Doom (1993) for me. The newer custom maps and mods too, ofc, but more often than not I’ll spin up episode 1 or 2 just to play through it.
Actually, if I’m really stressed, sometimes I’ll “play” Doom maps in my head - just walking around, trying to remember as much detail as I can. I find it strangely soothing. Damn, I guess Doom is my happy place
Monster Hunter. I must have spent over 1,800 hrs. on the two latest series. I can’t exactly turn my brain off with this game but nothing makes me more comfortable than having a Lance or Charge Blade in my hands.
When it came out in 2006, I played it with all the time with my brother against Bots only and planning out every move.
I recommended it to my friends a bit later and every few years we made a LAN party or an all nighter online session. Through the years all of us moved into different parts of the country, got older and building families.
But around this year’s new years eve, we got into it again, play it every Friday since then. We spend more time together through the game and everybody is having fun, because every match turns out different since everybody got really good at it. Also, it has a surprising strategic depth once you’re really in it and it runs on every shitty PC without any bigger issues.
I really love the game for enabling us this good time together.
Minecraft. I go through phases of not playing it, but once or twice a year I’ll start up a new world and just mindlessly build and mine while listening to a podcast or an audiobook, and will play every night for several weeks. I’ve started so many minecraft worlds over the years that I really don’t need to think about what to do next
Battlefield 1. I hop on the same server every time and it’s a nice way to calm myself down if I’m stressed about something in real life. It’s much more fun to be stressed about staying alive and helping my team the best I can. The game sparked a strong interest in history for me aswell, so it’s also a comfort zone in that sense too.
Portal 1 followed immediately by 2 after I’ve completed the first. I own them on every console and also PC and I just love the feeling I get when I play them.
I’ll never forget finding the Orange Box in a bargain bin at BestBuy and how much fun I had playing Portal. GLaDOS being cheeky then becoming full on sadistic and homicidal was something I’ve never experienced in a game before. I laughed a lot and remember my heart beating so fast in the final stages - the thrill I felt when I finally beat her and then starting all over in order to get all of the achievements. It was the most fun I’ve ever had in a game.
Needless to say how excited I was when 2 was announced and I was not disappointed. They’ll never get old for me.
Have you tried Portal Reloaded yet? It’s pretty good as well and as of the June 2023 “Cooperative Update” adds 20 new levels. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_Reloaded
As an Ex-Yuumi player it was unironicly something I did enjoy to calm down, when it was not just stay afk on your ADC. I used to Chill mute everyone and play Yuumi Top, just farming and blocking golds from top tower for ennemy TOP
And I am full serious not joking, it was chill and a viable strategy
Tunic for me, simply going, walking around, revisiting a place know well
And “A Short Hike” for my SO, they where feeling bad one day and came to see me. I got Ice Craem, some Blankets, and gave them the controler next while I was against them. Now everytime they felt sad they go on a walk to this mountain. I surprised them preparing their laptop by putting A Short Hike Wallpaper, and made their day like that
It allows you to randomise which enemies/bosses spawn where, and it randomises items. The world stays the same but the game plays out differently because it often changes how you progress.
Stellaris, Rimworld, or Borderlands 2. Depends on how much I want to use my brain. If I just want to turn my brain off, Borderlands. If I want to really sink into a game, Rimworld. Somewhere in between, Stellaris.
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