My 13 hour flight just got delayed 7 hours, I'm stuck at my second airport, and I dont think I'm gonna make it. I have some movies and audio books on my phone, but really only anticipated having to burn the flight time via napping and some media, not 7 hours leading up to it, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna mentally burn out on passive media.
- I have media on my phone - movies, shows and audio books, but I can only do about 2-3 hours at a stretch before I burn out on those things.
- I have wifi and power both on the ground and on the plane, although I'm sure the connection once we get going isn't going to be performance enough for online games.
- I have a phone and headset but didn't bring a laptop because it was just extra bulk I didn't think I'd need. I don't have a switch or steam deck or anything neat.
- I have access to the airport lounge, so drinks are free, and I get free drinks on the plane. I don't want to get wasted or have to pee constantly, so my plan is to jim lahey it.
- I'm intrigued by mobile games, but every one I've tried has felt too gimmicky with gambling or freemium BS mechanics. Also tried started valley but it never got me hooked either. I have an android and will buy games if they're worth it.
- I'm open to any other ideas that could somehow mentally (or physically while on the ground) stimulate me.
- I'm a dude in my 30s with a family and kids, but I'm currently traveling solo.
- I've already killed 2 hours on a plane and 2 more on the ground (my planned connection time) doing nothing, I was saving my media trying to avoid burning out on shit before I get on the plane.
- I suck at sleeping when on the go.
- I'm on my 3rd mimosa and bored as fuck.
Help.
If you truly didn’t enjoy Stardew Valley, then never mind ignore this. If you felt like it had potential but it just didn’t grab you, I’d suggest giving it another shot. It hooks some people immediately but it is a bit of a slow burn for others. It’s beloved by its cult following for a reason. But again, if you didn’t like it then that’s totally legit.
If you like puzzle games, The Witness is another exceptional PC game that was impressively preserved in its entirety when it came out on mobile. The visuals are stunning (though you may not get the absolute best experience on a small phone screen, but still) and it’s got a well-earned reputation for being one of those fully-suck-you-in-lose-track-of-all-sense-of-time games.
Maybe it's worth another shot. I've heard great things, played for an hour or so once and never went back. I think I started planting a farm and went into town once or twice and just felt like i didn't "get it". I'll try the witness too.
I think the idea that’s it’s a “farming sim” can leave people feeling aimless at first, since it’s pretty impossible to get a farm going for longer than you’d expect. (Not that long, but not right away.) That design is supposed to drive you to get into the story a bit and make sure you don’t miss figuring out that the non-farming skills are equally (or more) useful.
It’s also worth knowing at the outset that the game builds in complexity until Spring year 3 at the earliest, longer if you haven’t gotten to certain milestones by then. So if you’re starting to feel like you’ve done everything there is to do, you definitely haven’t. It will just take a little exploring to find the next cool region/mechanic/quest/etc. If you’re ever getting frustrated, the SV wiki has an absurd amount of info, but the general recommendation is to avoid it if possible on your first game so you can soak it in spoiler-free.
Again though, it’s not going to be for everyone. I’m obviously a massive fan and want everyone to try it. If it’s not for you, then it’s just not for you. In which case fingers crossed you enjoy the witness or any of the other great recs in the comments! 20 hours is rough. Good luck!