While the games that run in "real" time are fine, for a new player they can be overwhelming. The need for a novice to rapidly apply ideas that experienced gamers have developed over years can make the game overwhelming. So, I'd recommend a turn based game such as HoMM. If you can get the classic set, HoMM 1 was easy to learn, easy to play, and the tutorial was just about enough to get one started.
