Donovan’s 7 Most Therapeutic Games of 2023

In challenging times, I drop my hobbies and let them collect dust. But this year, the Punished Backlog team of kind, dedicated, and hilarious writers not only helped me navigate day-to-day challenges, but also fostered growth in my voice as a writer. Even though I ultimately played fewer games this year than usual, this community’s infectious passion revitalized gaming and writing, turning them into therapeutic outlets. 

At the end of an emotional roller coaster of a year, punctuated by sudden lifestyle changes and unexpected loss of friends and family, I’ve been searching for ways to cope with it all and continue moving forward. I’ve been reflecting on my life this year—how I’ve spent it, who I’ve spent it with—and mined it for lessons to take with me into the next year. Here’s what I found in the games I played the most.

Castlevania Advance Collection

Spurred by Netflix’s Castlevania: Nocturne, I delved into some of the older games in Konami’s legendary series. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow emerged as my favorite game in the entire series. It refined everything that made Symphony of the Night a timeless classic. The main character’s power absorption mechanic, pivotal to the plot, kept me returning to the castle.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Navigating life sometimes requires breaking barriers and acquiring new skills.

Vampire Survivors 

In the simplicity of Vampire Survivors, a Castlevania-inspired gem, I found solace even when often lacking the energy to hold a controller. Its addictive nature and intricate storytelling made Vampire Survivors the game I played the most this year.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Life sometimes presents seemingly insurmountable challenges. Sometimes, you’ll have the right tools to face them, and other times you won’t. Regardless, even if you don’t achieve what you want on the first run, dust yourself off and keep moving. Keep trying. 

Street Fighter 6

After skipping Street Fighter V, I rediscovered my love for the series. Street Fighter 6 deserves all the praise I gave it in my review. My foundation in the older games in the franchise helped me learn the new mechanics. Street Fighter 6 mirrored my real-life practice of Muay Thai and mixed martial arts, and emphasized the importance of reinforcing foundational skills.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Fundamentals are your anchor in unfamiliar spaces; self-improvement is the true battle. It’s a battle that never ends. And that’s okay.

Blasphemous 2

Blasphemous 2 is pure video game art, horror intertwined with twisted beauty. Its core gameplay loop, gothic atmosphere, and exploration are clearly heavily inspired by the Castlevania series. But it adds a refreshing twist to the formula with its Spanish Catholic art and themes. I couldn’t praise it enough in my review. Go play it.

Therapeutic Takeaway: You may not always find meaning in your struggles, but beauty is always present and worth searching for when things turn ugly. Beauty can be found even in life’s darkest times by keeping your mind open and challenging your perspective. 

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

A good friend of mine unexpectedly gave me this game as a gift during a particularly difficult time for me this year. The nostalgic gunfights, space exploration, and camaraderie made the remastered Mass Effect trilogy an essential part of my gaming backlog. The relationships you form, and how you form them, have been my favorite part of the series. Spending time getting to know your crew and following their storylines rewards you in multiple ways. But even with all of those HD updates, BioWare still couldn’t make the Mako more fun to drive.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Your loved ones are there for a reason. Value and nurture those relationships. Reach out to them during times when you feel lost, lonely, hopeless, or powerless. The power of friendship is real and essential for survival. No one person can navigate an entire galaxy (or life) alone.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

The Resident Evil 4 remake offered sheer, unadulterated fun, refining the original game while adding surprises, side missions, and new mechanics. Capcom’s developers made those knife parries feel so satisfying to pull off. I felt like a complete badass with Leon’s John Wick-inspired gunplay. As I played through the game, I couldn’t stop feeling excited for the next playthrough.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Nothing too complex here. I just loved turning my brain off and punching, shooting, kicking, and suplexing endless waves of zombies. And sometimes, all you need is some mindless fun.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

My fellow writers have heaped plenty of praise on this game. For me, Tears of the Kingdom’s unparalleled sense of adventure inspired my first camping trip and exploration of parks and trails.

Therapeutic Takeaway: Boldly embrace the unknown and the fear and excitement accompanying it. There’s plenty of treasures to be discovered and mysteries to solve, but make no mistake—prepare to face unexpected terrors. Either way, it’s all part of a grand adventure.

Closing Thoughts

Video games, like any hobby, provide a means of escaping hard times, but they can also help ground you, introduce you to new ideas, and inspire you to change your lifestyle. Game creators are artists who tap into their humanity and weave their perspectives, struggles, and experiences into the art that they create.

When we play with their creations, we engage in a conversation with them. Whether you pick up on the creators’ intentional messages or you find your own through the lens of your experiences, there’s often something valuable to be discovered that (with a little creativity) can be applied to the specific circumstances you may be dealing with. 

When times are hard, I have often dropped gaming because, in cynical moments, I see it as a “waste of time” if it’s not directly improving the situations I’m struggling with. As I head into the new year with these takeaways in my attaché case, I’m heading in with new beliefs; time isn’t wasted if you enjoy what you spend it on, and the lessons you learn while doing the things you enjoy are timeless.