Patient Gamers

Balatro

Europa Universalis IV. There are tons of countries to play, lots of variation each time, and so many options for self challenges (e.g. accomplish goal by year).

The only thing that would get me to stop playing is if EUV is good, and then only a few years and DLC in. Even then, I could see myself coming back to it.

Dark Souls. If there's nothing else I want to play, I'm always up for another run through Lordran with a build I've never tried before.

The Long Dark. Something about wandering an icy wasteland scavenging, hunting, fishing, works for me.

StarCraft. The original. My brain and body is hardwired to play that game. "SCV ready" triggers something. I have a fantasy of retiring in an old folks home and me and a few of my fellow geriatrics fire that shit up and play LAN games until the DNR kicks in.

Phigros

It's a mobile rhythm game without ads and in-app purchases. It's also completely offline so I don't need an internet connection to play.

Hardspace: Shipbreaker. If I’m wanting to play a game but don’t have anything specific it usually means I just want a mental break from life. Shipbreaker is perfect for that. It’s fun and engaging but you play at your own pace and no one is shooting at you. Plus you’re floating around in space with 6 degrees of movement (not considering 360 degrees of rotation) tearing apart spaceships!

what's your "I will keep playing this game for the rest of my life" fallback?

Lately it's OpenRCT, Counterstrike 2, or Cities Skylines. On the phone it's minecraft.

Destiny 2. I have no idea what's going on but I sure do love shooting those aliens.

When in doubt, true doubt, Doom is always there for me, in every device I own.

Space Engineers. I can just build and build and build, and the community seems to always have a few new interesting mods whenever I'm looking to start a new world.

Civilization 6

Factorio, Minecraft, Stardew Valley. Also solitaire on my phone (PySolFC).

Crypt of the Necrodancer.

Really fun roguelike game where you and enemies have to move to the beat of that floor's song. I think part of the reason I still play it a lot is that it's amenable to very short sessions. I've played enough that runs go fast and I either clear or die within 10 minutes.

Over 1200 hours now almost a decade after release, and a huge chunk of that is probably sessions of under 30 mins in length.

Marvel Snap

Slay the spire. Quick 30-45 minute run is just enough to kill time.

Project Zomboid, or one of the Arkham games.

My main ones are: Minecraft, age of empires 2, postal 2.

Rimworld

I just keep coming back.

I love hunting for achievements and there’s always one unfinished game that’s a fallback to push a bit further in these cases where I stare at my Steam library for five minutes without starting anything, right now it‘s „if in doubt, play Metal Gear Solid V“

Runs 60 FPS all high on the Deck as well, which is crazy to me

Skate 3

I'll just load it up, find a new spot and make some clips.

Mass Effect. Always new choices waiting for you

Shmups. Not any one in particular, although ESP Ra.De. or DDP DaiOuJou often tend to be top of my list.
Otherwise, Streets of Rage 2 or TMNT: Turtles in Time.

Recently, some doom mod

For me that's rocket league.

Caves of Qud

For years that game was Warframe for me. Just turn of my brain and run missions I know inside and out while watching twitch from the corner of eye on a second monitor. At some point I wanted to have more time to play other games so I stopped and didn't find a new cozy game

Burnout 3

Zen pinball