So, suppose that you are not in the best mental state for whatever reason. For example, maybe you're upset at something that happened in the news, you are having relationship issues or issues at your job, or even if you've just had a bad day. There could be many situations where you just aren't in the best mood, and you may need to play something to, perhaps, take your mind off it. Perhaps you need to play a comfort game.

So, my question is, in this sort of situation, what games do you reach for?

For me, I'm actually thinking of Ultima 3. The game is simple, isn't overly RNG-dependent, and the one frustrating RNG aspect (ships not spawning) can be worked around with an exploit. (To be honest, when it comes to comfort games, there's no shame in using exploits, glitches, or outright cheats to make the game more pleasant and less frustrating to play.) Also, I've played the game enough that I understand it well, and should not get any nasty surprises.

So, how about you? What are your comfort games?

Eh, I suppose Saints Row 2 is my comfort game. A game I've already played a bunch, but it feels rewarding to play through again. It has a ton of content and is generally fun to play. It is dumb fun made smart. (DO NOT ASK ME ABOUT THE THIRD GAME, IT SUUUUUUCKS)

DREDGE takes the title for me!

It strikes a great balance between feeling cozy and being quite creepy. A fishing trawler 'management' while being totally steeped in Lovecraftian lore and creatures. One of the few games I bought on Steam, and have been looking to re-buy when it's a good price here on GOG, I can spend endless hours putting about on the oceans.

I have spent SO much time in there, it's the perfect pick-up-and-play game: short sessions or long, by indie developers (who are New Zealand based!), and a reasonable price.

Just love DREDGE!


...having never played Ultima 3, I'll look into it!

Ultima 3 might not be so comfortable your first time playing it, however. (The same can be said of much of the series. actually.) I'd say it's still worth playing, but maybe isn't as good as Ultima 4-6. (Although, Ultima 5 in particular can be particularly frustrating sometimes.)

Doom, or some random boomer shooter. I used to play Fallout 3 just so I could gib a guy's head point-blank with a shotgun at the Super-Duper Mart. That really used to calm me down and give me all the dopamine, back in the day.

I like cozy games, so my list is going to be a bit longer. I'm only including games that I've actually finished thus why Littlewood, Stardew Valley and similar games are not on the list.

Any DevCat Game - All of their games are cozy and comforting while promoting shelter cats.

Any Cats Hidden in,,,, - All of these are simple hidden object games involving finding cats.

A Short Hike - Exploration adventure. Your goal is to get to the top of the mountain, but there's no time limit or combat or anything. There's lots of side quests to complete, some are more necessary to do than others.

Absolute Drift - There is nothing cozy or comforting about this game. However I'm so hilarious bad at it that I don't do any of the tracks and need to concentrate a lot on the game to accomplish the overworld areas. Consequentially, it's great for taking my mind off stuff.

Alekon - It's essentially Pokemon Snap, only better. Okay, there's a ton of optional mini games, and I hate practically all of them. The core game is taking pictures of creatures. Initially, you're on a track (like Pokemon Snap), but you'll earn the ability to free roam through areas.

Calico - Another exploration adventure game. This time it involves magical girls and cats.

Cloud Gardens - You're building garden landscapes in the ruins of what appears to be a post-human world.

Cthulhu Saves Christmas - JRPG style game where the plot is that you're Cthulhu and saving Christmas.

Dorfromantik - Relaxing tile strategy game about building picturesque landscapes.

Haven Park - Another exploration adventure game where you're improving and running grandma's park.

Islanders - Another relaxing game

Little Things Remastered - Simple hidden object game, free on itch.

Save Room - It's Resident Evil but where you spend all your time in the safe room, manipulating your inventory.

Sticky Business - I'm technically still play this one.
The game is rather simple, but there's something really satisfying about it. You use image parts to build stickers that you sell in a shop. The part where you are fulfilling orders is rather mundane and repetitive but in a way that is oddly relaxing. Since you can save the stickers you make in the game as images, I've been uploading the ones I've made (so far) to my imgur account here: https://imgur.com/a/sticky-business-rtLAnd1

Unpacking - Another cozy game. Your goal is to unpack boxes and find a place to put everything. There's also a free mode where you can put stuff anywhere you want.


edit -- Special shout out to drxenija. He knows why.

For me it depends on what is bothering me and my mood at the time.. for example if I am upset in a angry manner something violent that I can mostly turn my brain off with for abit and for the moment the more then 5 that mainly does that trick for me usually is Fallout 4 , Nightmare reaper and the Shadow of mordor aswell as Shadow of war and the Varies Batman Arkam games

For if stressed pretty much any lego game

Enter the Gungeon

It's a simple arcade style game. I love the imagination that went into all the different weapons. It's something I can just turn my mind off and enjoy.

A really good example of a contemporary 'cozy game' is Golf: hole in one by Headway Games.
But you might think. "This is so menial" or "it's too cozy" in which case I would suggest What the Golf? by Triband which is wholesome, fun and charming.

I like games that pose some challenge when I'm in a cozy mood.
Collect-a-thons, Puzzle, Beat em' ups

Sometimes a setting, sometimes a mechanic, always cozy.
Zoning out, without too much of a commitment to story.

Usually DOOM '93, especially as a metal fan it's easy just to put YouTube in the background and mow down legions of demons with the dulcet tones of Sepultura, Slayer, and Iron Maiden, lol. Not to mention just being from that era when this and Wizardry 7 were my jam it really takes me back.

gta5 with my personal playlist on the radio just driving around in sp mode. I just wish I could hear the music when I exit the vehicle.

Musou games

Spec Ops: The Line, until it was removed from my library.

Broforce (the version before the "Broforce Forever" update. That update changed all of my favorite levels).

Morphite. I started playing it on steam not too long ago and wondered how i've never heard of this game and i decided to check it on steamcharts and the all-time player peak is 35 :D. I guess the underwhelming playerbase dissapointed the devs so they stopped updating it and it is quite buggy and definetly not as good as it could be.