The gamer’s balm: Comfort games

Comfort GamesEveryone’s had a really bad day at one time or another, and more often than not, like a girl PMS-ing (and I’m a girl, so I should know), has come home wanting a short retreat and some solace. Others turn to comfort foods: chicken soup, chocolate chip cookies, some ice cream, a nice pizza, mac and cheese… Others turn to their hobbies: lifting weights, watching videos, drawing, painting, woodwork, tending to plants, and so on.

And then there’s the rest of us who find respite in front of either a PC or a PS2 console. So, grab your favorite snack, maybe a bottle of soda or juice, and set yourself on your most comfortable couch position, as we pick and prod on what people like to zone out to and what games might cheer us up.

Over at The New Gamer, writer G. Turner names his top 5 comfort games, and they are Burnout 3, Guitar Hero, Megaman 2, Samba de Amigo, and Zoo Keeper. He also awards honorable mentions to Crazy Taxi and Viewtiful Joe.

I’ve got my own list of comfort games though, so keep reading and see if perhaps my list matches yours.

Read the full article after the Jump!

Comfort GamesEveryone’s had a really bad day at one time or another, and more often than not, like a girl PMS-ing (and I’m a girl, so I should know), has come home wanting a short retreat and some solace. Others turn to comfort foods: chicken soup, chocolate chip cookies, some ice cream, a nice pizza, mac and cheese… Others turn to their hobbies: lifting weights, watching videos, drawing, painting, woodwork, tending to plants, and so on.

And then there’s the rest of us who find respite in front of either a PC or a PS2 console. So, grab your favorite snack, maybe a bottle of soda or juice, and set yourself on your most comfortable couch position, as we pick and prod on what people like to zone out to and what games might cheer us up.

Over at The New Gamer, writer G. Turner names his top 5 comfort games, and they are Burnout 3, Guitar Hero, Megaman 2, Samba de Amigo, and Zoo Keeper. He also awards honorable mentions to Crazy Taxi and Viewtiful Joe.

Personally though, I’ve got my own picks, and first among them would be Unreal Tournament 2006, which I run to whenever I want some comforting. Any Unreal Tournament game actually does the trick, now that I think about it. Of course, this makes it to my list for those times when you just feel like going on a rampage, since there’s nothing more satisfying than the crunch that flak cannon projectiles make when they hit someone else. This game tends to boost my ego a lot, and after a good hour or two of running around maps blasting people to smithereens, I always emerge happier and feeling better about myself. But then again, that’s just me.

Next up would be Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, for those moments when you just want to chase cars, outrun cops, blow up things, and run over pedestrians. If you get tired running around, you can always go on a mission or do an odd job, and the world is fine again. The mission didn’t work out? Try it again. Still didn’t work? Back to blasting random people. The radio stations in the game have also been a favorite of mine, particularly Flashback FM.

Comfort GamesThird on my list is Makai Kingdom which, as we all know, is part of the Disgaea universe. Why this title even though it’s a turn-based strategy game which is normally frustrating? Because a girl needs some cuteness from time to time, and nobody can deny the (literally) volatile, lovable, little things called Prinnies. They’re penguins who explode when thrown, in case you’re unfamiliar. Anyway, besides the Prinnies, there’s also the Cat Kids, and then there’s the funny dialogue of the game, which has never failed to amuse me.

Up next is Harvest Moon: It’s a Wonderful Life due to its utter cuteness. Round cows, chickens that go “Gyuu~!” if you hug them enough, pet dogs that you can teach tricks to, a repetitive routine as you go about tending the farm and taking care of the animals. Perfect for just zoning out for hours with a silly grin on your face.

And last but not least would be No One Lives Forever 2. It’s not a particularly big leap in gaming innovation, and neither is it graphically super, but the campy-ness of the entire game has never failed to tease a chuckle from me at least. Kate Archer’s adversaries are also sights to behold, and if you have the time, try listening to the random dialogues that happen when guards meet each other, and maybe you’ll learn how to tell the time by looking at a cat’s eye or the proper way to cook a cabbage.

Got your own? Know of a game which you think could make anybody’s day brighter? Then we’re all ears.

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