BLAEO — Backlog Assassins Extraordinaire

July's Theme: Relax IndiePendently

List of games

You can check which games are in your library and which are new additions with the Relax Checker (by revilheart). If you used this script in previous month, it got updated. More detailed information about the script can be found here.

Last update: 2016.07.14, 17:38 UTC

UPDATE: I will be offline from 08.07.2016 to 14.07.2016. You’ll need to wait for your suggestions to be added when I’m back. The ranking should work automatically. If you see any problems with it, you can contact revilheart. Have a good summer :)

Submission
Ranking
Main post

pro tip: if you consider that you can 100% ets in this months you might reconsider it
l.e. couldn’t the pixel puzzles games fix in this monthly theme?

The majority of admins wanted to have this list of games fixed without further additions. We’ll discuss it again in the evening.

I liked the previous flexibility, was nice to see what got added in between. Especially to get a bit more diverse choice. Seems my fav genre Strategy (mainly RTS/TBS) doesn’t get much chance this month again sadly ;_;

At what point can Banished be considered beaten? Seems fairly endless to me (and no campaign).

~~extra hint: Revilheart’s game checker script works here too (when adding the post url to it) ;-)~~ whoops it’s linked at the top here already (*/▽＼*)

Yes, game checker works - it’s linked above :)

As for Banished, I didn’t play it and achievements from it don’s show me any specific milestone which can be taken as finished. Do you have any suggestions what to count as finished? Otherwise, I will use formula without F for this game, so the score will simply proportional to achievements gained. Can’t think of better was as of now.

Don’t know any real way, it simply has no end ^^
Partial achievement counting seems reasonable there. Have played 8h but not gained even 1 though (￣▽￣*)ゞ

I have 20 playtime, but the achievements are so hard

I have 20 hours as well. i don’t think i have a single achievement.

Hm, maybe I just won’t count F in the formula for this game. Like, C * Σ(P) / TP
I’ll think about it.

I will accept suggestions. Check update section in main post for more details of how the procedure of suggestion works :)

I don’t know how relaxing Pixel Puzzles Undeadz is, though - I found it very un-relaxing :/ (only played Japan and that … Japan was okay, I guess we could count that)

yeah…undeadz wasn’t relaxing but there are also japan(that you already mentioned), anime, birds and space(haven’t tried it yet)

+1 on anime.

I’ve been playing it on and off for a while now, and it does relax me. :)
Also haven’t given UndeadZ a try yet, but would muting the volume help? I’ve done that with anime because her comments started to annoy me after a while.

+1 for Anime, Birds and Space
They were all nice and relaxing. No annoying minigame like UndeadZ

Now I take suggestions for other game. Maybe, let’s see if other members think that it is fitting. You can check the update section in main post for details of how suggestions will work.
P.S. Pixel Puzzles: Japan will definitely be added, as you already completed it and nelly kind of +1’ed your suggestion :)

Can I do an indirect +1 for Pixel Puzzles: Space? I’m 50% done at it’s relaxing unless you get ticked off by that bouncy astronaut or, like me, are lazy but compulsive about chivs and have to build that damn rocket.

I understand the reasoning behind the fixed list, and I suppose it gives more clarity, etc. etc.
…Not to mention we all got WAY more than enough games to play, anyways =p.

However, I noticed Audiosurf is in the list, but Audiosurf 2 is not? :o (http://store.steampowered.com/app/235800/) It’s basically the same game, but with different graphics and stuff.

Oh and the same for hexcells: It has 2 other games/clones which are basically the same, why ain’t those in the list ,too?
(http://store.steampowered.com/search/?snr=1_5_9__12&term=hexcells)

Of course such games will be added :) It’s weird that other Hexcells games didn’t appear in the list though one of them even has both indie and relaxing tags on Steam.

P.S. Added two Hexcells games and Audiosurf 2.

You can make suggestions of eligible games for the theme. Check update section in main post for rules :)

I’m not sure Mountain should be on the list as it literally doesn’t have gameplay, start, end, nor achievements. No way of measuring any kind of gameplay makes it extremely irrelevant in terms of backlog, or completion.
I’m a little sad about this topic, from the whole list I own 17? titles, with only a handful of them is not an arcade-styled repetitive, (if not endless) game in some way. (Stardew Valley, Fez, Qbeh) I’ll try with a few, but I really don’t think I’ll overdo it.

Yeah, I’ll remove Mountain from the list.
As for the number of games - I was unsure about it and that’s the reason, I’ve added poll. But it was the final decision. Kind of resting month.

Mountain should stay on the list, it does have gameplay and it does have endings: spoilery guide of everything you can do in Mountain
Also, it’s super relaxing :P

Oh, I thought it doesn’t have any ending and that it’s something like screensaver. Ok, now it goes back :)

Read that guide and I’m not sure about the endings.. may I ask you which are?

EDIT: I mean, are those in the last section? Should I expect some kind of credits after any of such occurrence?

afaik you just get one of those messages and your mountain is gone, so you’d have to start from the beginning. Not sure if there are any credits, might just be that one guy, and it might break “immersion”. It’s not really an ending in the sense that you can work toward it and incluence it, other than run the game, so I’d propose a set amount of points (or maybe just one point) to keep it fair, instead of going by playtime like for other games without achievements.

Edit: Just re-read it and there is actually a key combo to destroy your mountain prematurely …

Tried that combo and survived!

Oh, well.. not that it will give a significative contribute to the final score anyway =P

Wasn’t the point of the monthy themes to give ideas what to play, and encourage new things? I mean, anyone can play, or not play anything by default. If I’d want to take a rest, I would just play resting games, or nothing at all, what was the point of this theme at all? Where are the point and clicks or hidden object games, that at least have story, and an end? Why is the survival Banished, Blueprint Tycoon (tycoon), Audiosurf (rhytm, reflex game mixed up with tetris) and Fez (which has it’s own language) on the list but is it lacking point and click and HOG genres? I don’t really mind only 70ish game being on the list, but they are really inconsistant on the “relax” part. We just started this discussion here that’s why I’m replying here an not to Akantha’s post about compatible games - I think huge numbers or applicable games are missing from the list.

How dare you!? Mountain has plenty of gameplay! And it does have various ends … I’ve never reached one, but I’ll try for one this month

I like mountain, it gave me coffee, cake and donuts, best friend I had! But on the list it’s just as useful as a sheet of paper “Flip me over” written on both sides :D

You can make suggestions of eligible games for the theme. Check update section in main post for rules :)

Meh, I’m somewhat disappointed… I mean, I like the idea of monthly themes, but why so few games for July?
It’s literally the perfect month to attack our backlogs…

On a side note, would Visual Novels be considered “relaxing”? I-I’m not saying that because I like them, or anything…
You don’t need to do too much to play them, you just need to click a button to pass to the next scene, and maybe make a choice or two…

Now you can make suggestions of eligible games for the theme. Check update section in main post for rules :) So if you find any Visual Novel which you think to be fitting and you already finished it, chances are rather high, that it will be added. It can be almost any game actually as long as it pass the rules.

I wonder, as MOAI is here, why there is only the first part and why there is no 12 labours of Hercules (all five parts), that games are relaxing XD Also what about Legends of Atlantis: Exodus ?

btw. it would be nice, if you can note that some games are free to play like the plan or viridi

How I understand the theme the game needs the Tags: “Indie” and “Relaxing” on the store page. Can’t find the second for 12 Labours of Hercules

I don’t think Steam tags can be considered fully reliable and accurate on every case. Afair they are user-defined.

Yes, but still it’s the most sure list. Obviously not all games that are relaxing, will be tagged appropriately there. But all the main ones look to be. Anyway, as I said to you before, now you can suggest other games as well :)

Game list was generated by searching games with both “Indie” and “Relaxing” tags in Steam Store. It should have included most (not all) of the relaxing games.

But now you can make suggestion of other games you think are compatible. Check update section in main post for details.

A clarification for everyone in case it’s not, well, clear enough: Themes are meant to help you pick a game if you’re not sure what to play. This month it’s relaxing indie games - pick a relaxing indie game if you don’t know what to play. The list we provided is for games to count for competition points, if you’d like to participate in that. Beyond that, the choice of games is up to you (like someone mentioned when we discussed this, we’re not here to plan your gaming month for you ;) ). The list is there to keep it more fair - those are games widely regarded as “relaxing” by the Steam community, not just a few members (with an open list again, people could come by and say “I find The Binding of Isaac very relaxing”). The list includes games I myself wouldn’t classify as relaxing overall (at least not if you go for achievements), and had they been suggested I might’ve vetoed them, so I’d say except for obvious titles that weren’t included (e.g. sequels with basically the same gameplay as games already on the list), I think it should stay the way it is.

I’m confused, last month I had the impression you were in favor of more choice (which I’d prefer too), now it’s the opposite?

“Themes are meant to help you pick a game if you’re not sure what to play. This month it’s relaxing indie games - pick a relaxing indie game if you don’t know what to play.” - is that not enough choice?
The list, in this case, was meant to cut down the whole guessing game about which games may or may not “officially” apply - I think there are probably many more relaxing indie games out there, and you’re welcome to play them (as well as any other games), but we needed some more certain parameters since last month seemed to be confusing for some people. After some more discussion we will be allowing certain suggestions (I think Crystal will post about it tomorrow).
Also, I’m not sure how clearly I stated it last month, but while I’d prefer more choices for everyone, I also don’t want to make every month a free association theme. I’m pretty sure I wrote somewhere that some months might/will be more narrow than others.

Please note that this is my personal take on themes and was the original intention, but if you prefer the competition approach that’s fine as well (that’s what the list was meant for). When we started the whole theme thing, the group had about 50 members (Or were we at 100 already?), half of which probably weren’t even active in the Steam group, so I started with that mindset of broad themes to get at least a few people interested. Now with many more people using the site, I see the benefits of smaller/limited lists and would like those as well every now and then :)

Sorry if I change my mind sometimes over the course of several weeks … maybe I’ll do a super broad theme next month :O

I actually like the fixed list and that it’s not too long. If it’s too flexible then I would just play anything and find a reason afterwards that would make that game qualify. Maybe that’s just me, but a fixed list helps me make up my mind about what I’ll play. Anyway, I’m looking forward to tackling some of these games after my exam.

Now you can make suggestions, but not any suggestion will make to the list :) Check update section in main post for details.

Sparkle 3 Genesis / Sparkle Zero have the same game play as Sparkle 2 Evo

Yes, I will add it. Feel free to report similar games in the future. They should be in the list, as they are actually more or less the same games as their sequels.

Mike90
Meh, I’m somewhat disappointed… I mean, I like the idea of monthly themes, but why so few games for July?

Well, yeah, I’m feeling this too. -.- Mainly because I’ve played all except 2(?) I own from that list. Doesn’t really help with my indecisiveness, I’m afraid. :/ Nice list for those who happen to own these games but haven’t played them yet.

You can make suggestions now. Check update section in main post for details.

I think that i only own one game (stardew valley) from that list and this game is at 93% atm. Can we add some games?

you also own Sparkle 2 Evo from the list, and Sprakle 3 should get added as well ;)

i didnt remember that free games, ty nellyneko

Yes, now suggested games can be added to the list. Check update section in main post for details.

Ty Crystal.

Are you sure you can’t edit the list? Not every game is tagged seriously and/or accurately. I really don’t think ‘Grass Simulator’ for example should be on the list.

Now you can make suggestions and some suggested games can be added to the list. Check update section in main post for details. I’m sure it will make the final list more broad.

I had a look at my library and filtered all game by Indie and Relaxing and found these games that are not on the list. If you want you could add them as well:

Gone Home
Grow Home
Lucid
Shelter 2
~~Starpoint Gemini 2~~ Wouldn’t add that, since it is also tagged with difficult
Thomas Was Alone

Indeed. Probably steam search doesn’t look farther than 4th or 5th tag of the game. Thank you, I’ll check them all and probably add to the list.

+1 to Grow Home, Lucid & Thomas Was Alone (since they do pop up in that Steam library tagging checker for me as well)

I’m hesitant about Shelter 2, I’ve played the original and being chased by predators and having your babies snatched wasn’t very relaxing…

+1 for Gone Home / Grow Home / Thomas Was Alone

Starpoint Gemini 2 Wouldn’t add that, since it is also tagged with difficult

oh come on, just one game close to me fav genre and you remove it xD

+1 for Thomas Was Alone (and it’s a good game too!)

Nice theme!!

I think World of Goo would be perfectly fitting the theme , more than some games on the list even.

Also did like Daerphen and without re-quoting the ones already mentionned, the cross referencing pointed out 80 days would also fit the theme.

Thank you :) Good, I’ll check and add 80 days soon. Also, now I take suggestions. So if you find some game even without correspondent tags eligible (though I think that indie tag is still a must), you can suggest it. Check update section in main post for the rules of suggesting.

I read the rules and I maintain my suggestion for World of Goo (I finished it twice on tablet and on my phone, not sure if it fits for your counting) and 80 days (not played) Will have a look at my list of games later and see if any more games are fitting ;)

80 Days +1 straight away. :)

Since Samorost 3 is on the list, will samorost 2 be added too?

Yes, thanks :)

+1 for World of Goo :)

Completed:

Unfinished:

Never played:

[PERFECT ANGLE: The puzzle game based on optical illusions](http://store.steampowered.com/app/427780/)
[Perfect Angle VR - Zen edition](http://store.steampowered.com/app/487620/)
[Strata](http://store.steampowered.com/app/286380/)
[Sunrise - **DLC** from Race The Sun](http://store.steampowered.com/app/378731/)
[Triple Town](http://store.steampowered.com/app/209950/)
[Universe Sandbox](http://store.steampowered.com/app/72200/)
[Universe Sandbox ²](http://store.steampowered.com/app/230290/)
[Windosill](http://store.steampowered.com/app/37600/)
[Zenge](http://store.steampowered.com/app/461840/)

+1 to Strata (I have it 100%), would like to +1 Zenge too but it has no “Relaxing” tag…?

Didn’t play Zenge yet. Judging from its screenshots looks similar to Hook (which I’ve never played it yet either. This month is the right occasion) :)
Also, the description says so:

I’ve played it a little and found it indeed relaxing, but sadly, if we’re going with the original ‘rules’, I think we’d need to have the tag. :(

Tag is not necessary for suggestion. That’s why I made rules with “+1”s :) Games which are discovered to have both indie and relaxing tags are added for sure - even without “+1”s. Sorry if it was unclear from my description.

Yay! It probably wasn’t I just read “make suggestions” and went checking my library. ;)

ETA: so +1 for Zenge (I have it 100%)

+1 PERFECT ANGLE / Windosill / Strata

+1 for Strata and Zenge

+1 for Sunrise - DLC from Race The Sun. It’s really fitting, but it never ends as far as I know and doesn’t have any achievements. Though it should be really relaxing judging from the videos I saw. As you played the main game, only 2 additional votes are needed
+1 for Zenge :)

Had the same feeling watching the videos. Well, given this month’s theme one could play it to, you know, actually relax! =P
That’s why I suggested it ..even if I know it doesn’t make much sense to have it in the list :)

Unium
Three Digits
Two Digits
Divide By Sheep
Cross Set
Ichi
Lowglow
Hero of the Kingdom
Hero of the Kingdom II
Sokobond
The Sea Will Claim Everything
TransPlan
Meadowland
Three Fourths Home
Little Inferno
Auditorium

These are all games I’ve played before.

Snakebird
Cubot

These are games I have not played.

I also want to suggest Puzzler World and the sequel but I seem to remember something about timers.
Also Anodyne was quite relaxing but it does have boss fights and combat which might not be compared to the rest of the game.

+1 for Hero of the Kingdom one and two

+1 to Divide by sheep and Little inferno.

Also agrees with your view on Anodyne from the little I’ve played of it.

+1 for Two Digits (and Three Digits - I haven’t played this one, but it looks like more of the same)

It pretty much is more of the same. The formula works better for Two Digits than it does for Three though. :/

+1 for Auditorium :)

Too many suggestions, I’ll check your comment after the sleep ^^

+1 for Hero of the Kingdom one and two

+1 for Unium

As i said ealier i would suggest adding 12 labours of Hercules (all five parts, played first and second, but all are very similar) also i would add Legends of Atlantis: Exodus (played it a little bit but don’t remember much, it is another time management game) and i would add another parts of MOAI (since the first part is already on the list). Also since viridi is on the list, how about adding Bonsai?

btw. as i said ealier it would be nice if you can add tag [free to play] near the games that are free to play, as it was last month :)

12 Labours of Hercules will need votes. Same for Legends of Atlantis. I’m adding all MOAI parts. I’m not sure about Bonsai even though it looks similar to Viridi. I’ll wait for the votes. Added free-to-play tag. Thank you :)

+1 for 12 labours of Hercules and Legends of Atlantis: Exodus

Two games I’ve completed that I think should be added…

+1 (for both)

After reading your suggestions I remembered two games which might be fitting for the theme :)

Machinarium – finished the story many years ago, but not on Steam;
Lumino City – played a bit.

+1 to both (and Lumino city is the sequel to Lume so i guess this one too)

Heh you’re right, +1 Lume :)

+1 Machinarium
+1 Lumino City

I really like the theme this month. I have some games downloading from it now.

As for suggestions, I would recommend the following:
-Gravity Ghost

Chime or Chime Sharp

Deleted

This comment was deleted over 8 years ago.

+1 for Gravity Ghost. Do I understand correctly that you didn’t play it before?
Edit: Nevermind :)

+1 Gravity Ghost

It’s basically a F2P Audiosurf.

+1 for Vinyl :)

+1 for Vinyl

Did you play/finish it? Can it be finished in any sense at all?

Yes, I played it recently. It has achievements. You can 100% it.

Finesweeper? (http://store.steampowered.com/app/367000/) I’m a sucker for minesweeper-like games. :)
Pixel Puzzles 2: Anime? (http://store.steampowered.com/app/350810/)

I saw Pixel Puzzles 2: Anime being suggested by Dandey and you +1’ed it. So we still need 2 other +1’s to add it to the list :)
Fine Sweeper needs 3 +1’s to be added :)

Can I -1 ? Because I don’t think games about dodging mines are particularly relaxing… :D

Played games that are hidden object games or having hidden object parts. They have no time limitations, and the most threatening thing is usually something looking angry before you use the proper item on it. They are low intensity stories, focus is on the narrative and the story. Usually used as getaway games for times when one wants to play, but too sleepy/tired for a proper game :D and after typing the whole thing there are so many dark-looking names - it’s some kind of weird HOG-rule that people are not evil, they are misleaded by others - so in 90% of the games there is demon/vampire/posession/ultimate evil entity involved

4 elements
9 Clues 1 and 2
Abyss:The Wraiths of Eden
Alchemy Misteries
Alex Hunter - Lord of Mind
(Brink of Consciousness games are more serious, up to the others)
Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink
Crystals of Time
Dark Arcana: The Carnival
Dark Heritage: Guardiands of Hope
Demon Hunter: Chronicles from Beyond
Dracula’s Legacy
Dreamscapes: The Sandman
Enigmatis 1-2
Faity Tale Mysteries The Puppet Thief
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2: The Beanstalk
Fall of the New Age
Frankenstein: Master of Death
Ghost Encounters: Deadwood
Grim Legends 1-2
Hero of the Kingdom 1-2 already voted I think
House of 1,000 Doors - Family Secrets
House of 1,000 Doors:The Palm of Zoroaster
Infected: the Twin Vaccine
Left in the Dark: No One on Board
Mind Snares: Alice’s Journey
Morphopolis (this one for sure fits the theme, even if everything else is voted down)
Mystery Masters: Psycho Train
Nearwood
Night Mysteries: The Amphora Prisoner
Nightmares from the Depp 1-2-3
Paranormal State: Poison Spring
Portal of Evil: Stolen Ruins
Queen’s Quest: Tower of Darkness
Small Torn Terrors Pilgrim’s Hook
Space Legends: At the edge of the Universe
The Enerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams
(The Emptiness most definitely not, tries to be scary but falls flat on it’s face)
Theatre of the Absurd
Tibetan Quest: Beyond the World’s End
Time Mysteries 1-2-3
Vampire Legends: The True Story if Kisilova
I guess I really play a lot of these xD

+1 Morphopolis, that’s a good one. :)

Gonna leave a +1 for Morphopolis as well.

Hero of the Kingdom 2 is linked to the first games steam page. Pretty sure I don’t own the second one xD

Thanks! Corrected.

Depth Hunter 2: Deep Dive

Going by World of Diving being included in your list.
(Played before).

+1 for depth hunter :D

What about Sudoku Quest? (I haven’t played yet, just won it on SG, and since it’s in a bundle i assume some other people here have it)

Hey, for some reason the Relax Checker does not recognize several games this month. Lucid, A Bird Story, Samorost, Machinarium, 80 Days, Thomas Was Alone + several others that were newly listed.

I think I know the problem. Should be good now

Yup! Dunno what you did but now it’s good again. :)

Was checking through the list and first i though i don’t even have any of these games, but i indeed do have Little Inferno and just played it through :D Have To The Moon and Grow Home but already played em through little while ago so don’t want to repeat them yet :)

Looking through my casual category I’d like to suggest a few games as well:

I haven’t played any of these yet, but they look like they fit the theme.

+1 Tengami

+1 Tengami (I have it 100%)
+1 Alice’s Patchwork (played some)

+1 Alice’s Patchwork

+1 Alice patchwork

+1 Tengami & Reach for the Sun
(Played both)

+1 Tengami

LOOP: A Tranquil Puzzle Game
(I have the game beaten)

+1 for LOOP

Tiny Bridge: Ratventure, it’s almost like World of goo ^^

Evo Explores.
This is like Monument Valley on mobile. It’s a puzzle game but can be pretty relaxing to play :)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/467210

+1
Just played it, suits a “relaxing” theme extremely well. :)

Akin
Blockwick 2
Hyspherical 2

Not finished any of them yet but they’re all similar to other games already listed.

how about Bejeweled 3?

+1
I’ve not finished it but I agree. :)

+1

I guess I’m at “beaten”: unlocked all modes etc., just grinding left.

dk

Plantera is pretty chill.
Since Hexcells games are on the list, might as well add SquareCells by the same developer.

+1 SquareCells

+1 for Plantera

Paint it Back is indie/relaxing.

very late +1

dk

Beyond Eyes: walking sim, very relaxing.

Doodle God Played
Doodle Kingdom Not Played (assuming same stuff, different theme)