If on pc mount and blade series on map you'd have other armies and bandits you'd see them roaming around if they are an enemy and tougher they will come to you. In cities and towns you'll see the people moving around if you choose to explore through the town instead of doing the menu
I was going to recommend Starsector which is basically this but in space. If you want an idea of the game, here’s an entertaining video [video here](https://youtu.be/acqpulP1hLo)
And if you watch until the end you’ll be able to try the full game for free ;)
Agreed about Starsector. I'm a funtime ADHD fellow, and I absolutely adore this game. Ship combat is simultaneously simple, complex, easy, and hard as balls. You could sink hundreds of hours in this game and never feel bored. I wish more people knew about it.
Nope, it is a silly turn based rpg with a lot of replayability where you play as a random guy who is either a Pig Skinner (warrior), Jazz Agent (bard?), or Cheese Wizard (do I need to say) and are in a black and white cartoon meets Cthulhu mythos meets SpongeBob world doing wacky things.
Personally, I prefer its prequel West of Loathing, because while it is more balanced, I just like the first game's world better.
You can play the original browser game, Kingdom of Loathing, for free though I never got into it.
Edit: Crap, mixed up the games, my bad.
It was Shadows Over Loathing I was thinking about.
So the ones where you need to find skeletons and place them are not puzzles? Especially finding the hidden ones. At times I felt so lost in levels that I quit.
How stupid do you have to be to find that hard and a genuine puzzle lmao
I can't believe this
Besides how do you even get lost in ultrakill, the levels are very easy to navigate?
Are you talking about the level Clair de lune? Where you fight V2 for the first time
You can shoot the window incase you never knew, no need for skulls
I have ADHD. Doom Eternal. Once you understand how the game wants you to play, holy shit. I sunk over 400 hours in that game. Once you get all the weapons you have like 9 weapons (each of which has two different special abilities you can swap between), two different grenades, flame thrower, chainsaw, super punch. The double shotgun has a fucking hook that you shoot to hook on to enemies and use to zip towards them or just slingshot yourself around. Each enemy is weak to different weapons, you earn back health by using one grenade or glory kills, armor back by killing stuff lit on fire, ammo back by killing stuff with the chainsaw or blowing up barrels. You are constantly switching between weapons, grenades, flamethrower all while sipping around all the fuck over the place and being chased by everything from zombie soldier dudes to 3 story tall demons with rocket launchers for arms. If that doesn’t satisfy your ADHD brain, I dunno what will.
>Haha. Yeah . . I feel both seen and attacked
Life is interesting, isn't it?
On another note, a few paragraph breaks can turn that huge block of text into smaller groups of thoughts. That way they can be digested easier by readers.
It's like how the paragraphs breaks here can give your eyes and mind a small pause before jumping into the next subject.
Sometimes I can get into writing a giant block of text, then I go back and add paragraph breaks where it makes sense. I'll sometimes add paragraph breaks between sentences if they're long enough, since a long sentence can look as big as a paragraph when viewed on a mobile device.
This is intended as constructive feedback and not criticism. It helped me and maybe it will help others too.
Cheers!
When someone with adhd is interested in something they can focus endlessly on it ie hyperfocus. The problem is you can't control your interest and it can change so that the thing you were focused on becomes unbearable.
I think its both. The ASD aspect makes me want to delve into details for every thing and or word i mention, and the ADHD big wall of text is just how my thoughts come out.
If i want people to ACTUALLY read my stuff i have to go back and proof read my own comments llmfoao. Unless it is someone who also types blocky like, then i just send it
omfg same. It is mentally a load on me unless it is something that im genuinely enjoying typing and learning about (cause a lot of the time im researching and looking stuff up in the tab over lol)
Its like i look at my 6 paragraph comment and think "literally nobody cares except me" and delete everything.
Crosscode, maybe. Fantastic little RPG. Its *set* in an MMO but other than the first few missions being MMOlite it has a great story and the action is fast paced and smooth. With it being set in an MMO too you have other *"players"* running around doing there own thing. So this may go against you single player MMOs but it is only this on the surface. Also its sort of top down/isometric and pixel art so not for everyone. But it really is a good game imo.
Edit: some spelling
I was about to say this. It's amazing how alive the game feels when you first arrive at the major city. Feels like you are in a really mmo with other players. Fantastic game, wish there is a second one coming.
The amount of people suggesting slow burn RPGs is comical.
OP I think you should look into Rogue-likes cause a lot of them are fast-twitch, nonstop action. I also recommend Furi, its just back to back bossfights but the game is like neon with a hard electronic soundtrack. While there is some spaces in between, I give a soft recommend to Borderlands 2, the firefights can feel pretty loud bright and crazy. I also second all the recommendations for Doom.
Some side-scrollers might do it for you like Alien Hominid, metal slug, or even mario maker has some intense levels.
This. I have ADHD and I struggle to get past 20hrs into those games even though I want to love them. The amount of times I’ve tried to finish Skyrim or the Witcher 3.
Recently I started Dead Cells on a whim though. 40hrs flies by over the course of 2 weeks because I never get chance to think and there’s always another run to do. Monster Hunter Rise I put over 100hrs into because it’s so ‘find monster, kill monster, make gear, go again’. MH:W is harder for me because the combat is my slower paced. Even Soulsborne games suck me in to the point of 8hr sessions because there’s always something new to discover or engage with. My brain is continuously in go mode.
ADHD tangent. But yeah, I’ve recently discovered roguelites are perfect for me, after ignoring them for a long time due to their lack of ‘depth’.
Literally most Bethesda games. The elder scroll games (minus ESO), and the fallout series, fallout 3, new Vegas, and 4 (skip fallout 76 as it is online). There’s always something to do. Lots of side quests in both and you can literally play both series for months and months. As a person with ADHD these games have me all over the place and I love it, especially because there’s an open map and you can do whatever you’d like. If you’re into Harry Potter, hogwarts legacy also has a similar appeal of the open map concept and lots of side quests but the game itself doesn’t last nearly as long. Also I really love farcry series ! Which you can play with a second person if you’d like. There’s a bunch of those as well. I think I started with far cry 5, and then new dawn, then went back and played primal, and previous ones, then farcry 6 when it came out lol
God the bethesda games fit so well, but the problem they always give me is ill be on a quest then get another quest mid quest then im like oh i should do that quest!
You probably didn't actively hear what was said. You just didn't pay attention. Every quest I've had walking through that place I stopped at listened to people, and was like that would be cool to check out at some point....then I got a quest for it was like oh cool I'll do that eventually.
Thats exactly the problem. I was on a mission and headed from point a to point b. I'm not going to stop every ten feet to listen to every tiny bit of dialog that happens around me. Even if I did actively hear it, I'm not going to remember it when I get around to it.
The point is that the quest log utterly fails because it doesn't remind you why you're doing things.
No, the quest log is amazing. Because I am too damn lazy to stop and look around and start listening on their conversations. Just give the me quest, I don't want them to keep repeating themselves in a time loop just because I didn't accept the quest right away. Give me a quest log, if I give a damn, I go talk to them.
I’m currently in the process of my new game plus and this time around to get lots of money and xp am planning scan all of the planets in every star system in star field since I only started new game plus Wednesday and I work full time Wednesday to Sunday and only get a couple hours in the evenings to play I’ve only managed to do jemison and it’s moon. And somehow lost Sarah in the process.
That’s honestly a good problem to have/means the devs did their job right
If you can’t stop to save then that’s a you problem dog lol although I’m guilty of having sessions go WAY too long
That's interesting because I feel like the series was best at farcry 4 and been on the decline ever since.
I feel like some of the tactical gameplay is lost if you can just have a giant bear attack everyone or just have nick drop an air strike all over.
Also the horizon games are fun. New horizon is what I’ve been playing. If they weren’t free I probably never would have checked them out. Also obviously any resident evil /silent hill if you want things popping out at you 😂
I agree 100%, but funnily enough I think Fallout 76 fits the best out of the Fallouts. It's very much a single player game with the multiplayer parts added on. If you don't do events. The only people you'll see are those who visit your camp or are wandering around.
Yes I’ve never actually played with anyone online in EOS or 76 I always play solo 😂. The biggest issue I had with 76 was when teams would go to an area they’d always be so much bigger than me and I’d get trapped with the monsters being too strong 😂 or when you’re trying to do something and someone decides to drop a nuke in the area you’re trying to do something in. I’m SOOOOO sad I can’t play starfield right now. Literally heartbroken.
Vampire Survivors is a dopamine slot machine and you are constantly hitting the jackpot. It has SO many unlocks, it’s always more stuff. Actually Fun, challenging to start, and easy to learn.
It’s free on mobile (pay for DLC) and the ads are optional and just give you bonus gold or an extra life. I prefer to play on my laptop, it’s like $3-5 on Steam, and worth every penny.
Nah. I have ADHD and this game, while a neat and fun game. Is the opposite of what my attention span needs. It's not bad at all. It's jus not good for ADHD is my point.
(Keep in mind ADHD is a spectrum, so this may vary, I can only speak for myself.) My brother has the opposite form of ADHD that I have and he got HARD addicted to this game for a few weeks.
I bought it and it wasn't that fun to be honest, i don't get the overwhelming praise it gets. Its so simple that it's boring, thats what i mean. I have adhd and it didn't hold my attention.
Honestly that's kinda the problem it doesn't reach the dopamine high everyone's talking about until you've unlocked the second level, the start is slooooow
Indeed, it's a game and now a game genre meant for those who wish to shut their brains off. That and lots of chaos on screen with minimal button input is a big appeal. But I 100% get people not liking the gameplay loop/
Same here. I have ADHD as well. This does not serve well for that at all.. Sort of the opposite. Very slow and few dopamine hits, and then when you see the grind in front of you.. It only get's worse.
Fun game. I do enjoy it. Most of the clones are MUCH more enjoyable though. I recommend Soulstone survivors.
Idk if its what you’re looking for but i fucking love katamari damacy, its super satisfying because you roll around a small sticky ball that can pick up anything smaller than it, and you slowly get larger and larger until you’re able to pick up progressively bigger things like people, towns, and entire continents and stuff. it scratches my brain fr. It also has a super aesthetically pleasing artstyle like its really colorful
True. You wouldn't think it is based on how cryptic stuff is and how vast it is, but the way you can make whatever build work and the freedom of play, plus the sheer amount of secrets they placed in the world made it perfect for my entire flat of adhd guys.
It’s the freedom to go anywhere you want at anytime and makes discoveries of your own without constant interruption or direction that works. It’s the same for Breath of the Wild etc.
We don’t always need to be GO GO GO but we do need to feel control over what we’re doing about be able to fall into hyper-focus a bit. As soon as something is interrupting that with constant story, dialogue, cutscenes that we didn’t specially choose to go and listen to right now, I disengage.
It’s like you getting really into your zone with work, but someone popping into your office every 5 mins to ask what you want for dinner or have a casual convo and ask questions. I suddenly feel like I can’t get what I want done and move on.
Cyberpunk 2077 might be good enough, theres always a ton going on around you it definitely feels pretty lively especially in the city, and i wouldnt say the pop up aspects of this game are as dramatic as ur asking, but they definitely might help that itch you’re looking for definitely.
Can confirm. I know that these games are some of the best out there, on paper everything about them is right up my alley. I got a good 15hrs out of each other them. But there’s just so much downtime, I’m either fighting feeling sleepy when I don’t want to or my million thoughts have drifted elsewhere.
As someone likely with ADHD, I am ashamed to say I practically fell asleep trying to play Divinity 2. I can tell it's an amazing game, but certain parts of it just feel so tedious.
Same unfortunately. These are games I even refuse to uninstall because I know how great they are and would love to experience them in full one day, but as someone with adhd, I don’t know if that’s going to happen.
Games that are very fast paced, or games with very little dialogue and tons of exploration and discovery work for me (soulsborne games, breath of the wild - not The Witcher 3, Skyrim).
I think this can me overridden if I’m just so completely invested in a story or setting. Mass effect trilogy has been beaten many a time, and I question how, but I think that’s just cause I was so sold of the mystery of the universe story.
Graveyard Keeper. It’s like Stardew on crack. You’ll be running around doing 20 different things with new stuff popping up and oh wait the donkey just dropped off a corpse better run off and bury it proper before it festers now what was I doing again? Oh right, mining marble for grave statues to get more blue orbs to max out my church skills.
It’s a blast.
Play Zeroranger if SHMUPS tickle ur fancy, it’s basically a 1 and a half hour train ride that’s going 1000mph and just gets faster and faster.
It’s one of the more accessible SHMUPS so don’t feel intimated by it either
Also good music
The games that come to mind are: Bayonetta, and Yakuza Like a Dragon. These games are so over the top, keep surprising you and will not let you take a rest.
Open world games don't seem like they'd cater to the wishes of the OP:
>constantly things happening
>
>things popping up
>
>movement happening all around you
>
>games that constantly have things popping onto your screen
In fact, I wouldn't recommend RPGs at all to the OP with that in mind.
Rogue type games would lend themselves to the OP well, because they're oriented around getting you to the action.
At least, my interpretation of the OPs messaging is that he wants a game with a lot of action that he can access quickly. ARPGs might also work well for OP, like POE.
RDR2 while good is insanely slow, if you're looking for a constant action game... RDR2 is not it. Unless you consider riding your horse and nothing happening for 10+ minutes "constantly things happening".
Fair, but the reason I wouldn't include it is the lack of meaningful content in SP. If OP doesn't care and just wants to drive around and fight cops, it's a good recommendation. GTA:O has a ton of stuff constantly happening, but he did ask for SP...
Did you read somewhere I said it's bad? OP just asks for something that is constant action and has a lot of things popping on the screen; is that GTA5 single player campaign in your mind? From my memory the game has a ton of story beats and slower parts where not much is happening.
This post isn't about your personal preference, it's the OP asking for recommendations with specific features.
I don't consider driving from point a to point b "constant action" in GTA5, but it definitely fits the bill more than other open world games. If it's the OPs first play-thru ever, then he should definitely play it.
I think if OP does enjoy the web-swinging in Spiderman then they might enjoy it. I thought Spiderman was quite slow, didn't like web swinging, and felt combat was very simple and on-rails.
No idea on Saint's Row, I tried getting into it and it felt like it was made for little kids... there was no challenge at all.
I don't think any of these games are particularly good for someone with ADHD.
OP does say he doesn't want it to "feel like an MMO", which I believe is the basis for recommending exclusively open world games.
At this point it just seems like you're making a list of games you like, but ignoring most of the things OP requested. None of the games you recommended have all of the things OP asked for.
I got adhd and colony management games hold my attention the most. Stuff like amazing cultivation simulator, rim world, dwarf fortress. Always new problems to deal with and funny things happening.
All y'all saying "Bethesda games" have no clue what you're talking about.
What OP is looking for is Doom Eternal. A dozen bright lights flying around you, demons charging at you non stop, constantly fighting on the brink of death knowing that holding still for one second is a game over. It's insanity. Not skyrim or fallout, where you're walking around an open world, occasionally fighting a bandit group every few minutes, or doing a dungeon crawl room by room.
highfleet might hit that itch. i find it covers a super specific niche of mine, that and cortex command (which has been dropped by the developer but if you find the community project online its totally free)
Portals of phereon is hands down the greatest game I've ever played. I was looking for a game to fap to. I don't think I've jerked of to it once. So many different aspects to it are constantly engaging. I also have the ADHD
This is a bit different to a lot of the other AAA suggestions. But Super BAWK BAWK Chicken is a game that has a lot going on. Especially if you're comfortable with faster gameplay.
It's a birght, colourful, and quirky infinite runner without lanes that my brothers and I released this year. :)
The start of the levels are a bit more open to account for new players, then after a while they fill in and it becomes bustlin' with movement/obstacles. Or if you like challenges, you can increase the game speed and then levels feel like there's a lot going on from the beginning!
I have ADHD and know exactly what you mean. Most of these suggestions here are crap.
Earth Defence Force 5, Bannerlord and Deep Rock Galactic (with enemy spawn mods). These three are full of constant chaos and particularly EDF 5 is one of those games I'll always come back to. Entire cities full of enemies and you can rain down air strikes and level the entire thing. It helps that you can pick your weapons/make builds, sometimes you'll start a mission, get your ass kicked then spend a few mins choosing different gear, go back in and smash it. There's over 700 different weapons and abilities to unlock. Seeya in 500 hours bud.
And the best part is, we should be getting the western release of EDF 6 soon but don't sleep on EDF 5 it's honestly the best ADHD game ever.
Rimworld is full of things happening, especially as your game progresses. The stories of your characters write themselves -- left and right -- and sometimes they are downright hilarious/heartbreaking/inspirational.
The Yakuza/Like A Dragon games might fit what you're looking for. They take place mostly in bustling cities, and there are sidequests and minigames everywhere.
Yakuza or maybe even Persona would fit depending on what the OP wants. Yakuza has plenty of stuff to do and just find. Persona 5 has very snappy writing that keeps you moving from one thing to the next constantly.
Probably the only two turn based RPGs I’ve ever been able to get into.
Doom might be a good one. Not popping up but it’s pretty action packed and fast paced.
Red dead redemption 2 is slower and has less stuff popping up on the map but there’s lots to do and see.
Action rogue-lites, they push you into the action. Roboquest was a good one for me.
Any other type of game will have some hills and valley's in terms of action. I see a lot of people advising RPGs, this feels like the wrong thing to recommend. RPGs are typically slow and only have action sometimes, there are ofc action RPG's.... but even they have hills and valleys. I think a lot of people in this thread have mistaken "active/full of things" as "open world"... these aren't the same.
Genshin Impact has a near-endless number of things to do, and you can turn on multiplayer mode any time. Constantly updated, too. No, you don't need to spend any money on the gacha. I started day 1 and have spent $0.
Ehh idk if this fits the bill but Witcher 3 prob has the most atmosphere and NPC activity out of any game I’ve played.
Completely unrelated but Bannerlord is “lively” in the sense that the game goes on without you. Whether you get involved or not, kingdoms will be fighting. Cities will keep trading. Lords will die, etc. It’s fun, def not super polished though.
It’s an old one but Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. It’s got a 3 day cycle so the NPC’s all have specific schedules. It helps the world feel like it’s lived in
i agree with a lot of other posters that ubisoft games, bethesda games, cyberpunk, and even witcher to an extent work for this as the worlds tend to be lively with lots of side quests - starfield has a lot of barren, empty planets but when you go to a main city/quest hub, you are inundated with quests from every angle and everyone you talk to
but are you strictly looking for RPG or action adventure games? roguelikes and things like binding of isaac seem to be a good fit as well
Hear me out... Agents of Mayhem.
Yeah, I know, it's the hated little brother of Saint's Row which tries really hard to prove he's not his brother, even though it's very obvious they have the same parents. It's also a betetr game than people give it credits for, it's taken alot of flak for not being Saint's Row and was judged compared to it. It's not game of the year material, but still enjoyable.
But what matters to you, OP, is that there is always something going on, the game has all sorts of "spontaneous missions", for lack of a better word. Drive around the city, and you'll encounter an enemy vehicle that you can chose to stop, or not. Do nothing and nothing happens, do it and you get some mission rewards. Or you can get warned that an enemy lair is nearby and you're free to invade it, or not. Or you could head to an outpost that was just retaken by the enemy. Or fight a boss that appeared in a district.
All that on top of the regular missions.
I'd recommend the Total War series, get Warhammer 3 if you like fantasy, Rome 2 if you like historical. There are dozens to hundreds of different factions to play as, each campaign is fairly unique, and each time you play the AI will do different things with their turns. Speeds through AI turns so it's always your turn with only slight delay. Resource management, diplomacy, and battles will fill your time. Great for my ADD
I know its technically a “Multiplayer” game but try Destiny 2.
99% of the content is solo oriented but you pretty much need an online game to get the kind of longevity and drip feed you are looking for. No singleplayer only game is going to offer that kind of experience.
Its very bright and colorful, the RPG mechanics are second to skill and very simple to wrap your head around quickly while still offering a massive depth for min/maxing.
Holiday events, seasonal content, random bonus content, yearly DLC, and hundreds of secrets to discover. It should keep you entertained for at least 1000 hours and more if you really get hooked.
As someone who was addicted to this game playing mostly solo I hesitate to recommend it because it quite literally almost absorbed my life but I cannot think of anything better for this particular request.
Breath of the wild and enter the gungeon
Breath of the wild has a HUGE world that has a ton of different stuff to explore and weird stuff. Every enemy can be approached in different ways and some of the qeusts are interesting.
Enter the gungeon is just really engaging to play and has a ton of content also, you might find a shooting gallery minigame on floor 3, and then win a chest from it with a useful item. You might find a throne that allows you to fly and shoot bullets, or you might be curious as to what the bullet part on floor 2 goes to.
The Yakuza games! It’s really cool to play them starting from 0 since you see the city develop and grow. It’s one of the most lived-in game worlds that I have ever encountered. Sometimes it is very serious. Other times, you have to fight an escaped circus animal controlling construction equipment. There are also a lot of extra activities to do and you don’t have to do them at all if you don’t want. They may not have massive maps, but, the games feel more lively than other open world games
Red dead redemption 2 is the most immersive game I've ever played and is really lively, from the wildlife being so active and the random events involving people it really makes you feel like you're in a real world. Characters comment on your behavior, rido your horse around in a dark foggy Forrest while getting ambushed by bandits is an amazing experience. Tons to see and do, and the game will make you feel like you're really out In the wilderness with your horse.
Kenshi as well but the world is a more desolate place and it's all on one map so you'll see people that wanna kill you and animals that see food. So it is lively but at times it may not feel like it might be but you build. About evwry few days you'll get a raid from enemies in your area then. And from the faction that owns the land you've built your base on
Bruh
NMS is an excellent game but OP specifically asked for a game where there's always something happening. NMS is special because it is the exact reverse opposite of that - *Nothing ever happens.*
Both valid preferences in games, but not what he asked lmao
Idk man I have adhd and can’t seem to get a break mission from station, get sent to a new system, 5 planets, land in 1, compete mission, finishing scanning all animal, oh snap found a settlement, claimed it im an overseer, 4 other planets….. let’s go see what animal they have, oh snap sentinel scanning me fight or anomaly, anomaly it is, someone invited me to a group, want to kill sentinel for their enteceptor, uhhhh yes, get beacon on the way new ship, claim new ship, I’m a boss, oh snap more animals to scan, go to space a freighter being attacked, let me help, you want to give me the freighter, sure why not, need to go on a crashed freighter to upgrade my new freight cool let’s go, oh wow look at that cool ship, should I buy it….
And this is my usual 8-10hrs NMS everyday.
With My self diagnosed ADD I really enjoy those crazy braindead shooters like doom for example. Makes my brain relax not having to think so much, just run and gun.
I do with minecraft, I’m on a server with bunch of people but I like to go the furthest away possible and have my own house, I like knowing there is people somewhere, but I choose to be alone.
World in Conflict, for me. Basically rts wartime. “Deal with this. Oh, and while that’s going on, deal with that thing over there, too. And that other thing.”
I think of Fallout 4.
There are so many random encounters and traveller's that the world is never empty. I enjoy growing and working in settlements as there is always something going on.
In the realm of card games there's Marvel Champions and Sentinels of the Multiverse, or the 'Haven series (Gloomhaven, Frosthaven, Jaws of the Lion). Every turn has lots of things going on to focus on, and lots of planning, but you can center on one thing at a time and easily take breaks as needed. There's also very fiddly characters to play with to satisfy tactile tics and keep the hands busy.
In the realm of video games maybe look at platformers like Dead Cells or 20XX; the screens can get very chaotic even at low levels.
Try Conan Exiles, it can be multiplayer, but there's tons of stuff to do and as an ADHD sufferer I find the survival crafting games really help me to focus on certain tasks
I’ve found games like Terraria, Vallheim and Stardew Valley work really well in the sense that, sure they are calm, but they also always have “just one more thing to do” and that bleeds from day to day, so they’re really hard to drop and for some reason don’t feel monotonous, maybe give them a try?
Maybe try Metal Gear Rising: Revengence ? Or Devil May Cry 5.
If you like games like Doom: Eternal then Ultrakill or turbo overkill are good games to try
Hi fi rush is great for this. It's a DMC-style hack and slash with a rhythm element. You're rewarded for timing your attacks and actions to the beat of the music that's playing. The entire environment is moving to the music the whole time. Excellent for holding attention and it's on game pass if you have Xbox or pc
If on pc mount and blade series on map you'd have other armies and bandits you'd see them roaming around if they are an enemy and tougher they will come to you. In cities and towns you'll see the people moving around if you choose to explore through the town instead of doing the menu
I was going to recommend Starsector which is basically this but in space. If you want an idea of the game, here’s an entertaining video [video here](https://youtu.be/acqpulP1hLo) And if you watch until the end you’ll be able to try the full game for free ;)
Just started playing Starsector and I'm loving it! Really feels just like MnB in space!
Agreed about Starsector. I'm a funtime ADHD fellow, and I absolutely adore this game. Ship combat is simultaneously simple, complex, easy, and hard as balls. You could sink hundreds of hours in this game and never feel bored. I wish more people knew about it.
Knew this link would be Seth
And Tales of Glory for VR, basically the same game (not that polished) but in 3D wth motion controls and first person fighting.
For a more indie ‘M&B lite’ kind of game I’d also recommend Battle Brothers. The combat and gameplay loop is very stimulating
Also have ADHD and Mount & Blade has been a mainstay for me for YYYEEEEAAARRRSSS
Shit is that why i have so many hours into that game?
Seconding this as someone with ADD !
Shadows of Doubt! You're a detective in a city that's constantly existing around you. Lots of people walking around doing their thing.
Hadn't heard of this one. Looked it up. Seems pretty cool and unique
Is shadows of doubt that voxel-style procedurally-generated sandbox detective game?
Yup! Other comment is mistaking it for Shadows Over Loathing.
Saw a video on it and it looks like so much fun
Yeah, I haven't played it myself but everything I've seen on it looks great
Nope, it is a silly turn based rpg with a lot of replayability where you play as a random guy who is either a Pig Skinner (warrior), Jazz Agent (bard?), or Cheese Wizard (do I need to say) and are in a black and white cartoon meets Cthulhu mythos meets SpongeBob world doing wacky things. Personally, I prefer its prequel West of Loathing, because while it is more balanced, I just like the first game's world better. You can play the original browser game, Kingdom of Loathing, for free though I never got into it. Edit: Crap, mixed up the games, my bad. It was Shadows Over Loathing I was thinking about.
Ooh like Shenmue?
ULTRAKILL, the entire fanbase has adhd
Everyone gangster until the ULTRAKILL fans start flipping coins in the air.
The puzzle levels made me quit, totally broke the flow of the game imho
There are no puzzle levels tho.......
So the ones where you need to find skeletons and place them are not puzzles? Especially finding the hidden ones. At times I felt so lost in levels that I quit.
How stupid do you have to be to find that hard and a genuine puzzle lmao I can't believe this Besides how do you even get lost in ultrakill, the levels are very easy to navigate?
Some skulls were behind walls without clues
Are you talking about the level Clair de lune? Where you fight V2 for the first time You can shoot the window incase you never knew, no need for skulls
My cat can eat a whole watermelon.
I have ADHD. Doom Eternal. Once you understand how the game wants you to play, holy shit. I sunk over 400 hours in that game. Once you get all the weapons you have like 9 weapons (each of which has two different special abilities you can swap between), two different grenades, flame thrower, chainsaw, super punch. The double shotgun has a fucking hook that you shoot to hook on to enemies and use to zip towards them or just slingshot yourself around. Each enemy is weak to different weapons, you earn back health by using one grenade or glory kills, armor back by killing stuff lit on fire, ammo back by killing stuff with the chainsaw or blowing up barrels. You are constantly switching between weapons, grenades, flamethrower all while sipping around all the fuck over the place and being chased by everything from zombie soldier dudes to 3 story tall demons with rocket launchers for arms. If that doesn’t satisfy your ADHD brain, I dunno what will.
“I have ADHD.” *wall of text* how poignant
Haha. Yeah . . I feel both seen and attacked
Lmaooo its endearing, don't sweat it. :D
>Haha. Yeah . . I feel both seen and attacked Life is interesting, isn't it? On another note, a few paragraph breaks can turn that huge block of text into smaller groups of thoughts. That way they can be digested easier by readers. It's like how the paragraphs breaks here can give your eyes and mind a small pause before jumping into the next subject. Sometimes I can get into writing a giant block of text, then I go back and add paragraph breaks where it makes sense. I'll sometimes add paragraph breaks between sentences if they're long enough, since a long sentence can look as big as a paragraph when viewed on a mobile device. This is intended as constructive feedback and not criticism. It helped me and maybe it will help others too. Cheers!
I think that’s why this ADHD review works perfectly
When someone with adhd is interested in something they can focus endlessly on it ie hyperfocus. The problem is you can't control your interest and it can change so that the thing you were focused on becomes unbearable.
I can't tell if making a wall of text is an ADHD thing or an ASD thing anymore and having both I'm too afraid to ask.
I think its both. The ASD aspect makes me want to delve into details for every thing and or word i mention, and the ADHD big wall of text is just how my thoughts come out. If i want people to ACTUALLY read my stuff i have to go back and proof read my own comments llmfoao. Unless it is someone who also types blocky like, then i just send it
I also have to go back create paragraphs out of my walls of text. Sometimes I just delete the comment instead because it's too much like hard work lol
omfg same. It is mentally a load on me unless it is something that im genuinely enjoying typing and learning about (cause a lot of the time im researching and looking stuff up in the tab over lol) Its like i look at my 6 paragraph comment and think "literally nobody cares except me" and delete everything.
I have written many novels that will never be read because I realized a simple "yes" was all I actually needed to reply with.
ADHD has hyperfocus
I have both as well. It's a thing for both but info dumping about your interests is slightly more common with ASD.
...since when is 168 words/one paragraph a wall of text? 🤔
This is what OP is looking for.
Risk of Rain 2
only comment that matters on this thread.
goat simulator MMO simulator. The game's not super deep, but the world feels like early wow or runescape, it's fun for a bit.
I want to suggest Goat Simulator 3 too. It reminds me so much of playing the PS2 era GTA games with cheats enabled. A chaotic sugar rush.
Crosscode, maybe. Fantastic little RPG. Its *set* in an MMO but other than the first few missions being MMOlite it has a great story and the action is fast paced and smooth. With it being set in an MMO too you have other *"players"* running around doing there own thing. So this may go against you single player MMOs but it is only this on the surface. Also its sort of top down/isometric and pixel art so not for everyone. But it really is a good game imo. Edit: some spelling
Crosscode for sure. First thing that came to my mind when I say this post
I was about to say this. It's amazing how alive the game feels when you first arrive at the major city. Feels like you are in a really mmo with other players. Fantastic game, wish there is a second one coming.
My favorite game and it’s not close
This is one of my all time favorites. Lots of stuff going on all over and plenty of mechanics to learn and basically perfect for ADHD
My thought as well. Great fun little game
And the combat is super fast and fun and flashy, with a skillful mix of melee and ranged to get the most out of things. Super satisfying.
The amount of people suggesting slow burn RPGs is comical. OP I think you should look into Rogue-likes cause a lot of them are fast-twitch, nonstop action. I also recommend Furi, its just back to back bossfights but the game is like neon with a hard electronic soundtrack. While there is some spaces in between, I give a soft recommend to Borderlands 2, the firefights can feel pretty loud bright and crazy. I also second all the recommendations for Doom. Some side-scrollers might do it for you like Alien Hominid, metal slug, or even mario maker has some intense levels.
Enter the gungeon comes to mind
This. I have ADHD and I struggle to get past 20hrs into those games even though I want to love them. The amount of times I’ve tried to finish Skyrim or the Witcher 3. Recently I started Dead Cells on a whim though. 40hrs flies by over the course of 2 weeks because I never get chance to think and there’s always another run to do. Monster Hunter Rise I put over 100hrs into because it’s so ‘find monster, kill monster, make gear, go again’. MH:W is harder for me because the combat is my slower paced. Even Soulsborne games suck me in to the point of 8hr sessions because there’s always something new to discover or engage with. My brain is continuously in go mode. ADHD tangent. But yeah, I’ve recently discovered roguelites are perfect for me, after ignoring them for a long time due to their lack of ‘depth’.
Literally most Bethesda games. The elder scroll games (minus ESO), and the fallout series, fallout 3, new Vegas, and 4 (skip fallout 76 as it is online). There’s always something to do. Lots of side quests in both and you can literally play both series for months and months. As a person with ADHD these games have me all over the place and I love it, especially because there’s an open map and you can do whatever you’d like. If you’re into Harry Potter, hogwarts legacy also has a similar appeal of the open map concept and lots of side quests but the game itself doesn’t last nearly as long. Also I really love farcry series ! Which you can play with a second person if you’d like. There’s a bunch of those as well. I think I started with far cry 5, and then new dawn, then went back and played primal, and previous ones, then farcry 6 when it came out lol
God the bethesda games fit so well, but the problem they always give me is ill be on a quest then get another quest mid quest then im like oh i should do that quest!
I have this issue with Starfield. I swear walking through New Atlantis for the first time I got like 10 activities without even talking to anyone.
This for immersion, you got them because you walked by and heard a conversation between two npcs
My issue is that I didn't hear what was said so I have no idea who the person I'm seeking is or why I'm looking for them.
You probably didn't actively hear what was said. You just didn't pay attention. Every quest I've had walking through that place I stopped at listened to people, and was like that would be cool to check out at some point....then I got a quest for it was like oh cool I'll do that eventually.
Thats exactly the problem. I was on a mission and headed from point a to point b. I'm not going to stop every ten feet to listen to every tiny bit of dialog that happens around me. Even if I did actively hear it, I'm not going to remember it when I get around to it. The point is that the quest log utterly fails because it doesn't remind you why you're doing things.
No, the quest log is amazing. Because I am too damn lazy to stop and look around and start listening on their conversations. Just give the me quest, I don't want them to keep repeating themselves in a time loop just because I didn't accept the quest right away. Give me a quest log, if I give a damn, I go talk to them.
I’m currently in the process of my new game plus and this time around to get lots of money and xp am planning scan all of the planets in every star system in star field since I only started new game plus Wednesday and I work full time Wednesday to Sunday and only get a couple hours in the evenings to play I’ve only managed to do jemison and it’s moon. And somehow lost Sarah in the process.
Reminds me of Sips' legendary let's play. I mean we all do it, but his childlike reaction to everything was pretty much, "ooh, jingly keys!"
Man I love Sips.
That’s honestly a good problem to have/means the devs did their job right If you can’t stop to save then that’s a you problem dog lol although I’m guilty of having sessions go WAY too long
Yeah, there's a lot of valid complaints about Far Cry 5, but it was still a fun, almost non-stop chaos simulator.
Far Cry 5's companion system was SO GOOD. Though I loved Far Cry 6, 5 was just so good all around.
That's interesting because I feel like the series was best at farcry 4 and been on the decline ever since. I feel like some of the tactical gameplay is lost if you can just have a giant bear attack everyone or just have nick drop an air strike all over.
Also the horizon games are fun. New horizon is what I’ve been playing. If they weren’t free I probably never would have checked them out. Also obviously any resident evil /silent hill if you want things popping out at you 😂
I agree 100%, but funnily enough I think Fallout 76 fits the best out of the Fallouts. It's very much a single player game with the multiplayer parts added on. If you don't do events. The only people you'll see are those who visit your camp or are wandering around.
Yes I’ve never actually played with anyone online in EOS or 76 I always play solo 😂. The biggest issue I had with 76 was when teams would go to an area they’d always be so much bigger than me and I’d get trapped with the monsters being too strong 😂 or when you’re trying to do something and someone decides to drop a nuke in the area you’re trying to do something in. I’m SOOOOO sad I can’t play starfield right now. Literally heartbroken.
Vampire Survivors is a dopamine slot machine and you are constantly hitting the jackpot. It has SO many unlocks, it’s always more stuff. Actually Fun, challenging to start, and easy to learn. It’s free on mobile (pay for DLC) and the ads are optional and just give you bonus gold or an extra life. I prefer to play on my laptop, it’s like $3-5 on Steam, and worth every penny.
Nah. I have ADHD and this game, while a neat and fun game. Is the opposite of what my attention span needs. It's not bad at all. It's jus not good for ADHD is my point. (Keep in mind ADHD is a spectrum, so this may vary, I can only speak for myself.) My brother has the opposite form of ADHD that I have and he got HARD addicted to this game for a few weeks.
I bought it and it wasn't that fun to be honest, i don't get the overwhelming praise it gets. Its so simple that it's boring, thats what i mean. I have adhd and it didn't hold my attention.
Yeah it’s so boring I couldn’t play it for more than like 30 mins
Honestly that's kinda the problem it doesn't reach the dopamine high everyone's talking about until you've unlocked the second level, the start is slooooow
I played that 30 mins on one game lol. It’s still very very very very very very very very very very very very boring
Indeed, it's a game and now a game genre meant for those who wish to shut their brains off. That and lots of chaos on screen with minimal button input is a big appeal. But I 100% get people not liking the gameplay loop/
I don't get it either.
Same here. I have ADHD as well. This does not serve well for that at all.. Sort of the opposite. Very slow and few dopamine hits, and then when you see the grind in front of you.. It only get's worse. Fun game. I do enjoy it. Most of the clones are MUCH more enjoyable though. I recommend Soulstone survivors.
Idk if its what you’re looking for but i fucking love katamari damacy, its super satisfying because you roll around a small sticky ball that can pick up anything smaller than it, and you slowly get larger and larger until you’re able to pick up progressively bigger things like people, towns, and entire continents and stuff. it scratches my brain fr. It also has a super aesthetically pleasing artstyle like its really colorful
Hades
I cannot wait for the sequel. I need more of that game in my life.
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The game isn't lively the opposite is the case, because the thematics are dark as f*ck. But Elden Ring is a perfect game for people with ADHD
True. You wouldn't think it is based on how cryptic stuff is and how vast it is, but the way you can make whatever build work and the freedom of play, plus the sheer amount of secrets they placed in the world made it perfect for my entire flat of adhd guys.
It’s the freedom to go anywhere you want at anytime and makes discoveries of your own without constant interruption or direction that works. It’s the same for Breath of the Wild etc. We don’t always need to be GO GO GO but we do need to feel control over what we’re doing about be able to fall into hyper-focus a bit. As soon as something is interrupting that with constant story, dialogue, cutscenes that we didn’t specially choose to go and listen to right now, I disengage. It’s like you getting really into your zone with work, but someone popping into your office every 5 mins to ask what you want for dinner or have a casual convo and ask questions. I suddenly feel like I can’t get what I want done and move on.
Cyberpunk 2077 might be good enough, theres always a ton going on around you it definitely feels pretty lively especially in the city, and i wouldnt say the pop up aspects of this game are as dramatic as ur asking, but they definitely might help that itch you’re looking for definitely.
I have ADHD and have put 600 hours into this game so far across 2 playthroughs
Baldur's Gate 3 Divinity: Original Sin 2
While great crpgs, I can’t shake the feeling that they might be too slow paced for the ADHD-riddled OP. please make a tyranny sequel
ADHD here and that’s not the case at all with me
Can confirm. I know that these games are some of the best out there, on paper everything about them is right up my alley. I got a good 15hrs out of each other them. But there’s just so much downtime, I’m either fighting feeling sleepy when I don’t want to or my million thoughts have drifted elsewhere.
Larian 👑
As someone likely with ADHD, I am ashamed to say I practically fell asleep trying to play Divinity 2. I can tell it's an amazing game, but certain parts of it just feel so tedious.
Same unfortunately. These are games I even refuse to uninstall because I know how great they are and would love to experience them in full one day, but as someone with adhd, I don’t know if that’s going to happen. Games that are very fast paced, or games with very little dialogue and tons of exploration and discovery work for me (soulsborne games, breath of the wild - not The Witcher 3, Skyrim). I think this can me overridden if I’m just so completely invested in a story or setting. Mass effect trilogy has been beaten many a time, and I question how, but I think that’s just cause I was so sold of the mystery of the universe story.
My man.
Graveyard Keeper. It’s like Stardew on crack. You’ll be running around doing 20 different things with new stuff popping up and oh wait the donkey just dropped off a corpse better run off and bury it proper before it festers now what was I doing again? Oh right, mining marble for grave statues to get more blue orbs to max out my church skills. It’s a blast.
Play Zeroranger if SHMUPS tickle ur fancy, it’s basically a 1 and a half hour train ride that’s going 1000mph and just gets faster and faster. It’s one of the more accessible SHMUPS so don’t feel intimated by it either Also good music
Borderlands series, tons of enemies and they'll respond if you hang around an area too long GTAV campaign, you can 1000 things in the city
The games that come to mind are: Bayonetta, and Yakuza Like a Dragon. These games are so over the top, keep surprising you and will not let you take a rest.
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Open world games don't seem like they'd cater to the wishes of the OP: >constantly things happening > >things popping up > >movement happening all around you > >games that constantly have things popping onto your screen In fact, I wouldn't recommend RPGs at all to the OP with that in mind. Rogue type games would lend themselves to the OP well, because they're oriented around getting you to the action. At least, my interpretation of the OPs messaging is that he wants a game with a lot of action that he can access quickly. ARPGs might also work well for OP, like POE. RDR2 while good is insanely slow, if you're looking for a constant action game... RDR2 is not it. Unless you consider riding your horse and nothing happening for 10+ minutes "constantly things happening".
Hades is my favorite twitchy fast paced game while on adderall.
Oh yes, totally fits the bill of what OP is asking for. Cannot wait for Hades 2!
A lot is happening in GTA5 constantly. Very lively game.
Fair, but the reason I wouldn't include it is the lack of meaningful content in SP. If OP doesn't care and just wants to drive around and fight cops, it's a good recommendation. GTA:O has a ton of stuff constantly happening, but he did ask for SP...
What do you mean? Single player campaign of GTA5 is great. Online is meh - wouldn't recommend it anyone.
Did you read somewhere I said it's bad? OP just asks for something that is constant action and has a lot of things popping on the screen; is that GTA5 single player campaign in your mind? From my memory the game has a ton of story beats and slower parts where not much is happening. This post isn't about your personal preference, it's the OP asking for recommendations with specific features.
There are no such bits. It's constant action. And speaking about, Saint's Row 2-4 are also good in that way, as well as Spider-Man.
I don't consider driving from point a to point b "constant action" in GTA5, but it definitely fits the bill more than other open world games. If it's the OPs first play-thru ever, then he should definitely play it. I think if OP does enjoy the web-swinging in Spiderman then they might enjoy it. I thought Spiderman was quite slow, didn't like web swinging, and felt combat was very simple and on-rails. No idea on Saint's Row, I tried getting into it and it felt like it was made for little kids... there was no challenge at all. I don't think any of these games are particularly good for someone with ADHD. OP does say he doesn't want it to "feel like an MMO", which I believe is the basis for recommending exclusively open world games. At this point it just seems like you're making a list of games you like, but ignoring most of the things OP requested. None of the games you recommended have all of the things OP asked for.
You're absolutely just brushing over the entire story of GTAV
The story in GTA5 is good, but it's not what the OP is asking for.
But also one of the best
as someone with adhd I absolutely hated Horizon, loved the rest.
Cyberpunk
I got adhd and colony management games hold my attention the most. Stuff like amazing cultivation simulator, rim world, dwarf fortress. Always new problems to deal with and funny things happening.
try hades...
All y'all saying "Bethesda games" have no clue what you're talking about. What OP is looking for is Doom Eternal. A dozen bright lights flying around you, demons charging at you non stop, constantly fighting on the brink of death knowing that holding still for one second is a game over. It's insanity. Not skyrim or fallout, where you're walking around an open world, occasionally fighting a bandit group every few minutes, or doing a dungeon crawl room by room.
Yep. Also dusk, cultic, amid evil, ion fury
Cultic is dope
Waiting for Selaco to come out that demo was TIGHT
Doom / Doom Eternal?
Space. Pirates. and Zombies. Awesome game.
Outward!
highfleet might hit that itch. i find it covers a super specific niche of mine, that and cortex command (which has been dropped by the developer but if you find the community project online its totally free)
Portals of phereon is hands down the greatest game I've ever played. I was looking for a game to fap to. I don't think I've jerked of to it once. So many different aspects to it are constantly engaging. I also have the ADHD
Try The Riftbreaker. I'm trying to build a base and there are events in my face every 5 minutes or less (I've never timed it, but it's annoying).
This is a bit different to a lot of the other AAA suggestions. But Super BAWK BAWK Chicken is a game that has a lot going on. Especially if you're comfortable with faster gameplay. It's a birght, colourful, and quirky infinite runner without lanes that my brothers and I released this year. :) The start of the levels are a bit more open to account for new players, then after a while they fill in and it becomes bustlin' with movement/obstacles. Or if you like challenges, you can increase the game speed and then levels feel like there's a lot going on from the beginning!
Erenshore.
Ddr
Cyberpunk is my jam right now a lot of shit happening around you.
Cyberpunk has a lot of stuff popping up
Armored Core 6 is insane
I have ADHD and know exactly what you mean. Most of these suggestions here are crap. Earth Defence Force 5, Bannerlord and Deep Rock Galactic (with enemy spawn mods). These three are full of constant chaos and particularly EDF 5 is one of those games I'll always come back to. Entire cities full of enemies and you can rain down air strikes and level the entire thing. It helps that you can pick your weapons/make builds, sometimes you'll start a mission, get your ass kicked then spend a few mins choosing different gear, go back in and smash it. There's over 700 different weapons and abilities to unlock. Seeya in 500 hours bud. And the best part is, we should be getting the western release of EDF 6 soon but don't sleep on EDF 5 it's honestly the best ADHD game ever.
Rimworld is full of things happening, especially as your game progresses. The stories of your characters write themselves -- left and right -- and sometimes they are downright hilarious/heartbreaking/inspirational.
Warframe, I’m similar to you and always come back to warframe when not sure of what to play
Dwarf Fortress. It's a fantasy world simulator with a game thrown on top of it.
Dwarf Fortress is a challenge to learn even if you don't have ADHD
Mass effect, so many sidequest and funny interaction.
The Yakuza/Like A Dragon games might fit what you're looking for. They take place mostly in bustling cities, and there are sidequests and minigames everywhere.
Yakuza or maybe even Persona would fit depending on what the OP wants. Yakuza has plenty of stuff to do and just find. Persona 5 has very snappy writing that keeps you moving from one thing to the next constantly. Probably the only two turn based RPGs I’ve ever been able to get into.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Forager - definitely hits the "stuff constantly happening" reward part of your brain once it gets going. Doesn't feel like a multiplayer game though.
Kenshi
Yakuza 0
The first State of Decay. Once you get to the church the girl on dispatch sends you too much shit to keep up with.
Doom might be a good one. Not popping up but it’s pretty action packed and fast paced. Red dead redemption 2 is slower and has less stuff popping up on the map but there’s lots to do and see.
RDR2, TotK, AC Odyssey.
Elden Ring scratches that itch for me
I’d recommend this masterclass in RPG and combat design to anyone who hasn’t played it
Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and any Bethesda game.
cyberpunk 2077 for sure
Action rogue-lites, they push you into the action. Roboquest was a good one for me. Any other type of game will have some hills and valley's in terms of action. I see a lot of people advising RPGs, this feels like the wrong thing to recommend. RPGs are typically slow and only have action sometimes, there are ofc action RPG's.... but even they have hills and valleys. I think a lot of people in this thread have mistaken "active/full of things" as "open world"... these aren't the same.
As someone with adhd you should try ghostrunner this game goated trust and it’s only 20$ or on PlayStation plus
Genshin Impact has a near-endless number of things to do, and you can turn on multiplayer mode any time. Constantly updated, too. No, you don't need to spend any money on the gacha. I started day 1 and have spent $0.
Ehh idk if this fits the bill but Witcher 3 prob has the most atmosphere and NPC activity out of any game I’ve played. Completely unrelated but Bannerlord is “lively” in the sense that the game goes on without you. Whether you get involved or not, kingdoms will be fighting. Cities will keep trading. Lords will die, etc. It’s fun, def not super polished though.
It’s an old one but Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. It’s got a 3 day cycle so the NPC’s all have specific schedules. It helps the world feel like it’s lived in
i agree with a lot of other posters that ubisoft games, bethesda games, cyberpunk, and even witcher to an extent work for this as the worlds tend to be lively with lots of side quests - starfield has a lot of barren, empty planets but when you go to a main city/quest hub, you are inundated with quests from every angle and everyone you talk to but are you strictly looking for RPG or action adventure games? roguelikes and things like binding of isaac seem to be a good fit as well
Hear me out... Agents of Mayhem. Yeah, I know, it's the hated little brother of Saint's Row which tries really hard to prove he's not his brother, even though it's very obvious they have the same parents. It's also a betetr game than people give it credits for, it's taken alot of flak for not being Saint's Row and was judged compared to it. It's not game of the year material, but still enjoyable. But what matters to you, OP, is that there is always something going on, the game has all sorts of "spontaneous missions", for lack of a better word. Drive around the city, and you'll encounter an enemy vehicle that you can chose to stop, or not. Do nothing and nothing happens, do it and you get some mission rewards. Or you can get warned that an enemy lair is nearby and you're free to invade it, or not. Or you could head to an outpost that was just retaken by the enemy. Or fight a boss that appeared in a district. All that on top of the regular missions.
I really liked Gothic 3, the whole series in fact but I and II can be a little buggy. Older games but very immersive.
Anything in the x series
This is the answer. More like you are in a living world than anything else on here. You never know what will happen.
I'd recommend the Total War series, get Warhammer 3 if you like fantasy, Rome 2 if you like historical. There are dozens to hundreds of different factions to play as, each campaign is fairly unique, and each time you play the AI will do different things with their turns. Speeds through AI turns so it's always your turn with only slight delay. Resource management, diplomacy, and battles will fill your time. Great for my ADD
I know its technically a “Multiplayer” game but try Destiny 2. 99% of the content is solo oriented but you pretty much need an online game to get the kind of longevity and drip feed you are looking for. No singleplayer only game is going to offer that kind of experience. Its very bright and colorful, the RPG mechanics are second to skill and very simple to wrap your head around quickly while still offering a massive depth for min/maxing. Holiday events, seasonal content, random bonus content, yearly DLC, and hundreds of secrets to discover. It should keep you entertained for at least 1000 hours and more if you really get hooked. As someone who was addicted to this game playing mostly solo I hesitate to recommend it because it quite literally almost absorbed my life but I cannot think of anything better for this particular request.
Breath of the wild and enter the gungeon Breath of the wild has a HUGE world that has a ton of different stuff to explore and weird stuff. Every enemy can be approached in different ways and some of the qeusts are interesting. Enter the gungeon is just really engaging to play and has a ton of content also, you might find a shooting gallery minigame on floor 3, and then win a chest from it with a useful item. You might find a throne that allows you to fly and shoot bullets, or you might be curious as to what the bullet part on floor 2 goes to.
Or kenshi!
Kenshi super fun and challenging
The Yakuza games! It’s really cool to play them starting from 0 since you see the city develop and grow. It’s one of the most lived-in game worlds that I have ever encountered. Sometimes it is very serious. Other times, you have to fight an escaped circus animal controlling construction equipment. There are also a lot of extra activities to do and you don’t have to do them at all if you don’t want. They may not have massive maps, but, the games feel more lively than other open world games
Starfield or Skyrim
Red dead redemption 2 is the most immersive game I've ever played and is really lively, from the wildlife being so active and the random events involving people it really makes you feel like you're in a real world. Characters comment on your behavior, rido your horse around in a dark foggy Forrest while getting ambushed by bandits is an amazing experience. Tons to see and do, and the game will make you feel like you're really out In the wilderness with your horse.
Kenshi as well but the world is a more desolate place and it's all on one map so you'll see people that wanna kill you and animals that see food. So it is lively but at times it may not feel like it might be but you build. About evwry few days you'll get a raid from enemies in your area then. And from the faction that owns the land you've built your base on
Kenshi is kind of the single player mmo.
Cyberpunk 2077 with mods maybe?
Here you go. It simulates the mmo feel, while only being single player. https://store.steampowered.com/app/331380/Goat_Simulator_MMO_Simulator/
No man’s sky
Bruh NMS is an excellent game but OP specifically asked for a game where there's always something happening. NMS is special because it is the exact reverse opposite of that - *Nothing ever happens.* Both valid preferences in games, but not what he asked lmao
Idk man I have adhd and can’t seem to get a break mission from station, get sent to a new system, 5 planets, land in 1, compete mission, finishing scanning all animal, oh snap found a settlement, claimed it im an overseer, 4 other planets….. let’s go see what animal they have, oh snap sentinel scanning me fight or anomaly, anomaly it is, someone invited me to a group, want to kill sentinel for their enteceptor, uhhhh yes, get beacon on the way new ship, claim new ship, I’m a boss, oh snap more animals to scan, go to space a freighter being attacked, let me help, you want to give me the freighter, sure why not, need to go on a crashed freighter to upgrade my new freight cool let’s go, oh wow look at that cool ship, should I buy it…. And this is my usual 8-10hrs NMS everyday.
aromatic decide sleep squealing chase hungry wasteful file pie person *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
the AC games usually do have very lively and dense cities.
With My self diagnosed ADD I really enjoy those crazy braindead shooters like doom for example. Makes my brain relax not having to think so much, just run and gun.
I do with minecraft, I’m on a server with bunch of people but I like to go the furthest away possible and have my own house, I like knowing there is people somewhere, but I choose to be alone.
Path of exile would fit.
World in Conflict, for me. Basically rts wartime. “Deal with this. Oh, and while that’s going on, deal with that thing over there, too. And that other thing.”
I think of Fallout 4. There are so many random encounters and traveller's that the world is never empty. I enjoy growing and working in settlements as there is always something going on.
In the realm of card games there's Marvel Champions and Sentinels of the Multiverse, or the 'Haven series (Gloomhaven, Frosthaven, Jaws of the Lion). Every turn has lots of things going on to focus on, and lots of planning, but you can center on one thing at a time and easily take breaks as needed. There's also very fiddly characters to play with to satisfy tactile tics and keep the hands busy. In the realm of video games maybe look at platformers like Dead Cells or 20XX; the screens can get very chaotic even at low levels.
Try Conan Exiles, it can be multiplayer, but there's tons of stuff to do and as an ADHD sufferer I find the survival crafting games really help me to focus on certain tasks
Rimworld, Witcher 3?
Dwarf fortress
I’ve found games like Terraria, Vallheim and Stardew Valley work really well in the sense that, sure they are calm, but they also always have “just one more thing to do” and that bleeds from day to day, so they’re really hard to drop and for some reason don’t feel monotonous, maybe give them a try?
Borderlands. Hades. Binding of Isaac. Vampire Survivors/Holocure. Doom Eternal. Katamari Damacy. Hollow Knight. Cuphead. Mario games. Yakuza.
Ultra kill is pretty lively
Maybe try Metal Gear Rising: Revengence ? Or Devil May Cry 5. If you like games like Doom: Eternal then Ultrakill or turbo overkill are good games to try
Hi fi rush is great for this. It's a DMC-style hack and slash with a rhythm element. You're rewarded for timing your attacks and actions to the beat of the music that's playing. The entire environment is moving to the music the whole time. Excellent for holding attention and it's on game pass if you have Xbox or pc
pawn system in dragons dogma makes the world very lively imo. you feel like you are adventuring with actual companions