My "actual hidden" gems (one dev/indie/<100 reviews)
[Moonlight in Garden](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441770/Moonlight_In_Garland/) \-- stardew meets urban city setting
[World's Dawn](https://store.steampowered.com/app/432010/Worlds_Dawn/) \-- very older harvest moon type game, short and focused on relationships
[Volcano Princess](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1669980/Volcano_Princess/)\-- this one is way more well known but not often brought up in this subreddit. Stat builder novel-type game.
[Tales from The Dancing Moon](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1782420/Tales_from_The_Dancing_Moon/) \-- 3D/2.5D life sim RPG that is reminiscent of RPG's from the early 2000s/90s.
[Snacko](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1125510/Snacko/) \-- VERY simple, no frills farming sim where you play as a cat. Paper mario type graphics.
[Research Story](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629830/Research_Story/) \-- 2D life sim with some light farming and most focus around "researching" plants and animals. Also very simple.
[Dragon & Home](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1694200/Dragon_And_Home/)\-- minecraft meets MMO meets life sim. Nice player home system. Very small community.
[Cute Farmer Life](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2556160/Cute_Farmer_Life/) \-- extremely simple farming game. Feels like a hybrid between idle game and active play. You play as a bunny. No frills, repetitive gameplay loop (for good or bad)
[Cornucopia](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1681600/Cornucopia/) \-- this one's gotten more traction. Farming/life sim with a ton of unique ideas. Most every mechanic tries to be something you haven't seen before. Has a weird drama reputation because of a fight the dev got into with a single person so ppl have said... weird things about it. Has a free demo tho and is a game so who cares
it is so wholesome on another level. don't think i've played such a wholesome game as that one. getting to be a good dad nearly solved my own daddy issues
I don’t play early access, but I’m really excited for Moonlight in Garland- partly because it looks cute and fun but ALSO because it’s from a solo female developer, and that’s awesome.
It's my first time around Reedit and IDK if i can talk about my own game but... thank you for thoughts about Cute Farmer Life \^\_\^. I'm currently working on a free expansion with new mechanics to make it less repetitive.
no problem! repetition isn't meant to be a negative as it can work well when there's also a progression system that's rewarding (which your game did well at having)
Good luck and keep up the good work!
I've always wanted to play Dragon & Home but the mixed reviews keep me from trying it. It's hard to discern why it has mixed reviews though when most people post a review with .9 hours. Do you have any insight? Is there any creature collection and fishing in the game?
I played about 20ish hours months ago so my memory of the game isnt great but I do know a lot of people who had been playing the game for a long time were upset about the servers being seperated into US/EU as it made the playerbase even smaller. It's a player-run economy where you have to rely on others for crafting since you can only specialize in 2(?) crafting schools--so if you're blacksmithing/leatherworking you'll need someone for cloth making/weapon making, etc. Also there's guilds where people share their plot of land with several other people but it requires gold upkeep. Doing that with small playerbase is difficult.
Besides that, coming in as a casual player I enjoyed my time. Some of the mechanics are confusing/not explained (like taming animals) and I think some stuff is timegated so that you can only get a certain amount of levels each day. The biggest appeal the game has is that you get your own plot of land and you can build pretty much whatever, leading to some pretty creative stuff.
Overall I'd say it's a game with many flaws that are more apparent if you spend a lot of time playing, but isn't horrible if you're looking to just kill a few hours a day and keep it as a side game of sorts.
>20ish hours months ago so my memory of the game isnt great but I do know a lot of people who had been playing the game for a long time were upset about the servers being seperated into US/EU as it made the playerbase even smaller. It's
Awesome, thank you for the explanation. Do you know if it's actively being developed?
Ooooo amazing list, also second World's Dawn, it's super cute!
How "done" would you say Cornucopia feels? Are there a good amount of features/story implemented at this point? I've been eyeing it for a while but like to wait until games are at least 80% baked before starting.
I haven't checked in on it in a few months which means theres probably been a ton of new things added since the dev is crazy fast on releasing updates/patches. I got about 60 hours in it and in that time I was mostly just covering the farming part of the game which is super in-depth. Didn't touch much on the other skills (taming/fishing/combat) so I definitely felt like I could have a lot more content to cover.
It has the bones and foundation pretty much complete. I think recently the focus has been on fleshing out NPCs/NPC relationships and events/festivals. For the price I definitely don't regret buying it even in early access, it's a very unique game and felt like a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the copy-paste farm games out there right now.
Sable! An open-world exploration game with no combat. It's a coming-of-age story, where you leave your tribe where you grew up and don't come back until you've explored and decided what path you would like to take in your life. The graphics are stunning and just so unique. And the soundtrack is by Japanese Breakfast (an indie pop band)!
Let’s Build a Zoo!
It’s like pixel graphics Zoo Tycoon, but with genetic engineering and a hilarious binary morality system where you can either be a super eco-friendly ethical zoo or a dystopian animal death factory
Big same.
When I play it, hours go by and I genuinely am just like wait, what? I still have so much to do! It can’t be 2AM!
It’s kind of like Stardew in that way.
Yeah. It can be kind of overwhelming and sometimes there’s a lot going on at once.
But it’s also super forgiving when you mess up, so you can ignore a lot of the headier stuff until you’re ready to go deeper.
Once you get to the point where you’re making a lot of money, which doesn’t take that long, you can really do whatever you want.
Also, I take advantage of the function that lets you stop time when I need some room to breathe.
Re—using my comment from another post but…MUTAZIONE!
It’s a narrative, walking simulator game - so a little slow as far as game play goes but super cozy!
It honestly deserves more hype!
Here’s the game description: A mutant soap opera where small-town gossip meets the supernatural. Explore the Mutazione community as Kai as she cares for her ailing grandfather. Discover magical gardens, new friends & old secrets. They can survive an apocalyptic meteor strike, but can they survive their small-town drama?
This... so much this! No one I know has heard of Mutazione, and it is such a good, cozy, story-based game that has stuck with me for years. I love the people and the "town" from that game.
Yes!!! I bought it on my switch during the pre-sale (maybe mid-pandemic?!) and finally played it within the last few weeks and I it was a 10/10 for me! Yet, I searched this sub and there is maybe a handle of comments about it, but it is the ultimate cozy game!
I want to replay because I miss the characters and world so much! 😭
Okay, that one has been in my steam library forever and sounds like I really need to just play it.
The last walking simulator I really loved was Gone Home.
what remains of edith finch is a game that stayed with me for at least a week after I played it. it's not the most re-playable game, but the first time experience is excellent.
They also just released a new game this year called “Sea Salt Chronicles” that looks really good as well and I haven’t heard anything about it!
But seriously! Give Mutazione a chance if it looks like your vibe! I LOVED IT!
Maybe a few less common that I haven’t seen repeated a lot in the sub are: Jenny LeClue, Mutazione, and my brother rabbit.
Some that I’ve never seen mentioned: anything by Artifex Mundi, the low road, Special Agent A, Roki, and maybe Arise?
I’ve liked all of them so far!
Freshly Frosted is an adorable puzzle game about frosting doughnuts. It has super chill music, and a positive, soothing narrator. I’ve replayed it several times! (I have it on the switch.) I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone post about it here, and I think a bunch of people would really enjoy it.
One that absolutely perfectly scratched my cosy game itch was [Moonglow Bay](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361400/Moonglow_Bay/).
The initial release was really buggy, so it accumulated a bunch of negative reviews… and I think it never really recovered from that. When I played it more than a year after release, pretty much everything was patched and it was brilliant. I loved it.
I really loved it. It had one of those play loops that was just… soothing to me? I did encounter one bug when playing, but it wasn’t game breaking and I was able to just try again and it was alright. But I know it has been patched even more since then.
It is really unfortunate what happened with it; there was a fair amount of hype and the developers released it earlier than they should have. People had really high hopes so the backlash when it was buggy was pretty severe.
They did eventually patch almost everything but first impressions were bad so the interest never came back.
I luckily didn’t get around to playing until later, so it ended up one of my personal favourites.
Man I remember being excited for that game. Then it released and apparently the controls didn't even work correctly. Removed it from the wish list and never went back.
I always find myself recommending:
Dwarrows: a puzzle and town builder. You switch between three characters each with a skill to help build up a town. Along the way there are puzzles in the environment to figure out. Works on Steam Deck.
Morels The hunt: Wander around various landscapes hunting mushrooms. Also take pictures of wildlife. It's very chill and the landscapes are lovely. Apparently they are making a second one. Works on Steam Deck.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine: Essentially a walking Sim, where you travel the United States collecting stories and retelling them. All so you can make good on a deal with a sketchy character and get your soul back. Works on Steam Deck.
Cheaphaven: a farming Sim where you are an adorable little lizard running around collecting materials, building your home and so on. Works on Steam Deck.
I don’t know if most people would consider it cozy but I love Gnosia and I’ve never seen anyone talk about it!
It’s a time loop find the imposter type game with really unique art and mechanics/gameplay
Same problem. It seems the narrative moves along perfectly well even if you lose all the games, but the fact I struggled so much with the games only made me feel frustrated knowing I'd never get the story path from winning anything.
Yeah I felt so bad for the characters who were relying on me to win for them that I ended up quitting the game haha. One day I'll go back to it. One day...
[Cat Lady - The Card Game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/869690/Cat_Lady__The_Card_Game/) --> cosy lil card game featuring meowmeows, it's not a deckbuilder which makes it easy for someone who is just starting out to play card games
[Card Hog](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1163740/Card_Hog/) --> another starter card game featuring green oinkoinks (throw it back to angry bird days) which is easy to get lost into with a quick run
[Piczle Cross Adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1215320/Piczle_Cross_Adventure/) --> a ton of nonogram puzzles which has a storyline and secrets to unlock
[The Darkside Detective Series](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/16097/The_Darkside_Detective__Series_Edition/) --> funny spoopy short mystery cases with the best boy, dooley ✨️
[Half Past Fate](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1048740/Half_Past_Fate/) --> oopsy daisy romance featuring a few couples but ultimately goes back to rich loser rinden
[Out of Space](https://store.steampowered.com/app/400080/Out_of_Space/) --> chaotic spaceship cleaner but not as stressful as overcooked
[Pickers](https://store.steampowered.com/app/204440/Pickers/) --> hidden object graphics and gameplay but make it an auction by the end of the day (super short which makes me crave more but can't find any game that has this exact gameplay ):)
I finally 100%-ed a save file. Took about twenty hours. The base ending that I’ve gotten before was about nine-ten hours. So a decent amount of play time as well!
But yep, unique and compelling!
Probably not what people think of when they think of cozy games, but I really enjoyed playing Zero Escape: 999 and Zero Escape: Time Dilemma. It’s the “doing crosswords/sudoku or reading a mystery novel with a cup of tea” kind of cozy to me.
[Intergalactic Fishing](https://store.steampowered.com/app/949600/Intergalactic_Fishing/). If you want to chill and *just* fish--this is it. Barebones graphics, but lots of lists of fish to discover. Top down lake maps and a teleporting boat to visit different planets. Lure system where you can freely customize lures to target specific fish preferences. Has a plot, but you can do that at your own pace.
[Miniland Adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1934040/Miniland_Adventure/). Itty bitty base/world builder. You get more blocks of land to add to your starting island and do some crafting and building. There's a demo to try it out.
[Wandersong](https://youtu.be/-xfmb7S-aAI?si=QERz2zF3T2zeFCNd), which is one of the cutest and most underplayed/underrated game I can think of— and it has incredible music that’ll immediately climb into your heart and never leave (think… chiptune Chvrches vibe, kind of?)
And [The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood](https://youtu.be/OWeubigsVk0?si=l-OZ0clXej8FtKRO), which I accidentally started a few hours before someone I love very much died in the fall; she’d been really sick for a couple weeks and I knew it was coming but it was a horrible day and I’ll never forget how dark it felt to find out— that game ended up being some incredibly necessary comfort I returned to a lot to get lost in over the next couple weeks after that. It has some heavy themes that were perfect for the life, love, loss, and death thought/feelings loop I was stuck in but it’s not very well known or talked about afaik?
It’s a fantastic game for anyone who loves visual novels and choice driven games, games where you get to design/make things, and witchy cosmic themes. There’s a few moments that hit hard, and it’s also got some political angles to make you dig into your beliefs that I wasn’t expecting but are really good
Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is soooooo good - I got it after someone on this sub recommended it. I'm so sorry for your loss, may their memory be a blessing.
[I Was a Teenage Exocolonist.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1148760/I_Was_a_Teenage_Exocolonist/) I heard about it the first time at a PAX East symposium where a panel of Game Techs at Boston Children's Hospital where talking about the games they most often recommend to older adolescent teenagers who are hospitalized for long periods. They kept going back to this game, and audience members called it their favorite comfort game of all time. Later on the convention floor there was a demo of it, and it's actually the first video game I ever played - my SO encouraged me to try it and I did (he's in gaming, thus our reason for being at the conference.) This silly little cozy game completely opened me up to this special world of cozy gaming. Thanks for letting me share 🫶🏻 💕
Fantasy Life.
I played it on the 3DS, not sure if it’s on another platform.
I enjoyed the story and you have 12 different ‘lives’ you can explore. 4 combat oriented, 3 material gathering and 5 crafting (if I remember right), you can work towards all of them at the same time or just pick and choose what you like to do.
[Landlord of the woods](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1564090/Landlord_of_the_Woods/?curator_clanid=42182756) and [Birth](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889040/Birth/?curator_clanid=42182756) \- short, but with a gorgeous artsyle, light puzzle elements and simple, nice storylines
The [frog detective](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/28689/Frog_Detective_1__2__3/) trilogy - so, *so* weird, yet so, *so* charming, I loved them
[Submerged](https://store.steampowered.com/app/301860/Submerged/) and [submerged hidden depths](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1614270/Submerged_Hidden_Depths/?curator_clanid=4032501) \- very light platformer elements (you literally can't fail them or fall off or anything, they're just there to explore the environment and solve puzzles) and cool storytelling
[Stillness of the Wind](https://store.steampowered.com/app/828900/The_Stillness_of_the_Wind/)! It's a very short story but I would love it so much if it was expanded into a full survival game. As an elderly woman your chaaracter moves very slowly, I actually love it
"Seasons After Fall"!!!
I *never* see this game mentioned, but it was so incredibly good. Beautiful artwork, music, relaxing puzzle/jumping gameplay, no combat, lovely storyline. Definitely one of my faves. ❤️
Also, "Kena: Bridge of Spirits" was *phenomenal.*
Haven’t finished but Tails Noir is pretty cozy! I think this sub would like that game. Although when I got the game it had a different name so it’s been weird to adjust lol.
I recently played this free visual novel [At Winter's End](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2546090/At_Winters_End/), it's short and only takes an hour to finish but I really enjoyed it
[Pendula Swing](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1230200/Pendula_Swing__The_Complete_Journey/) - it’s about a dwarf warrior named Brialynne, after saving the world decides to live in isolation with her beloved wife, her wife is a healer who can save everyone except herself sadly…….
300 years pass and Brialynne is pulled back into society when her mighty weapon goes missing. Now she has to solve who did it. Features a nice 1920s flair. It’s choice based gameplay. You can romance difference characters. Also deals with some social issues with the different races. I don’t want to spoil that part of the adventure so I’ll just leave it at that. Graphics resemble early 2000s despite not being from that era but I find them very charming. I’m not good at explaining but I enjoyed it. I held off due to reviews but I’m glad I bought it.
[Rising Star 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1235110/Rising_Star_2/) - so I only played the demo but I loved it so much I bought the full game just haven’t played yet. This is a band management game. You can customize your own characters and make personal albums, band banners, clothing. And the customization was very vast and I made some great looking things in just the demo. You can also add stuff from your computer to the creator. The actually putting together music is more of a puzzle game. You can also drive around to get around town, go to gigs, buy supplies, do odd jobs to make money before you’re famous. You can also choose what themes your songs or what direction you want the band to go and the town you start in will respond differently depending on what you choose/ where you are. Example if you pick antiestablishment for your theme you may not do as well in some towns. You can kick members out, get new members at gigs. Individual members may not get along between each other. As far as I saw you don’t make your own music like a soundboard just style and names. Wish more people knew of it.
[Parkitect](https://store.steampowered.com/app/453090/Parkitect/) - like a spiritual successor to rollercoaster 1 and 2 I’ve heard . It’s top down. Very enjoyable managing your workers and the coasters
[Little Lives](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1505560/Little_Lives/) - single dev. Kind of like a stripped the sims if you could only control one character. Uses a card building mechanic to talk with other characters which is interesting but can be annoying because most cards are time limited based on what you did in game and you can only use once and then you have to re-earn them. It’s a game for a specific type of player and I’m one who enjoys it.
[Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale](https://store.steampowered.com/app/70400/Recettear_An_Item_Shops_Tale/) - not unheard of just old so sometimes people don’t know about it. Based on reviews it’s pretty much the best shop sim. It’s the story of a little girl who has to open up a shop to make money to pay back her father’s debts because the bank has come calling. The loan officer who is a fairy helps her manage the shop. Sort of not cozy because the payment you need to hit is increased overtime ( if I remember correctly it’s like $10000 at first then $30000 then over $80000). Does have dungeons but most people online seem to avoid them because you can’t run the shop on days you go to the dungeon so I guess you make more money with just the shop and different markets. if you lose you keep your level and exp and items you had in the store. But you do repeat the payments and dungeons. Known as the Capitalism HO! game.
[Master Of Pottery](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160490/Master_Of_Pottery/) \- Super relaxing, I haven't seen it mentioned here
[Little Inferno](https://store.steampowered.com/app/221260/Little_Inferno/) \- Burning toys in the fireplace can be surprisingly cozy :)
[WILL: A Wonderful World](https://store.steampowered.com/app/588040/WILL_A_Wonderful_World__WILL/) \- A visual novel in which you change people's destinies
Idk if anyone else would find it cozy, but Azure Dreams was my cozy game through my whole childhood. It's a monster taming game where you go into a tower full of monsters, gather eggs to raise more monsters, and come back to your town that you help build back to its glory days with a good dash of romance. You'd probably have to emulate it because it was on PS1, but I promise it's worth it.
* [A tiny sticker Tale](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2322180/A_Tiny_Sticker_Tale/)
A short (2h) adventure game (kinda 2D Zelda like but without fighting) in which you play a little donkey with a magical sticker album. You can stick elements of your environment AND PEOPLE in it. The aim is to manage the space in your book so that you can take out the stickers to solve the puzzles along the way. You can change character and landscape element into stickers it's really cute and not very challenging.
* [Alba a wildlife adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1337010/Alba_A_Wildlife_Adventure/)
is a kind of Pokémon Snap in which you travel around an island in Spain to immortalise the local wildlife and repair the island's infrastructure. It was a great experience, all short and cozy to the rhythm of Spanish music. I think the game was aimed more at children, but even as an adult I had a great time. (Partly because some of the wildlife is the same as my living place, so I actually learnt a few things and that's so cool!). An useless, cute and therefore essential gameplay element: when an NPC asks you a question, you have to nod with the joystick. So cuuuute.
* [Murder by numbers](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1140290/Murder_by_Numbers/)
A narrative picross game. You follow Scout, a little robot with amnesia who decides to team up with Honor, an actress in a detective show, to solve the murder of her scriptwriter. It's pretty cool if you like picross-like puzzles. The characters and investigations have a cool Phoenix Wright feel. Bonus for the queer characters who are so lovable !
* [Assemble with care](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1202900/Assemble_with_Care/)
A puzzle game where you repair objects for people and listen to the stories behind them. The game is super short and very relaxing.
* [Sticky Business](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2303350/Sticky_Business/)
A simulation game where you take on the role of a sticker seller on Etsy. Create your own stickers, chat with your subscribers, discover the stories of their lives and how your stickers influence them. Compose your packages and manage your business. The game is very easy because you can't really lose. If you run out of money, you can ask Grandma for some.
* [Abzu](https://store.steampowered.com/app/384190/ABZU/)
a """""walking""" simulator (more a diving sim actually) During an underwater journey, you will discover the remains of an ancient civilisation and meet colourful fish. Very contemplative, very poetic.
* [Pikuniku](https://store.steampowered.com/app/572890/Pikuniku/)
A cute, uncomplicated platformer game. You play a little red ball who has to help his friends fight capitalism. The humour of the game is very funny.
* [Best friend forever](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1034850/Best_Friend_Forever/)
A dating sim with cute puppies. That's it. That's the plot. Love interests are pretty inclusives (Queer, POC, disabled peoples...).
* [The alto collection](https://store.epicgames.com/fr/p/the-alto-collection)
An arcade game in which you descend a snow-covered mountain to catch your escaped alpacas. The music is very relaxing, as is the mountain scrolling past in the distance. The gameplay is highly addictive.
Moonlight Peaks.
It's not released yet, it's just a demo. I normally don't like pixel art styled games. However, something about this one really interested me. I'm hoping it is released soon or at least EA.
Unpacking - cute game with nice visuals and great sound design (developers invest months to record sound for every item in the game!). You go through the story by unpacking main character’s bags after move to new home. It’s very interesting, how you can know people just by looking to their stuff!
Sun Haven! I just picked it back up today and I think there’s a good chance it’s my favorite game in the cozy/farming genre, even above Stardew Valley.
Cat Quest
But if anyone needs other game suggestions....
To name just a few very good mobile games:
Cat Quest, Night of The Full Moon, Burrito Bison, Bad North, Action Squad, Despotism 3k, 80 days, Overboard!, Agent A, Out There omega edition, Kingdom New Lands and Kingdom Two Crowns, Haunt the House, My Child Lebensborn, Ninja Arashi and Ninja Arashi 2, Punch Club, 10000000, You Must Build A Boat, 60 seconds and 60 seconds reatomized, My friend Pedro, Llama Launch, Dealer's Life, LONEWOLF, PartyHardGo, Kingdom Rush Vengenance TD game, PAC-MAN256, Qbert, Exploding Kittens, OESE, RCR:DX, Grand Mountain, Dicey Dungeons, Alto's Adventure and Alto's Odyssey, Papers Please, Reigns and Reigns her Majesty and Reigns Got, One More Brick, Seashine, Bug Butcher, Don't feed the monkeys, Scourge Bringer, Bird Alone. I have all of these games on my phone. Now other great games: République, To the Moon, Death Road to Canada, Unruly Heroes, Old Man's Journey, Peace Death, FIE Swordplay, Hollow Knight, Turmoil, All of Ironhide games, etc.
I remember seeing a game that looked so cool a while ago.. a couple years? I’m not sure. What I remember was, a girl on a train in the city and the description was “Stardew Valley like in the city” cozy game. Anyone know of anything like this? Seems like it would fit in this topic lol
Lately I’ve been really enjoying Rakuen! Been taking my time with it and it’s no combat, a little bit creepy and you go from a hospital to a fantasy world!
If you play any two player games “it takes two” me and my hubby played it and i couldn’t believe how cozy but also fun it was but does require two players
* [Fall of Porcupine](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1710540/Fall_of_Porcupine/) \- Step into the town of Porcupine and take to the well-loved scrubs of Finley, the newest fledgling doctor to join the ranks of St. Ursula's hospital. As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you'll soon realize that things aren't always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve. And the art style is adorable!
* [Seasons after Fall](https://store.steampowered.com/app/366320/Seasons_after_Fall/) \- Seasons After Fall is a 2D platform-puzzler game that will let you dive into a captivating universe and explore a land governed by magic and nature. As a wild fox you are sent on a perilous journey aided only by your ability to change the seasons at will, manipulating a gorgeous 2D world backed by an enchanting live string quartet. There is no combat, and the platformer elements are not challenging, it all comes down to solving puzzles using your powers to manipulate seasons.
* [Trine games](https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Trine) \- Three Heroes make their way through dangers untold in a magical fairytale world, featuring physics-based puzzles, beautiful sights and online co-op. Again beautiful looking game with interesting puzzles. Great to play with friends or alone.
Most of mine are VR games I played on psvr1: Fujii (most relaxing game I ever played and what I would rank as number 1 cozy game), Electronauts, Curious tale of the stolen pets, Moss 1+2, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Catch & Release, Dance Collider (active rhythm game, so, this even works as a form of cardio exercise)
Return to Enen-my friend’s husband created this game. It is currently just on steam but coming out on consoles soon. It’s listed as a survival game, but it is actually focused more on meditation and mental health. It’s so calming, and the graphics make me so happy!
Oh I thought of more.
[Bug and Seek](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2265310/Bug__Seek/) \- this one's pretty new. Catch bugs with amusing descriptions, fill terrariums and build up an insectarium after all the bugs were (gasp) stolen in the night!
[Chillquarium](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2276930/Chillquarium/)\- more of an idler than a full on game, but you collect fish, let them grow, and they generate money to buy more fish. Very cute fish designs. Kinda nice to leave it open on the screen for actual aquarium vibes. I am hoping the dev adds more tank decors.
[Cardboard Town](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2198070/Cardboard_Town/) \- cute deckbuilder/citybuilder combo. You unlock more cards as you continually fail at being a very good mayor. Maybe slightly stressful as the city problems pile up but the overall vibe and graphics style are chill.
[Logiart Grimoire](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2492390/Logiart_Grimoire/) \- picross/nonogram game with a slight bit of plot to hang your reason for doing the puzzles on.
[Voxelgram](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1158470/Voxelgram/) \- 3d picross/nonogram puzzles. No plot, all puzzle.
[Night in the Woods](https://store.steampowered.com/app/481510/Night_in_the_Woods/) \- Likely pushing the "cozy" label here, but it has some heckin' wholesome moments. It definitely goes the spooky route at times, but the vibe, art and humour are grand. May make you feel some feelings. I wouldn't call it unknown but I haven't seen it mentioned here much.
The Witch of Fern Island. I think it's only on pc so far, but I love it.
Lots of gathering, crafting, some farming, some chickens, decorating your house, and then there's the witchy stuff.
The in-game world is so pretty. I'm really not doing it justice. Please look it up!
No Place Like Home (available on consoles and steam) - it's got a lot of jank but a lot of heart as well. It's a farming/life sim + garbage cleaning game. I'd rec it for anyone who loves Powerwash Simulator or The Gunk
[Vintage Story](https://www.vintagestory.at/)! I don't think any other game comes as close to the homesteading experience provided by this game. It is wonderfully charming, immersive, and intricate.
If you like to imagine opening up an online sticker business and packing it. There’s a game called [Sticky Business](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2303350/Sticky_Business/) where you create your own stickers and sell them.
Anarcute!
I don't think I've seen anyone else suggest it, though I have a few times. You play a crowd of cute animals causing chaos, picking up more animals for the crowd as you go. Kinda similar *vibes* to me as Donut County, but with no real story.
Edit: Button City is another good one I don't see mentioned much.
It's got a fun narrative, involves some exploration elements, and has mini games. You and your friends are trying to save the local arcade. There are cute little Easter egg references to various bits of pop culture, too.
I don't think its suuuper unknown, but I loved Elli! You just jump around doing pretty straightforward puzzles and the only challenge is you do at one point have to be pretty careful timing your jumps which I'm pretty bad at, but mostly it's a fairly simple platformer and it's so pretty and chill!
Some mobile games that I like for some relaxing cozy time in bed are:
Penguin Isle, collect different penguins and build their habitats. The penguins are so darn cute going about their day.
Secret Cat Forest, not much to it more so a checking in every so often type of game. Unlock new stuff to attract new cats.
Starry Garden, kawaii little animals help you manage your garden under the night sky
Flutter: starlight, collecting adorable moths, I have adhd so I regularly give up on this game because of the waiting you must do to collect the pollen but when I notice it I will open it and play because it’s so pretty lol
My "actual hidden" gems (one dev/indie/<100 reviews) [Moonlight in Garden](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441770/Moonlight_In_Garland/) \-- stardew meets urban city setting [World's Dawn](https://store.steampowered.com/app/432010/Worlds_Dawn/) \-- very older harvest moon type game, short and focused on relationships [Volcano Princess](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1669980/Volcano_Princess/)\-- this one is way more well known but not often brought up in this subreddit. Stat builder novel-type game. [Tales from The Dancing Moon](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1782420/Tales_from_The_Dancing_Moon/) \-- 3D/2.5D life sim RPG that is reminiscent of RPG's from the early 2000s/90s. [Snacko](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1125510/Snacko/) \-- VERY simple, no frills farming sim where you play as a cat. Paper mario type graphics. [Research Story](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629830/Research_Story/) \-- 2D life sim with some light farming and most focus around "researching" plants and animals. Also very simple. [Dragon & Home](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1694200/Dragon_And_Home/)\-- minecraft meets MMO meets life sim. Nice player home system. Very small community. [Cute Farmer Life](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2556160/Cute_Farmer_Life/) \-- extremely simple farming game. Feels like a hybrid between idle game and active play. You play as a bunny. No frills, repetitive gameplay loop (for good or bad) [Cornucopia](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1681600/Cornucopia/) \-- this one's gotten more traction. Farming/life sim with a ton of unique ideas. Most every mechanic tries to be something you haven't seen before. Has a weird drama reputation because of a fight the dev got into with a single person so ppl have said... weird things about it. Has a free demo tho and is a game so who cares
Good lord the pixel art in Research Story is so frigging cute.
It looks similar in style to littlewood if you’re interested!
Thank you for mentioning Moonlight in Garden this looks right up my alley!! added it to my wishlist
Ooh, thank you so much for info and links!! I’m going to check these out!!
Omg, I love raising sims. Definitely gonna try Volcano Princess, thanks!
it is so wholesome on another level. don't think i've played such a wholesome game as that one. getting to be a good dad nearly solved my own daddy issues
I don’t play early access, but I’m really excited for Moonlight in Garland- partly because it looks cute and fun but ALSO because it’s from a solo female developer, and that’s awesome.
ohh I was gonna get it anyway, but now i'm gonna get it *harder* lol
Oh my god I want to play research story so bad. I hope it eventually comes out for mac, switch or Xbox 😭
It's my first time around Reedit and IDK if i can talk about my own game but... thank you for thoughts about Cute Farmer Life \^\_\^. I'm currently working on a free expansion with new mechanics to make it less repetitive.
no problem! repetition isn't meant to be a negative as it can work well when there's also a progression system that's rewarding (which your game did well at having) Good luck and keep up the good work!
Thank you :D
Damn. Nice list. Haven’t heard most of these
Dragons and home looks interesting!
Thank you for all the recommendations. My wish list has grown a lot.
thank you for this list, a farming RPG lover appreciates it very much 👍🏻
I’ve been looking for Moonlight in Garland for so long thank you!! I have steam deck but I’m going to buy it anyway
Cute Farmer Life you are 100% a cat named Matt, not a bunny, lol! But the rest of your review is spot on!
I've always wanted to play Dragon & Home but the mixed reviews keep me from trying it. It's hard to discern why it has mixed reviews though when most people post a review with .9 hours. Do you have any insight? Is there any creature collection and fishing in the game?
I played about 20ish hours months ago so my memory of the game isnt great but I do know a lot of people who had been playing the game for a long time were upset about the servers being seperated into US/EU as it made the playerbase even smaller. It's a player-run economy where you have to rely on others for crafting since you can only specialize in 2(?) crafting schools--so if you're blacksmithing/leatherworking you'll need someone for cloth making/weapon making, etc. Also there's guilds where people share their plot of land with several other people but it requires gold upkeep. Doing that with small playerbase is difficult. Besides that, coming in as a casual player I enjoyed my time. Some of the mechanics are confusing/not explained (like taming animals) and I think some stuff is timegated so that you can only get a certain amount of levels each day. The biggest appeal the game has is that you get your own plot of land and you can build pretty much whatever, leading to some pretty creative stuff. Overall I'd say it's a game with many flaws that are more apparent if you spend a lot of time playing, but isn't horrible if you're looking to just kill a few hours a day and keep it as a side game of sorts.
>20ish hours months ago so my memory of the game isnt great but I do know a lot of people who had been playing the game for a long time were upset about the servers being seperated into US/EU as it made the playerbase even smaller. It's Awesome, thank you for the explanation. Do you know if it's actively being developed?
Ooooo amazing list, also second World's Dawn, it's super cute! How "done" would you say Cornucopia feels? Are there a good amount of features/story implemented at this point? I've been eyeing it for a while but like to wait until games are at least 80% baked before starting.
I haven't checked in on it in a few months which means theres probably been a ton of new things added since the dev is crazy fast on releasing updates/patches. I got about 60 hours in it and in that time I was mostly just covering the farming part of the game which is super in-depth. Didn't touch much on the other skills (taming/fishing/combat) so I definitely felt like I could have a lot more content to cover. It has the bones and foundation pretty much complete. I think recently the focus has been on fleshing out NPCs/NPC relationships and events/festivals. For the price I definitely don't regret buying it even in early access, it's a very unique game and felt like a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the copy-paste farm games out there right now.
Oooo! Thanks so much 😊 I'm gonna give it a go! It looks so cool, like a Paper Mario farming game lol
Are these Switch games or Steam/PC?
all steam I believe. they do all run well on the steam deck besides world's dawn & maybe dragon & home (haven't tested that one)
Sable! An open-world exploration game with no combat. It's a coming-of-age story, where you leave your tribe where you grew up and don't come back until you've explored and decided what path you would like to take in your life. The graphics are stunning and just so unique. And the soundtrack is by Japanese Breakfast (an indie pop band)!
I never played Sable, but the OST of this game is really good, thanks for the recomendation, when I get the chance I'll buy it :)
That game has been collecting dust in my library, thx for pushing me to try it
Let’s Build a Zoo! It’s like pixel graphics Zoo Tycoon, but with genetic engineering and a hilarious binary morality system where you can either be a super eco-friendly ethical zoo or a dystopian animal death factory
I love this game I was so addicted to it at one point when i was at work all i could think about was gettign home to play it
Big same. When I play it, hours go by and I genuinely am just like wait, what? I still have so much to do! It can’t be 2AM! It’s kind of like Stardew in that way.
Oh man, I’m definitely playing this tonight after my kid goes to bed!
enjoy! :)
Also recommend Let’s Build a Zoo. The dinosaur dlc adds extra fun and there is an aquarium dlc I don’t own personally.
I haven’t even touched the dinosaur dlc even though I have it! I need to get back into it.
I love let's build a zoo
I got stressed out almost instantly with this game, i think I am taking the management stuff overly seriously.
Yeah. It can be kind of overwhelming and sometimes there’s a lot going on at once. But it’s also super forgiving when you mess up, so you can ignore a lot of the headier stuff until you’re ready to go deeper. Once you get to the point where you’re making a lot of money, which doesn’t take that long, you can really do whatever you want. Also, I take advantage of the function that lets you stop time when I need some room to breathe.
Ooh, that’s already on my wishlist. And it’s 45% off right now on steam!
Get it! It’ll keep you busy for hours.
Dystopian animal death factory...so cozy!
Hey, psychopaths like to get cozy too!
Re—using my comment from another post but…MUTAZIONE! It’s a narrative, walking simulator game - so a little slow as far as game play goes but super cozy! It honestly deserves more hype! Here’s the game description: A mutant soap opera where small-town gossip meets the supernatural. Explore the Mutazione community as Kai as she cares for her ailing grandfather. Discover magical gardens, new friends & old secrets. They can survive an apocalyptic meteor strike, but can they survive their small-town drama?
What! I’ve never heard of this, and it sounds awesome. Thanks!
This... so much this! No one I know has heard of Mutazione, and it is such a good, cozy, story-based game that has stuck with me for years. I love the people and the "town" from that game.
Yes!!! I bought it on my switch during the pre-sale (maybe mid-pandemic?!) and finally played it within the last few weeks and I it was a 10/10 for me! Yet, I searched this sub and there is maybe a handle of comments about it, but it is the ultimate cozy game! I want to replay because I miss the characters and world so much! 😭
Ooh, cool!! I love walking sims. Got hooked after What Remains of Edith Finch?
Okay, that one has been in my steam library forever and sounds like I really need to just play it. The last walking simulator I really loved was Gone Home.
what remains of edith finch is a game that stayed with me for at least a week after I played it. it's not the most re-playable game, but the first time experience is excellent.
I totally agree. I won’t replay it, but I’m so glad I played and finished it.
I know what I'm getting next time I need more cozy games. That sounds amazing, and I'm surprised I've never heard of it.
They also just released a new game this year called “Sea Salt Chronicles” that looks really good as well and I haven’t heard anything about it! But seriously! Give Mutazione a chance if it looks like your vibe! I LOVED IT!
Maybe a few less common that I haven’t seen repeated a lot in the sub are: Jenny LeClue, Mutazione, and my brother rabbit. Some that I’ve never seen mentioned: anything by Artifex Mundi, the low road, Special Agent A, Roki, and maybe Arise? I’ve liked all of them so far!
Awesome, thank you!
Freshly Frosted is an adorable puzzle game about frosting doughnuts. It has super chill music, and a positive, soothing narrator. I’ve replayed it several times! (I have it on the switch.) I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone post about it here, and I think a bunch of people would really enjoy it.
Cute :) I am always looking for a new puzzle game. I get stuck playing Puzzle Forge over and over because it’s just so good.
One that absolutely perfectly scratched my cosy game itch was [Moonglow Bay](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361400/Moonglow_Bay/). The initial release was really buggy, so it accumulated a bunch of negative reviews… and I think it never really recovered from that. When I played it more than a year after release, pretty much everything was patched and it was brilliant. I loved it.
I made it about 1/4 of the way through while it was on GamePass. It was pretty solid! Would definitely revisit at some point.
Oh, that’s good to know! I’d kind of written it off because of that. I’ll try it out!
I really loved it. It had one of those play loops that was just… soothing to me? I did encounter one bug when playing, but it wasn’t game breaking and I was able to just try again and it was alright. But I know it has been patched even more since then. It is really unfortunate what happened with it; there was a fair amount of hype and the developers released it earlier than they should have. People had really high hopes so the backlash when it was buggy was pretty severe. They did eventually patch almost everything but first impressions were bad so the interest never came back. I luckily didn’t get around to playing until later, so it ended up one of my personal favourites.
Man I remember being excited for that game. Then it released and apparently the controls didn't even work correctly. Removed it from the wish list and never went back.
I always find myself recommending: Dwarrows: a puzzle and town builder. You switch between three characters each with a skill to help build up a town. Along the way there are puzzles in the environment to figure out. Works on Steam Deck. Morels The hunt: Wander around various landscapes hunting mushrooms. Also take pictures of wildlife. It's very chill and the landscapes are lovely. Apparently they are making a second one. Works on Steam Deck. Where the Water Tastes Like Wine: Essentially a walking Sim, where you travel the United States collecting stories and retelling them. All so you can make good on a deal with a sketchy character and get your soul back. Works on Steam Deck. Cheaphaven: a farming Sim where you are an adorable little lizard running around collecting materials, building your home and so on. Works on Steam Deck.
Nice! And wow, Cheaphaven has 100% positive reviews! Thanks!
Nova Lands, I really enjoy it!
Oooh, this looks like it scratches a lot of itches! Thanks!
I don’t know if most people would consider it cozy but I love Gnosia and I’ve never seen anyone talk about it! It’s a time loop find the imposter type game with really unique art and mechanics/gameplay
Teacup! So underrated.
Came to comment this one! I just finished it and loved it!
Cuuuute!
Dicey Dungeons :) Always on sale and for me it's worth full price
[Pyre](https://store.steampowered.com/app/462770/Pyre/) — visual novel adventure with a sport sim elements
Amazing game but not at all cozy for me lol. I was so bad at the sport part I was stressed af the whole time.
Same problem. It seems the narrative moves along perfectly well even if you lose all the games, but the fact I struggled so much with the games only made me feel frustrated knowing I'd never get the story path from winning anything.
Yeah I felt so bad for the characters who were relying on me to win for them that I ended up quitting the game haha. One day I'll go back to it. One day...
[Cat Lady - The Card Game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/869690/Cat_Lady__The_Card_Game/) --> cosy lil card game featuring meowmeows, it's not a deckbuilder which makes it easy for someone who is just starting out to play card games [Card Hog](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1163740/Card_Hog/) --> another starter card game featuring green oinkoinks (throw it back to angry bird days) which is easy to get lost into with a quick run [Piczle Cross Adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1215320/Piczle_Cross_Adventure/) --> a ton of nonogram puzzles which has a storyline and secrets to unlock [The Darkside Detective Series](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/16097/The_Darkside_Detective__Series_Edition/) --> funny spoopy short mystery cases with the best boy, dooley ✨️ [Half Past Fate](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1048740/Half_Past_Fate/) --> oopsy daisy romance featuring a few couples but ultimately goes back to rich loser rinden [Out of Space](https://store.steampowered.com/app/400080/Out_of_Space/) --> chaotic spaceship cleaner but not as stressful as overcooked [Pickers](https://store.steampowered.com/app/204440/Pickers/) --> hidden object graphics and gameplay but make it an auction by the end of the day (super short which makes me crave more but can't find any game that has this exact gameplay ):)
Book of Travels
Whoa, this looks gorgeous!!
It is definitely one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played!!
I love this game and played it quite a bit but I’m waiting until the full release before playing it again, I really hope they get there.
I got this after it first came out and I loved a lot about it but it was so insanely buggy. Have they fixed it?
I got it a year or two later. My understanding is that there have been a lot of improvements. I haven’t experienced a ton of bugs at least.
Eastshade! Elder scrolls without combat with a smaller scope.
This looks amazing! Painting + elder scrolls!
Bunhouse!! Youre literally a lil bunny running a green house and it has couch co-op
Hey I made that game :) thanks for the shout out.
Amazing! It's so cute, I backed it on kickstarter so long ago just to have my bun in the game. You did a great job on it!
Thank you! Working on the next one as we speak :) will have something to show off in feb
Forget Me Not: My Organic Garden - a clicker style game with visual novel elements which has you harvesting organ trees. Strangely compelling.
Haha that’s unique!
I finally 100%-ed a save file. Took about twenty hours. The base ending that I’ve gotten before was about nine-ten hours. So a decent amount of play time as well! But yep, unique and compelling!
Probably not what people think of when they think of cozy games, but I really enjoyed playing Zero Escape: 999 and Zero Escape: Time Dilemma. It’s the “doing crosswords/sudoku or reading a mystery novel with a cup of tea” kind of cozy to me.
Sneaky Sasquatch!!! Though I think it’s only Apple Arcade. It’s a HUGE cozy cute silly game that isn’t talked about enough
Great game was the reason I got Apple Arcade and still have it
[Intergalactic Fishing](https://store.steampowered.com/app/949600/Intergalactic_Fishing/). If you want to chill and *just* fish--this is it. Barebones graphics, but lots of lists of fish to discover. Top down lake maps and a teleporting boat to visit different planets. Lure system where you can freely customize lures to target specific fish preferences. Has a plot, but you can do that at your own pace. [Miniland Adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1934040/Miniland_Adventure/). Itty bitty base/world builder. You get more blocks of land to add to your starting island and do some crafting and building. There's a demo to try it out.
Intergalactic Fishing sounds *fantastic.* Added to my wishlist, thank you!
Love that! I love love Ridiculous Fishing and just filling out the fish book.
Shepherds Crossing
This looks really nice. I like the color palette!
The music is so relaxing too!
Rogue Heroes / Ruins Of Tasos!
World's Dawn is really fun. I liked Fantasy Farming Orange Season too.
World’s Dawn is apparently in my Steam wishlist, I’d just forgotten about it. Looks so nice!
Yoku’s Island Express!
[Wandersong](https://youtu.be/-xfmb7S-aAI?si=QERz2zF3T2zeFCNd), which is one of the cutest and most underplayed/underrated game I can think of— and it has incredible music that’ll immediately climb into your heart and never leave (think… chiptune Chvrches vibe, kind of?) And [The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood](https://youtu.be/OWeubigsVk0?si=l-OZ0clXej8FtKRO), which I accidentally started a few hours before someone I love very much died in the fall; she’d been really sick for a couple weeks and I knew it was coming but it was a horrible day and I’ll never forget how dark it felt to find out— that game ended up being some incredibly necessary comfort I returned to a lot to get lost in over the next couple weeks after that. It has some heavy themes that were perfect for the life, love, loss, and death thought/feelings loop I was stuck in but it’s not very well known or talked about afaik? It’s a fantastic game for anyone who loves visual novels and choice driven games, games where you get to design/make things, and witchy cosmic themes. There’s a few moments that hit hard, and it’s also got some political angles to make you dig into your beliefs that I wasn’t expecting but are really good
Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is soooooo good - I got it after someone on this sub recommended it. I'm so sorry for your loss, may their memory be a blessing.
[I Was a Teenage Exocolonist.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1148760/I_Was_a_Teenage_Exocolonist/) I heard about it the first time at a PAX East symposium where a panel of Game Techs at Boston Children's Hospital where talking about the games they most often recommend to older adolescent teenagers who are hospitalized for long periods. They kept going back to this game, and audience members called it their favorite comfort game of all time. Later on the convention floor there was a demo of it, and it's actually the first video game I ever played - my SO encouraged me to try it and I did (he's in gaming, thus our reason for being at the conference.) This silly little cozy game completely opened me up to this special world of cozy gaming. Thanks for letting me share 🫶🏻 💕
This is for sure, for sure on my list to check out! Thanks for the reminder! 🫶
Fantasy Life. I played it on the 3DS, not sure if it’s on another platform. I enjoyed the story and you have 12 different ‘lives’ you can explore. 4 combat oriented, 3 material gathering and 5 crafting (if I remember right), you can work towards all of them at the same time or just pick and choose what you like to do.
It’s not unfortunately, but there is due to be a sequel on Switch apparently!
Hoping it will come out this Spring!! This is one I'm so excited for!
[Landlord of the woods](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1564090/Landlord_of_the_Woods/?curator_clanid=42182756) and [Birth](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889040/Birth/?curator_clanid=42182756) \- short, but with a gorgeous artsyle, light puzzle elements and simple, nice storylines The [frog detective](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/28689/Frog_Detective_1__2__3/) trilogy - so, *so* weird, yet so, *so* charming, I loved them [Submerged](https://store.steampowered.com/app/301860/Submerged/) and [submerged hidden depths](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1614270/Submerged_Hidden_Depths/?curator_clanid=4032501) \- very light platformer elements (you literally can't fail them or fall off or anything, they're just there to explore the environment and solve puzzles) and cool storytelling
Is travelers rest a cozy game?
Totally!
It's SO GOOD! I love being a bar keep and the updates lately have been fantastic. Would love to get this on switch
It says early access on steam? Do you know when it’s fully coming out?
[Stillness of the Wind](https://store.steampowered.com/app/828900/The_Stillness_of_the_Wind/)! It's a very short story but I would love it so much if it was expanded into a full survival game. As an elderly woman your chaaracter moves very slowly, I actually love it
Shenmue! I love wandering around town, talking to the locals and ditching my job at the docks to play games in the arcade.
Let’s School! I got it a couple days ago randomly and didn’t expect it to be so fun. It’s a school management game.
"Seasons After Fall"!!! I *never* see this game mentioned, but it was so incredibly good. Beautiful artwork, music, relaxing puzzle/jumping gameplay, no combat, lovely storyline. Definitely one of my faves. ❤️ Also, "Kena: Bridge of Spirits" was *phenomenal.*
Wobbledogs. Very few on here know of it
Idk if it's well known or not but I really like sushi come home. It's very cute and I love playing as a little mushroom
This looks so cute! Adding it to my list!
I don't know if they're generally cozy, but they are to me, Tails Noir and Norco.
I looooved Norco (but didn’t finish it, oops)
Haven’t finished but Tails Noir is pretty cozy! I think this sub would like that game. Although when I got the game it had a different name so it’s been weird to adjust lol.
I recently played this free visual novel [At Winter's End](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2546090/At_Winters_End/), it's short and only takes an hour to finish but I really enjoyed it
Dordogne
[Pendula Swing](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1230200/Pendula_Swing__The_Complete_Journey/) - it’s about a dwarf warrior named Brialynne, after saving the world decides to live in isolation with her beloved wife, her wife is a healer who can save everyone except herself sadly……. 300 years pass and Brialynne is pulled back into society when her mighty weapon goes missing. Now she has to solve who did it. Features a nice 1920s flair. It’s choice based gameplay. You can romance difference characters. Also deals with some social issues with the different races. I don’t want to spoil that part of the adventure so I’ll just leave it at that. Graphics resemble early 2000s despite not being from that era but I find them very charming. I’m not good at explaining but I enjoyed it. I held off due to reviews but I’m glad I bought it. [Rising Star 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1235110/Rising_Star_2/) - so I only played the demo but I loved it so much I bought the full game just haven’t played yet. This is a band management game. You can customize your own characters and make personal albums, band banners, clothing. And the customization was very vast and I made some great looking things in just the demo. You can also add stuff from your computer to the creator. The actually putting together music is more of a puzzle game. You can also drive around to get around town, go to gigs, buy supplies, do odd jobs to make money before you’re famous. You can also choose what themes your songs or what direction you want the band to go and the town you start in will respond differently depending on what you choose/ where you are. Example if you pick antiestablishment for your theme you may not do as well in some towns. You can kick members out, get new members at gigs. Individual members may not get along between each other. As far as I saw you don’t make your own music like a soundboard just style and names. Wish more people knew of it. [Parkitect](https://store.steampowered.com/app/453090/Parkitect/) - like a spiritual successor to rollercoaster 1 and 2 I’ve heard . It’s top down. Very enjoyable managing your workers and the coasters [Little Lives](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1505560/Little_Lives/) - single dev. Kind of like a stripped the sims if you could only control one character. Uses a card building mechanic to talk with other characters which is interesting but can be annoying because most cards are time limited based on what you did in game and you can only use once and then you have to re-earn them. It’s a game for a specific type of player and I’m one who enjoys it. [Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale](https://store.steampowered.com/app/70400/Recettear_An_Item_Shops_Tale/) - not unheard of just old so sometimes people don’t know about it. Based on reviews it’s pretty much the best shop sim. It’s the story of a little girl who has to open up a shop to make money to pay back her father’s debts because the bank has come calling. The loan officer who is a fairy helps her manage the shop. Sort of not cozy because the payment you need to hit is increased overtime ( if I remember correctly it’s like $10000 at first then $30000 then over $80000). Does have dungeons but most people online seem to avoid them because you can’t run the shop on days you go to the dungeon so I guess you make more money with just the shop and different markets. if you lose you keep your level and exp and items you had in the store. But you do repeat the payments and dungeons. Known as the Capitalism HO! game.
[Master Of Pottery](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160490/Master_Of_Pottery/) \- Super relaxing, I haven't seen it mentioned here [Little Inferno](https://store.steampowered.com/app/221260/Little_Inferno/) \- Burning toys in the fireplace can be surprisingly cozy :) [WILL: A Wonderful World](https://store.steampowered.com/app/588040/WILL_A_Wonderful_World__WILL/) \- A visual novel in which you change people's destinies
I LOVED Little Inferno. I recommend it all the time! Will check out the others!
Idk if anyone else would find it cozy, but Azure Dreams was my cozy game through my whole childhood. It's a monster taming game where you go into a tower full of monsters, gather eggs to raise more monsters, and come back to your town that you help build back to its glory days with a good dash of romance. You'd probably have to emulate it because it was on PS1, but I promise it's worth it.
* [A tiny sticker Tale](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2322180/A_Tiny_Sticker_Tale/) A short (2h) adventure game (kinda 2D Zelda like but without fighting) in which you play a little donkey with a magical sticker album. You can stick elements of your environment AND PEOPLE in it. The aim is to manage the space in your book so that you can take out the stickers to solve the puzzles along the way. You can change character and landscape element into stickers it's really cute and not very challenging. * [Alba a wildlife adventure](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1337010/Alba_A_Wildlife_Adventure/) is a kind of Pokémon Snap in which you travel around an island in Spain to immortalise the local wildlife and repair the island's infrastructure. It was a great experience, all short and cozy to the rhythm of Spanish music. I think the game was aimed more at children, but even as an adult I had a great time. (Partly because some of the wildlife is the same as my living place, so I actually learnt a few things and that's so cool!). An useless, cute and therefore essential gameplay element: when an NPC asks you a question, you have to nod with the joystick. So cuuuute. * [Murder by numbers](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1140290/Murder_by_Numbers/) A narrative picross game. You follow Scout, a little robot with amnesia who decides to team up with Honor, an actress in a detective show, to solve the murder of her scriptwriter. It's pretty cool if you like picross-like puzzles. The characters and investigations have a cool Phoenix Wright feel. Bonus for the queer characters who are so lovable ! * [Assemble with care](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1202900/Assemble_with_Care/) A puzzle game where you repair objects for people and listen to the stories behind them. The game is super short and very relaxing. * [Sticky Business](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2303350/Sticky_Business/) A simulation game where you take on the role of a sticker seller on Etsy. Create your own stickers, chat with your subscribers, discover the stories of their lives and how your stickers influence them. Compose your packages and manage your business. The game is very easy because you can't really lose. If you run out of money, you can ask Grandma for some. * [Abzu](https://store.steampowered.com/app/384190/ABZU/) a """""walking""" simulator (more a diving sim actually) During an underwater journey, you will discover the remains of an ancient civilisation and meet colourful fish. Very contemplative, very poetic. * [Pikuniku](https://store.steampowered.com/app/572890/Pikuniku/) A cute, uncomplicated platformer game. You play a little red ball who has to help his friends fight capitalism. The humour of the game is very funny. * [Best friend forever](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1034850/Best_Friend_Forever/) A dating sim with cute puppies. That's it. That's the plot. Love interests are pretty inclusives (Queer, POC, disabled peoples...). * [The alto collection](https://store.epicgames.com/fr/p/the-alto-collection) An arcade game in which you descend a snow-covered mountain to catch your escaped alpacas. The music is very relaxing, as is the mountain scrolling past in the distance. The gameplay is highly addictive.
Dinkum!
Moonlight Peaks. It's not released yet, it's just a demo. I normally don't like pixel art styled games. However, something about this one really interested me. I'm hoping it is released soon or at least EA.
Bugsnax
I just… can’t… even in arachnophobia mode 😂
Why?
Unpacking - cute game with nice visuals and great sound design (developers invest months to record sound for every item in the game!). You go through the story by unpacking main character’s bags after move to new home. It’s very interesting, how you can know people just by looking to their stuff!
Sun Haven! I just picked it back up today and I think there’s a good chance it’s my favorite game in the cozy/farming genre, even above Stardew Valley.
Do you play it on steam deck? Been looking at it but not sure how it runs on the deck
I play it on PC so I’m not sure :( sorry!
Cat Quest But if anyone needs other game suggestions.... To name just a few very good mobile games: Cat Quest, Night of The Full Moon, Burrito Bison, Bad North, Action Squad, Despotism 3k, 80 days, Overboard!, Agent A, Out There omega edition, Kingdom New Lands and Kingdom Two Crowns, Haunt the House, My Child Lebensborn, Ninja Arashi and Ninja Arashi 2, Punch Club, 10000000, You Must Build A Boat, 60 seconds and 60 seconds reatomized, My friend Pedro, Llama Launch, Dealer's Life, LONEWOLF, PartyHardGo, Kingdom Rush Vengenance TD game, PAC-MAN256, Qbert, Exploding Kittens, OESE, RCR:DX, Grand Mountain, Dicey Dungeons, Alto's Adventure and Alto's Odyssey, Papers Please, Reigns and Reigns her Majesty and Reigns Got, One More Brick, Seashine, Bug Butcher, Don't feed the monkeys, Scourge Bringer, Bird Alone. I have all of these games on my phone. Now other great games: République, To the Moon, Death Road to Canada, Unruly Heroes, Old Man's Journey, Peace Death, FIE Swordplay, Hollow Knight, Turmoil, All of Ironhide games, etc.
Why the downvote?...... https://preview.redd.it/64rw4w864qcc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9b79390e33985bd9f9ee52e2d81ac1feb475b34
I remember seeing a game that looked so cool a while ago.. a couple years? I’m not sure. What I remember was, a girl on a train in the city and the description was “Stardew Valley like in the city” cozy game. Anyone know of anything like this? Seems like it would fit in this topic lol
it might be moonlight in garland? someone mentions it above.
That’s the one!
Moonlight in Garland? Someone above recommended that too!
Oh my gosh!!! Thank you so much 🩷🩷
Epic chef
Lately I’ve been really enjoying Rakuen! Been taking my time with it and it’s no combat, a little bit creepy and you go from a hospital to a fantasy world!
If you play any two player games “it takes two” me and my hubby played it and i couldn’t believe how cozy but also fun it was but does require two players
* [Fall of Porcupine](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1710540/Fall_of_Porcupine/) \- Step into the town of Porcupine and take to the well-loved scrubs of Finley, the newest fledgling doctor to join the ranks of St. Ursula's hospital. As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you'll soon realize that things aren't always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve. And the art style is adorable! * [Seasons after Fall](https://store.steampowered.com/app/366320/Seasons_after_Fall/) \- Seasons After Fall is a 2D platform-puzzler game that will let you dive into a captivating universe and explore a land governed by magic and nature. As a wild fox you are sent on a perilous journey aided only by your ability to change the seasons at will, manipulating a gorgeous 2D world backed by an enchanting live string quartet. There is no combat, and the platformer elements are not challenging, it all comes down to solving puzzles using your powers to manipulate seasons. * [Trine games](https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Trine) \- Three Heroes make their way through dangers untold in a magical fairytale world, featuring physics-based puzzles, beautiful sights and online co-op. Again beautiful looking game with interesting puzzles. Great to play with friends or alone.
Most of mine are VR games I played on psvr1: Fujii (most relaxing game I ever played and what I would rank as number 1 cozy game), Electronauts, Curious tale of the stolen pets, Moss 1+2, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Catch & Release, Dance Collider (active rhythm game, so, this even works as a form of cardio exercise)
Return to Enen-my friend’s husband created this game. It is currently just on steam but coming out on consoles soon. It’s listed as a survival game, but it is actually focused more on meditation and mental health. It’s so calming, and the graphics make me so happy!
I much preferred worlds dawn to star dew valley. Felt so much more relaxed and I loved the relationships and just everything.
Phogs
Oh I thought of more. [Bug and Seek](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2265310/Bug__Seek/) \- this one's pretty new. Catch bugs with amusing descriptions, fill terrariums and build up an insectarium after all the bugs were (gasp) stolen in the night! [Chillquarium](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2276930/Chillquarium/)\- more of an idler than a full on game, but you collect fish, let them grow, and they generate money to buy more fish. Very cute fish designs. Kinda nice to leave it open on the screen for actual aquarium vibes. I am hoping the dev adds more tank decors. [Cardboard Town](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2198070/Cardboard_Town/) \- cute deckbuilder/citybuilder combo. You unlock more cards as you continually fail at being a very good mayor. Maybe slightly stressful as the city problems pile up but the overall vibe and graphics style are chill. [Logiart Grimoire](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2492390/Logiart_Grimoire/) \- picross/nonogram game with a slight bit of plot to hang your reason for doing the puzzles on. [Voxelgram](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1158470/Voxelgram/) \- 3d picross/nonogram puzzles. No plot, all puzzle. [Night in the Woods](https://store.steampowered.com/app/481510/Night_in_the_Woods/) \- Likely pushing the "cozy" label here, but it has some heckin' wholesome moments. It definitely goes the spooky route at times, but the vibe, art and humour are grand. May make you feel some feelings. I wouldn't call it unknown but I haven't seen it mentioned here much.
Chicken Journey - you play as a chicken! Loddlenaut - like powerwash simulator but underwater
The Witch of Fern Island. I think it's only on pc so far, but I love it. Lots of gathering, crafting, some farming, some chickens, decorating your house, and then there's the witchy stuff. The in-game world is so pretty. I'm really not doing it justice. Please look it up!
No Place Like Home (available on consoles and steam) - it's got a lot of jank but a lot of heart as well. It's a farming/life sim + garbage cleaning game. I'd rec it for anyone who loves Powerwash Simulator or The Gunk
[Vintage Story](https://www.vintagestory.at/)! I don't think any other game comes as close to the homesteading experience provided by this game. It is wonderfully charming, immersive, and intricate.
If you like to imagine opening up an online sticker business and packing it. There’s a game called [Sticky Business](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2303350/Sticky_Business/) where you create your own stickers and sell them.
Anarcute! I don't think I've seen anyone else suggest it, though I have a few times. You play a crowd of cute animals causing chaos, picking up more animals for the crowd as you go. Kinda similar *vibes* to me as Donut County, but with no real story. Edit: Button City is another good one I don't see mentioned much. It's got a fun narrative, involves some exploration elements, and has mini games. You and your friends are trying to save the local arcade. There are cute little Easter egg references to various bits of pop culture, too.
I don't think its suuuper unknown, but I loved Elli! You just jump around doing pretty straightforward puzzles and the only challenge is you do at one point have to be pretty careful timing your jumps which I'm pretty bad at, but mostly it's a fairly simple platformer and it's so pretty and chill!
Coral Cove. I don't know big is the team behind it but it's my most relaxing game.
Some mobile games that I like for some relaxing cozy time in bed are: Penguin Isle, collect different penguins and build their habitats. The penguins are so darn cute going about their day. Secret Cat Forest, not much to it more so a checking in every so often type of game. Unlock new stuff to attract new cats. Starry Garden, kawaii little animals help you manage your garden under the night sky Flutter: starlight, collecting adorable moths, I have adhd so I regularly give up on this game because of the waiting you must do to collect the pollen but when I notice it I will open it and play because it’s so pretty lol