The UnderGarden
The UnderGarden [official site] is ostensibly a puzzle game, but what it’s really about is spreading pollen to plants so that they flower and bloom artfully as you walk past. And it does that very well indeed.
You’re an odd bear-pixie hybrid who just has to walk past a flower for it to spring up, unfurling in a mini light show. It’s beautiful to watch – and it’s doing that over and over again that makes you want to carry on, not necessarily the puzzles themselves. When you’re bored with one level or you’ve exhausted its supply of sprouting buds (usually the latter), you move onto the next one, greeted with different types of flowers.
There are musicians to pick up too, which are tiny creatures that play instruments. String them along with you and you’ll soon have your own little alien orchestra going on. Its world is a great example of how a setting can often outshine the game that lies beneath it, and it’s a great place to go and quietly gather your thoughts.
10/05/2017 at 19:06 Culby says:
Now, when you play Boyz II Men on Audiosurf, you do manage to make it to The End of the Road, yes?
I’ll see myself out.
10/05/2017 at 19:07 beowolfschaefer says:
I’d also add Eufloria, great little game for relaxing.
10/05/2017 at 19:08 Freud says:
Sine Mora used to be my relax game. It’s a bullet hell game but a bit on the easy side.
Other than that Nintendo games are perfect for relaxation (Super Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World) but those aren’t natively PC games I guess.
10/05/2017 at 19:19 Merry says:
Samuel listen. I love you very much, but you’re supposed to put a break at 100 words or less and put a Read the rest of this entry » to draw me in. If you haven’t written 100 words then you’re not working hard enough.
And isn’t 10 of the most relaxing games on PC Philippa’s job? I don’t mind really ‘cos I like you better (not really though).
10/05/2017 at 19:30 skeletortoise says:
Osmos is in a league of its own for sheer relaxation. None of the games I’ve played from this list come close to touching it, and I don’t imagine the ones I’ve not played would fare much better.
(I realize this reads like a condemnation of the list, but it’s really just a very very big recommendation for Osmos for those looking to relax. It’s also probably dirt cheap at this point.)
10/05/2017 at 19:35 crazyd says:
My most recent relaxation games are the wave mode in SUPERHOT and Night in the Woods. Both good for a cool down before bed. No stress, no panicking.
10/05/2017 at 19:38 Bobcat says:
I find Hexcells intensely relaxing. Except for a few fiendishly hard levels.
10/05/2017 at 19:39 Sicky337 says:
Eurotruck Simulator 2 ( ETS2 ) can be as simple as grab a load and follow the map to the destination.
But there are also tasks to complete and to add to the game play some very clever Modders have created a multiplayer MOD so you can play with your friends. Plenty of DLC ( download content ) map expansions addons for your truck new loads and coming summer 2017 are multiple trailers and specialist heavy loads with rear steering trailers.
Drive your truck as it is or take a visit to the garage to make it your own. From paint jobs cab types engine size amount of axles, lights, air horns and many more little changes to make it your own. Some players in multi player have companies where they will join in convoys etc.
A choice of trucks are available too.
So it can be as relaxing as you want or as busy as you want.
There are face book pages and forums where you can communicate with others whether if be for problems with the game, communicate with game modders, talk to the company your may wish to join or to see what new DLC is in the pipe line.
Fell like a change then theres AMS American truck Simulator which is pretty much the same but american trucks and american maps.
10/05/2017 at 19:48 thomas16632 says:
everybody gone to rapture. i don’t like this, this is a 100% _slow_ walking simulator with audiologs. And it’s not _that_ pretty. Even dull i would say.
i would put Elite dangerous here, it’s like eurotruck for those who like the quiet of space instead !!
10/05/2017 at 19:58 Kefren says:
I used to love Minecraft. Then they added a hunger mechanic I hated – seeing my health constantly drop was depressing. Then I’d die from a small fall. Yet if I turned off hunger, it also got rid of all the monsters that I liked to encounter sometimes. I never understood why they didn’t just make hunger a tick-box toggle. Then I’d still be playing the game.
10/05/2017 at 20:06 yhancik says:
There was something very relaxing to Creatures – at least when they didn’t get super-sick or close to the Grendel.
I found Eidolon pretty relaxing as well, except in some situations, again. But it still wasn’t as … efficient as Proteus (and its evil twin Purgateus – that has one of my favourite ambient soundtracks in gaming ever).
There’s something I could say about Kentucky Route Zero, but I feel “relaxing” wouldn’t exactly pay it justice. There’s definitely something calming in its slowness, though.
I used to play IL-2 Sturmovik’s in free flight mode (whatever it was called… campaign builder?). No enemies, just me, my plane, and trying to climb as high as I could, in conjunction with Selected Ambient Works vol. II. I think that definitely was my most relaxing (non-)gaming experience ever.
10/05/2017 at 20:11 elevown says:
I would add no mans sky to this list.
I never followed the pre launch hype or vids and was kinda expecting it to be proteus in space – with a bit more to it – which is more or less what it is :)
It’s still not a great game – but I think it is relaxing to explore all the beautiful worlds and space, with very little danger or urgency.