# Games for elders



## DannMcGrew (Mar 17, 2020)

Can anybody reccommend an absorbing game that can be played either online or on a non-gamer  PC  (Win 7) that will take  hours or days to play.   It cannot require manual dexterity.   We're talking a mouse here.    Obviously this audience will not want blood and violence  unless it's killing cartoon zombies like the old Garden Rescue.    A requirement to purchase is OK  as long as it's relatively  inexpensive.     Oh, and it can be some old game; not a lot of experience among them.
Thanks for your thoughts.


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## Vladd67 (Mar 17, 2020)

How about one of the older editions of Civilisation?


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## -K2- (Mar 17, 2020)

I still play windows supplied 'Free Cell' to keep my mind sharp (of course, that might state how dull I am ). In any case, there is that and Minesweeper and of course Solitaire.

Strip-Poker, however, will require a webcam. 

K2


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## elvet (Mar 17, 2020)

What you are looking for are called Adventure games. They are a niche genre, but have avid fans, myself included.
They are available to play online at Steam or GOG, or you can purchase DVDs.
Here is the SFF Chron equivalent forum I go to for info and chat (I am colpet there) GameBoomers - PC adventure games news, forum, walkthroughs, reviews.
Another good resource here Adventure Gamers - The most trusted reviews of Adventure Games


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## Pyan (Mar 17, 2020)

Sim City? (_Not_ The Sims)

Sim City 4


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## Foxbat (Mar 18, 2020)

Space Empires IV. It’s cheap, better than Space Empires V, only requires the click of a mouse, has a fair few mods and is quite absorbing without being overwhelming. Also, graphically nothing special but will run quite happily on a low end machine.


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## Foxbat (Mar 18, 2020)

Thinking more on your dilemma, here’s one I sometimes play. It’s a murder/mystery based on the old minesweeper style game.








						Inspector Parker in Betrapped! for Windows (2004) - MobyGames
					

After the death of Lord North Vandernot of Ravencourt Castle, a young American girl named May Vandernot was left his entire estate.  Jealousy brewed within the household and May feels that someone is trying to kill her.  Upon hearing the news, Chief Inspector Parker of Scotland Yard decide to...




					www.mobygames.com


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## DannMcGrew (Mar 18, 2020)

Foxbat said:


> Thinking more on your dilemma, here’s one I sometimes play. It’s a murder/mystery based on the old minesweeper style game.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I just read that description and it sounds interesting and maybe at the right level.   I appreciate your help  since my "gaming" in recent years has consisted of a couple bouts with Chicken Invaders.   
   But  I was once in ancient days of DOS  a champion at the Collosal Cave Adventure -- my car's license plate   is   XYZZY.


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## Foxbat (Mar 18, 2020)

What I like about Inspector Parker is that it is essentially a puzzle game and I think these kinds of games provide good stimulus for elder minds.


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## Boneman (Mar 18, 2020)

Total War Shogun. Strategy, battles, build an empire. All with a mouse.


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## DannMcGrew (Mar 18, 2020)

Boneman said:


> Total War Shogun. Strategy, battles, build an empire. All with a mouse.


Yeah but can you assure me the little mouse won't get hurt?    
This is a gentle soul I'm dealing with here.  Just trying to help get her through the isolation bit.

But I might take a look at that one myself.
thanks


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## Elckerlyc (Mar 18, 2020)

Banished.
A group of 10 adults with children are banished to the wildernis with a few resources to last a year. You have to build houses, sow crops, get firewood and asign jobs to the adults to survive and slowly build up your village as children become adults and have children of their own.
It's not at al like Simcity. Much more fun.


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## elvet (Mar 18, 2020)

For specific recommendations at GOG.com, and all under $10
Syberia on GOG.com
Machinarium Collector's Edition on GOG.com
Riven: The Sequel to Myst on GOG.com
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers on GOG.com
Zork Nemesis: The Forbidden Lands on GOG.com
I loved all of these.  No killing or combat, no sneaking around, no timed or dexterity puzzles, no accumulating points or ranking. Just a good story, solving puzzles and exploration on your own time. All mouse driven.


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## HareBrain (Mar 18, 2020)

elvet said:


> Riven: The Sequel to Myst on GOG.com



A beautiful game that I played on PS2 back in the day. Sometimes I'd just spend minutes doing nothing but staring at an incomprehensible set of switches, lulled by the sound of the waves breaking at the base of the cliffs.


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## Venusian Broon (Mar 18, 2020)

_The Witness_, is a intriguing (and gorgeous,) 'puzzle island'

_Slay the Spire _for turn based rogue based card game?


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## elvet (Mar 18, 2020)

Venusian Broon said:


> _The Witness_, is a intriguing (and gorgeous,) 'puzzle island'
> 
> _Slay the Spire _for turn based rogue based card game?


Loved The Witness. I would have recommended it, but it is expensive. Mind you, there is a ton of gameplay, and I’ve spent many hours on that island.


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## Lumens (Mar 18, 2020)

__





						Obduction | Cyan
					






					obduction.com
				




Modern equivalent to Myst and Riven, made by the same company.


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## Laughingbuddha (Mar 18, 2020)

If you okey with old classics, then there were a lot of awesome turn-based (as turn-based games do not require any manual dexterity) games back in times: *Master of Orion 1-3*, *Heroes of Might and Magic 1-5* (_especially 2 and 3_). I actually play them myself from time to time. One of the best turn-based RPG-s ever created is *Fallout 1-2*, but it can be bit violent. It is still awesome game, with tons of real-life cross-references and Easter Eggs. And it has very good general sense of humour, some funny dialogues and such stuff. There are also good modern digital analogues of the card board games, like *Hearthstone* and *Magic The Gathering Arena*.


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## olive (Mar 18, 2020)

Elckerlyc said:


> Banished.
> A group of 10 adults with children are banished to the wildernis with a few resources to last a year. You have to build houses, sow crops, get firewood and asign jobs to the adults to survive and slowly build up your village as children become adults and have children of their own.
> It's not at al like Simcity. Much more fun.



 I love that game!


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## .matthew. (Mar 18, 2020)

Elckerlyc said:


> Banished.
> A group of 10 adults with children are banished to the wildernis with a few resources to last a year. You have to build houses, sow crops, get firewood and asign jobs to the adults to survive and slowly build up your village as children become adults and have children of their own.
> It's not at al like Simcity. Much more fun.



Until a plague comes and kills most of your villagers 

Still, I find it a very calming game.


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## Venusian Broon (Mar 18, 2020)

It's not a game that's really tickled my fancy, but there is _Stardew Valley _(it's pretty cheap on steam) I believe it's calming!

Another game, but it needs a bit of manual dexterity, and a Xbox* and is pretty expensive....but my Dad (aged 75) adored _Red Dead Redemption II. _

He loved ranging about the West on his horse, just taking in the scenery and being a cowboy. He also loved throwing a lit stick of dynamite into the campfire of bandits/random strangers he meet on the way around the map, then robbing all the corpses 

*EDIT, oh, I've just remembered, you can get it on PC. You don't need to get an Xbox to play it!


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## Elckerlyc (Mar 18, 2020)

.matthew. said:


> Until a plague comes and kills most of your villagers
> 
> Still, I find it a very calming game.


It's all in the game! And the Settings.


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## elvet (Mar 18, 2020)

Free Adventure game offer here . I’ve played it. Some good puzzles and exploration.


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## Boneman (Mar 18, 2020)

Laughingbuddha said:


> If you okey with old classics, then there were a lot of awesome turn-based (as turn-based games do not require any manual dexterity) games back in times: *Master of Orion 1-3*, *Heroes of Might and Magic 1-5* (_especially 2 and 3_). I actually play them myself from time to time. One of the best turn-based RPG-s ever created is *Fallout 1-2*, but it can be bit violent. It is still awesome game, with tons of real-life cross-references and Easter Eggs. And it has very good general sense of humour, some funny dialogues and such stuff. There are also good modern digital analogues of the card board games, like *Hearthstone* and *Magic The Gathering Arena*.


Heroes of Might and Magic!! Gonna have to find the old discs  now. I liked 4, I must admit, but not that taken with 5...


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## Elckerlyc (Mar 18, 2020)

Lumens said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh! Thank you! That one managed to escape my attention! Looks very interesting!


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## DannMcGrew (Mar 18, 2020)

THANK YOU

Thank you all for the suggestions.  I knew Chroners would come through.   I think I've found a couple of suitable games and, regardless,  I myself can fill quite a few hours just doing the previews to check out the ones y'all have mentioned.


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