There are vacations where, if you can just get the free time, they’d be perfect for us! Seeing as how we don’t always have the luxury of a getaway, what about a video game staycation? I found a few low-key video games to get you that rest & relaxation!
Now, I’ve included a couple of games in here that may not be your flavor but may be someone else’s. Things like fishing and hunting may not be your flavor, but plenty of other folks go camping to do just these things! Don’t worry, I’ve got everyone in mind here. I’ve done quite a bit of research, so let’s get to it!
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles – Consoles & PC
So, you like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, right? Of course you do, because you’re smart and also fun. Now, what if I was to clue you into a game where there’s zero panic about curfews, not a single fear about death, timelines, food and fatigue? Are you interested? Then you should check out Yonder. With a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild aesthetic and a Harvest Moon-esque mechanic that makes it a dream to wander about in — you’ll love this one. Step into this beautiful game with a great pair of headphones and let the soothing sounds and visuals carry you off while you wander around petting cats, fishing and re-building a world in Yonder.
Fishing Sim World – Consoles & PC
Sometimes we want to go do some excursions with our friends and I know I’m really about that. I can’t even list the amount of times I took a vacation alone, so why not grab your friends and go do some chill fishing together? There are SO many fishing video games out there and I’ve definitely tried out a good handful of them, but there’s something about this one and its far more detailed multiplayer that makes it all the more fun. Being able to grab some friends, get on a boat and just go share silly stories and delight in hanging in scenic locations to fish? Pretty great. Again, there’s many fishing games out there but this one is the all-around chill experience that you can have with your pals and isn’t that pretty great?
Disneyland Adventures – Xbox and PC
Not everyone is going to be about backpacking and roughing it out in the wilderness, but up until more recently, we couldn’t take theme park getaways in the gaming space! Not only is this game fun for just the kid-at-heart but it’s great also for playing with the little ones in your life. Heck, my kid is 18 and she loves this game. Visit some of the best places in Disneyland, interact with characters and do fun mini-games featuring all the music and art you love from Disney. I admit that I’ve played this far more than one would think and it’s all about collecting pins and getting all those rad costumes to go live my best Disneyland life!
The Forest – PlayStation 4 and PC
Listen, you’re going to watch trailers and maybe even look up other videos and say “Candice, you’ve lost your mind. What are you playing at!?” and I’ll get it. I will, but hear me out! The Forest is about as perfect a camping/survivalist game as you’re going to see right now. Sure, sure, there are cannibals and sometimes even mutant bosses.. but just imagine those are the wildlife and predators out there on an island somewhere. Forget they’re people, guys. I’ve clocked hundreds of hours, no joke, into this game. I was there from the PC early access days, before all the rip-roaring rad stuff that you can get on console and PC now. Go camping with your friends, guys. Sure, you’ve got to save your child in the story aspect but if you aim it in a way that you’re just having a great time and you’re going to pick your kid up at the babysitter towards the end, all will be good! Heck, you can even play in Peaceful Mode with your pals and just build, survive, explore and live out in the stars for weeks!
The Hunter: Call of the Wild – Consoles & PC
Before some folks get the wrong idea – this isn’t some weird glory hunting situation. I’d never be down for that. What sets The Hunter apart from a lot of other hunting games out there is that an actual story puts you in the place of working with wildlife reserves on the side of nature. Predator numbers in locations have gone up and are messing with the microcosm of a given area and you are tasked with helping others go from campground and reserve station to work on cleaning those numbers up in a respectful way that puts little damage on the prey animals in the park. If there are prey numbers that are too high, they start to overwhelm the predators and you have to help thin the herds. Again, you’re working for the balance and not to just get some gross trophies to mount in your den and I think that’s the great part of this. The Hunter is one of the most beautiful games I’ve seen in this kind of genre and with multiplayer putting you and your friends together to work towards the betterment of these parks, it’s pretty amazing to try at least once.
There you have it! Five games to get you into the wanderlust spirit this summer and all from the safety and comfort of your own home! Let’s be real, vacations can be stressful and how great would it be to have a staycation from your couch while you plan the ultimate relaxing real-world getaway?
