00:00most genres are self-explanatory puzzle stealth simulation but when it comes to cozy games you
00:11can't always quantify what makes something cozy instead it's about the gentle feeling the experience
00:17elicits that lovely sensation of being able to curl up on the sofa under a blanket and play
00:22without any stress so that's what this list is all about the titles that make us want to drink tea
00:28and listen to the rain on the window outside as we play here are the best cozy games to play right now
00:41let's start with one of the og cozy game shall we stardew valley is basically a welcoming hug
00:47masquerading as a life sim and the beauty of this agricultural paradise is that you can play it
00:52entirely at your own pace with your own goals do you want to build a farming empire selling
00:58truffle oil to make your fortune or do you want to shun farming and cultivate relationships with
01:03the residents of pelican town instead every season of stardew valley feels different and there's
01:08constant variation with town events and fresh quest lines and if somehow you've missed the coziest game
01:14of all time there's been so much new content added since its release that it's basically now eight
01:20games in one and you probably won't need to play anything else just be warned once stardew gets its
01:26charming hooks in you're going to be under that blanket for a long long time
01:38a cozy management game about death doesn't sound like an attractive prospect how do those words even
01:44fit together and yet spiritfarer is exactly this and somehow one of the most beautiful and rewarding
01:50games on this list you play as stella a ferry master for the dead shuttling souls across the water to
01:56their final resting place this means building rooms farming gardening and fulfilling the last wishes of
02:03those on board it's gentle but evocative and there's even a dedicated hug button for your passengers
02:09spiritfarer is a rare treat and while there is eventually an endpoint this is a beautiful experience that
02:15ticks all of the cozy boxes plus it may well bring a tear or six to your eye as well along the way oh
02:23and did we mention there's a local co-op two player where a friend can join and play as a cat called
02:28daffodil see sold let's face it 22.4 million players in four months can't be wrong the now legendary
02:44animal crossing new horizons was a revelation for older new players in 2020 and is still a perfect cozy
02:50game mirroring the day with real time new horizons immediately slows things right down letting us fish
02:57catch bugs or just admire the sunset at our very own pace there are no deadlines here no stressful
03:04quests to fulfill just a mortgage without an end date that you're going to want to pay off anyway
03:10so you can fill your in-game house with more perfectly crafted and customized furniture
03:15whether you just want to spend time with your villagers or focus on filling the museum with fossils
03:20everything is gentle and charming even better is the fact that once you've spent hours perfectly
03:25cultivating the perfect island you can invite friends over to show it off
03:36it's not a hard and fast rule but chances are that if there's an abundance of smiling
03:41blobs on your game there's a distinct possibility that it's in the cozy category slime rancher is a
03:47joyous life and farm sim with a jelly-like twist as you set out to capture a variety of bouncing slimes
03:54once you've got them sucked into your vacuum pack you can then pop them into an enclosure
03:59make sure they've got plenty to eat and even play music to keep them calm to help prevent escapes
04:05you'll then quickly become intimately acquainted with slime biology because slime poop or plorts
04:11fetch a pretty penny on the plort market that's right this is a game about farming cucka
04:16it's a gentle one though with a lovely warm and fuzzy feel just remember to wash your hands yeah
04:30maybe the agriculture of stardew valley isn't your thing and you prefer a life of magic then little
04:36witch in the woods will be much more your cup of potion this pixelated wonder is another engaging
04:41management sim as you take on the role of ellie helping the residents of a ramshackle village bring
04:47life back to the place just like stardew there's plenty to do every day as you learn new spells and
04:53potions in between quests hunting down ingredients is especially good fun as you head into the woods
04:59to find all kinds of magical creatures and harvest their resources that's just as painful as it sounds
05:05for the creatures adding a just granular enough potion brewing mechanic and little witch in the woods
05:10manages to be a satisfying deep dive into the world of elixirs and spells
05:23if you're looking for a short but oh so sweet experience that evokes a giddy feeling of childhood joy
05:29you can't miss alba a wildlife adventure this is an experience built on that brilliant sensation of
05:35endless potential you had as a kid on holiday with no responsibilities other than to find fun
05:42alba though does find responsibilities as she tries to stop a hotel firm from building over an animal
05:48sanctuary on the mediterranean island where her grandparents live this means you need to
05:53photograph the flora and fauna of the island chat to the townspeople and generally take in the
05:58delight of this wholesome world everything is geared for pure relaxation and the gentle knowledge that
06:04everything's going to be okay which is really all we ever need
06:16we are always immediately suspicious of a game idea that clearly started as a pun but the ultra laid
06:22back bear and breakfast has proved itself a worthy addition to the cozy genre there's nothing too onerous
06:28here just a bear called hank deciding to work in the hospitality industry and aiming to bring
06:34tourism back to an abandoned valley thankfully our guests don't seem to be too upset that hank's a
06:39bear so there are plenty of opportunities to make everyone as comfortable as possible in each location
06:45you can decorate keep everything clean and even ensure that guests have true fine dining experiences
06:51with resources scavenged from the forest people pay a lot for those kinds of menus you know
06:56mmm moss here's to an excellent review on trip advisor
07:09but if what you're looking for is something a little more puzzlier well to finish the list
07:14Dorf Romantic is a gentle puzzle game and it's not just a city builder but a country builder too
07:20each beautiful hexagon tile has to be placed on the map to connect with more trees rivers
07:25train tracks and towns in order to fulfill requirements the more goals you hit the more
07:30tiles you earn and the bigger the colorful map becomes it's simple but constantly compelling
07:36as our creation grows in all directions even better is that the sprawling landscape starts to come to
07:42life boats chug along the rivers fountains flow in town squares and windmills turn as you
07:48transform the empty map into a lush countryside it's just relaxing and cozy enough that like
07:53a good jigsaw puzzle you could even list to a podcast at the same time perfect so that's some of
08:01the best cozy games you can play right now all you need to do now is grab your favorite hot drink and
08:06settle down on the sofa although if it's not too much effort why not suggest some of your own ideas in
08:12the comments below before you get too comfy
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