Relaxing video games

[louisg]

Anything aquatic, like the Endless Ocean games! There are some of those on the PS2 also. Methodical puzzle games (not falling block) like Polarium are good, too.

Sometimes I play easy games to relax too Thunderforce 3, Test Drive 2, or some of the easier ports to the Atari 2600.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Anything aquatic, like the Endless Ocean games! There are some of those on the PS2 also.

Sub Rebellion! I've yet to play mine, though. Underwater exploration in Monster Hunter Tri, MGS2 and Chaser wasn't bad.
And yeah, when Ōkami went there, I was gobsmacked.
Since I started from Ballance, might as well throw Monster World IV in.

[Strider77]

Prince of Persia 08

[ACSeraph]

I might be weird but I play slow exploration based horror games when I want to relax. The dark mood and utter silence put me into a feeling of catharsis.

Silent Hill (KCET) and Fatal Frame are good choices.

[Blinge]

Lol wuttt ^ I could understand if that was replaying a horror game I already know.

But in most blind plays of horror games I have to force myself to enter each new room.

I find big open world 'casual' AAA titles like Ass Creed, Infamous to be quite relaxing, just something relatively brainless.

[Ed Oscuro]

I still haven't ever played Silent Hill, but Fatal Frame was kind of relaxing so far, actually.

[Ruldra]

Horror games makes me tense as fuck. No way I'd play one to relax.

I'm checking out FreeOrion at the moment and I'm finding it to be pretty relaxing. Empire-building games in general are great when you just want to wind down, you have all the time of the world to plan your moves. Only problem is that matches can take way too long to end.

[Drum]

Kirby's Dreamland 3.

[CIT]

Super Famicom's Akumajo Dracula a.k.a. Super Castlevania IV — it's really slow, very easy, and has such a great jazzed out OST.

[Strider77]

It does has have a great OST.

[Immryr]

FFT / tactics ogre style turn based strategy games are very relaxing for me. Endlessly shuffling units around and messing with your party, upgrading skills etc. hours tend to disappear very quickly when I play this kind of game.

[JBC]

Outrun 2006 for sure, as well as the original.

Actually, a lot of old Sega games make me feel relaxed. Golden Axe & Altered Beasts have this going for them. A lot of it is the combination of music & sound effects, but some of it is the art as well.

Waverace 64

[Immryr]

I wish there was an option in outrun 2006 to use the original versions of the sound track, like in the psp ys games.

[mastermx]

Animal Crossing games.

Monster Hunter games.

Visual Novel style games (Phoenix Wright, Dangan Ronpa)

I find many Nintendo games to be very relaxing because they are way too easy. Their platformers for example and Mario Rpg.

Game like civilization I find relaxing too. Basically any game with cutscenes and a story is relaxing. Fighters and shmups are always going to be exhilarating.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I wish there was an option in outrun 2006 to use the original versions of the sound track, like in the psp ys games.

You can unlock the original OST in Showroom. I recommend unlocking one of the "Special" cars sooner, though.

[Immryr]

aha! as you can tell I only just got this game. I was a little put off by the new version of the ost, so this is great.

first purchase, passing breeze! way more important than cars.

[Obiwanshinobi]

"Special" cars trivialise most of the Flagman challenges. Just saying.

[Ex_Mosquito]

Broken Sword 1/2

The first 2 games on the PS1 are great. True interactive story game with crafty puzzles. Great stuff.

[mastermx]

Ah yes games like broken sword and monkey island can be very relaxing. Just get a hold of scummvm and look at the great library of point and click adventures.

[JBC]

Super Monkey Ball seems like it could be relaxing once you've already mastered it. It has all the trappings of a relaxing game which serve to disguise how very stressful it actually is. Still, I can imagine that it could become really zen-like if one where to perfect their play style, to the point where all of the movements become natural.

I can't do that though.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Despite its aesthetic kinship with OutRun 2006 (that Sega sensory assault), Super Monkey Ball feels more punishing and as such it's exhilarating rather than relaxing. Mistakes in the former are not quite as stinging. Super Monkey Ball is more like F-Zero GX and 2002 PS2 Shinobi than the games I'd recommend here.
Unless we're talking about Monkey Golf.
P.S. The staff roll minigame of Super Monkey Ball is relaxing - just what you need having cleared that game.

[Ruldra]

Ah yes games like broken sword and monkey island can be very relaxing. Just get a hold of scummvm and look at the great library of point and click adventures.

They're fun and relaxing...until you get stuck and have no idea what to do. You take a long time to find a solution, and shortly after you get stuck again. It happens often and you get frustrated pretty fast. Back in the day I had no problem spending days or weeks looking for solutions, but I can't put up with that anymore.

About a year ago I installed ScummVM and started playing Monkey Island and The Dig. Got stuck and never managed to finish either of them.

[qmish]

Populous: The Beginning for me. (Windows version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6zKaIRdkfA

[kaicooper]

honestly best Relaxing games

Braid
Vanishing of Ethen Carter
Proteus
Dear Esther

[SuperGrafx]

Gradius III on the SNES

I used to play that game and sort of zone out in a zen-like / trance state.
Loved the game and the soundtrack, but the slowdown actually made it a fun and sublime experience.