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Can anyone recommend a good game for Switch where you can just sit back, relax, and explore?

SimpleCRIPPLE

SimpleCRIPPLE

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,224
Starlink.

I know, it sounds weird. But I loved being able to fly around a planet, then head up into space and travel to a new one without loading screens.
 
Raggen

Raggen

Member
Oct 7, 2019
596
bixente said:
Lonely Mountains Downhill

Relaxing game to play with great sound design, yes you're on a bike but you're given a lot of freedom to explore nature.
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I love this game, and I agree it could be played in a relaxing way, but to me this game is not relaxing at all, to obssessed to clear all the goals.

But you can't go wrong with a short hike.
 
Archduke Kong

Archduke Kong

Member
Feb 2, 2019
2,309
Fe by Zoink games. The visual style and the soundtrack are very relaxing. You'll have a slightly non-relaxing moment here and there (mostly during the stealth sections and the times where you have to figure out where to go next. Pro-tip, it's a Metroidvania and your abilities are color coded to items in the environment) but the bulk of the game is a very relaxing and occasionally soothing exploration focused experience. It's a short game, and when you beat it you get an ability that let's you explore the entire world uninterrupted with no enemy encounters so you can find the rest of the items and/or just enjoy the world they created. It's on sale for $5 pretty often, give it a try if you think it looks like it fits your criteria!


R0987 said:
Two pages and not a single mention of minecraft.
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You know what, I won't mention Minecraft but I will give a recommendation to Dragon Quest Builders.
 
kikuchiyo

kikuchiyo

Member
Nov 9, 2017
778
I've found Xenoblade Chronicles very relaxing when you're doing side missions. A lot like BOTW to me.
 
ShineALight

ShineALight

Member
Oct 27, 2017
414
Indelible said:
Really enjoying Sparklite right now, has a Zelda feel but it has its own roguelite game play.
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Somehow missed those one even though I generally keep pretty close tabs on indies. Looked it up and crossed my fingers that it would be on sale at the moment...and it was! Downloading now, sounds great, thanks for throwing it out there!
 
Zool

Zool

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,233
I really loved Rime; the relaxing pace, the beautiful nature and the no pressure gameplay.
 
Stock

Stock

Member
Oct 25, 2017
489
Luxembourg
Link's Awakening, Odyssey, Origami King, and The Touryst are all fairly chill adventure games with light puzzles. In a month or two, Hades comes out on Switch, and while not as meandering as BotW or Skyrim, I find it very easy to slide into a zen like state during runs.
 
Ishaan

Ishaan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,702
TeddieBear Starlink: Battle for Atlas on easy mode might be what you're looking for. I spent hours and hours just drifting around on planets, uncovering new monuments/buildings and expanding my base. Unless you play on Hard, the game isn't much of a challenge.

 
Dreamwriter

Dreamwriter

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,461
You should look into Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana. Great music, huge island to explore, simple crafting, you generally only need to worry when you enter an area filled with dinosaurs :) The game has you shipwrecked on a deserted island, and a large part of the game is about exploring the island, finding other survivors from the shipwreck, and building a village.

Note: despite it being the 8th game in the main story, it doesn't require any previous knowledge from other games. Most games of the series are very loosely connected to each other but stand-alone experiences.



(PS4 video just because It's the only one I found that shows some of the exploration rather than just boss fights or the intro animation)
 
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Epcott

Epcott

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,279
US, East Coast
It's a real shame Genshin Impact still has a date TBD, since it's due out September 28th on other platforms.

I feel your pain OP, I've looked for similar, but couldn't satisfy that itch. My Time in Portia comes close, but certain timed aspects kill the "laid back" vibe. Still not bad for Animal Crossing meets BOTW with a hint of Harvest Moon.
 
Devil

Devil

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,656
You are asking for A Short Hike. Buy A Short Hike.

It is indeed very short though, but excellent for what you're looking for.
 
MaverickHunterAsh

MaverickHunterAsh

Good Vibes Gaming
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,390
Los Angeles, CA.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on Casual Mode.

Casual Mode makes battles pretty trivial so you can just focus on exploring and the story and taking in the world at your own pace, and man is it a wonderful world to explore (not to mention all its other merits). Based on what it sounds like you're looking for at the moment, I think you'd have a great time with this.

Or if you're looking for something more traditional, Dragon Quest XI S. It's an absolutely top-class old-school JRPG that's very accessible difficulty-wise and just a really fun, compelling, good-feels adventure around a charming world that reminds me a lot of Chrono Trigger, my GOAT.
 
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haveheart

haveheart

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,076
Spiritfarer.
Beautiful art style and music. Great character designs. It's an adventure sim mix.
 
eXistor

eXistor

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,274
Sounds like you wanna play Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles as soon as possible. It's basically what you describe, really laid back. Just wander the lands for a bit.
 
DaleCooper

DaleCooper

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,852
Did they improve performance on Dragon Quest Builders 2 for Switch? I remember there were some issues with this one?

I'll recommend Switcher 3 and Skyrim for exploration. Put the difficulty on the easiest modes and let the chill commence.
 
bixente

bixente

Member
Jan 27, 2019
2,248
Maybe "The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa". It has a beautiful soundtrack and you spend a lot of time hanging out in a small town chatting with people, doing homework (and beating up other gang members)... but it can be pretty chill.
 
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