Yes, Simulation Games Are Amazing

Since astronauts began using them to prepare for exploring the unknown, simulation games have been compelling to the human psyche. They allowed us to ask, "What if?" without getting ourselves killed. Now, simulation games are helping humanity ask completely different kinds of questions: a new slew of modern simulation games— most recently, the delightful Catlateral Damage— focus their gameplay around incredibly mundane subjects. Asking, "Would I enjoy being a garbage man?" and, "What's it like to control subway trains?" these games probe queries that have plagued humanity since the dawn of time: "What's it like to be a goat?"

Unfortunately, not everybody's comfortable doggie-paddling in this kind of depth: The Guardian gave the viral game 'Goat Simulator' a measly one star. Minecraft creator, Notch, created a parody game called Cliffhorse, criticizing the phenomenon. But, while quirky, the sim craze is actually amazing for video gaming.

The difference between a quirky sim and a game like, say, Watch_Dogs, is all in the player's brain state. You're not really saving anybody, not bringing anybody to justice, not doing much more than subsisting within the 3D pixels, but this shift in focus, instead of glorifying violence, rewards perseverance. While the jury's still out on whether violent games make people more violent in real life, there's no doubt that Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and even Super Smash Bros, glorify a good fight. Manipulating simulations of complex societal units, heavy machinery, and even day-to-day survival, on the other hand, present the gaming escapist with open-ended problems that mostly have wrong answers. Now, what does that sound like?

Sure, some of their gameplay mechanics are a bit rough around the edges. Endless YouTube commenters delight in pointing that fact out. But these frustrations are nothing compared to waiting in line at the DMV or filing a health insurance claim, making the games even more comparable to the real world. For those of you with a fair share of bureaucratic misery already under your belt, here are five sims that expand the mind (and are also more than worth your time).

Catlateral Damage

The latest iteration of the mundane sim trend lets you get inside the furry head of an adorable, psychopathic cat, intent on destroying everything inside its owner's house. Here, kitty-kitty…

Goat Simulator

In 'the one sim to rule them all,' players control a consistently unlucky goat who may or may not symbolize a soul trapped in Purgatory. Apparently, between Heaven and Hell, there are quite a lot of explosions.

Viscera Cleanup Detail

Ever wonder about the cleanup crew assigned to dispose of the blood, guts, and miscellaneous garbage left behind by players of bloody games like Dead Space? Wonder no more.

Demolition Company Simulator

This sim channels players' instincts to destroy digital structures into a viable and necessary career option. Sim City, eat your heart out.

Octodad

By far one of the silliest games I've ever played, this absurdist octopus simulator remains captivating through hours of intentionally-frustrating gameplay. The chef-related subplot and the nuances of maintaining a secret cephalopodan identity lift the game a full head— and eight extra limbs— above the rest.

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