From exploration to immersive stories to farming sims, these games are perfect for players who want to relax.
Some days, a world full of high-octane action or interdimensional quests can be a bit much. It can be nicer to unwind by jumping into a serene game with fewer heroes and fireworks and more quietude and appreciation of the small things. Sometimes, gamers want trade the action for titles that are more focused, meditative, and peaceful.
Getting lost in a game is a great way to leave some troubles behind. Delving into a separate world provides some space from real-world stresses and frazzled thoughts. The best way to do that is with games that slow down the pace, have simple objectives, or simply provide some peace and quiet. Such games not only transport players away from stress but create minimal of their own, enabling those cortisol levels to drop blissfully down.
Astroneer is a dreamy, insular game one can easily lose hours in. Or it can be played with others for a more social space-exploration experience. In adventure mode, players find themselves on a strange planet with some initial starting equipment, which they can use build up their base a little and get exploring. Armed with an excavator (basically a vacuum for sucking up anything and everything) and a pack for storing items, and accompanied by some soft, spacey music, players can set off searching the vivid planet far and wide to uncover its secrets.
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The controls and game systems can take a little getting used to, but before long, Astoneer will have players bopping merrily from place to place, excavating and researching all kinds of otherworldly materials, and building a planet base that any astronaut’s mother would be proud of. It’s a fun game that players can take at their own pace, more concerned with building and exploration than any huge quests.
In Lonely Mountains: Downhill, the objective is always simple. Players cycle down mountain slopes and through forests until they reach each checkpoint and ultimately the finish line. There are no competitors and no cheering or jeering onlookers, only the player and the sounds of nature.
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Lonely Mountains: Downhill can be tense at times, when hurtling down rock faces at breakneck speed, attempting to beat a certain time and avoiding inevitable, run-ending collisions. However, it is always within a serene setting, to the ambient symphony of birds, bees, and the mountain breeze. The controls are relatively basic, and the objective is clear. Though it might have players white-knuckled at points, Lonely Mountains: Downhill provides a peaceful and ultimately meditative experience.
Limbo and its spiritual successor Inside, developed by Playdead, are superbly atmospheric games with no dialogue, no music, and no running and gunning.
