School might be out for those who still attend, but that doesn't mean that daily schedules are any less hectic. So after a long, busy day, it's definitely pleasant to settle down to a good book, TV show, or a good game and just relax.
In the massive collections that happily litter the libraries both physical and virtual, there are some good games to pick up in the event that the call for something relaxing comes about. Some games don't focus on heavy plots or massive amounts of fighting and strategy and therefore make for great games to just chill, perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.
10 The Earth Sure Does Have A Lot Of Things In Katamari Damacy: Reroll
The original installment of the cult classic franchise Katamari Damacy got a visual update with Reroll, which just brought the already cute game up to modern cuteness standards. It also fixed a few glitches and provided benefit of cutting away the screen when things were in the way so that the player no longer had to guess.
It's a simple game coupled with pleasant music in which the point is to roll up everything into a nice ball to make stars with, all while having The King of All Cosmos watching to pass his ridiculously hilarious judgments on the Prince's progress.
9 Build The Perfect Zoo In Planet Zoo
Ever miss the many hours of building enclosures for wildlife in Zoo Tycoon? Just have an interest in animals, zoos, or habitats? Planet Zoo might be worth looking into. It focuses more on the animals than capitalism and tourist traps like its spiritual predecessor, and has a massive library to go through.
It also has optional DLC to add in even more kinds of animals and habitats to the roster to give hours of making the most beautiful zoo possible.
8 Breed, Explore, And Journey Home In Niche: A Genetics Survival Game
Build a whole species and adapt to local environments with Niche: A Genetics Survival Game. Explore various island worlds and keep an eye on the Home Gene to get Adam's descendants back to his original home.
Or just open up sandbox mode and see what sort of Nichelings can come out of various scenarios. From aquatic creatures all the way to flying, toxic beasts with massive antlers, Nichelings grow and adapt to the world around them— with the player's guidance, of course.
7 Enjoy Some Good Food At Little Dragons Café
For any fans of games like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley and who also like rhythm games, checking out Little Dragons Café is a must. In it, the player picks one of a pair of siblings and they are given the task of maintaining the family restaurant after their mother falls into a coma. They find themselves in possession of a baby dragon who helps them collect staff, find ingredients for dishes, and explore the world.
It is a fun game with a wide cast of characters to interact with and various duties to keep the player entertained for a good while. The quality of dishes goes up as long as the player themselves can manage to improve the ingredients, keep them in stock, and master the adorable rhythm game that goes along with cooking.
6 Settle Down Into Stardew Valley
Speaking of Stardew Valley, there are few games out there with as much staying power as the farming sim giant itself has managed. With massive amounts of character customization, farm customizations, and a wide cast of marriage candidates, there are few other games that can relax a player quite as much as Stardew can.
Pick a farm— maybe the beach to keep up the summer vibes?— plan a route to riches, and settle on into Pelican Town, a quaint little community tucked away in the magical Stardew Valley.
5 Explore The Open World Of Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
Explore the vibrant world within Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles and find a brilliant open world full of plants and animals just ready to discover. Each section of the world has a farm that can be purchased, giving a closer space to bring wild animals that the player has befriended. Each one has its own little perks and look, with very few animals locked to their individual spaces.
There is an overarching plotline, but there are also a huge number of side quests and little things to do which will give the player hours of enjoyment in this relaxing and colorful game.
4 Step Back Into Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The game that a good deal of players cheered up while stuck at home during the pandemic continues to be a giant, with plenty of players still at Animal Crossing: New Horizons enough to make the multiplayer functions still worth going after.
So pick up an old file and dust it off, or boot up a new game to make an island home in this cute, relaxing little game. Just try not to sell souls to a greedy racoon or scare a nerdy owl too much. Also, try not to think about the fact the player never gets to be an animal themselves— the point is to relax, not have an existential crisis.
3 Build A Whole World In Equilinox
There are few games out there with quite as much relaxation potential out there as Equilinox. The game has a ton of low-poly plants and animals to build a whole world with, mutate into new species, and watch thrive all while listening to beautiful background music.
It doesn't take long or much effort to unlock everything in the game, meaning the player can get to everything and customizing the world to be as vibrant or pastel as they see fit in no time.
2 Take Over As Royalty In Rune Factory 4
Harvest Moon tried for awhile to make a fantasy RPG/farming simulator series which eventually made its way to Rune Factory 4. The game was covered in cute characters who all interacted with the world around them instead of mindlessly walking on set paths.
It had the best of both worlds, an engaging RPG style plotline coupled with the relaxing qualities of a farming simulator. It has even received an enhanced edition in the relatively recent past, bringing the cute art up to speed with the rest of the world.
1 Get Some Pictures in New Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap just recently made its way out, rehashing an old favorite to exist in the modern era, complete with an updated dex and gorgeous graphics. Instead of battling in this Pokémon game, the point is to collect pictures of various Pokémon engaging with the world in new and unique ways.
If exploring and looking at vibrant scenery and collecting things is something that sounds like fun, pick up a copy of New Pokémon Snap and get going.
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