Sometimes, all of us want a little escape from life. Video games have always been the perfect outlet to give us that sense of escapism. Whether it be a heart-pumping FPS or a magnificent RPG, there's a gaming genre for anyone to lose themselves into. However, the most unique type of game to deviate you from real life is one that reflects our reality.
Life simulators have been around for years and years. Over time, they've developed in wonderful ways. From having a virtual life on a farm to controlling fictional lives, we have complete control of nearly everything. Ultimately, amazing life simulations let us live our wildest dreams — or even give us a way of living that we've always been curious to experience.
10 Two Point Hospital
Two Point Hospital is one of the greatest tycoon simulators out there. Playing this game is a calming experience with humor and straightforward directions. Funny enough, nothing in Two Point Hospital can stress you out. For a life simulator, it's a great game if you want your management skills to feel relaxing.
The game has opportunities to build multiple hospitals. Everything feels as though it's in your control, from helping patients and staff to designing the entirety of the hospital itself. Dealing with patients plagued with unrealistic and quirky diseases, time will fly by when you play Two Point Hospital.
9 My Time At Portia
Set in a post-apocalyptic environment, My Time at Portia takes you into the world of a builder. In this world, relics of the past are scarce and scattered everywhere. The game sets you on a journey to craft brand-new relics with your newfound building skills.
Besides developing these items, My Time at Portia tasks you with creating other objects and upgrading the workshop. The life simulation element comes into play through its combination of being an RPG and simulation. Story-wise, you meet the citizens of Portia and make the world around you worthwhile.
8 Coral Island
Among the many things that make Coral Island redeeming, one is the cozy environment surrounding everyone. Looking down at the island through a bird's eye view, you'll complete various tasks to help the atmosphere appear beyond beautiful.
With a diverse cast of characters by your side, you decide the fate of how your dream farm on Coral Island will work out. Serving as a laid-back and vibrant version of a farming simulator, the world is your oyster with its ocean-centric elements. The gorgeous landscape and coral reefs are what make the community of Coral Island your own.
7 Little Witch In The Woods
Running around as a cute little witch while trying to collect materials for your potions is a great selling point for this game. Exploring a mystical forest, you search among the trees far and wide to find ingredients. Along the way, you'll meet charming residents and experience the daily life of a true witch.
The beautiful pixilated style captures the essence of Little Witch in the Woods. A fun and cozy game that uses simplicity to allow audiences to not overthink everything. If you've been looking for a relaxing game to lose yourself in, playing Little Witch in the Woods is the way to go.
6 Potion Permit
Potion Permit mixes life and medical simulators in a quirky way. Story-wise, the game follows the protagonist as they come to a town to heal those in need. Through this, you go on different journeys to find ingredients for potions — not to mention the adorable dog that stays by your side as a companion.
While Potion Permit is a laid-back game, you still use your head a lot of the time. You have to go through puzzles and mini-games to diagnose your clients. In the end, it all feels rewarding when you finally cure the citizens' ailments.
5 Disney Dreamlight Valley
Before its release, fans described Disney Dreamlight Valley as a combination of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. And now, after we've had time to play it, describing this simulator as such is the right call. Becoming friends with familiar Disney characters and working hard to grow your environment make this game enticing.
Oddly enough, even those who aren't huge Disney fans can enjoy this game. The nostalgia and interactive elements alone can make anyone want to try Disney Dreamlight Valley. Of course, if you're an avid Disney fan, you'll be unable to step away.
4 Unpacking
Moving has never been fun. However, Unpacking changes this perspective, putting puzzle games in a new light. Leaving you with the goal of putting everything in the seemingly correct place, you're challenged to display and put various items away.
The game progresses through specific years, the objects you put away reflecting each stage in the protagonist's life. Every item tells a story, no matter how small. On top of this, Unpacking is a simple game, puzzle-wise. Utilizing elements of a life simulator by conveying the hardships and accomplishments of the protagonist through mere objects allows Unpacking to be a masterpiece.
3 Stardew Valley
Ever since its release in 2016, Stardew Valley has been considered one of the best farming simulators of all time. All created by one person (who goes by ConcernedApe), the game has transformed over the years with updates and patches.
Becoming a beautiful balance of a life and farming simulator, Stardew Valley offers more than just growing crops and mining for materials. Reminiscent of Harvest Moon, you have opportunities to romance citizens in the town or even befriend them. Life in Stardew takes your character on a ride of a lifetime, all in hopes of making your farm perfect.
2 Animal Crossing: Wild World
Animal Crossing: Wild World worked off of its predecessor, Animal Crossing, wonderfully. By incorporating online play, fans felt like Nintendo created a unique and social game. Only available on the Nintendo DS, Wild World had become more accessible to audiences.
While it initially had some critiques, Wild World has become an iconic addition to the series. Designed as a simple and soothing experience, Animal Crossing: Wild World is addicting, to say the least. Talking to anthropomorphic creatures and finding ways to pay off your debts, you'll be up until sunrise with this game.
1 The Sims 3
We all know how impactful The Sims series is. EA worked hard to give gamers a relaxing and engaging experience, giving them a chance to have a unique world of their own. With a few installments, there’s heavy debate on which Sims game is deemed the best.
Based on polls and word from the community, it seems that The Sims 3 is the fan favorite. This is no surprise, as it was the first Sims game for many players. Timeline-wise, The Sims 3 was the start of the overarching story. This showcased that The Sims was more than just a reputable life simulator.