In addition to the similar games listed above, which have been linked to this game specifically in the database, you may find games with a similar theme to Burly Men at Sea in the following lists:
All games offer you agency. You can win or lose. You can complete them or stop at any time. But there are some games that offer a story that genuinely branches. Where you end up will be different from other players. This not only makes your actions really matter but also gives you a reason to play them again.
Setting aside games that evolve through simulation, or games where once you die it's game over, these branching narrative games tell a story that ends in a certain way because of the choices you made.
These games go above and beyond just adding a few difficulty settings. They consider a wide range of ability and accessibilities by offering customisable difficulty settings as well as special low pressure or assist modes that aid progress.
Video games are often considered to be a young person's pastime. These days though, people of all ages play games. The average age of a video game player is late 30's and 31% of 45-64-year-olds in Europe play games regularly.
It's therefore, no surprise that games are made to appeal to a wide range of ages and address topics that are important at different stages of life. There are some games that specifically star older characters as the main protagonist.
This may be because of the stage of life they are at, or because of a role they play in the game's narrative. Either way, these games offer a chance to step into the shoes of a senior character.
This includes games where an older character has a heroic role, like Joel in The
Last of Us or Corvo Attano from
Dishonored 2. There are other games where the character has a mythic quality that disguises old game, like Geralt in
Witcher 3 or Kratos in
God of War.
There are other games where you create your own character and it enables you to choose someone who looks older. Games like
Watchdogs 3,
Red Dead Redemption,
Sea of Thieves and Fallout.
Some games are designed to be finished in one go. Others require multiple sittings. But there are some that want to be played over and over again, Groundhog Day-style. These looping experiences are designed to slowly make sense as you repeat the same short period of time.
Looping games not only put you back at the start, but have events unfold exactly the same each time you play. This means you're not only given a second chance to do better, but another opportunity to understand what is happening and what you need to do in the game.
This can be to understand a set of complex systems. It can be to discover the order in which you need to do things to get the desired result. Or maybe it is to let you understand the characters enough to know what they need you to do.
The cherry on the top of these looping experiences is that after many many loops you are able to complete the game, with the realisation that you could have done this right at the start if you knew then what you know now.
While a significant portion of video games focus on combat and competition, these titles offer a less aggressive way to progress and win. None of these games enable or require the player to cause harm to another living thing -- even Mario's merciless campaign to stomp on every Goomba he meets bars him from this list. Or then there's catching and selling fish in Animal Crossing that rule that one out.
Many of them are aimed at children and families, but you'll be surprised how many explore deeper, more mature themes in their narratives, or require just as much skill as a fast-paced first-person shooter. This means there's plenty of offer for parents who might lack the reflexes (or interest) to survive a round of Fortnite.
We've focused on the games you might not expect to be played non-violently here, but you can find the full list at
Non-Violent Games Of the Day curated by James Batchelor.
These games offer ways to consciously step outside the day's stresses and pressures to create space for self-care. This may be to distract yourself with calming unpressured tasks or to visit a world that is tranquil and relaxing or maybe just spend time reflecting on your emotions in a safe space.
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