The best relaxing games are here to help you unwind. We all need some rest and relaxation these days, and games can provide a little virtual space where you can kick back and get away from the busy day-to-day.
And luckily for us, there are a ton of Zen titles to choose from. From some of the best PC games to a collection of the best feel-good games, like Stardew Valley, we're spoilt for choice. So, we've rounded up the top 10 titles for you here. From delightful puzzlers to enchanting sims and cozy adventures, you're sure to find something there to help you take a load off.
Read on below to find our pick of the best relaxing games you can play when you're in need of a lovely, chilled-out experience to tuck into.
10. PowerWash Simulator
Developer: FuturLab
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
There is something strangely meditative about spraying a massive playground and people’s homes with an industrial-powered hose. PowerWash Simulator is one of the most relaxing games that you can play, no matter your mood. With no time restrictions and a straightforward objective: make sure everything is clean; it’s a low-pressure and easy-to-pick-up game that you can dip in and out of as you please.
In the base game, the career mode option lets you clean various homes, vehicles, and more. You’ll be scrubbing fantasy cottages, skateboard parks, and ancient monuments. Then, of course, you can also check out all the PowerWash DLC, some of which will have you cleaning the likes of SpongeBob SquarePants's house and Shrek’s swamp. Honestly, there are tons to do here, and as you unlock better equipment, this already relaxing game becomes even more satisfying to play.
9. Journey
Developer: thatgamecompany
Available on: PS4, PC, iOS
Any game from developer ThatGameCompany could go here, and it would fit the theme of best relaxing games, but Journey feels like the most obvious choice. It has the best controls, the most varied visuals, and a surprisingly powerful message behind it. Journey's use of small multiplayer ideas and music come together in a way that heightens the experience without distracting from it.
Journey's peacefulness is also heightened by the fact it’s entirely wordless, instead opting for visuals and music to express emotions and narrative. It also has one of the best soundtracks in video game history, and trust us, you'll be feeling zen in no time! It's also a triumph that a title that involves other players directly has ended up on our list since (let's be honest) most traditional co-op games are pretty stressful.
Read our Journey review for more details!
8. Murder By Numbers
Developer: Mediatonic
Available on: Nintendo Switch and PC
I know hearing murder in a list of the best relaxing games might be a shock, but trust me, you’re in the right place. On one hand, Murder By Numbers is a whodunnit detective experience about exploring murders and finding out the culprit. On the other hand, It is a visual novel / Picross adventure about exploring the depths of humans' low points and what they must do to overcome them.
Half of the game is spent reading and the other half is spent playing Picross, an addictive maths game my mother plays on her phone. This dichotomy managed to develop a lovely sense of humor and a constant smile on my face. Murder by Numbers is a joyful, relaxing, and unexpectedly thoughtful game that is sure to make your night.
Check out our Murder by Numbers review for more insights.
7. Unpacking
Developer: Witch Beam
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Android, iOS
In 2021, Unpacking marked itself as the relaxing game to play. And even though it’s been out for a few years now, it’s still a staple pick for any gamer looking to chill out. In this puzzle game, you’re tasked with unpacking different boxes and making sure everything is decorated and put in its correct place. Sounds simple, right? Well, as you progress, you’ll realize that you’re following a person’s story, and with each new move and box opened, there’s a new chapter.
All the boxes are packed with trinkets that represent a period in their life. You're along for the ride, from unpacking your dorm room at university to moving in with your partner. However, the story remains subtle, and the focus here is the Zen and calming process of simply putting items on shelves and finding the perfect space to store that stack of mugs and plates.
6. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Developer: Nintendo
Available on: Nintendo Switch
At this point, it’s practically a cliché to reduce Animal Crossing: New Horizons to its relaxing nature and comfy feel, but the cliché exists for a reason. Animal Crossing is one of the most wonderfully soothing games, and it came at the perfect time. There isn’t a story, as such, but Animal Crossing doesn’t need one.
Just you, your tools, and a handful of bells are needed to make your little island into a real paradise. As you adjust small things for Nook Miles or relocate villagers for symmetry, you start to care about your island and all the happy little residents. It provides a delightful little virtual space where you can just get away from everything for a while - and we all need that sometimes.
Don't forget to read our Animal Crossing: New Horizons review!
5. Abzu
Developer: Giant Squid
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
If you’ve been playing games for a while, there’s a good chance water in games brings up some scary memories. Barely surviving water levels in Ratchet and Clank, the water temple in Ocarina of Time, and that oh-so-famous Sonic drowning music. But Abzu is something very different. It takes the innate fear of what lies in the ocean and turns it into an educational and beautiful experience.
Swim with dolphins, look through coral, and learn all you possibly can about your surroundings as you acclimate to them. It takes very clear inspiration from Journey with lush visuals and a wordless narrative, which works wonderfully for it. You play the role of a diver wandering through the ocean, somewhat guided by a great white shark. It offers many little areas to look at and hidden collectibles to find, but at its core is a peaceful swim through the beauty of the depths.
Check out our Abzu review for more details on this gem.
4. Coffee Talk
Developer: Toge Productions
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch
Grab the calmer moments of the Persona soundtrack, throw some royalty-free rain sounds over it and you have Coffee Talk’s atmosphere. It combines jazzy electric piano with the gentle beep of text scrolling over the screen. It feels somewhere in the realm of “lo-fi hip-hop beats to relax/study to” in terms of vibe, which helps earn its place in the best relaxing games list.
Coffee Talk isn’t really focused on the gameplay or visuals (although they’re lovely), it instead opts to express a fantastic atmosphere. You are tasked with making coffee and indulging in good conversation, often working as an ear to listen to a customer’s woes. Plug in your headphones, turn the lights down low, and get lost in subtle conversation and the art of making coffee.
If you love making things, head over to our list of the best crafting games.
3. Dragon Quest Builders 2
Developer: Square Enix
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Dragon Quest Builders 2 almost didn’t make this list. It has some rather tense moments and battles, but the majority of the gameplay is relaxing, calming, and downright lovely. While there is a grand overarching story about defeating the big bad and killing monsters, the greatest story Dragon Quest Builders 2 tells is of friendship and building communities once thought as lost.
You play the role of a builder, one of the few chosen people capable of making great items out of small materials. You go from land to land, repairing communities, healing sick people, and just generally making the world much better. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a wonderfully cathartic experience where you can spend hours or days just making a nice town and happy villagers. What more could you want?
Read our five-star Dragon Quest Builders 2 review for more on this relaxing masterpiece.
2. Forager
Developer: HopFrog
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
Forager isn’t relaxing in the way most games are. It’s not about taking in sights, looking at pretty visuals, and having little combat. It is practically the opposite of this and works as a strange diorama of the Industrial Revolution, but it’s relaxing nonetheless. In Forager, you play as an adorable little white blob with a pickaxe. You must mine minerals and cut down trees to get materials and experience. This can be used to upgrade certain paths, build from your starting island, and make new contraptions.
It starts with a fairly slow grind as you build up the materials to get better items, but the game opens up as you learn about automation. You can make items to mine materials for you, collect them, or purify them. There is little challenge in Forager but going around collecting items and automating machines is infinitely satisfying. You can slouch in your chair, listen to its nice music, and watch the figures go up slowly.
1. Stardew Valley
Developer: ConcernedApe
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
Taking inspiration from the likes of Harvest Moon, the one-man passion project Stardew Valley oozes charm and comfort. This is true from the gameplay to the visuals to the music. It uses synth violins, harps, and flutes to orchestrate a lazy farming town and does it perfectly. In Stardew Valley, you are given a farm (in one of a few locations) from your grandfather's will, so you decide to uphold his memory by becoming a farmer and connecting with people from the neighboring town.
You can’t get everything done in a day but won’t be required to. Sometimes, you might spend the day weeding others you might attend the egg festival and get to know your neighbors. This is what is great about Stardew Valley. Try not to put too much pressure on a day and enjoy it as it passes you by.
Love farming? Check out our list of the best games like Stardew Valley to play next.
If you want to keep up to date with all the latest relaxing games and more, read our list of all the new games heading our way this year and beyond.
