What game do you play to just chill?

Nowadays I find a lot of games feel like too much work and/or anxiety when I just want to relax for like, 30 minutes to an hour after a long day. On the other hand, the games specifically designed to help you unwind just feel boring imo.

In the past I’ve felt like Outer Wilds scratched this itch, cause the whole experience was engaging but generally relaxed. There was a mystery that kept me hooked and the exploration and movement was fun in and of itself. I also felt like Subnautica filled this role since it was very much at my own pace, with anxiety producing portions which could for the most part be avoided or minimized, and also there was a clear objective to fulfill, get off the planet.

So what games do you play when you just wanna relax?

Ignisnex,
@Ignisnex@lemmy.world avatar

Personally, i just need a game that lets me do something pretty. Satisfactory was mentioned, or City Skylines. Or something that is highly nostalgic and familiar, like Skyrim, Halo or Minecraft. I don’t intrinsically need to think in these cases, which is my goal. I’m a programmer, so anything that lets me shut my brain off and just exist is great. Sometimes BloonsTD is also a great game for this, but it’s situational.

Counter intuitively, most “casual” games like Stardew don’t really fit this vibe for me because of the daily time limit. I need to pick and choose what tasks to do in a day, and I always fall into a min-max schedule, which requires effort. Much as I love them, I also avoid story driven games like Baldur’s Gate when I need to unwind, because I really need to pay attention to progress, and there kinda isn’t any mindless grinding. Multiplayer games with randos is also strictly out. No League, COD, Battlefield, Fortnite etc… Just in general. Don’t like 'em, never did, hate that they are so prolific. They’re just stressful.

Eyelessoozeguy,

In the something pretty department I recommend dwarffortress.

DashboTreeFrog,

Man, sounds like we’re in very much the same vibe, think I’ll give City Skylines and/or Satisfactory a go

Ignisnex,
@Ignisnex@lemmy.world avatar

Hell yea my dude. Don’t forget, always be productive! And don’t damage Ficsit property.

PresidentCamacho,

The factory must grow!

philpo,

Timberborn is always nice,

so is Minecraft.

Subnautica is also very relaxing after you know your way around it.

But Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most “chill” game for me. You can simply go out to hunt, enjoy the nature, etc.

FontMasterFlex,

You can simply go out to hunt, enjoy the nature,

So incredibly ironic, this statement. god forbid anyone GO OUTSIDE, no, we have to enjoy nature in a video game.

philpo,

Yeah, you’re of course right, after a 12h shift people should go outside in the dark rainy night instead of enjoying themselves for an hour in front of a PC and first and god forbid they live in a region without much nature.

FontMasterFlex,

Look I play games too. I never said not to. I said it was ironic that someone would ‘relax’ by ‘going outside to enjoy nature’ in a video game. IDAF where you live, outside is outside. I’ve lived in remote areas and i’ve lived in heavily populated areas. no matter where I lived there was a park, or a sidewalk nearby. maybe put down the internet for a minute and go outside if you’re getting this triggered over a sentence.

Litany,
@Litany@lemmy.world avatar

Fellow Timberborn enjoyer here. Waiting for the Simple Floodgates mod to get updated.

TheGiantKorean,
@TheGiantKorean@lemmy.world avatar

Shattered Pixel Dungeon. Which is weird because it’s actually quite frustrating, but super rewarding if you win.

gac11,

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup has a similar feel to it. It’s a lot more involved if you want way more variables to play with. There’s and Android port from PC that takes some getting used to, but is pretty fun to play over and over.

TheGiantKorean,
@TheGiantKorean@lemmy.world avatar

I need to check this one out again. A friend of mine highly recommended it.

DashboTreeFrog,

I played this a bit on mobile and really enjoyed it, not sure why I stopped in retrospect, I was never able to beat it even once. Another one where dying isn’t a big deal cause replaying is part of the fun. Been thinking of checking it out on PC but just never got around to it

TheGiantKorean,
@TheGiantKorean@lemmy.world avatar

Hit me up if you ever need any tips. I’m not the best out there, but I’ve won with all 5 classes. Currently working on winning with all 9 challenges on.

zabadoh,

I find the boss battles in Pixel Dingeon too difficult when I am forced into them before my character is ready.

Pathos Nethack is a better mobile dungeon crawler with no time pressure for the fixed encounters.

TheGiantKorean,
@TheGiantKorean@lemmy.world avatar

I’m check it out!

Putykat,
@Putykat@lemmy.world avatar

Sky Children of the Light (solo player)

luminaree,
@luminaree@lemmy.world avatar

This is also my go to for some chill gaming!

yamanii,
@yamanii@lemmy.world avatar

You want arcade experiences

DashboTreeFrog,

Legit, I was looking into getting a light gun working with my gaming setup recently cause that was my favorite thing to do at arcades.

runestomper,

I’ve gotten really into Grand Theft Auto San Andreas for unwinding after a long day. Something about the low poly graphics while I can just be a menace in the game feels right.

Cmar,

Played it on my switch a few months ago after many years, still holds up beautifully. The radio stations are spot on and, just like you said, the low poly graphics (even on the DE) are so easy on the eyes.

Immersive_Matthew,

I am biased as I am the Imagineer of my title, but I get a lot of comments that it is a great place to just chill, even with a loved one or good friend. It is a VR Theme Park focused on highly detailed, story driven dark rides like the ones you find at Disney. The first ride is out and it sent me to the top of charts on the Meta Quest App Lab Store. Even if you do not have VR yet, that is fine as I am not done developing yet as I have years of work ahead of me, but if/when you do, come check it out. It really does feels like you are in a Theme Park on a nice sunny day, walking around the grounds, exploring the ride queues and of course boarding the dark rides…well one dark ride, but the second one is coming along nice,”The Haunted Castle” and I will be updating the store with a tease soon.

www.meta.com/experiences/4212005182188732/

philpo,

…that is not even good advertising…

Immersive_Matthew,

Ahahaha I know right. Marketing is just not my thing, but Imagineering is thankfully. Sounds like it is not your thing too as my posts usually appeal to the Disney fans…especially EPCOT which I did not even mention which is odd as that is one of the park’s Inspirations. See…I suck at this.

NostraDavid, (edited )
@NostraDavid@programming.dev avatar

Outer Wilds

I will always shill for Outer Wilds, simply because it’s such a niche that only 2 games have come out in its unnamed genre: Majora’s Mask and Outer Wilds.

Yes, Outer Wilds is a spiritual successor to Majora’s Mask.

And the worst part is that talking about the game would probably spoil half of it. All I can say that it’s an adventure like Majora’s Mask.

If you ever were to trust an internet stranger to buy a game blind, now is the time. If you loved MM, you’ll at least like OW.

Happy adventuring, stranger ;)

Abnorc,

I’m really lucky that I didn’t cave in and watch any videos at first. (I think I watched the game’s version of a tutorial, but that was it.) Its fantastic.

FellowEnt,

Thanks for the reminder, I’m gonna go straight in with the VR mod. Haven’t even seen the trailer.

monkeytennis, (edited )
@monkeytennis@lemmy.world avatar

I got deeply into this (genre?) when I burned out on a combination of playing big/tough games and the stresses of life. I also enjoyed the pace of Outer Wilds and Subnautica. Some other favourites:

  • Supraland 1/2 (low combat, light hearted metroidvania, I loved it)
  • Psychonauts 2 (amazing adventure game, big but not hard. I loved collecting everything, it was a great balance)
  • Tinykin (similar adventure, a bit like Pikmin, which is also great. Lots of chilled collecting)
  • Spiritfarer (lots of freedom, loose plot, not overwhelming)
  • Breath of the Wild (do what you want, very nice discovery elements)
  • TOEM, A Short Hike, GRIS and Cocoon (light adventure / puzzle games, peaceful but could be boring if you want action)
  • Yokus Island Express (lovely metroidvania, chilled gameplay, not overwhelming)
  • It Takes two (humour, light combat - played with my young son)
  • Unravel 1/2 (easy-ish puzzles)
  • Weirdly, I found Sniper Elite 4/5 fairly chill, lots of scoping out areas
  • Overcooked 2 (zero stress if you play practice mode a ton before attempting a level. I found it a very zen/flow game)
  • Peggle 1/2 (can be frustrating, but is very low stakes and arcadey. Lovely for short sessions)
  • Wilmots Warehouse (can be stressful if you take the timer seriously, but I loved all the organising. Very satisfying)
  • Vampire Survivors (can get a bit much, but pretty simple and disposable)

There are tons more, I deal with a lot of anxiety!

Some games I was recommended for this purpose that didn’t land for me:

  • Powerwash sim / other simulators (these feel like a second job for me. Constant grind and focus on perfection wasn’t helpful)
  • Tetris Evolution / Lumines (either gets too fast / hard, or gets boring)
  • Stardew / Terraria (in theory these look great, but I find huge sandboxes too overwhelming. Always feels like I should be doing more stuff / doing it better)
  • Roguelikes (I like Hades, Dead Cells, etc, but they’re very stressful and frustrating when so much hinges on survival)

Finally, I’d suggest trying a solo board game. More tactile and relaxing alternative to screen time.

Ashen,

Might I recommend Alba and Lil’ Gator Game? Both will fit fairly well into your list.

jacksilver, (edited )

I saw you mention peggle and rouge lites. If you haven’t checked it out yet you should try peglin - store.steampowered.com/app/1296610/Peglin/.

Its a great peggle based rouge lite with a good amount of replay ability (plus there is an excellent android app too).

ChonkyOwlbear,

Especially in the winter,I like to fire up The Long Dark. I put on the exploration setting where the wildlife doesn’t attack. You still have to deal with the need for food and warmth, so there are still stakes. Just not the anxiety inducing animal attacks. There’s a sort of bleak beauty to the game.

LilPappyWigwam,

Top shelf game

iheartneopets,

I just realized, if there was ever a wildlife photography mode in that game, I would play the shit out of it. RP-ing as an ‘extreme’ wildlife photographer trying to shoot around blizzards and keeping your gear in working order would be a really cool way to shake up the gameplay. Would easily get another 200 hours of play out of me.

Ashen,

I’ve forgotten about this! I played it way back when there wasn’t even a real story, but I believed that’s changed.

Constantly finding resources to survive was quite anxiety inducing, lol.

BeautifulMind, (edited )
@BeautifulMind@lemmy.world avatar

It’s my bike, I ride my bike.

Indoors, I’ve got Zwift, which looks a bit like a game.

Outdoors the resolution is better, but the NPCs can be belligerent.

Thermal_shocked,

Lol

Crackhappy,
@Crackhappy@lemmy.world avatar

I play Trackmania at least once a day. The community is so nice and friendly and the racing at high speed is so calming for me.

ImpossibilityBox,

Just. Don’t. Play. Kacky.

You will lose your cool and hate existence. Even if you like kacky it will happen at some point.

FleetingTit,
@FleetingTit@feddit.de avatar

Dorfromantik

mwproductions,

This is my favorite chill game.

FontMasterFlex,

I can’t suggest this game enough.

Abnorc,

Lately I have been playing Crypt of the Necrodancer. It was quite chill until I reached zone 4. It doesn’t get me worked up or anything, but the last level of zone 4 does get me a bit tense with the speed.

In general, Deep Rock Galactic is pretty chill. If I really just want to take it easy I can pick up a mission on Hazard 3 or 4.

pixeltree,

I second deep rock

mycatiskai,

Third. Just go in play a quick mission or two with a friend on the weekend then have some crazy beers.

SheDiceToday,

Completely agree. The first few zones are so fun because you’re just engaging with the game. Then it gets nutso.

kakes,

Noita is a good chill game. You will lose, and you will die a horrible death in the process, but if you can accept that, the journey to death is a fun one.

DashboTreeFrog,

I’ve just become aware of Noita recently. It looks kind of insane in a good way, but looks really hectic and anxiety inducing. But what you’ve said is pretty convincing, maybe I can make the journey to death fun.

kakes,

It’s one of those games where, if it looks interesting to you, I can’t recommend it enough.

KillerTofu,

I got on the hype train when it came out. I’ve played it maybe twice. Too much random chance for me.

dm_me_your_boobs,

It’s not for everyone, but I absolutely adore it. It’s incredibly hard, but once you get the idea of what’s going on, if it’s still too hard I highly recommend checking out the steam workshop. I tend to play with a couple mods to make it a bit easier and then go wild with mods for spells, enemies, world gen, etc. Even without mods every single run is wildly different.

Anyway, again it’s not for everyone, but the combination of a simulating every pixel, endless spell combinations, and the hilarity that ensues because I tried something new that I thought was safe, well, it’s a recipe for either a really good time or throwing a controller at the wall. For me, good times. And I say that when I loathe games that are too hard for me most of the time.

dm_me_your_boobs,

Glad I found this, my brother in pixel sims. This is 100% my favorite game.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • asklemmy@lemmy.world
  • localhost
  • All magazines
    •
    Loading…
    Loading the web debug toolbar…
    Attempt #