In praise of games that ask nothing of you

Not every game needs a leaderboard or a daily streak. Some of my favorite hours on mobile lately have been in games with no pressure at all, like Lantern and Thorn, a wordless forest adventure I couldn't stop thinking about.

There's a whole category of quiet games that trade challenge for atmosphere. No fail state, no timers, just exploration and mood. On a phone, where you're often playing to unwind, that's a genuine strength rather than a weakness.

I think we undervalue these because they're hard to score. A quiet adventure doesn't have the obvious hooks of a competitive game, but the way it makes you feel lingers longer.

My advice: keep one calm game installed at all times. When the day has been loud, it's the best thing you can open.