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

[Barthheart]

Duh.  Civilization, you cretin!

Yep, CiV fer me too.

[Dammit Carl!]

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

Something like that is my go-to thing as well.  Or perhaps the "Sniper Elite," stuff as the bullet cam never gets old to me, "...yeah!  Didn't need those testicles, eh fritz?"

[MengJiao]

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.

Good question.  I've found under those circumstances I can't play games (like DCS) that take a long time to load.  Xcom was good for a while and now CS: Middle East works for me.  For some reason things that aren't turn-based or that require controlling airplanes or cars or something are beyond me when I'm tired.

[Jarhead0331]

When I'm looking for a quick fix, I usually go to a mobile device. Otherwise, I might boot up something along the lines of Men of War Assault Squad (or more recently, Call to Arms), a custom battle in Total War, or screw around in an open world game like GTAV.

[Father Ted]

I find Pike and Shot hits that spot pretty well

[Bison]

If I'm in a wargame mood, I like a game of Battle Academy too.  Good simple, easy fun and I find that even if I'm mentally exhausted within a couple of turns I'm less exhausted and more thinking about my tactics.

[eyebiter]

FTL

[Nefaro]

A roguelike probably.

That's what I usually turn to when in a muck and don't want to rely on, or deal with, multi-player "shenanigans" as mentioned in the OP.

Mainly because 1) It's turn-based so no time-related pressure, 2) Your character is generally expected to die in a relatively short period of time, and there is little in the way of quests/narrative, so no super-long campaign details to remember each time you play (even if you end up needing to save).

There are probably quite a few turn-based games that fit this mold, not just Roguelikes.  I mentioned those since they're often relatively short but still provide different challenges each time. 

The only real-time ones I'd consider would be something that mostly involves much smashing & killing hordes of stuff without getting too hairy.  ARPGs like Marvel Heroes or Torchlight 2 maybe.

[Rekim]

Neuroshima Hex on the iPad is my wind down game of choice.

[Toonces]

Some great suggestions here.

I think Left 4 Dead 2 is most like what I'm talking about.  That is almost completely mindless.

You know what I missing?  Good ole fashioned arcade games, like Defender, or Joust, or Vanguard.  Something you can play in a bite-sized chunk with no real deeper meaning to it than to beat your high score.  I might see if I can find some of those for purchase somewhere.

[Jarhead0331]

You know what I missing?  Good ole fashioned arcade games, like Defender, or Joust, or Vanguard.  Something you can play in a bite-sized chunk with no real deeper meaning to it than to beat your high score.  I might see if I can find some of those for purchase somewhere.

Check out Infested Planet and Crimsonland. Both a lot of fun.

[Nefaro]

You know what I missing?  Good ole fashioned arcade games, like Defender, or Joust, or Vanguard. 

Seriously?

You can't browse a Steam page without stumbling onto some of the many metric shit-tons of old style Arcade Platformers, Top-Down Shooters, Space Invaders-wannabes, and other retro titles which look like they were made for the original Nintendo. 

They're everywhere.  I think at least one gets released per day on Steam alone.  ::)

[-budd-]

want completely mindless....Serious Sam 3 would fit the bill.....on rails....no ammo shortages...some humor....and aliens to shoot, i mean a lot of aliens.

[Bison]

You know what I missing?  Good ole fashioned arcade games, like Defender, or Joust, or Vanguard. 

Seriously?

You can't browse a Steam page without stumbling onto some of the many metric shit-tons of old style Arcade Platformers, Top-Down Shooters, Space Invaders-wannabes, and other retro titles which look like they were made for the original Nintendo. 

They're everywhere.  I think at least one gets released per day on Steam alone.  ::)

Shhh...he's a delicate and fragile type.....

[Nefaro]

I guess this all hinges on what someone considers "meaningful gaming", as mentioned in the title.  ;D