DOOM

So many mods

So many difficulties

Beyond that I’d say Half-Life because that’s also a good classic.

Minecraft. I go through phases of not playing it, but once or twice a year I’ll start up a new world and just mindlessly build and mine while listening to a podcast or an audiobook, and will play every night for several weeks. I’ve started so many minecraft worlds over the years that I really don’t need to think about what to do next

Any SoulsBorne, Doom (mostly Brutal Doom), PSX Resi’s or SOTN. Mostly the total comfort of playing what I know so well for a wile.

Monster Hunter. I must have spent over 1,800 hrs. on the two latest series. I can’t exactly turn my brain off with this game but nothing makes me more comfortable than having a Lance or Charge Blade in my hands.

Company of Heroes

When it came out in 2006, I played it with all the time with my brother against Bots only and planning out every move.

I recommended it to my friends a bit later and every few years we made a LAN party or an all nighter online session. Through the years all of us moved into different parts of the country, got older and building families.

But around this year’s new years eve, we got into it again, play it every Friday since then. We spend more time together through the game and everybody is having fun, because every match turns out different since everybody got really good at it. Also, it has a surprising strategic depth once you’re really in it and it runs on every shitty PC without any bigger issues.

I really love the game for enabling us this good time together.

Stellaris, Rimworld, or Borderlands 2. Depends on how much I want to use my brain. If I just want to turn my brain off, Borderlands. If I want to really sink into a game, Rimworld. Somewhere in between, Stellaris.

Doom (1993) for me. The newer custom maps and mods too, ofc, but more often than not I’ll spin up episode 1 or 2 just to play through it.

Actually, if I’m really stressed, sometimes I’ll “play” Doom maps in my head - just walking around, trying to remember as much detail as I can. I find it strangely soothing. Damn, I guess Doom is my happy place

Diablo 2. I return to it about twice a year and have a good time starting a fresh playthrough farming gear for a few different builds. Especially with the QOL that resurrected has brought.

Dark Souls. Makes my own life feel not quite as hard 🤘

Mirrors edge 1.

The level design was just really good. There were many different ways to tackle various obstacles in the environment and the time trials had many routes you could take.

Now that I’m relatively good at the game I can beat the story levels in around 4 hours ish?

I like to revisit it from time to time.

A bit different from the question but

Outer Wilds.

I’ve spent a lot of time in it and have 100% it, so it’s hard to find a reason get back in, but even just booting to the title screen just completely transports me.

Why? Outer Wilds was just an incredible experience, and the OST is astounding and the music completely soaked up the experience and can bring it all back just by listening.

Skyrim for me. I always run across a new mod or modlist on YT or socials and it inspires me to venture in again and again.

I go back to a few almost routinely.

• Mount and Blade: Warband (with and without mods)
• Rocket League
• Crash Bandicoot 2&3
• OpenTTD
• Pokemon (The mainline ones are all basically the same game lol)

For M&B and OpenTTD, being able to rely on my old knowledge of the game to succeed feels satisfying since they both have a steep learning curve.

For RL and Crash, muscle memory taking over the majority of play is relaxing.

For Pokemon I just have a crippling amount of nostalgia

Borderlands 1

It’s the perfect game. The story is tight. The builds and weapons are fun. It’s not too grindy, but you can benefit from grinding if you want to. The post-apocalyptic trash planet setting has yet to be diluted and the characters have yet to be flanderized by later entries in the series.

It’s a game that I can pick up anytime and just vibe. My favorite part is collecting all of Tannis’ ECHO Logs throughout the game and getting to follow along with her trauma and descent into madness.

It helps that it has the second best DLC in the series to date. Secret Armoury of General Knox is chef’s kiss. Assault on Dragon Keep is only better by a hair.

Fallout 3. I know New Vegas has a better story and proper ADS. I know 4 is a markedly better handling experience. But 3 holds a special place in my heart