Latest news with #cozygames
CNET
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
These Relaxing Games Are Like a Warm Blanket for Your Brain
Sometimes, the best way to deal with a stressful world is to take a step back, and the right game can offer exactly that. Between rising costs, relentless news cycles, and nonstop digital noise, it's easy to feel burned out. But cozy games give you permission to slow down, breathe, and reset. And no, self-care doesn't have to mean meditation or scented candles-sometimes it just means curling up with a game that makes you feel good. Whether you're nurturing crops on a peaceful farm, solving gentle puzzles, decorating a virtual home, or exploring a low-stakes fantasy world, these relaxing games are the perfect way to unplug without tuning out completely. They're accessible, often affordable, and ideal for casual gamers or anyone needing a mental health break. You can find a bunch of these on the best game subscription services, and some you might have to hunt down, but they're all worth it. Bonus: Many are available on Switch, PC, mobile or even Game Pass, so they're easy to fit into your routine. If you're searching for stress relief, escapism, or just a reason to smile, these cozy games are worth the download. Humble Games Unpacking In Unpacking, moving day becomes a living puzzle that you can work on throughout the course of the life of the game's main character. You'll follow their life across decades, not through dialogue or cutscenes, but by unpacking their belongings box by box. From childhood bedrooms to college dorms to shared apartments, each space tells a story as you decide where every sock, photo, and coffee mug should live. Unpacking each item and figuring out where it should go gives you the satisfaction of tidying up as well as dollops of excellent storytelling. There's no time limit, no score, and no pressure. Whether you're matching towels in the bathroom or figuring out which shelf holds the most emotional weight, it's a meditative experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and find comfort in the little things. See at Witch Beam Games Concerned Ape Stardew Valley In what may be one of the coziest games of all time, you inherit a rundown farm and help it thrive, Harvest Moon style. This colorful farming sim lets you escape city life to cultivate crops, raise animals and even start a family. Between mining in monster-filled caves, participating in local festivals and building relationships with the townsfolk, there's always something to keep you busy. The best part of Stardew Valley is the fact that you don't have to participate in every single aspect of the game if you don't want to. There's plenty of fun to be had in the simple joy of harvesting your crops, making some quick cash and doing it all over again the next day. Plus, you can play with friends in the game's multiplayer mode. Available platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux See at Stardew Valley Thunder Lotus Games Spiritfarer A heartfelt adventure about ferrying lost souls to the afterlife may not seem like a relaxing escape, but wait until you play it. As Stella, the new Spiritfarer, you'll befriend unique characters, help them fulfill their last wishes, and help them say their final goodbyes while building and managing your own boat. The beautiful, hand-drawn visuals and gentle pacing create a comforting atmosphere that's easy to get lost in, and it'll put a smile on your face even as it explores heavy themes like love and loss. Equal parts management sim and emotional adventure, Spiritfarer is a beautiful take on saying goodbye that still manages to inspire hope while keeping you entertained. Available platforms: Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux See at Thunder Lotus Games Electronic Arts Dragon Age: The Veilguard The first new Dragon Age game in a decade whisks players back to Thedas, where the lines between reality and the Fade have dangerously blurred. As part of the Veilguard, you'll create a your character, choose a faction and explore beautiful landscapes teeming with secrets with plenty of enemies to fell. Branching dialogue, companions to romance and all the Dragon Age lore you can handle make this one adventure that'll stick in your mind long after the credits roll. The choices you'll be forced to make won't always be easy, nor will the path to finding disillusioned mage-turned-villain Solas. But they'll always be engaging, and this fantasy world is one that'll have you eager to step into each play session. Available platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Windows See at Electronic Arts Larian Studios Baldur's Gate 3 In this grand traditional roleplaying adventure, every decision shapes your journey and changes the world you're exploring. And it's a colorfully weird and bizarre one at that, populated by mind-flayers, monsters and irresistible elfin vampires who may or may not kill you. Using turn-based combat inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, you'll power through challenging battles, take on complex puzzles and form unlikely alliances. But there's still plenty of fun to be had, too. You'll never feel closer to a cast of characters as you will in this installment of the long-running Baldur's Gate series, which consistently feels as alive as the very world you live in. Available platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Windows, Mac See at Larian Studios Secret Mode A Little to the Left Love tidying up? Love staying at home and getting cozy with a coffee and a blanket on the sofa? You've found your next perfect game. A Little to the Left is a charming puzzler that satisfies the soul with simple yet challenging organizing tasks like straightening and placing picture frames (hence the name). From sorting pencils to lining up cat food cans, each puzzle assigns a bit of order to a chaotic world. But beware of the cat, who can always mess up a "purrfect" placement when you least expect it. Perfect for fans of soothing gameplay, it's a fun reminder to take a step back and breathe. Available platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Windows, Mac See at Max Inferno Nintendo Super Mario Odyssey In this sprawling open-world Mario game, our favorite plumber sets off on a globe-trotting adventure like never before. The fun goes global as he hunts for Princess Peach, stolen away by Bowser to marry. Like most Mario games before it, Super Mario Odyssey is a lighthearted platformer with its own fun twist. With his new companion Cappy, Mario can "become" enemies and objects like light bulbs, animals and more as you explore tons of new kingdoms and secret areas. From cityscapes (with amazing music) to desert dunes, each kingdom is packed full of memorable Mario moments that'll have you coming back for more. And you'll have plenty of time to explore every nook and cranny. Available platforms: Nintendo Switch See at Nintendo Sony Interactive Entertainment Astro Bot Astro Bot may be one of the cheeriest games to ever land on PlaySation. Take on the role of this happy little robot as you explore worlds based on various elements teeming with references to other PlayStation games, hardware and pop culture from yesteryear. Leap, dodge and explore vibrant 3D worlds that feel like they were ripped straight from a new Mario platformer. Then rescue your favorite PlayStation characters, from Kratos to PaRappa the Rapper, and watch them interact in a massive hub where all your collections and new friends can hang out. It's pure, unadulterated bliss (and a great reason to invest in a PS5 if you haven't already). Available platforms: PlayStation 5 See at Playstation The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild This beloved Switch game flips traditional Zelda gameplay on its head, serving up an open-world experience that's as vast as it is beautiful. Explore the ruins of a doomed Hyrule as you work to uncover the secret behind slaying its newest foe. Threats lurk everywhere as you climb, cook and fight your way through shrines and dungeons with towering enemies. There's a bittersweet yet heartfelt story at the center of it all, but the real joy lies in exploring every single area you can to unearth delightful secrets and take in the serenity of vast landscapes. And when you're finished, there's always its equally fantastic sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, to take in. Available platforms: Nintendo Switch See at Nintendo HoYoverse Genshin Impact This free-to-play open world adventure takes you to Teyvat, where you can take part in a massive RPG experience like no other from your favorite console, PC or your phone. With a cast of unique characters, each with their own abilities, you can find your favorite cast and swap between them. Want a different character to play with? The game's fairly generous gacha system helps you unlock additional heroes to get through the game in the way you want -- and if you like what you see, there are other games from HoYoVerse if you want to try them, like Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero. Available platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Windows, iOS, Android See at Genshin Impact Hello Games No Man's Sky Want to blast off into space? This expansive exploration game gives you a universe-sized sandbox that lets you travel to countless planets, each with their own unique ecosystems, alien creatures and loot. Name new, uncharted worlds, trade with distant civilizations or build a home base wherever you like. You have seemingly endless upgrades, plenty of familiar survival mechanics and multiplayer mode to play with, which makes No Man's Sky a unique experience that's only grown larger with every update. Space is waiting -- all you need to do is jump in your ship. Available platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Mac See at No Man's Sky
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"My savings had run out": In a few months, a Sonic 3 animator made an N64-style game based on an iconic Animal Crossing mechanic and chucked it onto Steam because "I needed to pay rent," and it worked
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A few months ago, a cute little game called Merchant 64 was released on Steam to modest acclaim and success. Its developer, Brent Lattery, who goes by SuitNtie online, bashed it together in just "three to four months," he tells GamesRadar+, and it was released in large part because he "needed to pay rent." Lattery has a background in visual effects and animations – a skill set that previously landed him a role on the end credits animation for the Sonic 3 movie – and had worked on mobile games before. He'd also made his own Game Boy game, though it didn't end up selling very much. With Merchant 64, he says he wanted to tap into the nostalgic feel of inspirations like Harvest Moon, as well as a very specific corner of gaming: cozy gamers. It's not that cozy gamers will play anything, but Lattery reckons "cozy games have a very forgiving and wonderful fan base. Your cozy game doesn't have to be super good as long as it looks nice and the vibes are there." "I keep joking with my brother that I'm like, I can make the game look good, but I haven't been able to make it truly fun yet," he says. "So that's my ultimate goal, to make a fun game and then make it look good after that." Lattery says he's still learning some game design fundamentals as well as finer details like UI, and is the first to say "people offer a lot of grace" to Merchant 64. "I, personally, the person who made it, would review it pretty low in terms of fun and gameplay. It's really cute, it's quaint, it invokes good energy and stuff, but there's not too much going on there. It's very simple." "Merchant 64 is basically the turnip trading mechanic from Animal Crossing, and that's, like, the whole game," he adds, championing the type of short and condensed games he wants to make. "And that's totally fine." Merchant 64 is $6.99 at full price, with Lattery trying to balance a reasonable base price with the knowledge that "people pretty much only buy Steam games while they're on sale." (If it "was $30, like, get out of here, don't do that" he jokes.) It's a few hours long, it nails the Nintendo 64 aesthetic, and its 'make number go up' hook is enough to fill out the experience. It isn't one of the best simulator games ever made, but it doesn't have to be. Part of development here was balancing personal tastes with what sells, particularly what sells on Steam. Lattery's process, and recommendation, is straightforward: "Maybe you want to look at what sells, but then look at, what would you do in that area?" The art style of Merchant 64 gave it a cozy Harvest Moon vibe, he says, even when he wasn't strictly looking to make a cozy game, and he says he enjoyed the development process. "Don't just do it cynically," he says. "Oh, you know, Steam Charts says these games sell well, like a deck building game, or visual novels still do pretty well for their tiny little review counts. It's like, how would you do a visual novel? What would you put in there and then try to have fun with?" Lattery released Merchant 64 when he did, he says, because "I needed to pay rent, like my savings had run out. And I'm like, yeah, hopefully this makes me money, so I have to release it now." It worked. Mostly. At first, Merchant 64 got off to a slower start than Lattery might have hoped with around $2,000 in sales in the first few days, but he showed in a video that it grossed over $4,000 within a week. Lattery says it's continued ticking along during sale or bundle opportunities, earning more than expected in the long run. "But it slowly kept rolling in, and it made it past the mark that I wanted it to, just a little bit more over time. So in that sense, I was very pleased. In hindsight now, I'm looking and I'm like, that's great. I'm very happy with it." The dream of many game devs is to make enough money from each game to fund the next game, and Lattery says he's working toward the dream of having a few small games cruising the Steam superhighway to fund sustainable full-time development. For the time being, he's back to a full-time dev job elsewhere, but he's still got ideas for his own projects. His story provides a fascinating look under the hood of Steam and shows one of the many ways that game development plays out. "I think a lot of people have aspirations to make a big Stardew Valley or something," he says. "But that's definitely not it. If I was getting the exact same amount of attention that I am now, where it's like, just little stuff and cool people like yourself will maybe reach out, that's totally fine if the games are still generating money for me to keep doing them. I don't really want to grow into a studio. Some people want to make an indie studio, hire a couple of people, something like that. I wouldn't really want that. I have a couple of dream projects. "I know I made a little cozy game, but I love action games. I grew up on God of War for PS2, Kingdom Hearts, and I recently played through the Devil May Cry games. So I would like something like that, for sure. That's kind of that background, something I can work towards." "Anything related to Silksong releasing would be the doom of the project," lead on gorgeous Hollow Knight fan game once worried, but after 2 years of work it looks like it will launch this year.
Geek Girl Authority
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
STARSAND ISLAND Is Primed to Redefine Romance in the Life Sim Genre
Starsand Island has quickly become one of the most anticipated cozy games of the year. Following the release of its latest trailer this week, hopeful players are especially excited about the game's clean, anime-style graphics, adorable animals and, of course, romance. While dating is always a topic of interest going into any farming and life sim, what makes Starsand Island so special is how it breaks genre traditions with a more realistic approach. I was skeptical at first, since titles like last year's SunnySide kind of dropped the ball in a similar attempt. But Seed Lab's developing life sim could take genre romance in a new direction. A More Realistic Affection System Seed Lab When it comes to the farming and life sim genres, your decisions have always affected how your relationships with dateable NPCs play out. Some titles, like Harvest Moon and Fields of Mistria , lock you into a will-they-won't-they narrative until your relationship is strong enough to decide whether you'll remain friends or pursue a romantic partnership, but dating in Starsand Island seems to work a little differently. RELATED: July's Most Anticipated Video Games Developer and publisher Seed Lab says the game's NPCs aren't just 'flat characters' or 'cold quest tools.' Rather, they're fleshed-out personalities with their own memories, emotions and aspirations. In taking this approach, helping out with personal goals and appreciating the little things in life foster your bonds and encourage NPCs to evolve. As you get to know them, they also get to know you . This way, every interaction is an opportunity to take a step forward — or back. Taking the Next Step Seed Lab Starsand Island 's romance system relies on a more realistic rule of progression than others. In Seed Lab's latest reveal trailer, we got a closer look at the character profile for an islander named Pastelle. And while in-game text is still in need of a bit more polish, relationship milestones are already clear-cut. When you're just getting to know the island's singles, you can start off by gifting them items they might like. This is standard practice in the genre, and most will find this custom familiar. But once you reach two hearts, you can then go on an outing together. Your relationship continues to move forward in this way, with room visits unlocked next, then requests and, finally, cohabitation. That's not all that makes the developing title a standout ahead of launch, though. RELATED: Mobile Game Monday: Lost in Play Voice Acting Brings Starsand Island's Dating Scene to Life Seed Lab Voice acting for NPCs and the player may not be entirely unheard of in the farming and life sim genres. But–at least for me — there isn't a title that immediately comes to mind. In most cases, you carry on conversations in silence, save for a change in music. Starsand Island breaks tradition and stands out here. In the affection system trailer released by Seed Lab this week, we heard a good bit of spoken dialogue from the masculine base farmer and Pastelle. Lines were delivered between scenes of all the activities you can share with the island's most eligible. This includes watching TV, taking a seat on a backyard swing together, riding your bikes through town, bathing in hot springs — and more that's yet to be revealed. That said, it looks like these lively conversations may be limited to cutscenes. Traditional dialogue (with options) is still very much a thing here. And judging by the clips we saw in the new trailer, there's plenty of room to flirt, offer advice and lighten the mood with humor as you grow closer with the folks around Starsand Island. Starsand Island will release in late 2025 on PC (Steam). 15 Co-Op Game Announcements From June 2025 Olivia Rolls (she/her) is a weekly contributor at GGA, specializing in cozy games, anime and all things horror. Her byline has appeared at publications like The Mary Sue, The Escapist, GameSkinny and more. When she's not writing deep dives on her favorite games, shows, movies or characters, she's probably yapping about the latest pop culture trends or catching up on another Pokémon playthrough. E-mail professional inquiries to [email protected]. You can also find Olivia on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
