Summary
While most games provide some form of escapism, many are intent on immersing players in intense situations. Other games focus more on their mechanics than narrative or atmosphere, generally providing more brain-teasing than fantasy.
Be it nostalgia, visuals, story, or a combination of the three, a great number of video games are able to provide decidedly feel-good experiences. These games are typically colorful, wholesome, and accessible, but not necessarily lacking in gameplay.
Though certainly not the case for everyone, manyold-school 3D platformersare likely to evoke a certain sense of nostalgia.Spyrois a particularly lighthearted experience, excelling with its colorful charm and accessible gameplay.
The simple story and cartoon visuals both help to provide a feel-good experience, supported by creative environments. Best of all, the original trilogy was remastered and released in 2019 to positive reviews. This opensSpyroup to a whole new audience, allowing modern players to enjoy the trilogy without any prior experience.
Caravan SandWitchis a distinctive title that featuresa total lack of combat. Instead, the game focuses its efforts on providing meaningful exploration and a heartfelt narrative, all taking place in a surprisingly hopeful post-apocalyptic setting.
The colorful visual style helps to sell the relaxed atmosphere, but Caravan SandWitch excels with its optimistic tone and peaceful characters. All of this is supported by a soothing soundtrack that helps to convey the peaceful nature of the game’s world.
Stardew Valleyis a decidedly feel-good farming-sim that offersa rewarding gameplay loop. In the game, players are tasked with transforming an overgrown plot of land into a fully-fledged farm, but there’s very little in the way of pressure or challenge to keep players from achieving their goals over time.
As a result,Stardew Valleyis able to offer a relaxed atmosphere. The variety of NPCs also help to provide wholesome interactions, supporting the overall positive feel of the game. Furthermore,Stardew Valleypresents a low-stakes environment for online play, allowing players to enjoy this feel-good experience in tandem.
Slime Rancheris a low-stakes monster-collecting experience that tasks players with wrangling an abundance of lively sentient slimes. Thankfully, taking care of these balls of slime is relatively stress-free, in keeping with the game’s soothing atmosphere and vibrant environments.
The cartoon visuals, comforting soundtrack, and general charm of the game’s critters make for a decidedly feel-good experience. Furthermore,Slime Rancher’sgameplay is tremendously low-stakes, supported by intuitive controls that ensure mechanical issues rarely get in the way ofits charming atmosphere.
Cobalt Coreis aroguelike deck-builderthat can be challenging at times, but it remains a feel-good experience throughout. This is thanks in large part to its ensemble of charming characters and soothing atmosphere.
The bubbly, tranquil soundtrack brings a particularly peaceful ambiance toCobalt Core’stactical battles. The colorful pixel-art and wholesome character interactions also help, though, solidifyingCobalt Coreas a decidedly feel-good experience well-worth checking out.
TheRatchet & Clankserieshas been known to provide lighthearted, spacefaring adventures across a colorful variety of locales. Often featuring a cast of wacky, wonderful characters and wholesome themes revolving around friendship and teamwork, these games typically provide feel-good adventures with accessible gameplay.Rift Apartis no different.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartwears its sentimental and often nostalgic heart on its sleeve; it’s a riveting adventure that propels players through its myriad locations at a breakneck pace, supported by excellent set-pieces and memorable NPCs that help to make the experience as charming as it is captivating. It’s the overarching themes of forgiveness and teamwork, however, that makeRift Apartsuch a feel-good journey.
AlmostanyLEGOgamefits the bill as a feel-good experience, but fans of Peter Jackson’s beloved adaptations ofThe Lord Of The Ringswill get a particularly heartwarming adventure from thisLEGOtitle. The sheer coziness of Middle-earth does plenty of heavy lifting, but it’s bolstered byLEGO’stongue-in-cheek charm and the heartfelt story of the source material.
While nostalgia might play a part in this, exploring Middle-earth is a particularly feel-good experience thanks to the timeless score and faithful adaptation of environments. Furthermore, as with allLEGOgames,LEGO The Lord Of The Ringsis perfect for co-op, allowing players to easily share the wholesome experience with friends and family.
Hi-Fi Rushis a colorful, lighthearted adventure that stands out for its unique rhythm-based action and ‘Saturday morning cartoons’ vibe. However, its wholesome narrative helps the game to provide a feel-good experience, working in tandem with an invigorating soundtrack.
The game’s vibrant cast of characters are the backbone ofHi-Fi Rush, offering plenty of wholesome interactions and carrying the narrative forward with a great deal of heart. Despite its small scale,Hi-Fi Rushis a colorful explosion of lighthearted fun, meaningful narrative, and memorable characters, offering a rewarding experience that frequently evokes warm and fuzzy feelings.
