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Non-violent games

GarickGarick Registered User regular
Hi guys, so i'm looking to play a computer game with my GF but she absolutely hates any forms of violence. (Even mario level violence of jumping on a goomba is a bit much for her).

So i'm looking for suggestions of good games that don't have any violence at all, are rather easy (I tried some portal, but it was too difficult for her and could only go up to the point where the violent turrets made it unplayable for her anyways) and if possible could be played or worked on together.
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  • BlazeFireBlazeFire Registered User regular
    World of Goo, perhaps? I've only played a few minutes of it, but Puddle is similar.
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    The Sims, Sim City.

    Casual games. Diner Dash, Dream Chronicles, etc.

    Adventure games like Monkey Island, Myst. (actually maybe the insult sword fights in Monkey Island are too violent for her)
    CelestialBadger on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Registered User regular
    The violence thing is weird. Is she for real? Even cartoon violence? Does she avert her gaze during Looney Tunes?

    Anyway, most any puzzle game will hopefully work, and usually have co-op modes. Still, even playing tetris with her, at what point does she start to feel bad for the poor tetris pieces disappearing? Usually there is some form of competition in most games, and it's somewhat of a minefield if she's really as sensitive as you describe. Even simple adventure games usually have cartoon violence in them.

    Have you considered other forms of gaming, such as board games like Settlers of Catan and such?

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  • ceresceres not beautiful like you Pennsylvania, USASuper Moderator, Moderator mod
    edited May 2013
    There are lots of things like that out there.. the co op is where things get tricky. Are you just looking for things for her to play, or do you specifically want to play with her?
    ceres on
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu ___________PIGEON _________San Diego, CARegistered User regular
    Any adventure game is good in coop. SpaceChem is (presumably) fun in coop (I've never tried). But I can't think of many non-violent coop video games designed for coop. Since the list of non-violent non-coop games is longer than eternity, I won't bother listing any, but if you want some, let me know.
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  • TofystedethTofystedeth veni, veneri, vamoosi Registered User regular
    Does SpaceChem have actual co-op or just over the shoulder?
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu ___________PIGEON _________San Diego, CARegistered User regular
    Over the shoulder.
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  • AlphanumberAlphanumber Registered User regular
    SpaceChem might be good but maybe a little difficult due to the abstractness of building molecules. If Portal's difficulty is too much, then SpaceChem may not be ideal either.

    There's Antichamber, but that's an even more obtuse version of Portal. There's much less twitch, but a lot more rule assimilation and spacial reasoning. There's a "cube gun" that places cubes in the environment so that might be considered violent although there aren't really any enemies.

    There's that Proteus game that's supposed to be just about exploring. Not really a coop thing.

    Peggle?

    I really want to recommend Dustforce but the game has your Dustforce members "cleaning" things by attacking them with a broom or a duster or a vacuum.

  • RayzeRayze Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    Edit: Oh shoot, didn't see the part about computer games. Ignore this then
    Rayze on
  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    Some people are very sensitive about violence, nothing weird about that

    Puzzle games are usually pretty low on the violence side of things. I like puzzle agent, and she might enjoy something like Toki Tori or Prof Layton. I second Monkey Island as well and world of goo. So fun!

    None of these games have violence in the core gameplay, but a violent moment may happen now and again so I would just keep that in mind.

    You could also look on steam together at what's available and look at the trailer/reviews for games that catch her eye. Cuz there's a lot out there! The Cave looks really interesting to me (since I'm pretty sure its made by the same peeps who did Psychonauts, also a great game but I can't remember if the violence levels are too high for your gf). Looks like Starseed Pilgrim, Proteus, Incredipede, and Fez may be indie game she might be interested in (also Fez looks so adorable I kind of can't handle it)

    I hope you can find good stuff!
    flowerhoney on
  • illiricaillirica Registered User regular
    The Puzzle Quest games might work if she likes puzzlers. There's some violence in the story (you are fighting an ogre! You have defeated an ogre!), but there's no graphic violence.
  • corky842corky842 Registered User regular
    Minecraft on peaceful or creative mode.
    Sleep is Death
  • IrukaIruka Moderator regular
    Antichamber is not easy, but it is portal like without any of the narrative. Nothing shoots at you, its purely puzzle and spacial mindfuck based. Machinarium is another option.

    Theres a lot of options outside the PC realm. Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, don't have any violent things going on. Super monkey ball is also not very violent unless you play party games. You may look into sports games like 3v3 arcade hockey, mario tennis, or dance games. Theres also You Don't Know Jack.

    Chulip, maybe? You get punched if you try to kiss people to early, but its all very slapstick.
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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Ilo and Milo.
  • RobesRobes Registered User regular
    Hesitant to suggest this, but Sim City.
  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    http://nekonote1.com/game/balloon.html

    This if you want to squeal at adorable puzzle solving
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    Robes wrote: »
    Hesitant to suggest this, but Sim City.

    It doesn't have to be the recent version with all the problems. Maybe Sim City 4? (Note: I have not played this version)
  • KiplingKipling Registered User regular
    The Bust a Move games had multiplayer, but I don't know about PC version. I'm sure there is some clone out there if there isn't a main line game.

    And for simulation games, most of the recent Tycoon games have some sort of multiplayer/co-op mode.
  • ceresceres not beautiful like you Pennsylvania, USASuper Moderator, Moderator mod
    My husband has mentioned "A Tale in the Desert", which is apparently an MMO that is completely nonviolent, as in combat-free.

    Also Puzzle Pirates, which seems to be all PVP with puzzle-solving instead of killing each other.

    You may also be able to find something on a site like Kongregate.
    The avalanche has already started; it is too late for the pebbles to vote.
  • RollsavagerRollsavager Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    I'll second the vote for Machinarium, and recommend Botanicula and the Samorost games on top of that. They're all done by the same studio, and strike a good balance of difficulty and cuteness. They also have wonderful music and art, which is a nice bonus.

    The Adventures of P. B. Winterbottom is a solid puzzle game with pretty minimal cartoon violence (dodging traps and such, if that's kosher).

    Otherwise I'll have to echo pretty much what everyone else is saying: you're probably best off looking in the point-and-click adventure and puzzle genres.

    EDIT: I just remembered that the original Samorost is free, and you can give it a try here.
    Rollsavager on
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  • ceresceres not beautiful like you Pennsylvania, USASuper Moderator, Moderator mod
    Botanicula is lovely, if she's looking to play something on her own. From when I hear Machinarium is much more difficult than Botanicula, so it might be good to start with Botanicula and see how she does with that.
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  • RollsavagerRollsavager Registered User regular
    ceres wrote: »
    Botanicula is lovely, if she's looking to play something on her own. From when I hear Machinarium is much more difficult than Botanicula, so it might be good to start with Botanicula and see how she does with that.

    I don't see why she would have to play it on her own--I played all the Amanita games with my then-girlfriend, and we had an awesome time figuring them out together. I'll agree that Botanicula may be a better place to start, though it has a couple difficult puzzles as well.
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  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    Journey is a great game where you never do anything violent yourself (not sure if the dragons would be too much or not).

    Yes, I am still angry
  • ceresceres not beautiful like you Pennsylvania, USASuper Moderator, Moderator mod
    ceres wrote: »
    Botanicula is lovely, if she's looking to play something on her own. From when I hear Machinarium is much more difficult than Botanicula, so it might be good to start with Botanicula and see how she does with that.

    I don't see why she would have to play it on her own--I played all the Amanita games with my then-girlfriend, and we had an awesome time figuring them out together. I'll agree that Botanicula may be a better place to start, though it has a couple difficult puzzles as well.

    Well, in that sense, yes they can play together. But it's not multiplayer, is what I was getting at.
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  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    Audiosurf contains no violence whatsoever and is a variant on a rhythm game, there is a high score system in place.

    Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale is an intensely cute game where you are running an item shop in a fantasy world, there is an optional component of the game where you play as an adventurer but she could just ignore that part (although that may make the game significantly harder).

    Ticket To Ride is a video game'd version of a board game of the same name, and has multiplayer components and no violence.

    Uplink is entirely about computer hacking, it is essentially a puzzle / resource management game.
  • SkeithSkeith Registered User regular
    There's a Two Tribes pack on Steam that has RUSH and EDGE, both nonviolent puzzlers. Might be a bit difficult, been a while since I played RUSH (never got EDGE).
  • DhalphirDhalphir Registered User regular
    wait, the turrets in Portal were too much for her?

    So how does she, like, watch TV? Or go outside?
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  • zerzhulzerzhul Sparkamus Prime Marduk is my co-pilotRegistered User, Super Moderator, Moderator, SolidSaints Zerzhul mod
    Dhalphir wrote: »
    wait, the turrets in Portal were too much for her?

    So how does she, like, watch TV? Or go outside?
    I don't think the general outdoors has automatic turrets firing bullets at people using motion sensors. At least not anywhere *I* go outside.
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    Violent situations in games can be a bit stressful, especially if you are a noob who still struggles with a controller. A lot of people prefer to play relaxing games where you can't die.
  • GaslightGaslight It's not your fault Video games are amazingRegistered User regular
    edited May 2013
    zerzhul wrote: »
    I don't think the general outdoors has automatic turrets firing bullets at people using motion sensors. At least not anywhere *I* go outside.

    *Scoff*

    Hillbilly.

    Hmm...how about Scribblenauts Unlimited? No true multiplayer there but you can brainstorm on solutions together.

    Unless the curse that Maxwell is trying to save his sister from is too intense, or the possibility of collecting a cartoon dinosaur to defeat cartoon robot zombies is too violent.
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  • GarickGarick Registered User regular
    Thanks for the nice suggestions guys... I was looking specifically for games we can play together as opposed to solo games, but over the shoulder puzzle works alright too I think, just as long as you get the feeling of playing together.
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Lemme just say Ilo and Milo again. It's a co-op, story-driven puzzler with no violence. It's an interesting emotional story, it's engaging and it's great co-op.
  • ChopperDaveChopperDave Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    What about sports and racing games? Or would the occasional red card or crashed car upset her... erm... delicate sensibilities?

    The problem is that the most accessible of these types of games (kart racers, Mario sports games) also usually have some cartoon violence.

    I think you can get Virtua Tennis 4 for PC, and in that you can play doubles. Tiger Woods PGA Tour is on PC too. You could try Pro Evolution Soccer co-op if she can handle the occasional ugly tackle.

    Neither Mario Tennis nor Mario Golf have any violence and they are both very accessible games, so if you have a Nintendo console you might look into that.

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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    If you're trying to avoid violence in general, you should get a Nintendo product anyway because they'll have the far heavier weight of family friendly titles.
  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    edited May 2013
    This might be off base, but what about a hotseat system?

    Using Recettear as the example, she can control and play while running the shop (haggling, buying supplies, upgrading, layout of the shop and items) with your input, then you swap places and you play the mildly violent (and, I would repeat, optional) adventurer/dungeon portion from time to time.

    This Youtube video shows the kind of adventurer gameplay I'm talking about, which while violent isn't gratuitous so it seems at least possible, to my mind, that she would feel alright watching you do that from time to time.
    Fyndir on
  • RevGutterRevGutter Registered User regular
    i'd agree with minecraft. set it to peaceful and give you both creative then just spend time flying around building awesome stuff together.
  • CygnusZCygnusZ Registered User regular
    Tetris and Tetris Attack would be good picks for multiplayer games.
    If she wants to play something on her own, "The Longest Journey" is my pick.
  • LeptonLepton Registered User regular
    What about some racing games? Or sports games?
  • KitKatBarKitKatBar Registered User regular
    Seconding Journey. We played that at my house at Christmas, and it was essentially a whole-family game. No one knew what was going on, so everyone called out ideas and interpretations to the person holding the controller, and we all really enjoyed the story.

    Dawn of Discovery can be played without violence if you adjust the settings (you might get some quests to sink ships, but you can just turn those down), and the Venice Expansion offers co-op.

    Is a couple of pads and Dance Dance Revolution too much outside the general idea of what you're looking for?
  • AegeriAegeri Registered User regular
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Lemme just say Ilo and Milo again. It's a co-op, story-driven puzzler with no violence. It's an interesting emotional story, it's engaging and it's great co-op.

    I cannot recommend this suggestion enough. I got my wife back into video games with this.
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