Living in a big city has its perks, and that’s why so many of us choose the urban over the suburban life. From corner cafes to easy access to public transportation, there’s a lot that makes life in the city great. However, even with all of those benefits, the most committed city dweller wants to get away from the crowds and fast-paced life of urban centers every now and then. Unfortunately, that’s often easier said than done. After all, most of us don’t have the means to take a vacation to a faraway island or even the countryside every time city life gets to be just a little too much.
The good news is that the digital world provides us with an alternative to our everyday lives. Modern gamers know that immersive worlds are waiting for them on their smartphones, computers, and gaming consoles, giving them an easy way to disconnect from their day-to-day lives, whether for a few minutes or several hours. In this article, we look at how virtual gaming worlds can provide us with a temporary respite from our daily routines.
Why Are Virtual Worlds So Appealing?
Virtual worlds give us a way to get away from the humdrum of everyday life without the planning that would be involved in traveling. They offer an escape that’s easily accessible and completely different from what we often find in the urban jungle. There’s something for just about everyone in these virtual worlds.
If you’ve been craving a gaming-centered holiday in Vegas, thanks to online gaming, you don’t have to leave home for a similar experience. Online casinos are only a few mouse clicks or smartphone taps away, and they host vast catalogs of games. For those interested in table games like blackjack online, these platforms offer different variations of the popular card game to choose from. While the experience isn’t exactly the same as what’s found on the Vegas Strip, it can be a nice stand-in when there’s no time for travel.
For those interested in exploring the great outdoors, a game like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a favorite. The game takes place in a fictional land, but its scenery, which ranges from snowy mountain ranges to expansive fields, is enough to make any city dweller feel like they’ve been transported to an entirely new place. Virtual reality (VR) has made these digital escapes even more real, allowing people to strap on a headset and visit alternate realities for a much-needed getaway.
Types of Games that Promote Escapism
Just about every game available promotes escapism to some degree, and the type of games you choose will have a lot to do with your personal tastes. Still, for many people, games like The Legend of Zelda or Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5) come to mind when they think of escapism. One of the reasons why is that these games give players a lot of leeway to shape the gaming experience to their liking. If you want to crank up the tunes and go for a long drive on the highway to get away from it all, you can do that in GTA 5, without going on a single mission.
Just about every game in The Legend of Zelda series gives players an opportunity to explore Hyrule and other fictional lands at their own pace. While they aren’t open-world games, titles like The Sims or Animal Crossing are also a favorite of those living in the city because of their slow pace and calming atmosphere where players can design the types of worlds they want, all without the pressures of everyday life. Gamers with VR headsets can explore games like No Man’s Sky, which make them feel like they’re stepping into entirely new dimensions. All of these game genres offer unique experiences, and some gamers will prefer one type over the other, depending on whether they want to escape into a vast open world or immerse themselves completely in another reality.
