For the longest time, gaming was all about providing extreme scenarios and high-octane action to offer a break from our humdrum lives. Games with guns and explosions were a dime a dozen, and titles, where you could hit 200 miles per hour in an elite supercar, were commonplace, but now, there seems to be a hunger for games that dial down the action in favor of more relaxing and therapeutic content.
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Cozy and wholesome games have been all the rage in recent years, whether that be a farming simulator, a stress-free puzzler, or a zero-stakes narrative-driven adventure. And as it turns out, the PS Plus Catalog has a wealth of cozy options for you to check out. So, if you want to unwind, here are some games you need to try out.
10Lawn Mowing Simulator
Hope You Don’t Have Hay Fever!
Lawn Mowing Simulator
We kick things off with a game that sounds insanely boring on paper but is actually a fun and therapeutic experience. Sometimes, what you want from a game is the opportunity to turn your brain off and go into autopilot, and that’s exactly whatLawn Mowing Simulatorallows you to do. As you slowly but surely make your client’s lawns look pristine.
You’ll begin with some startup funds, and by taking on more jobs, you’ll be able to hire more staff, get gear that will help you take on more intricate jobs, and you’ll also get to buy shiny new mowers.
This game has the same simplistic and relaxing gameplay present in games likeEuro Truck Simulator 2andPowerwash Simulator, so if you want more chill vibes like those games provide,Lawn Mowing Simulatoris the game for you.
9Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
A GBA Classic Reborn
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
If there’s one genre of game that represents the cozy game community more than any other,it’s the farming simulator.There is nothing quite like rotting away under a soft blankie and tending to crops for an entire year in-game.
Plus, you can romance the villagers, so you’ll be able to tick off socializing from your daily to-do list without ever leaving the house. The PS Plus Catalog isn’t brimming with Farming Sim options, but they do have a classic in the form ofFriends of Mineral Town.
This is a remake of the classic GBAHarvest Moontitle and retains all the charm and mechanics of the original while providing modern visuals and much-needed quality-of-life enhancements.Harvest Moonis the grandfather of all Farming Sim games, so if you want to see where this beautiful sub-genre blossomed from, then check out this excellent agricultural epic.
8Unpacking
Does This Spark Joy?
Cozy games have the innate ability to take the mundane and make these real-world chores into compelling and satisfying puzzles.Unpackingis one such game that does just that, asking players to pack up their stuff and move into new homes, which serve as little diary entries that punctuate your player character’s life. And with each move, you see them change and evolve through the stuff they keep and the stuff they throw away.
The gameplay is simple, as it merely asks you to place each item in an appropriate place, but these mini-puzzles keep your brain ticking over as the game slowly delivers its profound and beautifully told silent narrative.
It’s as much a love story as it is a relaxing, casual game, provided you’re willing to seek out the story before you, and it’s a brilliant, short experience perfect for a lazy afternoon.
7Untitled Goose Game
There’s A Goose On The Loose!
Untitled Goose Game
As games likeThank Goodness You’re Here, orEveryone’s Gone to the Rapturehave shown, there’s something rather wholesome and endearing about the humdrum nature of village life. It’s simple, predictable, and tranquil.
Well, that is unless a maniacal Goose is running around, causing havoc. However, the good news is that you’ll be controlling the goose in this scenario and acting as the evil villain in this Shropshire-based sandbox.
Untitled Goose Gamegives you the freedom to mess around with the inhabitants of the village as you see fit. You can solve a series of fun puzzles, sneak around like an avian Solid Snake, and honk with gusto to startle the locals.
It’s a barrel of laughs, full to the brim with silly moments, and it’s a game that won’t ask too much of you unless you want to beat all the time trials at the end of the game. So, for unparalleled silliness and oodles of fun, give this a blast.
6Hardspace: Shipbreaker
The Life Of An Interstellar Engineer
Hardspace: Shipbreaker
A lot of the games that we would consider cozy tend to achieve that status due to cute pixel graphics or vibrant, stress-free worlds to explore. However, there is calm and serenity to be found in even the darkest, inhospitable places—even the vast vacuum of space.
Hardspace: Shipbreakeris a fine example of this, as this game tasks you with breaking down ships, doing it efficiently, and not losing a limb in the process.
It’s a process that is a bit of a slow burnas you learn the ropes,but before long, you’ll be able to float around in zero gravity with the grace of a NASA employee and chop up ships for parts in record time. You owe the Lynx Corporation a bucket-load of credits, so grab your tools and get going.
5What Remains of Edith Finch
And You Thought Your Family Was Weird…
What Remains of Edith Finch
When it comes to games that strip away intense mechanics, fail-states, and difficulty curves,there aren’t many games that can rival walking simulators.These games usually only have two functions. Walk and interact, and honestly, that’s all you need.
These games are masterfully crafted to let the visuals, the world design, and the narrative carry the experience, andWhat Remains of Edith Finchis a game better at this narrative-driven approach than most.
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The game provides a series of standalone stories with unique mini-game mechanics that tell a harrowing story related to each member of the Finch family, and each one is more heartfelt and emotionally charged than the last.
A Pikmin-esque Platformer
While there have been a wealth of wonderful new tweaks to the platformer blueprint in recent years, such as the challenging mountain climbers likeJusantandCeleste, or thebrilliant co-op focusedadventures likeIt Takes Two, it has to be said that mascot platformers have been in rather short supply since the golden era when the PS2 was king.
However, occasionally, there is a game that keeps that firing burning, andTinykinis one such game.
The standout feature of this game, alongside the crisp visuals and tight controls, is the players' ability to control the Tinykin, a unique species that acts not too unlikePikminand can be used as ladders, spark plugs, bombs, and more to help you explore the old world your kind left behind.
It’s a beautiful, chill platformer with lots of puzzles, collectibles, and more, making it a perfect title for retro platformer fans to pick up and play.
3Kena: Bridge of Spirits
About As Close To Disney As It Gets
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
I was a little on the fence with this one because when compared to the other games on this list,Kena: Bridge of Spiritsis a game that relies a lot more on action, fail states, and even haspseudo-Souls-Like combat to boot. But despite this,Kenastill qualifies as a cozy game, mainly due to the fact that this game feels a stone’s throw away from a Pixar movie.
It’s a game with an incredibly vibrant world where you can become one with nature. Enjoy satisfying and challenging platforming, puzzles, and combat, and, of course, you have The Rot, which are so cute that one looks into their big eyes and will ensure that you would lay down your life to protect them.
Amongst a stacked line-up, this gamemanaged to nab the Indie Game of the Year award in 2021, and if you want to see why, then you need to check this one out.
2Spiritfarer
‘A Cozy Resource Management Game About Dying’
Spiritfarer
Not to bring the mood down, but I need to talk about death. Death is natural, a thing that comes for us all, and when we go, we want a perfect send-off. Spiritfarer is a game that takes that idea and runs with it.
You play Stella, the replacement for Charon, theSpiritfarer, and your job is to accommodate souls on your boat, make them as comfortable as possible, and guide them to the afterlife.
It sounds like a drag, and don’t get me wrong, it’s a game that will have you bawling your eyes out. But it’s also a wonderfully crafted resource management game with an addictive ‘one more day’ loop.
Getting to know each of the Spirits is a blessing, and while saying goodbye hurts, it’s all worth it in the end. So, buckle up for an emotional rollercoaster and set sail on this wonderful adventure.
1Dave The Diver
A Satisfying Combination Of Diving & Dining
Lastly, we have a game with one of the most unique and wonderful cozy gameplay loops I have had the joy of witnessing first-hand.Dave the Diverputs you in the shoes of the titular Dave, and your role is twofold.
You’ll spend the day diving into the deep blue sea to catch fish for your sushi restaurant, and then by night,you’ll run dinner serviceand make sure your customers say complimentary things about your business.
The core loop of diving and dining is a wonderfully addictive experience, and the game manages to keep this fresh for the entire run with loads of fun new mechanics and upgrades to unlock, fun new characters to meet, and a wealth of mini-games that are as zany as you might expect.
Many have argued that Dave the Diver perhapsdoesn’t deserveits acclaim as an indie darling,but one thing isn’t up for debate: This game is a cozy, chill, and engrossing experience from start to end.
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On behalf of my game-critic brethren. Sorry, we get it wrong sometimes.
