Topic: Gaming through the bad days

[PyroMenace]

Was there a period in your life where your stress level what at its limits, where you felt your absolute worst, whether you were sick with illness or depressed, has there been games to help you carry yourself forward? What games were they? You don't have to go over the whys or the hows of what brought you there.

The main one that comes to mind for me is Shadow of the Colossus. I felt like the only day time I ever saw when I was playing that was throughout the beautiful landscapes of the world. Toppling those juggernauts gave me the only sense of accomplishment I can conjure in myself at the time.

Also GTA3, man that game made me procrastinate like a motherfucker when I was living on campus.

[Cobra951]

In some ways I'm still there.  It was worse a few years ago, then it got better; then it got worse again.  So I can honestly include the games I've played recently, like Fallout 3 and Mass Effect.  There's GTA IV, Bioshock and even Test Drive Unlimited.  Anything which immerses me in another world is a replacement for harmful substances like alcohol.  They are a good escape.

[Pugnate]

A game with a deep story or with a world that immerses. But when I am in that zone, I find it difficult to play anything.

Games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect are probably the easiest to get lost in.

[Xessive]

Yeah, I've been through a few times like that. Usually I try to stay outdoors, like at the beach or a forest, but when that's not an option gaming has come through for me.

One game that helped me through a rough patch was Oblivion. It was just a time when I felt so useless so I thought maybe I'd feel a little better if I were more useful in a fictional realm.

It's usually a game with depth that helps through dark times, like emotional depression etc. On the other hand, for the everyday stress I like shooting or beating up things, so action-oriented games help to relieve some of the tension.

Btw, ever tried playing Mirror's Edge and pacing your breathing with the game? It's like an aerobic workout! It's exhilarating!

[TheOtherBelmont]

A good RPG has gotten me through some rough patches in my life before.  Some games that come to mind during stressful times during my high school days are Xenogears, Chrono Cross, and the Lunar games.  During college the first two Xenosaga games were good at distracting me from the demands of college life, Guilty Gear X2 was also good during that time.

[Quemaqua]

I played a lot of games that got me through some bad years of my marriage, but that was more of a general thing.  Honestly, when life really gets rough, that's when I seem to stop playing games.  Right now, I have no motivation for them whatsoever.  I try and just... nothing.  Pretty much all I do these days is drink, work out, and work on various projects around my apartment.

[K-man]

My first playthrough of Chrono Trigger got me through a nasty breakup.

[W7RE]

Yea, WoW, along with some online friends to play it with, has done a great job of letting me forget about my life and create an alternate one online. 6 years and still going.