I know a lot of gamers, including myself, that use video games to destress from the stresses of real life. And I find certain games are really good for relaxing with and are great for gamers and non-gamers alike.
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A big clarification moment for my own comfort. While I am pro-gaming for stress relief, don’t let yourself succumb to playing games to the point of taking over your actual life. I’ve had those moments sometimes, but don’t stay there forever. Ok, on to the list!
The Sims 4
Many people say that The Sims 4 is their go-to destress game, and I’m no exception. I’ve had my fair share of days spent lost in the haze of building houses and controlling the life of my sims. And with so many DLC’s out there, the amount of content will keep you playing through your stressful times.
Megaquarium (and other tycoon games)
I am a big fan of tycoon games for stress relief. A recent go-to is Megaquarium, where you build and manage your own aquarium. It’s beautiful, has a relaxing atmosphere and music, and has a sandbox option if you’re relaxing style is just building and not the challenges.
Wandersong
While platformers are not always the most relaxing, Wandersong‘s story, aesthetic, and atmosphere is very relaxing. It is an enjoyable game that will distract you from the stress of your life while staying engaging through the platforming and story.
Armello
I’m a little biased since Armello is my most played and favorite game, but I find Armello a stress relief for me specifically when I play alone. It causes me to focus on the game and trying to win for an hour instead of the anxieties of life. And this works for many other strategy-centric games like XCOM 2 and Civilization games.
Singleplayer Games
While this isn’t a specific game, I included it because I often go specifically to singleplayer games when stressed out or struggling. I have found I get easily irritated when playing with others, and that is even worse when I’m already stressed out. I can get more easily lost in the experience when playing alone, and I find that more relaxing.
Jackbox Party Packs
However, the one time I can do a multiplayer game to destress it is with Jackbox games. They are meant to be ridiculous and funny, and a good laugh is a great destresser. If you prefer playing games with other people and find being with friends helps your stress, I do recommend Jackbox.
What video games do you play to help you destress? Share them in the comments!
[…] Video Games To Help You Destress […]
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The Sims 4! Throwback to memory lane. Had a major nolstagic moment while reading your post. Great review, keep it up!
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Sims 4 is my life though. I used to work at a videogame store and seeing others who find games relaxing and beautiful really makes my day.
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There are definitely games that I play when I need to take a step back from life for a little while. XCOM for sure, Auto Chess, any of the Forza games are also good for that.
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Good list! I did not know the XCOM games were relaxing. I like to listen to the Donkey Kong soundtrack remixed sometimes.
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Yup – for me after work, cracking a beer, busting out some tunes and playing some retro games is divine! Nothing better than busting out some games….
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[…] have been many games made for mobile with relaxing and stress relief in mind. And since I shared video games to help you destress, I figured mobile games would be fitting too. So in this post, I am going to share some of my […]
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[…] seen Michelle around before, she is not only writes amazing blog posts like this article on games that help you destress, but she also runs an amazing Facebook group called Geek Blogs Unite. Michelle is a super talented […]
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Anno 1404 was a great chill game, too, by the way. Not really that challenging, just a wonderful city/merchant empire-building game with a very “cozy” atmosphere. Only Anno game I’ve played, but they seem pretty similar, so the more recent ones will probably have the same effect 🙂 .
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