Animal Crossing has a weird way of intersecting with crisis points in my life, and I can say without hyperbole that it’s helped me survive. It’s a game that puts no pressure on you, a game that’s just so happy to have you playing it. It’s also a game that helps you establish a routine, set up projects, feel productive, and make friends. Said imaginary friends push you to get work done, to pay off your bills, to build something. But they also never judge you when you don’t, or can’t. When you’re depressed, agoraphobic, and generally terrified at the prospect of speaking to another human, it’s nice to have a low stakes space to practice being a person.

It’s also good for when you’re quarantined in your apartment and can’t go outside.