For serious depression (which I have had) video games were only a distraction. Perhaps it was good to have that distraction, maybe it made things worse. I don't know. But for clinical depression, I would insist upon seeking help, not self-medicating in ANY way, including video games. They won't help you get over it.
For just "feeling down" which happens to everybody, games don't really help me with that. Taking on a creative project and seeing it through to completion is what helps me with that the most.
Games do offer some stress relief and entertainment. Some games also allow me to exercise my creativity (and I prefer those games which allow it), but not to the same degree that other creative pursuits, like music, do for me. I find that games provide only fleeting relief from negative feelings. Music is my feel-good activity, composing a song makes me feel better than anything else can.
Everybody is different, of course. The important thing is to find that which makes you happy, find the activities that alleviate those negative emotions that strike us all from time to time.
And, I can't stress enough, learn the symptoms of depression. You may be surprised what you learn about it. Everybody should be able to identify problems like depression in both themselves and in others.
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