These are some games that are simply what the best the industry has to offer and even non-gamers should play. A few words before we get into the list. Because non-gamers are obviously inexperienced, the entries on this list will not be overly difficult games or those that are very complex.
BioShock Franchise
While non-gamers may be taken aback by the idea of a shooter like BioShock, it’s very unique. The storytelling and the narrative of these games are matched by few in the gaming industry, and an experience like it cannot be taken in any other form of media. The sense of freedom and the feeling that makes you feel like a part of the game’s world makes BioShock very appealing.
Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is seemingly a conventional military shooter that offers little more than cliche action. But this game is one that will leave a mark on the player. The desired impact of this great odd game cannot be felt by watching a playthrough, or if it was made into a movie. The game directly incorporates you as a part of the squad, and that’s very important for the plot of the game. This is what I’d like to call a work of art that’s thought-provoking.
While many games and movies tackle the subject of how destructive war is, it’s Spec Ops: The Line that delivers an impact that strictly gets attached to the player’s mind. Spec Ops: The Line attempts to take you, the player out of your comfort zone and expose you to the horrors of war, which terrifies anyone more than the most dangerous monsters.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
While Skyrim is an RPG that takes some getting used to, there are reasons why this classic encaptures people with its never-ending charms and brilliant community mods. While the game is lines of code and computer-generated graphics, the feelings you get are very real. Your relationships with the fictional characters of this game are real, in a way. The Skyrim community expresses how this cold and harsh province of Tamriel is their second home, and how nostalgic it is to visit home every once in a while. It’s difficult not to put hundreds of hours into this game.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead
Telltale’s The Walking Dead is set in the same post-apocalyptic universe as the TV show of the same name. There are multiple games in this series and each of them connects to the others. These are stories of death, birth, hope, despair, and more melancholic topics. While the gameplay elements are minimum, the game delivers wonderfully with its choice-based progression system. I recommend not using saved games to redo a significant choice you made. But instead, the player should understand and take responsibility for the choices that they made.
Age of Empires
Age of Empires games are historically-accurate and can be rather good learning material in some (uncommon) cases. You get to experience first-hand, how the civilizations of times long past survived and thrived. Gameplay-wise, it’s very addictive and provides a good time for a casual player who’d enjoy strategy. Or if one hopes for a challenge, turning up the difficulty encourages one to really think their tactics through. This is one of those games that you will pour hundreds of hours without noticing. And because of many people’s fascination with history, this game will probably be one of the favorites of ex-non-gamers.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a relatively short video game with a heavy emphasis on psychological horror and storytelling. It’s also a great cinematic game where almost every frame looks wallpaper-worthy. I’m exaggerating it, of course, but this game really is rather beautiful and despite its hostile look and lack of a HUD, it’s not an overly difficult game. I strongly recommend this because of its unique and rather realistic portrayal of psychosis that’s never seen before in any other game.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Gamers claim that video games have better stories than films, and while many film enthusiasts would disagree, they’d learn that that claim is actually understandable because games like Red Dead Redemption 2 exist. Unlike the popular, romanticised portrayal of the Old West in many forms of media, Red Dead Redemption 2 goes for a hauntingly realistic depiction of the time and how daunting the advancement of society was for some groups of people. This is an award-winning video game that tells one of the greatest stories in entertainment history.
Danganronpa
This is an eccentric game when we consider all the other entries on the list. Danganronpa is a game with a strong emphasis on investigation and trials. Despite taking place in schools, the franchise is rather disturbing and exceedingly brutal. Its gameplay mechanics boil down to choices and attentive searching of environments, among other things. But other than its simple gameplay system, where it really shines is the incredibly suspenseful, engaging and hauntingly memorable story.
Halo
If there’s one game that’s a perfect entry point for a non-gamer who wants to be introduced to first-person shooters, it would be Halo. Its gunplay is simple yet incredibly fun. It’s not very difficult and it tells a fabulous story. This sci-fi shooter set in the far distant future is one that has a player base that continues to expand. And Halo just might be the greatest FPS franchise of all time.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima made a really unique and rather weird work of art when he created Death Stranding. This game is quite strange at times and it actually caused some debate among players and critics who argued that it’s a good game at all. But after some time of its release, many agree that this great odd gaming experience is really peerless. It tells a marvellous story, takes place in a beautiful world that dynamically changes as you progress, and even has a “very easy mode” for movie fans. Highly recommended.
What games even non-gamers should play would you recommend? Let us know!
