A few years ago I messed up my shoulder pretty bad from work. I had to see a few different doctors and go to physical therapy. The situation made me feel very depressed and low energy. I spent a lot of time just sitting on the couch and feeling sorry for myself.
While browsing Reddit I came across a game called “Brawl Quest” (not to be confused with “Brawl Stars”). It was an easy to play beat’em up and I could play it one handed. I ended up putting a ton of time into it and learned a lot about Filipino culture (country of the devs.) Just having something I could do and be good at while only having to use my uninjured arm really lifted my spirits and helped motivate me to get up and do things. I put a ton of hours into the game over the course of a few weeks, maxing out several characters and beating all of the content the game had to offer. I really think it helped me get healthy faster, both physically and mentally.
Just curious to hear if anyone here has similar stories.
I had got Stardew a while ago but got overwhelmed by all the things I had to do. I realize that the game lets you do them at your own pace, but the amount to do felt overwhelming. I recently got some mods that improved some QoL stuff and finally passed the first year. Shane’s arc in particular was really impactful for me as someone who’s battled with alcoholism and self-loathing, but all the villagers helped me feel less alone during isolation
The OG Diablo got me thru my Dad passing, but there’s a rogue stuck, still, in the final dungeon.
I was in a very bad place some 30 years ago. Almost there to literally jump over. But I absolutely had to complete Monkey Island 2 before, since I saved whatever money I could scrounge as an early teen to buy it.
Things didn’t really get better after that (and I probably was just a coward), so I’m here typing instead.
Recently had sinus surgery (Bilateral maxillary antrostomies, sphenoidectomy, septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and propel implants)….
And Planet Coaster has been a fantastic distraction from it. I needed something light and distracting and this hit the spot!
I’ve been fortunate enough to have rarely been injured or unwell, but I did break my leg in 2005.
I spent the first few weeks before I could get on crutches sat on my arse with a box set of The A Team, and absolutely caning ISS Pro.
It’s still a fantastic game, faults and all.
I was recently released from the hospital for pancreatitis. I was stuck in for a week and a half. In that time I really got into Zelda II : The Adventure of Link. I always passed it up mainly to the perspective change and really no other reason. i got super addicted playing it in between blood tests, scans and sugarfree jello dinners. kept my mind preoccupied and away from stewing in my sadness.
I initially kicked myself for never playing it before, but i’m happy i didn’t because it was really refreshing to play and something i really needed in my time of need. It is now probably my favorite NES game, and a game that i will likely play through again.
Zelda II is great! It kicked my ass for quite awhile though haha
it was a surprising pace of difficulty but really rewarding once you got patterns and behaviors down. compared to the original, i also felt 2 is less vague in its clues. I don’t think i could beat the first game without a guide, but in 2 it just takes awareness and you’re generally off on the right path.
Broke my hip around the time Marvel Snap beta was released. Best digital card game ever and still the only mobile game worth putting any money into.
Baba is you and untitled goose game. Keen observer will notice they came out the same year, and yes, 2019 was pretty shitty to me. I recomend both, they are really nice games.
Not an injury, but I’ll shout out two games that got me through the first few weeks of fatherhood, and becoming a father for the second time.
Firstly: Steamworld Heist. The first few weeks of being a parent are…hard. I played this little gem on my Switch whenever my baby was asleep during the night, because I was too wired to sleep knowing that I’d have to be awake at any moment. It was hard but Steamworld Heist kept me sane.
Secondly, Return Of the Obra Dinn. Again with a baby, again overnight. I won’t lie, the birth of our second…knocked the crap out of me. Obra Dinn gave me something I could cling into when everything else felt completely out of my control, and it’s gone on to be one of my favourite games of all time.
Not everyones cup of tea maybe: but DayZ. For me this game allows be to be someone else at times I want to be, you get to communicate with people who don’t know you, you could fake your personality for fun, or share sensitive things just to let it of your chest with someone who doesn’t know you. For me this has been important growing up, and have made many great friends throughout my many thousands hours, that I still speak to after 8 ywæears of playing. Highly recommend DayZ.
