Games you can't play anymore: Depressive Edition

[dtamago]

I noticed that there are a couple of games that for some some reason or another ( namely depression in my case) I just can't play anymore.

I first noticed this happened to me some time ago while trying to replay MGSV , I couldn't play it without the lingering memories of my ( at the time) girlfriend dumping me and using the game as a coping mechanism, it gives me this weird homesick like feeling whenever I start playing it, specially around this time of the year.

I've had a similar experience while trying to play Left 4 Dead 2, Fallout 4 and Pokemon X, all of those games give me this melancholic feeling, kinda like how a song reminds of you of someone in particular.

Are there any experiences you might want to share?

 

[ChaosSmurf]

I had the worst depressive episode of my life at the end of last year and got through it playing Dragon Quest XI, but the idea of going back to it now fills me with fear for similar reasons. Shame, cuz it's fucking brilliant.

 

[Ruck]

Mario Odyssey is the big one for me. It was the game I was playing when I had my first depressive episode and now whenever I think about it I just get instantly sick to my stomach. This happened with the Switch in general for a long time but I've been able to overcome it thankfully.

 

[fracas]

I just recently went through a bad breakup, so I definitely don't want to play any of the stuff my ex and I used to play together. Minecraft, LBP and Mario Kart, mostly. Eventually, they won't really mean anything to me at least.

 

[dtamago]

I just recently went through a bad breakup, so I definitely don't want to play any of the stuff my ex and I used to play together. Minecraft, LBP and Mario Kart, mostly. Eventually, they won't really mean anything to me at least.

Click to shrink...

I might sound sad and stuff, but I broke up with my most recent GF on January , I don't play minecraft at all, but she used to play it all the time on my pc, I can't bring myself to delete it yet. :/

 

[Knight in Shining Armani]

I don't have any. I just can't really play videogames period when I'm depressed.

 

[fracas]

I might sound sad and stuff, but I broke up with my most recent GF on January , I don't play minecraft at all, but she used to play it all the time on my pc, I can't bring myself to delete it yet. :/

Click to shrink...

Nah, I get that. There's a finality in removing every trace of someone you used to be with, no matter how small it may be. I got rid of all our photos late last week and it was straight up the hardest thing I've ever done.

 

[Aztorian]

I don't have any. I just can't really play videogames period when I'm depressed.

Click to shrink...

Same here. Can't focus on having fun when I won't allow myself to have fun.

 

[Keym]

Broken Age has been tainted by my last relationship. We didn't finish it, either.

 

[Tanooki]

Space Station 13. My ex loved that game, and I enjoyed watching him play it and seeing the excitement every new game would bring him. Even when we weren't together, he'd send me snaps of funny moments in his current game, or call me to let me know what just happened. I would never entertain the idea of watching someone else play that game, let alone play it again myself.

 

[Mike Rambo]

Trying to replay nier automata but the memories I shared with my former best friend over it are making it really hard for me to do so. I miss her.

 

[Flon]

Alundra and Atelier Nelke.

Lots of family loss issues and I was just in a terrible state and I kept playing just to desperately keep my mind off things.

 

[BladeRunner2099]

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

The vibe, the voices in the head etc. are a bit much for a 2nd play through.

 

[Deleted member 3038]

Smite. I used to play that game with a huge group of friends but we've all split up now and o can't bring myself to play a husk of a former GOAT to me

 

[McNum]

That would be Dragon Ball FighterZ for me. Had just started up the game and I got a call that my mother was in the hospital and it looked bad. I didn't even make it there before she was gone.

I never got to play more than the first few hours of that game, and I don't feel like playing it again.

 

[corasaur]

As a kid, my grandmother was hospitalized during my first Crystal Chronicles play session. Made it hard to go back, even way later, and i barely ever played the thing

 

[Bolthauser]

My dog got sick in June and passed away. I was playing The Outer Wilds while we were trying to help her get better and unfortunately she didn't make it. The game, and its soundtrack and subject matter, makes me swell up with grief every time I think about it.

 

[Madao]

i don't have a game like this yet but i suspect some of them will bring this since i beat several of them co-op with a friend that is no longer a friend.

 

[aiswyda]

As much as I'd one day like to go back to FF14, I stopped playing because the people I played with did something genuinely very shitty to the point where I still am nervous opening up to new people. I quit when it happened and it was so awful I literally just lied in bed depressed for 3 days.... Whenever I think about trying out one of the welcome back trials (as I have one or two other friends who still play) I end up chickening out :/

 

[Segafreak]

Had a recent fling with a Nipponese girl and playing Shenmue currently makes me remind of her so much, especially cuz she a small town girl like the one in game. :/

 

[bombermouse]

Persona 5, I started playing it after my cat died and I went into a deep depression.

 

[derwalde]

Stardew Valley. My ex GF was playing this game a lot and I watched her play. I'll never touch this game again.

 

[hobdal]

For me it's LA Noire and Heavy Rain. Both games I was playing when my mum lost her battle with cancer. Tried to play them again a while afterwards and just couldn't.

 

[TubaZef]

We all been there OP, I've appropriately finished Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime with my ex-GF and I love that game but can't look at it. Also, I bought Grim Fandango Remastered to play with her, but we ended things before it could happen so now the game is in my Steam library untouched... maybe forever (I have finished the original so... not really that great loss).

Anyway, just to clear up the mood a bit on this thread, I was feeling down lately and "Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)" is game that helped me a lot. So, I'll just leave that recommendation here.

 

[Chrno]

does it count if I get depressed because I can't play Scott Pilgrim?

 

[dtamago]

We all been there OP, I've appropriately finished Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime with my ex-GF and I love that game but can't look at it. Also, I bought Grim Fandango Remastered to play with her, but we ended things before it could happen so now the game is in my Steam library untouched... maybe forever (I have finished the original so... not really that great loss).

Anyway, just to clear up the mood a bit on this thread, I was feeling down lately and "Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)" is game that helped me a lot. So, I'll just leave that recommendation here.

Click to shrink...

I had the exact same situation with Grim Fandango, we did play it for a bit though, and I have never touched Until Dawn because of her.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[Tolby]

I had a terrible argument start due to a match of SoulCalibur which completely ruined the relationship. I can't play the series any more.

 

[Amibguous Cad]

I had a pretty serious medical scare a few days ago.

It turned out to not be serious, or at least to not be terminal, but I kinda threw myself 1000% into Link's Awakening to take my mind off of things while we were seeing how the situation developed, and I think it'll always be associated with a pretty dark time in my life. Not sure I have it in me to finish it.

 

[Sub Boss]

no thank god, they mostly give me good memories

 

[SOTC is a 6/10]

Watch_Dogs 2.

I bought it at the ass-end of 2017 which unfortunately coincided with three of the worst events of my life (double digit deaths and three breakups).

It's basically the only game on my backlog I've started and never finished as a result.

 

[TGR Onix]

Persona 3 FES. Man, the depth of my depression around that time... It doesn't help that the main menu theme reminds me of one night in particular where I spent hours glued to my tv, trying my hardest to forget the world... despite that, it's a beautiful piece.

 

[the_wart]

I was playing Fire Emblem: Three Houses to distract myself from the anxiety attacks I was having while trying to finish my thesis. Now every time I think about playing it I get knots in my stomach. Same with drinking coffee actually.

 

[_zoipi]

Can't play ever Child of Light because it will remind me a guy i hate to a violent level.

 

[Rhaknar]

I only have games that I play while depressed (or at least more than usual), not really ones I cant play.

and those are, if youre curious, either mmos or diablo style games. Aka games I can completely tune out and just "level up" I guess.

 

[LuigiMario]

Same here. Can't focus on having fun when I won't allow myself to have fun.

Click to shrink...

Same, god I wish I could play games when I was depressed. Anything to make time go by faster.

 

[TacomaSCDisaster]

I was in a bad head space while playing God of War 2018 most recently. Don't know if I can go back to it because of that. It's a damn shame. Game is great, but it's permanently tied to some bad stuff for me.

 

[Deleted member 5621]

Not what you're talking about but I've been putting off finishing a couple of games this year because I want to be in a good mood to appreciate them (specially since previous play sessions were magical), don't want to sully them with my anxiousness or self doubt.

 

[Mendrox]

no only good memories. I can separate bad things happening and playing a game without having to remember past bad shit.

 

[Deleted member 543]

I don't think I have anything like this. I remember being affected by Skyrim at one point because I played it after breaking up with someone who tried to kill themselves (the depiction of violent death struck home) but it hasn't really tainted my enjoyment of the game, nor become intrinsically linked with it.

 

[Horror]

Wife and I divorced, and it was hard going back to Smash, Mario Kart, and all the fun co-op games we used to play together on the Wii U and Switch.

We used to host gaming parties together but these days it's all over, especially with those guests who're in a relationship. I've tried to bring them all back but the energy in my home isn't the same now that she's gone and I've been pretty much playing by myself since. When you're older, it's easier to have gaming nights when you're in a relationship; otherwise, you're just that creepy lonely guy trying to lure people in with Pokemon lol

 

[TreIII]

If it counts, I've been putting off starting my playthrough of Spider-Man PS4 for over a year, now. Largely because it was a game that I was talking to my Dad about a lot in the last year or so leading up to its release...and then he got taken out by cancer, last year.

Eventually, I'll get around to it, but the thought of the game, much like certain other media like Into the Spider-verse will always carry a bit of sadness with it for me, because he was the reason I got into Spider-man so much in the first place.

 

[ConfusedOwl]

I suffer from mental health issues and have been going through a bad phase for the past little while so I can understand how that feels but I can't say I've ever been stopped from enjoying a game because I played it during a particularly bad time. On the contrary I tend to go back and replay my favourites during these times because they give me comfort more than anything because gaming is the only thing I can do to escape those feelings temporarily. I probably use games as a crutch to an unhealthy degree though.

 

[Aztorian]

Same, god I wish I could play games when I was depressed. Anything to make time go by faster.

Click to shrink...

Worst part is that sometimes I get hyped up alot for some game only to get depressed just for release. I end up buying it because I was looking forward to it. Play for 10 minutes, turn off, never touch again. Must have atleast 5 games laying around that I can't play because of this. The Witcher 3 being one of those.

 

[LuigiMario]

Worst part is that sometimes I get hyped up alot for some game only to get depressed just for release. I end up buying it because I was looking forward to it. Play for 10 minutes, turn off, never touch again. Must have atleast 5 games laying around that I can't play because of this. The Witcher 3 being one of those.

Click to shrink...

I used to do this a lot. I sadly can't really use games as a means of breaking a depressive/anxiety episode like I used to. My brain won't let me.

 

[Evan8192]

I named the cat in Stardew Valley after my real life cat who passed away unexpectedly, so at the very least I'd have to start a new game. As it is, whenever I think about playing it I'm reminded that "my" cat is in the game and makes me not want to play.

 

[Komali]

Assassins Creed 2
Reminds me of my time in Italy and it was beautiful, but if I ever play that game again I instantly get sad because I miss these times so much.

 

[Xeontech]

FF7

Can't talk about why, or I'll probably go into fits.

I've tried and failed replaying so many times it's become obsessive. But I'm hoping the remake changes that. Though I expect it may just make it worse. Gah.

 

[Deleted member 56580]

FF XIV

same thing than op

 

[Wrestleman]

Doubt I'll ever play Spyro Reignited. Bought it day one and couldn't do it. It was the first thing me and my ex ever played together, some of the happiest parts of my life. We're still friendly, and all has been mostly forgiven, but shortly after we broke up, Reignited was the first thing she played through with her new dude. Can't break the association in my head. Felt like I was replaced with "newer better" stuff. Doesn't help that he's a scumbag and she can't break free of his manipulations now. So it's a whole other can of worms.

 

[T8SC]

Any game that makes me think "WTF, that was X years ago? I'm so old"

For example, AoE2 just had its 20 year anniversary.

Although, it doesn't stop me playing them, they're just games.