Life has never been easy on us, as it always throws a bunch of pressure and unexpected events to our face. Hence, there will be some times (a lot, indeed) your heart is hurt getting through those events. The reasons vary, from breaking up, losing our beloved ones or losing money.
The pain will go off with the help of time, but you'll have to suffer a lot until that time. Consequently, we need somethings to drag our attention from the pain, and video games are the perfect panaceas.
So, if you want to escape from reality and heal your broken heart in virtual shoes, check these five games out:
1. Florence
Sometimes, a love story is not always meaningful with its endings, but with its process. We've learned that concept through 500 Days of Summer, and now, through Florence.
This game tells the bumpy story of a 25-year-old girl's first love. Her whole relationship will be portrayed from the very beginning when she meets a cellist in the park. The love lightning strikes immediately in just half an hour, and we will see their journey through a lot of polaroid-picture-like artbooks.
You can walk through the whole story within an hour, but you will not do that once you touch it. In fact, you will want the story to go as slow as possible because each interactive snapshot is contributing to this aesthetic story. Florence doesn't have any voices or dialogues in it, so the colors and animations will be the main sweets.
To spoil a little bit, the girl's journey is not going to be smooth. As many couples' story, this couple will have to face a lot of ups and downs, and they'll have to overcome it. Maybe through this game, you might come up with a way to reconcile your real-life relationship. Even better, as you can try the game anywhere through your mobile devices.
That's why Florence is the first title to star in this list, and it will always be my choice when it comes to healing games. It has won the Best Mobile Game rewards at the BAFTA this year, so you don't have to hesitate anymore.
2. Firewatch
Firewatch is the perfect title if you are facing the loss of your loved ones in real-life. In fact, the game is not much about gameplay (although it's not bad), but it's mainly about the message of avoiding your issues until everything goes by. Not ever problems have solutions, and you'll have to try your best to forget about it.
Let's speak more about this game. Firewatch tells the story of Henry - an aggressive man that has just received his job of a fire warden in Wyoming's National Park at the suburb of Shoshone, America. He's not born that belligerent, but only become that after the death of his wife due to dementia. In there, you'll have to follow the daily job of a keeper and sometimes investigating from the order of the guider - Delilah.
Through the game, you'll learn the whole process from when he fell in love with his wife. The death of his wife is so devastating, to the point that he can't do anything about it. Lucky for him, the lonely but peaceful atmosphere of the woods will heal him. Furthermore, the funny jokes that Henry and Delilah are exchanging also makes his heart lighter. And your heart, too.
Speaking about gameplay, most of your time will be for exploring the forest with your navigating devices. The entire journey is going to be very peaceful, as there's no quick-time events, no puzzles or combats. It's solely just you finding stuff and gossipping through your radio. The world seems to be open at first, but you can only reach your destination through limited routes.
However, the arts and visuals of this game, alongside the music, will contribute to the therapy that you can't find anywhere else. Firewatch is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, so you can enjoy it with your favorite devices.
3. Stardew Valley
If the gorgeous 3D visuals don't match your tastes, then let's check out Stardew Valley. It's a soothing exploring trip to the new community if you're sick of the people surrounding.
This game features the modern grief of working in a huge corporation. Tired of office work, you found a letter from your late grandfather that will bring light to your dull life. You've inherited his farm in Stardew Valley, and it's time to get out of the table to the enjoyable atmosphere in the countryside.
In there, you'll experience the life of a farmer and an adventurer. With your tools in hands, you won't recognize that you've been spending hours building stuff, raising crops and explore every hidden corner in the town. Furthermore, you can also make friends with over 30 characters living in the valley. Each person has their unique daily schedules as well as secrets and troubles. Tighten your relationship with them, and you'll find that sometimes people are not always that evil.
What's so severe with heart-breaking is that you don't know how long it will last. Consequently, spending your time in Stardew Valley is a great way to forget that time is going by. And you won't feel bored either, as the music and story in the game will entertain you and your heart as much as they can.
4. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
This one might be unfamiliar to many, but you can't afford to miss this "independent triple-A" title from Ninja Theory. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice takes place in a dark fantasy world, where you'll control Senua - a female warrior dive in the underworld of Helheim to save her lover's soul.
Putting the blame on yourself will be counterproductive sometimes, and this game will tell more about that. Senua believes that she is cursed, as she hears a voice in her subconsciousness. That voice comments and condemns her on every action she makes. Furthermore, it keeps telling that her lover's soul being captured by goddess Hela is her fault, torturing the poor girl.
No ones can fix your inner problems but yourself. Initially, Senua will have to face her problems and accept that loss. She'll have to fight the devils while realizing that she doesn't have to take all responsibilities in the world. That's the message that the game's delivering, and that's what you should learn with your real life, too.
To be able to go through the whole game, you might need to spend about nine hours to trip into hell. It's going to be quite difficult, but the touching scenes that you'll get later will make it worth.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.
5. Life is Strange
The name of the last title of this list expresses it us all - Life is Strange. You only recognize that after getting through the twisting events in your life, but it's not the case for Max Caulfield. She can predict the results of her decision before even conducting it, due to her time controlling power. Even better, she can turn back time to redo it if she doesn't like those outcomes.
However, the complicated relationship between her and her "former" best friend Chloe Price is making it hard for the young girl. Chloe is nowhere to be found, and Max wants to find her. It's rude to get too deep into the story, but I can guarantee that Max's journey, later on, is going to be far from what you can expect of even a fantasy title.
The main thing that makes this game so therapeutic is the fact that you can turn back time if you don't like what your choices result in. "If only real life could be that easy" - you might have thought that at first. But later, you'll learn that sometimes not knowing the outcomes is the best. Just like Max Caulfield, only have two choices: save Chloe, or save the town.
So, if you're feeling bad about life's being too harsh on you, I highly recommend playing Life is Strange to feel more relieved.
Summary
Above is our list of the best five games that will help heal your broken heart. If you're struggling with your real life, don't hesitate but choosing one (or two) from those games to try. And if you want to recommend other titles, don't hesitate to message us.
Last but not least, even though no ones wants to have sorrows, I think that it's still an irreplacable part of our life. There will be no ups without the downs, so you'll have to get used to it sometimes. If you're suffering, give your heart some time to heal, maybe grinding video games to forget about it, and you'll bounce back strongly the day after!
Good luck and have fun!
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