What Are Cozy Games? Why Do We Care?
“Cozy games” are video games (often from indie studios) that invite players to explore and experience a world without the threat of uber-violent conflict or overly time-sensitive actions. They often rely on repetition to establish a sense of steadiness and usually feature a community of NPCs to invoke kinship. These games are the emotional equivalent of a cup of tea with an exciting novel. Pastel colors and chill music abound.
This sub-genre has risen in popularity over the last few years as a wider range of players join the hobby and as developers become increasingly confident creating non-standard fare. NPR recently did a segment on cozy gaming, and there’s even a new (and lovely!) site entirely dedicated to cozy gaming by a husband-wife duo.
Cozy games are frequently pigeonholed with derision as “girl games,” which is too bad for a variety of reasons. However, I think it’s safe to say that many players could do with more comfort, love, and gentleness in their lives.
Video games that embrace coziness—whether it be in the overall vision or even just in a side quest in a more traditional, action-oriented game—have the power to invite players into another world, one that is less stressful though no less nuanced and delightful than the real one. Because the medium requires interactivity, cozy games still empower players to feel active even in a safe and gentle space.
In a packed gaming year like this one, we only want the best. I gathered some of my favorites and asked other bloggers here to weigh in. Bundle up, and let’s get cozy.
The 19 Best Cozy Video Games
Looking for a warm game to enjoy when the weather gets cold? Or something cool to relax with inside when it’s too hot? Well, regardless of the weather and your mood, our team has assembled a list of our favorite cozy video games. We also wrote a few love letters to the cozy levels in more big, action-packed games. We love the positive vibes these titles (and sections) bring to our lives, and we hope you’ll feel the same. Want to hop to a specific entry? Here’s the full list, in alphabetical order:
- A Kinder World
- A Little to the Left
- AER: Memories of Old
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Cateau
- Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2
- The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
- Disney Dreamlight Valley
- Lake
- Lil Gator Game
- Mail Time
- Mineko’s Night Market
- New Pokémon Snap
- Potion Permit
- Regency Love
- Spiritfarer
- Stardew Valley
- Smushi Come Home
- Venba
Additionally, at the end of this list, we’ve featured a few of our favorite cozy mechanics and/or sequences within games that you wouldn’t traditionally think of as cozy:
- Garreg Mach in Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Corvo Bianco in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
- Club Sunshine in Yakuza 0
Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2
If coffee shops are one of your happy places, you absolutely must try the Coffee Talk series. The games nail the cozy coffee shop aesthetic (always rainy, clinking sounds of dishware, vibey jazz) weaving a thoughtful meta plot over the course of a few weeks. The barista of this all-night spot serves lattes to struggling writers, designs custom drinks for werewolves, and makes tea to ease fights within inter-creature relationships.
The first game made my 2020 Game of the Year List, and I reviewed Coffee Talk Episode 2 earlier this year. Both games welcome you in like a warm hug as a regular. Any indie game is a labor of love, much less one made through such difficult times. Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk: Episode 2 are love letters to friendship and third places.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Potion Permit
Potion Permit is an open-ended RPG where you play as a big-city chemist who visits a small town to help the mayor’s ill daughter. However, the civilians of Moonbury Town are not yet ready to accept you in their presence due to a previous catastrophe with another chemist. To gain their trust, you must successfully treat patients and complete quests to help out the townspeople. Just like most traditional farming sims, you can make friends and find love, upgrade your tools, and explore new areas that expand your map.
My favorite part of the game is exploring the outskirts of Moonbury Town in search of materials you’ll need either for fetch quests or for your potions. When making potions, you play a Tetris-like mini-game in which you need to piece together the right type and amount of materials. This mechanic provides the right amount of challenge and is a nice break from the social and foraging elements you might be used to in similar games. If you ever need help, there’s also a wiki site for guidance.
With the right potions in hand, you’ll proceed to help various townspeople, either at home or at the in-town clinic you run. After finishing the main storyline, you may continue completing quests and tending to patients as long as you’d like.
Potion Permit is a farming sim with a twist and a relaxing soundtrack to boot. It’s a fantastic alternative for those who may be burned out from cozy cult classics like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley (both of which we do feature on this list!).
– Written by Allison McDaniel
Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Cateau
Cateau is a wholesome visual novel all about meeting cats and forming relationships in the beautiful city of Paris. In the game, you live with your roommate Roselle, a close friend and college student who you’ve noticed has become more shut-in and quietly depressed than ever before. As you head out to work, you come across the first of three cats in this game. The street cat inspires you to take a photo to reinvigorate Roselle’s love for life through her consistent love for cats.
This game has captured my heart because of the way it illustrates both building relationships and mental illness. The main gameplay element involves making choices as to how to interact with each of the three cats you find on the streets of Paris. To best interact with each cat, you’ll have to read into their environments, their body language, and all previous interactions you’ve had with them to understand their likes and dislikes. It really reinforces the importance of paying attention to those you want to build relationships with instead of just acting as you please. Likewise, rather than blindly telling Roselle things will be okay, you help her come out of isolation by sharing things she loves with her.
Cateau represents everything you really need to know about friendship in an adorable, cat-shaped package. Its cutesy, choose-your-action gameplay teaches you to understand the thoughts and feelings of others before you say or do something. While a single gameplay session lasts about two hours depending on the choices you make and how quickly you read, it’s one of the few games I find myself being able to play over and over again, with the same joy I felt during my first playthrough.
– Written by Krista McCay
Platforms: PC, Android
Lil Gator Game
The best thing I can say about Lil Gator Game is that I absolutely could not put it down. I downloaded it as a way to pass the time during a weekend of particularly bad winter weather this past February, and as my wife and I nestled into the couch to give the game a try (talk about cozy), I quickly found myself fully engrossed in its beautiful story, adorable characters, and just plain fun gameplay.
You play as, you guessed it, a lil’ gator, but instead of basking in the sunlight all day barely moving, there’s no shortage of things to do in this world. The setup is simple, yet charming, and oh so relatable for those of us with older siblings: Your sister is home from college and you want to play pretend with her like you used to. Unfortunately, Big Sis has homework and responsibilities now and no time for games. You quickly devise a plan to get your friends (all manner of animals) to give you heroic quests to complete to hopefully draw your sis back into the action.
In a not-so-subtle nod to Zelda, you must first prove yourself as a hero by earning your sword, shield, and pointy hat! Once you’ve shown you have what it takes, you’re off collecting bugs, besting bullies, and traversing the colorful island for goodies. Oh, and you’ll also encounter my favorite quest: searching every corner of the map for a mysterious figure selling bracelets that level up your exploration ability. The game is never particularly challenging, but quests vary in their goals and achievements and I found myself stuck in the “just one more” phase throughout my entire six-or-so-hour journey.
When it comes to cozy games, I’m definitely a sucker for cute animals building forts, weapons, and accessories out of cardboard. But even more so than the cartoony visual style, warm upbeat music, and goofy dialogue, it was the story of Lil Gator Game that drew me in and warmed my heart. By the end, I found myself holding back tears as Big Sis finally put down her laptop and joined the adventure. There’s so much joy here that begs to be discovered; for anyone who wishes they still had time to run around and make up silly games with their friends, Lil Gator Game says go play!
– Written by Zack Gulinello
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Venba
Venba is an excellent debut game from Visai Studios where you play a young mother who has recently immigrated from India to Canada, as she tries to cook meals that remind her of home.
Each of the seven levels centers around a meal being made, making for a soothing, centering experience. The art of the characters and locations is lovely, but the design really shines with the food. I got hungry making layers of biryani. I smiled rubbing spice mixes into a fish. I said “Cool!” at the same time as Venba’s son Kavin when she finished making puttu, steam releasing out dramatically from a metal container.
At one point, the characters discuss how a piece of art has the potential to make a stronger impact on an audience than a protest or traditional statement. Well, look no further. Venba rises to this challenge, and then some.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
A Kinder World
A Kinder World is a simple-and-sweet, cozy meditative mobile experience. In the morning and in the evening, you water a plant. You can enrich the water by doing a short breathing exercise, sharing gratitude, or just reflecting on what emotion you’re feeling. The plant grows a leaf, and that’s it. It’s lovely.
Birds, snails, and frogs will visit the plant in your window, and you can open (if you want) a random encouraging message from a stranger. Some days, a sweet, hand-drawn talking dog or porcupine or deer will come by and talk to you, or send you a letter (if you want) with compassionate advice. As the game progresses, you unlock different rooms in the house that you can decorate (if you want). But really, that’s it. What’s more, it’s completely free, with no ads, funded in part by the Australian government. You can buy extra decorative things for your house (if you want).
A Kinder World invites you to have a quiet, safe space on your phone as a gentle ritual. In this simple game, you practice kindness, first and foremost to yourself. (And it’s a great way to get your mom into gaming!)
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: iOS, Android
Smushi Come Home
In a year dominated by big-budget releases, 2023’s Smushi Come Home stood tall (small?) against its contemporaries. This bite-sized title from indie developer SomeHumbleOnion stars a mushroom named Smushi who finds himself lost in a forest, far from home. Thankfully, he’s not alone; the woods teem with good-natured folks who’ll guide Smushi and help him find his way.
Smushi Come Home revels in the small things. Inspired by fellow cozy colleague A Short Hike, the game focuses far less on pomp and far more on charm. Each NPC has an encouraging message or thoughtful moral to share. Every cranny has a cosmetic trinket to find or a fun mini-game to discover. Moments of delight abound. You can even ride a capybara (you read that right).
Smushi Come Home packs a whole lot of charm into a deceptively small title. Don’t let the three- to four-hour runtime fool you; this game has plenty to offer if given the chance. (Did I mention the capybara?)
– Written by David Silbert
Platforms: PC, Mac, and Nintendo Switch
Regency Love
I’ll be honest: I was straight up obsessed with this game for a month. Regency Love is an interactive novel game that was made by three young Asian Australian women as a passion project a few years ago. The game echoes many themes and elements of classic Austen novels—a young woman of minor status whose main objectives in life are to become an “accomplished woman” (be good at the piano, do embroidery, ride a horse, etc.) so she can marry well.
Players navigate their character with a lot of freedom: They can choose responses in conversations, decide her social calendar, and allocate how she spends her time off. The mechanics are extremely easy to understand, and with multiple suitor paths and conversation choices, it’s very replayable. The game also has an expansion that’s worth it, especially since this game is super indie and it’s nice to support people who make games.
It’s an incredibly cozy visual narrative that is a delight for anyone who is a fan of Bridgerton, and it’s a great game for moms.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: iOS
Lake
Lake is a narrative-focused game that takes place in 1986. You play as Meredith Weiss, a young woman stressed from her day job who decides to go back to her childhood town and become a postwoman.
Be prepared to relive memories, meet up with familiar faces, and create new connections with Meredith’s old friends. The best way to describe the gameplay is “chill,” as almost everything in the game happens slowly and won’t be stressing you out in any way. As a game with dialogue-based gameplay, each decision you make will lead you to a different branch of the story.
Lake will try to deliver that unique feeling you get when you meet old childhood friends or visit the old neighborhood you grew up in. A truly cozy game, Lake is a wonderful way to keep yourself stress-free during the winter days.
– Written by Sarah Paul
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
In my glowing review, I shared that I believe that The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood has given players a new high standard for cozy video games. The game explains everything you need to know about tarot and provides a safe space to explore your curiosity. Characters will ask questions about their life or seek advice, and protagonist Fortuna will choose cards from her deck for each query. You’ll consider multiple interpretations of the card and choose the message you wish to share.
As you continue to play, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood only gets better. Deck-building becomes more and more enticing, and the stakes of the story heighten. New mechanics are introduced. There’s never a boring moment when you’re playing as a fortune-telling, space-faring, queer, immortal, formerly banished witch trying to save her commune from total destruction.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a massively popular farming-sim game, made entirely by a single developer, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. It was originally released in 2016, but new features are often added.
Stardew Valley tasks you with a bevy of activities besides just creating a farm. Fishing, mining, improving the town, uncovering mysteries of the map, roaming through deserts… there are countless aspects to your wonderful, stress-free life. The game features a colorful world with plenty of equally colorful characters (and you can add even more through mods!).
Whether you’re tending to your farm or romancing the sweetheart of your dreams, Stardew Valley is the perfect way to spend the winter.
– Written by Sarah Paul
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game about kindness, both to others and yourself.
In my more than 100 hours of New Horizons in 2020, I fully populated a museum with fish, bugs, and artifacts, for no other reason than I believed it would benefit the community. I created multiple outdoor seating areas so I had more places to relax and appreciate the world around me. I allowed myself to be the center of attention in a lot of ways, but never at the expense of anyone else; the other villagers were always happy to see me, even complimenting me on my new outfits.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fake, virtual world where nothing bad happens and everyone’s just happy to be there. While it may seem thematically simplistic and childish, its emphasis on how to look out for your community and yourself really struck a chord with me. There’s no princess to save or apocalypse to avert; sometimes, the best thing you can do to show you care is just give your neighbor a t-shirt or donate to a local museum. New Horizons isn’t just the game I enjoyed most in 2020; it’s the game that frequently reminded me to care about myself and the people around me.
– Written by Sam Martinelli
Platform: Nintendo Switch
(Editor’s Note: Check out our Animal Crossing: New Horizons five-star island guide!)
AER: Memories of Old
There are few games that fail to look timeless with a low-polygon style, and AER: Memories of Old is certainly not one of them. You play as a shapeshifting Pilgrim, one of the few able to navigate the myriad of sky islands dotting the land. Along your journey, you’ll meet the denizens of the islands, explore old ruins, and discover the secrets of the gods of old.
AER was described in a negative review as “too chill,” and it’s honestly not wrong. You play as the floatiest young woman on the planet, skipping your way through temples and across platforms at a pace that’s perfect for the vibes of the world. While you are investigating a literal apocalypse, there’s no rush or sense of urgency. No gigantic monsters to smash or little ones to duel. You just fly around.
That’s not figurative; you can actually turn into a bird. The hawk controls are also just floaty enough to be enjoyable. You move slowly and slower vertically, but you can ride the waves of wind to get a quick boost. This leads to a very natural cycle of movement that makes the bird’s sequences super enjoyable. You don’t get to transform as often as you might think, but that doesn’t change the fun of free-flowing flight.
This is an inexpensive, short experience that is totally worth trying out. Especially if you’ve been having a hard weekend and just need a place to explore and vibe with for three or four hours, AER: Memories of Old will take you to the sky and let you spread your wings.
– Written by Jason Toro
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Spiritfarer
I went back-and-forth on including Spiritfarer on this list because it makes me FEEL SO MANY THINGS that I’m not sure it really counted as “cozy.” As the title suggests, players take on the role of Stella who is the new shepherd for passing souls on the river Styx. You’ll build up a beautiful house boat and explore a colorful afterlife to guide anthropomorphic animal-versions of human souls to their final destination. You’ll spend some game sessions collecting stardust, fishing, chatting, jumping, and honestly, probably crying.
To put it simply, Spiritfarer is a game I’ll never forget. I wrote about why it’s the ultimate Avatar: The Last Airbender video game, another piece of content that leads you in with bright colors and delivers heart-wrenching highs.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, PC, Android, iOS
Mail Time
Mail Time is a sublimely pastel and gorgeously orchestrated indie game about delivering mail to forest creatures. Calling it “cozy” is an understatement. The world of Mail Time is welcoming, funny, and encouraging.
Conceptually, Mail Time is simple. Players bop around Grumblewood Grove, collecting letters and delivering them to their intended recipients. You know, how the mail works. The protagonist, who you’ll name and customize, will make chipper conversation with the colorful (literally and figuratively) locals.
You’ll have to discover your way around the adorable open world, finding the recipient for your letters. Players time out jumps and glide across daisies, mushrooms, tree stumps, and valleys. Despite its relatively short five-hour runtime, Mail Time doesn’t feel small. It’s a great example of quality over quantity. If you are remotely interested in cute forest animals and/or the mail, you’ll want to add Mail Time to your gaming route.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Mac
Mineko’s Night Market
While I was turned off by the silliness of the writing for the first couple hours, I have grown to adore the chaos of Mineko’s Night Market. You play as a young girl named Mineko who moves to a new village and it’s up to her to bring new life into the village’s weekly night market. Through villager fetch quests and foraging new areas, you uncover unique items and recipes to create crafts to sell at the night market on Saturday evenings.
Fair warning—Mineko’s Night Market does get repetitive and grindy as you progress. Just like traditional farming sims, there are four seasons you play through, each with its own unique characteristics. For example, while playing through autumn, I find myself sleeping through weeks as I wait for winter to find the items I need to progress the storyline. Despite the fluctuating rate of progression, the game has a wonderfully wacky dialogue, mini-games, and a beautiful art style.
Mineko’s Night Market was my favorite cozy game addiction of 2023! And, bonus—if you love cats, there are tons in this game!
– Written by Allison McDaniel
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Playing Disney Dreamlight Valley is immediately comforting, like a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup, or what I imagine a big hug from Baymax feels like. It’s another farming/village simulator, but it comes with all the star power of your favorite Disney franchises.
I positively reviewed Disney Dreamlight Valley (DDV) during Early Access, though the longer I’ve played it, the more frustrated I’ve become with it. Not all character storylines feel equally well-written. You often build cool items for a specific character that then vanish once the quest is over. The problems extend into the meta with a variety of cost controversies that Alexia summarizes well in “The Fast Fashionization of Cozy Games.”
However, I still played 112+ hours of DDV in 2023 because it’s just so damn comforting. Nothing is that difficult in DDV. Nothing’s shocking. Nothing’s a rush, and nothing’s too far off. Mickey Mouse asks how your day is. Wall-E helps you plant corn. Moana wants to take you fishing. It’s nice. And sometimes life just really sucks, and it’s nice to have something nice.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS, Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
New Pokémon Snap
Pokémon were introduced as adorable battling creatures in 1996, and three years later, the Pokémon Company changed up the formula by allowing players to go on safari and take photographs. It was an instant classic 1999, and just over 20 years later, Nintendo cemented the delightful legacy with a new installment.
New Pokémon Snap (2021) offers exactly what you think it does, and in a world where you really can’t be sure of anything, a wholesome game like this is comfort food. The worst thing that happens on these islands is that a cute fire monkey dances at slightly the wrong angle for you to take the perfect picture.
There are some points where I got annoyed with ingratiating dialogue and had to remind myself, “This is a game for children.” On the other hand, there’s elements like a beautiful puzzle of reuniting a lost baby Deerling with its parent across a time-traveling magical forest by throwing light orbs through your camera viewfinder, and you know, that’s pretty cool.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
A Little to the Left
Sorting papers on a desk before a cat swipes the envelope away. Organizing pasta by twirliest shape. Tilting picture frames. These are some of the sweet-and-simple activities of A Little to the Left, an indie game out last fall from Max Inferno. It can be hard to get a puzzle game right, and I think A Little to the Left showcases what excellence looks like.
The art and color palette is charming. The music is delightful and soothing. The game wants you to enjoy solving the puzzle—this isn’t one of those BS 1,000-piece puzzles with no picture on the cover—and features multiple thoughtful UI elements. The controller will vibrate gently when you’ve got a puzzle piece in the right spot while a bell quietly dings. There’s also a help page for each level where you can scratch away a hint and stop as soon as you think you see it. And perhaps, most gentle of all, is an option to, at any level, “Let It Be,” and move on to the next one.
The Guardian calls it “a supremely rewarding ode to neatness.” With dozens of levels along with a daily challenge, A Little to the Left is a lovely, quietly satisfying game to add to your regular rotation for a casual bedtime puzzle or a big cozy binge.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Our Favorite Cozy Sections of Big Games
Garreg Mach in Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a strange game that we’re still playing years after its release. It’s half epic battle simulator, half tea party organizer. There’s a five-year time skip halfway through the game. There are detailed RPG skill trees not just for your protagonist, but for dozens of students you can recruit and manage. A lot of people are secretly dragons, or something? It all works, though, because of the life you build at Garreg Mach Monastery.
The player-character, Byleth, is recruited as a teacher at a boarding school. Between battles to save local communities or training fights with future warriors in the war-torn country, Byleth spends quite a bit of downtime at Garreg Mach, a Hogwarts-like setting. It’s a detailed cozy world where you can fish, garden, have meals with students, practice singing, dispense advice, give gifts, pet cats, and teach classes.
Building relationships with fellow teachers and students isn’t just key to success, but also genuinely enjoyable. You can encourage students to build relationships with each other, unlocking unique cutscenes for each pairing, which makes the world feel rich and responsive to your actions. Garreg Mach provides a welcome respite from the horrors of the world.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Corvo Bianco in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine
After dozens (or perhaps hundreds) of hours traveling the world and saving communities in epic RPG The Witcher 3, players can let protagonist Geralt of Rivia relax for a bit. In the second and final expansion, Blood and Wine, Geralt is given management of a winery, Corvo Bianco.
There, Geralt meets Barnabas-Basil (who he affectionately comes to call “B.B.”), his new majordomo. B.B. gives Geralt a tour, sharing the history of the property, and introduces Geralt to his new employees. He suggests that Geralt can fix up the vineyard, if he likes. It’s a completely optional series of side quests that requires an investment of thousands of hard-earned coins, but it’s also one of the most emotionally fulfilling.
Despite spending much of his artificially extended life on the road, Geralt finally has a home of his own. I loved building a nice stable for my loyal horse, fixing up the garden, and hanging up a beautiful painting from a woman whose ghostly soul I had finally helped set free. The investment is useful, as well–Geralt’s horse runs faster, he’s able to harvest herbs for potions, and… well, okay, nothing about the decorating is practical but the vibes are better.
As a reward for fixing up Corvo Bianco, Geralt gets to have a glass of wine with B.B., a new friend, and, if all goes well, a surprise visit from someone he loves. Corvo Bianco serves a cozy, beautiful epilogue for the hardest-working witcher out there.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Club Management in Yakuza 0
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Club Sunshine
A game about a crime syndicate rife with murder may not seem like the birthplace of an amazing cozy experience. Yet if you’ve played Yakuza 0, or any of the Yakuza series, really, you’ll know they’re not standard games. Managing a hostess club called Club Sunshine is a welcome break from stomping heads in 1980s Osaka, and a wonderfully cozy one.
As Goro Majima, you have to select the hostesses on shift and solve problems for both them and their clients throughout the night. It could have been a grim experience, denigrating to the hostesses. But it really isn’t—the women are not merely two-dimensional caricatures, and through conversations with them, you’ll learn more about them and their lives, as well as bond with them to cultivate a pleasant working environment for all.
Interactions with guests make it clear that Majima is on the same level as the hostesses, and there’s a really nice vibe of equality, helped by the incredible soundtrack of jazz-infused city pop. Instead of being stigmatizing, gross, or otherwise unpleasant, working with the women to become the number one club is a chill, cozy, comforting experience, and one of the greatest aspects of an all-time great video game.
– Written by Joe Chivers
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
List Updates
- December 2024 – We added Spiritfarer.
- February 2024 – We added Mineko’s Night Market, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Regency Love; updated that Lake is now available for Nintendo Switch; and created a separate section for cozy mechanics.
- March 2024 – Added New Pokémon Snap.
- May 2024 – Added A Little to the Left.
What Are Your Favorite Cozy Games?
Tell us in the comments!
