If you want a decent beginner game into the Paradox collection of 4x's, Crusader Kings 3 is probably your best bet on that front. It has a good UI, generally pretty easy/forgiving, and, as with all Paradox games, there's a massive list of rules you can tweak to your liking.

4x games are so big, that you need to just ignore parts of the game, because they aren't relevant to your current run.

As well, I tend to try and play the game a new kind of way each time. Either focusing solely on military one run, or diplomacy another run, or tech another. These are games that're meant to be played multiple times. So setting an objective for each run is kinda necessary.

Generally, whenever I go into a set run with a 4x I set myself a single goal which I try my hardest to stick to. In Crusader Kings, I tend to give myself the goal of forming a specific kingdom or empire. Also, 4x games are the only types of games where achievements are decent goals to go for.

As someone who binge watched the entirety of 0079 in a week earlier this year, due to simply how good it was, I wholeheartedly second this. It gave me brain worms I can never remove

I have no idea if you've played it, but Pathologic 2 is maybe one of the most well written games I've seen, and has an incredible, oppressive atmosphere.

For whatever reason, Shitter really liked to suspend my accounts for engaging in the website, and liking posts lol