Looking for an outlet that will help you find peace in your hectic life this year? Maybe what you’re looking for is just a click away!
When we think of video games, some may think of adrenaline-pumping action, high-octane racing, or even challenging puzzles. But sometimes, video games can also mean calm in between one’s busy schedule. While some games’ interpretations of fun are outlandish experiences where the player gets to be the hero, there are also titles where you can just relax and enjoy doing your tasks at your own pace. Below are such video games you could play on your PC and consoles.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a chill and peaceful gameplay that you could enjoy anywhere, thanks to the portability of the Nintendo Switch. Live a soothing life on an island where you can garden, fish, catch insects, befriend islanders, and hang out with your friends. With its available tools for crafting and decorating, the game really gives you the freedom to make an island of your own!
Stardew Valley
PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, & iOS
This indie life and farming simulator polished the genre first made popular by the Harvest Moon franchise. Presented in pixel graphics, Stardew Valley turns you into a new farmer who just inherited a plot of land from his grandfather. Your goal is to make the land thrive by sowing seeds and reaping crops. The game also allows you to fish, mine, craft, make friends with the villagers, and even marry one of them.
A Short Hike
PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, & Xbox One
Perhaps what you need to relax is a short hike into nature. But if that’s not possible for the moment, you should check out the game A Short Hike. The game takes you on a journey where you hike, climb, and soar through beautiful mountainside landscapes. Along the way, you will also meet other hikers and discover hidden treasures that will make your virtual hike even more memorable.
ABZU
PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
From hiking atop majestic mountaintops, you might also find peace diving into the deepest parts of the ocean. ABZU takes you on such an adventure as a Diver, who goes into the vibrant depths of the ocean to discover hundreds of unique species and unravel its many mysteries. While danger also awaits in its depths, the game will take you on an underwater journey that soothes you with beauty.
Proteus
PC, PlayStation 3, & PlayStation Vita
Proteus is the game to satisfy one’s wanderlust. The game’s blocky yet charming world lets you explore, immerse, and interact with so many things. While its main objective is just to let you discover its wonderful virtual landscapes and seascapes, the game also holds little surprises that make it more interesting to players.
Untitled Goose Game
PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, & Nintendo Switch
As responsible adults, sometimes we just want to let loose and act like chaotic kids. The Untitled Goose Game helps you redeem that feeling of freedom… but as a goose. In this game, you play a goose that goofs around and creates funny problems in an unsuspecting village setting up pranks, stealing people’s belongings, and honking a lot until you ruin everyone’s day!
Donut County
PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, & Nintendo Switch
Here’s another video game where you create satisfying and enjoyable chaos. In this physics puzzle game, you are literally just a hole on the ground. You control this hole with the objective of getting everything to fall into its mysterious depths, and with every item you devour, the hole gets larger. While it’s a simplistic and straight-to-the-point game, Donut County offers charming visuals and fun characters that are all delightful as a whole.
Spiritfarer
PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, & Nintendo Switch
A game about death may sound bleak and upsetting, but the management simulator Spiritfarer is far from that. You play as Stella, the ferry master to the deceased. Your objective is to build and expand your boat, and get to know your passenger spirits before you release them into the afterlife. Alongside its management mechanics, the game also offers touching stories that will leave a mark on you after playing.
Firewatch
Firewatch is a narrative mystery game set in the Wyoming wilderness. You play as Henry, a fire lookout based on top of a lone tower in the middle of the woods. With only the voice of your supervisor, Delilah, keeping you company through a handheld radio, your job is to make sure that the forest is safe from fire. To do so, the game requires you to leave the tower and explore the wild environment around you, while making choices that may build or destroy the only relationship you hold onto. With its gorgeous visuals and enthralling story, Firewatch will keep you engaged and soothed with wonder.
GRIS
PC, PlayStation 4, iOS, Android, & Nintendo Switch
This side-scroller offers a serene gaming experience that’s free from danger, frustration, or death. Presented in captivating art and music, the game puts you in the world of Gris, a hopeful young girl who must deal with sorrow. As she grows emotionally, more of her abilities are unlocked, allowing you to see her world differently.
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Looking for more video games to play? Check out our other video game lists! Stay in the loop and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
