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Does anyone else have the need to play a feel-good game after playing something dark or saddening?

Deleted member 17627

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,364
Been playing a lot of games lately that are either dark or depressing lately such as Nier Automata, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, or Resident Evil 2, and it's honestly kind of taken an effect on me? Feels like playing these types of games and only these types of games for a while has made me anxious in some way.

Decided to play some Yoshi's Crafted World to see if it would help, and wow, it really did. I have my own criticisms with how the game is played, but the music, the arts & crafts aesthetic, it all just puts me at ease. It's definitely nice to play something so cheerful and positive, it feels great and I really wish games like these were more common.

I can't wait for Animal Crossing to come out so I can similarly relax with that game too (please don't get delayed).

What about you Era? Y'all have any similar experiences?
 
theLusitanian

theLusitanian

Member
Nov 3, 2017
669
I do as well. I'm trying to play Doom 3 in the dark before the new one comes out and I am a scaredee cat and will probably have to play a nice happy go lucky game after I'm done. Same thing happened last year with Remake 2. The older I get I seem to not be able to stomach the edgy bullshit like I grew up with as readily.
 
Vulcano's Assistant

Vulcano's Assistant

Member
Oct 29, 2017
13,479
Not exactly the need, but I have certainly felt the mood to do so. However, I thought I was doing this by playing Rime after Inside. It backfired.
 
Xenosaga

Xenosaga

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,976
Yeah after finishing Sekiro, I couldn't play something like RE2 again for a while..
I ended up playing World of Final Fantasy, and the game being quite easy turn-based combat and very light-hearted story helped a lot.
But for me it's not just about the story or the atmosphere... it's also about gameplay as well. Sekiro was very hardcore in terms of combat that I had to put so much focus/strength that once I finished it, I couldn't play another game that I needed to focus that hard right away.
 
Kthulhu

Kthulhu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,670
I usually grab the nearest source of alcohol after playing Frostpunk for a few hours.
 
Fushichou187

Fushichou187

Member
Nov 1, 2017
3,309
Sonoma County, California.
I don't seek out "happier" titles specifically but I definitely will play through smaller, shorter titles after finishing up longer experiences; in fairness those types of games tend to fall into the feel-good category. For example, this year i played through Untitled Goose Game after finishing Nier: Automata, and am now playing Wandersong after fishing up Control over a week ago.
 
Fuchsia

Fuchsia

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,641
Yes. I can't play/watch only dark/depressing/violent media. It has to be balanced out or my mood is heavily affected.
 
Fachasaurus

Fachasaurus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,349
Absolutely. I plan my list of play throughs in advance.

I also can't watch a scary movie without watching something dumb or funny right after.
 
Rated-G

Rated-G

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,324
Katamari Forever is my go to after a game leaves me emotionally raw, I think once the new Animal Crossing is out, that'll be another great option for me.
 
Mechaplum

Mechaplum

Enlightened
Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,796
JP
Just play more Nier. Or Drakengard 3.

On a more serious note I usually play sims after a heavy game. Euro truck 2 is great for this, just driving and listening to radio stations.
 
Soapbox Killer

Soapbox Killer

Member
Oct 28, 2017
27,088
Yoshi Crafted World is like playing a Sesame Street skit and I mean that is the best possible way. It is the happiest game I have ever played and it makes me feel good playing it.


I play this after Doom
 
Winston1

Winston1

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,104
While it wasn't a dark game, when I finished What Remains of Edith Finch I felt a desire to replay The Unfinished Swan, which I had not played for a couple of years. The story connection Edith Finch has with Swan also really enhanced by enjoyment of both games.
 
BasilZero

BasilZero

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
36,343
Omni
Nope.

I just finish a game and move on to the next whichever I feel like playing, doesnt matter if its bright or dark.
 
RedSwirl

RedSwirl

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,052
When I was a kid if I spent too long playing a game that was mostly dark environments, or just spent a lot of time in a dark area of a game, I'd have to play something with lots of sunlight. Not necessarily a feel-good game, just anything set in the daytime.
 
GlitchyDegree

GlitchyDegree

Prophet of Truth
The Fallen
Dec 4, 2017
5,476
Opposite for me. I mostly play light hearted games with some more serious games to balance things out.
 

Deleted member 27938

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
943
I do this anyway with my gaming habits. I always change genres, platforms, etc when going from beating one game to choosing the next one. Don't want to burn out in the same things in a row
 

Calvinien

Banned
Jul 13, 2019
2,970
Not necessarily sad games, but I often need palette cleanser games. Bioware games tend to get super emotionally draining in the final act, so I want a pick me up. When finishing games I forced myself to complete like games from my backlog or games I don't quite like, I'll usually go for a game in a differing genre. Like after I finished Jedi fallen order, I was so irritated at third person games that I popped wolfenstein and just went berzerk.
 
LilBiscuit

LilBiscuit

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
77
Usually I play some Tetris effect to act as a palette cleanser of sort. It lets me take my mind off things instead of dwelling on them.
 
{Marvelous}

{Marvelous}

Member
Jan 2, 2018
1,284
In terms of subject matter no, not really. I think I recently went from Re2make to Re7 to REmake to Alien Isolation to Sekiro to Prey and back and forth a bit. I do find myself more often appreciating games that carve out a distinct aesthetic and feel though, like Civ 6 is decidedly more euphoric after being entrenched in survival horror for so long and I can't fault it's stylistic choices, I'm thankful for them - it stands out.

For gameplay though I do need circulation every so often; I never wanted to buy RDR2 after playing it at a friends but recently did on sale because I thought I needed something 'breezy' for once. I also got to Sekiro late and noticed after so much Resident Evil(so many Re2 speed runs) I couldn't quite muster the same fire I had for Souls and Bloodborne quite yet, so I've really been half assing it in small doses.
 
garion333

garion333

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,722
Gawd, yes. An hour of the Witcher needs to be cleansed with some Stardew Valley or a Mario game.
 
Kayotix

Kayotix

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,312
Yes, after finishing Hellblade i played Mario Odyssey with my son.

I now jumped into Sekiro.
 
Boogiepop

Boogiepop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,966
I generally try to alternate around based on a variety of factors so as not to feel too burned out on anything in particular (such as not hitting up too many turn based RPGs in a row if I can help it), so I don't usually hit this.

Buuuuut yeah, I've slowly been working my way through the Souls games, and something about the combination of the atmosphere and style of gameplay just feels like, emotionally oppressive to me. So not only have I put plenty of space between them (such that I've only made it through Demon's and Dark I and II), but IIRC for the Dark Souls games in particular I used a Kirby game as a palette cleanser each time, which really did the trick. Though honestly, I don't really touch horror stuff too often, and it probably would happen more if I did...
 
Love Machine

Love Machine

Member
Oct 29, 2017
4,217
Tokyo, Japan
Absolutely feel you, OP.

Been maining RE2 lately, but it's never the last game I play before bed.
Often gotta do something fun/silly like Yakuza or Untitled Goose Game to soothe the nerves.
 
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