Cozy games are like candy. Everyone has a favorite, but everyone has different tastes. What may seem strange to get into for one player can be a simple playthrough for another. Though views may differ, every cozy video game has some feature or another that clicks with a player.
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Just what is it though? What does a game require to be considered a cozy experience? Well, it doesn’t matter if it’s from some big-name publisher or a small company. With the right mechanics or presentation, anyone can make a video game that’ll make the player feel comfy. So kick back because it’s time to unwind with the top features a cozy game requires.
8Simple Controls
Easy as Being a Slime Rancher
A cozy game should be fair enough that you can just pick up and play, using controls that are easy to understand and don’t need a whole manual to memorize. One of the bestindietitles that exemplifies this is the fun and cartoonishSlime Rancher. In this video game about catching and farming those adorable slime creatures, mastering the controls takes but a few moments.
Instead of juggling multiple mechanics in a tutorial that takes hours to complete, all you need is your vacuum gun and a few inventory slots to design a farm of your desire, using one of thebest management systems in an open-world game. Fair controls can attract or deter a player, and when it comes to making the right cozy game, sometimes simple is better.
7Exploring a Unique World
Mind Blowing as Disney Dreamlight Valley
Some of the best cozy games are about bringing players to another world, someplace that’ll make them forget about the burdens of school or other modern-day issues. How the setting is presented falls under creativity and subjectivity, but in the end, it needs to be a location the player wants to be in, and a perfect example isDisney Dreamlight Valleyand its beautiful village.
Regardless of your personal feelings towardDisney, who wouldn’t want to live and explore a fantasy community of your own design, populated by acollection of new and classic Disney charactersto act as your villagers? A wise man once said never to judge a book by its cover, but like it or not, players are picky and will judge. If you want players to feel comfortable and interested in exploring your cozy game’s setting, it has to look distinctive and eye-catching.
6Customization & Decoration
More Variety Akin to Sims 4
Freedom is important in any video game, especially a cozy one. There are few things more comforting than being able to customize a room, a base or a home to your specifications. If it’s something fun and relaxing you’re looking for, TheSims 4fits that description.
Here, everything is about customization, from the characters to their outfits, personalities and even the house they’re staying in. Then you just let them loose and watch your creations play out. Like in the otherSims, a cozy game should allow players to show their creative side and decorate the world however they want.
5Make the Mundane Fun
Going With the Flow in Powerwash Simulator
It’s time to face the harsh truth. Chores are never fun. Music may elevate the task, but it doesn’t diminish the sheer tediousness. This is why a cozy game should be able to make the dull seem entertaining. Take a look at PowerWash Simulator and you’ll discover how a game about cleaning can be fun.
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There are no monsters or hidden lore about some big mystery, it’s just you, and maybe a friend inco-op, cleaning up a large mess. On paper, it sounds boring, but PowerWash Simulator makes it so satisfying washing away the fifth and leaving the environment sparkling clean. It even shows a timelapse at the end of all your hard work and the effect it had. Through gameplay and presentation, a cozy game can make being a farmer, a store clerk or just a craftsman seem like the most enjoyable thing in the world.
4Calming Music
Soothing Tunes from The Outer Wilds
If you’re going to play a game to relax for a few hours, then the music that accompanies it is integral. The right soothing score can make all the difference in keeping your game cozy. Just listen to theOuter Wildssoundtrack and you’ll understand the importance of music.
You wouldn’t think that wooden and tech instruments can go so well together, but in a game about exploring space while stuck in a time loop, the banjo has never sounded more beautiful. No matter what your game is going to be, a simple ranching game in farm country, or some big adventure set in a fantasy world, never forget that the right music is what sets the mood.
3Colorful Characters
Making Smooth Connections Like in Coffee Talk
One of the biggest features players enjoy in their cozy games is the cast of characters they’ll get to meet. Sure, it’s nice playing with hardened soldiers out to save the world, but sometimes, it’s good just having a character you can pal around with or even a heart-to-heart moment. And there’s plenty to be found in thevisual novelCoffee Talk.
As a barista working in a coffee shop set in a fantasy world, the main point of the game is serving the variety of customers that stroll in. Each one’s different, with their own stories and concerns to share. This is only one example, of course. In the end, if a cozy game is going to shine, it has to remember that its characters are the stars that’ll spark its flames.
2Goals With Zero Stress
Be Like Minecraft, Do as You Please
Not every game needs to be set in the darkest reaches of space where the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. Fun as it is to play the hero, saving the world can be too nerve-racking. Occasionally, it feels better to play something with no stakes, no time limit and no stress.
When it comes to examples, you can’t do better thanMinecraft. Praised by players as one of thebest video games for destressing, Minecraft is a game where there’s no set objective. The end goal is for the player to decide. Become a builder and make yourself a house or a fort. Make yourself rich by mining for gold and gems. Upgrade your weapons and become a monster hunter. Or mess around and craft whatever comes to your mind. There’s nothing cozier than having the freedom to play at your own pace, with no stressful goals hanging over your head.
1Gorgeous Art Style
Welcome to the Extraordinary Stardew Valley
A cozy game doesn’t require graphics so detailed that the player can see every pore and drop of sweat on a character model’s face. The one main feature so many cozy games share is the art style they’re presented in. True, 3D models look great, but simplicity works better and none can match the design ofStardew Valley’spixel graphics.
In a game that resembles the retro classics found on theSNES, Stardew Valley is like a moving drawing. Between the environment and character sprites, every tiny pixel looks exquisite, colorful and easy on the eyes. Sometimes less is more, because fewer focus on graphics leaves more room for gameplay, and in Stardew Valley, there’s weeks of content to be had. When it’s all said and done, a cozy game doesn’t have to look realistic, just artistic.
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