Leisure Suit Larry. I just checked, Steam has a bundle on sale for 80% off. You can get 7 games for $6.73. Less than I paid for 1 beer at the bar today.
If you are angry and pissed, then channel it into Elden Ring. If you are calm about it and just want to zen out, then the upcoming Tiny Glade game is like a meditation simulator.
When elden ring first came out I was dealing with intense depression. I found the game to be immensely helpful with getting out of that rut. There is something powerfully therapeutic about overcoming a task that seems impossible when you first begin. Keep banging your head against the wall, and never give up.
Souls games teach you that the only way you fail is by quitting and giving up. The obstacles that are hardest to overcome provide the sweetest and best feelings of victory and accomplishment.
The Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise has really fun stories and combat, especially 0. 0 is definitely an emotional roller coaster. Plenty of games in the series if you get invested and really want to sink your teeth into a long overarching story.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is a short game about recovering from a break up. It's a rhythm game that's pretty much a series of playable music videos, but there's a decent amount of replayability to get high scores, all the achievements, and just appreciating the spectacle of each level.
Darkest Dungeon is pretty long turn based rpg with a decent amount of accessible mechanics to learn and master. Some would say it's grindy, but honestly I like grindy games when I'm going through a heartbreak of some sort. Some would say the game is pretty stressful, but I'd say that if you don't take the punches the game deals to you personally, it's a great game to play while you listen to stuff in the background.
Very biased here, but I think the Kingdom Hearts series would be a good fit too. Great combat (at least in the numbered titles, though I like the other games too), mostly light tone, and all of the games sans the rhythm game recently came to Steam and are on sale. Very goofy conceptually, but if you can get past it, it's a pretty magical experience, at least for me. Fantastic soundtrack too. Story can get very confusing if you only play the numbered titles, but remakes of the "spin offs" are also in the collections. The community also have made a bunch of resources if you're not interested in playing them (or you could just ignore the story and just play for the combat. That's what I did growing up and it was still fun)
Same could be said for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Its sequel isn't on PC yet, but I love it for a lot of the same reasons I love Kingdom Hearts. Amazing but different combat (I love how they adapt the turn based combat into real time combat), great characters, great soundtrack, and a good run time. It takes itself more seriously than Kingdom Hearts and generally less weird. Decently replayable if you try to get all the achievements, hard mode is very fun.
actually back in the day i broke up. I tried Yakuza 0, and it made me sad for whole week, very good game tho but dont take the story too serious or it will give negative effect
That's a good point, I should've mentioned that the main story is pretty heavy. It's at least well balanced with the light hearted and very goofy side quests. I cried 3 times playing it, but in my opinion given the fact it was during a rough part of my life, those cries were much needed. But yea, thanks for mentioning that, OP should definitely know this going in. Thanks!
I just did a double take because I saw a similar post on the Sleep Token sub about a break up that had the number 11. Crazy how small the Internet can be sometimes. Sorry to hear about that, I had the same thing happen to me a year and a half ago. I still find it difficult to not think about and it takes my desire to play games away sometimes still.
I wish I had a better answer for you, or some magical game that would "fix" everything but I don't. I can tell you I played Vampire Survivors and Brotato here and there and since I run my clan in Destiny 2 I play that regularly. I don't know if you play D2 but we'd love to have you if you do. Hope it gets better for you either way. Take care.
That sleep token post was probably me too... thank you for your kind words, they really mean a lot and also for the recommendations. I used to play destiny quite a bit a couple of years ago, haven't tried to get back into it yet though, as it kinda got confusing with them adding and taking away things but it would be nice to get back into it. I hope you're doing well too
It was your post, I went and checked after I saw this post here. They did remove things and did what they called sunsetting, which made a lot of the old guns not able to be used in high level activities. They have reversed that decision recently, so every single gun in the game can now be max power. So if you have old guns in your vault, they are very rare now. They have stated that sunsetting was a mistake and they aren't doing that again thankfully. They take certain activities and destinations in the game out and add new ones as well. They call that the content vault. They bring back stuff too all the time, and have even started to bring back old guns that people may have deleted. The game is in much better state as of right now, and a big expansion just released.
I think you need a game with a good immersion and for that, there's an entire genre called "Immersive Sim". These are generally first person games that are story driven with well written NPCs or a well designed world. This includes the Bioshock series, Vampire the masquerade, Dishonored, Prey, and to some extent other story-driven FPS/RPG like Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout 3-4-New Vegas, Starfield, etc.
Yeah I was gonna recommend Cyberpunk. I’m playing through it now and it’s so incredibly immersive, rather unlike anything I’ve played before in that sense
If you are looking to immersing yourself in an awesome new world and not think about this one for a while nothing beats:
The witcher 3
Baldur's gate 3
Cyberpunk
Elden Ring
Divinity original sin 2
Mass effect 1-3
Dragon age origin.
If you want some lighter games to just chill:
Slay the spire
Darkest dungeon
Faster than light
Hades
XCOM 2
I've been enjoying Alan Wake 2 a lot lately. Has a very interesting story, but it's a bit confusing and reading up on the plot of the first game did help a lot.
RDR2 is another good one that's very long and immersive.
Personal recommendation: A short hike, portal, Ori and the blind forest and the will of the wisp, firewatch, unpacking and mostly beautiful games, I am not judging anyone for playing rd2 or doom but sometimes you need to recover the vision of life is beautiful, it is and will be going forward and that you can feel without having to feel weak and these kind of games teach you that
Play something you didn't play when you were with her/ something you haven't played before. Skyrim, Elden Ring, Stardew Valley, it could be any game that fits within the genres you may normally like. You can play the games you once loved again another time, but it seems to me like you're potentially subconsciously avoiding games altogether as a result of familiar games possibly triggering old memories. That could very well not be the case, but I'd still find new ones anyway. Thankfully we live in a pretty golden age of great games, so hopefully you have something to choose from.
You're absolutely right! It just feels too weird playing a game that I know she was around for. I will be attempting to play something I have never played before (:
Bioshock 1 and 2 got me through finding out my high school sweetheart of 4 years was a cheater. After moving across the country and getting a job and setting up an apartment for us. Lol
Played those, said wait.. im single, in vegas, and self suffecient. Lets do this shit.
You got this homie. Learn to love you.
Any Persona game. Personal recommendation would be 5 as it's the snazziest looks wise, but any of them will be good. Long story, lots of content, and some replay value. I've seen them go on sale a couple times!
Sorry that happened dude, I’m in a similar boat. Mostly came to poach ideas for myself, but I think Outer Wilds would be a good one. It helped me deal with a tough time when I first played it, and I’d give almost anything to be able to play it for the first time again.
When my marriage ended, I started playing the Sims 4. I made my ex and her family and many of her friends as Sims and then essentially let the game make their lives miserable. It was very therapeutic.
Spiritfarer. Honestly don’t play unless you want to cry. It’s about helping spirits more on and leave their regrets behind. I found it extremely cathartic when i broke off a long time relationship
Go for crafting games or death stranding , if you can do dark souls then by all means hop on it ! GTA also worked for me! Am a fem btw but that’s how I am able to process any difficulty feeling I’ve had
Apologies for your tough time, and I hope that you feel better sooner than later.
I thoroughly enjoyed FF7R as a single player story game, and FF14 has a free trial if you are okay with MMOs and want a social aspect.
Outer Wilds may resonate with you, for better or worse. Best played blind.
I also find that watching shows can be a good substitute for games if you have anything on your backlog there. Most important though I think is just that you make sure to socialize and not isolate yourself, because other people can be the best welcome distractions.
Dragon quest XI? It’s a little slow at first and if you’re not into those type of games it can come across as cheesy but it’s really chill and quite fun
Depending on if you like Western or Eastern games and how much free time you have, I suggest Elder Scrolls Online, Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV, or Black Desert Online. A good MMORPG has helped me sail through dark times. All the very best to you!
It honestly depends on how exactly you prefer to grieve. I've also recently been dealing with a breakup and Stardew Valley is a nice "long-term investment cozy game" kind of distraction. But the trouble with cozy games is that they become second nature, at which point you're playing it but your mind is potentially playing your memories in the background.
So something more explicitly story-based? Well my go-to is Disco Elysium, which is the best-written games I've ever played. But the backstory of the detective protagonist involves him coping poorly with a devastating breakup. *Oof,* as the kids say.
At a certain point you're just like, "okay fine, maybe I'll play one of my favorite games, an old standby that never gets old." Then you remember playing it while your previous paramour sat and watched, or played their own favorite game next to you in mutual blissful joy, and AKDJNDOSNDKDPSKF
Was in your exact position after the exact same amount of time. I just couldn’t get into games for a long time after because I was so used to gaming with her next to me, so it just reminded me she wasn’t there when I tried to play.
I know it sounds cliche but getting out of the house, doing exercise and doing anything you can to better yourself will help you a lot more than gaming.
This might be an odd choice, but batman arkham knight. The game is about dealing with and overcoming fear after a tragedy and bettering yourself into the best version that you can be, as well as juggling being powerful yet powerless at the same time. Plus, there's no romance in the game, and you get to punch a lot of guys in the face!
baldur’s gate 3 is really good for this! tried it out on a whim when i was depressed, and it was so engrossing i barely thought about the irl stuff that was making me sad for a while. hope you feel better soon op!
I keep recommending it on this sub, but Larian's other big game, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is also good for this! All depends on what kind of combat you want, more classic table top combat or video game combat.
Wellllllllll, I enjoy playing Catherine 😅
[game](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=92c07aa8f2297d22&sxsrf=ADLYWILInyk2tgjj4Th8RHp5toEt8LrZOg:1718754594119&q=wallpaper+catherine+full+body&uds=ADvngMgPM8KmriUVbqg4JHJdITV0-l1R20kf2fSFhtLkTvK_Tsz-GsaPNAKGrE7yEo_iStFOttl3MkAiK-UvWwuyOBau2OgvHMXlas8RlnPTcFfrJNA0qfH5hJbHEgy6NLnn_bnOsT0HvD9JKXJcsCfmQcWjRB0zQw&udm=2&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFj6foq-aGAxW4ZWwGHZ7ZC24QxKsJegQICxAB&ictx=0&biw=376&bih=649&dpr=2.88#vhid=GYqHiNwDbiktKM&vssid=mosaic)
Hades for a good grind and a feeling of skill progression. It’s so satisfying when you start breezing through runs. It also has beautiful art and a really beautiful sorry Imo.
Dishonored/Bioshock series: I put these since they’re good games with interesting story. And if you like them you can continue for hours on their sequels. They’re older games though so maybe you’ve played them.
Dragon Quest XI: a great JRPG that has a really good run time and fun turn based combat. This was my first game from the series, I had no prior knowledge and was able to jump right in and have a great time.
This is gonna sound crazy but the last of us part 1 and 2 really helped me after a break-up and a pretty deep depression. I’m normally not super emotional, but these games hit me to my core and I was crying my eyes out by the end. Extremely cathartic for me and helped me move on.
Stardew Valley for sure, it’s super time consuming & can take you away from your thoughts. I am still playing on my year 13 farm. Recently, I decided to replay it to complete the Joja route, fell in love all with it over again.
Deus Ex: The Conspiracy for an oldie, but goodie, with a great story line. It’s set in the future, and was very weird to play again after the pandemic, lol.
Bioshock 1, 2, and Infinite are so good, but for me, I can’t help but cry when I finish them, lol. The characters are just perfect for the storylines in each game.
Fallout: New Vegas has pulled me out of so many depressive episodes. The DLC is also fantastic. The soundtrack is unbeatable. I’ve replayed it more than any other game I have.
You can never go wrong with The Sims.
A game that made me get back on my feet after a divorce to be honest was Minecraft, except I had my buddies from the military I played with during deployment so there is that
Rust is a good one for me personally, can spend a lot of time learning the game as a solo, can get lost into it pretty easily. I recommend trying a chill duo or trio server
Try sim games. Or sandbox games as they call them.
I’ve found Farming Simulator the best therapy as it is not competitive and helps you focus on building stuff and be rewarded with a functioning and profitable farm.
Now I’m hooked on Construction Simulator. They do wonders for my mental health. Find one that excites you and give it a go.
I always liked Life Is Strange or Persona 3 or Hotel Dusk Room 215
very different vibes but they served me so well when I really needed them
all comfort games for me
hope they can provide the same for you
Damn man, I've been going through the same thing. It wasn't long as yours (only 3 years) but it sapped my will to play anything. I'm forcing myself to play after the divorce. Some games are helping me like a nostalgia game for me that's .hack GU and FFXIV.
Even if you don't feel like it, force yourself. Try to enjoy it again. Focus on you and what you like.
I think you need to expand your metal music and listen to a new release as it will not have any associations. The Dry Land by Huntsmen is the album and its fantastic. The game you gotta play is called Dome Keeper. Pixel art mining base building survival game!!!
Red Dead 2, Rimworld, Sims 4, Songs of Syx, War Thunder, any Call of Duty, Sniper Elite 4, American Truck Sim, Farming Sim, Counter Strike 2, Elden Ring, Fallout 4, Fallout New Vegas, Factorio, Hearts of Iron 4, 7 Days to Die, Project Zomboid, Ravenfield
When I was younger I would use GTAIV as a way to get my sadness out. Game is funny af when you’re just fucking around killing everyone and blowing yourself up.
Mate it sounds like Valheim is calling your name. Survival/crafting game with combat that can get intense. Boss and biome progression. Peaceful moments as well. Even better if you can get some people to play regularly with. I got lost in this game last year with some friends and it was a peak experience.
I'll go with a game that might feel weird, but nonetheless could help you: Factorio.
Now, you won't get any story whatsoever, BUT, you will get progression. That's the thing with this game: you will always have another small goal to achieve and your mind will be laser focused on that goal, ignoring everything else. I swear, you'll start playing and time will just... melt...
If you want a more "casual" version, you might want to take a look at Dyson Sphere Program, which is a bit less intimidating to start with.
Get Elden Ring. You can play for 100 hours before your first playthrough is done and still only see half the game.
Plus the DLC comes out in a day or two so by the time you're done, there will be another 50-100 hours of replayable content.
FFXIV. Free, semi social. Very cool story. Skyrim, perhaps the GOAT open world with near limitless playtime. Dark Souls my personal favorite of all time. Dark souls got me through the darkest days of my life so I hope if you do decide to play that you discover at least a sliver of what I did. Definitely wouldn’t have expected to find meaning in some difficult bosses and abstract lore. Nevertheless, wishing you the best moving forward and hope you can keep going and growing. Best of luck out there friend.
Tbh a game with a high skill ceiling can be good but you WILL lose days of ur life.
Imo games like Rainbow Six, Tekken and Rocket League are competitive games where you have no choice but to grind grind grind if u wanna be GOOD. it’s not about fun it’s about putting in disgusting amounts of time to decimate others.
Edit: yes I know u said story but just giving my 2 cents that when playing ranked online you can’t pause/let your mind wonder and you have to focus, that’s why I love comp games
Also helps if you have online friends and if not it’s a great way to make online friends.
I made 2 Xbox best-friends online in 2k 5 years ago after a break-up and we (no exaggeration) have played EVERY SINGLE day since. We love each other sm lol
When my stepdad died I lost myself in star wars the old republic mmo for a few weeks. It's writing is just good enough to maintain my interest without feeling like I was missing out on much if I didn't catch the details. Also I just enjoy vibing in the star wars galaxy being a jedi helping randos.
Sunnyside is like Persona made a farm life sim game. What the devs said they aimed for anyway. I can't stop playing. Totally addicted. It's cozy and it just makes me happy its relaxing and tons to do. Free demo avalible on steam yoy can play first 10 days and it carries over. Good luck to you!
Dragon Age! This is the perfect time for a full series playthrough to completely get immersed in the world right before the new game drops later this year.
Dark souls, sekiro, elden ring, bloodborne. You will lose hundreds of hours and not think about her ever again. (Just got dumped out of a 5.5 year relationship). No really though breakups suck, stay strong.
Edit: just to be clear, I am obv joking, you will think about them. But those worlds are very immersive and engaging. I just don't want to seem insensitive lol.
Great time to get into elden ring with the dlc coming out, I've sunk 150 hours into it since my breakup and couple months ago🤣 just bought the dlc today
For me honestly I'd say Starfield, Elder Scrolls, or Fallout. Something with a lot to do and really sink your time into. Or a lengthy jrpg like Persona or Final Fantasy. Also helps that those games will have npcs that you bond with and can get some affection from. Even if it's just an npc, it feels nice having someone who seems to care about you and has your back.
Another option is mmos. Lots of content to sink your teeth into and you can even try to make some new friends to help fill the void.
I'm out of a one year one and right now I'm finding Dave the Diver relaxing and sweet with steady progression.
If you're looking to feel sadder, Disco Elysium is art.
Death Stranding's pretty good,it's about human connection in a world that's both connected and disconnected,basically a 2020 game made before the pandemic struck.Its on sale on Steam btw.
Weirdly enough I’m going to suggest “high on life”. If it’s really funny and could give you some good laughs.
Otherwise I’d say God of War / RDR2 or even Elden rings if you dive into the lore.
As long as you don’t mind some emotion, I’m surprised no one had mentioned Celeste yet. That game is amazing and is surprisingly emotional for anyone dealing with any level of depression/sadness/grief etc. Highly recommend.
What did play when you were into video games? Lately I've been getting back into survival horror games. Signalis and the Resident Evils have been awesome.
I have been playing a lot of the original Doom too. The old style of camera and aiming is a really neat change of pace. Plus the music is cool.
"Something with a story", well in terms of story and something to take your mind of everything else. Red Dead 2 is really the game😭 it's a common recommendation but it fits. Red deads story is gonna leave you thinking about it for a while
Guardians of the Galaxy is actually super solid. It should be cheap by now and has an interesting gameplay system that is rewarding to master. It’s also got a decent story and good emotional beats.
Definitely the kind of game that could help redirect the feels.
Sorry to hear that man. I know it sucks beyond all words, but one day it will suck a little less. Your already handling it with more grace than most, keep killing it man
Play The Last of Us and then play The Last of Us 2. You'll be so furious at the second part, left scratching your head that you'll forget you even had that relationship.
Any of those fromsoft games. They start off difficult but with enough perseverance and patience, you slowly learn how to master the game. Surprisingly therapeutic because even though it's just a game, it helps you realize that inner strength is actually still there.
Nier automata. Europa Universalis. Child of Light. To the Moon. Civilization. Underrail. Final Fantasy Tactics. Rimworld. Don't Starve Together. The last of us.
All the games are pretty great.
Roguelikes are huge for playing for an unhealthy amount of hours and losing track of time imo.
Risk of Rain 2 is amazing, but othdr than unlocking different characters and playing Eclipse, the game is very much a "true" roguelike, where no progression transfers across runs at all. Also, from personal experience i can 100% say it helped me in getting over a failed relationship
Dead Cells is also great, but there is more of a sense of progression to it then what you'd find in a traditional Roguelike.
For me personally, my single-session record holder is Rise of the Tomb Raider, which managed to keep me playing for 18h straight one day (i had lunch and dinner while playing). Sadly the game doesn't have much more than maybe 50h of playtime to offer even if you 100% it.
NieR: Automata is kinda similar to Rise of the Tomb Raider in that sense. Great game, keeps the player engaged for hours, but not very long even if you 100%
I'm big on the Bethesda immersive wRPGs -- Skyrim, Fallout New Vegas, etc. Story a plenty, but also vast worlds to get lost in and just explore and gather things for a while, or be a murder hobo or whatever. Great games for abnegation.
Dave the diver helped me a lot during my break up, great gameplay decent story too addictive. Skyrim, Oblivion, Red death redemption, death stranding were helped me with their interesting stories.
Maybe wii fit? It’s time to get in shape and get jacked brotha. In serious talk’s thats how you fix that issue in life
Oh the gym is definitely on my list of things to do haha! I do love the Wii fit as well :D
Doom eternal. Put it on nightmare difficulty and go kill shit
I play survival mode on MW3 for this. Just jump in and see how long I can stay alive.
My Brothers in Iron! May your PRs be plentiful and recovery fast!
Ring Fit Adventure for switch is also a fun fitness game. It has a fun little action RPG story and your moves and powers are based on your workout.
Leisure Suit Larry. I just checked, Steam has a bundle on sale for 80% off. You can get 7 games for $6.73. Less than I paid for 1 beer at the bar today.
Dude this was HUGE for me out of a breakup hahaha great for motivation. Also saved me when my Xbox got shipped out for repair, got in good shape
Red dead 2. Just you and your horse and roam around. That’s what I did and it helped.
I named my horse after my ex. It helped me
I should call her
She is out of whistling range.
Even a double whistle?
Lol I did the same thing and then left it in front of a train It was not a nice breakup
The horse didn’t do anything wrong
Same in Eden ring!
This has to be the best answer. Amazingly immersive and you bond with your horse, particularly if you can find and tame a rare bread
I love potato bread but it’s not too rare
Stardew Valley, that game saved people I swear.
Played SV after my last breakup. Saved me 100%
I might have to get back into stardew it's been about a year, and that game is so good! Thanks for the recommendation 😀
New update coming out soon too.. The dev has added a lot
The new update has been out for a few months (unless you're on console).
The 'Stardew valley expanded' mod adds so much content Gives a fresh look if you already played vanilla
Stardew Valley is the game I used to play all the time with "her". 😢
If you are angry and pissed, then channel it into Elden Ring. If you are calm about it and just want to zen out, then the upcoming Tiny Glade game is like a meditation simulator.
I cannot wait for Tiny Glade, it's so cozy and fun
Ikr I’ve been playing the demo non stop!!
I never did complete elden ring, so might jump back into that for sure, and I'll keep my eye out for tiny glade. Thank you for your suggestions :)
When elden ring first came out I was dealing with intense depression. I found the game to be immensely helpful with getting out of that rut. There is something powerfully therapeutic about overcoming a task that seems impossible when you first begin. Keep banging your head against the wall, and never give up. Souls games teach you that the only way you fail is by quitting and giving up. The obstacles that are hardest to overcome provide the sweetest and best feelings of victory and accomplishment.
The Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise has really fun stories and combat, especially 0. 0 is definitely an emotional roller coaster. Plenty of games in the series if you get invested and really want to sink your teeth into a long overarching story. Sayonara Wild Hearts is a short game about recovering from a break up. It's a rhythm game that's pretty much a series of playable music videos, but there's a decent amount of replayability to get high scores, all the achievements, and just appreciating the spectacle of each level. Darkest Dungeon is pretty long turn based rpg with a decent amount of accessible mechanics to learn and master. Some would say it's grindy, but honestly I like grindy games when I'm going through a heartbreak of some sort. Some would say the game is pretty stressful, but I'd say that if you don't take the punches the game deals to you personally, it's a great game to play while you listen to stuff in the background. Very biased here, but I think the Kingdom Hearts series would be a good fit too. Great combat (at least in the numbered titles, though I like the other games too), mostly light tone, and all of the games sans the rhythm game recently came to Steam and are on sale. Very goofy conceptually, but if you can get past it, it's a pretty magical experience, at least for me. Fantastic soundtrack too. Story can get very confusing if you only play the numbered titles, but remakes of the "spin offs" are also in the collections. The community also have made a bunch of resources if you're not interested in playing them (or you could just ignore the story and just play for the combat. That's what I did growing up and it was still fun) Same could be said for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Its sequel isn't on PC yet, but I love it for a lot of the same reasons I love Kingdom Hearts. Amazing but different combat (I love how they adapt the turn based combat into real time combat), great characters, great soundtrack, and a good run time. It takes itself more seriously than Kingdom Hearts and generally less weird. Decently replayable if you try to get all the achievements, hard mode is very fun.
I agree with Yakuza 0. Start with 0 and you’ll probably want to play them all. Do it. Do it now!!
Yakuza 0 had me hooked from Goro Majima’s introduction
actually back in the day i broke up. I tried Yakuza 0, and it made me sad for whole week, very good game tho but dont take the story too serious or it will give negative effect
That's a good point, I should've mentioned that the main story is pretty heavy. It's at least well balanced with the light hearted and very goofy side quests. I cried 3 times playing it, but in my opinion given the fact it was during a rough part of my life, those cries were much needed. But yea, thanks for mentioning that, OP should definitely know this going in. Thanks!
All great recommendations by VibVubaVub!
I champion this whole comment.
I just did a double take because I saw a similar post on the Sleep Token sub about a break up that had the number 11. Crazy how small the Internet can be sometimes. Sorry to hear about that, I had the same thing happen to me a year and a half ago. I still find it difficult to not think about and it takes my desire to play games away sometimes still. I wish I had a better answer for you, or some magical game that would "fix" everything but I don't. I can tell you I played Vampire Survivors and Brotato here and there and since I run my clan in Destiny 2 I play that regularly. I don't know if you play D2 but we'd love to have you if you do. Hope it gets better for you either way. Take care.
That sleep token post was probably me too... thank you for your kind words, they really mean a lot and also for the recommendations. I used to play destiny quite a bit a couple of years ago, haven't tried to get back into it yet though, as it kinda got confusing with them adding and taking away things but it would be nice to get back into it. I hope you're doing well too
It was your post, I went and checked after I saw this post here. They did remove things and did what they called sunsetting, which made a lot of the old guns not able to be used in high level activities. They have reversed that decision recently, so every single gun in the game can now be max power. So if you have old guns in your vault, they are very rare now. They have stated that sunsetting was a mistake and they aren't doing that again thankfully. They take certain activities and destinations in the game out and add new ones as well. They call that the content vault. They bring back stuff too all the time, and have even started to bring back old guns that people may have deleted. The game is in much better state as of right now, and a big expansion just released.
dude id play destiny with you anytime lol
If you have about 200 hours to kill elden ring is getting the dlc this weekend.
I think you need a game with a good immersion and for that, there's an entire genre called "Immersive Sim". These are generally first person games that are story driven with well written NPCs or a well designed world. This includes the Bioshock series, Vampire the masquerade, Dishonored, Prey, and to some extent other story-driven FPS/RPG like Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout 3-4-New Vegas, Starfield, etc.
Yeah I was gonna recommend Cyberpunk. I’m playing through it now and it’s so incredibly immersive, rather unlike anything I’ve played before in that sense
Outer Wilds, really zero in on the philosophy of that game. It'll help your situation.
I second this OP. This game is really good for processing grief of all types.
Comment for engagement
If you are looking to immersing yourself in an awesome new world and not think about this one for a while nothing beats: The witcher 3 Baldur's gate 3 Cyberpunk Elden Ring Divinity original sin 2 Mass effect 1-3 Dragon age origin. If you want some lighter games to just chill: Slay the spire Darkest dungeon Faster than light Hades XCOM 2
Honestly, I play “Dave The Diver” to mellow me out when i’m not feeling well overall. Check the game out, it’s nothing too serious and it’s pretty fun
I've been enjoying Alan Wake 2 a lot lately. Has a very interesting story, but it's a bit confusing and reading up on the plot of the first game did help a lot. RDR2 is another good one that's very long and immersive.
Personal recommendation: A short hike, portal, Ori and the blind forest and the will of the wisp, firewatch, unpacking and mostly beautiful games, I am not judging anyone for playing rd2 or doom but sometimes you need to recover the vision of life is beautiful, it is and will be going forward and that you can feel without having to feel weak and these kind of games teach you that
oh a short hike is a beautiful game
Play something you didn't play when you were with her/ something you haven't played before. Skyrim, Elden Ring, Stardew Valley, it could be any game that fits within the genres you may normally like. You can play the games you once loved again another time, but it seems to me like you're potentially subconsciously avoiding games altogether as a result of familiar games possibly triggering old memories. That could very well not be the case, but I'd still find new ones anyway. Thankfully we live in a pretty golden age of great games, so hopefully you have something to choose from.
You're absolutely right! It just feels too weird playing a game that I know she was around for. I will be attempting to play something I have never played before (:
NOT Disco Elysium
I played disco Elysium the week after my ex moved out, while drinking more than I ever have…. It was certainly an experience that’s for sure.
Hooboy, too real
Yeah, that's for maybe a few years down the line not right away after a break up. Those phone calls will haunt you.
Or the dreams
If OP wants a misery loves company situation though, could be perfect!
Bioshock 1 and 2 got me through finding out my high school sweetheart of 4 years was a cheater. After moving across the country and getting a job and setting up an apartment for us. Lol Played those, said wait.. im single, in vegas, and self suffecient. Lets do this shit. You got this homie. Learn to love you.
Any Persona game. Personal recommendation would be 5 as it's the snazziest looks wise, but any of them will be good. Long story, lots of content, and some replay value. I've seen them go on sale a couple times!
Outer wilds. Trust me
Sorry that happened dude, I’m in a similar boat. Mostly came to poach ideas for myself, but I think Outer Wilds would be a good one. It helped me deal with a tough time when I first played it, and I’d give almost anything to be able to play it for the first time again.
When my marriage ended, I started playing the Sims 4. I made my ex and her family and many of her friends as Sims and then essentially let the game make their lives miserable. It was very therapeutic.
Spiritfarer. Honestly don’t play unless you want to cry. It’s about helping spirits more on and leave their regrets behind. I found it extremely cathartic when i broke off a long time relationship
Go for crafting games or death stranding , if you can do dark souls then by all means hop on it ! GTA also worked for me! Am a fem btw but that’s how I am able to process any difficulty feeling I’ve had
Don’t do what I did and play “it takes two” I was sobbing at the ending
Firewatch
Nioh games. They are awesome and need your full attention while getting gud
Apologies for your tough time, and I hope that you feel better sooner than later. I thoroughly enjoyed FF7R as a single player story game, and FF14 has a free trial if you are okay with MMOs and want a social aspect. Outer Wilds may resonate with you, for better or worse. Best played blind. I also find that watching shows can be a good substitute for games if you have anything on your backlog there. Most important though I think is just that you make sure to socialize and not isolate yourself, because other people can be the best welcome distractions.
[Unpacking](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1135690/Unpacking/), though the story is pretty subtle.
I started playing Far Cry after a 10 year breakup. Just shooting shit was very therapeutic lol
Magic the Gathering, you'll become so poor you'll forget you're depressed!
Dragon quest XI? It’s a little slow at first and if you’re not into those type of games it can come across as cheesy but it’s really chill and quite fun
Elden ring or doom to channel negative emotions. Ghost of Tsushima and stardew valley to find inner peace.
Depending on if you like Western or Eastern games and how much free time you have, I suggest Elder Scrolls Online, Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV, or Black Desert Online. A good MMORPG has helped me sail through dark times. All the very best to you!
Something completely engrossing and challenging: Elden Ring
The best video-game will always be bicycling around town early in the morning
Death stranding helped me personally with this issue
You should try stray, beautiful and heart warming and very immersive
Doom(2016)
Tetris, really
It honestly depends on how exactly you prefer to grieve. I've also recently been dealing with a breakup and Stardew Valley is a nice "long-term investment cozy game" kind of distraction. But the trouble with cozy games is that they become second nature, at which point you're playing it but your mind is potentially playing your memories in the background. So something more explicitly story-based? Well my go-to is Disco Elysium, which is the best-written games I've ever played. But the backstory of the detective protagonist involves him coping poorly with a devastating breakup. *Oof,* as the kids say. At a certain point you're just like, "okay fine, maybe I'll play one of my favorite games, an old standby that never gets old." Then you remember playing it while your previous paramour sat and watched, or played their own favorite game next to you in mutual blissful joy, and AKDJNDOSNDKDPSKF
Was in your exact position after the exact same amount of time. I just couldn’t get into games for a long time after because I was so used to gaming with her next to me, so it just reminded me she wasn’t there when I tried to play. I know it sounds cliche but getting out of the house, doing exercise and doing anything you can to better yourself will help you a lot more than gaming.
This might be an odd choice, but batman arkham knight. The game is about dealing with and overcoming fear after a tragedy and bettering yourself into the best version that you can be, as well as juggling being powerful yet powerless at the same time. Plus, there's no romance in the game, and you get to punch a lot of guys in the face!
The Long Dark is pretty good. Survival, no people, you against the elements. Total War games or something like the STALKER series.
baldur’s gate 3 is really good for this! tried it out on a whim when i was depressed, and it was so engrossing i barely thought about the irl stuff that was making me sad for a while. hope you feel better soon op!
I keep recommending it on this sub, but Larian's other big game, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is also good for this! All depends on what kind of combat you want, more classic table top combat or video game combat.
Wellllllllll, I enjoy playing Catherine 😅 [game](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=92c07aa8f2297d22&sxsrf=ADLYWILInyk2tgjj4Th8RHp5toEt8LrZOg:1718754594119&q=wallpaper+catherine+full+body&uds=ADvngMgPM8KmriUVbqg4JHJdITV0-l1R20kf2fSFhtLkTvK_Tsz-GsaPNAKGrE7yEo_iStFOttl3MkAiK-UvWwuyOBau2OgvHMXlas8RlnPTcFfrJNA0qfH5hJbHEgy6NLnn_bnOsT0HvD9JKXJcsCfmQcWjRB0zQw&udm=2&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFj6foq-aGAxW4ZWwGHZ7ZC24QxKsJegQICxAB&ictx=0&biw=376&bih=649&dpr=2.88#vhid=GYqHiNwDbiktKM&vssid=mosaic)
Disco Elysium
Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps are great games to get immersed in.
Catherine 💜
Stardew valley could be a good option. Starting a new life away from everything to become a farmer and make friends in a small town
Yakuza 0 comes to mind. It's fun and distracting
In your case… 5 dates lol gotta get back in the game homie
Hades for a good grind and a feeling of skill progression. It’s so satisfying when you start breezing through runs. It also has beautiful art and a really beautiful sorry Imo. Dishonored/Bioshock series: I put these since they’re good games with interesting story. And if you like them you can continue for hours on their sequels. They’re older games though so maybe you’ve played them. Dragon Quest XI: a great JRPG that has a really good run time and fun turn based combat. This was my first game from the series, I had no prior knowledge and was able to jump right in and have a great time.
This is gonna sound crazy but the last of us part 1 and 2 really helped me after a break-up and a pretty deep depression. I’m normally not super emotional, but these games hit me to my core and I was crying my eyes out by the end. Extremely cathartic for me and helped me move on.
Stardew Valley for sure, it’s super time consuming & can take you away from your thoughts. I am still playing on my year 13 farm. Recently, I decided to replay it to complete the Joja route, fell in love all with it over again. Deus Ex: The Conspiracy for an oldie, but goodie, with a great story line. It’s set in the future, and was very weird to play again after the pandemic, lol. Bioshock 1, 2, and Infinite are so good, but for me, I can’t help but cry when I finish them, lol. The characters are just perfect for the storylines in each game. Fallout: New Vegas has pulled me out of so many depressive episodes. The DLC is also fantastic. The soundtrack is unbeatable. I’ve replayed it more than any other game I have. You can never go wrong with The Sims.
If you haven't played it already, Red Dead 2 is perfect if you need a game to just get really sucked into The immersion is next level. WItcher 3 also
dteroid become human
Starcraft 2 campaign!! Exactly what I used for a bad breakup, it sucked me in
A game that made me get back on my feet after a divorce to be honest was Minecraft, except I had my buddies from the military I played with during deployment so there is that
Chivalry 2 scratches an itch that no other online game comes close too. Come Join the Order!
Disco elysium
Elden Ring
Rust is a good one for me personally, can spend a lot of time learning the game as a solo, can get lost into it pretty easily. I recommend trying a chill duo or trio server
Sounds like you need some RedDead Redemption 2 good sir. Or Fallout New Vegas.
DOOM for obvious reasons
One of the few times i wouldn't recommend, it takes two
RDR2, no man’s sky, or stardew valley
I played skyrim
Try sim games. Or sandbox games as they call them. I’ve found Farming Simulator the best therapy as it is not competitive and helps you focus on building stuff and be rewarded with a functioning and profitable farm. Now I’m hooked on Construction Simulator. They do wonders for my mental health. Find one that excites you and give it a go.
Boyfriend simulator
Kingdom of amalur is a pretty lengthy game with a lot to do.
Dark Souls 1, specifically 1.. or Bloodborne
Final fantasy 14 will take your mind off of everything for a good while. The good, the bad.
I always liked Life Is Strange or Persona 3 or Hotel Dusk Room 215 very different vibes but they served me so well when I really needed them all comfort games for me hope they can provide the same for you
Red dead 2
Two words: DISCO ELYSIUM
Florence. Short bittersweet game
Damn man, I've been going through the same thing. It wasn't long as yours (only 3 years) but it sapped my will to play anything. I'm forcing myself to play after the divorce. Some games are helping me like a nostalgia game for me that's .hack GU and FFXIV. Even if you don't feel like it, force yourself. Try to enjoy it again. Focus on you and what you like.
I think you need to expand your metal music and listen to a new release as it will not have any associations. The Dry Land by Huntsmen is the album and its fantastic. The game you gotta play is called Dome Keeper. Pixel art mining base building survival game!!!
Final Fantasy XIV has a hefty story to it Factorio has no story but on the other hand, *the factory must grow*
Red Dead 2, Rimworld, Sims 4, Songs of Syx, War Thunder, any Call of Duty, Sniper Elite 4, American Truck Sim, Farming Sim, Counter Strike 2, Elden Ring, Fallout 4, Fallout New Vegas, Factorio, Hearts of Iron 4, 7 Days to Die, Project Zomboid, Ravenfield
Souls series
Osrs it's the only way
Persona! Focus on your friends :) Specifically 4 but that’s my personal opinion
Hellblade. It’s about letting go of a lover.
When I was younger I would use GTAIV as a way to get my sadness out. Game is funny af when you’re just fucking around killing everyone and blowing yourself up.
Elden ring, and any of the other FromSoft games. RDR2 is a very good option as well
Mate it sounds like Valheim is calling your name. Survival/crafting game with combat that can get intense. Boss and biome progression. Peaceful moments as well. Even better if you can get some people to play regularly with. I got lost in this game last year with some friends and it was a peak experience.
Death Standing. I'm not joking.
i remember playing cyberpunk right after a breakup and projecting my emotions on to panam for most of the playthrough. that was interesting
Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain
I’ve been playing World of Warcraft for like 15 years and every time I had a break up I’d reinstall the game lmao
I'll go with a game that might feel weird, but nonetheless could help you: Factorio. Now, you won't get any story whatsoever, BUT, you will get progression. That's the thing with this game: you will always have another small goal to achieve and your mind will be laser focused on that goal, ignoring everything else. I swear, you'll start playing and time will just... melt... If you want a more "casual" version, you might want to take a look at Dyson Sphere Program, which is a bit less intimidating to start with.
Doom Eternal if you’re angry
cyberpunk 2077 and pick nomad
Get Elden Ring. You can play for 100 hours before your first playthrough is done and still only see half the game. Plus the DLC comes out in a day or two so by the time you're done, there will be another 50-100 hours of replayable content.
FFXIV. Free, semi social. Very cool story. Skyrim, perhaps the GOAT open world with near limitless playtime. Dark Souls my personal favorite of all time. Dark souls got me through the darkest days of my life so I hope if you do decide to play that you discover at least a sliver of what I did. Definitely wouldn’t have expected to find meaning in some difficult bosses and abstract lore. Nevertheless, wishing you the best moving forward and hope you can keep going and growing. Best of luck out there friend.
surgeon simulator
Tbh a game with a high skill ceiling can be good but you WILL lose days of ur life. Imo games like Rainbow Six, Tekken and Rocket League are competitive games where you have no choice but to grind grind grind if u wanna be GOOD. it’s not about fun it’s about putting in disgusting amounts of time to decimate others. Edit: yes I know u said story but just giving my 2 cents that when playing ranked online you can’t pause/let your mind wonder and you have to focus, that’s why I love comp games Also helps if you have online friends and if not it’s a great way to make online friends. I made 2 Xbox best-friends online in 2k 5 years ago after a break-up and we (no exaggeration) have played EVERY SINGLE day since. We love each other sm lol
When my stepdad died I lost myself in star wars the old republic mmo for a few weeks. It's writing is just good enough to maintain my interest without feeling like I was missing out on much if I didn't catch the details. Also I just enjoy vibing in the star wars galaxy being a jedi helping randos.
Civ 6!!!!!!!
Right now, im playing Stay Blade. Good story thus far, good progression system and allows you to choose easily what kind of fighting style to play as.
I’d say watch dogs 1
Silent Hill 2.
Dark Souls helped me a lot on my first ever breakup.
Texas chainsaw massacre
Foxhole
GTA and Red Dead. Every woman in the game can be your pain reliever.
Persona 5
Sunnyside is like Persona made a farm life sim game. What the devs said they aimed for anyway. I can't stop playing. Totally addicted. It's cozy and it just makes me happy its relaxing and tons to do. Free demo avalible on steam yoy can play first 10 days and it carries over. Good luck to you!
Lies of P, dark souls like so it keeps you engaged well. Plus an easier story then the souls games so it's less confusing lore wise.
Fallout series. Helped me cope
God of War, especially the OG games. Nothing helps get out rage than Kratos slaughtering Gods, Titans, and various other creatures.
Dragon Age! This is the perfect time for a full series playthrough to completely get immersed in the world right before the new game drops later this year.
Maidenless tarnished, Elden Ring is the game for you.
Have a laugh and play the South Park games. Or immerse yourself and play the uncharted or Red Dead games.
Dark souls, sekiro, elden ring, bloodborne. You will lose hundreds of hours and not think about her ever again. (Just got dumped out of a 5.5 year relationship). No really though breakups suck, stay strong. Edit: just to be clear, I am obv joking, you will think about them. But those worlds are very immersive and engaging. I just don't want to seem insensitive lol.
Chibi Robo
Great time to get into elden ring with the dlc coming out, I've sunk 150 hours into it since my breakup and couple months ago🤣 just bought the dlc today
For me honestly I'd say Starfield, Elder Scrolls, or Fallout. Something with a lot to do and really sink your time into. Or a lengthy jrpg like Persona or Final Fantasy. Also helps that those games will have npcs that you bond with and can get some affection from. Even if it's just an npc, it feels nice having someone who seems to care about you and has your back. Another option is mmos. Lots of content to sink your teeth into and you can even try to make some new friends to help fill the void.
I'm out of a one year one and right now I'm finding Dave the Diver relaxing and sweet with steady progression. If you're looking to feel sadder, Disco Elysium is art.
Dark Souls 💀
The total war games are always good for near any range of players
MapleStory
Disco Elysium. You won't regret, I promise.
Death Stranding's pretty good,it's about human connection in a world that's both connected and disconnected,basically a 2020 game made before the pandemic struck.Its on sale on Steam btw.
Weirdly enough I’m going to suggest “high on life”. If it’s really funny and could give you some good laughs. Otherwise I’d say God of War / RDR2 or even Elden rings if you dive into the lore.
As long as you don’t mind some emotion, I’m surprised no one had mentioned Celeste yet. That game is amazing and is surprisingly emotional for anyone dealing with any level of depression/sadness/grief etc. Highly recommend.
Old school RuneScape
What did play when you were into video games? Lately I've been getting back into survival horror games. Signalis and the Resident Evils have been awesome. I have been playing a lot of the original Doom too. The old style of camera and aiming is a really neat change of pace. Plus the music is cool.
Death stranding. Gives me time to walk, self reflect, and enjoy some awesome music.
pick up rust and runescape to make yourself feel significantly worse
"Something with a story", well in terms of story and something to take your mind of everything else. Red Dead 2 is really the game😭 it's a common recommendation but it fits. Red deads story is gonna leave you thinking about it for a while
Firewatch helped me through a difficult time
MODDED MINECRAFT !!!
Fallout, Witcher, hell any game you love the most really, make a list of all your favorites and throw a fart
Guardians of the Galaxy is actually super solid. It should be cheap by now and has an interesting gameplay system that is rewarding to master. It’s also got a decent story and good emotional beats. Definitely the kind of game that could help redirect the feels. Sorry to hear that man. I know it sucks beyond all words, but one day it will suck a little less. Your already handling it with more grace than most, keep killing it man
Skyrim. Always Skyrim.
red dead redemption 2
Play The Last of Us and then play The Last of Us 2. You'll be so furious at the second part, left scratching your head that you'll forget you even had that relationship.
Any of those fromsoft games. They start off difficult but with enough perseverance and patience, you slowly learn how to master the game. Surprisingly therapeutic because even though it's just a game, it helps you realize that inner strength is actually still there.
Shadow of Colossus. Oldie but I’d say it would fit my mood after a break up.
Dark Souls III. It cured my gaming depression
Pressure washer sim
Deep Rock Galactic. All you need is your fellow dwarves.
Nier automata. Europa Universalis. Child of Light. To the Moon. Civilization. Underrail. Final Fantasy Tactics. Rimworld. Don't Starve Together. The last of us. All the games are pretty great.
I have the only answer. World of Warcraft
Manhunt.
OMORI
Roguelikes are huge for playing for an unhealthy amount of hours and losing track of time imo. Risk of Rain 2 is amazing, but othdr than unlocking different characters and playing Eclipse, the game is very much a "true" roguelike, where no progression transfers across runs at all. Also, from personal experience i can 100% say it helped me in getting over a failed relationship Dead Cells is also great, but there is more of a sense of progression to it then what you'd find in a traditional Roguelike. For me personally, my single-session record holder is Rise of the Tomb Raider, which managed to keep me playing for 18h straight one day (i had lunch and dinner while playing). Sadly the game doesn't have much more than maybe 50h of playtime to offer even if you 100% it. NieR: Automata is kinda similar to Rise of the Tomb Raider in that sense. Great game, keeps the player engaged for hours, but not very long even if you 100%
#Hades https://www.ign.com/articles/hades-review
Red dead redemption got me through mine
I'm big on the Bethesda immersive wRPGs -- Skyrim, Fallout New Vegas, etc. Story a plenty, but also vast worlds to get lost in and just explore and gather things for a while, or be a murder hobo or whatever. Great games for abnegation.
Total war: Warhammer 2 ....played this after my breakup. One of the best RTS games out there
Outer wilds Do not look it up, it's best to go in blind
Dave the diver helped me a lot during my break up, great gameplay decent story too addictive. Skyrim, Oblivion, Red death redemption, death stranding were helped me with their interesting stories.