Every year on October 10th, World Mental Health Day is observed and if there was ever a time we needed it, 2020 fits the bill. The day was started by the World Health Organization in the early 90s to spread awareness of mental illnesses and how it affects people. Here in the PMS Clan, we care about your mental health and your wellbeing. While we all do our best to remind one another to breathe every now and then, we’ve also put together a list of games you should play to take a break from the madness.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing: New Horizon is basically savior to everyone’s sanity since the start of quarantine. This little gem is the 5th installment in the main series and couldn’t have landed at a better time. It gave so many people the chance to not only design their own little island paradise, but to “get out” and meet with new and old friends. Gamers can vicariously live through their little characters, participating in various in-game events that constantly brings together gamers. Plus everything is just so cute and you can’t catalog only one color of that awesome looking bathtub, you need it all! While tarantulas, scorpions, wasps, and Pietro still lurk in the shadows, the game never stops players from smiling.
Minecraft
Minecraft has been a diamond in a cavern for many, many years. With constant updates and its simplicity, it’s surely a game that will bring peace for many more years. Or you can punch dirt to get your frustrations out.
Call of Duty Division Leader, Demon Devs, enjoys the game, with monsters off: “Give me a pickaxe, and let me dig. I used to make really, really long tunnels. They'd take about 5-10 minutes to run through from one end to the other. My other happy place is with a fishing pole, when I started the COD server, there was a day that I spent fishing for 8+ hours and ended with about 6 double chests worth of fish. But I'm not about that creeper life.There's nothing worse than finding a cavern along my tunnel, and then seeing something coming towards me. I nope out REAL fast”
The Sims
Sul Sul! Veena Fredishay! That’s Simlish for “Hello! Let’s play!” The Sims is another game series that’s been around for years and while some gamers have questionable motives *cough* trapping Sims in a pool with no ladder *cough*, it’s all for pure enjoyment and an escape from reality.
Clan Leader, Ovaryacting PMS had this to say about the game: “To me The Sims 4 is relaxing, because you get to build a little world away from home, so-to-speak, and play out little scenarios like a family, pets, owning businesses and going to nightclubs, things we can't do during a pandemic lol”
Stardew Valley
If you ever wanted to get friendship points for giving someone a rock, Stardew Valley is your game! You can fish, mine, collect endless amounts of salmonberries, and dig through garbage cans (just don’t get caught!). Plus there’s a local tavern where you can play some arcade games and strike up a conversation with townspeople.
“Stardew Valley is relaxing because of its simplicity mixed with a deep story. On the outside it's just a farming game, but when you really get into it, you fall in love with the town and townspeople '' says Clan Leader RaylaDivine PMS.
Tetris
My own personal go-to for some blocky peace is Tetris. It’s been a game I’ve played since its inception. There’s just something so tranquil about lining up blocks set to classic and familiar tunes, like I’m able to organize the madness of my life and then have it all disappear. If you’re interested, there’s been numerous studies on the game and how it helps your mind cope (feel free to search it all!), and I can say from personal experience, I’ve felt the calmness wash over me.
Streaming Manager H2O Happydude says of the game, “when my mother passed away a few years ago, I was a shell of my former self going into a downward spiral of depression. I purchased a NES Classic to hack it, and put Tetris on there as it was one of the games me and mom were super competitive on growing up. It helped me cope as I kept remembering the good times I had when she was still here.”
No Man’s Sky
Quite a few PMS Clan member’s have picked this title especially since it’s gone cross-platform, and have spent hours just exploring and building bases. You explore on your own time, get lost in the music, and the stars. Nothing more peaceful than that.
Destiny’s Division Member H2O W00KI3 has this to say: “I play NMS to relax or Minecraft. I like the music and just admire the views on the planets. Like I don’t mind even when pirates attack because they can’t hurt me. So literally nothing about that game stresses me out.”
Let us know what games you play to relax on our Twitter and know that everyone here in the PMS Clan is there for you to help. If you or someone you know is struggling in these times, reach out and talk to someone. It can be a family member, friend, your doctors, or just random internet strangers. And when talking just won’t cut it, load up your favorite game and get lost in another world for a bit.
If you’re looking for more ways to help, especially when it comes to young children, check out and join our Extra Life team.
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