Game On, Stress Off: Top 10 Relaxing Video Games

Are you searching for a relaxing video game in 2024? We gathered top 10 stunning and non-combat games specially for you.

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Doesn't the idea of taking a little break from the real world and moving into a fictional one seem appealing? Video games have become an integral part of our lives. Hundreds of millions of people around the world will be downloading video games and buying updates this week. Even if you are not into gaming, you’ve probably heard some screaming titles. The gaming industry has become one of the biggest industries in the world, but it seems to fall back to the same theme every year: get them before they get you.

Whether it’s shooting aliens in Halo or squashing Goombas in Super-Mario, violence is a key part of almost every video game, even if it is a cartoon one. However, video games have an incredible potential to deliver a wide range of topics, experiences and emotions that deal with connection and empathy. We present top 10 relaxing video games to help you find harmony in 2024.

THE FIRST TREE

Release date: 14 September 2017

Produced by: David Wehle

Platforms: Windows PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

The First Tree is a third-person game that combines two stories: a fox trying to find his family and a boy who decided to find his father. Playing as a fox, you will undergo a touching adventure in a stunning and relaxing atmosphere. Further, you will discover how the boy's story is intertwined with the story of the fox.

LOST EMBER

Release date: 22 November 2019

Produced by: Mooneye Studios

Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Lost Ember is one more third-person exploration game that suggests players go on an adventure in the mysterious world. In this narrative you play as a wolf who embarks on the journey through the wilderness accompanied by a Yanren spirit who one day hopes to reach the City of Light. Discover the history of Yanren civilization using the ability of your wolf to inhabit the bodies of any living creature on your way.

JOURNEY

Release date: 13 March 2012

Produced by: thatgamecompany

Platforms: Windows PC, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4

Journey is not a recent game but it is still one of the best among exploration games. You wake up alone and surrounded by miles of burning desert. Take on the journey through rolling sand dunes, age-old ruins, caves and howling winds. Travel and explore this ancient, mysterious world alone, or with a stranger you meet along the way.

ABZÛ

Release date: 2 August 2016

Produced by: Giant Squid

Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

If you are interested in exploring the sea world, this game is perfect for you. During the course of the fascinating adventure full of deep-sea mysteries and discoveries that Abzû suggests, it will give you one of the most relaxing and stress relieving underwater experiences.

LAKE

Release date: 1 September 2021

Produced by: Gamious

Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch

Lake is a narrative-focused game. It is 1986, and you are Meredith Weiss. Done with the stress at work, you take a break and go back to your childhood town of Providence Oaks. However, instead of taking a vacation, you will help your dad by delivering mail around the beautiful lake town. Be ready to make new connections and meet your old friends.

GARDEN LIFE:A COZY SIMULATOR

Release date: 5 October 2023

Produced by: Nacon

Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch

Garden Life suits for people who like simulation and gardening games. Create your dream garden in a peaceful and colorful environment at your own pace. Transforming a forgotten place into a flourishing one is great for relaxation.

VENBA

Release date: 31 July 2023

Produced by: Visai Games

Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch

Are you into cooking? Then this game is the right choice for you. Venba is a narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom, who immigrated to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Explore the story of the family and help restore some recipes.

GRIS

Release date: 13 December 2018

Produced by: Nomada Studio

Platforms: Windows PC, mac OS, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Gris is a 2D platformer game that follows the emotional journey of a young girl dealing with the painful experience in her life. The story is told in an abstract way, mainly through the colors. Without any word spoken, this story is a true finding for art lovers. There is no combat, no death, only breathtaking beauty and peaceful atmosphere. 

THE SIMS 4

Release date: 2 September 2014

Produced by: Maxis

Platforms: Windows PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Any game of The Sims series presents a relaxing simulation of real world life. The Sims 4 is the latest game of the series. Create Sims and have fun controlling them in a virtual world as you wish.

DORFROMANTIK

Release date: 28 April 2022

Produced by: Toukana Interactive

Platforms: Windows PC, Nintendo Switch

The last but not the least, a peaceful building strategy and puzzle game, Dorfromantik, gives you an opportunity to build a stunning village by placing tiles. If you  enjoy board-like games, this is your choice. Each game you are presented with the tiles, which you can place adjacent to an existing tile. However, connecting tile edges of the same kind will reward more points, and some tiles will have quests.