ⓘ Valve

Everyday life often comes with enough main quests and side quests of its own. There’s no need to spend the evening tackling tough boss fights and sweaty ranked matches as well. Sometimes, all it takes is a game with a few simple tasks, a cozy atmosphere and a beautiful world – perhaps from the comfort of the couch with a Steam Deck or another handheld PC. But which games are best for that? That’s exactly what u/konigon1 asked on Reddit, promptly receiving hundreds of responses from the community – ranging from classic cozy games to “relaxing” demon shooters.

Unsurprisingly, Stardew Valley is mentioned particularly often. Growing vegetables, fishing, exploring the mines and gradually expanding your own farm – for many Redditors, this seems to be the perfect way to unwind after work. But it doesn’t always have to be Stardew Valley. After all, there are plenty of other cozy farming and life sims that can offer a similarly relaxing experience. My Time at Portia and Fields of Mistria are among the games mentioned. The latter in particular could be an interesting alternative for some players, as it trades Stardew Valley’s more rustic pixel-art aesthetic for a colorful anime style.

PowerWash Simulator is also considered almost meditative. Simply spending some time blasting away dirt with a pressure washer and watching it disappear bit by bit can be extremely satisfying for many players. As a more macabre alternative, the community recommends Crime Scene Cleaner, which takes the relaxing act of cleaning and moves it to bloody crime scenes. Other players unwind by building production facilities. Satisfactory is all about laying conveyor belts, expanding factories and automating resources. Similar recommendations include Foundation, OpenTTD and Two Point Museum (currently available for around $20 instead of $30).

Apparently, however, not everyone relaxes with typical cozy games. Some Redditors prefer wandering through Skyrim, riding across the Wild West in Red Dead Redemption 2 or clearing question marks from the map in The Witcher 3. Dave the Diver is another frequently mentioned title. Its mix of diving, fishing and running a sushi restaurant feels relaxing to many players, although boss fights and time limits can also make things hectic.

Just how subjective relaxation can be is demonstrated by recommendations such as Helldivers 2 (currently available for around $30 instead of $40), Diablo, Darktide, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Escape from Tarkov and even Doom. Doom’s fast-paced, straightforward gameplay in particular can help players switch off their brains and simply focus on slaughtering demons. Anyone who unwinds with a completely different game after a long day is more than welcome to share their recommendations in the comments.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.