Games that helped you mentally

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Games that made you happier, helped you through times, helped you through depression or anxiety, helped you overcome hardship or just games that you feel generally provided you support you needed that you felt you couldn’t get anywhere else.

Discuss.
 
Persona 4. I played it during a hard time in my life and, believe it or not, the interactions with the characters, their stories and problems...for some reason it helped me a lot, and I connected a lot with everyone.
I even cried when I finished the game.
 

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I was just questioning something like this just now, is this a coincidence?

Honestly, right now I would say any games helped me overcome things, but the most impactful would be The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap and most of the Pokemon games

For Pokemon, I would say it gives me a really nice and strong connection to someone or something I didn't know since I was a child. I really have feelings for every Pokemon or basically everyone inside the game, starting from the trainers mom and the one who gave me the starter…the professor. This is something I'll cherished forever

Minish Cap though, it taught me something beautiful. Because in the game, you'll find these "Minish" or what the others would called it "Picori" and they are cute and intelligent. But what I love about them is that, they help or did good things "in secret".

Another thing I love about them is no matter how small they are, they'll always outweighs the bad (whether that be the villains, monster or any obstacles). Moral of the story: Be like Minish
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Persona 4. I played it during a hard time in my life and, believe it or not, the interactions with the characters, their stories and problems...for some reason it helped me a lot, and I connected a lot with everyone.
I even cried when I finished the game.
Agree, P4 have amazing natural/genuine interaction,moment between the cast with each other,genuinely feel like,i think out of the other Persona,this one is more down to earth and relatable,just the reason why i have more fun playing it than P5 itself,the cast,their dynamic in P4 was better.
 
Persona 4. I played it during a hard time in my life and, believe it or not, the interactions with the characters, their stories and problems...for some reason it helped me a lot, and I connected a lot with everyone.
I even cried when I finished the game.
That’s really cool dude. Glad to hear that. It’s an amazing game for sure.
I was just questioning something like this just now, is this a coincidence?
huh that’s an interesting coincidence.
Cool picks!
 
It's been said to death by many different people, all for different reasons, but seeing as it is the relevant season, I have to mention Dark Souls 3 and the impact it had on me. I was 18 when my mom and stepfather split up. This was something that hit her hard, and this chain of events would ultimately be what ended up souring our bond. It was about 2 weeks out from Christmas when everything happened, and I was left completely to myself during this time. That's when one of my friends gifted me Dark Souls 3 and suggested we play through it at the same time. It's hard to put into words what it was about the game that captured me as much as it did and in such a time, but it felt like the perfect game for me to be playing in that moment. Since then it's become a tradition for me to play Dark Souls 3 every December.
 
It's been said to death by many different people, all for different reasons, but seeing as it is the relevant season, I have to mention Dark Souls 3 and the impact it had on me. I was 18 when my mom and stepfather split up. This was something that hit her hard, and this chain of events would ultimately be what ended up souring our bond. It was about 2 weeks out from Christmas when everything happened, and I was left completely to myself during this time. That's when one of my friends gifted me Dark Souls 3 and suggested we play through it at the same time. It's hard to put into words what it was about the game that captured me as much as it did and in such a time, but it felt like the perfect game for me to be playing in that moment. Since then it's become a tradition for me to play Dark Souls 3 every December.
I'm so sorry that happened to you, hope you're doing better now
 
Megaman Star Force gave me a more positive outlook on life in my teenage years when i used to hate everybody around me.
 
Video games just as any other source of addiction are much more often reason for causing the depression then curing it. But very few are willing to acknowledge it let alone admit it.
 
Video games just as any other source of addiction are much more often reason for causing the depression then curing it. But very few are willing to acknowledge it let alone admit it.
Have you tried any games you like?
 
Not sure if helped me mentally is the right word, but video games were my coping mechanism growing up for many difficult situations in life. My story isn't particularly unique. I was a nerdy kid with an inhaler, my parents divorced when I was 9, I was very shy so I had a lot of reasons to be down. There were positive and not so great aspects about video games as a coping mechanism. My hobbies brought me into contact with a lot of awesome people and made me more interested in technology and art. In hindsight I wish I had spent more time with my friends, instead of being depressed and consoling myself with video games. However, life cannot be lived in reverse.

As far as games that provide solace, I'd have to say the Final Fantasy series. It is often filled with characters who deal with loss and tragedy but find ways to persevere.
 
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Not sure if helped me mentally is the right word, but video games were my coping mechanism growing up for many difficult situations in life. My story isn't particularly unique. I was a nerdy kid with an inhaler, my parents divorced when I was 9, I was very shy so I had a lot of reasons to be down. There were positive and not so great aspects about video games as a coping mechanism. My hobbies brought me into contact with a lot of awesome people and made me more interested in technology and art. In hindsight I wish I had spent more time with my friends, instead of being depressed and consoling myself with video games. However, life cannot be lived in reverse.
That's right, we kept moving forward no matter what. Hope you're doing well man
 
Off the top of my Head
Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, 3
Final Fantasy IV, VII, IX
Xenogears
Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire

Although, honestly, for those of you like me who are bi-polar type 1, lithium prescribed by a psychiatrist will probably help more.
 
Video games just as any other source of addiction are much more often reason for causing the depression then curing it. But very few are willing to acknowledge it let alone admit it.
It can depend on the person, their mindset, their mood, and their environment too.
While games can be addictive, this doesn't necessarily make them evil, as there can be benefits to playing them too.

For me, playing games as a whole has helped me greatly in various ways, such as:
  • I gained a deeper understanding of music and its ties to different situations thanks to games.
  • I was motivated toward programming and being productive.
  • It enhanced my sense of friendship.
  • It boosted my imagination.
  • I learned english solely by playing RPG games.
  • And of course, it was a stress reliever too!
I usually played games in warm and friendly environment in a good mood.
Thanks to this, I always had the mindset to pay attention to as many details as i could in them.
These all together helped me to learn a lot from them, and didn't see them as a waste of time.

But i know people are different from each other, and thus, games, like anything else, can have different effects on each of them.
I hope you guys find the things that are good and beneficial for you. game or not game.

Edit: reworded and added more conditions.
 
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Games that helped me mentally, not as in puzzles but well-being.

Two games come to mind. Ecco the dolphin. The fun of just swimming around and jumping out of the water between pools was rather fun.

The second one, was To the Moon. While the story was to make a man dream during his last days alive that he had been part of NASA and the space program, segments of managing memories involved riding a horse. And i'd just dropped the current task to ride the horse for like 5 minutes. Alas i don't think i can play that game again.
 
Persona 4. I played it during a hard time in my life and, believe it or not, the interactions with the characters, their stories and problems...for some reason it helped me a lot, and I connected a lot with everyone.
I even cried when I finished the game.
Same, on my darkest time Persona 4 saved my life. I replayed from time to time as a tribute of that experience.

Another games that helped me a lot are:
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Everhood
Earthbound

And then there are games that i play to relax/have fun without thinking much:
Minecraft and Terraria
Tetris and Puyo Puyo
The Castlevania games (classic and metroidvanias)
The Metroid Games
Doom 1 and 2. (or mods of this games)
GTA3
Monster Hunter
Pokemon Puzzle Challenge
 
Same, on my darkest time Persona 4 saved my life. I replayed from time to time as a tribute of that experience.

Another games that helped me a lot are:
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Everhood
Earthbound

And then there are games that i play to relax/have fun without thinking much:
Minecraft and Terraria
Tetris and Puyo Puyo
The Castlevania games (classic and metroidvanias)
The Metroid Games
Doom 1 and 2. (or mods of this games)
GTA3
Monster Hunter
Pokemon Puzzle Challenge
Big agreement on Earthbound and Pokemon Puzzle Challenge. These games are colorful, vivid, and full of life. Really easy to immerse yourself without the mind wanting to wander.

For more personal picks I would add: The Persona series, despite their dark aspects, you can fully dive in and be in that world without dwelling on your own.
Any Pokemon game really, but GSC is where I go when I need to relax.
Most Super Mario games have helped as well, I'm almost always in a good mood when playing SMB3 or World.
And honestly, any Civilization or City Builder. You in a bad mood? Turn on one of these bad boys at 8PM and you will forget your woes until 7AM.
 
Fighting games have helped me for years to be able to just relax and take a break but one stands out more than others and thats Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revival. Still own the game and my first gameboy advance, works like a charm.
 

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Ori and the will of the wisp alway calm me down with it amazing music by gareth Coker who apparently did some of the old
Legacy mash up packs music for Minecraft.
 
I consider Falcom games, to be specific, Ys series to be my comfort games that help with depression stress and other things. And things where i can just turn off my brain and kill stuff and watch stats rise like Diablo 2, 3, Grim Dawn really help when things get too stressful, arpgs are just great stress relievers in general.
 
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