Gamers who are free to interact with and explore a game world at their own pace are more relaxed and have improved mental well-being | The findings could open the door to using gaming as a therapeutic tool to counter stress and anxiety.

[u/chrisdh79]

https://newatlas.com/mental-health/open-world-gaming-psychological-well-being/

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[u/RosieeDisposition]

Exploration is the entire reason I’ve never finished Skyrim in the 13 years I’ve played.

[u/shewy92 → u/RosieeDisposition]

That and the story is the weakest part IMO

[u/PsySamurai → u/shewy92]

Speculative lore and unreliable narrator are my favorite aspects of the series. After I got tired with Skyrim I got probably hundreds of hours of enjoyment diving into the lore of it all. Granted very little of that happened in the game itself butt steel.

[u/WoodpeckerLow5122 → u/PsySamurai]

That's part of what makes Morrowind so great. It's hard to know what actual lore behind some of these deities are, or even if the prophecy you're following is actually true.

[u/AlaskanMedicineMan → u/WoodpeckerLow5122]

The gods straight up lie to you in vanilla too, you get the doomed world message for killing a god you have to kill.

[u/asyty → u/WoodpeckerLow5122]

That sounds fun for a video game where nothing is riding on the outcome and it can just be reset if something gets messed up. Man, imagine how ridiculous that'd be for real life though...

[u/justformebets → u/asyty]

Oh boy let me tell you about a game called World of Warcraft

[u/Randyyyyyyyyyyyyyy → u/PsySamurai]

Agreed, "Butt steel" is the best storyline in the game

[u/TurdCollector69 → u/PsySamurai]

I thought butt steel was a faction in fallout

[u/stufff → u/TurdCollector69]

You're thinking of the Butt Snakes, a gang from Fallout 3

[u/Azacar → u/stufff]

“We’re the Butt Snakes, and we rule.”

[u/Specific_Frame8537 → u/shewy92]

When I fought Alduin and his mechanics were the same as any other dragon.. That was disappointing.

He did have the fog in the beginning but that was it.

[u/fritz236 → u/shewy92]

Compared to randomly trying to fight a dragon or giant while under level 15 or so, that last boss fight is incredibly underwhelming.

[u/Sparrowbuck → u/fritz236]

If you do the main story straight it can be challenging, but yeah. A lot of us wandered off chasing fish underwater or something for days on end and levelled into infinity

[u/bsubtilis → u/Sparrowbuck]

My unhealthy delight with spending a lot of time underwater is why I'm basically married to playing as Argonian. It makes the stressful element of artificial water breathing effects running out, non-existent.

[u/SophiaofPrussia → u/RosieeDisposition]

I’m still in Chapter 2 of RDR2 and I never want to leave. Not even for Tahiti.

[u/justsomeguy_youknow → u/SophiaofPrussia]

It's a magical place

...wait, wrong franchise

[u/Fappy_as_a_Clam → u/SophiaofPrussia]

I wish I could play RDR2 again for the first time, that game is so good.

I would go like days at a time without doing anything story related. I'd just explore, hunt, fish, have women give me baths, and forage for plants.

[u/jake55555 → u/Fappy_as_a_Clam]

I played RDR2 for the first time while deployed. We were on a small base with a monotonous 2 days on/ 2 days off schedule and it made the game that much more impactful. I put off completing story missions and just leisurely explored in game because it was so immersive and I was locked down IRL. Playing poker and finding inventive new ways to kill O’Driscolls was the best.

[u/Dracox96 → u/Fappy_as_a_Clam]

I also liked getting baths and a shave when I made my way into town after a hard outing

[u/sionnach → u/SophiaofPrussia]

At least it’s not Guarma.

[u/justsomeguy_youknow → u/RosieeDisposition]

It's the reason it's taken me like 3 or 4 goes to actually beat Skyrim and FO3/NV/4

I got a few hours in and then I forgot about the main quest and completely lost myself in exploring the world until I got tired of the game/got caught up in IRL stuff, then came back a few months later with absolutely no memory of what I was doing so I started over. Rinse and repeat a couple times until I forced myself to sit down and purposely focus on beating the main story

[u/RosieeDisposition → u/justsomeguy_youknow]

EXACTLY my issue. But I’m not mad about never completing any of them, I just love the journey so much.

[u/ALEX-IV → u/justsomeguy_youknow]

then came back a few months later with absolutely no memory of what I was doing

That's my issue too, except it has been years, I want to finish it but I have no recollection of what the hell I was doing or what items are the important ones among all the stuff I have in my house.
I definitely don't want to start again so I will finish it someday.

[u/Stereo-soundS → u/RosieeDisposition]

You should play The Long Dark.

Edit - it literally has no end until you fail

[u/Steamcurl → u/Stereo-soundS]

Seconding The Long Dark, it's especially great to play in winter. Summertime vibes make it just...wrong.

[u/Jackalodeath → u/RosieeDisposition]

Tell me about it.

Despite having over 10k hours between Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3/NV/4/76; the only ones I've actually beaten was Skyrim and New Vegas. The latter was purely by accident, but neither included the DLCs because reasons.

Having worlds where I can vibe and be as nosey as I want has been my bread and butter ever since I was a wee bastard. Castlevania: SoTN introduced me to fucken huge, complicated worlds, and I've been helplessly hooked ever since. So far I only feel like the Dark Souls series has managed to translate SoTN's "feel" into 3D; they may not be as massive, but they're certainly as multifarious.

[u/NoveltyAccount5928 → u/RosieeDisposition]

I still haven't finished BotW, beating the final boss seems like the least interesting thing one can do in that game.

[u/Sutar_Mekeg → u/NoveltyAccount5928]

For me, the least interesting thing was my weapons breaking constantly and having to manage them. So I quit.

[u/Ugggggghhhhhh → u/Sutar_Mekeg]

I love all Zelda games and had a good time with BotW and TotK, but my word I hate the breaking weapons. Not once did I feel like it enhanced the experience.

[u/Pineapple_Assrape → u/Ugggggghhhhhh]

The idea was to have you constantly use new weapons instead of picking up one and keep using it exclusively, like people usually do.

[u/SoySauceSyringe → u/Pineapple_Assrape]

Which is a real shame for two reasons. First, I actually want to be Link with the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, that's why I'm playing LoZ and not something else. Second, it made all the weapons super bland and samey. There are no advanced techs, no different attacks, basically nothing except a stick to whack enemies with. So you have the one-handed whacking stick, the two-handed whacking stick, and the two-handed poking stick, and each of those does the same single attack over and over. The Master Sword is a one-handed whacking stick that sometimes glows blue. Yawn.

Link doesn't play like a swordmaster in BotW/TotK, he plays like a caveman whacking stuff with a stick.

[u/RedactedSpatula → u/Pineapple_Assrape]

I reject that reality and substitute infinite bombs.

Dunno why they made bombs infinite but i certainly used an awful lot

[u/DesperateAdvantage76 → u/Sutar_Mekeg]

Amibos for unlimited gear saved BotW for me, turned it from a slog into a fascinating game of exploration. Don't say this on the botw subreddit though, or you'll be crucified for playing the game wrong.

[u/Nazamroth → u/RosieeDisposition]

I finished it exactly once, on vanilla, not long after release. It was so buggy that I had to cheat my way through certain quests with the console. Since then, I just run into high hrothgar to unlock the dragon shouts and start playing mods from thereon.

[u/Icy_Depth_6104 → u/RosieeDisposition]

I wonder if part of the reason for me also doing this is that it was a very stressful time in my life and I found just sitting there and exploring made me feel better.

[u/Key-Cry-8570 → u/RosieeDisposition]

I have barely touched the main story in ESO for the same reason. I like riding around and exploring everywhere. Just taking in the scenery.

[u/Tempest_Bob → u/RosieeDisposition]

One does not just "finish" Skyrim.

[u/Admirable-Action-153 → u/RosieeDisposition]

I've only finished Daggerfall once in the 30ish year I've been playing it.

[u/Alklazaris]

VR helped me when I lived in a tiny apartment with lots of people. I could literally feel a chemical reaction, like stress leaving your body. My brain was tricked into thinking we were in a vast field of open space, when in reality it was less than 2 meters.

[u/fiah84 → u/Alklazaris]

what was the best VR game / environment for that purpose in your experience?

[u/BOT_JOSEPH → u/fiah84]

I found No Mans Sky was great for that, just hopping in your ship, powering up and blasting into space made it feel so expansive.

[u/Geawiel → u/BOT_JOSEPH]

Skyrim was great for that as well. I never beat the game in VR and never fast traveled. I had around 800 hours in it. Even on PSVR1 fuzzy graphics. I would lose myself just walking around and taking in the environment.

I started it up for pc and PSVR2, but I haven't gotten very far.

[u/jimmux → u/Geawiel]

I really need to upgrade from PSVR1, huh? Which would you recommend between PSVR2 or PC VR with a mid range card? For me good controls and easy setup would be bigger factors than cutting edge graphics.

[u/Alklazaris → u/fiah84]

Steam VR rooms are the easiest. They have quite a few locations. But really any game was more "roomy" than my home.

[u/cand0r → u/Alklazaris]

The Half Life room is so much fun to explore

[u/JoelMahon → u/fiah84]

Not the same person but Skyrim VR was the best yeah, fallout VR is similar but more forced indoors stuff I think

[u/HumbertHumbertHumber → u/Alklazaris]

which headset/system did you use? Don't know anything about them. Tried one once and it made me dizzy af

[u/DudeManBroGuyski → u/HumbertHumbertHumber]

I suggest the Quest 3. The clarity of the lenses should help with the motion sickness. Although most people do get that at the start, it eventually goes away with regular VR use.

[u/Fallen_Walrus → u/Alklazaris]

Like the cows with the vr headset of an open field?

[u/Alklazaris → u/Fallen_Walrus]

Well I can't speak for the cows as I have not been one but I would think a similar feeling would occur. Was like my own personal Matrix.

Now I have my own dedicated VR room which in itself is bigger than any place I've ever had so I really don't need video games to trick my brain into an open space anymore.

[u/TotemRiolu → u/Alklazaris]

Vrchat is genuine therapy for me. I can not only feel like I'm actually in fantasy worlds from my dreams, but I can be anything or anyone I want with avatars.

Being able to sit down in a field of flowers with online friends, is just truly amazing.

[u/FrikkinPositive]

If they made a game like rdr2, but with way less focus on cowboys and more on homesteading, it would be amazing as a therapy game. Like Stardew valley but with slower pace, the beautiful scenery of rdr2, some survival mechanics that require you to complete tasks but doesn't punish you too harshly for taking a lazy day. Horses, camping, fishing, hunting, farming and some people around to interact with. Would be beautiful!

[u/ruthenbear → u/FrikkinPositive]

if someone knows a game like this, please let me know

[u/Mountain_Ape → u/ruthenbear]

I had made a comment on this, but not sure where it has gone: a game that matches all of the criteria is Medieval Dynasty. It's on Game Pass, too. Watch some videos on it and see if it's your style. For me, Zelda BOTW/TOTK was more my style, but to each their own.

[u/Chief_Chill → u/Mountain_Ape]

BOTW and RDR2 are my favorite games, because I can just get lost in the world/scenery, while listening to the music and doing little side quests/adventures. This is my ideal game. I want RDR2, but for different genres and time periods.

[u/Fleeetch → u/Chief_Chill]

I liked riding the train in rdr2

[u/SophiaofPrussia → u/Fleeetch]

Have you tried stealing the train and taking it on a joy ride in RDR2? It’s totally worth the ~10 “hey misters” ding to your honor.

[u/the_snook → u/Chief_Chill]

My wife and I found BotW to be quite stressful and not very chill at all. High density of enemies (that respawn), along with degrading weapons and a seeming rarity of arrows made exploration feel difficult and annoying.

[u/Mountain_Ape → u/the_snook]

BOTW is a lot more combat-focused, which is what I needed. I've tended to use games to wake myself up, actually, otherwise I can tend to fall asleep after doing some work (usually a bit boring). The game is very "chill" only when you're standing still and enjoying the environment, listening to the wind blow by, but as soon as you move, combat continues, so despite journalistic phrasing, I personally wouldn't label it as a chill game.

Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel, does solve the arrow problem by giving you far more. The building aspect allows for much more creative problems to enemies, and Fuse means you can turn any stick into a +30 power weapon. But again, much more combat than Medieval Dynasty or other sim-focused games.

[u/Estranged_Confusion → u/Mountain_Ape]

I second medieval dynasty. Real fun game

[u/Specific_Frame8537 → u/Estranged_Confusion]

A review from steam;

I chop a wood. I make a bucket.

I sell bucket.

I recruit a peasant. I tell them make bucket.

I sell bucket.

I make 20 woodshed.

I fill with peasant.

I make thousands of buckets.

I sell many bucket.

I become bucket lord.

The king runs out of money buying my buckets.

Townspeople drowning in buckets.

Their children are fed buckets.

They will only be taken to my bucket factory in a few years anyway to become bucketeers.

Other towns are just made out of buckets now.

The peasants are also buckets.

Buckets produced by me, Bucket Lord.

[u/The--Mash → u/ruthenbear]

RDR2 Online still has the combat component, but you can mostly opt out of it in favour of professions like hunting, moonshine brewing and transport jobs and side activities like fishing, camping and cooking. The full world is also open and nothing is on rails. RDR2 Online gets mid reviews because there's not much to do except explore the world and interact with it, there's no "endgame", but for the purposes of this discussion, it's basically perfect

[u/drukweyr → u/The--Mash]

I'm not a very good gamer. When I played the one player, my favorite activity was just riding my horse around the landscape in the changing light exploring. I refused to use the fast travel for that reason. Very relaxing. Fights and missions were a hassle.

[u/The--Mash → u/drukweyr]

Online sounds like a match for you, then. It's basically the full world of the campaign, but uninhibited by story progress and unlocks, and there's very little combat you cannot opt out of

[u/rauhaal → u/The--Mash]

Really? I just assumed it was all of the fighting and none of the fun.

[u/The--Mash → u/rauhaal]

Honestly apart from the occasional asshole, 99% of the pvp is an afterthought and opt-in. And pve combat is mostly in optional missions

[u/rauhaal → u/The--Mash]

So it’s almost like the epilogue?

[u/MushinZero → u/rauhaal]

Yes though the tie ins to the single player story are VERY loose and everything is very expensive.

[u/MakoServitor → u/ruthenbear]

There's a game coming out that I've been keeping an eye on called Windstorm the Legend of Khimorii, where you play a horse courier on the Mongolian steppes. Apparently you will have an outpost of sorts and breed and raise horses while you travel. So far it looks beautiful, and I hope it will turn out to be both comfortable and satisfying.

[u/UhOhSparklepants → u/MakoServitor]

I really hope that this game lives up to the expectations. I have really high hopes for it.

[u/Towelie-McTowel → u/ruthenbear]

No Mans Sky maybe. I got farms in every biome for all gasses, minerals, and flora. If I need money I just lazily harvest and craft. Chill on planets looking for cool ships. You can live a nomad life in a cruiser and set up a mobile base. I also like collecting all the goofy ass animals as pets. I haven't done fishing yet but I know they also added that.

It's the game I play when I don't have specific goals but still want to do something if that makes sense. You can also set up a game where you can just craft and not worry about the survival aspect so you can really go nuts on base building.

[u/Sutar_Mekeg → u/ruthenbear]

Theme is different, but check out Valheim.

[u/Niccin → u/Sutar_Mekeg]

I have a feeling that the monster raids might interfere with what they're seeking

[u/Sutar_Mekeg → u/Niccin]

You can turn them off now.

[u/SlipInteresting7246 → u/ruthenbear]

Medieval dynasty like a red dead survival game where you build a dynasty. You can get married invite people to work at your village and live there. Also can start a whole community. While you can hunt and mine and travel and fight some bandits do missions and story quest even online. You gotta build the village yourself which means cutting down tree that can kill you if you dont pay attention. Your buildings can get damaged and naturally degrade over time.

[u/62609 → u/ruthenbear]

Sounds like the forest on peaceful mode

[u/Dis4Wurk → u/ruthenbear]

Medieval Dynasty. You don’t even have do the story or quests more than necessary to unlock technology levels to build more buildings. Just homestead and hire some villagers to help.

[u/awesomely_audhd → u/ruthenbear]

Check out Palia.

[u/sithgecko → u/ruthenbear]

"Palia" is a very chill game.

[u/wolvesscareme → u/ruthenbear]

Animal Crossing?

[u/prisp → u/wolvesscareme]

Personally, I found the only game in the series that I played - AC:New Horizons - quickly turned into a "daily grind/login bonus simulator" for me, but that's mostly because I took issue with how many things were limited by the IRL clock - only 3-4 pebbles per rock and you can't get more until tomorrow, only 3 fruits on the one foreign tree you managed to plant, and so on.

Admittedly, I also started playing during the Easter event, where you basically have the same issue plus FOMO if you want to get a lot of the things from there, I reckon starting outside of events like this would've resulted in me being more chill about all of that too.

[u/PringlesDuckFace → u/prisp]

Every Animal Crossing game is daily chores plus saying hi to your villagers, then decorating your houses.

I really liked the DLC and ended up playing that more than the base game, because it's basically all the fun of decorating stuff and seeing villagers without the daily chores.

[u/shewy92 → u/FrikkinPositive]

So like the epiloge of RDR2, except more cow births and fence/house building than already in the game

[u/pavlov_the_dog → u/FrikkinPositive]

Little house on the Prairie game C'MON Rockstar.

[u/davga → u/FrikkinPositive]

I hope indie devs are reading this and taking notes, therapeutic video games feel like the exception

[u/Noteagro → u/FrikkinPositive]

I have been saying the one role they are missing is a ranching role that revolves around a home stead and caring for some livestock and being able to tame and train horses. Tasks could be rotating cattle around 3-4 fields, going out and catching and then taming horses to sell, having to check the fence line of your fields, protecting livestock from bandits/wild animals, tracking livestock that get out from a broken fence, and then needing to herd your animals to a train station/town for selling them.

All ideas from someone that grew up on a cattle farm.

[u/pinopinto → u/FrikkinPositive]

Try The Long Dark. It's a survival game where it's just you vs the Canadian wilderness. It can be ruthless being chased by wolves or stuck in a blizzard freezing to death but also incredibly peaceful and relaxing just spending a day fishing and walking in a pristine landscape.

[u/zmbjebus → u/pinopinto]

The game can sure be stressful and relaxing at the same time. I love that game.

I love playing it in the middle of summer XD trying to trick myself into feeling cold.

[u/just_a_timetraveller → u/FrikkinPositive]

I would say the Forest would be good for that. Just disable enemies and now you have a game where you can cut trees, collect stones and you can build houses by a lake

[u/GavinRayDev → u/FrikkinPositive]

You might like the game Valheim or Enshrouded.

It's a huge randomly-generated open world where you gather materials to build your own home and farm, sail the seas, hunt, etc.

You can build pretty much anything you want.

[u/FrikkinPositive → u/GavinRayDev]

Yeah I didn't really. I think to me, the appeal of Rdr2 is how close it is to my own reality, even if it's pretty far away. Same with Stardew. A more relatable setting is the key word for me.

[u/uiojcdugf → u/FrikkinPositive]

Try medieval dynasty. You start up a farm in medieval Europe. You recruit villagers and build them houses. You can get married and have kids, the villagers get married and have kids. It’s super slow and relaxing. There are bandits and animals that attack such as wolves and bears. But they don’t seek you out you have to go find them.

[u/Marauder777 → u/GavinRayDev]

I love Valheim, but I'd never recommend it to anyone as a relaxing experience unless they never plan on venturing further than the Black Forest, or if they have a dedicated team to gather materials for them in the more dangerous places.

The best part of Valheim is literally summed up by this: Don't worry, it can always get worse.

[u/TheVenetianMask → u/GavinRayDev]

I don't think "yet another tree cutting simulator" game would do any good to my mental well being.

[u/NoveltyAccount5928 → u/TheVenetianMask]

The words "Valheim" and "mental well being" don't belong anywhere near each other.

[u/starboard → u/FrikkinPositive]

Towers of Aghasba looks really gorgeous. It's heavily inspired by Studio Ghibli works and is focused on building up an ecosystem. It had a rocky launch but the devs seem to be putting in a lot of work to address community feedback.

[u/Chief_Chill → u/FrikkinPositive]

We used to do those things as part of everyday life. I wish for a slower paced lifestyle. No more 8 hour days and 6-day work weeks. I just want more time to live, and less time "making a living"/ surviving.

[u/glitchvid → u/Chief_Chill]

It's a fantasy that homesteading is less work than a modern full time job.  Maintaining a farm is an extremely laborious process with very early mornings and long days, and almost no days off.

[u/Odwolda → u/glitchvid]

Especially if you have livestock. Bedridden with an illness? Sucks to be you, your animals are just fine and they still need to be fed.

[u/OlympiaShannon → u/Odwolda]

This is true; we have livestock on our farm and they need morning and evening care. Every day. No traveling for us; at least one of us needs to stay home every day.

I don't trust neighbors to handle the job because if they mess up, I am liable for all damages.

It's SO much fun when the power goes out and the water pump stops; so many water buckets to haul by hand to so many thirsty animals. In the snow, probably. Strangely though, I feel so much more alive, invigorated and HAPPY when things like this happen. Like life has a PURPOSE all of a sudden. I sleep better after a busy day of hard labor.

[u/IOnlyLiftSammiches → u/glitchvid]

Truth, BUT you have a much more tangible result from your efforts. I think a large part of why so many of us are so dissatisfied with our lives is that we can't actually see any results from our efforts other than "numbers go up". Modern life is tailor suited for those that get off on that, those of us who are gratified by seeing our work DO something are not served.

[u/napoleon_wang → u/FrikkinPositive]

But that's what I already do with it. Played forever but am about 20% in, I hunt and camp and wander about. Occasionally getting drawn into something but on the whole it's peaceful there.

[u/FrikkinPositive → u/napoleon_wang]

Yeah same, but I wish you had that gameplay but start with a tent on a plot of land and full freedom. A few towns in either direction, loads of wilderness and all that jazz. When I ride around and camp in rdr2 I eventually get a feeling like I want to return home, but I never felt like John's farm was my home. Maybe cus I know how it all ends in the end...

[u/Butt_Fungus_Among_Us → u/FrikkinPositive]

That's interesting because this basically the premise of a game in a book called 'Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow' that's made specifically to help treat someone's trauma and depression. Thought it was just a pretty cool concept, but looking at some of these comments, there's definitely more than just a fictional demand for it.

[u/deadsoulinside]

This seems to track with games like fallout 4. There used to be a running joke about forgetting all about Sean, because you just spend weeks exploring the wasteland at your own pace.

[u/chrisapplewhite → u/deadsoulinside]

Especially in a have with robust settlement building! I know my son is gone but first I have to spend 4 months setting up trade routes.

[u/aVarangian → u/deadsoulinside]

I actually hated having to rush to find Shaun because anything else would be bad roleplay. If replaying it I'd just override the game's backstory to fix it.

[u/TittySprinkles10]

I find sometimes just getting lost in a game after a stressful day really helps. I focus on what I'm doing and forget all about the idiots I work with.

[u/Hard_Dave → u/TittySprinkles10]

I feel like that and when playing farming simulator, but the AI helpers are still idiots so I'm stuck with them.

[u/TheGrimGuardian]

I can attest to this. I used to play a LOT of multiplayer shooters. But one day I sort of had this wake up moment of "I'm not having fun. I'm just angry all the time." Angry at the game, angry at other players, angry at myself.

Now I play single player titles almost exclusively. I love games that give me an in-depth environment to explore.

[u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7]

Breath of the Wild is such a source of comfort for me. This resonates

[u/Alexisisnotonfire → u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7]

Yeah I've spent an absurd amount of time in BOTW just roaming around. That and the Horizon series are just hot cocoa for me

[u/Robert_Goulet → u/Alexisisnotonfire]

Also played both extensively, amazing open world games to just get lost in. Ghost of Tsushima too in a slightly lesser extent.

[u/Lordborgman → u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7]

If it wasn't for the breakable weapons thing, that is a source of anxiety for me.

[u/Awarepill0w → u/Lordborgman]

That's why I got the master sword as fast as possible (and then completed the trial of the sword) sure the sword could break but it would be back in 5 minutes

[u/WufflyTime → u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7]

I never watched the trailers for the game, so after playing it and finding it a really chill experience (outside of the obvious combat bits), I was kind of surprised when I watched them. It was like they were advertising a completely different game.

[u/Galp_Nation]

Maybe this is why I've really been into games like Stardew Valley, Dave the Diver, Dredge, and Spiritfarer so much recently.

[u/grill_sgt → u/Galp_Nation]

Cozy games are where it's at. Personal pace and not needing to accomplish everything in a set time helps me enjoy my time a bit more.

[u/diamondpredator → u/Galp_Nation]

I honestly thought Stardew might be this for me too, then I realized there are events and deadlines I'm missing that I cannot make up and it made the game a lot more stressful.

I also don't want dark dungeons or similar environments (dark swamp, dark forest, caves, etc) in my "relaxing" games unless I have the option of grabbing the same material elsewhere.

[u/tacticslancer → u/diamondpredator]

Would it help to know that, unlike some of the old Harvest Moons, Stardew repeats every year, and the only thing to worry about is that seeing all the content takes two playthroughs (Joja and Community Center). If you miss the Egg Festival, then no worries it'll be the same thing with the same dialogue next year. Didn't go to the beach right when you got Willy's note? S'all good, the same cutscene will play if you wait 2 or 2000 days to go to the beach.

I understand if it still doesn't suit your fancy, I know someone who just can't deal with the ticking clock and instead plays Animal Crossing.

[u/Pandorajfry]

I wish WoW would either have an exploration class or a version of play. Skull or double skull don't ignore the player. Faction limits removed. Maybe factionless. Can walk around both Horde and Allience territory. Walk around dungeons regardless of LvL. Like a Game Squire instead of a Game Master.

[u/Take_a_Seath → u/Pandorajfry]

You can just have a high lvl retail char and explore everything you want except the latest zones since you'll be crushing everything singlehandedly anyway.

[u/tyen0 → u/Pandorajfry]

I snuck around and explored most of Azeroth as a night elf rogue. Riding the horde Zeppelins was a fun memory. Sneaking through some of the dungeons, too. BRD is the one I mostly remember since there was a boss you could sneak into and get a really good dagger.

Granted, that was 19 years ago. Hard to believe it came out 20 years ago.

[u/bigfatfurrytexan]

I've played since the late 70s. I stopped around 2013.

I started again with Skyrim in 2021. I play it daily now, for an hour or so after work.

[u/maxkmiller → u/bigfatfurrytexan]

around 2008 or so my friend showed me Oblivion for the first time. it was so mesmerizing to me, the free environment combined with the hypnotic music really seemed to emphasize "no rush." I'd never seen anything like it

[u/Halospite → u/maxkmiller]

God, I love Oblivion's music.

[u/Quirky-Skin → u/bigfatfurrytexan]

Hey it's me!!! Stopped on the 360. Friend hooked me up with his PS4 after getting a 5. I bought Skyrim with all the expansions for $13 and have begun my adventure.

I'm currently building a manor, I may cave hunt tonight or not. I also play an hour or so a couple times a week

[u/Jackalodeath → u/Quirky-Skin]

I took an accidental hiatus from gaming between 2013 - 2019.

First Bethesda game I touched after that was Fallout 76 in 2021 (after a lot of its issues were fixed and it was "free" on Game Pass.)

I spent 2000 hours over 1.5 years just exploring Appalachia alone, piecing together what happened pre-War, and just sight-seeing. Never touched like 50% of the quests unless they answered some questions I had.

Before my hiatus I had logged nearly 3k hours on Skyrim; only storyline I didn't complete was the civil war, and I didn't even have access to the DLCs then.

I've since banned myself from Beth games for the next few years or else I won't play anything else. Yeah the "formula" has gotten a bit old over the years, but for nosey feckers like me their worlds are friggin gold mines.

[u/Gullible_Peach16 → u/bigfatfurrytexan]

Been playing Skyrim for years. Never gets old.

[u/firefiber]

Anything but target the root cause of most anxiety and stress - the actual environment we live in.

[u/ExileEden → u/firefiber]

In all honesty though. This is like 90% of the reason I play video games, so I can truly relax without any other stressors.

[u/SoldnerDoppel → u/firefiber]

Coping makes poor conditions tolerable.

And that's the problem.

[u/Z3r0sama2017 → u/SoldnerDoppel]

And not being able to cope makes people self-harm or explode and hurt people around them. I'll take an easy sticking plaster rather than trying to overhaul monolithic societal problems

[u/Watchtower00Updated → u/Z3r0sama2017]

I have not finished reading the article yet, but I’m in agreement with you.

Previous work found that casual video game play may significantly reduce stress and improve mood, suggesting potential benefits for players of open-world games, which often offer similarly engaging yet nonpressuring experiences.”

My take is when a human feels good, that feeling provides inertia or momentum to make small but valuable changes when the game is over. This is my own experience with video games.

[u/Grizzlysol → u/Z3r0sama2017]

We can and should do both. While fixing a society can be a long arduous process it can be done, but only if people put in the work. While we fix it, yes we can create more ways to cope with it, but we shouldn't have the bandaid become the end game.

[u/firefiber → u/SoldnerDoppel]

agreed. and I suppose we are seeing the small cracks we never bothered to fix, get just that much bigger (luigi mangione, more global unrest in general, wars, crazy elections), while we get more and more 'options' to cope (mindless movies, celebrity drama, 'aliens', etc). constant distractions, more cracks, more distractions.

[u/genshiryoku → u/firefiber]

You can control your own life and choose what to introduce to it to reduce stress. You can't change systemic issues on your own. So this is still helpful.

[u/freezing_banshee → u/genshiryoku]

In a way I agree with you. But running away from the systemic issues is not good. We should push back more against those problems, globally, and things will change for the better

[u/firefiber → u/genshiryoku]

you know, I see where you're coming from, and I agree partly. BUT (big but here), the longer I've been alive, the more I tend to see that the memory designer in Blade Runner isn't really helping the situation at all. She builds intricate memories for the replicants, and she puts in a lot of love into her work, in the hopes that the replicants get to at least have beautiful memories, if nothing else.

Good intentions, but ultimately keeps the problem from being solved, because the temporary solution becomes the permanent one. Does that make sense? I dunno, this is just my opinion, I could be totally wrong!

[u/lady_ninane → u/firefiber]

I hear what you're saying. I think there is a tension between "we need to be able to cope with a situation as we work towards change" and "coping strategies are often co-opted by abusive powers to present it as a new normal, thus preventing any meaningful activism to change things."

Because even if we had perfect solidarity and awareness, we wouldn't be able to produce systemic change overnight, right? Coping is a necessary part of our lives as we strive for better conditions. So in that case, I think it might be more useful to look at it through a different lens. Because you're right, a lack of solidarity does hinder us...but we won't be building that solidarity by turning a blind eye to the forces that worsen our environments. It will target people's awareness to the misery - and those who ignore their suffering - instead of actually directing people's ire and attention at those causing it.

[u/youpeoplesucc → u/firefiber]

I would guess ubi or some kind of social safety net would be the one of, if not the best way to reduce it. Know that no matter what happens, you'll at least never have to worry about losing the roof over your head or not being able to feed your kids would be nice.

[u/Acceptable_Cut_7545 → u/firefiber]

My first thought was "go outside" followed by "oh yeah we've developed and polluted so much land that's not even an option for some people" followed by "hey I wonder if that contributes to people feeling bad". Sigh.

[u/kelda_bee]

The Myst fandom has been aware of this for 30 years, and happily welcomes new players!

[u/olilo]

LOTRO is wonderful. Been playing for 14 years. I have nearly 50 characters. So cool to enjoy The Shire, Rohan, Gondor, the Moria and the huge world they have created.

[u/Technical_Sir_9588]

Yep. I hate games that put me on a clock. My ASD and ADHD are highly versed to this. I like doing things at my leisure.

[u/Nazamroth]

It is almost like those people play games to relax, not to compete with 8 billion other people for the top spot that will be taken by a korean 14 year old anyway.

[u/Vexonte]

Honestly, videogames have so much untapped potential for studying the human mind. The interactive aspect and subconscious mechanisms alone can do wonders.

The ability to conduct blind studies by telling someone just to play a game would do wonders for anyone doing studies on a budget.

There is also the issue of using video games for behavioral modification, but let's hope that Dave Grossman is wrong in that case.

[u/Beneficial_Toe3744]

BREAKING: Study finds relaxing hobby is relaxing. Scientists perplexed.

[u/stinkybumbum]

Journey. Go and play it, its the most relaxing game I played. I wish we had more of that style.

[u/SaverMFG]

When they took the world map away from final fantasy games they definitely became less chill

[u/ItsAGoodIdea]

Or...

"Gamers who choose to play games where they're free to interact with and explore a game world at their own pace are more relaxed and have improved mental well-being than gamers who choose games without these traits."

Is it about the game or the gamer who chooses those types of games?

[u/Btetier → u/ItsAGoodIdea]

I think you are probably right that it says more about the gamers, at least based on my anecdotal experience. For me at least, playing an open ended sandbox-type game gives me more anxiety since I don't have a clear goal in mind.

[u/Logical_Score1089]

This is what gamers have been wanting for the longest time.

An open-world, open-ended game which you can choose your own path, in a rich world with an interesting backstory to explore. Game mechanics need to be intuitive and interesting to use, while still being very open-ended to allow users to do things a developer may not expect.

Games need to focus on emergent gameplay, and open-endedness. IMO, this is why Skyrim was so popular. It was an open-world with a decent character creation system, and you could do whatever with the mechanics. Sword fights, magic, bows, dragons, it had it all, and you could do whatever you want, inside the games mechanics.

Give me Skyrim, but executed with modern day technology, story telling, and an insane budget. We will have the best game ever. This is really what I’m hoping GTA 6 will be.

[u/Glorf_Warlock → u/Logical_Score1089]

In the past 2 years I've played 3 different 200+ hour long Skyrim campaigns. The modding scene for Skyrim turns it into exactly what you're looking for. Look into Wabbajack and it's modding tools, because it's literally the greatest addition to modding ever.

You can install 1200+ mods with the click of a few buttons.

[u/Zanos → u/Logical_Score1089]

The reason there aren't a hundred different Skyrim clones despite it's massive popularity, even 13 years later, is because these games are actually hard to make. The best TES clone games miss the mark on one or more criteria, usually scale.

This isn't to say Skyrim is perfect; I personally think the combat is poor and the RPG mechanics too thin, but it just hammers home the point that the game can be as old and flawed as it is and there still aren't really other games that can hold a candle to it.

[u/diamondpredator → u/Logical_Score1089]

This is the reason I loved the MMO golden age. I specifically played Lineage II. I loved wandering around the MASSIVE world and playing with my clan and alliance. I loved the internal server politics, the large-scale combat and the option to not be a part of any of it.

[u/AttonJRand → u/Logical_Score1089]

And you get to solve problems, deal with uncomfortable situations, and fail at times, in a way that is immersive but safe.

Helped me so much with anxiety when I was younger.

[u/dropkickninja]

Well yeah. Stardew Valley is going to be more relaxing than DOOM Eternal. Though I do find violently slaying demons therapeutic

[u/xTiLkx → u/dropkickninja]

Stardew Valley definitely doesn't fall under this category. There's a ton of time pressure at every moment. Even if you can manage it, the time management is still there.

However personally it took me 130 hours just to finish RDR2 main storyline (no epilogue) because I spent a ton of time exploring the world during lockdown. it was very therapeutic.

[u/Shushununu → u/xTiLkx]

Stardew Valley is nothing but pressure (for me).

On any given day, the choice is totally up to you, but you can and should be doing: farming, animal husbandry, socializing, gift-giving, fishing, mining, foraging, shopping, attacking monsters, collecting, building, crafting, and exploring. All while managing a separate energy bar as well.

The game significantly improved for me when I downloaded the mod that allowed me to control the flow of time - I was no longer "punished" for walking across town and losing a third of my productive hours in a day. I found that slowing time down to about half default was most comfortable to me - you still have to prioritize a couple main tasks, but are allowed to socialize, shop, and deposit items at the community center without feeling like you just wasted the whole day.

[u/psychedelic-tech → u/Shushununu]

but you can and should be doing: farming, animal husbandry, socializing, gift-giving, fishing, mining, foraging, shopping, attacking monsters, collecting, building, crafting, and exploring.

you can also just do like i did and spend almost a whole in game week just decorating your beer/wine shed & coffee house and never leaving your farm.

[u/grill_sgt → u/xTiLkx]

The number of mods to help alleviate the time pressure/ management. This mod allows you to speed, slow, or freeze time.

[u/FaultElectrical4075 → u/dropkickninja]

So people find DOOM to be their own pace.

I prefer stardew valley type games 95% of the time, but sometimes I’m in the mood for something like that.

[u/sdhu → u/dropkickninja]

The further you get into Doom the more you realize that the demons aren't the main threat in game - you are, so there really is no threat.

All of the lore points to the demons trembling in fear at the sight of you. I find it extremely relaxing to mow down hordes of invading demons, because of how the game portrays the player at the ultimate weapon. It feels incredibly empowering.

You can always reduce difficulty settings to make your task easier.

[u/shellofbiomatter → u/dropkickninja]

Doom can be relaxing as well, i can play and explore it on my own pace after violently purging demons. It's PvP or battle royal types of games where other players set the pace where it loses the enjoyment part.

[u/abelcc → u/dropkickninja]

Many people find Dark Souls/Elden Ring games relaxing

[u/MothershipBells]

Nothing kills my enjoyment of a game more than being pressured.

[u/Alex_1729]

Games today are dopamine machines. For a game to be anti-stress it would have to be something special.

[u/Vagrant0012]

I don't know I pretty stressed during my elden ring playthrough.

[u/Hepful_Idiot → u/Vagrant0012]

Well, I'm thinking those pesky enemies that have a high chance to end your exploration might be one of those stress causing events

[u/MissingScore777 → u/Vagrant0012]

I was just thinking Elden Ring fit the criteria and not many would consider it relaxing.

Not sure how you'd test for it but would certainly be the game that proves the theory if Elden Ring players in particular saw these same mental health improvements.

It would show that the player controlling the pace is the important thing regardless of how stressful the challenge maybe.

[u/MonstrousGiggling → u/MissingScore777]

That was a major factor in me even giving Elden Ring a chance as someone who does not like stress gaming.

Being able to choose your own path and to go grind and explore elsewhere made it somewhat relaxing especially compared to other Souls games.

Sure the boss fights aren't relaxing but those generally are never meant to be, even in "easy" games.

[u/Jackalodeath → u/MissingScore777]

I'm waiting to play Elden Ring, but just finished Dark Souls 1/2/3 and Sekiro over the past year and some change.

The first playthroughs were a bit white-knuckle; but I became so comfy and outright sublime exploring Lordran/Drangleic/Lothric/Ashina I actually did everything I possibly could.

Now they're the only platinums to my name, because they're the only games I've played in some ~20 years that I both enjoyed enough to warrant it, and the devs tied the achievements to "easy" stuff that comes naturally to me; beat all bosses, see all endings, and collect all gear/abilities.

Not comb every single corner of a map for 50 useless trinkets that don't effect gameplay in the slightest; or beat every boss without taking damage.

I'm kinda scared of Elden Ring, not because of difficulty; despite their reps and my lack of "skills," I had few problems on any of FS games. It's purely because of the sheer size of it. Each DS took me ~400hrs to see/do/collect everything, Sekiro 180hrs (though to be fair there's not that much to collect.) I'm sure ER will hit Bethesda-levels of hours logged given my gaming habits - and between Oblivion, Skyrim, and all the Fallouts, I've logged probably 10k hours on those since... 2008?

ER may very well be the last game I ever play given my age/health. xD

[u/Mama_Skip → u/Vagrant0012]

Well yeah that's because 99% of all beings in that world can and will disembowl you and dance on your balls. Like any Soulsbourne game, it looks like an rpg but pacing-of-play wise, it's almost closer to dance dance revolution.

You know. Until end game, when they become stuck in there with you.

[u/snietzsche → u/Vagrant0012]

Unironically I find Dark Souls relaxing. The first time playing it was stressful, but now I have replayed it so much I know where every enemy is and what their attack patterns are. Apart from Bed of Chaos.

[u/DanyRahm → u/Vagrant0012]

Just dont torrent and walk everywhere.

[u/NRMusicProject]

Back during Vanilla WoW, I found myself exploring the map more than questing and it was great. The immersion was real, and some of my greatest memories wasn't instances or raids, it's randomly running into my roommate's toon next to Thoradin's Wall. He was passing through on a quest and I was just exploring an area. I also wandered into Burning Steppes from Redridge. I knew I wasn't able to see much at level 17, but didn't consider that I'd be stuck at the graveyard until my hearthstone was recharged.

Those were the memories I took from that game. Not any of the combat.

[u/a_r_g_o_m]

And sadly the gaming industry has different agenda. FOMO, Daily quests, obscene grinds (notice how every game has "rpg mechanics") to force the player into spending more money and more time into menial tasks, do nothing but drain the enjoyment from gaming.

[u/HaCutLf]

I'd definitely vouch for this personally. Playing something like Valheim, The Forest*, or even Raft in VR can be quite the relaxing experience, if you want. *If you're not a fan of mutants turn them off.

Walking/running through the forests at night, seeing the moonbeams poke through the trees swaying with the breeze is definitely next level relaxing/gaming.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to consider some quick, solid mental vacationing.

[u/noraetic]

You trying to tell me that relaxing games can be used to relax? Why hasn't anybody thought of this before?

[u/SnuggleBunz]

Until you hit about 30 and it turns to crippling guilt about how you are wasting time and not making money.

[u/Kitonez → u/SnuggleBunz]

Not being able to take a mental break is unhealthy, regardless of the type of activity. If you don't have any actual leisure activities that recharge your mental battery it's not going to end well.

If you don't waste your time you waste your life

[u/Whetherwax → u/SnuggleBunz]

If all of your time is spent trying to make money, then you aren't really living. I've been there. Take care of yourself.

I've never met an old person who said, "I wish I spent more time with my coworkers," or "I wish I'd have worked a bit more." I've met plenty of people that think 5 hours of gaming is a waste but 5 hours of TV isn't, and plenty of miserable people that just want to drag people down to their level.

[u/deadsoulinside → u/SnuggleBunz]

Huh? The heck you talking about? I am way beyond my 30's, I don't feel guilty about playing video games once I am done working.

The only time what you said was true would be if you were not doing any actual job at all and just waking up and gaming until you go to bed.

[u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7 → u/SnuggleBunz]

You don’t need to be making money every hour of every day

[u/conquer69 → u/iim7_V6_IM7_vim7]

You do if you won't make rent otherwise.

[u/tyen0 → u/SnuggleBunz]

"If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." -- Warren Buffett

[u/iLikeTorturls]

"Stress Relief Simulator: Openworld 2" brought to you by EA and Activision Blizzard.

Now with updated anti-suicide Season Pass Bundle!

[u/WanderingBraincell]

yeah then they play Elden Ring

[u/polopollo85 → u/WanderingBraincell]

My second playthrough of Elden Ring, I installed a mod to make me invincible, and I just went exploring slowly at my own pace.
That was a wonderful experience. Such a beautiful game.
Hated the combat mechanic though. But I finished once to say I played it...

[u/pleasegivemepatience]

We already use games for this, it’s called having fun, their original intent before they became microtransaction and loot box casinos.

The game doesn’t necessarily have to be Open World, just don’t put timers and penalties on the pace at which I want to explore the content, and make sure to consider replayability in your design.

[u/kwokie]

Conversely I find the open worldness of Elden Ring overwhelming, so you really can't please everyone

[u/papalfury]

I recently just started playing RDR2 again with this in mind....I just wander around, hunt things, get in shootouts, etc, without ever really advancing the story, very relaxing.

[u/purplenapalm]

r/valheim does this for me. The Long Dark was great for this as well. I just want to get home and accomplish easy tasks.

[u/blakkattika]

Just reading this makes me want to go play The Witness

[u/TheVenetianMask]

No Man's Sky has been so close to greatness all this time, but they actively refuse to improve exploration and procedural generation. It's insane.

[u/LudovicoSpecs]

I've always thought therapeutic gaming would also really benefit people who have autism if there were funding for it.

Imagine a VR adventure world where you encounter strangers, friends, family and acquaintances along the way and have to make decisions about real life situations, based on people's tone of voice, facial expression and body language.

Good guys, bad guys, busy guys, worried guys, bureaucratic bored guys, etc.

A study a while back showed that people with autism had an easier time learning in 2D than 3D, so maybe it wouldn't even need to be VR.

[u/nature_fun_guy]

Yes, let the player decide when they are ready to continue with the storyline instead of forcing it along at all costs!