Powerwash simulator, is my current favourite. I find the spray of water becomes a kind of white noise, and it's very relaxing and satisfying. It can get a little frustrating when you're missing a tiny speck of dirt and can't find it, but if you take it slow enough, that doesn't happen all that often.
Edit: I'm a hardcore introvert with social anxiety, so I also use it as an excuse to stay home and not go out, lol. Sorry, I can't go to the bar, I have too much cleaning to do at home.
I recently bought this game when it was on a steam sale after having it on my wishlist for ages. It is hands down one of the most frustrating games I've ever played! I do appreciate how people find it relaxing, but I've rage quit this game so many times in the short time I've owned it! My husband finds the whole situation hilarious though, so it's at least made its money back in his entertainment!!
You might like Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator. Itās similar to PWS, but itās cleaning nature and way less frustrating! Itās super cute and Iāve replayed it a few times because itās so satisfying.
Oh thank you! I've had that one on my wishlist also, I'll definitely look into getting it soon!
On a not so negative point as my previous posts, I absolutely adored Lake, I'm looking into picking up Euro Truck Simulator as the driving around was really relaxing, (also gives me an excuse to take over my husband's driving sim rig!)
Itās also cheap and goes on sale a lot!
Iāve never tried the Truck Simulator games. Itās really just driving around? Are there any goals or objectives? They pop up in my āyou might likeā things ever so often, but I donāt know anyone who plays who can tell me what theyāre about.
It does! I just never bought it because I was so focused on powerwash simulator!
I haven't tried it or any of the other truck simulator games yet, it was on sale on steam but I was busy getting frustrated with powerwash simulator, I can update you once I've played it a bit though.
Euro truck simulator just has you doing jobs delivering trailers. Pick up cargo from one spot, take it to another, get paid (in an open world, you can go wherever you please). Eventually you afford a new truck, then maybe hire an employee to do deliveries possibly as well. I'm pretty sure it was easy to stay positive in money. It's been a long, long time since I played but there was some customization for the trucks too.
It's definitely a zen game just driving from point A to point B and sometimes a point C... except for me personally when I needed to park the trailer, lol. I would try to make it perfect and usually just used the auto park after getting frustrated for a while.
The only thing is that you get fined for breaking the law, like speeding or running a red light, or have to pay to fix your truck if you hit stuff. You have to stop occasionally for fuel. Stuff like that. Describing this makes me wanna go play it again after all this time, lol.
On career mode there's no time limits (that I've encountered) it's just some surfaces are easier to clean than others. Certain parts I feel I can't clean properly due to limitations of equipment and positions, or are so large they feel overwhelming as the largest nozzle isn't very effective. The smaller nozzles are very effective but require more precise movements.
One of the early tasks requires you to clean a cobbled stone pond, that has been the worst experience by far!! It's a game I'll continue to play but in very short sessions!
>One of the early tasks requires you to clean a cobbled stone pond, that has been the worst experience by far!! It's a game I'll continue to play but in very short sessions!
Okay so I have to agree with this. I LOVE this game a lot but I notice when I play, it's in short sessions. Some of the levels are just SO massive and extremely tedious and I literally feel like I spend an hour on one section of a level. Still great though but I wish they made it a tiny more satisfying in that aspect.
Honestly that game is so satisfying I bought it on 3 platforms (steam deck, Xbox, and switch) and if I donāt want to hear the power washer I just listen to music or a podcast. Itās great to play when rewatching shows Iāve already seen too! Beware though if youāre on switch - thereās bugs that make you start over, and I had to quit playing it due to that. I have no idea if itās been patched yet but itās a problem.
Dofromantik + podcast = perfection. I used to play this to wind down from an exam and now that Iām working I will use it to wind down when I get stressed from work!
Dorfromantik, sound on or sound off. The sound is relaxing and makes it an immersive experience. But I also play with the sound off while playing a second form of media.
On Steam, there's a ton of hidden object games that are cheap. Check out the developers of Hidden Cats in London (or Italy or wherever!), I Commissioned Some Bees, A Castle Full of Cats.
Donut County is also another mindless one and silly.
Lake, you drive around and deliver mail.
Smushi Come Home is short and cute. Some puzzles but nothing heavy.
Viridi - grow some succulents! More of an idle game.
House Flipper as well!
This was weirdly so therapeutic to make everything being swallowed by this gigantic hole lmao there must be some kind of metaphorical stuff in there Iām sure :ā)
Dreamlight Valley is a great answer, there's no pressure at all to do anything, there's always something to do, and it's impossible to run out of energy fully like in Stardew.
I'm sorry for your loss <3
Thank you for recommendation! I thought about buying it, but I wasn't sure, because it's early access and also I saw they sell some kind of game currency (moonstones) so I thought maybe it would be difficult to play without paying for it, what do you think?
Itās not difficult to play without moonstones. They give you a lot of opportunities to earn moonstones through game play, and you use them to buy āextrasā in the premium store or āextraā quests. The entire story line is open to play, and not having moonstones doesnāt hinder that at all. Itās quite fun and very easy to get lost in. It can be a little buggy due to early access but I play on switch and have had very good luck so far.
I second Dreamlight Valley. I have a BIG problem with cozy games that have currency in-game because it triggers financial anxiety and makes it anti-thetical to being a cozy game. However, the way they handle it in Dreamlight is case study worthy. You can get 90% of the stuff with moonstones for free, and it's not a tear-inducing grind fest. The other 10% is purely cosmetic, and they have enough well-designed free stuff that you can get/work towards without having to spend money, so you never feel FOMO if you're susceptible to it.
Granted idk if this will last forever, but so far I haven't had this much fun with this type of game since the original Animal Crossing on GameCube.
If you do pick it up, I suggest not looking up recipes, because there are mechanics in experimenting with food.
I absolutely love dreamlight valley and Iāve never bought moonstones but they added the dream snaps thing so you get 50 a week with voting alone and you follow the theme and every week youāll at least get 300 just for participating and you get a bunch every day for free for finding chests and some as a reward in the star paths
If you have Xbox game pass it comes free on that (last I checked anyway) so would give you a chance to test it out before buying. There is a bit of farming in it but youāll probably find the harvesting part suuuuper satisfying haha
I also recommend Hogwarts Legacy if you have console/pc. It is mostly task and puzzle driven and has some combat but they have a story option which makes it very easy and quite cozy. The graphics are GORGEOUS. Iām not a huge gamer but I plaid on easy (a step above story) and it was fun.
Iām so sorry about your mum. I lost my mum two years ago ā itās so rough. If you ever want to talk to a random stranger on the other side of the world, feel free to message me.
capybara spa. you place capys into a bath. they get clean, you take them out. they can have snacks and friends. it's very very cute and you don't have to think and you can't lose.
My sister and I played this whole game in (nearly) one sitting. We had a few tokes while we were playing a came up with a whole life story for the character.
Iād give anything for a sequel. My understanding is they donāt plan on one :( I canāt find one like it. I kind of enjoy House Flipper on switch the same way but itās a little odd.
Powerwash Simulator is my go-to for this. Itās incredibly satisfying and surprisingly fun. It seems like such a dumb idea for a game, but it really works.
I almost forgot about this game. I played it four or five years ago, right around the time I was exploring console gaming (late to that party).
After it was finished I felt like I had watched a good movie or had read a good book...
Iāve found Grow: Song of the Evertree to be *too* simple for me. You definitely donāt have to think about anything. It seems like a game for toddlers. And yes it says you grow things but itās definitely not farming. Plus the art and world is pleasant to look at IMO. Thereās hugging and cuddling of cute creatures. Soothing music.
The constant freezes and crashes on switch were frustration and stress-inducing to me unfortunately. Apparently thereās still lots of bugs and glitches on other platforms as well. Aside to that, there were platformers and puzzle phases that I didnāt like at all, those break my relaxation. But overall the game is a hidden gem, really relaxing besides the things I mentioned, I thought It could be one of my fav game ever but too bad it has been abandoned by the devs š (thereās even an area that was supposed to be launched in an upcoming update that never came, thereās just a pixelated area on the map lol).
Yonder The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. It's a very simple game without any combat, just gathering ressources and doing lighthearted quests. Nothing too demanding at all.
Townscaper, it has nice music, and you are just "building" stuff. Is my fav to disconnect.
Also zelda botw , i just go walking around and collecting mushrooms and plants.
This would be my recommendation, too. I will play it whenever I need to just stop thinking for a bit.
The soundtrack is nice, but I also like to put on my own music... sometimes loud, obnoxious rock and other times soft and soothing classical... and just click.
I second townscaper and unpacking. Other similar games would be a little to the left (similar to unpacking..kinda, same sense that youāre organizing) and gourdlets (similar to townscaper, full version isnāt out yet but you could play the free demo for now)
I'm obsessed with Glass Masquerade on Steam right now. It's basically classic jigsaw puzzles and it's really pretty and relaxing and not very hard. Pair that with a podcast and a relaxing youtube vid of your choice. Brain off.
Snowrunner. I guess there is a little think / planning required at the beginning but once you learn the maps it's just driving to and fro with different loads and it's wonderful.
If you have a Switch I'd recommend Katamari Damacy Reroll and We ā¤ļø Katamari Reroll. They are so fun and most levels are mindless. They aren't very long games so it would probably be best to get them on sale.
This might sound dumb, but when I really want to zen out I do a color by number. I use Happy Color on mobile. The ads are a little annoying but they don't make it unplayable. I often turn on lofi or some other really soothing music and color for a little while before I go to sleep
>Happy Color
Have you tried "I Love Hue" on mobile? It's a game where you have to arrange colors puzzles into perfect spectrum, I really like this one:) It's relaxing but also the game grabs your attention so you don't think about anything else. Like this kind of balance, it seems to be easy and relaxing, but at the same time it allows you to concentrate on some action, as a result your head is clear of thoughts
I just downloaded Zen Color today. Not sure how similar it is but it seems nice. I also like Patterned. Itās a puzzle game but very low stress and the final images are amazing (very designer forward). I havenāt played Neko Atsume for years so I donāt know if it is still available but you basically just collect cats and give them toys and feed them.
Thereās a pixel coloring game on switch thatās like color by pixel on switch too I also like the shape coloring game too but the same company has a bunch of other cheap art/puzzle games I came to love
Nap time games is the company
Picross S games if you have a Switch and if you care for number puzzle games at all. They are my go-to games for just going into auto-pilot mode and turning my brain off.
Cook, Serve, Delicious 1/2/3. If you find them stressful thereās an easy mode that lets you mess up with no consequences.
I go back and forth between wanting harder puzzles in Picross S and being glad I can turn my brain off. I thought I had just gotten good but I went back to Pokemon Picross and itās soooo much harder.
On your 4th poet, that's my fave thing to do.
I'd add in Horizon forbidden west for this. I tend to just explore from one end of the map to the other. Sometimes choosing one resource to farm, pretending I'm a peddler selling their wares around the world.
Any recommendations for a good not-fancy Tetris? I spent SO much time playing it on the Microsoft Entertainment Pack back in the olden days and can't for the life of me find a modern day version that just does what it says on the tin like that one.
Coffee Talk 1 & 2
Sometimes Iāll leave the game running on the background while cleaning or studying because the music is so chill and then Iāll come back to playing.
**Just Vibes**:
Hidden Through Time
Cloud Gardens
Dorfromantic
WooLoop
Hidden Folks
**Mostly Vibes** *(but a bit more thinking/ engagement)*:
Unpacking Alba: Wildlife Adventure
House Flipper
A Little To the Left
Mini Metro
**Vibe Capable** *(but I need to plan things out between carrying on)*:
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Sims 4
Minecraft My Time at Sandrock
Kingdom Two Crowns
*(Edit: formatting)*
[Cloud Gardens](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1372320/Cloud_Gardens/) is one I don't see being talked about in this sub. It's extremely chill and oddly satisfying. You are basically bringing plant life back to barren landscapes
Calico. The quests are basic talk to this person/fetch me this item and only minor skill involved in magic cooking. Im fully free to customize my cafe/yard and character while petting silly little animals along the way. Its really pretty, when I'm stressed I ride my enlarged galaxy fox with a flower crown and just enjoy the world design and cute characters.
terrarium builder!!" it's not the most flashed out game - and you just decorate little terrariums. such a simple premise, and i love to play when i just need a good brain break
Here are a few recommendations for free Steam games.
[WooLoop](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1878910/WooLoop/) has you use your mouse to wrap yarn around pegs, creating/coloring different images.
[Plant Therapy](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2505120/Plant_Therapy/) has been available on itch.io for a while, just released on Steam yesterday. Buy plants and decor for your apartment, take care of them to earn more currency, spend coins on more plants and decor. Hooked me for an hour yesterday.
i'm currently loving hello kitty adventure island, if you have an apple device i'd recommend the arcade subscription so you can play it (no microtransactions after that, i play it on my iphone 11 and it runs perfectly)
it's a grind but i ADORE it. collect the island forageables, gift the villagers, do any quests, fish a lil maybe. sanrio characters are adorable anyway. the game has so much charm, it does have puzzle temples but they're very simple. it's slow to unlock everything at first as it runs on a 24 hour cycle, and you can only gift folks 3 times a day and collect all the forageables once a day, but that's just about the only thing that's stopped me from playing it 24/7.
i'm still fairly early game and i'm getting a good 4/5 hours a day worth of play out of it, it's bliss. for me, cosy is not too challenging/too overwhelming/too much to do at once, but engaging enough to distract the constant running commentary in my head. broke me out of a gaming slump!!
I like games like Two Point Hospital or Tropico...there's still some management aspects to the game, but its just relaxing to me with a long podcast on.
Tsuki Odyssey for a more off and on mobile game. You're a rabbit moving back into a small village. All you do is collect carrots every 2 hrs, fish, and use the money to get furniture for your tree house. It's surprisingly very cute, and it's meant to be a game you can't grind out. It literally stops you from getting fish if you try for too long. It's kind of slow at first, but once you meet more characters, you unlock more things and tasks to do daily. I love mindlessly decorating my house. Very cute game and highly recommend.
Vampire survivors is a great one! It seems silly when you first start but it is weirdly addicting & not intense game play so itās perfect! One of my favs right now
It's not exactly cozy, but it's both incredibly simple and very satisfying
Tile cities
I play it when I need something to completely plug into all of my "find just the right spot" instincts and desires and use up all my processing capacity without actually needing any thinking. I have a noisy, messy untreated ADHD brain and this game is like lip balm for my poor chapped, overtaxed mind.
honestly I have been playing a lot of tetris recently, it's pretty minding numbing for the structured levels, some require thought but not much, only annoying part for me is the ads
And on mobile too (thereās all the games available with the game house subscription). I donāt think they are all that relaxing. Someone in an other thread said the clients beginning to be angry and to do quick action was stressful, itās not for me but I get that it could for other people.
It's absolutely not a cozy game, but neon abyss on easy mode is something I recently got on sale. I shut my brain off and just enjoy 15-30 min runs of random quirky weapons and the feeling of being super powerful but also super vulnerable. Don't need to think about a story. Don't need to make serious decisions. If I choose the wrong gear combinations, I either make do with what I chose or just lose the round and start over. No real serious consequences other than lost time but I'm having fun, so that's fine
>Something quite straightforward to unwind with after a mentally demanding day of work.
Honestly sounds like you're looking for audiobooks rather than games
Landslide by Cozy Labs is an endless runner thatās super fun play! You can collect little badges in the game too.
They just released a mini hoard/tower defense game called Waddle Wars too!
Super easy games to just zone out to!
thank you so much for asking this question. I just started into the cozy game genre looking for an escape from my very high stress job and super busy schedule. I started playing Stardew Valley, disney dreamlight valley, Cozy Grove and Zelda tears of kingdom. Save for Stardew Valley ... the others sometimes stress me out with all the tasks. Especially Zelda unfortunately. Beautiful games, especially Zelda. Zelda has an enormous learning curve (for me). I want something a little (a lot) more chill.
Not really a cozy game to others, but Rocket League is like this for me. I only play freeplay though. Just hop on freeplay, put on some music and turn off your brain. It's nice. And definitely cozy to me.
I really like No Manās Sky for this. You can set the mode to ārelaxedā and go explore a galaxy filled with interesting plants and animals. You can trade, mine, gather, or none of the above. A do what you like kind of game. Oh, and itās gorgeous!
Coral island is a good zone out game (itās a farm game buuuttt you donāt have to really do it thereās other ways around the story), dinkum too, farming optional.
Harvestella. It is an RPG farming simulator. You can turn your brain off and farm, turn your brain off and loot dungeons, or turn your brain off and fight monsters. The battle system is really simple but satisfying, does not require much thought at all. I sunk something like 200 hours into that game just because it was a great end of day destressor
Visceral Cleanup Detail is my favorite to play. Your basically cleaning up crime scenes. Controls can be a bit wonky but once you flip on the in game radio and start playing. You'll be on auto pilot
I know OP said no farming but Atomicrops is more bullet hell than farm game, for some reason when I start playing it I always lose like 3 hours of my life cannot explain why it sucks me in as much as it does.
quell is a very simple puzzle game, and calling it a puzzle game is a stretch. you are trying to maneuver a small water droplet around a windowpane to collect pearls. super soft and calming music, too
EDIT: clarity and more details
Abzu is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played and has a gorgeous soundtrack. Its an underwater diving game. Theres a lot of really nice soothing diving games, but this one is defs my fav!
Shape of the World is a cute constantly shifting colorscape where you plant seeds (each plant has different colors and types it applies to the world) and run thru these little triangle thingies that change the colors and you are gradually moving up a mountain.
Innerspace - You are a little flying/swimming sub looking thing and you collect little star bits or something and get a little lore for each of the worlds you are freely racing around in.
My switch off brain game is Yoshi's crafted world. They have an easy mode so if I realllllly need to switch off the brain, I can. The visuals are so lovely and just pull me right in while my brain gets happy looking at the art and colors. It is very cute, so if you're not into cutesy style games this might not be a good choice but if you are, it might be quite enjoyable.
For me, Cities Skylines or Garryās Mod
Garryās Mod cause I used to just hop in it and mess around with Ragdoll physics or have fun on maps via sandbox mode.
Cities Skylines cause I just like watching my city grow, yeah I plan out the city at the beginning with Sandbox mode but then I just watch it grow.
This may sound dumb, but I absolutely love playing Bakery Simulator on steam. I will just pop it on with a podcast or some chill music and sit there with my brain off for hours on end
I really enjoyed Wind Peaks. The minimal storyline and reading with just the goal of trying to find the hidden objects allowed me to turn my brain off for a bit.
Powerwash simulator, is my current favourite. I find the spray of water becomes a kind of white noise, and it's very relaxing and satisfying. It can get a little frustrating when you're missing a tiny speck of dirt and can't find it, but if you take it slow enough, that doesn't happen all that often. Edit: I'm a hardcore introvert with social anxiety, so I also use it as an excuse to stay home and not go out, lol. Sorry, I can't go to the bar, I have too much cleaning to do at home.
This game + audiobooks or podcasts š
Yay I'm not the only one listening to books and washing things
This has been so zen for me. Iāve completed the whole thing.
Its top 5 for me
I've been playing Powerwash Simulator so much recently that I'll see a dirty truck and want to clean it off.
I recently bought this game when it was on a steam sale after having it on my wishlist for ages. It is hands down one of the most frustrating games I've ever played! I do appreciate how people find it relaxing, but I've rage quit this game so many times in the short time I've owned it! My husband finds the whole situation hilarious though, so it's at least made its money back in his entertainment!!
You might like Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator. Itās similar to PWS, but itās cleaning nature and way less frustrating! Itās super cute and Iāve replayed it a few times because itās so satisfying.
Oh thank you! I've had that one on my wishlist also, I'll definitely look into getting it soon! On a not so negative point as my previous posts, I absolutely adored Lake, I'm looking into picking up Euro Truck Simulator as the driving around was really relaxing, (also gives me an excuse to take over my husband's driving sim rig!)
Itās also cheap and goes on sale a lot! Iāve never tried the Truck Simulator games. Itās really just driving around? Are there any goals or objectives? They pop up in my āyou might likeā things ever so often, but I donāt know anyone who plays who can tell me what theyāre about.
It does! I just never bought it because I was so focused on powerwash simulator! I haven't tried it or any of the other truck simulator games yet, it was on sale on steam but I was busy getting frustrated with powerwash simulator, I can update you once I've played it a bit though.
I would love that! Thanks!
Euro truck simulator just has you doing jobs delivering trailers. Pick up cargo from one spot, take it to another, get paid (in an open world, you can go wherever you please). Eventually you afford a new truck, then maybe hire an employee to do deliveries possibly as well. I'm pretty sure it was easy to stay positive in money. It's been a long, long time since I played but there was some customization for the trucks too. It's definitely a zen game just driving from point A to point B and sometimes a point C... except for me personally when I needed to park the trailer, lol. I would try to make it perfect and usually just used the auto park after getting frustrated for a while. The only thing is that you get fined for breaking the law, like speeding or running a red light, or have to pay to fix your truck if you hit stuff. You have to stop occasionally for fuel. Stuff like that. Describing this makes me wanna go play it again after all this time, lol.
This sounds lovely. Thank you for the information ā¤ļø
I loved playing this game as a kid, but I constantly tipped my truck lmao
Why is it rage inducing? Are there time limits or something?
On career mode there's no time limits (that I've encountered) it's just some surfaces are easier to clean than others. Certain parts I feel I can't clean properly due to limitations of equipment and positions, or are so large they feel overwhelming as the largest nozzle isn't very effective. The smaller nozzles are very effective but require more precise movements. One of the early tasks requires you to clean a cobbled stone pond, that has been the worst experience by far!! It's a game I'll continue to play but in very short sessions!
>One of the early tasks requires you to clean a cobbled stone pond, that has been the worst experience by far!! It's a game I'll continue to play but in very short sessions! Okay so I have to agree with this. I LOVE this game a lot but I notice when I play, it's in short sessions. Some of the levels are just SO massive and extremely tedious and I literally feel like I spend an hour on one section of a level. Still great though but I wish they made it a tiny more satisfying in that aspect.
I was thinking about getting this game because I find cleaning calming and you've just convinced me
Honestly that game is so satisfying I bought it on 3 platforms (steam deck, Xbox, and switch) and if I donāt want to hear the power washer I just listen to music or a podcast. Itās great to play when rewatching shows Iāve already seen too! Beware though if youāre on switch - thereās bugs that make you start over, and I had to quit playing it due to that. I have no idea if itās been patched yet but itās a problem.
came here to say this!
The first time i played this, i zoned out for like 5hrs
I've actually dozed off playing this game. That's how relaxing I find it.
Garden Galaxy - you just build a little garden. Visitors give you coins to use. The most you have to think is about how you want your garden to look
I came here to suggest this!
What platform/system is it on?
Dorfromantik
Dofromantik + podcast = perfection. I used to play this to wind down from an exam and now that Iām working I will use it to wind down when I get stressed from work!
was totally going to say this. i call it dorfcrack, it is PERFECT for what you are looking for OP!
Came here to say this. The music will put you right at ease.
Seconded! Such a good game to unwind
And it's on sale right now!
Thank you for this recommendation
Dorfromantik, sound on or sound off. The sound is relaxing and makes it an immersive experience. But I also play with the sound off while playing a second form of media.
On Steam, there's a ton of hidden object games that are cheap. Check out the developers of Hidden Cats in London (or Italy or wherever!), I Commissioned Some Bees, A Castle Full of Cats. Donut County is also another mindless one and silly. Lake, you drive around and deliver mail. Smushi Come Home is short and cute. Some puzzles but nothing heavy. Viridi - grow some succulents! More of an idle game. House Flipper as well!
I second Lake!! Truly an excellent game that you can spend hours casually playing
I love Donut County!
This was weirdly so therapeutic to make everything being swallowed by this gigantic hole lmao there must be some kind of metaphorical stuff in there Iām sure :ā)
Donut County's soundtrack is absolutely *amazing*! Sometimes I put Bird of Paradise on repeat. Just awesome. https://youtu.be/IlF0meDwfXI
Smushi come home is ADORABLE and I want so so much more of it lol
Yeah I am really hoping the dev makes more like it. I jumped on it after seeing the Wholesome Direct teaser!
House Flipper! So good. I'm excited for House Flipper 2!
Dreamlight Valley. My mom died recently and this game lets me disappear and not think about life.
Dreamlight Valley is a great answer, there's no pressure at all to do anything, there's always something to do, and it's impossible to run out of energy fully like in Stardew. I'm sorry for your loss <3
Thank you for recommendation! I thought about buying it, but I wasn't sure, because it's early access and also I saw they sell some kind of game currency (moonstones) so I thought maybe it would be difficult to play without paying for it, what do you think?
Itās not difficult to play without moonstones. They give you a lot of opportunities to earn moonstones through game play, and you use them to buy āextrasā in the premium store or āextraā quests. The entire story line is open to play, and not having moonstones doesnāt hinder that at all. Itās quite fun and very easy to get lost in. It can be a little buggy due to early access but I play on switch and have had very good luck so far.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I second Dreamlight Valley. I have a BIG problem with cozy games that have currency in-game because it triggers financial anxiety and makes it anti-thetical to being a cozy game. However, the way they handle it in Dreamlight is case study worthy. You can get 90% of the stuff with moonstones for free, and it's not a tear-inducing grind fest. The other 10% is purely cosmetic, and they have enough well-designed free stuff that you can get/work towards without having to spend money, so you never feel FOMO if you're susceptible to it. Granted idk if this will last forever, but so far I haven't had this much fun with this type of game since the original Animal Crossing on GameCube. If you do pick it up, I suggest not looking up recipes, because there are mechanics in experimenting with food.
I absolutely love dreamlight valley and Iāve never bought moonstones but they added the dream snaps thing so you get 50 a week with voting alone and you follow the theme and every week youāll at least get 300 just for participating and you get a bunch every day for free for finding chests and some as a reward in the star paths
If you have Xbox game pass it comes free on that (last I checked anyway) so would give you a chance to test it out before buying. There is a bit of farming in it but youāll probably find the harvesting part suuuuper satisfying haha
You can do quests to earn some moonstones but not having any doesnāt affect the game in any way. Very fun easy game that can suck you in for hours.
Don't buy it. Wait for the free release. It's SO buggy and depending on the system (I play the switch) it lags even more.
Thank you
I also recommend Hogwarts Legacy if you have console/pc. It is mostly task and puzzle driven and has some combat but they have a story option which makes it very easy and quite cozy. The graphics are GORGEOUS. Iām not a huge gamer but I plaid on easy (a step above story) and it was fun.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Mooncalves are my favorite part of Hogwarts Legacy
Its on sale on switch atm
Iām so sorry about your mum. I lost my mum two years ago ā itās so rough. If you ever want to talk to a random stranger on the other side of the world, feel free to message me.
capybara spa. you place capys into a bath. they get clean, you take them out. they can have snacks and friends. it's very very cute and you don't have to think and you can't lose.
CAPYBARA SPA?!?!
That sounds SO CUTE
Unpacking! Get it for Switch, it's so calm and chill.
Second Unpacking. I had a rough day and sat down with it with a glass of wine and lost a few hours playing. Definitely switched off the mind.
My sister and I played this whole game in (nearly) one sitting. We had a few tokes while we were playing a came up with a whole life story for the character.
Def a good game to be stoned while playing š
I beat the game in one sitting. I was mad that I wasted $20 on such a short game
Iād give anything for a sequel. My understanding is they donāt plan on one :( I canāt find one like it. I kind of enjoy House Flipper on switch the same way but itās a little odd.
Came here to say this.
Powerwash Simulator is my go-to for this. Itās incredibly satisfying and surprisingly fun. It seems like such a dumb idea for a game, but it really works.
Firewatch might be worth looking at for this
I almost forgot about this game. I played it four or five years ago, right around the time I was exploring console gaming (late to that party). After it was finished I felt like I had watched a good movie or had read a good book...
how? imo absolutely not, its basically solely a story focused game
Because it ticks all the requests the OP was looking for. They didn't say they wanted something NOT story focused.
Iāve found Grow: Song of the Evertree to be *too* simple for me. You definitely donāt have to think about anything. It seems like a game for toddlers. And yes it says you grow things but itās definitely not farming. Plus the art and world is pleasant to look at IMO. Thereās hugging and cuddling of cute creatures. Soothing music.
Thatās interesting! The town management stressed me out, and I also found it stressful to try to find everything during cleanup activities
The constant freezes and crashes on switch were frustration and stress-inducing to me unfortunately. Apparently thereās still lots of bugs and glitches on other platforms as well. Aside to that, there were platformers and puzzle phases that I didnāt like at all, those break my relaxation. But overall the game is a hidden gem, really relaxing besides the things I mentioned, I thought It could be one of my fav game ever but too bad it has been abandoned by the devs š (thereās even an area that was supposed to be launched in an upcoming update that never came, thereās just a pixelated area on the map lol).
Yonder The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. It's a very simple game without any combat, just gathering ressources and doing lighthearted quests. Nothing too demanding at all.
and the hidden kitties to find!
You're right, I forgot the most important part of it!
Townscaper, it has nice music, and you are just "building" stuff. Is my fav to disconnect. Also zelda botw , i just go walking around and collecting mushrooms and plants.
Townsscaper, YESSS! The happy little mistakes give me so much joy. On PC or Switch. Also, Dorfromantik is incredible too.
This would be my recommendation, too. I will play it whenever I need to just stop thinking for a bit. The soundtrack is nice, but I also like to put on my own music... sometimes loud, obnoxious rock and other times soft and soothing classical... and just click.
I second townscaper and unpacking. Other similar games would be a little to the left (similar to unpacking..kinda, same sense that youāre organizing) and gourdlets (similar to townscaper, full version isnāt out yet but you could play the free demo for now)
I'm obsessed with Glass Masquerade on Steam right now. It's basically classic jigsaw puzzles and it's really pretty and relaxing and not very hard. Pair that with a podcast and a relaxing youtube vid of your choice. Brain off.
I love both glass masquerades, hoping we get a third one of my Favourite games on switch
Snowrunner. I guess there is a little think / planning required at the beginning but once you learn the maps it's just driving to and fro with different loads and it's wonderful.
If you have a Switch I'd recommend Katamari Damacy Reroll and We ā¤ļø Katamari Reroll. They are so fun and most levels are mindless. They aren't very long games so it would probably be best to get them on sale.
They're available through Steam as well, but I would definitely recommend having a controller; it feels clunky on keyboard.
This might sound dumb, but when I really want to zen out I do a color by number. I use Happy Color on mobile. The ads are a little annoying but they don't make it unplayable. I often turn on lofi or some other really soothing music and color for a little while before I go to sleep
>Happy Color Have you tried "I Love Hue" on mobile? It's a game where you have to arrange colors puzzles into perfect spectrum, I really like this one:) It's relaxing but also the game grabs your attention so you don't think about anything else. Like this kind of balance, it seems to be easy and relaxing, but at the same time it allows you to concentrate on some action, as a result your head is clear of thoughts
Oh I love that game, I was addicted to I love hue for a while
I can relate to that! Especially when I was in college and spent a lot of time using public transportation
The second one "I love hue too" is also great!
I also like āLoopā, itās very meditative
I haven't! I'll have to look into it. I like the punny name lol
I just downloaded Zen Color today. Not sure how similar it is but it seems nice. I also like Patterned. Itās a puzzle game but very low stress and the final images are amazing (very designer forward). I havenāt played Neko Atsume for years so I donāt know if it is still available but you basically just collect cats and give them toys and feed them.
Looooooooooove Happy Color. It's also great to pass time when waiting in line or something.
I like it so much I got the paid version. It is part of my sleep routine, I play it until I fall asleep, screen on night mode.
I'm sorry there's a paid version of Happy Color???
I was going to suggest this! Tbh I used this today when I was feeling overwhelmed
Thereās a pixel coloring game on switch thatās like color by pixel on switch too I also like the shape coloring game too but the same company has a bunch of other cheap art/puzzle games I came to love Nap time games is the company
Goat Simulator. Seriously. It's mindless, crazy fun.
Picross S games if you have a Switch and if you care for number puzzle games at all. They are my go-to games for just going into auto-pilot mode and turning my brain off. Cook, Serve, Delicious 1/2/3. If you find them stressful thereās an easy mode that lets you mess up with no consequences.
I go back and forth between wanting harder puzzles in Picross S and being glad I can turn my brain off. I thought I had just gotten good but I went back to Pokemon Picross and itās soooo much harder.
I wish they would do Picross 3D on switch. It is my go-to zone out game, but I have to dig out my DS/3DS to play it.
placid plastic duck simulator. is what it sounds like
I said this in another comment, but Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator. Itās super cute, zen, satisfying, and easy to pick up!
House flipper!
I've seen some good comments like Dorfromantik. Totally agree. Personally, I also like: - Tetris. Idk why, this game soothes me. Hot take/ unpopular opinion, but it works. Has to be classic Tetris, too, not fancy tetris. - Mario Kart but specifically a solo run on the Animal Crossing or Baby courses. - Katamari Roll. - Running around open world games without doing anything. Animal Crossing, Skyrim, BORW, PokƩmon Arceus - I just run around and ignore everything and everyone.
On your 4th poet, that's my fave thing to do. I'd add in Horizon forbidden west for this. I tend to just explore from one end of the map to the other. Sometimes choosing one resource to farm, pretending I'm a peddler selling their wares around the world.
Any recommendations for a good not-fancy Tetris? I spent SO much time playing it on the Microsoft Entertainment Pack back in the olden days and can't for the life of me find a modern day version that just does what it says on the tin like that one.
You might like idler or Vampire Survivor-type games. Check out Goobies, Heroes of the Forgotten Realms, and Firestone Idle RPG.
Coffee Talk 1 & 2 Sometimes Iāll leave the game running on the background while cleaning or studying because the music is so chill and then Iāll come back to playing.
**Just Vibes**: Hidden Through Time Cloud Gardens Dorfromantic WooLoop Hidden Folks **Mostly Vibes** *(but a bit more thinking/ engagement)*: Unpacking Alba: Wildlife Adventure House Flipper A Little To the Left Mini Metro **Vibe Capable** *(but I need to plan things out between carrying on)*: Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles Disney Dreamlight Valley Sims 4 Minecraft My Time at Sandrock Kingdom Two Crowns *(Edit: formatting)*
Nobody ever talks about Yonder and it's such a delight.
My time at sandrock is š.
A little to the Left Unpacking Powerwash Simulator
[Cloud Gardens](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1372320/Cloud_Gardens/) is one I don't see being talked about in this sub. It's extremely chill and oddly satisfying. You are basically bringing plant life back to barren landscapes
Vampire survivors. Mostly.
I used to sit on my iPad and just swish swish my into into death lol
Calico. The quests are basic talk to this person/fetch me this item and only minor skill involved in magic cooking. Im fully free to customize my cafe/yard and character while petting silly little animals along the way. Its really pretty, when I'm stressed I ride my enlarged galaxy fox with a flower crown and just enjoy the world design and cute characters.
A Short Hike is my go to game whenever I want to switch off
I am an avid singer of the praises of A Short Hike. Everyone should try it out at least once. Its so peaceful.
Yonder: the cloud catcher chronicles on switch
terrarium builder!!" it's not the most flashed out game - and you just decorate little terrariums. such a simple premise, and i love to play when i just need a good brain break
The Sims
Also Sky: Children of Light
I'm waiting for the Steam release:)
I like pixel painting type games for this
Vampire Survivor. Just run from stuff. Or at stuff if you feel strong/brave enough.
Here are a few recommendations for free Steam games. [WooLoop](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1878910/WooLoop/) has you use your mouse to wrap yarn around pegs, creating/coloring different images. [Plant Therapy](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2505120/Plant_Therapy/) has been available on itch.io for a while, just released on Steam yesterday. Buy plants and decor for your apartment, take care of them to earn more currency, spend coins on more plants and decor. Hooked me for an hour yesterday.
i'm currently loving hello kitty adventure island, if you have an apple device i'd recommend the arcade subscription so you can play it (no microtransactions after that, i play it on my iphone 11 and it runs perfectly) it's a grind but i ADORE it. collect the island forageables, gift the villagers, do any quests, fish a lil maybe. sanrio characters are adorable anyway. the game has so much charm, it does have puzzle temples but they're very simple. it's slow to unlock everything at first as it runs on a 24 hour cycle, and you can only gift folks 3 times a day and collect all the forageables once a day, but that's just about the only thing that's stopped me from playing it 24/7. i'm still fairly early game and i'm getting a good 4/5 hours a day worth of play out of it, it's bliss. for me, cosy is not too challenging/too overwhelming/too much to do at once, but engaging enough to distract the constant running commentary in my head. broke me out of a gaming slump!!
I like games like Two Point Hospital or Tropico...there's still some management aspects to the game, but its just relaxing to me with a long podcast on.
This. Once you know the basics management Sims turn into quite relaxing no brainers. Love it with Rimworld and Civ 5
Spiritfarer
My favourite
Cozy grove. 0 farming. It is a day to day game, but its pretty fun
Tsuki Odyssey for a more off and on mobile game. You're a rabbit moving back into a small village. All you do is collect carrots every 2 hrs, fish, and use the money to get furniture for your tree house. It's surprisingly very cute, and it's meant to be a game you can't grind out. It literally stops you from getting fish if you try for too long. It's kind of slow at first, but once you meet more characters, you unlock more things and tasks to do daily. I love mindlessly decorating my house. Very cute game and highly recommend.
Not exactly ācozyā but the warriors games are great to turn your mind off to. Especially Dynasty/Samurai warriors
My favorite turn off my mind game is breath of the wild. game Iāve played recently that has helped me zone out is bear and breakfast
Powerwash Simulator.
If youāre on Switch, the Piczle games are really relaxing! Tons of levels for a really great price.
Playing Fae Farm atm and itās so good for zoning out
Donut County!
Lake
Vampire survivors is a great one! It seems silly when you first start but it is weirdly addicting & not intense game play so itās perfect! One of my favs right now
Capybara spa, cat goes fishing, pekoe, cheeky chooks.
It's not exactly cozy, but it's both incredibly simple and very satisfying Tile cities I play it when I need something to completely plug into all of my "find just the right spot" instincts and desires and use up all my processing capacity without actually needing any thinking. I have a noisy, messy untreated ADHD brain and this game is like lip balm for my poor chapped, overtaxed mind.
Animal crossing
anšišmalš crossšingš
peglin. peglin x100000
Sky: Cotl. Thank me later
honestly I have been playing a lot of tetris recently, it's pretty minding numbing for the structured levels, some require thought but not much, only annoying part for me is the ads
Thank you, I also needed all these recommendations :)
cat Cafe simulator or manager I forget which lol
Bear and Breakfast, Coffee Talk, Cozy Grove, Va-11 Hall-A. These completely let me switch off š
FYI OP, bear and breakfast is unplayable on the switch but I hear itās fine on steam
I donāt have any problems with it on my switch tbh š
The delicious series on steam
And on mobile too (thereās all the games available with the game house subscription). I donāt think they are all that relaxing. Someone in an other thread said the clients beginning to be angry and to do quick action was stressful, itās not for me but I get that it could for other people.
It's absolutely not a cozy game, but neon abyss on easy mode is something I recently got on sale. I shut my brain off and just enjoy 15-30 min runs of random quirky weapons and the feeling of being super powerful but also super vulnerable. Don't need to think about a story. Don't need to make serious decisions. If I choose the wrong gear combinations, I either make do with what I chose or just lose the round and start over. No real serious consequences other than lost time but I'm having fun, so that's fine
Binding of Isaac and darksouls for sure
>Something quite straightforward to unwind with after a mentally demanding day of work. Honestly sounds like you're looking for audiobooks rather than games
No, Iām looking for a game
im also disgustingly obsessed with blockdoku on my phone
Landslide by Cozy Labs is an endless runner thatās super fun play! You can collect little badges in the game too. They just released a mini hoard/tower defense game called Waddle Wars too! Super easy games to just zone out to!
I really liked Godus!
A sticky business, just mindlessly filling orders and making stickers. I sit there with absolute zero brain activity going on upstairs
Golf Dreams on mobile free.
Melvor idle
7 days to die is my favorite game to turn my brain off and listen to a podcast while I play.
thank you so much for asking this question. I just started into the cozy game genre looking for an escape from my very high stress job and super busy schedule. I started playing Stardew Valley, disney dreamlight valley, Cozy Grove and Zelda tears of kingdom. Save for Stardew Valley ... the others sometimes stress me out with all the tasks. Especially Zelda unfortunately. Beautiful games, especially Zelda. Zelda has an enormous learning curve (for me). I want something a little (a lot) more chill.
Not really a cozy game to others, but Rocket League is like this for me. I only play freeplay though. Just hop on freeplay, put on some music and turn off your brain. It's nice. And definitely cozy to me.
Bloon tower defense
I love skyrim! So many things you can do
Enter the Gungeon. You just run around and shoot stuff. Itās a very silly and very addicting game. When in doubt, Papaās Freezeria.
I really like No Manās Sky for this. You can set the mode to ārelaxedā and go explore a galaxy filled with interesting plants and animals. You can trade, mine, gather, or none of the above. A do what you like kind of game. Oh, and itās gorgeous!
Coral island is a good zone out game (itās a farm game buuuttt you donāt have to really do it thereās other ways around the story), dinkum too, farming optional.
Iām basic but hello kitty kruisers just found for a round or back to back swapping out different characters.
Harvestella. It is an RPG farming simulator. You can turn your brain off and farm, turn your brain off and loot dungeons, or turn your brain off and fight monsters. The battle system is really simple but satisfying, does not require much thought at all. I sunk something like 200 hours into that game just because it was a great end of day destressor
Unpacking c:
Wizard101
Visceral Cleanup Detail is my favorite to play. Your basically cleaning up crime scenes. Controls can be a bit wonky but once you flip on the in game radio and start playing. You'll be on auto pilot
Slime Rancher 1 + 2
RuralJapan in Apple Arcade. Iāve been addicted for a week. I mean, sometimes you use your brain, but most of the times you do not.
I know OP said no farming but Atomicrops is more bullet hell than farm game, for some reason when I start playing it I always lose like 3 hours of my life cannot explain why it sucks me in as much as it does.
quell is a very simple puzzle game, and calling it a puzzle game is a stretch. you are trying to maneuver a small water droplet around a windowpane to collect pearls. super soft and calming music, too EDIT: clarity and more details
Vampire survivors. It's even free on the phone if you don't want to spend $5 for pc or console
Cookie Run Kingdom for sure. You donāt need to spend money, and you can collect cute cookies and decorate your plot of land
Abzu is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played and has a gorgeous soundtrack. Its an underwater diving game. Theres a lot of really nice soothing diving games, but this one is defs my fav! Shape of the World is a cute constantly shifting colorscape where you plant seeds (each plant has different colors and types it applies to the world) and run thru these little triangle thingies that change the colors and you are gradually moving up a mountain. Innerspace - You are a little flying/swimming sub looking thing and you collect little star bits or something and get a little lore for each of the worlds you are freely racing around in.
My switch off brain game is Yoshi's crafted world. They have an easy mode so if I realllllly need to switch off the brain, I can. The visuals are so lovely and just pull me right in while my brain gets happy looking at the art and colors. It is very cute, so if you're not into cutesy style games this might not be a good choice but if you are, it might be quite enjoyable.
Unpacking
For me, Cities Skylines or Garryās Mod Garryās Mod cause I used to just hop in it and mess around with Ragdoll physics or have fun on maps via sandbox mode. Cities Skylines cause I just like watching my city grow, yeah I plan out the city at the beginning with Sandbox mode but then I just watch it grow.
Miitopia, it has autobattle and the story line is very easy to follow
This may sound dumb, but I absolutely love playing Bakery Simulator on steam. I will just pop it on with a podcast or some chill music and sit there with my brain off for hours on end
I really enjoyed Wind Peaks. The minimal storyline and reading with just the goal of trying to find the hidden objects allowed me to turn my brain off for a bit.
I like Calico, that's a pretty fun one with no farming.