Meaningful gaming...n an hour...without excessive brain burn...

[Toonces]

Here's the scenario:

You've been up since 0530.  You worked all day, did all sorts of chores, and finally at 9pm you have some "me" time.

Your brain hurts. You're tired.  But you'd like to game.

It can't be too hard.  Nor too easy.  Ideally it's something you can wrap up in an hour, but playing a turn of something you can save isn't out of the question.

So, with all that said, what game do you turn to?  What's something you can turn on, lose yourself for a bit, but isn't going to tax you too much mentally, and you can finish and feel like you actually did something?

Typically I'd say quick-match multiplayer games fill this niche for me, something like ARMA 3 KotH, or maybe Rising Storm.  But man I am just not feeling like dealing with any shenanigans tonight, and something single player is eluding me.

[Freyland]

Armello

[-budd-]

I usually choose a run and gun game in those circumstances, by run and gun i mean no sitting through cuts scenes, no shortage of ammo and no f**king puzzles, and barely any story.

[Bison]

I really like games like Left for Dead 2 in those circumstances.  No thought involved other then point your weapon at zombie and shoot.

I also can play some deeper turn based games and feel like I did something.  Even if it was only processing a turn or two.  That's how I've been playing both my AOW3 and PoE games. 

[MetalDog]

Duh.  Civilization, you cretin!

[Sir Slash]

I can usually do a turn or two of Combat Mission Whatever if I don't have much time to play. Also Pillars of Eternity or Baldur's Gate works fine too especially if I feel like just killing a few things before bedtime or while eating a sandwich. Rule The Waves is great too if I'm in a nautical mood. Opposite of that, the Decisive Campaigns series can be a real mental chore for me and I won't play unless I'm really up for it though I love the games.

[FarAway Sooner]

I like my lite fare very light!  I'll go with Plants vs. Zombies or Defenders' Quest: Valley of the Forgotten or (if I'm feeling a little more ambitious) maybe Ironcast.  All good titles that don't take too much horsepower, and with light-hearted graphics that keep me from taking a game too seriously!

[gameleaper]

http://grognard.com/wargamerfiles/avalompro.zip

I find Making your own game with My free boardgame creator, from bits and bobs of art you can find. Im doing a gladiator game right now, simple logic bash club roll dice.

[spelk]

A roguelike probably. Armoured Commander to keep it wargamey, or something bigger in scope like Angband orSil. Or something hip and groovey like Spacegrunts. Or go left field and play Immortal Defense. Or Dungeon of the Endless. Or Freaking Meatbags. Or Rymdkapsel.  Or KeeperRL. Or Defenders Quest. Or Duskers.  Or chill out with something casual like Mini Metro or Pixel Puzzles Japan or the more spicier PIxel Puzzles UndeadZ. Or Sproggiwood. Or You Must Build A Boat. Or Atom Zombie Smasher.

I could ramble on about short burst decent gaming for ages... :)

[gameleaper]

A roguelike probably. Armoured Commander to keep it wargamey, or something bigger in scope like Angband orSil. Or something hip and groovey like Spacegrunts. Or go left field and play Immortal Defense. Or Dungeon of the Endless. Or Freaking Meatbags. Or Rymdkapsel.  Or KeeperRL. Or Defenders Quest. Or Duskers.  Or chill out with something casual like Mini Metro or Pixel Puzzles Japan or the more spicier PIxel Puzzles UndeadZ. Or Sproggiwood. Or You Must Build A Boat. Or Atom Zombie Smasher.

I could ramble on about short burst decent gaming for ages... :)

That's A realy good list :)

[Asid]

Why not try a quick battle in SABOW?

You can select whatever the Bluefor and redfor is. Can be over quite quick.

Regards

[undercovergeek]

like you my games are open ended, deep, commitment hungry ones - when the time has come for my brain to say 'not tonight dude' I get a book, turn off all noise and take to the jamesons and a historical novel

[gameleaper]

I played soldiers as a boy, I like games in general, I like strategy - but I like games more than historical accuracy etc... that's why Im drawn to wargames, but I miss the simplicity of timpo cannon fire if it knocks over a soldier hes had it, I like simple because Im overwhelmed with hard core soloictor type games(but I also love em, just need only to buy less often)

What Im saying Toonces, is Heroes Of Normandie is out in 2 days, frig me the best thing since little wars

[bbmike]

I think that's what lead me to playing hotseat games solo. You control each side and there is no pressure. It's fairly easy to pick up right where you left off without much thinking. I play Civilization, Alpha Centauri, MOO2, SC:Pacific War, etc. like that. Vassal is also really good for solo play, even the games that people don't consider solo player.

[Kushan]

Depending on my mood, I lean towards either Diablo 3, Skyrim, Cities Skyline, EUIV or CK2. Diablo 3 is my usual go to. Mindlessly smashing undead and demons doesn't take too much mind power. And with how the skills system works there's always a new character build to experiment with.

Doing trade runs/missions/flights in Elite or P3D are possible when I have a little extra time and want to expend a little thought.