Gaming

Through the years the one game I keep going back to when I just need a place to lose time

Elder Scrolls Online

Man I wish I had better tastes

Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and puzzle games like Myst, Riven, or The Witness. I love these escape-type games.

I get the headspace thing. It's been really hard for me to devote my mental energy and time to playing games recently. I've picked up the new Zelda game and have barely touched it.

I have several comfort games to put my mind at ease sometimes.

At least once a year it is Skyrim with mods to improve the scenery.

But I love playing the Atelier series too. Crafting and optimizing stuff in these games is great.

And then there are puzzle games like Baba is You where I often just close the game and think about solving the problems for a long time. Helps to keep your mind occupied.

Streets of Rogue.. I don't know what it is about that game, but I always find myself picking back up and getting lost in all the different ways you can play. I can't wait for the sequel, definitely, the game I am anticipating the most.

I always find myself coming back to Monster Hunter every time I wanna chill and relax.

Just cruising around some cars listening to the radio in Forza Horizon. Fishing in Shadowprey Village in World of Warcraft. Improving flow of traffic in City Skylines or Transport Fever 2.

I'm playing The Big Con at the moment and it's loads of fun! I love the quirky graphics and witty humor.

My classic go-to is The Witcher 3 - honestly I beat this game like 4 times at least. The story (apart from the main quest which is a bit lacking to me) is absolutely amazing. The music, setup and dialogues really help you to sink in the world.

Oh! And GTA San Andreas - always a blast!

Black Ops Zombies games.... at least until I found out every game has very well known hacks that allow for remote code execution of your PC. Yikes! Not touching those games anymore sadly

I recently discovered Moonglow Bay and this was perfect for this.

Fishing and cooking, sailing around, and just the chill soundtrack.

For me it's Final Fantasy VIII, the first game I bought with my own money. Gaming was hard back then, I had no allowance or any sort of income. I bought games with money I got from Christmas and birthday. My friends all loved final fantasy VII and bragged about it but I just could not afford it when it launched. I bought Final Fantasy VIII on launch after reading glowing reviews on a local gaming magazine and I loved the game. I know the junction mechanic is flawed, I know the draw system is bad, I know the story isn't the best. I still loved it and played it to 100% a ton of times. Bought it in pretty much all platforms I own (including twice on Steam, even tho it was a ripoff). The game really makes me realize how far I've come in life and how fortunate I am on how everything turned out.

Destiny. Been my favorite game since launch day in 2014.

Edit: made Destiny for any other Destiny fans to join!

Probably World of Warcraft for. Feels like pulling on a pair of worn comfortable jeans when you haven't touched it in ages.

Final Fantasy 15 in the beginning for the bro-adtrip and RDR2

Ori and the Blind Forest

Haven't put any time into it for a little while, but TF2 (the one with the hats) has always been my go-to.

For me it's the binding of isaac, I'm not sure that it woukd work for everyone, but the game is just so large that it never gets old. 1500hrs, 100% the game and I still find myself diving into it after a stressful day.

Microsoft Flight Simulator. Flying Cessna around my town.

Depends sometimes if I just want to play a shooty game, it's usually a Doom .wad I haven't played yet. Destiny 2 is my addiction but sometimes there isn't such a thing as a chill game of destiny. Cyberpunk 2077, despite it's launching flaws can be a fun game to turn your brain off to. If I'm feeling nostalgic, I'll put on Super Mario sunshine, or Crazy Taxi, Chu Chu Rocket, Super Metroid/Fusion/Zero Mission. And those games always give me a big smile across my face.

Every now and then I play Endless Space 2, and I find it pretty comforting. Great music, ambience, etc.

Cities Skylines tends to be the game I return to when I just need to chill for a bit. I'll come up with some silly idea for a city, fire up a map I haven't built on yet, and see what I can make work. There's no endgame, no goals aside from what I feel like doing, just a sandbox and some toys to play with.

Persona 4 or 5. Love them.

MS Flight Simulator (Xbox Gamepass) - I often fire it up, pick a place in the world I've never been but would like to go and fly around. I never take off or land, just get low to the ground and buzz.

Ace Combat 2 for me. It always makes me happy to pick it up again.

Pajama Sam! That was my introduction to gaming and I still run through them every once in a while. Pure nostalgia

Journey and Flower

I mostly play World of Tanks Blitz haha to kill time. It's my go-to. I can always go there for mindless fun and zone out. Everyone else is probably doing the same considering how teams are these days haha

Vintage Story.

Its basically what minecraft survival mode could have been if they went in a slower paced and realism inspired direction.

Its very relaxing to hammer out some tools, make some clay pottery, liaten to your windmill grind away at some grain, etc.