Oftentimes, video game developers get a bad rap when they return to a well-trodden path instead of reinventing gameplay, an unfair conclusion.

While it’s true that innovation in gaming can lead to some amazing content, there is also a place for familiarity that is really beneficial to the larger gamer population. That major benefit centers on mental health.

And it’s not just using familiar gameplay mechanics in a new game, it also includes returning to older games that act as constants in your life. Each option has a profound impact on mental health because it grounds the player.

How do I know this? Because I have experienced it over the last two years.

I am amid a career chance from professional communication to teaching high school English. This was a somewhat unexpected change but one I am happy I made.

That said, it has had its fair share of challenges. Changing from a career where I felt completely comfortable to one that has felt foreign many times was jarring, especially doing so in my mid-30s. At times, it felt like a lot was unsettled and it would add to my anxiety and stress.

Through it, however, I found constants that helped ground me when my career would feel turbulent. My family was a big source of that, but I also found it in the media I consumed.

A big push of mine with video games was to knock out as many games on my backlog as possible. I was constantly trying not titles and franchises. This was great, but I found my desire to play drop when I was at my most stressed, which felt opposite from how video games had been in the past.

This wasn’t always the case. I found that as I repeated games in a genre or franchise, I found the relaxation I sought. Though the early Final Fantasy games differ, they also keep to a general format that felt familiar as I played the Pixel Remasters.

It wasn’t only there. I am playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and it has felt wonderful returning to a familiar title. Furthermore, it has helped ground me at a time when I just wrapped up the first term of my first school year teaching full-time.

I found a sense of relaxation because the game I was playing was familiar. It added to my anchor that helped ground me during these anxious times. It also set me up to return to newer titles and gameplay after I wrap my familiar playthroughs.

Not everyone may have these types of challenges. That said, mental health is still important. Gaming should be a boon to the player rather than an additional stream of stress.

That is where familiarity can come in. I’m not a licensed therapist by any means, but I have found the grounding power of familiar games can help reset you in a way that will benefit you in both your personal and professional life.

At the very least, you get to play something you already know you love and that feeling of returning home is always nice no matter the situation.

How do video games help your mental health? Do you enjoy spending time in familiar games? Head over to our Boss Rush Discord to join the conversation.

Featured Image: Kelly Sikkema (via Unsplash)

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