that springs to mind when I think summer adventure.
The first thing that came to my mind was “Before the Storm”, but it was already listed…
What’s a downside I. The Stanley parable deluxe edition? Isn’t it just the original game but with additional content?
I don’t want to spoil anything but I feel like it makes the experience less dense and focused. I loved the original one, read great things about the expansion and found it leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
But in a way I guess you can’t get the cat back in the box or something… Still a great game overall, I feel it just goes from a 10 to an 8.5.
I suggest you do not take the “Deluxe” version and sitck to the original one
Why?
As I mentioned below, I feel like the expansion is less inspired and makes for an overall decline in quality.
I’ll definitely put short hike on the list. Superflight looks amazing as well! I already played the Stanley parable and the other famous game from that developer. Totally forgot about that. I also played Edith Finch but didn’t like it
That was my first thought as well! It is a perfect summer game to play over a week or two. Feels like it has a good, tight story.
Was looking through the replies for this. This is my favorite vacation game so far!
I’d recommend:
- The Outer Wilds
- Graveyard Keeper
- Subnautica
Psychonauts (the original, not the sequel, though the sequel is also good) is a Summer Camp themed 3D platformer. It doesn’t quite meet your “low stakes/chill gameplay” criteria as it does have combat and mildly challenging boss fights and platforming, but it nails the rest. It’s easier than Tunic. Maybe worth checking out.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons strictly meets all the criteria listed, but it’s ultimately a tragic story. If “some kind of impact” includes leaving you in tears, check it out.
Okami is a Zelda style adventure set in feudal Japan with immaculate vibes. You play as the sun goddess Amaterasu in the form of a wolf bringing light and life to a land ravaged by demons. The world is cold and dark at first, but you bring spring and summer on your heels.
Finally, two favorites from my childhood are the Spyro series and the Ty the Tasmanian Tiger series. These are 3D Platformer collectathons and neither of these series are even close to any of the examples you provided, but they are bright and colorful and in my heart they have feelings of Summer Vacation and staying home all day to play video games.
Oh spyro brings back very distant memories of my childhood. I think I played all the Playstation and Gameboy games. I will always remember the sound of collecting gems.
I’ll check out the other games you mentioned, thanks a lot. The sad one will probably go on my list for depression season haha
I specifically mentioned both Spyro and Ty because both series have remasters available on Steam. The Spyro: Reignited Trilogy in particular is phenomenal. They did a really good job making the updated graphics look just like my nostalgic memories of the game.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger is peak summer game. It’s basically set in a setting inspired by the Australian outback.
This post is months old now, but I fucking love Psychonauts. It shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve replayed it so many times I’ve lost count, and I can tell you at what point in the game each song of the soundtrack plays. Also the sequel takes place only days after the first, so it could still technically be called a summer game. Also the sequel is honestly a damn masterpiece imo.
Also, Ty is absolutely fantastic. Any of the water levels are absolute summer vibes imo. And the soundtrack is fantastic as well. I 100% the first three on steam.
“Alba: A Wildlife Adventure” jumped to mind. I don’t remember it being long or difficult, but I had a nice time.
Firewatch. A summer-themed walking simulator with an interesting story.
Firewatch is great, but OP said he already played it
Ah, I missed that, thank you.
I’d say Night in the Woods, but that may be a very late summer / fall kinda vibe.
It won’t be long till fall so it can go on the list. Might be perfect for summer-is-almost-over-sadness
Lil Gator Game sounds right up your alley.
It’s a great game and fun to 100%.
My Summer Car is pretty cool. I’ve been playing Dredge this summer and it’s been pretty chill and low-stakes.
Dredge is definitely not a chill game
Chill as in chills your bones.
I’m super afraid of the ocean dredge looks like a horror game to me
Dang, sorry to hear that. It relaxes me when I play it
Dungeons of Hinterburg might fit the bill. Just released. Looks and plays well. It is an action rpg with social sim elements set in the Alps.
Looks great! The Alps is where I spend a lot of my vacation days, why not add some nights as well haha
Thanks, this looks great!
The Uncharted series? It’s okay to play on an easy difficulty level, and they’re not too hard anyway.
Oh I didn’t realize it got released on PC!
My summer car
