20 Great Games Like Dirt

Finding games to support and ease the challenges of illness, disorders and disabilities can be a time-consuming task. We have been working with experts in many fields to help individuals identify games they can enjoy, and potentially even benefit from.

We've worked with Fibromyalgia UK, and Andrew Hardy ([link https://twitter.com/andyhardy360 andyhardy360) who lives with Fibromyalgia, to identify some searches that return useful games for Fibromyalgia sufferers. As stated on its website, "people with chronic pain conditions have often used distraction techniques as a diversion from their pain. An increasing number of people with fibro use gaming for enjoyment and as a distraction to cope with and manage their pain."

Andrew described one of his symptoms as fingers feeling like they were stuck together and being painful to move. This means that games that offer button or keyboard remapping are a good place to start, as the inputs can be configured to suit his varying digit mobility. Also, games you can play with fewer buttons can be good.

This also means that vibration is an important consideration. Games that use sudden and strong vibrations can cause Andrew pain and make it hard to keep playing. But also, he mentioned that games that offer softer and more continuous vibration can actually offer a welcome massaging experience. Games like Lonely Mountains Downhill or Rhythm Doctor are good examples of this.

Andrew also described the symptom of "fibro fog" as he described it. Not being able to think clearly or quickly. This means that games that offer really clear mission guidance and navigation assistance are helpful to get him on his way.

The unpredictability of his pain means that Andrew often needs to stop playing unexpectedly. This means that games that let you save where you are without losing progress are another good aspect to consider.

We put these requirements together to create a custom search for Andrew, games with the following features:

• "Large Clear Navigation"
• "Save Anytime"
• "Head-Up Display Navigation"
• "Vibration Optional"

You can use this as a starting point or create your own search from scratch on the game browser page of the database. We've also picked out some games that these searches return and provided them in this list below.

One reader, Angela Hickman Newnham, who suffers from chronic pain and fibro, said: "Video games are an important part of distraction from pain for me. Things that are important are not having rapid button presses and flow/pacing of the game. Lots of games work for me, depending on how bad of a flare! I am often weighing the value of distraction vs effect on symptoms. Currently playing Hades, which is hard on my hands but the adaptive difficulty (God Mode) makes it playable. It's helped me through 2 really rough weeks because of short play sessions of less than 1 hour and the rewards cycle that keeps me engaged."

A good search for Angela could be games with the following:

• Played in Short Rounds
• "Unfailable"
• "Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional"

 

There are many reasons, stages of life and circumstances that can leave us feeling isolated and lonely. Being unable to be in the same place as loved ones. Not understanding the modern world. Barriers of mobility or impairments. Social anxiety and other mental health issues.

Video games are one way that we can reconnect with each other, without needing to be in the same place. Finding games to play online with grandparents and carers is not only a good way to keep in touch but a lot of fun.

The games on this page are part of the Better Health: Every Mind Matters Loneliness campaign, to help protect and improve the nation’s mental health and wellbeing. There are lots of practical tips and advice on the Every Mind Matters website. It's part of National Loneliness Awareness Week, aims to reduce feelings of isolation by getting people to talk with friends or family safely online.

• Co-operative: Some of the games are good ways to connect and play co-operatively online (like Feather, Overcooked 2, Ibb and Obb, Skylanders Children of Light).
• Competitive: With some practice there are easy and fun online competitive games (like Tricky Towers, Videoball)
• Asynchronous: Other games are a way to connect and play without being online at the same time (like Horizon Chase Turbo, Worms, Words With Friends, Wargroove, Animal Crossing).
• Community: Then there are games that connect you with a wider player community in a gentle non-invasive way (like The First Tree, Journey, Lost Words, The Endless Forrest).

All the games have been select to be easy to play for new gamers and many of them have been used in a broad range of cultural settings, being incorporated into Cathedral services, arts festivals, well-being retreats and educational contexts.
 

In this series, we are learning how different aspects of video games work by playing games that offer an easy introduction to this one concept. This is designed for people new to gaming, and aims to identify games with the least barriers. In this entry we are looking at big budget games.

These games are big, brash and popular. They have big budgets which means the visual and interactive quality is particularly high. They also have strong and wide ranging player communities.

For new players these can be overwhelming as they combine a number of genres like Strategy games, Shooting games, Adventure games, Role Play games. Still, they are a good way to see how these different elements combine in a large and ambitious experience.
 

There are 2,277 active games companies in the UK employing 20,430 people. The biggest concentration spread through the country in cities and towns like London, Manchester, Brighton, Guildford, Aldershot, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and Liverpool. The UK market for video games reached a record £7bn in 2020.

Many of the biggest video game franchises have been created in the UK. Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, Football Manager, Elite Beat Agents, Fable and Batman: Arkham Asylum. But along with these well-known titles are some amazing games for families and children.

There are some amazing (and huge) series of games made in the UK that are perfect for families. Forza Horizon, Lego Games, Fall Guys, LittleBigPlanet and Viva Pinata. Then there are games from smaller and independent UK game studios: Overcooked, Wilmot’s Warehouse, TerraTech, Phogs, Snake Pass and Chime to name a few.
 

The PlayStation 5 DualSense controller added new features over the PlayStation 4 DualShock controller. It added a higher-quality microphone, a larger more sensitive touchpad, longer battery and more robust USB C charger cable. That last one is a welcome addition as DualShock controllers charge cables often wore out over time.

In addition to these improvements it added two new features:

• Haptic Feedback - Detailed vibration and movement from within the controller to extend immersion of the game to your hands: the pattering of rain or a blast of energy.
• Adaptive Triggers - The triggers on the controller can be made harder or softer to press by the game. This offers a nuanced way to feel more in the game, while also to provide more information about aiming.

The games in this list all use these Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers functionality.