In troubled times, I often find myself turning to certain “comfort games” as old friends. I wrote a similar piece last year, but this one is a bit different. That one was about obtaining comfort while not feeling well. Today I approach from a different angle: emotional stress.

When things are happening around me that are out of my hands, I often find myself playing the same couple of games. It can be entirely helpful to return to a familiar environment and to do things. To have a checklist of things to accomplish within the game and to do that. To be able to make a positive impact, even just within a game, can sometimes help me parse out the real life issue that might be bothering me.

Yesterday that backfired on me a bit. Instead of comfort gaming, I simply stared at a blank television screen and did nothing but wonder about things that are out of my control. There is a situation that is constellating that may have a dire ending, and soon. I couldn’t will myself to play anything to try to occupy my brain, but today perhaps I can.

Or not. We’ll see.

The two games I most often want to plop back into are the original Borderlands, and Destiny. I love both. No matter how many times I’ve played either, no matter how many hours I’ve spent doing the same things over and over, I enjoy them just the same. They can help me organize my thoughts.

Last night I had to play in an Overwatch tournament, and I wasn’t playing very well. I didn’t want to be there (through no fault of anyone I was playing with), but I did it, and as soon as we were done, I left.

I love Overwatch, but I just couldn’t get my head in the game.

I just realized this piece probably doesn’t make sense. For that I’m sorry. I have to be really honest here: I didn’t much feel like writing today due to outside circumstances, but I also knew I didn’t want to fail in my schedule. So here I am, confessing that games help me organize my thoughts, but that, right now at least, I just can’t seem to focus on much of anything.

I hope to be able to on Monday. I’m sorry this was a dud.

If I do end up gaming today, I imagine I will either be booting up the PS3 to play some Borderlands, or I will be on the PS4 to play some Destiny. Or perhaps I will play neither. I suppose it depends on how the day shakes out.

But it does feel nice to know that both are there, at the ready, should I be willing to dive in.

Do you have any comfort games? Games you play when times are troubled or when you don’t feel well? If so, which ones? Do you have any comfort movies you put on? I usually default to horror movies, and I can’t rule out a viewing of The Fog.

I hope you all have a safe and positive weekend. Cheers, friends.