Relaxing games

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
I think grindy MMOs are relaxing, and have the upside of being slightly productive.

Also turn based RPGs.

Shadow of the Colossus. The world is just very serene.
 

Via

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2009
4,670
4
0
I'm not so sure Tower Defense is always relaxing.

But staying with "TD" - Test Drive Unlimited is my favorite relaxing game. Sure - some of the challenges can potentially raise your blood pressure a little, but you can always retry them right away. I often drive to challenges just for fun, even if they're far away.

I can't think of a better "jump in for 10-20 minutes" type of game.
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,448
1
76
I do the challenges on FSX Acceleration package, or just fly around.

Puzzle type games are good, I'll even fire up Portal on occasion. (Well, now its Portal 2, but I think the original was better and I think I'm almost finished, I think..)

Amnesia, lmao, I wanted to say that but couldn't remember the title. D:
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
I actually find LOTRO very relaxing. I generally listen to music or podcasts while I play and just fart around killing mobs and completing relatively easy quests.

KT
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
I actually find LOTRO very relaxing. I generally listen to music or podcasts while I play and just fart around killing mobs and completing relatively easy quests.

KT

Just after LOTRO went free to play, my friend decided to give it a try and he said the first thing he saw when he arrived at the first town or something was a guy with a lute playing Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" on repeat. If every town is that awesome it sounds relaxing to me.
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
Just after LOTRO went free to play, my friend decided to give it a try and he said the first thing he saw when he arrived at the first town or something was a guy with a lute playing Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" on repeat. If every town is that awesome it sounds relaxing to me.

Hehe yeah, I had a bunch of songs set up for playing. Back when I was in a kin we would sometimes meet up in a tavern with our various instruments and play songs together. Extremely nerdy, but fun. :D

KT
 

sigurros81

Platinum Member
Nov 30, 2010
2,371
0
0
Hehe yeah, I had a bunch of songs set up for playing. Back when I was in a kin we would sometimes meet up in a tavern with our various instruments and play songs together. Extremely nerdy, but fun. :D

KT


Wait...whaaaat?? You can play actual instruments in LOTRO?
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
Wait...whaaaat?? You can play actual instruments in LOTRO?

There are all kinds of instruments, which are in line with the lore (so reed instruments, strings, drums, etc.) and you can play whatever notes and if you are good you can play songs, or you could cheat and use the scripted songs others have figured out.

For example I have a lute and one of the songs I have it scripted to play is "Dust in the Wind"; it sounds awesome. :D

KT
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
This is the only other great suggestion I've seen. Honestly, some of the suggestions in this thread have been totally inappropriate. PVZ? Fallout? Serious Sam?... really guys?

Depends on the game mode, the ones where everything is moving and you can just kind of wander freely are neat, but the ones with the big predatory cells or the ones where you're a tiny cell in the center of a big, static environment and you have to try and navigate your way to largeness can be frustrating.
 

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
Td games often come with too much hectic micromanaging, but warcraft iii td maps often take so long u have periods of several minutes with no action
 

PrayForDeath

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2004
3,478
1
76
HoN. Make sure you have voice chat enabled.

lol

I've reached new heights of nerdrage due to that game. Also had several fights with IRL friends because of it (which I later apologized for when the nerdrage haze subsided.)

It's easily the most frustrating genre in video game history. You work so hard for 60+ mins, then a noob comes along and ruins your whole game because of one stupid mistake. You just can't help but go FFFFFUUUUUUUUU-----