Video Games for Relieving Stress
Charley Waterhouse
Gaming is very often used as way to escape from lifes troubles and unwind. And it’s no secret that games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing got many people through lockdowns and pandemic chaos. With Stress Awareness Month coming to a close we’ve asked a handful of team members at One Player Mission what their go-to games are for relieving stress.
Daniel Fox, Lead Recruitment Consultant: Minecraft
“For me it’s got to be Minecraft in Creative Mode, for the boundless possibilites and freedom of creativity! Without any of the hostile mobs, endermen, zombies, creepers or any other enemies to look out for I can just relax and focus on making things. “
Claire Ramshaw, Learning and Development: Happy Color
“Mobile phone games are brilliant at relieving stress for me because you can just pick them up and leave them whenever you want. In a lot of them the plots make absolutely no sense in the real world so it makes a great silly distraction. But I particularly like Happy Color. Colouring is my go-to when I’m really stressed, it chills me out and gives me something to focus on.”
Kallum Noy, Sales Administrator: Cookie Clicker and AdVenture Capitalist
“I like to play things like Cookie Clicker or AdVenture Capitalist to de-stress. Idle games in general are great, it’s just watching numbers go up – You dont really have to do anything.”
Marlon Sorhaindo, Recruitment Consultant: Guitar Hero and Final Fantasy IV
“I like my games to have good soundtracks as I think that makes a huge difference as to whether a game is good or not. I listen to a lot of music anyway so if I’m looking to relax then I like to play Guitar Hero (or Clone Hero on PC), I get to listen to great songs as well as play games so it’s a win win!
Also I like to play my favourite game of all time which is Final Fantasy IV. I’ve played through it so many times I can’t count, it’s a great story with a great soundtrack and it’s a SNES game so just reminds me of an easier time when I was younger. I think there was more magic surrounding games back then and anticipation for me when a new game was being released. Remembering that feeling is nice.“
Jordan Adcock, Operations Manager: Minecraft
“Minecraft! For the music and pacing. It’s probably the only game I play that doesn’t have some sort of competitive edge or tense gameplay.”
James Cook-Abbott, Recruitment Resourcer: Disney Dreamlight Valley
“Games like Terraria, Pokemon or Minecraft seem to be such de-stressors for me. But at the moment the one game that really relaxes me the most is Disney Dreamlight Valley. Not that I play it myself or have any idea who half the characters are, it’s just so nice watching my 4 year old daughter play through her first-ever game!”
Support for Mental Health
It’s great to reflect on the positive impact games can have on us, whether as a casual distraction or quality time with friends and family. Games are excellent tools for entertaining and unwinding. But should you find yourself feeling the need to escape into gaming excessively, you may want to consider seeking additional support.
