How to get back into a game you left halfway without getting lost

If you're wondering how to get back into a game you left halfway, the short answer is: don't start by playing, start by deciding how much you want to recover. Some people prefer to restart from scratch and others just need a couple of reminders. Below are five tips for coming back without getting lost and a selection of games that handle long breaks well.

First, decide whether it's worth going back

Before reinstalling anything, ask yourself an honest question: did I stop because I didn't have time, or because I wasn't enjoying it? If it was the latter, maybe you don't need to pick it up again; you need to give your library permission to let it go. If it was the former, go for it.

An unfinished game isn't a debt. It's a game waiting for its moment.

Five tips for coming back without getting lost

1. Return with a short session and no goals. Thirty minutes to remember the controls and the rhythm. Don't try to push the story forward on the first day.
2. Go over what you remember before opening the game. Write two lines about what you were doing. Whatever you don't remember, look it up afterwards in a spoiler-free summary of the part you were on.
3. Drop the difficulty a notch if the game lets you. If you no longer remember the mechanics, a smaller challenge stops your return from ending in frustration.
4. Restarting counts too. If the story is what matters and months have passed, starting again is often more pleasant than slogging through sections you no longer understand.
5. Set yourself a small, clear goal: "I'll finish this chapter", "I'll reach the next boss". A concrete goal weighs less than "finish the game".

Games that forgive long breaks

Not every game copes equally well with being left for a month. These, according to their pages, have a rhythm that helps you come back.

Ones that progress passenger by passenger or day by day

Spiritfarer has a gentle pace and, according to its page, each session moves along the story of one of your passengers: it's easy to pick up where you left off. DREDGE works in fishing days that last a few minutes, so you can close the game almost at any moment and return to a simple routine.

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  SpiritfarerManagement · Narrative · CosyWhen you want an emotional story without tension: the pace is gentle and each session moves forward some passenger's story.When to play it and when not to
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  DREDGEFishing · Adventure · Light horrorWhen you want something calm with a touch of mystery. A day's fishing takes a few minutes and always improves something.When to play it and when not to

Ones played in self-contained chunks

Unpacking is split into moves of about 20 minutes, each with a beginning and an end, and The Walking Dead is a five-episode adventure with episodes of a couple of hours. If you left it between chapters, coming back is natural. If you left it halfway, replaying a short section costs little.

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  UnpackingPuzzle · Cosy · NarrativeWhen you need to switch off with something tidy and satisfying. Each move takes about 20 minutes.When to play it and when not to
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  The Walking DeadNarrative · Choices · ZombiesWhen you want an intense story in instalments: each episode lasts a couple of hours and leaves you wanting more.When to play it and when not to

Ones where a break costs you nothing

In Outer Wilds you don't level up or collect items: the only thing that progresses is your knowledge. That works in your favour when you return, because there's no gear to remember or build to reconstruct; you only need to go over what you'd discovered. That said, it needs at least an hour ahead of you and it doesn't tell you where to go.

Sea of Stars is an accessible turn-based RPG that, according to its page, moves along nicely in hour-long sessions and doesn't demand grinding, ideal if you've lost the thread of the combat a little.

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  Outer WildsExploration · Mystery · Space adventureWhen you feel like exploring and thinking calmly, with at least an hour ahead of you. Every loop ends with a discovery.When to play it and when not to
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  Sea of StarsJRPG · Turn-based · Pixel artWhen you want a classic, relaxed turn-based adventure that moves along nicely in hour-long sessions.When to play it and when not to

If you have lots of unfinished games, let someone choose for you

When you've piled up several started games, the problem is no longer how to get back into one, but which one. In Tackle my backlog we sort them for you using your Steam playtime (it's an estimate: Steam doesn't know whether you've finished a game). And if you'd rather choose based on your energy and time today, Pick from my library suggests one of the games you already own. You can also read how to choose what to play when you have too many games on Steam.

Summary

• Decide whether you really want to go back or whether it's time to let it go.
• Start with a short, pressure-free session.
• Note down what you remember and only look up what's missing.
• If months have passed and the story is what matters, restarting is an option.
• Choose games that progress in days, chapters or have no progression to lose.