I really really enjoyed the gameplay loop in Half Life 2 where you have a vehicle and traverse the map in a linear way. You travel, stop, solve puzzles, fight and again travel (and get upgrades along the way).
You kind of form a relationship with your vehicle. It was such a great feeling. It feels like a journey and was oddly satisfying and scratched this specific itch.
Any game suggestions that can trigger a similar feeling? Bonus if there’s some survival stuff thrown in like hunger, fuel, vehicle maintenance etc. :)
EDIT: Just to add, I get a similar feeling when I play FTL. You have a ship that you continue improving, and you are going from point A to B with adventures along the way.
It’ll be a very different experience from Half Life, but I’d recommend Spiritfarer! There’s a sort of hunger mechanic, although it’s for the other characters that stay on your boat. Your ship is upgradable and you can place all sorts of structures on it. By the end of the game, it really feels like it’s uniquely yours.
Fantastic game but a little emotionally draining if you cry a lot. :)