Well then. I'll be honest, it took me a minute to finish up this list. Between life and well, all of the things that that entails, I kept thinking of all of these cozy games I either had been loving or was looking forward to playing, and how I wanted to share them all with other people, because goodness knows we all need a bit of a vacation from our lives and our minds. It'll soon be two years since we've been in this seemingly never-ending pandemic (not that I have prior experience with "shorter" pandemic or any pandemic of any kind, really) but y'all know what I mean. I'm tired, I think we're all tired. Video games, books etc. all of those things have the ability to offer us a bit of a getaway from real life and responsabilities, there are so many amazing stories out there waiting to be experienced, hopefully these lists give you a bit of an idea of where to start looking. Much love, cheers, Aurelie.
1. Tiny Lands
"Have you ever played the old puzzle games in which you had to find all the differences? Well… Tiny Lands uses the basic concept of this idea, but with a new twist."
"Take your perceptivity to a new dimension in a relaxing low-poly isometric puzzle game. Find the differences in the beautiful, fully rotatable, and zoomable 3D environments. Can you find them all?" Available on: Nintendo Switch and PC
2. Bad North
"Your home is under attack. The king is dead at the hands of Viking invaders. Hope is a distant glimmer in the fog, fading fast with every passing moment. As you rise to take your father’s place as ruler, it will fall to you to stage your defences. But make no mistake – this is no fight for victory, but a desperate grasp for survival.
Bad North is a charming but brutal real-time tactics roguelite. Defend your idyllic island kingdom against a horde of Viking invaders, as you lead the desperate exodus of your people. Command your loyal subjects to take full tactical advantage of the unique shape of each island. Everything is at stake: fail, and watch the blood of your subjects stain the ground red."
"It’s charmingly brutal, with beautiful procedurally-generated islands and adorable soldiers juxtaposed against the blood-stained realities of war. You control the broad strokes of the battle, giving high level commands to your soldiers who try their best to carry them out in the heat of the moment. It’s accessibly deep, with simple player inputs masking a dynamic combat simulation that make it inviting to new players while challenging veterans.
Keep fighting, warriors. Not for power or riches or glory, but for hope of peace to come once again in the harsh lands of the Bad North."
I mean, look, look at it. It's so pretty! Available on: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac & Xbox One
3. Unravel 2
"When you cut ties to the past, new bonds form. In Unravel Two, create a Yarny of your very own. Then build relationships with other Yarnys in local co-op or as a single player, fostering friendship and support as you journey together. Begin your adventure in a cold and imposing land, then watch your surroundings blossom with new life as you chase the spark of adventure."
"Dive into an immersive story filled with energy, exuberance, inspiration — even monsters. Approach every challenge with positivity and fearlessness to awaken the world around you, and discover an unbreakable bond between friends." Available on: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC & Xbox One
4. Pyramida
"Start out with your town center and gather food to survive. Expand your village to have farms, windmills, and houses for more people to live in. Learn how to hunt, farm and mine, and build a thriving community. Exploring, you find oases, antelopes, and the ruins of an ancient monument."
"As night falls, monsters lurk in the dark and you'll need to be on your guard. Meet a strange, distant traveler along the way, and try to prevent your imminent demise." Available on: PC & Mac
5. Virtual Cottage
"Got some big, uncomfortable tasks you have been putting off for weeks? Virtual Cottage was made to help you start them. Upon entering your cottage, commit to an activity you want to accomplish. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere to ease your start on whatever you want to get done."
"Please stay as long as you like and enjoy a cozy, distraction-free environment."
6. Dorfromantik
"Dorfromantik is a relaxing building strategy and puzzle game in which you place tiles to create ever-growing, idyllic village landscapes. With Dorfromantik, you can immerse yourself in a quiet, peaceful world at any time and take a break from everyday life. At the same time, Dorfromantik offers a challenge for those who are looking for one: To beat the highscore, you need to carefully plan and strategically place your tiles."
"As you expand the landscape, you can advance into new, colorful biomes and discover pre-placed game objects that give you long-term tasks. Through these tasks you can unlock new tiles, new biomes and new quests."
I mean, c'mon, look how pretty! It's been one of my go to relaxing game at the moment! Available on: PC
7. Mutazione
"Over 100 years ago, the meteor “Moon Dragon” struck a tropical holiday resort. Most of the inhabitants perished, while those who survived began to show strange mutations... The rescue missions quickly retreated, and those who remained in the mutating environment founded the small and isolated community of Mutazione."
"Fast-forward to modern day, where you play as 15-year-old Kai as she travels to Mutazione to help nurse her dying grandfather back to health. But things aren’t as simple as they seem... Nonno has other plans for Kai; secrets and betrayals simmer under the friendly community’s surface; and there’s a creepy bird-like figure who keeps on appearing in Kai’s dreams."
Available on: PC, Playstation, Nintendo Store
8. Spring Falls
"Spring Falls is a puzzle game about water, erosion, and watching things grow. Manipulate the landscape and bring wildflowers to life as you make your way down a peaceful mountainside. Soft visuals, ambient guitar work, and environmental sounds come together to create a meditative, relaxing experience."
"Spring Falls is a beautiful puzzle game whose mechanics revolve around controlling the water flow. Each of the levels has a multi-layered hexagonal grid-like structure, mimicking a portion of a mountain. The objective is to make all the flowers bloom by guiding the water first towards a tile that contains a seed, then to create a continuous path from the seed to the flower and finally watering the flower so that it blooms" - From a review by Lily aka lillje, on Steam.
Available on: PC
9. City 2048
Another free phone game that I always go back to!
"City 2048 is an exciting, addictive and easy to play puzzle game. It is a unique version of the 2048 Number Game. Swipe to move the tiles with the blocks to build a huge metropolis! Develop your city. Get bonuses, and who knows what might be ahead..."
Available on: Google Play and Apple Store
10. Pocket City
And, to wrap this up...here's another phone game that I've been really enjoying. If you liked Cities: Skyline, but wish there was a to-go version that is actually easy, here ya go;
"Build your own city as the new mayor. Create residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Build parks and recreation spots. Respond to crime and disasters. Watch your city come alive! No microtransactions or long wait times! Everything is unlocked and rewarded through gameplay."
Available on: Google Play and Apple Store
Here ya go!