At the moment, who wouldn’t want to take time out for yourself? Luckily, gaming is not always about the AAA titles and shoot ‘em up battle royales. In fact, the right title can offer a fun and relaxing experiences that are like a balm for the soul.

And it’s time that cute got some much needed recognition. If you’re yearning to play something that elicits the feeling of being snuggled up in a warm blanket with a hot cup of cocoa, we’ve got you covered.

Bunhouse

For a slower pace of play, it doesn’t get much more relaxing than Bunhouse. In this game, you are an adorable little bunny and you run a greenhouse. Foster your horticulture skills and raise plants which you sell for carrot currency. Fish in the nearby lake and perhaps do a spot of yoga. It’s all in the name of relaxation. After playing this game, I guarantee you it’s impossible to not feel a big grin stretch across your face and be emotionally uplifted.

Untitled Goose Game

The goose is on the loose. Usually, goose encounters are far from relaxing, many would even say they’re terrifying. However, in this game where the player becomes the goose, the honk is on the other foot. In Untitled Goose Game, you get to embody chaos in the form of a cute but horrible goose. Mildly terrorise the inhabitants of your village and menace them with your honk. Solve puzzles and complete stealth operations all set to wonderfully tinkly and calming piano music. Who would ever think that causing such destruction and sowing seeds of distress could be so relaxing?

Stardew Valley

Leave the city behind and return to the simple life! In this simulation RPG, you’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm and have started a new life in the idyllic Stardew Valley. Cultivate your crops and learn to live off the land, establish yourself in the town, and forage for minerals and resources. It’s insidious how this game creeps into your heart, a couple of minutes of gameplay easily turns into hours at a time. There’s always something to keep you engaged and most importantly, relaxed and at ease. This game is celebrated for all the right reasons, if you haven’t checked it out already, we guarantee you’ll fall in love.

Ooblets

Ever wanted to live in a small town, grow tiny magical creatures, and make them compete in a… dance battle? Ooblets fulfils your fantasy. This game allows you to curate your simple life, where you’ll work the land and interact with a bustling town full of dynamic characters. During your farming adventures, you’ll grow and collect your own ooblet pals, as well as explore Oob’s locations, learning about the unique plants and biomes. This game hits you with adorableness at every turn, just when you think you’re almost done processing that your new little pals are called Gullysplot and Dooziedug, you’re hit with another wave of serotonin once Clomper steps into the dance circle and whips out a striking disco move.

Pupperazzi

Fancy yourself a quasi-professional dog photographer? Or just a dog admirer? Pupperazzi is calling for you to photograph, pet, and validate the good boys and girls of Muttropolis.  With a bouncy, bubbly soundtrack, you’re bound to be captivated by a world full of shibas, terriers, labs, pugs, and all kinds of breeds, begging for your attention and affection. Modelling comes easy to these cute creatures; they just need you to capture the moment. Flex your skills through choosing different frames, lenses, filters, and scenery to get the perfect shot, all without the hassle of having to get your real dog to cooperate.

Slime Rancher

Here’s the thing, perhaps the concept of wrangling slime-based alien creatures with a ‘vacpack’ isn’t exactly what you would associate with the term adorable, but it’s so hard not to feel warm and fuzzy at the sight of colourful, smiling blobs of slime running wild in the land of ‘Far, Far Range’. Slime Rancher allows you to take on the role of Beatrix LeBeau, attempting to stake a claim, amass a fortune, and avoid the continual peril that looms from the rolling, jiggling avalanche of slimes around every corner. Explore the land and get to know the different slimes, you’ll soon find which ones you can trust as they’ll help you unlock new gadgets and game features, and which of the cute faces might be fooling you.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to take a step back from life’s pressures and slow down. There is a great quote from Carl Honoré, “The great benefit of slowing down is reclaiming the time and tranquillity to make meaningful connections–with people, with culture, with work, with nature, with our own bodies and minds”. Video games can provide the perfect vehicle for immersive escapism and relaxation. So, if you’re after a much-needed serotonin boost, take your pick from this selection of adorable games and get ready to “aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh”.