Video games might just be the most popular entertainment industry of the modern age, and it has arguably yet to reach its ceiling. Out of the thousands and thousands of games that come out every year, several tend to fall within the "comfort" category. These games, like Minecraft and Animal Crossing, cater to an audience looking for a wholesome and comfortable experience.
Usually, these titles offer farming and building mechanics, as well as withhold enthralling soundtracks that can, in a good way, put fans to sleep. But what about comfort games that don't fall into those categories? These oddly comforting games can be viewed as complicated, action-packed, and even frustrating at times, but for their niche audiences, that game holds a special place in the hearts of many.
10 Bloodborne
The Soulsborne video games have many titles that remain special to its large audience of FromSoftware fans. Though Dark Souls and Elden Ring offer amazing worlds with brutal combat, Bloodborne has a unique setting where players have incredible lore to sift through.
Bloodborne's story develops increasingly from the tiny bits of lore that players receive from different items, weapons, and even runes. Though the gameplay can be very challenging, there is no doubt that there is an odd sense of comfort in the gothic background throughout Bloodborne.
9 Marvel's Spider-Man
Marvel's Spider-Man, released by Insomniac in 2018, quickly rose to be one of the most heavily appraised single-player games in a while. The Marvel game featured everyone's favorite web-head Spider-Man.
In this take on Spider-Man though, players don't sit through the origin story, which had been told so many times, but rather play as Peter Parker who had been Spider-Man for a while. Marvel's Spider-Man is oddly comforting in the gameplay, as players can simply throw on some nice music and swing throughout an open-world New York City.
8 Fortnite
Fortnite is arguably the most well-known and played battle royale game in video gaming history and for good reason. Fortnite features gameplay that caters to its players, where the matches aren't too long, they can play with friends and features a colorful and continuously evolving foundation. It's also free for fans to download.
Everything that makes Fortnite, Fortnite, all comes together in a wondrous blend of comfort, challenge, and engagement. All of these things make Fortnite a nice game to dive into after a long day, and simply a haven for comfortable gameplay.
7 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Not many open-world RPGs truly immerse gamers into their worlds, but The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim does it almost flawlessly. Skyrim is such a large name in the gaming community due to its incredible ability to immerse players in a world that is packed full of things to do, people to meet, quests to undergo, and secrets to find.
Not to mention that the game looks incredible for its time. Skyrim gives life to a world with the same name in which players can comfortingly lose themselves, forget about things for a while, and run around a fantasy game with the power of the dragons.
6 Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is a definite milestone in the franchise, as it introduced custom characters, a single-player story mode, and overall a compelling fighting game for all types of gamers to jump into. The great thing about Street Fighter 6, is that it has a bit of versatility.
Versatility in this sense is that Street Fighter 6 is capable of being this on-edge, competitive, stress-inducing game. But, Street Fighter 6 also has plenty of other ways to play, most notably its World Tour mode, which offers players a place to relax, run around Street Fighter's world, and fight at their own pace.
5 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda series, which spans different timelines, has always been known to be not only one of the most influential video game franchises of all time, but one that withholds some of the most enthralling worlds and features ever seen driven through a game.
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the greatest games for fans of the Zelda world to find comfort in their own way. Tears of the Kingdom gives players an open-world Hyrule to journey through, as well as partake in various side quests and activities that ease the mind.
4 Divinity: Original Sin 2
For fans of turn-based RPGs, or for gamers who are looking to dive into a story-driven fantasy game, Divinity: Original SIn 2 is easily one of the best. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a turn-based RPG that essentially takes elements from Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy RPGs, and choice-based games, and throws them all together.
Players are able to create their own character(s), as well as forge a path made by choices and actions. The world that Divinity: Original Sin 2 brings players into is full of immersive storytelling, which encapsulates a sense of comfort uniquely.
3 Fallout 4
The Fallout franchise is one of the most famous to be put out into the world by Bethesda. Fallout 4 is one of the best Fallout games for any gamer to get into, especially for newcomers to the series. Fallout 4 puts players in the position of a character with a spouse and baby, which players can customize.
After nuclear war threatens the existence of humanity, players are forced into an underground 'Vault' where they are put into cryostasis. After walking off into the apocalyptic world that Fallout 4, players will find themselves wandering with a sense of mitigation in a lonesome setting full of incivility.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher, one of the most critically acclaimed works of fictional fantasy, is host to one of the best open-world RPGs that players can get into. The Witcher 3 places players in the boots of Geralt, a Witcher who had been entrusted with Ciri, his adopted daughter.
Throughout The Witcher 3, players will use their knowledge to fight against mystical beasts, explore a beautiful array of environments, play the addicting card game of Gwent, and complete different quests that see Geralt across the Northern Realms. There's always an odd sense of comfort playing as a Witcher who has had destiny lead him on this path, along with a tantalizing world to venture through.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2
Narrowly beaten out of Game of the Year 2018 by God of War (2018), Red Dead Redemption 2 has been hailed as one of the best video games of all time. From many gaming communities, Red Dead Redemption 2 always seems to find a spot on everyone's 'favorite games' list. That's because Rockstar created one of the best open-world titles that the industry had seen in a while.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, players can choose to play online or in single-player mode, both of which are fascinating to play. Playing through 1899 America as a cowboy with many quests to complete, activities to check out, and places to explore really sets a relaxing vibe to the game.