Video games have a wonderful knack for giving players an escape from the very real and material life outside the screen. For most, it is a great way to forget the adult responsibilities plaguing them and switch off their stresses in place of a gripping storyline or action-packed competitive environment. However, whether players realize it or not, some games manage to sneak some of the menial and stressful tasks of adulthood into their consoles.
There are an array of popular titles on the market that manage to incorporate real responsibilities into their narrative, even if the story involved differs from the feasible. From getting up early in the morning to finding a parking space, there are a plethora of games keeping players connected to reality.
10 Shopping - Octodad: Dadliest Catch
Turning the mundane into the insane, developers Young Horses put a charming twist on the day-to-day duties of a doting father...if he had 8 limbs and was from the ocean. In a whimsical title, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, players follow the journey of an octopus disguising himself as an everyday dad.
The sequel to the original Octodad title expands the environments that the title character has to navigate while keeping his identity hidden, including the supermarket. While many loathe the idea of frequenting the grocery store for the weekly shop, this simple but charming premise may have players seeing routine tasks in a new way.
9 Parking Cars - You Suck At Parking
From shopping malls to quiet streets, the worst part of a trip in the car can easily be the parking. The difference between the easy completion of a journey and a painstaking vehicular Tetris is the availability of a car space. In December 2022, indie developers Happy Volcano put a speedy and chaotic twist on the everyday headache of parking a car.
The zippy and unique arcade game You Suck At Parking implores players to embrace their inner road rage and race to get to a parking space first. Players can drive with the reckless abandon that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars and have serious legal ramifications in the real world.
8 Cleaning - Powerwash Simulator
After a day of work and slaving in the kitchen for dinner, it is an uphill battle trying to keep the house in order. The daily struggle of cleaning can be arduous because of the task's repetition and the effort it takes to keep everything squeaky clean. While it is certainly a pain in the backside to clean, the team at FuturLab found a way to make it fun and incredibly satisfying.
Powerwash Simulator is, as the name would suggest, a simulation game that tasks players with the duties of a cleaner equipped with a heavy-duty hose. The game takes players to various locations to clean an array of weird and wonderful objects with satisfying results. By taking away all the strain and upping the satisfaction of a job well done, cleaning doesn't seem so bad.
7 Early Mornings - Stardew Valley
The highly-regarded roleplayer by ConcernedApe is a comforting game that still manages to capture the attention of gamers some seven years after its initial release. As the player takes over their late grandfather's neglected estate, they are taken through a quietly charming story that takes the manual labor out of managing a farm.
While it could be argued that manual labor is certainly not an experienced enjoyed by many, most would agree that there are few disruptions to a wonderful sleep than the alarm clock to signal the start of the day's adult responsibilities. Despite Stardew Valley's wonderful features and balanced gameplay, players don't envy their character getting out of bed at dawn.
6 Moving House - Moving Out
There are a multitude of reasons why choosing a new living space is challenging, one of which is ensuring the place is good enough so that moving again isn't in the near future. A collaboration between Sweden's DevM Games and Australia's SMG Studio took the harrowing task of packing up one's life and putting it into a format that people would actually find enjoyable.
The 2020 multiplayer title Moving Out took away all the physical exertion and money that comes with moving house, but perhaps only partially dulled the stress. This fast-paced game has players racing against the clock to load furniture into a truck while avoiding an array of obstacles. While this can be an anxiety-inducing gaming experience, most would prefer this to the real thing.
5 House Renovations - House Flipper
If moving house is stressful, renovating one has the potential to be borderline traumatic. The process of completely changing the look and layout of a house takes a wealth of time, resources, money, and, above all else, patience. It is not an avenue that many walk down as it can turn out to be a hellish experience if not trodden carefully.
For those who imagine themselves as somewhat of an expert in turning the bleak into brilliant in the world of real estate, House Flipper is the perfect way for gamers to flex their renovation skills. Players become one-man renovation crews that can purchase, repair, and completely remodel homes without the risk associated with a property makeover.
4 School - Bully
The brains behind the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises took players back to school in their 2006 title Bully. The storyline is centered around the main character, Jimmy, in his mission to gain control over all the social groups and cliques that inhabit Bullworth Academy in the hope of restoring some peace.
While much of the game has Jimmy completing missions for the progression of the story, players are forced to revisit several classes from which they get a grade. For those who dreaded the countless hours at the desk listening to the teachers, this might be a more enjoyable alternative.
3 Paying Loans - Animal Crossing
Video games are a great way to escape the stresses and responsibilities of the real world unless, of course, one is an avid player of Nintendo-exclusive smash-hit Animal Crossing. Despite its charming music, cute graphics, and cozy feel, the developers at Nintendo have a wonderful way of reminding players just how much baggage comes with buying a home.
The life sim franchise features an array of colorful characters and gameplay that is both varied and unique. However, buying a home comes at a cost. In fact, the cost is so significant that it requires a loan to be paid off. While this is a bit of a pain, it is certainly far easier to settle than the real-life alternative.
2 Working - Persona 5 Royal
Benjamin Franklin once said that the only certainties in life are death and taxes, and the latter requires the routine of working life. While this is something many genuinely enjoy doing, for the unlucky, work is a nuisance and takes time away from things they love (like video games). Those looking to rid themselves of any reminder of the prospect of having to brave the workplace again may consider avoiding Persona 5 Royal.
Players have the option of choosing between four part-time jobs in Persona 5 Royal, all of which enable them to make some additional cash and unlock certain Mementos requests. While this is a far more relaxing alternative to the real thing, it certainly doesn't help escape the realities of working life.
1 Exercise - The Sims
The cruel reality is that one cannot simply eat delicious pizza every day without some repercussions on one's health. There are a plethora of physical and mental health-related reasons that human beings need to get regular exercise, but that doesn't mean everyone is eager to do so. Life simulator franchise The Sims covers just about every menial task in this article, which is not surprising given the game is designed to mimic real-life responsibilities.
One of the many tasks that characters need to do to maintain a healthy mind and body is to perform some form of exercise. While this can seem more of a chore some days more than others, luckily the virtual likenesses in the game can get it over with at the snap of a finger.