What's a game that got you through a hard time or has a special place in your heart?

[chxshire22]

For me it's Animal Crossing New Leaf.

I was depressed from being dumped and from moving houses. So I was super lonely but making friends in Animal Crossing and actually being able to play with them (hide and seek, etc) .

Having a routine to stick to like watering flowers, maintaining and upgrading my town ... it gave me an escape and essentially helped me realise that i needed to start doing what my character was doing. So i started to go out more to talk to people and establishing my own routine and i wouldnt say that got me out of that depression but i swear it helped me a lot in getting better.

ACNL was and still is peak Animal Crossing. With New Horizons i was hoping that it would be as interactive but it just felt like the villagers are more robotic, and the island does well with or without my care and attention.

ACNL will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[Azura]

Yu-Gi-Oh GX Tag Force

 

[_Lorenzo_]

Hardly do video games help to socialize in the real world, at least, that's my view now, as an old adult. In my case FFVIII kept my mind occupied, so to speak, at a difficult time of great loneliness, just when it was released in Europe. Even video games can sometimes work miracles as in your case, and to a lesser extent in mine!?

 

[Strategist's iconStrategist]

Final Fantasy VI is a game I connected with at a young age when I wasn't so sure about the direction of my life. It changed my perspective on video games and shaped my values, for better or worse.

 

[DunkeyKong]

For hard times, I'mma say Doom. Shooting those monsters with a shotgun give me a satisfaction, really chill vibe. Special place? Gotta be Kirby, especially the GBA ones since that's what I started with, the original NES was also special though. And I'll always remember this OST

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

Silent hill , made me feel human.

 

[middler]

For me its Rez on the PS2. My oldest brother gifted it to me a million years ago. He is not a gamer in any way. He only even owned a PS2 because he could put Linux on it. I have no idea how he came across it but he knew I would love it, and I did. Hell, I still do.
Maybe I am a sap, but, it was awesome to me that he was considerate of what I like even when he had no personal interest. Best bro ever.

 

[AncientBehemoth]

Adventure Time games. The "Hey, Ice King. Where's our garbage" and "The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom". And in the deep childhood it was Phantasy Star 3 and Lost Vikings.

 

[Prism_Red]

Harvest Moon Back to Nature on PS1, I didn't have memory card back in the day, so it's new game every time I play it, for each new iteration every week I learnt how to generally manage time better.

Pokemon Sapphire, the first time I ever know what it felt like at the top of the world.

Tekken, because that's the only game dad likes to play, and that game is also how I met my best friend.

 

[chxshire22]

I didn't have memory card back in the day, so it's new game every time I play it

hahaha mannnn it was the same for my PS1, everytime i started a game i had to start from the beginning

helped me in getting good at crash bandicoot back then at least.

i thought i had to beat every game in one go lol

 

[WerewolfJones]

Xenogears and Xenosaga. Xenogears and, later, the Saga games were games that my older cousin suggested to me and that was a part of our bond with each other. Having no older brothers, my cousin functioned as one, and he helped get me into the Xeno series and, by extension, fostered a love of esoteric religion and philosophy in me. My cousin passed in 2011, so the early Xeno games hold a place in my heart.

Ultima VI. A game I’ve rarely played a lot of, but have fond memories of watching my dad play on his PC when I was a kid.

Shadow Hearts was a big game for my teenage years, especially with my introduction and love of Lovecraft’s fiction.

West of Loathing and Fire Emblem 4 are both games I played a LOT of when I was struggling in my work and personal life and helped keep me afloat. Speaking of, Fire Emblem 3 was a game I played during a major life transition, and because of that, a game I have a lot of fondness for.

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

For me it's Animal Crossing New Leaf.

I was depressed from being dumped and from moving houses. So I was super lonely but making friends in Animal Crossing and actually being able to play with them (hide and seek, etc) .

Having a routine to stick to like watering flowers, maintaining and upgrading my town ... it gave me an escape and essentially helped me realise that i needed to start doing what my character was doing. So i started to go out more to talk to people and establishing my own routine and i wouldnt say that got me out of that depression but i swear it helped me a lot in getting better.

ACNL was and still is peak Animal Crossing. With New Horizons i was hoping that it would be as interactive but it just felt like the villagers are more robotic, and the island does well with or without my care and attention.

ACNL will always have a special place in my heart.

Etrian Odyssey 2 kicking my ass made me forget that I was depressed that I flunked a class last year

 

[Rovole]

To give a cliched awnser, Dark Souls. Something about that game both relaxes a weary soul, and wires you for dealing with adversity. Back when I played it, it had just released as the Prepare to Die edition on PC so it was still a fresh take.

 

[Faizter]

The TEKKEN franchise in its entirety. From Tekken on the original PlayStation right up to Tekken 8 on the PS5. It's a fighting game that I've shared countless moments with friends and family for decades, and you can bet I'll continue to play and share hundreds more rounds for many more decades that life allows me

 

[KaosKitteh]

When I first started having episodes of psychosis, it took me a while before I could really function again. The first game I was really able to focus on again, that let me get out of my head and forget for a while, was Disgaea. It made me feel like I was a kid again, sitting in front of a TV watching Slayers and playing SNES games. The heavy anime fantasy, Saturday morning sensibilities, and play-at-your-pace gameplay was exactly what I needed, and I won't forget it for that.

 

[Ezri_Muldoon]

Death Stranding helped me process the fallout of my divorce late last year. It also helped me be optimistic for the future as I'm to leave the Military in 6 months

Team Fortress 2 back in 2010 helped me through a time in my life where I was self harming & was actively considering the unalive option.

The only two examples I can think of if I'm honest

 

[Zerpina]

Chrono Trigger.
As i have stated on here, i have Anxiety and Panic attacks. they hit at random.
Have since i was about 13. So i always Found the Music, rather Soothing and would help Take the edge off the Fear, Dread and the Depersonalization

The Music was always Soothing and calming, IMO. and i to this day, keep a CD with me, with the OST on it. Just in case i get Smacked with a Attack.

Favorite Track always has been, Epilogue

 

[chxshire22]

Depersonalization

dang, i experience this all too often… have you played Night In The Woods? i used to think i was the only one to experience something like that so when i played that game i was absolutely mind blown that not only is it something other people experience but that there is a game addressing it …

 

[Zerpina]

dang, i experience this all too often… have you played Night In The Woods? i used to think i was the only one to experience something like that so when i played that game i was absolutely mind blown that not only is it something other people experience but that there is a game addressing it …

No, haven't. But thanks for the Headsup about it. i'll give it a Look

 

[Kamako]

MGS 1, MGS2 and DOOM

 

[E0N]

 

[RanmyakuIchi's iconRanmyakuIchi]

Nioh 2 helped keep me sane and mentally occupied during 2020.

More broadly, Fighting Games as a whole, as they helped get me out of my shell and to local meet ups and scenes.

 

[jon2]

The original Lufia 2

Naked Snake/Big Boss made me tear up but the ending of Lufia 2, even though I was already spoiled by Lufia 1, made me cry

P.S. I'm a guy

 

[Samatonic]

Need I utter further words ?

 

[Yousef]

Since I never had an easy time I can technically say all games I ever played.