RPG's

Even though this trope has been abused in RPG's from hell to back, I do still enjoy stories of heroes going through difficult times then persevering and managing to come out on top or make things work at the end.

Edit: that or games like Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons

While they don't exactly fall under the umbrella of games, I find the most solace in visual novels. I'm a person who heals best when experiencing strong emotions and nothing can achieve that quite like a good VN. I love the fictional friendships you form within them and while I'm aware they are not real, they still can make me really happy. Paired with a good backstory, nothing can comfort me as much, aside from my close real life friends.

Depending on the person, there's different types of VNs to choose from. Moeges are the typical feel good VNs, there usually is hardly any drama and they just focus on the interpersonal relationships. Most of them are a kind of advanced dating sim though, so I'm sure they are not for everyone.
Then there are Nakige, which I love very much but might be bad for most people with unstable emotions. Also called "tear jerkers", they contain quite a bit of drama and melancholy. They usually end on a happy note though.
Utsuges are like Nakiges, but even harder on the soul. They don't usually end on a happy note.
Personally, I also love horror VNs, but I guess I'm kinda a special case in that regard. I can go into them and enjoy them, even when I'm at my lowest, but I highly advise against them if you're not a hundred percent sure that the person can handle them. I've witnessed quite a few people getting drawn deeper into their holes.

As you can see, VNs tend to be quite emotional, one way or another. For me, that's exactly what I need. Maybe some of your clients can benefit from that as well. One thing might be worth mentioning though: Oftentimes, the relationships in a VN start off very rocky. If a client has some kind of trauma that might be triggered by this, I would advise against VNs.

I’ve been going through very dark part of my life, where I thought I lost the cause and meaning. At this time new expansion for final fantasy 14 was released - Endwalker. The story somehow resonated with me. I’ve never thought I’d say it, but it kinda helped me to see things from different perspective.

Two come to mind: Gone Home (I had feelings.) and Stationeers (pure escapism and a geek-out. And you get to build a safe place).

Forza Horizon 3 had me through a complex time, so relaxing. Jeanne D'Arc of PSP helped me in a really bottom time. But I would advice to use carefully, to avoid addiction problems.

Far Cry 3 was the escapism I needed when I was dealing with some depression. Getting to save my friends and the locals on an island helped me get through some stuff

I will be periodically playing both :D

Need? no. It may help flesh out the stories of the characters some, though and really what you could do is watch the cutscenes for 1 on youtube and you should be ready and all set for 2.

Great games, TONS of content

I thought that about tank for the original MNC but I think its mainly because back then mobas weren't as widespread as today and no one knew how to win aside from death matching, the idea of pushing lanes just didn't occur to them I guess.

cannibalized their own game

Persona 5. Helped me with my depression when it came out and made everything a little bit better.

For me it was the start of World of Warcraft. Playing that and reading the lore/ immersing myself in the fantasy was what saved me. Having a social guild and making friends helped so much. Without it i would have finished my suicide plans.

Played Hollow Knight at probably the darkest point in my life. Provided that little bit of escapism I desperately needed.

Fallout 76. You can totally immerse yourself in the world and live a separate reality while you play. Plus the community is incredible. Helped me through feelings of loss and abandonment. Still play 2.5 years later, quite frequently.

A Mario ARPG would be sick if done right.

is that a horse between your legs or are you just happy to see me

My theory is they made the jump to pc and free to play to early. They got a fan base on Xbox then immediately left it for the pc community. Like the game was dead before I ever had a pc near capable of running it.

Fable 2. Got me through some dark times.

I was dealing with feelings of loss, depression, identity change and a few other mental bed fellows when I decided to play The Ghost of Tsushima. It was absolutely amazeballs and had so many nuggets that really helped in my time of sadness and reflection

All of them, but Super Mario (any!) for taking my focus somewhere positive, Final Fantasy (5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12) for looking at the bigger picture, Breath of the Wild for escapism and relaxation (played it throughout the early months of COVID), and Fallout 3 & 4 for humor and tension relief.

The original RE 1-4 game mechanics were God awful. Def won't ever play them again.

A girlfriend and I broke up about 20 years ago. My best friend introduced me to something called "Halo". I figured I'd give it a shot.

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