The holidays are stressful enough for most of us, so let’s delve into some relaxing titles that players can pick up and play to release a little stress this holiday season.
TOEM
Genre:Â Puzzle, Adventure
Platforms:Â PS5, Switch, Steam
Rating: US E, UK 3+
Developer | Publisher: Something We Made
TOEM is an adventure game that has players travelling through a beautiful array of landscapes with nothing but a camera. This short title is great for anyone who only has a little time this holiday to sit back, relax, and fill up their photo album with memories. You can read our Switch review of TOEM here.Â
Hoa
Genre:Â Platformer, Puzzle, Adventure
Platforms:Â PS4, PS5, Switch, Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Rating:Â US E, UK 7+
Developer | Publisher: Skrollcat Studio | PM Studios, inc., CE-Asia
Hoa is a beautiful adventure title in the style of Ghibli movies. This beautiful game is filled with a wonderful story, amazing hand-painted backgrounds, and a musical score that will help you to release the tension you’ve been holding in your shoulders this season. You can read our Switch review for Hoa here.Â
Powerwash Simulator
Genre:Â Simulation
Platforms: Steam
Rating: US NR, UK NR
Developer | Publisher: FuturLab | Square Enix
If you want the most satisfying game in the world, check out Powerwash Simulator. This Early Access game is filled with homes, vehicles, and locations that are really gross and need you to clean them up. Enjoy the deeply satisfying feeling of bringing a nasty family home back to life, making a helter-skelter gleam in the sunlight, and shine up an aeroplane for its next trip.
New Pokemon Snap
Genre:Â Simulation
Platforms: Switch
Rating: US E, UK 3+
Developer | Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Studios | Nintendo
Looking for a longer game? The New Pokemon Snap is an adventure game that challenges players to take photos of Pokemon in their natural habitats. This game is a great way to spend any time off you may have from work.
SuchArt!
Genre: Simulation
Platforms:Â Steam
Rating:Â US NR, UK NR
Developer | Publisher: Voolgi | HypeTrain Digital
The year is 2130, and you have been chosen based on your DNA to be a new human artist. Art has become bland in the hands of robots, and the world hopes that your art will be able to change the whole universe. Paint to your heart’s content, make some money, and maybe even save the galaxy with your paintbrush.
Dorfromantik
Genre:Â Puzzle, City-builder
Platforms: Steam
Rating:Â US NR, UK NR
Developer | Publisher: Toukana Interactive
This city-building game gives players a variety of tiles. Line up similar tiles to build massive lakes, rivers, cities, forests, and more. The bigger the landscape, the more points you’ll earn. This game does have points, but it is still a very relaxing title that is easy to pick up and put down whenever you have a spare second during the rush of the holidays. Check out our Dorfromantik Early Impressions here.Â
Unpacking
Genre: Puzzle, Simulation, Lifestyle
Platforms:Â Switch, PC, Mac, Xbox Game Pass
Rating: US E, UK 3+
Developer | Publisher: Witch Beam | Humble Games
Story-rich puzzle game Unpacking tells the story of a young woman as she moves around through the years. Learn about her hobbies, her relationships, and her breakups as you unpack her life. This soothing game has a lot of details in the background for the eagle-eyed player to find. You can read our review of Unpacking here.