Somedays are just a lot. I have too much on my mind, and quite frankly, I need a break. I need to relax and do something calm and chill, and that will allow me to veg out a bit. And something I can easily do from home. For me, sometimes that is playing a cozy video game. Here are three of them I love to play when I want some downtime.
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Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley looks like something from the 1980s. You aren’t going to find super modern graphics with this one, but it is also one of the best games to play to help with my anxiety as well. I play on my Nintendo Switch, and I love curling up with the game, ready to work on the farm.
The storyline is that your grandpa has passed away and has left you his farm. You move in from the city and start your new life. You can have animals, which make items you can sell such as cheese, milk, and eggs. You can also garden, and sell or can your items from your crops. You can also go to the mines to well, use your pix axe to mine, or fight monsters, which honestly can be a little scary sometimes.
You start in the spring, and play 28 days in each season, with winter bringing you a snow-filled farm. You can interact with the townspeople, make friends, and even marry and have children. There is so much gameplay to be had and it is all so satisfying. You can also play with others, although I haven’t yet explored playing that way.
The best part is, the game is only $15.00!
Sims 4
I have been a fan of the Sims since it first came out in 2000. Sims 4 is the latest version and so much fun. From playing different challenges to watching your Sim family grow, it’s perfect for cozy gameplay. Sims 4 is basically a virtual doll house where you can create, or download families, starting at the infant stage. Your sims will grow to a baby, toddler, child, teenager, young adult, adult, elder, and then pass away and turn into a ghost.
You can play a single sim living it up in the big city or a mom of six trying to make it on a farm complete with a cow, chickens, and even some wild rabbits. Your sims can stay at home and garden or work their way up an astronaut or doctor career path. There are so many choices.
The Sims 4 Base Game is now free to play, but you can add to your game with packs based on all sorts of themes. My favorites are Growing Together, Cottage Living, Seasons, and Parenthood. You can see the vast collection of packs here. I like to play the Sims 4 on my MacBook Air but you can also play on a PC, Playstation, or Xbox.
Shop for Sims 4 Expansion, Game, and Stuff Packs!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing is similar to Stardew Valley in some ways. You play a cute character who has to build up a home on an island. I haven’t spent as much time playing Animal Crossing but its really so cute and you get to upgrade your home over time. You spend time making tools, making friends, shaking trees, fishing, and looking for fossils. You can also connect and play with your friends who also play Animal Crossing, visit each other’s islands, and help each other out.
Cozy video games are such a great way to unwind from a long day, work through your anxiety, and create and have fun in a virtual way.
