Fall is almost upon us, and the leaves will soon be a cascade of bright orange, red, yellow, and brown. Shops have already begun putting up Halloween decor to brace for the season of spooks.
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Soon, we will all start smelling pumpkin spice waft through the air in every store and café. This, of course, has me thinking about what games to play during fall, but not just any game. I am talking about games that share that pumpkin spice flavor.
To grasp what I am talking about, I am focused on games that feel like a warm hug. Games that may be a bit basic, but they give you that warm, fuzzy feeling of sipping on a latte while staring out the window watching the leaves fall.
10
Little Witch in the Woods
It’s Like a Ghibli Movie
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a Studio Ghilbli movie? If the answer to that question is any form of ‘yes,’ then you will want to check out Little Witch in the Woods, as it gives the feeling of Kiki’s Delivery Service without being in a town.
Instead, you get to explore the woods, caves, cliffs, and lakes as a young witch named Elle. Throughout the game, you will meet various NPCs who will help you along your journey, and you can craft potions to complete quests and further your exploration of the map.
It is a relaxing time that will keep you smiling the entire time. It is one of those games you just want to curl up in a blanket to play on a day where the leaves are falling just outside your window.
9
Pokémon Red and Blue
Relax and Catch
There is nothing more basic about Pokémon than loving Pokémon Red and Blue. After all, they are the original Pokémon titles, and ones that everyone knows whether you are an older fan of the series or someone who discovered the series later on.
Despite being the most common monster-catching series out there, Pokémon is a good franchise that is extremely fun to play, and it is great to revisit the older titles, as they have something very special to offer that newer games don’t, and that is a sense of wonder and difficulty.
Pokémon is one of those comfort games that you can go back to and relax with. Recreate your old team, or maybe just spend time listening to some of the great music.
8
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Beautiful Seasons and Friends
If you are a fan of Animal Crossing, you should definitely check out Disney Dreamlight Valley, as it is what you get when you combine Animal Crossing with Disney. This combination equals a relaxing experience that focuses on whimsy and friendship.
Throughout the game, you are tasked with cleaning up and maintaining Dreamlight Valley — a location where beloved Disney characters have ended up. Of course, you don’t remember them, and so your character must complete quests to help everyone remember who they are.
Along with being a relaxing game with a lot of content, it also has plenty of crafting options so you can go crazy decorating your village however you like.
7
Fields of Mistria
90s Nostalgia
The 90s were a simpler time when gaming was getting a stronger foothold, and more franchises were spawning into existence. If only there was a way to recapture that. Well, that is what Fields of Mistria does.
This is a 90s-inspired pixel art life sim RPG that is meant to be a spiritual successor to all the life-sim games Millennials grew up with. Your goal as a resident of the idyllic town of Mistria is to restore this once beautiful oasis to its former glory.
Along the way, you will raise animals, discover love interests, and enjoy the time passing. Few games give that relaxing feeling as much as Fields of Mistria. It is like sinking into a warm bath with a few candles lit while staring out the window and watching the leaves fall.
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6
Stardew Valley
Harvest Season is Upon Us
Stardew Valley is one of the ultimate go-to comfort games for many people. It is a game that lets you relax, work on a farm, and enjoy the scenery, or allows you to jump into a dungeon and pray you make it back before passing out.
Similar to Fields of Mistria, Stardew has the premise of restoring a once-beautiful landscape to its former glory. Instead of it being an entire town, you focus on just your farm.
Along with this, there are tons of NPCs, many of which you can romance and spend quality time with. Stardew Valley is close to living in a Hallmark movie, and many people love it for that.
5
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Bathed in Twilight
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is often regarded as one of the weaker Legend of Zelda titles, with many preferring other games like Windwaker or Ocarina of Time over it. However, I find it captures the feeling of nostalgia and that fall comfort better than the other titles in the series.
I know many people who regard Twilight Princess as their favorite Zelda game. It darkens the story of the franchise and the setting in a literal sense by bathing the entire land of Hyrule in twilight.
This perpetual twilight brings on the feeling of fall, with evenings coming sooner, and everything feeling a bit more glum. However, Link shines as the hero who fights back the twilight and saves the day in the end.
4
Fable
The Story of a Hero
I don’t think I have met an adult who doesn’t have found memories of traversing Albion in the game Fable. It was a staple of many peoples’ childhoods, and to this day, is regarded as one of the best games on the Xbox.
Fable allows you to step into the shoes of a young boy who is taken in by the Hero’s Guild, and shown how to be a hero. From there, you venture out into Albion to aid those in need.
Of course, the game also features the morality scale, which changes your look and how people view you based on your actions in the world. Despite its age, it is a wonderful title that holds up to this day, and it is one that many seek comfort in.
3
Night in the Woods
A Vibrant Fall-Like World
Fall has rolled in, the leaves are changing, and the days are shorter. It is time for Mae to return home to Possum Springs in Night in the Woods — a game that features a beautiful two-dimensional world, tons of characters, and some super fun moments that will beg you to keep playing.
The world gives nothing but pure relaxing fall vibes that are perfect to go along with your pumpkin spice latte. Everywhere you go, leaves are kicked up, bare trees are seen, and a calming orange sky sets the scene.
Many have said that Night in the Woods is a game that sticks with you after you play it, and it is a game that many love for its story, as it shows the real struggles that the people who made the game have gone through.
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2
Life is Strange
Like Hanging With a Friend
The original Life is Strange title is one that many people remember fondly. While the story it tells gets quite dark, there is a light-hearted aspect to it that many other games don’t capture as well.
One scene in particular that captures that sense of nostalgia and comfort is when Max and Chloe are hanging out in her bedroom. It brings back the feeling of weekends and hanging out with friends, not knowing what to do, and just going with the flow.
Many parts of Life is Strange capture that feeling of being younger and having fun with your friends. Of course, it is mixed with a dramatic tale and time-bending powers, but that just helps the game tell such a good story.
1
Kingdom Hearts 2
Friendship
For me, Kingdom Hearts is one of those series that everyone should play at least once in their life. Maybe not every title, but at least the first two. Especially Kingdom Hearts 2, as it is the best game in the series.
Kingdom Hearts 2 captures that pumpkin spice latte feeling by being a pretty basic choice game to love, and one that has that wholesome energy of friendship.
To top it off, you start the game in Twilight Town — a town literally bathed in an orange glow that reminds you perfectly of autumn. Everything about this game brings back a sense of nostalgia for me and many others who played this game as a kid. It is one that you will always remember and always think of fondly.
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