Best Comfort Food Games You Can Rely On

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Wholesome Island Life Without Pressure

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a life simulation game that allows players to create, customize, and decorate their very own slice of heaven. Every player is given an island of their own, filled with villagers that they can get to know over time, a near-infinite number of things to collect and multiple ways to earn progression.

What makes Animal Crossing: New Horizons such a great comfort food game, however, is that it doesn’t actually demand anything from the player in terms of time spent playing while still providing enough content to sink hundreds of hours into it without getting bored. Jumping in for a quick fifteen minutes can be just as meditative and rewarding as sitting down for an eight-hour gaming session, and that’s what makes it special.

A Familiar Adventure in the Frozen North

Skyrim is not a title that immediately jumps to mind when thinking about comfort games, but for the subset of players who enjoy the gameplay loop, nothing else comes close. It’s a testament to how much of a labor of love Skyrim is that even though the game was released all the way back in 2011, it is still going strong. This is an unheard-of feat for a single-player game with no online elements.

For some, booting up a new playthrough of Skyrim is as comforting as curling up next to a fire with a good book in hand. Even after hundreds of hours of playing the same sequence over and over, the familiarity somehow never chafes, and the music never grates. To others, Skyrim’s modding community is the reason why they keep coming back for more. From visual upgrades and gameplay overhauls to massive DLC-sized land mods, the sheer breadth and scope of how much content the community is churning out sometimes beggars belief.

Valheim

Viking Serenity in the Norse Wilderness

Valheim is a Viking-inspired survival crafting game with a retro art style and a surprising amount of depth. Every world is formed using “seeds” similar to Minecraft, and players are put in a random location within these worlds and given the freedom to do as they wish. While there is certainly a hectic and frenetic side to Valheim, it is purely optional, and players can tackle the game at any pace according to their liking.

Freedom is at the heart of Valheim. Freedom to explore, to build, and to take on challenges. Since each seed is unique, the world is different for every player, and exploring to find a scenic spot to build a home feels just as fulfilling as taking down a boss. Building cozy longhouses and homesteads feels cathartic, and the stunning natural beauty the developers have somehow managed to capture using their unique art style is something special.

Clash Royale

Comfort Gaming for Busy Players

Clash Royale is a deck-building arena battling game where players use a deck of eight cards to fight against opponents in bite-sized matches lasting 2-3 minutes. Cards can be troops, buildings, or spells, and the goal is to use them to take down the enemy’s King Tower, while the opponent will try to do the same. Card placement in the arena requires careful planning and an understanding of interactions between different units.

Mastering Clash Royale requires repetition and regularity. Players who enjoy skill-based matchmaking but don’t have time or the hardware to play games like League or CS2 find this game comforting. It’s a mobile game, which means it’s always ready to go, and since matches take so little time, it’s easy to get a quick session in during breaks from the normal routine of day-to-day life. For those short on time, Clash Royale is a reliable option to turn to.

Dave the Diver

A Relaxing Rhythm of Fishing and Restaurant Management

Dave the Diver is a cozy restaurant management and underwater exploration game. In it, players dive into the ocean to find and catch various species of fish by day. These fish are then served at a player-owned restaurant at night, combining two distinct genres into one.

There is a rewarding sense of progression in Dave the Diver, as players gradually get the ability to dive deeper and deeper into the ocean to encounter rarer fish that turn into more expensive delicacies. The comforting rhythm of the day-and-night cycle is an easy one to get into. For players who enjoy the art style and the gameplay loop, Dave the Diver is one they can easily sink hundreds of hours into without getting bored, and it only gets better with time.

Overwatch 2

Quick Escapism With Style and Substance

Overwatch 2 is a 5v5 hero shooter with a colorful cast of unique heroes. Although the game had a rough start at launch, the switch to the free-to-play model and the introduction of the Stadium Mode to OW2 have allowed the game to regain ground with the community.

For players who enjoy the hero shooter playstyle, Overwatch 2 is a reliable source of quick, engaging matches that can be as competitive or casual as they want them to be. With Stadium mode, there is an RPG-style build crafting added to the mix, increasing replayability. And thanks to the many seasonal events and unique game modes introduced to the game from time to time, there is always something new to do in OW2.