Anyone likes me?
I'm wondering what games people found relaxing or like calming. I've been in a rough place in my life lately and like I would love it if I had some recs for games to calm me.

Noby Noby Boy was that game for me in High School, and I've ended up enjoying the game Everything, but yeah anything else would be lovely.
Tôi là Iris, rất vui được làm quen với các bạn

Stardew Valley
https://www.gog.com/game/stardew_valley

Or any of the Creature games.

Abzu has this reputation.

And Subnautica has a bit this effect on me, although the search for food and the oxygen limitation can occasionally make you hurry.

But underwater seetings are easily soothing.

And that feeling when you reach space, or a new planet, on Kerbal. Of course it may first take some stressful launches or landings to get the hang of it.

Edit: World of Goo can also be quite calming and uplifting.

Definitely anything from the anno series for me. But there is also
https://www.gog.com/game/simcity_3000
https://www.gog.com/game/the_settlers_4_gold_edition
https://www.gog.com/game/startopia
https://www.gog.com/game/caesar_3

He said RELAXING! :P
The first few missions sure, but then the baddies show up.

deleted

Botanicula
Myst, Exile
Siberia


well, most point and click adventure games are pretty relaxing, avoid the ones that have shooting segments or timed actions

Ah right ok :) I only ever played the demo which must've been one of the early levels then. I loved just sitting back and watching everyone go about their business around the village.

ABZU

I think you can play it with those requirements turned off, if you want a more relaxing experience. I guess there's still the more annoying creatures to deal with which can occasionally make you jump or become nervous, but if you don't play for story, I guess the leviathans can be avoided, and the other predators are rarely life-threatening.

I was wondering if by relaxing, did you mean cheerful and quirky games (since you said that you were in a rough spot in your life) or just simply not too much pressure on being fast?

One such game in my library that I thought of is "Redshirt".

https://www.gog.com/game/redshirt

However, it's a pretty simplistic sim. So, it may or may not be your cup of tea (although you can take your own sweet time to do anything).

Cheerful games that might have pressure (but they are light-hearted):

Neighbors from hell
Space Colony
Tropico 4
Tropic Reloaded (good for low-end computers)
Theme Hospital

Mages of Mystralia - there's lots of timed puzzled, but they are all easy and rewarding emontionally and gameplay-wise.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
At least when you're not in a dungeon, filled with rats and zombies.

The AI attacks can be brutal, but the first 45+ minutes are usually extremely calm. You'd have to be tripping on something to get even the faintest adrenaline rush.

or be a slow old man like me :P