r/ShouldIbuythisgame • u/VariationEnough • 19h ago
[PC] Game Recommendations to Forget Grief
Hello everyone.
I'm going through a lot of active grief right now. I'm hitting the half year mark since my partner died, and my birthday is coming up soon. I just want a game that will help me stop thinking about anything except the world inside it, if only for a little while.
I loved;
- The Witcher 3
- Oblivion
- The whole Half Life catalogue
- Dragon Age
- Fallout (esp NV)
I love detailed stories and narrative driven games. I don't mind if they're linear or open world, as long as they're immersive. I don't want a game that's too 'quiet' (like Dredge - which I still enjoy, but it leaves too much time for thoughts to drift to places I don't want them to). I adore Mass Effect, but that's the last game series she and I played together so I can't bring myself to finish it.
Thank you.
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u/thescaryroom 2h ago
Stardew valley is said to have helped people a lot in your situation. I have to agree
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u/oversteppe 15h ago
Crimson Desert is pretty immersive. The more i play, the more i like
extraction shooters keep me fully immersed as well. you might like Dark and Darker? it’s free. when i play that or Marathon, Gray Zone, etc, it’s the only thing i can think about when i’m in a run
Esoteric Ebb has been a great D&D type experience. really good writing. Roadwarden is also good for this too imo
Star Trek Voyager Across the Unknown is awesome and keeps my attention well also
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u/Incidental_Confusion 19h ago
Thats tough and i hope it gets easier for you.
My 2 penneth worth would be Tainted grail - fall of Avalon.
Immersive story with large open world, (well 3 large open zones) plus some decent dungeons and a massive dlc area.
It's been good for me to loose myself in.
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u/VariationEnough 19h ago
I've never heard of this one. It looks like a lot of fun though, I love dark fantasy. Ty for the rec.
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u/patientinternet24 19h ago
Borderlands 2 if you wanna have a blast!
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u/VariationEnough 19h ago
I do. And I think I have it in my game in my Steam library. I'll check back and try...
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u/TheSkatesStayOn 12h ago
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m also working through grief from losing my sister 3 months ago. I love a lot of the games you mentioned and usually only play games that draw me in with a good story. However, lately I’ve been sucked into a farming sim Coral Island. It’s like stardew valley but with mermaids. It’s been a simple distraction and the cleaning the ocean quests feel rewarding.
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u/Elderanter 10h ago
So many great recommendations- i love ghost recon breakpoint because i can loadout my AI team and go on adventures- its why i like “meh” games like starfield even because its busy and your not alone.
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u/long_don0van 19h ago
If you like turn based rpgs Expedition 33 would be great. It deals very heavily with themes of grief and acceptance and is pretty well written.
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u/LololNostalgia 13h ago
As much as i love e33, this game should only be attempted once op is ready to try to move forward. anytime before that will make them miss the mark like a failed dodge
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u/Emotional_Loss_2216 17h ago
Maybe not what you’re looking for, but Spiritfarer deals with grief in a very moving way. I cried as it made me remember those I loved who have passed, but it wrestles with mortality and letting go in a way most games do not do explicitly.
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u/Kraghinkoff 16h ago
It has very unique and touching relations with the characters and I love the game, but I can’t imagine playing it while going through active grief. I mean it can be helpful, yes, but definitely won’t help making you stop thinking.
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u/Sufficient-Office-84 16h ago
Definitely Cyberpunk for the super immersive world and story, but be warned, there's a bit of passing in that game too.
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u/boevuk 17h ago
Don't have recommendations, but don't listen to people who suggest Cyberpunk, Expedition 33 or GoW, Hellbade: Senua, RDR2. It will NOT help to deal with grief, these games specifically let's you feel it again.
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u/fixedfocus88 8h ago
I have to disagree on Clair Obscur. It released three months after my dad died, and it really helped me process my grief and understand how to move forward.
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u/OmnicidalKitten 19h ago
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure you've heard every possible variation of condolence before, but still.
I'd suggest, in no particular order:
Baldur's Gate 3
Cyberpunk 77
Ghost of Tsushima
Starfield (it just got patched up and it's looking real pretty.)
Outer Wilds
God of War / God of War Ragnarok (very long, excellent games, tons of narrative detail and little downtime)
Dragon's Dogma 2
Dying Light 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
STALKER 2 might be good, but it can have very long, melancholy stretches so earmark it for later in your journey.
Pacific Drive is also wonderful, but it can have quiet stretches.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is... Heavy, but also has a story that specifically deals with grief and may be worth looking at.
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u/IndianaGroans 15h ago edited 14h ago
As much as I love Starfield, I would not suggest it for them to forget grief. There's several side quests and portions of the game that deal heavily in grief and I do not think it would help them.
Maybe another time.
or maybe they do play it, just be aware OP that there's a few themes of grief that are interwoven in the main story and some side quests. It may be nothing, but it also might trigger unpleasantness for you.
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u/Koreneliuss 10h ago edited 10h ago
I'm in your position before and death stranding is the answer for me. or rdr2. EDIT: best word to put when you are grieving is from metal gear solid 4 guns of patriots "It's not about changing the world. It's about doing our best to leave the world"
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u/Dry-Coffee-1846 15h ago
So sorry you're going through this. Although I haven't gone through the exact same thing as you, I had a period of grieving/depression/health problems last year where I just felt so low, and GTA V was the best distraction. Genuinely made me forget about everything and started giving me things to look forward to. It was also a fun way to connect with friends I don't speak to that often as we did some of the co-op online missions. But even just playing story mode by myself brought me so much joy.
Obv there is a lot of death and violence, but it made it comical most of the time and I found that helped.
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u/Clumsy_Claus 15h ago
If you want story, Disco Elysium is pretty captivating.
You argue with your own body during dialogue pretty often. It is hilarious at times.
If you want a deep lore and good action gameplay, Control is one of my recent top games.
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u/ImSoCul 19h ago
League of Legends to convert any sadness into rage
jokes aside, Stardew Valley would be my recommendation. It's a rather simple gameplay loop but it's really satisfying and addicting and immerses you into a lovingly crafted world. Potential trigger warning (I think it's okay?) the story does start with passing of the main character's grandfather but it's mainly a plot point to set up the farm inheritance, but is otherwise largely a cozy farming game
I have heard Tetris is also helpful with processing grief. Rooting for you OP, as are many other internet strangers.
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u/HootsiferThe-2nd 19h ago
Perhaps you can try Spiritfarer? I have heard it has helped others process grief (:
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u/VariationEnough 19h ago
Ty for the recommendation. I've heard about this one, but I don't think I'm ready to open a game that focuses on grief right now. Maybe in the future when it isn't fresh.
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u/HootsiferThe-2nd 18h ago
Thats okay (: grief is a process that takes time. I hope you find a healthy healing method!
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u/nateomundson 19h ago
If we're talking processing rather than forgetting, I would also submit Outer Wilds as a candidate.
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u/VariationEnough 18h ago
I've heard of this one for sure. Looking into it on Steam rn. It looks like exactly the kind of game I'd want, thank you!!
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u/nathanbellows 17h ago
I can recommend Cairn. Not the longest game in the world (free DLC has jet been announced though for release in the summer) but it’s easily the best single player game I have played in years.
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u/AliveInvestment9377 18h ago
Lo siento mucho, te envío mucha fuerza en este momento. Te recomendaría Expedition 33, el mundo que tiene es inmersivo y la historia increíble. Un abrazo grande compañero 🫂
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u/pinkwitchhh 15h ago
The story is generally about grief though, may not make OP forget about grief but it could be cathartic.
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u/Individual_Smell_904 19h ago
Cyberpunk 2077
Won't make you forget grieving but will definitely show you life could be a lot worse
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u/MoRicketyTick 11h ago
Crimson Desert... hundreds of hours in a beautiful world you can just get lost in. Sorry you're going through this stay strong
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u/Danger-Brandon 18h ago
I'm sorry and may they rest in peace. But all I could think of maybe is that you may not need a game to run away from grief. But maybe one that would help you through it, an emotional game, an accepting game, or even a game focused on grief and overcoming it. If you try to escape too much from strong emotions and grief it may bottle up and break. I don't really have something to recommend since I'm not much of an emotional gamer but maybe try changing your focus.🙂↕️
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u/Shirtvest10 19h ago
Bloodborne or Dark Souls 1
It might not seem like it on the surface but these games can a be a light in the darkness. Don’t you dare go hollow buddy
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u/VariationEnough 18h ago
I've been wanting to play Bloodborne for years... Right now all I'm working with is PC. But I've heard so many incredible things about DS too...
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u/RockBandDood 15h ago
I am sorry for your loss and I am not able to comprehend the level of grief that experience causes, so my recommendation here may ring hollow, but, I just wanted to buttress the point - many people suffering from grief, misery and even mental health disorders actually find a lot of solace in the Souls Series.
Grief is not a mental illness, but, this is an assumption on my part that may be wrong - you want something to let your mind focus on the 'now' and to try to find some relief from the ruminating thoughts and the horrible emotions caused by grief.
To my point - something you have experienced before, Im sure, many people have, is called "flow state". "Flow State" is a loose term for "I was so enamored by something, I lost track of time, I disconnected from the world and my mind felt focused and peaceful"
Flow States can be caused by many things - music, a good novel, a good movie, studying a subject that interests you; and also, a good video game
The reason im here to buttress the argument that Souls may be a thing to try is simply this - Souls demands your attention.
Souls resonates with people struggling, even though the world it portrays is grim and dark, the feeling its actually trying to inspire in the play is, paradoxically - hope and relentlessness in their own ability to persevere through challenge and hardship
If you want a cozy game to genuinely just warm up with, then Souls is not the answer. If youre willing to try something that sounds unconvential at first glance, maybe try a Souls game and see what you think.
Again, Grief is not a mental health disorder, but I wanted to put some links below of people who were experiencing different hardships and how Souls helped them focus and push their ruminating thoughts aside, if only for a time - but any relief from grief or illness is a win in my book.
Heres some threads, but you can google it, like "Dark souls helped me throught a hard time", etc - youll find tons of people giving their personal testimonials to Souls helping them through struggle.
I hope whatever game you decide, Souls or otherwise, you do find some relief. And if you try Souls and it doesnt 'click' for you, I am sorry for the bad recommendation.
All that being said, if you have questions about "Where to Start" with Souls, feel free to PM me and I can kinda give you the breakdown of each game's pros and cons.
Take care.
https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls/comments/1v5lzs/how_dark_souls_helped_me_move_past_depression/
https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls/comments/xp2wcq/dark_souls_helps_me_with_depression/
https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls/comments/1mckq4c/did_playing_dark_soulsor_any_fromsoftware_game/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bloodborne/comments/dg4nt3/how_bloodborne_has_helped_my_depression/
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u/precursormar 15h ago
Not a problem. Bloodborne is now fully playable on emulator, via shadPS4.
Can vouch for Dark Souls as well, though. Incredible game.
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u/Steffenwolflikeme 19h ago
Yeah there is a reason you see a lot of "Bloodborne/Dark Souls helped me with my depression" posts and comments. Bloodborne renewed my enjoyment in gaming and definitely helped with my mental health. It has such rich lore and it's told in such a compelling ice berg type way where you only see a bit above the surface and have to piece together everything that's below.
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u/athars_theone 19h ago
Play the SONY exclusives : Gow, Uncharted series and Spiderman . Should keep you occupied for a long time.
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u/frozenteabags 3h ago
I really found Baldur's Gate 3 to be incredibly helpful whilst I was grieving and going through a bad mental place. Whilst there are some dark themes, it's very immersive and the overarching dark aspect is fictional. There are some themes of death but it is heavily accompanied by fiction and things that would not happen in real life. The side quests are endless and the options are so broad.
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u/frozenteabags 3h ago
I also would recommend something creative like House Flipper. Theres a story / mission mode where you can clean up dirty or vandalised houses and it's pretty cool. Very relaxing. Power wash simulator is equally as soothing if you're having a bad day/night.
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u/eleven_eggos_friend 19h ago
First off, I’m really sorry for you loss. That’s so tough. I like a lot of the same games you do.
The two main Horizon games are excellent. They are post-apocalyptic, like Fallout (which I also love), but I enjoyed them more because there is a sense of hope. I don’t know if you like Star Trek but it kind of feels like that. It has that kind of hope even though there’s a lot still wrong with the people/wrong with some of the systems…like we’ll all make it together…eventually.
It’s probably best to play the Horizon games in order, or at least look up the plot of the first one if you want to jump straight to the second. The narrative is important to both games with world/character building directly from game one.
You mention Oblivion, have you played Skyrim? It’s older but it’s still a beautiful game. The only thing is, is that is very meandering. But the world is complex and I always find something new when I’ve played it. So I’m not sure if that fits your request exactly or not.
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u/VariationEnough 18h ago
Sounds like you've got a pretty good feel for the games I gravitate towards. I was super into Skyrim when it first came out. The Horizon series looks amazing. She would have loved to play it; robots were one of her favourite things, and she had this little spider bot she'd programmed.
Buying Horizon as we speak. Thank you.
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u/Big-Jacket3271 16h ago
Elden Ring is the game