Moving to university, possibly away from your friends and family for the first time, can be extremely daunting.
But in times like this, we turn to our home comforts in order to help us get through and settle in.
At Forge Press, we’ve already done exactly what Freshers are doing now, and games were a huge part of helping us settle into our new digs.
Here you’ll find some of our recommendations for games which help our contributors feel right at home in the Steel City, especially if you’re struggling with the move away from home.
Once you’ve settled in, then take a look at our other article to find a smorgasbord of gaming hotspots around the city. There’s sure to be something you’ll love.
Animal Crossing New Leaf – Catherine Lewis
If you’re missing home, what better way to get away from it all than into your own peaceful town full of animal friends?
You’ll always have someone to hang out with when all your adorable villagers are around, and helping them out and giving them gifts can really help give you that feel-good boost!
You could even take inspiration from your house decor in-game and apply it to your new room, to make it feel even more homely!
If none of that takes your fancy, you can hunt treasure in Animal Crossing…
Stardew Valley – Zac Hickton-Jarvis
Escape from the often-busy Sheffield city life with a visit to the countryside!
It’s a wonderful opportunity to create the perfect farm to call home, all of your own design, fit with crops and a variety of animal friends. If you’re feeling a bit more on the adventurous side, you could spend your time exploring the cavernous mines, searching for rare minerals and items.
With a large cast of characters going about their daily lives in Pelican Town to interact with and learn more about, it’s easy to absorb yourself with this fantastic and relaxing game.
The Sims 4 – Ella Craig
The Sims 4 is the perfect game to play when you feel homesick, as there are so many different ways that you can play.
Build homes, create families (only to never play with them again) or develop careers, aspirations and in-game relationships. Explore the fantasy worlds of mermaids, spellcasters and vampires. You will get lost in the endless opportunities of the Sims world.
And if you’re still missing home after binge-playing The Sims 4 all day, you can even create a replica of your pet.
The Pokémon series – Chloe Dervey
You’ve made it to uni! With a big journey ahead of you in a whole new world, you suddenly realise something about this is very familiar…
Put the kettle on, snuggle up in bed, grab your old handheld and start the epic Pokémon journey from your childhood all over again as you embark on this new chapter in your life. Your clothes, hair and music taste might’ve changed, but Pokémon is exactly how you remember it.
Don’t walk into the tall grass alone, and trust you’ll find your party soon enough. Hang in there, trainer!
Harvest Moon- Ben Warner
When I was young, Harvest Moon made me feel at home. Even though I was on a farm presumably located hundreds of miles away from Manchester, it felt like home to me and that’s why I’d recommend downloading an emulator and playing it if you’re struggling to settle into uni.
There’s something cathartic and homely about getting up (in-game, anyway), tilling your land and selling crops, followed by your doting dog. And once you’ve done that, there’s a whole town to explore, just like Sheffield.
You’ll settle in in no time.
Tomb Raider- Tom Buckland
Tomb Raider may seem like a game that would do the opposite of curing homesickness. It’s an iconic series, with a loveable protagonist at its center. If globetrotting doesn’t quite ease your anxieties and stress, then why not go to Croft Manor? It serves as a domestic tomb of sorts – nobody loses.
Lara’s journey through the games can be reminiscent of your overall life; the original trilogy is when you were a young babe, the Crystal Dynamics was when you were a maturing teen, and the Survivor Reborn trilogy is when you were a student, so, uh, a bit of a mess really.