15 PC Games to Play When You're Feeling Down

Recently, I learned that the 15th of January is Blue Monday, the day that research has dubbed the most depressing day of the year! Thankfully, we gamers are lucky to have an easy pick-me-up through cute, colourful, and lighthearted games. So, without further ado, I'd love to give you 15 options to help you keep your mind on the positive side! And I promise it's not just a bunch of life sims. Starting in no particular order with...

#15 — A Highland Song

• Developer: inkle Ltd
• Publisher: inkle Ltd
• Genres: 2D Platformer, Exploration
• Check out the review!

This is one of the most recent titles I had the absolute pleasure of reviewing, and in it, you take control of a teenage girl named Moira as she runs away from home and towards her uncle, who lives in the lighthouse. What's most charming is that the trip is quite long, and if you don't make it in time, nothing bad happens — in fact, ideally, you enjoy your way there! Explore the peaks, uncover the stories of the land, and sprint across the gorgeous Scottish Highlands in this stunning title; it's a great way to keep your mind busy! 

#14 — Dorfromantik

• Developer: Toukana Interactive
• Publisher: Toukana Interactive
• Genres: Puzzle, Strategy

Another title I got to play recently is Dorfromantik! And although you've probably at least heard of it, I couldn't make a listicle like this and not add it! The premise is simple — you're tasked with setting down tiles in strategic ways to get as many points as possible before you run out/make so many mistakes the game ends. Thankfully, it's not stressful, but it still keeps your mind engaged in what the best place for the tiles is! And my favourite part is that it has different game modes that you can play depending on whether you want a challenge or not.

#13 — Cult of the Lamb

• Developer: Massive Monster
• Publisher: Devolver Digital
• Genres: Action Roguelite
• Check out the review!

Moving away from beautiful landscapes and straight into action-packed cuteness is Cult of the Lamb! I couldn't tell you if the game blew up because it's so amazing or because their social media is so hilarious, but regardless, I couldn't recommend it more because it mixes cute and gory in a way I can't think of any other title that has succeeded! The premise is all about you playing as a possessed lamb who creates a cult, and your main jobs are to jump into the randomly generated dungeons to defeat bosses and keep your cult happy and safe at home! The jumping back-and-forth between action-heavy and relaxing (you can even decorate!) is really nice to keep your attention.

#12 — A Hat in Time

• Developer: Gears for Breakfast
• Publisher: Gears for Breakfast
• Genres: 3D Platformer, Collectathon
• Check out the review!

I was introduced to A Hat in Time by my wife, who is an enormous fan of platforming titles, and I was completely smitten! This adorable collectathon has you playing as Hat Kid — a little girl with a top hat who is out on a mission to collect enough Time Pieces (fuel in her world) to continue her travel through space! It's colourful, it's smooth to play, and you've surely heard of it before. A great option all around!

#11 — Two Point Campus

• Developer: Two Point Studios 
• Publisher: SEGA
• Genres: Management, Building
• Check out the review!

I'm going to be honest here — I'm not a big fan of management games. I've tried to like them before, but they're usually overwhelming and borderline stressful to me because I hate having to deal with the economy and crisis (I have enough of that in real life!). Thankfully, the Two Point team has come up with a formula that makes it easier for those of us who wish we liked the genre to actually enjoy it, as their titles are chock-full of inventive, hilarious, and wacky situations and settings! 

#10 — Celeste

• Developer: Maddy Makes Games Inc., Extremely OK Games, Ltd.
• Publisher: Maddy Makes Games Inc.
• Genres: Precision Platformer, Pixelated
• Check out the review!

Okay, so definitely you've heard of Celeste! This 2D precision platformer rocked the world back in 2018, even becoming nominated for game of the year in The Game Awards (I highly recommend that year's orchestra)! It's really no surprise, either, as the story is emotional and inspiring, and the gameplay is challenging but achievable. Of course, this is the first game that doesn't quite fit the relaxing themes, but I promise it's worth the climb.

#9 — Lil Gator Game

• Developer: MegaWobble 
• Publisher: Playtonic Friends
• Genres: 3D Platformer
• Check out the review!

Maybe the complete opposite of Celeste, Lil Gator Game has you stepping into the shoes of a kid who's trying to come to terms with the fact that their sister's too old to play with them now. Although the premise sounds sad and emotional, the gameplay and journey couldn't be more lighthearted! Walk around a colourful world (reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker), meet their friends, and watch as they get together and play pretend in the cutest, most nostalgic ways! Lil Gator Game still stands as one of my favourite games, and although I finished it 100%, I'm still planning on going back to beat up those cardboard enemies once again.

#8 — Disney Dreamlight Valley

• Developer: Gameloft
• Publisher: Gameloft
• Genres: Life Sim
• Check out the review!

Okay, so I did promise I wasn't going to stuff the list with just life sims, but Disney Dreamlight Valley has to make it to the list. I can't imagine something more of a pick-me-up than playing in a world where your neighbours are Disney and Pixar characters! Decorate, craft items, build friendships, and unravel all sorts of quests, from lighthearted and wacky to deep and pondering ones! I've written a million and one articles about this game, and I would be lying if I said it's not a match made in heaven for Blue Monday!

#7 — My Time at Portia

• Developer: Pathea Games
• Publisher: Focus Entertainment
• Genres: Life/Farming Sim
• Check out the review!

I promise this is the last life/farming sim I am adding! But I couldn't skip over one of the most beloved titles the cosy sphere has ever received (a quick honourable mention of Stardew Valley here)! If you've not played it yet, I recommend you check it out, especially before you jump into the sequel! This life sim is all about living in a post-apocalyptic town full of colourful and deep characters, and your main mission is just to build all sorts of devices and things to help the townsfolk! As far as life/farming sims go, this one is top-notch.

#6 — Story of Animal Sprite

• Developer: Alonds
• Publisher: Alonds
• Genres: Match 3, Merge, Idler

One of the mobile games that most sucked me into its addiction was Magic Merge; unfortunately, due to my De Quervain's, I get a lot of pain if I spend too much time on the phone. Luckily, I found a fantastic replacement on Steam, and it doesn't ask for money every two seconds with ads and gimmicks! Grumpy joking aside, Story of Animal Sprite really scratched my itch for the merge titles I was so into back in 2020, with a colourful world, tons of cute characters, and a lot of merging stuff!

#5 — Ittle Dew

• Developer: Ludosity
• Publisher: Ludosity
• Genres: Adventure
• Check out the review!

Ittle Dew is surely going to pull your nostalgia strings if you're a fan of The Legend of Zelda, and if you have a Steam Deck or a ROG Ally, this one is especially a good title to pick up! In it, you play as Ittle Dew, an adventurer with a hilarious sidekick who gets wrecked on a strange island chock-full of loot, mysterious inhabitants, and dungeons. Right off the bat, the gameplay brings back a lot of memories from my childhood, thanks to the obvious inspiration taken from The Legend of Zelda! Ludosity did a great job at bringing back the charm and wonder that I miss in Breath of the Wild.

#4 — Garden Galaxy

• Developer: Anneka Tran
• Publisher: Anneka Tran
• Genres: Idle, Relaxing, Sandbox

Garden Galaxy is a bit different from any of these games, as it's not very complex or full of action. I found it when I was trying to get into the idle game hype that my wife was going through, and although it wasn't what I was looking for, I got hooked! The entire purpose of the game is for you to collect all the furniture and create cute little areas with it. It's a fantastic title to play when you're trying to wind down or if you're a fan of watching videos while playing something easy and mindless! 

#3 — Supraland

• Developer: Supra Games
• Publisher: Supra Games
• Genres: First-person, Exploration

Going back to action-packed gameplay, Supraland is one of the first titles that pop into my mind when brainstorming for colourful, wacky, and adventure-filled games. Even in the description, the game references Portal, Zelda, and Metroid, and although I'm not sure I would agree with the lack of Minecraft and the addition of Zelda, I do think it's a fun game if you want to run around a beautiful world, beating things up, and having a good laugh! 

#2 — Super Lucky's Tale

• Developer: Playful Corp.
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Genres: Platformer, Adventure

Super Lucky's Tale is one of the most adorable 3D platformers I've had the joy to experience! Although it's not as smooth as A Hat in Time or as focus-demanding as Ittle Dew, it does a good job of crafting a cute, lighthearted journey. In it, you play as Lucky, an adorable fox who is on a mission to collect pages and save his sister, and throughout his journey, you'll encounter humorous characters and situations and a ton of coins to collect! My favourite feature is the constant jumping between 2D and 3D platforming, and although it could be a bit smoother and more satisfying, I still had a blast getting 100%.

#1 — TOEM

• Developer: Something We Made
• Publisher: Something We Made
• Genres: Adventure, Puzzle

And last but not at all least, we have TOEM. One of my favourite titles yet, this little indie adventure takes us through a monochrome world as we take pictures of all sorts of interesting places, people, and animals. The best part? It's chock-full of puzzles, with humorous dialogue and situations being the cherry on top! If you've never heard of it or haven't bought it yet, I really couldn't recommend it more; it's Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam for a good reason!

Unfortunately, our listicle has come to an end! I hope I helped you find a game or two to jump into, even if it's no longer Blue Monday — it's never a bad time to enjoy a fantastic, wholesome title!