I have this loosely defined made-up genre I call “Summer Games”.

It started a long time ago subconsciously. At some point I realized that during the hottest time of the year I gravitate to certain games that I mostly play on a small device (laptop/switch/steamdeck), laying in bed, late at night, when I have trouble sleeping because it’s too hot. A friend of mine once said that the reason she loves super high temperatures so much, is that what you experience leaves more vivid, burned in, memories. I think she has a point.

The criteria aren’t super rigid but I hope you get the “vibe” and might know some games that fit:

  • Low-stakes/chill gameplay. I’m already sweating, I don’t need sweaty gameplay right now

  • a warm aesthetic/color palette and/or setting. My outside experience shouldn’t feel too different to the games inside experience aesthetic-wise.

  • It feels like a road trip, adventure or vacation. I want to get a summery memory out of this.

  • the game leaves some kind of impact.

Games I played in the past that evoked that vibe perfectly:

  • Kentucky road zero
  • oxenfree
  • road 96
  • firewatch
  • sable
  • rime
  • steins: gate
  • life is strange

Games that have fit okay-ish

  • tunic
  • journey
  • citizen sleeper
  • nightcall
  • no umbrellas allowed
  • the talos principle
  • the solus project
  • the witness
  • the vanishing of Ethan Carter

If anyone has a recommendation, I’d be thankful. This year I have started to play chants of Sennaar and it seems to fit the criteria so far.

2 points

The game you are looking for is called Everyone’s Gone to The Rapture.

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2 points

Perfect, thanks!

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1 point

Based on the games you’ve mentioned, you’ll love it .

A slow walking sim in an English village. Super atmosphere, interesting story, good voice acting. An authentic stroll around an English village. I know the area where it’s set, and the vibe is spot on.

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45 points

A Short Hike. Essentially a short, cute animal-characters “collectathon” walking-sim/3d-platformer with some low-stakes “arcade” bits here and there. The low-res pixel-effect can be turned off.

AER: Memories of old. Quite a bit in same vein as Rime/Sable, travel between floating islands and participate in low-stakes puzzles/platforming. Pretty charming, imo… and short. Can be finished under 2 hours.

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11 points

Lil Gator Game sounds right up your alley.

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3 points

It’s a great game and fun to 100%.

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3 points

Likely in the ok-ish section but Celeste has that vibe going for it

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8 points

Amazing game, but I’m not sure I’d describe the gameplay as chill!

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6 points
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4 points
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Definitely Spiritfarer, ultra chill.

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2 points
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Manifold Garden is a game I felt like I have always wanted, even before it was made when I was a child fucking around online and discovering the concept of fractals online. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced the concept of such an infinite-feeling infinity the way I have in this game. The idea is kind of timeless, and I think a lot of people who don’t really play games can at least enjoy watching someone play it.

I finished the main game and can really recommend it, although there’s more to the game than just the main levels apparently. There’s a whole bunch of achievements I didn’t get. Should probably go back in and try to get them sometime, traversal and problem solving in that game were so cool.

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