What Casual Games Are Like For Someone Who Doesn't Play Games
In this episode of Gaming For A Non-Gamer, I finally had my wife try out some of the games that I probably should have had her play in the first place, like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stardew Valley, The Sims 4 and Slime Rancher. So, this is what casual games are like for someone who doesn't play games.
In the latest episode of YouTuber Razbuten’s series in which he watches his non-gamer wife play various games, the focus is on so-called “casual” life sim games.
Many of the lessons and takeaways echo those that have come before (intuitive theming, low pressure, good tutorials, recoverable failure states, and optional co-op features all help new players learn, cheats/modes that let players focus on what they enjoy are good, etc.) but a couple new ones stood out to me. First, that sandbox games can be downright unapproachable if you don’t already have basic familiarity with what you can do and what kind of goals make sense, so early-game directed progression can be vital for new players. Second, that being part of a shared culture moment can be a powerful draw even if it’s not the kind of culture you normally take part in.