There’s been plenty written about all the best games that are out right now. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 is still all the rave, and even older games like Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are getting a fair amount of attention. There’s no question that these games (and plenty of others that are popular right now) are impressive, but sometimes when we need to just “chillax,” they can be daunting. Have you ever wanted to just sit down and feel like you’re shutting your brain off entirely while playing a game? Believe it or not, there are a fair number of games that seem to be created for this exact purpose.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is one of the best games to zone out to, because it’s immersive, yet the opposite of complicated. You inherit your grandfather’s old farm plot that you can customize, but you can also learn to live off the land, join in your local community, find someone to start a family with, explore caves, customize your own house, and more. The nice thing is that all the tasks in this game are incredibly simple, and you can decide how much effort you want to be putting in at any given time.
Golf Story
Golf story is a simple game, but they’ve managed to make it about more than just golf. You play as golfer who has one last shot to accomplish their dreams. What’s interesting about this game is that you play both on and off the golf course. It’s much more immersive than it sounds, with eight different environments, towns, and different people. The nice little story combined with the simplicity of the gameplay makes this a good option for vegging out on the couch or in bed before you go to sleep at night.
SteamWorld Dig 2
Taking place in a mining town, SteamWorld Dig 2 is a game in which you try to uncover why these mysterious earthquakes are taking place in the town. You spend a lot of the time digging beneath the surface to uncover different worlds, enemies, treasures, and the truth about losing your friend. This platform adventure game is on the simpler side, though the challenges become larger the deeper you dig into the ground.
Minecraft
It’s likely that no one is surprised to see Minecraft on here. While the game isn’t terribly difficult even when on survival mode, switch it to peaceful and you can get lost building and exploring to some of the most chill music in any game. While there isn’t an overarching “goal” while playing in peaceful mode, you can create your own goals through what you decide to create. The possibilities are endless.
Endless Sky
Endless Sky is a 2D space trading game, making it different from the others on this list. In this game, you can explore star systems and earn money by trading, carrying passengers, or completing missions. You can search for friendly aliens or take sides in a civil war. Your freedom of choice combined with the simplicity of the game makes this one a good candidate for vegging.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Like with Minecraft, you’re probably not surprised to see Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the list. It must be mentioned though because of how many people have turned to this game for relaxation during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no combat in this game, but you can catch fish, bugs, and more to build upon a museum for your island. You can tailor your island to be exactly what you want, and you can do the same to your house… assuming you have the bells for it, considering your debt to Tom Nook.