what wholesome video games do y'all enjoy?

Speaking of video games, I just found out today that apparently there's going to be a video game where you play as Jesus during his time on Earth. Not sure how to feel about this....

Hiya! Sorry for the late reply again. I've been super busy with university projects and finals. I actually really appreciate that you asked this question because it has made me think more critically about what games I do and don't consider okay. When I say "wholesome game," I think I really mean that a Jesus follower could play the game and not feel convicted. An old (and very guilty) pleasure of mine was survival horror games like the Outlast series. Although I believe some survival horror games are very well constructed (I'm thinking Silent Hill 2), this series is pretty much just violent and nasty for the sake of being violent and nasty. If I were to play this series again today, it certainly wouldn't sit very well between me and the Holy Spirit. Although I believe there are a lot of trashy video games, I don't think all video games are evil. I personally just believe the interactive nature of video games lends itself very well to actions and behavior that are disapproved of in real life.

I know that most story-based games are going to have violence, magic, and worldly content in them. So I think the main qualifier for a "wholesome" story-based game for me would be 1) violence and evil is not especially explicit or gratuitous 2) violence and evil is not glorified and 3) the characters you are playing/rooting for are trying to overcome evil. A lot of role-playing games seem to follow this general structure. Of course, there isn't always an explicit "good vs evil" plot in story-based games like RPGs (The Pokemon series being a good example). I think those games are fine.

Open-world games with morality systems (like Skyrim or Fallout: New Vegas) are really interesting to me. If one were to play the game as a very lawful, moral character, could the game be considered wholesome? Is knowing that more evil/sinister content is embedded in the code excusable even if the player never accesses it? I'm not quite sure, but it is a curious ethical question.

It's generally harder to categorize games that were made for older audiences. For example, my personal favorite game of 2017 was Night in the Woods. This game is (mostly) nonviolent, has pretty clean language, and handles contemporary issues such as mental illness and unemployment very well. However, the eldritch horror subplot, thematic violence, underage drinking, and an unmarried couple who lives together makes things more complicated. I'm not against playing a game that doesn't perfectly follow the Bible: real life is messy and chaotic so it makes sense that video games would reflect the state of the world. I'm only concerned when violence and worldly living becomes the defining factor or draw of a game.

So that's pretty much a summary on my idea of what a wholesome game is. Sorry for all the confusion. Some "wholesome" game examples I can think of are Animal Crossing, Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda, the Mother series, Psychonauts, Celeste, Journey, Stardew Valley, the old Sonic games (not that the new ones aren't wholesome... they just aren't good games). I'm looking for some games that maybe are more mature (aka not kid's games) but still follow the criteria I listed above.

Thanks for all the thought-provoking questions and I look forward to your response!

I gotta say on the consoles I enjoy Animal Crossing, Story of Seasons (sans the megicy stuff), Chibi Robo, and Captain Toad.

Online wise probably minecraft, Tiny Bird Garden Deluxe, and if I could pay for it, Untitled Goose Game 🤣

Truthfinders is my fave. Players must choose a doctrine at the start. They are allowed 3 tweaks during the game The goal is to eliminate other truthseekers before they get to Heaven. The winner is the one who gets there!!

Hiya! Sorry for the late reply again. I've been super busy with university projects and finals. I actually really appreciate that you asked this question because it has made me think more critically about what games I do and don't consider okay. When I say "wholesome game," I think I really mean that a Jesus follower could play the game and not feel convicted. An old (and very guilty) pleasure of mine was survival horror games like the Outlast series. Although I believe some survival horror games are very well constructed (I'm thinking Silent Hill 2), this series is pretty much just violent and nasty for the sake of being violent and nasty. If I were to play this series again today, it certainly wouldn't sit very well between me and the Holy Spirit. Although I believe there are a lot of trashy video games, I don't think all video games are evil. I personally just believe the interactive nature of video games lends itself very well to actions and behavior that are disapproved of in real life.

I know that most story-based games are going to have violence, magic, and worldly content in them. So I think the main qualifier for a "wholesome" story-based game for me would be 1) violence and evil is not especially explicit or gratuitous 2) violence and evil is not glorified and 3) the characters you are playing/rooting for are trying to overcome evil. A lot of role-playing games seem to follow this general structure. Of course, there isn't always an explicit "good vs evil" plot in story-based games like RPGs (The Pokemon series being a good example). I think those games are fine.

Open-world games with morality systems (like Skyrim or Fallout: New Vegas) are really interesting to me. If one were to play the game as a very lawful, moral character, could the game be considered wholesome? Is knowing that more evil/sinister content is embedded in the code excusable even if the player never accesses it? I'm not quite sure, but it is a curious ethical question.

It's generally harder to categorize games that were made for older audiences. For example, my personal favorite game of 2017 was Night in the Woods. This game is (mostly) nonviolent, has pretty clean language, and handles contemporary issues such as mental illness and unemployment very well. However, the eldritch horror subplot, thematic violence, underage drinking, and an unmarried couple who lives together makes things more complicated. I'm not against playing a game that doesn't perfectly follow the Bible: real life is messy and chaotic so it makes sense that video games would reflect the state of the world. I'm only concerned when violence and worldly living becomes the defining factor or draw of a game.

So that's pretty much a summary on my idea of what a wholesome game is. Sorry for all the confusion. Some "wholesome" game examples I can think of are Animal Crossing, Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda, the Mother series, Psychonauts, Celeste, Journey, Stardew Valley, the old Sonic games (not that the new ones aren't wholesome... they just aren't good games). I'm looking for some games that maybe are more mature (aka not kid's games) but still follow the criteria I listed above.

Thanks for all the thought-provoking questions and I look forward to your response!

Gotcha. I can make some recommendations from that. Google any of these titles and you should find the game. You might have to google "game" with the title, as in "Iji game."

If you want to see what the game is like without downloading/buying it, go to youtube and look for "Let's play (game)" and you'll find a recording of somebody playing it. There's a let's play for even the most obscure games. "Let's Play Jade Empire" is highly recommended. If you see a let's play of the game you're looking for, played by Wanderbot or Splattercat, they are awesome lets-players.

FREEWARE:
Hurrican
Marble Arena
Red Valkyrie
Super Tux
Super Tux Kart
Battle for Wesnoth
Exit Fate
FreeDroid RPG
IJI
Neverball
Neverputt
Pylo Noveau
Secret Maryo Chronicles
Return to Sector 9


PAYWARE:
Space pirates and zombies
Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Ghost 1.0
Homeworld
Stories: The Path of Destinies
Freedom Planet
Dex
Legend of Kay (cheesy but fun)
Dust: An Elysian Tale
Rebel Galaxy
Psychonauts... you already know about. Man, that game was weird!
Jade Empire
Ring Runner
Strike Suit Zero
Aquanox (but NOT Aquanox 2!)

Flashback

I watched brief segment about pong and the systems that predated it such as the Odessy and The Brown Box. Basically Atari stole the idea.

that wasn’t cool, I think the same thing happen with computers or the op system of them. was it the windows thing, I can’t remember exactly.

I think I know what your talking about. I think it was an apple/windows thing. The creator of pong got his revenge when Atari came out with a lights and sound game and no one liked it. He took the design and made it better it's the Simon says game

Yea I think it was the apple/window thing lol.

Wow what a blast from the past, when I was young I had one of those, in the 70’s it was fun thing to do.

but all this time I didn’t know it had three modes, I have not played since I was a child. but I just looked at this vid about it and it dawned on me I never played the other modes just the first one follow the blinking lights hahaha.

I believe it's one of the best selling toys of all time.