When you think of a cozy game, there are a few ingredients that you immediately think of. Is it a farming simulator with romance options and home customization? Squidward would say “bold today, aren’t we?” Of course, once you dig through the farming sims of the month, you’ll find that the genre can get pretty creative with the term cozy.
Overall, cozy games give you a sense of relief. It can be a getaway with friendly characters, low stakes, or exploring hobbies that you’ve always wanted to partake in. In some cases, you can even play with multiple people. So, which games break the mold?
Cozy games always go extra when it comes to an artistic vision. Nothing needs to be realistic, it just needs to be creative. The Plucky Squire is2Dand 3D at the same time, with storybook characters that leave the pages of their books and explore the larger world around them.
Characters leap off the page and enter the art of coffee cups, crafts, and other books in the room. This provides unique perspectives that take advantage of each distinct layout. It’s an action-adventure game that isn’t afraid to get experimental with its presentation.
The internet is filled with ads for fake mobile games that have interesting-looking gameplay loops. Donut County has a similar, but real, premise where you throw objects into a hole to make it bigger. The larger the hole gets, the bigger the objects you can cause to fall in.
It’s a cozy story about a raccoon that takes his hijinks just a little too far as he recounts the events of the day. You’re all underground now, so might as well hear how the story unfolds. Sometimes that’s all you need to feel cozy. Not camping, but a silly story that eventually resolves itself.
Journey is a cozy game with some scary moments thrown in the mix. It seems like two elements that shouldn’t go together, but it works. You control the Traveler as they walk through the desert and remnants of a lost civilization.
The serene music and atmosphere keep the game cozy, while enemies like the Guardians can create some pretty suspenseful moments. With simple controls and a linear sense of progress, you can finish this game in a single sitting.
Many cozy games try to make you feel safe and in your comfort zone. This can sometimes lead to there being too much fluff that it gets repetitive. Katamari achieves cozy game status bybeing silly. After all, you’re rolling up the entire planet into a ball.
Everything just sticks when you start pushing the ball. Dogs, cats, furniture, and anything that isn’t nailed to the ground will become part of the heap. Eventually, you’ll be able to roll up entire cities and watch skyscrapers join the ball.
Some cozy games have a surprising amount of grind to keep players coming back each day. A Short Hike is the type of cozy game you can finish in one sitting. However, it encourages you to take your time as you work your way up to the summit.
Life is already fast-paced. This game lets you slow things down a bit as you discover hidden secrets, fish, glide, and talk to other characters. The path you take is yours to choose and can affect your encounters. So sit back, take your time, and listen to the serene background music.
Lil Gator Game does a few things differently from other cozy games. For starters, it’s a 3D platforming adventure across an island. What truly gives this a unique twist is that it taps into your inner child through imagination and play.
You take the role of a small gator with a massive imagination. Where you see cardboard, the lil gator sees enemies that you can fight with your wooden sword. Surfing, gliding, and talking to the community make you wish this was your childhood.
Cozy games often try to keep the chaos levels at a minimum. However, Untitled Goose Game is all about chaos and wreaking havoc across town. No one is going to die here. It’s just good fun for a goose as you steal lunches, snag keys, and honk at the people.
With a list of objects to collect and interactions you need to set off, you’re always ready to cause trouble. It takes the true nature of Geese and runs with it in a silly little experience that can be played witha co-op buddy.
If you haven’t played Deltarune by now, then you should probably get on it. What makes Deltarune unique is that it achieves cozy status through its characters. Getting to know them and their relationships with one another is often more satisfying than simply killing them all.
Deltarune gives you the chance to play nice or go down some dark paths. However, the choice of how you want to play it is up to you. This is one cozy game that can be serious, silly, and wholesome at the same time.
Gris keeps things simple with an easy control scheme to learn and no real way to die in-game. This platform-adventure game utilizes whimsical sound effects, music, and vibrant colors to immerse you in Gris’s journey to get her singing voice back.
Gris touches on themes of loss and grief, yet it doesn’t take away from how cozy the game is. It’s the type of experience you want to play late at night with your headphones on so you can admire how the set pieces and music work together to deliver something truly unique.
Cozy games have a tendency to show you what the world would be like if it were just a bit nicer. Being a barista is a pretty difficult job, but Coffee Talk makes the experience feel cozy. Skip the crowds and focus on getting to know the characters that stop by.
Make the perfect cup of coffee and hear what your customers have to say. What’s going on in their lives? What worries them? Perhaps a warm and cozy drink might help them with their troubles.
