The best simulation games for relaxing evenings

Key points

• Dive to the depths of the ocean in ABZU for a serene and dreamy exploration experience.
• Unpacking allows you to organize your belongings in a peaceful way, telling stories without words.
• PowerWash Simulator is all about the meditative and satisfying task of cleaning.

For players looking for peaceful and relaxing experiences, these games offer soothing escapes from everyday stress. With an emphasis on slow-paced gameplay, creativity, and gentle challenges, each title invites players into a world where they can relax and focus on fun, meditative activities.

Whether it's exploring the mysteries of the ocean, organizing cozy spaces, building a lawn care empire, or designing fashionable clothes, these games create a relaxing atmosphere perfect for winding down before bed. Immerse yourself in these relaxing titles to unwind and discover the simple pleasure of low-stakes gaming in a variety of imaginative settings.

1 ABZU

Explore the deep blue sea

An adorable game from the creators of Voyage, ABZU allows players to explore the ocean and its majestic creatures as scuba divers, emphasizing freedom of movement and allowing players to create their own relaxing adventure under the sea.

There's no dialogue, and while it does have some semi-tensional moments, there's nothing to truly shake the player out of a bedtime dream state. Austin Wintory's score is ethereal and lush, providing the perfect backdrop for this underwater adventure.

2 Unpacking

Organize the heart

This game simulates the simple pleasure of rediscovering your possessions and memories while unpacking after a move. Devoid of truly emotionally charged personal items for the player, Unpacking tells a story based on things, with no characters or dialogue to speak of.

Items can be arranged to the player's liking while relaxing music plays in the background. Due to the myriad of ways items can be placed after unboxing, this game has high replayability for those looking to organize their thoughts.

3 PowerWash simulator

Make it shine

Perhaps quite self-explanatory, this game employs players as pressure washers who are starting their own business that requires building from scratch. The meditative nature of this repetitive task induces a kind of dreamlike state in which anxious thoughts can be washed away like dirt by pressurized water.

Truly demanding pressure washers can invest in different soaps, machines, nozzles and various accessories to help reach every corner. The glittering finish that results from hard work is a reward in itself.

4 Lawn mowing simulator

Take the scissors

Yet another simple concept that shines with its winning execution, Sim.lawnmower takes lawn care into previously uncharted territory by allowing players to try their hand at manual labor without the sweat or bugs that usually plague the job.

Players can climb aboard an authentic ride-on lawnmower of their choice, select the height of the grass, and let dreams of the British countryside wash over them as they run their lawn mowing business in this instant meditative classic of the simulation genre.

5 Supermarket simulator

Buy and go

Perhaps in reality, running your own business is a fast-paced undertaking, characterized by the stress of failure in the face of insolvency. Not so inside Supermarket simulatorwhere players can take their family-run shop as high or as far as they want to go.

Players can ensure customer happiness without verbal abuse while performing menial tasks in a loving and caring manner. There are many similar ones, but this supermarket belongs to the player.

6 Fashion dreamer

A treasure in disguise

Rejoice, divas. Personal style has never been easier to express than in this fashion simulation game, where players can design the clothes of their dreams, build their own brand, and become a fashion influencer.

Best played in short chunks to get that dress-up fix, players can sift through thousands of hand-drawn garments to create stunning outfits for the NPCs and then share them with other like-minded fashionistas. It lacks a story, but it might be just what players need to unwind in the evening hours.

7 Cozy grove

Island of Ghostly Delights

Cozy Grove allows players to inhabit a spooky island full of friendly bear neighbors as a Spirit Scout who helps the dead in exchange for Spirit Logs that fuel their campfires.

Tied to real-time, it offers an unhurried experience that doesn't need to go on forever or at maximum efficiency, allowing players to slow down and truly appreciate the important things in life. Like any self-respecting life simulator, it offers standard missions of fishing, crafting, farming, baking, decorating and, of course, recovery.

8 Slime Rancher

Bubbly friends

Pleasant and sweet, Slime Rancher allows players to enter a Slime healing fugue state without rushing. Explore the wilds of the far, far range to capture new and exciting types of colorful slime that would love nothing more than to be contained by an expert breeder who loves them above all else.

The Slimes only run away because they need a hug, obviously. As players uncover secrets and amass fortune, this game will win hearts with its fascinating story told in engaging letters and characters.

9 Small clearing

Dream it, do it

Small clearing is a diorama maker that takes the stress out of game creation by essentially being a creative mode where players can make anything they want, with no strings attached.

Forget about resource management, stressful deadlines, or any other goals and simply create the whimsical castle or cottage of your dreams. Unlike terraforming in Animal crossingthere are no grids to thwart players' carefully laid plans and undo hours of work simply because things don't line up correctly.

10 Mineko night market

For the cat lover

A love letter to Japanese culture and feline charm, Mineko night market allows players to experience village life by making friends with cats and exploring a magical and lively market. As Mineko, players complete tasks, craft whimsical items, and interact with quirky villagers to prepare for the weekly night market.

Despite its simplicity, the game offers rich world-building and satisfying progression that rewards curiosity and creativity. With colorful visuals and a heartwarming story of community, this social simulation game maintains a relaxed pace, encouraging players to discover joy in small, endearing details and adorable furry friends.