A good video game can help people relax after a stressful day, spend time with friends, and blow off some steam.
During stressful times, frustration and anger can get the best of anyone. Finding healthy outlets for anger is a great way to avoid potential conflicts or pent-up emotions.
Fortunately, video games are both an accessible and fun way to manage anger and help you feel refreshed. Below are some of our top picks for relaxing, yet engaging, games that are great for taking a step away from it all.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
When the Nintendo Switch first launched in 2017, it seemed the public couldn’t stop talking about additions to fan-favorite franchises, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
However, what many players did not expect was a crossover between Nintendo’s Mario and Ubisoft’s Rabbids. This unlikely duo resulted in what is arguably one of the Switch’s best games, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle.
The game is a strategy RPG starring Mario and friends alongside their Rabbid counterparts. With the game’s colorful art style, charming sense of humor, and addictive gameplay, Mario + Rabbids is a great game for forgetting all about the stresses of the real world.
Seeing Rabbid Peach’s antics as she busies herself with her phone is a delight, and Rabbid Luigi can always get a laugh out of anyone. The gameplay itself is grid-based, with the player moving Mario and co. to specific tiles and having them use either their weapons or special abilities to take out the opposing Rabbids.
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is one of the best independently developed games you will find on any console and PC game store.
The game begins with your character wanting to explore their galaxy, but after 22 minutes, the world comes to an end. Players soon discover that they are trapped in a time loop; the goal from then on is to explore the universe and discover why the universe is destined to end.
The game’s 22-minute timer might come across as stressful, but the game encourages that you take your time in exploring every nook and cranny of the world. Every time the world comes to an end, players come to discover something new about the universe.
The game can help you forget about your anger and feel immersed in a gorgeous world with engrossing music and a heartwarming ending.
Gris
Gris is a simple 2D platformer with an immaculate art style and a story that is entirely up to your interpretation. Players act as a young girl trying to overcome a personal issue by delving deep into her mind and overcoming various platforming challenges.
There is no dialogue in the game. Instead, Gris explains its story through its visuals. Additionally, the game’s atmospheric soundtrack and entertaining platforming sections can help you unwind from a long day, and hopefully manage your anger as well.
Gris is not a complicated adventure, but instead a simple, breathtaking experience that may help players come to terms with their own personal challenges as well.