The Best Single-Player Games For Beginners

Getting into video games is overwhelming, especially in this day and age, where there are so many of them. Most new first-time players will hear about a popular game like Fortnite and be tempted to check it out. But they soon realize it has complex building mechanics, which are crazy difficult. And besides, the players in the battle royale mode aren’t going to go easy on you either.

If you are new to the world of gaming, this list is for you, containing the best single-player games for beginners. The reason is that single-player games have emotional stories and beautiful graphics. But more importantly, they also have easy-to-understand controls. They gradually ease you into the complexities of gameplay and do a good job of familiarizing you with the controller. They also help in developing your reflexes, to the point where you’ll be able to play even the toughest online games like Fortnite and Valorant. If you are set on giving gaming a shot, here are the best single-player games for beginners like yourself.

1) Death Stranding

Death Stranding is set in a post-apocalyptic world. Most of humanity is extinct. Settlements are few and very far between. As Sam Porter, you have to connect these settlements to the Chiral Network by going to them one at a time. 

The settlements are separated by harsh terrain, rivers, supernatural entities called Beaches Things, as well as other hazards. You, as the player, control and guide Sam through these hiccups. Most of the time, there is going to be vast terrain in front of you. You’ll have to decide the best path forward and navigate it. Your main focus will be on controlling the camera and the movement analog sticks to make sure Sam doesn’t fall while carrying cargo. 

In this way, you’ll become familiar with the controller’s joysticks and develop an understanding of them. Occasionally, you’ll be attacked by bandits or supernatural creatures, so there is light shooting combat too. Death Stranding asks little of you in terms of gameplay. It only asks that you master camera controls and movement. If you can also manage combat, it becomes the perfect single-player game for beginners to try first.

2) God of War (2018)

If you don’t want laid-back trips and instead crave glorious combat, God of War is what you’re searching for. God of War is action-heavy. It follows Kratos as he travels to scatter his wife’s ashes on a mountaintop. Certain events lead to the adventure becoming a rollercoaster ride, and Kratos’ past as the infamous Greek God of War comes back to haunt him.

Playing as Kratos, you wield a frost axe and dual blades. Both weapons have skill trees that you can use to unlock new special attacks. You can chain combos by pressing specific inputs, and then use a finisher to brutally rip apart the enemy. Kratos also has a shield, which you can use to block or parry incoming attacks. 

Enemy variety is insane, from little lizards and tall ogres to giant dragons. God of War’s combat has an easy learning curve. Once you understand the timing and get a hang of the three-four attack buttons, combat becomes engaging. It is perfect for new players who want to hone their reflexes.

3) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is turn-based. If you don’t know what that means, you control a team of characters and fight enemies. Each of your characters takes a turn to attack, and the enemy team does the same. Gameplay is simple because of this turn-based system, and it’s the ideal combat for beginners to learn.

You control an expedition out on a quest to stop The Painstress from ending mankind. Along the way, you meet weird creatures, some helpful, most of them not. There’s a vast semi-open world at Clair Obscur’s heart. It consists of regions, each with its own color palette, unique contraptions, and themes.

It’s recommended to play Clair Obscur on the lowest difficulty for beginners. Turn-based games demand that you be strategic. You also have to dodge and parry attacks in Clair Obscur. However, toning down the difficulty helps your mind be at ease. You’ll easily blast through most areas, and as you keep playing and unlock new skills, your mind will naturally learn to strategize.

4) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

A massive New York City, swinging as Spider-Man, and beating up crooks. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of the best superhero games to play as a beginner, especially if you own a PlayStation 5. Spider-Man 2 is an action-adventure game, but it also has some sandbox elements. There’s this huge city in front of you to explore. You can swing around, glide across rooftops, perform air tricks, and use boost abilities to have fun for hours on end. The swinging is designed so masterfully that it never gets boring.

There’s a solid Spidey versus bad guys story involving Venom and Kraven to keep you hooked. But the swinging is so good that once you learn it, you’ll forget about everything else. Of course, there’s plenty of combat. New York’s streets aren’t going to clean themselves, you know. 

Combat is based on attacking, dodging, counterattacking, and using gadgets. It might sound daunting, but it’s effortless after a few hours of practice. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has it all, from the spectacular swinging to the exhilarating criminal fighting. It’s the ultimate playground for a newly initiated gamer wanting to build their foundations.

5) The Last of Us Part 1

Often regarded as the best game of all time, The Last of Us Part 1 serves as a great starting point for beginners. It’s a melodramatic story about life after a zombie apocalypse. Professional smuggler Joel must escort 14-year-old Ellie across the United States. The duo develops a father-daughter relationship and faces many threats, both zombie and human, along their journey.

The Last of Us 1 is a cinematic game. You’ll watch a series of cutscenes, then traverse an area, and later find yourself in a hostile encounter. Some of the combat segments require stealth, while others require you to go in guns blazing. You can collect resources, craft upgrades and throwables, and find new weapons hidden across levels. 

The Last of Us Part 1 doesn’t ever get too overwhelming. It has an emphasis on narrative, but also adds manageable action sequences constantly to spice things up. There are moments where you’ll have to be on top alert, but other than that, it’s a relaxed single-player game best suited to beginners.