A free little game by Oskar Stalberg where you build a small city on the lake. There is no goal or anything, but it's super relaxing. I like building my city while listening to a podcast.
or A Little to the Left maybe Cult of the Lamb which is kind of a macabre version of Animal Crossing (but more video game-y) Dorfromantik - use tiles to build a village, there’s even an option to remove the game aspects and just build Townscaper - point and click town building with very few options to complicate things These are very good recs btw
It’s not a game, it’s a simulator. I discovered it this year and it’s one of the only things that lets me mentally check out. Designing five-way six-lane highway exchanges and water treatment systems for 100k digital citizens brings me calm. The metropolis I’m working on right now is called Dirt Roadington, but by now I have upgraded all the dirt roads to nice ones lined with trees and bike lanes. Pairs well with the slight oxygen deprivation of an airplane ride.
