When you feel like relaxing, and aren't particularly seeking a challenge, what do you like to play?
Personally, I'm a big fan of The Sims build mode and City Builders where it's fine to leave the simulation running while go make a cup of tea. I used to prefer intense resource management & micromanagement games, but as I get older, the more I value creative building games that don't have fail conditions.
Densha de GO! and what I've played of Euro Truck simulator scratch the same itch. There's something about following basic traffic rules and getting judged based on how well you control big machinery that's pretty relaxing.
Sometimes I fall into a trap with management games where my 'optimization' brain takes over and I get too engaged with min-maxing something like Stardew Valley. Puzzle games are even worse, I sometimes work myself up trying to get a high score in Lumines or Magical Drop or Puzzle Bobble and end up not relaxed at all. I eventually hit a skill level where I find it hard to unwind.
What about you? I'm also curious the perspective of people who don't use games to relax at all.
Driving any car around nurburgring in any gran turismo is good for me. PSP version is particularly good for lounging around while doing so. I’m mostly still terrible, but it is such a long track with such a rhythm to it, it’s like reading a familiar story. Plus going off course in gran turismo never means you can’t continue or need to reset, so I don’t feel scolded for driving like an idiot.
@“Tradegood”#p140696 I’m also curious the perspective of people who don’t use games to relax at all.
I don't think I do, but also I have a couple mental health diagnoses that make me unsure about what other people mean by 'relax'. I'm not entirely sure if I've ever relaxed. I've used osu! to help with anxiety a few times, because it overwhelms my brain and makes it hard to think about anything else. Other rhythm games usually work for this (they can't be too easy), but osu! is the most convenient.
I love the truck sims, but I wouldn't call them relaxing. I find it satisfying to make a trip, to take something from one place to another place. But there's stuff like speed limits, cops, red lights, traffic, off ramps, and parking the truck (if you so dare) that prevent it from being what I would call relaxing or what I think relaxing is.
I think I do find some games that people call relaxing to be plain boring. I thought A Short Hike was saccharine and dull, just as an example.
Going back to the rhythm game example, I think what I would consider "relaxing" is more like "demands intense focus". Fighting games, shooting games, stuff that doesn't let my mind draft into all the horrible stuff in there. These aren't necessarily my favorite genres, but they are what I would reach for.
My relax game is Astroneer. It isn't a perfect game. Poorly optimised and it makes everything overheat. But there are no dangers in the game and it allows my brain to focus on optimising energy generation.
The graphics of the game allow me to just pretend to be a little astronaut and look at the sky. I like wandering around and just taking in the colours
I don't like cats but I do like dogs and Cat Quest 2 has (fake) dogs (that basically look like cats) so.
It's just real chill and good-feeling sword combat and dodge-rolling for idiots. It's a Soulja Boy Tell Em game for people who drink beer and get drunk/smoke weed and get high.
When I would go over to my friend‘s house she would be playing Animal Crossing: City Folk and get KK Slider to put on a song while we had tea. I don’t have that chill an attitude toward games for various reasons, though I would like to. Once I‘ve booted into a game I kinda feel like I have to babysit it. It’s true that I do enjoy action games that give me some adrenaline and some sort of a hand-eye workout, but not every game I play is that intense.
I find the *Pokémon Snap*s pretty relaxing. *Electroplankton* is relaxing. I'd like to play *Doubutsu no Mori e+*.
@"Mnemogenic"#p140706 you made me think that maybe I do find exciting games relaxing, in the same way I feel like I can relax after a workout or sports activity. You can't cool down if you don't warm up first!