Some years ago I spent a month off work recovering from burnout. This gave me more time to continue Breath of the Wild than usual. While I was making more general progress in the game, I would actually find I was spending a lot of time just milling around. I particularly remember standing on the hills of a coastline and just watching the sun set over the sea, then rise again, as the light would hit the water. It's not a photorealistic game, but it was beautiful to watch.
So I can understand this stance how it affects us. Not just nature games, but slower paced games too.
I also agree that the Original games are definitely not relaxing, I think my blood pressure rose significantly with that game!
I've done exactly the same thing in BotW! Some of those sunrises/sunsets are absolutely stunning. I also loved travelling to the towers and paragliding off them, to just do it over again. It's a stunning game. I've never played Tears of the Kingdom, so I think I'll be picking it up this year to try.
I’ve been thinking about this article a lot over the past few days and I have to say that the time I spent in the calm Wild West of red dead redemption 2 where you could just explore and hunt and camp where very calming.
Yes, so calming, and I think also there's a lot to be said for how relaxing it is when you know a game inside out, and just want to be "in it" instead of necessarily playing side-quests or the main story. It can be so relaxing!
I’m with ROP, Skyrim was my go-to wander in nature game. Some of the vistas when you climb up the mountains are amazing. The Horizon games also had a few moments where I thought “wow this is lovely”, but then a machine came and tried to maul me and spoiled it. 🫠
Maybe slightly related but I enjoyed how the game “Brothers” and “Split Fiction” often encouraged players to sit on a bench and look out over their environment. There’s something about taking a break and looking at your surroundings, be they digital or physical.
You’ve just reminded me of the game Omno - the player is also encouraged to sit and meditate in certain spots and it’s beautiful! I’d not thought about that aspect in games before, it’s very much the same vibe.
You’re right, just taking a break and “being” (even in game) is so nourishing for mind and soul!
Awesome article!... It explains a lot for me, as I've covered this exact topic myself, but from a personal point of view.
I did not play Breath of the Wild, but I had the same feeling of exploring and relaxing through nature with Skyrim! And it was the game that saved my sanity through this virtual nature.
I do cover it in my - Pausing at the Edge of Worlds - article, along with other games focusing on the connection between nature and games.
It is awesome to now know that this was also researched, and to be able to understand more! Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by and reading!! It means a lot :) I've never played Skyrim, but I've heard so many great things. It's on my wishlist! I'm heading over to give your article a read. Isn't it great that there's been so much research into this, and that it does help? I was so happy to find it!
Indeed. And I missed to look at this scientific side of virtual nature, happy to find that it was researched so much. Whenever I tackle a topic, I really need to investigate this side more. 😋
Thank you and Hope you enjoy it. Btw... for maximum effect, I recommend the video conversion of the article, to see the views and feel a bit of the atmosphere of each covered game. 😁
And if you prefer reading articles, I personally record voice-over for them and usually enhance them with more than my narration. 😉
I've always found gaming to be my escape mechanism of choice. Of course fresh air and sunlight are always great for you but in a brain off way to find a way to shut your anxiety up, gaming is so good at it. I figured this out when I started playing DDR after a really really bad break up, ironically lol.
Ori is on my backlog, and I keep saying I'll pick it up but I haven't yet lol! I just don't know if I should play it on PC or Switch??
Thanks for this post and for putting your references at the bottom, too (I look forward to digging into them). I have an anxiety disorder myself, and I definitely find that some games further anxiety while others don't. The culprits aren't what one might think, though: twitch games like NES Mega Man games, which I've played many times since childhood, are so familiar that I just sink right in. Some open world games, like Genshin Impact, are so huge that I get lost in the deluge of stuff to do, and I stress right up.
I think what your research suggestion, though, is not that some games are stressful or familiar or easy or rewarding. Having generalized anxiety, it's not that I need anything to get stressed out about. The stress is just there. What helps me most in tackling this, in gaming, is music, mystery, and atmosphere. I'm listening to the OST to Phantasy Star IV as I type this, specifically the song In the Cave (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GS3tZwLs00). Now, there's a bit of anxiety in the song, but the mysterious atmosphere of the song encourages introspection (in me) so that I go to a "deeper level" of my self where the generalized anxiety doesn't exist. This might be similar to your flow state, which seems to be task-oriented, and I think it can be compared to the visual invitation games have to a similar deeper level.
Some years ago I spent a month off work recovering from burnout. This gave me more time to continue Breath of the Wild than usual. While I was making more general progress in the game, I would actually find I was spending a lot of time just milling around. I particularly remember standing on the hills of a coastline and just watching the sun set over the sea, then rise again, as the light would hit the water. It's not a photorealistic game, but it was beautiful to watch.
So I can understand this stance how it affects us. Not just nature games, but slower paced games too.
I also agree that the Original games are definitely not relaxing, I think my blood pressure rose significantly with that game!
I've done exactly the same thing in BotW! Some of those sunrises/sunsets are absolutely stunning. I also loved travelling to the towers and paragliding off them, to just do it over again. It's a stunning game. I've never played Tears of the Kingdom, so I think I'll be picking it up this year to try.
I also meant to say the Ori games, but it was late, I was tired and completely missed the autocorrect 😁
I’ve been thinking about this article a lot over the past few days and I have to say that the time I spent in the calm Wild West of red dead redemption 2 where you could just explore and hunt and camp where very calming.
Yes, so calming, and I think also there's a lot to be said for how relaxing it is when you know a game inside out, and just want to be "in it" instead of necessarily playing side-quests or the main story. It can be so relaxing!
I’m with ROP, Skyrim was my go-to wander in nature game. Some of the vistas when you climb up the mountains are amazing. The Horizon games also had a few moments where I thought “wow this is lovely”, but then a machine came and tried to maul me and spoiled it. 🫠
Maybe slightly related but I enjoyed how the game “Brothers” and “Split Fiction” often encouraged players to sit on a bench and look out over their environment. There’s something about taking a break and looking at your surroundings, be they digital or physical.
You’ve just reminded me of the game Omno - the player is also encouraged to sit and meditate in certain spots and it’s beautiful! I’d not thought about that aspect in games before, it’s very much the same vibe.
You’re right, just taking a break and “being” (even in game) is so nourishing for mind and soul!
Awesome article!... It explains a lot for me, as I've covered this exact topic myself, but from a personal point of view.
I did not play Breath of the Wild, but I had the same feeling of exploring and relaxing through nature with Skyrim! And it was the game that saved my sanity through this virtual nature.
I do cover it in my - Pausing at the Edge of Worlds - article, along with other games focusing on the connection between nature and games.
It is awesome to now know that this was also researched, and to be able to understand more! Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by and reading!! It means a lot :) I've never played Skyrim, but I've heard so many great things. It's on my wishlist! I'm heading over to give your article a read. Isn't it great that there's been so much research into this, and that it does help? I was so happy to find it!
Indeed. And I missed to look at this scientific side of virtual nature, happy to find that it was researched so much. Whenever I tackle a topic, I really need to investigate this side more. 😋
Thank you and Hope you enjoy it. Btw... for maximum effect, I recommend the video conversion of the article, to see the views and feel a bit of the atmosphere of each covered game. 😁
And if you prefer reading articles, I personally record voice-over for them and usually enhance them with more than my narration. 😉
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS!
I've always found gaming to be my escape mechanism of choice. Of course fresh air and sunlight are always great for you but in a brain off way to find a way to shut your anxiety up, gaming is so good at it. I figured this out when I started playing DDR after a really really bad break up, ironically lol.
Ori is on my backlog, and I keep saying I'll pick it up but I haven't yet lol! I just don't know if I should play it on PC or Switch??
Also, sorry for all the quotes I took from this post lol
Thanks for this post and for putting your references at the bottom, too (I look forward to digging into them). I have an anxiety disorder myself, and I definitely find that some games further anxiety while others don't. The culprits aren't what one might think, though: twitch games like NES Mega Man games, which I've played many times since childhood, are so familiar that I just sink right in. Some open world games, like Genshin Impact, are so huge that I get lost in the deluge of stuff to do, and I stress right up.
I think what your research suggestion, though, is not that some games are stressful or familiar or easy or rewarding. Having generalized anxiety, it's not that I need anything to get stressed out about. The stress is just there. What helps me most in tackling this, in gaming, is music, mystery, and atmosphere. I'm listening to the OST to Phantasy Star IV as I type this, specifically the song In the Cave (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GS3tZwLs00). Now, there's a bit of anxiety in the song, but the mysterious atmosphere of the song encourages introspection (in me) so that I go to a "deeper level" of my self where the generalized anxiety doesn't exist. This might be similar to your flow state, which seems to be task-oriented, and I think it can be compared to the visual invitation games have to a similar deeper level.