I think VR stuff is the best for relaxation - stuff like Chroma Lab, Nature Treks VR or theBLU.

Polynomial 2 can be played both with screen and VR ... plenty of eyecandy here!

I have never tried the original screen-based Superhot, but the VR conversion is truly empowering.

But if we're talking pure, screen-based games, I think good ol' Minecraft is king! I really like going around in my own gigantic world, and explore, craft and build in my own pace.

I think any good point & click adventure would be a good idea. You don't have to hurry, you don't have to have good reflexes and you can't lose, only get stuck for some time while you figure out the answer at your own pace. Try Day of the Tentacle, The Secret of Monkey, Chains of Satinav, Deponia or Toonstruck.

Card City Nights is fun too. Good mechanics and a laid-back, cozy storyline.

No Man's Sky has this effect on me (avoid survival mode though).

Also games like Train Fever (which has no competition) can do it for me.

Sooo true.
I think i must have played the first part of the game at least 10 times just for the "relaxing/depressive" scenery.
This game is so underrated.

I will also say Firewatch.
It's just... unique.
it's Firewatch.
If you're looking for a relaxing and chilling game, there are none better than Firewatch.
Firewatch, remember.

.... Heard about Firewatch ?

The Witness, if you stop to enjoy the surroundings instead of mad-rushing the puzzles.

Gorogoa is short, but extremely relaxing.

Subnautica relaxing? The Mesmer says hi.

For me, two of the most relaxing games I have are Spintires and Spintires: Mudrunner.

It's just you and big Russian diesel trucks or small jeeps and pickup trucks. No time pressure, no competition, nobody trying to kill you, just you and your trucks against Siberia in the summer. Take all the time you need to figure out what to do or don't and drive as fast as you can, plunging recklessly into the mud. If you play on casual mode like me, then if you really get stuck or break your truck, just rescue it back to the garage for full repairs and 200 liters of fuel. Or don't. Leave it in the wilderness and drive another truck. Your choice, no pressure. Lots of nice scenery to look at (day/night effects). Go be a Russian truck driver for a day. You won't regret it.

You might even call it pretensions to a degree, but Proteus is a fine interactive experience for relaxing.

This isn't a game, but Dazzle is a fine relaxation application.

I'd also like to suggest FEZ, as there are no foes, time limits, or even consequences for failure.

Factorio, and SimCity 2000 both have modes where you can place and build things freely like a true sandbox.

SimplePlanes is a consequence free flight sim.

Relaxing....

140
Thomas was alone
Unmechanical
Braid
Most Point & Click games
Retro/Grade
Uplink
Long live the queen
Beat Buddy
Pixeljunk shooters (mostly)
Fract OSC
Pixel Piracy
Reccettear
sokobond
to the moon
Beginner's guide
The bridge
monument valley
doodle god/devil
Tombraider Go
Hexcells
Human Resource Machine
Solar 2
Tentacle wars
Type:Rider


NOT relaxing:
Super Hexagon
Symphony
The Cat Lady
Race the sun
most action/adventure/horror games

This looks totally up my alley... Is there a DRM-free version available somewhere? The official homepage only points to Steam :-/

No, unfortunately the only place to currently get it is from the place with hot water vapor. There is a wishlist entry for it here, though. It was so up my alley and the type of game that I love that I didn't feel like waiting years for it to come to GOG, so I threw gaben some money and picked up Spintires on sale and then got Mudrunner on preorder sale plus another discount for already owning the original Spintires, so the overall money I spent wasn't too bad. And I don't regret the time and money I spent on it at all. I have 100 hours in-game between the two. Worth every single penny.

Too bad then... I'm not getting Steam for this, however interesting it looks.

Understandable. Press GOG to bring it here, if you can. Let me just say that IF it DID come here, I'd buy a copy of both games here in addition to the money I've already spent just because I like them so much.