Ask Lemmy

I got deeply into this (genre?) when I burned out on a combination of playing big/tough games and the stresses of life. I also enjoyed the pace of Outer Wilds and Subnautica. Some other favourites:

• Supraland 1/2 (low combat, light hearted metroidvania, I loved it)
• Psychonauts 2 (amazing adventure game, big but not hard. I loved collecting everything, it was a great balance)
• Tinykin (similar adventure, a bit like Pikmin, which is also great. Lots of chilled collecting)
• Spiritfarer (lots of freedom, loose plot, not overwhelming)
• Breath of the Wild (do what you want, very nice discovery elements)
• TOEM, A Short Hike, GRIS and Cocoon (light adventure / puzzle games, peaceful but could be boring if you want action)
• Yokus Island Express (lovely metroidvania, chilled gameplay, not overwhelming)
• It Takes two (humour, light combat - played with my young son)
• Unravel 1/2 (easy-ish puzzles)
• Weirdly, I found Sniper Elite 4/5 fairly chill, lots of scoping out areas
• Overcooked 2 (zero stress if you play practice mode a ton before attempting a level. I found it a very zen/flow game)
• Peggle 1/2 (can be frustrating, but is very low stakes and arcadey. Lovely for short sessions)
• Wilmots Warehouse (can be stressful if you take the timer seriously, but I loved all the organising. Very satisfying)
• Vampire Survivors (can get a bit much, but pretty simple and disposable)

There are tons more, I deal with a lot of anxiety!

Some games I was recommended for this purpose that didn't land for me:

• Powerwash sim / other simulators (these feel like a second job for me. Constant grind and focus on perfection wasn't helpful)
• Tetris Evolution / Lumines (either gets too fast / hard, or gets boring)
• Stardew / Terraria (in theory these look great, but I find huge sandboxes too overwhelming. Always feels like I should be doing more stuff / doing it better)
• Roguelikes (I like Hades, Dead Cells, etc, but they're very stressful and frustrating when so much hinges on survival)

Finally, I'd suggest trying a solo board game. More tactile and relaxing alternative to screen time.