Buggy, early access, survival crafting games.

Single player with no micro transactions nor “skinned” (cosmetics) multiplayer

I've been really into games with a good crafting system where you have to try to survive. Don't Starve and Subnautica are the ones that have taken most of my time. I also like colony management games, like RimWorld and Oxygen Not Included

I will play any game with resource gathering and factory management. Factorio of course. Satisfactory, Dyson Sphere Project, Captain of Industry.

Games that I can immerse myself in. Things that do it for me are:

• A full and developed open world that has a compelling atmosphere to it. The kind of thing where you find yourself pausing to gaze across the scenery.
• Tantalizing mechanics or systems. The kind that draws your mind to 'building' even when not playing, that will cause you to unwittingly spend hours tinkering with, and gives you mirthful glee when you put it all together and can savor its power.
• Interesting story. One with tasteful complexity, good pacing, and exciting developments. The kind of story that compels me, let alone anyone is a whole separate question of its own.
• A canvas or foundation to allow me to develop identity and investment in my character/role. Playing a specific character can also be good, if that character is compelling.
• Core gameplay mechanics or loops that are fun in and of themselves. The kind that, were the game an alpha or proof-of-concept with no "game" beyond the graphic-less, progression-less minigame, you would still find yourself enjoying your time.
• Fulfillment of a compelling fantasy. Being a FEROCIOUS DRAGON, or an UNSTOPPABLE SPACE MARINE, or an ALMIGHTY GOD, or even just a simple human living a comfy life and being able to experience the breadth and limits of that fantasy.

Games I like lately:

• Space sims (Elite, Kerbal)
• Deep car simulation (BeamNG + Automation)
• Platformers or games with platforming (Hat in Time, Titanfall 2)

Games where at least a significant portion of it is low-key/relaxing. Thinking Breath of the Wild, Persona 5, Spiritfarer.

RTS by far but limited number of games that are actually good

I tend to enjoy a variety of games particularly those that respect my time. At the top are character action games like Bayonetta and Nier. Monster Hunter games. Then big relaxing open-world exploratory games like BoTW, TotK, Elden Ring. Immersive RPGs like Cyberpunk and Skyrim. Third person cinematic games like TLoU, or the new GoW. Exceptional indie games like Hades, Terraria, and Roboquest. Then, fighting games like SF6, Third Strike, GG Strive, Killer Instinct or MK9. Cooperative, competitive shooters with my friends like Siege. and then from time to time I f2p on gacha games like Azur Lane and Nikke, but I tend to drop those pretty quick. There was also time in my life where I spent too many hours with friends on GTA Online as well. Sorted most to least in terms of how often I actually play that type of game. However, a little more than half of my free time is usually spent watching other people let's play games, like right now, I'm writing this and watching Chris Odd play Aliens Dark Descent. 🙂

Pretty much anything but competitive multiplayer stuff and the majority of rogue-esque titles. Just don’t have the time to dedicate to learning the ins and outs of one specific title.

My favorite genres include:

• JRPGs
• Rhythm Games
• Racing
• Platformers
• Metroidvanias
• Visual novels
• Action Adventure

Strategy. Emphasis on the gameplay and the creative solutions, deemphasis on the graphics.

A particularly like card based games for their complex interactions.

I like easy games. the more relaxed, the better.

Currently I'm playing Spiderman Remastered and boy, i feel i'm 17 again playing Spiderman 2 on the PS2.

Co-op PVE games are my bread and butter, Warframe or Division 2.

I like games where I can be overpowered. Like Cyberpunk 2077.

And also laid back games like Stardew Valley.

Rouge-likes and wave based shooters.

Love risk of rain 2, and have played years of zombies. Just discovered vampire survivors

I really love puzzle games! Unfortunately there aren't a lot of them, or at least they're really hard to find. The puzzle section on Steam is basically completely filled with horror games that I guess have some puzzle elements mixed in, hence why they're in the puzzle section.

Games like Portal, Stephen's Sausage Roll, and Braid are awesome.

I like a lot of stuff but I'll say something that rarely gets brought up. I like sports games. I love most sports in general and I love when I can really get in to the feeling of role playing in a franchise mode or be a pro mode. I also love a crazy sports game (like mutant league football/hockey, super mega baseball, rocket league, nba Jam) especially when they treat it seriously and have franchise mode or things like that. I even love a game like Unreal Tournament 2004 (and others in the series, but that's my favorite) that's a shooter but is treated like a sport in game with team management and stuff.

There are a lot of lazy sports games and I play those too but there are some great ones too

I used to enjoy arena shooters waaay back in the day when Quake III Arena and later Quake Live had a still somewhat active playerbase so I could just randomly find games. No multiplayer games caught me since then.

Nowadays it's ARPGs (mostly Path of Exile), but I enjoyed Vampire Survivors too so I might go for that genre again.

Also I randomly get cravings for playing Elder Scrolls games. I just started my Nth Oblivion playthrough and I did it with Morrowind last year. It will be Skyrim again next year I suppose...

Oh and I have a few hundred hours in Dwarf Fortress too. And of course I played it the way it was meant to be played. With ASCII graphics!

I mostly stick to simulators and farming type games. The cozy stuff. Stardew Valley, Littlewood, Starhaven, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, Cozy Grove, etc. Otherwise, things like the Sims series, or Animal Crossing. I like a lot of indie titles and digital board games as well - Garden Galaxy, Wingspan, Unpacking, Bugsnax

I play only games that are like me... Old.

Warframe

Now that's a game

Action RPG and flight sim!

Above all I love exploration. I also love racing games and Persona 5 made me fall in love with JRPGs again.

I'm currently playing battlebit.

I'm really enjoying co-op games that I can play with friends. Like Phasmophobia, Necesse, Minecraft, Terraria, Back 4 Blood, Battlebit, PlateUp!

Roguelites: FTL, Nova Drift, Risk of Rain 2, Hades, Into the Breach

Twin stick shooters: Nine Parchments, Helldivers, Neon Chrome, Nuklear Throne

Dungeoncrawlers: PoE, Children of Morta

4X: TWWH

Games like Enter the gungeon, Slay the spire, Space station 13, Dwarf fortress, Deus ex, System shock, Serious sam and Talos principle.

Fighting games !

I am really like the process of learning in this genre, as well as the depth of facing another human, getting to know their habits and style of playing. Plus, I love rythm games so learning combos is fun to me.

Roguelikes/lites (my latest addiction is Gunfire Reborn)

Survival/crafting games (think Subnautica, Dont Starve)

Soulslikes (I'm a filthy INT main)

Terraria, for some reason can't shake off the addiction

Puzzle games, occasionally (especially first person puzzles like Portal, Turing Test, Talos Principle)

My guilty pleasure is coming back to Overwatch every once in a while, if only to remind myself why I left the last time

I guess „open world“ action RPGs a la Dark Souls, extra points for anime style and if it‘s not super dark and depressing to play. Ordered Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and I’m looking forward to that.

My favorites from a mechanical standpoint are typically 3rd person shooters or action games. Games with perspective like the Arkham Games or the Resident Evil remakes.

As for genre, that's a tough call. It's easier to say what I don't like. I don't typically like jrpgs or anything with an anine art esthetics, although there's a lot of exceptions.

I also like old-style 2D Zelda games and those like them. Also twin stick shooters.

As for the settings, I like a good horror over pretty much anything else.

I like my games to have a story. I can enjoy any game mechanic if the story is good enough.

Mostly racing sims but I combine it with some smaller/older games for diversity.

Replaying MGS1 at the moment