There's no season like the monsoon to be a gamer. The sound on the window, the grey light, the automatic lack of guilt about staying in: it's basically nature's permission to shut everything else out for a few hours. Add a cup of coffee going cold beside your keyboard and you've got the closest thing to a perfect gaming afternoon that weather gods can allow.
Now, if you're wondering what to play this season, and not quite willing to check out the new releases, this is your window. No errands pulling at your conscience, no sun outside making you feel like you're wasting the day, just you, a controller or keyboard, and a backlog that's been quietly (sorry, had to catch myself, deleting that) piling up. The following are our choice of the best comfort games to revisit during the rains. Read on.
I went into Beyond Blue thinking it would be another version of Subnauitica, and to be honest, I was disappointed. Beyond Blue doesn't have any of that very primal fear of exploring an underwater realm that makes Subnautica so gripping. But take away the Subnautica expectations, and a few months later, when I tried the game again, I found it to be a really calming (somewhat educational) game about the earth's aquatic life. Just swim around, track whale pods, and play a relaxing song in the background while the rain pours on in the world outside your windows. Bonus points if you're liked BBC's Blue Planet documentaries, because that's what inspired the game.
Is it even a gaming listicle written by me if I don't sneak in RDR2 in any way possible? It's been more than four years since I finished the main storyline, and I still go back to the game from time to time to explore the world. And almost every single time, the map has something new to offer. If nothing, just go hunt an animal or two, play card games (this was how I learnt Blackjack), or ride your horse into new places and try out different ways to interact with the NPCs. You know what I mean.
I will admit here that I was relatively late to getting my hands on Crimson Desert, which is how I missed out the initial problems with the game (thankfully). I'm actually yet to finish the main storyline—I only just set up camp the other day, and I've played for what, 30 hours? To be very honest, I couldn't care less about the main quest now. The views in this game are nothing nothing short of incredible, and most days I find myself logging in just to take in all that the world has to offer in beauty and activity.
GTA VI is around the corner, which makes this season an even better time to turn on the music and take a drive in the sunset. Personal favourite? Playing Frank Ocean while going around Vinewood Hills in your supercar. And when you get tired of it, there are a million questionable ways to pass the time, specially if you're playing it with friends.
As long as your city is doing well, there's no particular win criteria in Cities: Skylines, which makes it the perfect realistic city builder for days when you want to just want to chill. Make an aesthetically pleasing city, try to go beyond the highest population you've achieved without the logistics (or your console) driving you crazy, or just try to recreate real cities bit by bit using your map.
Speaking of logistical nightmares, the more low stakes version of Cities would be this tile plopper. Kind of cute, quite low stress (untill you're trying to win), this is the game for people who don't like city builders, but appreciate a great puzzle nonetheless.
Play the survival mode. Play the creative mode. Gather your resources, build whatever strikes your fancy. People have made everything from a redstone computer to the Milky Way within minecraft. The possibilities are endless.