Lately I've had so many things to manage in life that I am in want of some casual game that will help me relax. This is sort of a departure because usually I'm all about realistic in-depth and retrogames which tend to be pretty aggravating. I am thinking maybe a sandbox game of some kind where I can just set it up and let it run and watch it while sipping a beer or something, and I don't have to intervene or die in the game.

What about The Sims 3? That's kind of a classic isn't it?

I actually had really been enjoying Banished, but you do have to pay attention to what you're doing there or things can get stressful and your population can die.

I do have Sim City 4 Deluxe on this laptop but as I recall you have to manage revenues, water mains, power grids, and stuff, so it's slightly intense and you can't just relax and let it go.

I've been told that Euro Truck Simulator 2 is quite relaxing. You have to intervene, but you should be able to sip your beer while you drive.

Sim City - Cities of Tomorrow MAYBE.
It's technically a pretty bad game, but i still found myself enjoying it.
It takes most of the micromanagement away from you.
Utilitis(electricity, water, sewage) is built into the roads.

If you want the technically in all points simply better game that somehow still wasn't as enjoyable to me:
Take a look at Cities Skylines

Why a real time game?
Play something round based maybe?
Doesn't get more casual than something that will stand completely still without your input right?
I recommend the old crack heroin of Civ5 with the addons.

There is also a remake of Settlers 2. No, not the 20 years later version, the OLD Settlers 2 in a new engine!
http://www.siedler25.org/index.php?lang=en

Thanks all!

Heh, I think a lot of truckers do that in real life. One time in the US I saw a wrecked truck on a roadside. Obviously some time had passed since the wreck. Inside the cab was a whole bunch of faded Budweiser cans.

For entertaining truck collisions, there's always Truck Dismount.

Your suggestion of not having to intervene made me think of Progress Quest.

I hear you, though. Tactical games are getting stressful/boring for me because there is one correct way to do them, and experimenting to find clever ways to do things just gets you slapped down. I'd suggest a game with other people because doing something stupidly unpredictable can sometimes work (or at least fail in an entertaining way), but there are people who will ruin it by taking the game too seriously.

I guess Puzzle Quest was mostly relaxing for me. Moderately challenging (until the end where the challenge ramped up suddenly), and I think very few parts were time-sensitive.

Thanks!

Kerbal Space Program + Mechjeb means for my mid- and late-game, I spend a lot of time off eating sandwiches or watching movies while my super-efficient, super-low-thrust rockets make long burns. Plus a lot of time watching ships on their courses. Pair it up with Kerbal Alarm Clock and you won't miss those critical windows either.

I've heard lots of raves about that game. Thanks!

Kerbal is nice for a while, but it doesn't take long before everything new requires you to learn difficult new skills. Or just strap a few more solid-fuel rockets to it.

Useful suggestions: Thirty Flights of Loving was pretty cool, but short. I play Caves of Qud or Dwarf Fortress for laughing at my failures, which is pretty close to relaxation. Puzzle Quest is fairly relaxing for the first 75%, except for a few speed puzzles that are optional.

ARK: Survival Evolved is supposed to be a pretty good sandbox.

However if you want it casual you will need to go on a private server as the main ones are PVP mad, but a lot of folk set up there own so they can explore and chill at their leisure.

Plus you have to love a game where you can do THIS

I second Cities: Skylines. It's very relaxing.