[MarkMarine]

The stakes (there are none except ones you set for yourself)

The timeline (quick returns, but a long scale of challenges you can build up to. Lots of side projects out there with 0 users.)

You can play with friends

You can also pay 1/4 attention until you need to design something complex in the game. I find it fun, I can turn my brain off for a bit but then re/engage for the fun complex stuff.

I stopped playing as much myself because I wanted to either work on professional development (side projects, learning more) or actually make things with my hands (woodworking, chair making, fixing an old truck) that were real breaks from software engineering, and easier to share with my kids.