5 video games to help you destress

By Casee Ng

So, it’s been a long semester and a half! You're probably feeling at least a bit stressed by now—either from homework, assessments, or whatever horrifying monstrosities the DP students have to deal with. Knowing the time constraints on literally anything graded, you’ve probably not had the time to de-stress or even think about activities to help you relax. Well, fear not, because I’m here to help!

I find that video games are a big source of relaxation, and I’m sure a lot of others feel the same way. My selection, in particular, might be biased, though, because, firstly, I don't have the money or the time to buy more video games, limiting my palette; and secondly, I’ve been replaying Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity for days now. So, expect a bunch of Zelda games.

That being said, here are the top 10 games that are great at helping you de-stress! (In my opinion.)

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BOTW) is a Nintendo Switch game you can buy for 500 HKD. You play as a boy named Link who wakes up with no memory of where or who he is. After being led by a mysterious voice and an old man, you discover that you have awakened in a land called Hyrule, where the princess (who is also the mysterious voice, by the way) is trapping both herself and a malevolent force called Calamity Ganon. You then spend the rest of the game exploring Hyrule, meeting civilians, and fighting monsters, with the ultimate goal of defeating Ganon.

You might think that having an objective or something you need to do sounds stressful, but the best part of open-world games like BOTW is that you can do whatever you want! You could sprint straight to the castle and beat Ganon to bits with a stick (someone actually did that, by the way), or you could wander around Hyrule collecting 100 of every single type of mushroom! There are no time constraints, no pressure—just a world for you to explore and potentially save.

This game is absolutely beautiful. There are so many places in Hyrule where you could just sit down and take screenshots or even pictures with the camera ability you get early in the game. The sound design is also amazing. BOTW’s soundtrack, with its ambient noise and relaxing piano, really gets you in the mood for adventuring—and don’t even get me started on the boss fight music! This game is a work of art, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic video games.

2. Lots of Cats in Every Moment

Now, if video games with adventure or combat just aren’t really your thing—or if you are a cat lover like me—you would love Lots of Cats in Every Moment. LoCiEM is an indie game that you can download for free on Steam! It’s about finding hidden cats in different images while following the story of a girl who has just moved to a new neighborhood. I like this game because it is relaxing and a great way to take your mind off stressful schoolwork after a long day. I’ve spent hours just zooming in on one picture, trying to find the last cat with my parents. Finally spotting a particularly well-hidden cat gives me a sense of accomplishment, and that’s something we all need during stressful times—whether it’s exam season or just a bad day.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

(Can you tell that I love the Zelda franchise?)

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a slightly less popular Zelda game with a much cuter art style. In this game, you follow Princess Zelda (the first Zelda game to ever do this, by the way!) as she journeys through the kingdom of Hyrule. But this time, you’re not stopping Ganon—you’re stopping a mysterious force that keeps opening rifts in Hyrule. Accompanied by Tri, a small ball of light, you use a staff called the Tri-Rod to copy and "echo" objects to solve puzzles and fight monsters. I like this game because of the creative solutions you can use to solve problems and the really cute chibi art style. You can buy this game for the Nintendo Switch for 466 HKD.

4. My Dream Setup

My Dream Setup is a game that you can buy on Steam for 39 HKD. (At the time of writing, there’s a 50% discount, making it 19.50 HKD, so go buy it while you can!) It is an interior design game where you can design different rooms. There’s not really an objective, so it’s perfect for people who just want to sit back, relax, and plan some rooms. There’s a variety of furniture in this game, from PCs to katana racks (no, seriously). So if you just want to unwind and create your dream bedroom, this is the game for you!

5. Tomodachi Life

Tomodachi Life is a Nintendo 3DS game that you can buy secondhand from various online stores. Nintendo stopped selling this game a long time ago, so it’s a bit harder to find now, but its humor and sheer ridiculousness make up for it.

In Tomodachi Life, you can create yourself, your friends, and even fictional characters to live on an island together. You help solve their problems, build their relationships, and even marry them. The drama and absolute nonsense that unfolds in this game is a great distraction from stress. And since islanders don’t always have much going on, this game is perfect for running in the background while you do some work or for playing during breaks.

(PS: I’m actually playing it as I write this article.)

Overall, these games have really helped me become a less stressed person, and I think they can help you too! Just remember not to get addicted—these games are supposed to help you relax after school, not make you drop out. (If you do get addicted, it’s not my fault.)

I hope you enjoyed my game recommendations and were able to de-stress because of this article. Bye!