Nowadays I find a lot of games feel like too much work and/or anxiety when I just want to relax for like, 30 minutes to an hour after a long day. On the other hand, the games specifically designed to help you unwind just feel boring imo.
In the past I’ve felt like Outer Wilds scratched this itch, cause the whole experience was engaging but generally relaxed. There was a mystery that kept me hooked and the exploration and movement was fun in and of itself. I also felt like Subnautica filled this role since it was very much at my own pace, with anxiety producing portions which could for the most part be avoided or minimized, and also there was a clear objective to fulfill, get off the planet.
So what games do you play when you just wanna relax?
Where are my Satisfactory Pioneers at?
Man I really wanted to like Satisfactory and play it all the way through, but it’s just that much worse than factorio in a lot of ways, it didn’t quite hook me in the same way. It got really repetitive/grueling in the late game, I think the tier after aluminum, and I just got bored with it.
I think the great thing about Satisfactory is you don’t have to “beat it”. Just do what you want in it, proceed as far along the tech tree as you please, and if you happen to get all the way through it, congrats.
I’ve played almost 1000 hours and haven’t beaten the last Space Elevator tier. But I’m not bothered by it. I like so many of the other aspects of the game that I don’t need to “beat” it. I like making every production line 100% efficient, I like building beautiful buildings, and I think the game is so much fun to simply run around in. It’s honestly the game I’ve had the most fun moving around in since Titanfall. Titanfall definitely edges Satisfactory out in this department, comfortably, but Satisfactory is still a blast to simply explore the world in.
That’s just my take on it though. Your opinion of it is definitely valid. It is a big grind to get all the way through the last Space Elevator tier.