Some of the best games for Anxiety are simply the ones that help distract you. Even relaxing and distracting your mind for an hour can really help improve your state of mind.

That being said, anxiety is a far-reaching and diverse condition that can affect people in lots of different ways. Whether it’s Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder or another form of anxiety that you suffer from there are certain games which are better than others for the general anxiety sufferer.

Best Relaxing Games:

Some of the best games are colorful or include a ambient atmosphere, contain a soundtrack that sets the scene and draws you into the game environment even more.

Commonly these are adventure games, walking simulators, platformers and puzzle games. There are obviously exceptions to the rule, but when you’re looking for more good relaxing games after reading this list it’s a good thing to keep in mind.

Here is our list of the best games for anxiety.

7. Minecraft

This game is a great game for people with all levels and types of anxiety, it can be both a solo experience or a multiplayer experience. One which you can largely tailor to how you like to play.

If you simply like creating, you can turn off the not so friendly mobs or you can start a server that’s for just you and a few friends by purchasing the best minecraft hosting.

The game is so customizable you can even add texture packs to minecraft to make it more friendly to an aesthetic you like.

6. Trine

This game has some beautiful aesthetics, and as a puzzle-platformer with limited action it’s largely a game that requires you to think about the problems at hand. This is a great game for people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and if like me you get panic attacks it’s a top game for calming you down due to the ambient soundtrack.

I’m including this game largely due to my own positive experiences with it, but I do think it would benefit anyone with GAD.

5. Hearthstone

I’d put this game higher on the list, but as you start to get a bit better at the game it can become a little stressful if you’re competitive like myself.

Generally though it’s a slow paced, turn based strategy game that gets you to focus on playing against your opponent by playing the cards in your deck. It’s a great game and a lot of fun, but due to the fact it can cause stress I wouldn’t place it any higher.

I quite often find myself playing Hearthstone either all the time or not going on it at all for months.

4. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a top-down pixel style game that reminds me of Pokemon back in the GameBoy days. I bought this game after hearing lots of good things about it.

I was actually pleasantly surprised after playing the game for a few hours and found myself much more relaxed. The game has a way of taking you back to your childhood and has a very relaxed gameplay involved. All you need to do is build and maintain your farm and its crops.

The cheery colors and musical score in the game really help put you at ease and it’s easy to spend hours on the game without realizing it. For this reason it definitely gets a nod as one of the best games for anxiety.

3. Firewatch

Firewatch is a truly moving walking simulator / adventure game that is set in Shoshone National Forest. While there are parts of the game that are downright scary, for the most part the game is extremely relaxing though.

Walking around in the wilderness with beautiful hues of light, from dawn to dusk the atmosphere is excellent. Speaking with Delilah on the walkie. If the game were simply a walking simulator it would still be one of the best, but because of the amazing plot of the game and how attached you get to the two characters in the game it is an experience you can’t miss.

2. Abzu

Abzu is described as a beautiful underwater adventure and was nominated for a Bafta in 2017. Swimming around schools of beautiful fish to a truly relaxing musical score it really is something of an experience.

I would say the games graphics really make the game truly relaxing as there are other games set in the underwater scene that aren’t nearly as good for my anxiety. So yeah, definitely a top game and you need to check it out.

1. FEZ

FEZ is a Indie Platformer game focused on exploration and puzzle solving. Released back in 2013 it gained critical acclaim, and for me it’s still one of my favorite platformers I’ve played.

In terms of why it’s such a relaxing game, it’s very bright and colorful and contains a kickass soundtrack that builds the atmosphere of the game.

FEZ is extremely gripping, but due to the casual nature of the game it’s not going to cause you to have any immense withdrawals from the game. So you can feel rest assured that it’s a pretty stress free game overall. The puzzle-like elements in the game definitely draw your concentration and keep your mind occupied which is a huge plus for anxiety.

The intriguing and beautiful environments are very immersive as well and that simply helps with trying to get your chill on.

For all of those reasons and for the simple fact it’s a really enjoyable playing experience this game gets the top spot for my best game for relaxing and improving your anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion:

Finding a good game or bunch of games to improve your anxiety and kick back and relax can be kind of an anxiety inducing thing at times. So hopefully this list has given you some good suggestions to go and check out.