An emotional gripping story is great, a crazy test of skill can feel satisfying to conquer, a edge of your seat competitive game with friends can be a thrill, but what if you just want to game and chill?
Here are 5 games to soothe your post-work or school brain and help you unwind, relax and relieve stress.
After a long day of work, parenting, school or working on commissions, it can be tough to enjoy an intense online gaming session of Valorant or a tough exploration game like Hollow Knight. Hope is not lost however, games can still be good at stress relief and has even been proven to help communication and self expression according to U of S study here .
So here are my favorite choices of games to relax, kick back and game the night away.
Game #1 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
This should come as no surprise, the biggest game during the pandemic and the second best selling game on the Nintendo Switch is not about fighting baddies or racing karts, but about owning a home on an island, farming, bug catching, decorating and sharing experiences with in game friends as well as other player friends.
With a description like that you can already see your stress melt away. Throw in some adorable and beautiful visuals and a plethora of simple and fun tasks to do and you have yourself the perfect game to chip away a few hours a day of pure bliss and relaxation. Animal Crossing is the island getaway to get getaway anytime.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons can be bought and played on Nintendo Switch https://amzn.to/3PDqPr1
Game #2 - Flower
Just like Flowers themselves, Flower is quite calming. The game is simple, you play as wind and flower petels, and can bring to life other flowers. It isn't a very long game and can be replayed simply and easily. Coming in at around 1-1.5 hours long it is easy to complete and simple enough where young and old alike could enjoy it.
Flower also features a beautiful and elegant soundtrack. The gameplay while simple, flows and feels great to control, it is also quite unique and will for sure be unlike any other you've played.
Flower can be bought on Playstation 4, PC and on phones
Game #3 - Minecraft
You've definitely heard of and probably seen Minecraft even if you've never played a video game at all.
At this point Minecraft is an entire franchise, with spin off games, adventure books and even Lego sets. However originally Minecraft was just a game, and a really great game at that.
Minecraft can be stressful but also offers limitless possibility and creativity. It's simplicity is its strength as kids and adults alike can grasp its controls and gameplay, however it can also be an environment to foster creativity, architecture design, art, music and even people creating entire computers out of the mechanics of Minecraft.
And while you could play in survival and gain resources traditionally, the creative gives you limitless resources with no enemies, giving your mind all the freedom to create with none of the worry.
Minecraft can be played on most consoles, PC and phones https://amzn.to/3IP64GF
Game #4 - The Sims
What if you got to play a game about real life? Doesn't sound too fun, however thankfully the Sims is like what if you could whatever you want in real life, with money cheats!
The Sims is a life sim game, where you can hold a prestigious career, have your own restaurant, own like 10 dogs, have a mansion, or become a vampire. You can spend hours decorating your own virtual house, and creating your own adventures in the Sims, and it only expands upon each new game release. It can be a fun daydream come true kind of game, or just have a blast creating chaos, it can be the perfect way to relieve some stress.
The Sims 4 can be purchased on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC https://amzn.to/3OoC6KG
Game #5 - Stardew Valley
Ever wanted the peacefulness of owning a farm without the grueling and sweaty labor? In Stardew Valley, you inherit a farm from your grandfather and are tasked with restoring it!
While the premise may already stress you out, Stardew Valley is anything but. You get eye catching and adorable pixel art, relaxing music and engaging and simple gameplay, with plenty of kind and loveable character, it's easy to feel immersed and engaged in this lovable world. You can even get adorable pixel dinosaurs from your farm, who wouldn't want that?
Stardew Valley can be purchased on most consoles and PC https://amzn.to/3aP3W54
Games can unleash inner Zen and relax you.
Gaming can be very active, require a sharp mind and can be quite stressful in their engagement and entertainment, and that's okay! However sometimes the best games feel more like spending a rainy day curled up inside, with a warm drink and a cozy blanket, relaxing, refreshing and easy on the mind.