Now not Time to talk about a quest to be more efficient — but here we are. Between high stress levels, worsening work-life boundaries, and a terrible news cycle, listen to that inner monologue about what you maybe or Candlestick doing anytime is difficulty in one’s mental health. But I still want to talk about it, because I bad relaxing time. And maybe there is a way to ease the drag of yield: Pokémon Legend: Arceus.
I am a firm believer that I cannot avoid how I feel about things. (I’m ashamed of my addiction Merge Mansioneven though i know me should not Feels that way.) My obsession with productivity, with life’s difficulties, with getting more done than I can physically in any given moment, is a by-product of the way my mind works. My brain functioning, the way I grew up, and a lot of social factors would require a completely different story to unpack. It was a toxic cocktail, but one that I accepted I had no right to. My brain wants to be efficient all the time. The trick is not to give in. I benefit from downtime and I need to stick with it, even when it’s not good – the long-term benefits are much too much.
That’s the place for sure types video games appeared. Games are ideal for unpacking because they keep my hands busy while forcing my brain to check in from the digital, always-on, always-connected world. In particular, the collection-style header will scratch the itch for things to get done, tricking my productivity-focused mind into thinking I’m accomplishing something even though it’s just for fun.
Pokémon Legend: Arceus is perfect for this. I’ve been tempted by many Pokémon games before, but this was the first one I actually bought and played. A lot of people I trust have told me it’s ideal for newcomers to the franchise, and they’re right. I like structured or quest-based open world games because they give the player the freedom to do what they want without getting overwhelmed (too many options isn’t good for my brain either) ). Arceus not really open world, but it comes close.
The story is as follows: You, as the main character, fall into a mysterious world through a portal that no longer remembers who you are. What you do have, however, is a passion for catching Pokémon, the mysterious creatures that inhabit this world. You are recruited to become a Surveyor, tasked with cataloging the creatures in your Pokedex. There are quests, and a story, as well as the mystery of your own origins, but you control a lot of what you explore and progress. You don’t really have to focus on the story unless you feel like you’ve exhausted one field and want to unlock the next.
Here’s why the productivity hack happens: I spent a lot of time just filling out the Pokedex instead of actually progressing in the game. For each type of Pokémon, you can do different things: collect a certain number of them with stealth, or defeat them with a certain element-based move, for example. When you make your way through Pokedex, you really feel like ticking everything off the to-do list. And if you’re the one who puts things down on paper after you’ve finished them, just to be able to check them out (I see you!), then you understand the satisfaction.
When I have a day of extreme anxiety and realize I need some serious relaxation, Pokémon Legend: Arceus is where I turn. It makes relaxation seem effective, it calms my mind even when I’m extremely stressed. It seems odd to trick your brain into thinking that dismantling is work. But when you’re good at working hard and letting off steam, you’ll do what you have to, whenever and wherever you can.
And now I can finally check “unpack” off that never-ending to-do list.
