I recently found a game called Primal Planet. This is a ‘metroidvania’, a sidescrolling platformer game which focuses on action and puzzles while exploring and backtracking through a world. The player takes the role of a caveman, accompanied by his partner and child (controlled by the computer) and a young Sinosauropteryx (controlled by the computer or a second player).
This small family must survive the threats of predator dinosaurs and other, more menacing enemies, as they search for a new home. At the beginning of the game, the caveman is separated from his partner and child, and must reunite with them and find a new, safe place to live. Overall, the game is not terribly long, taking roughly ten hours to complete.
I found the game deeply enjoyable as a throwback to the DOS, NES, and SNES eras. This was especially the case for the minimally intrusive menu and UI. The game tells the player very little, leaving a lot for them to discover on their own, both in the world they explore and the mechanics of the gameplay. The in-game map purposely lacks detail, representing the sort of thing a caveman might draw. It also features environmental changes—time of day, weather, foliage, and water sources—which affect the options the player has available to them in the moment.
I highly recommend the game.