Summary

  • 2023 has been a great year for cozy games with bright art styles and relaxing gameplay.
  • Games like Fae Farm and Coral Island brought magic into farming simulators, while Palia allowed us to explore enchanting environments.
  • These games whisk you away into comfort, helping you forget about the worries outside.

2023 has been a great year for bundling up and enjoying some adorably crafted games. With bright art styles and relaxing gameplay, there’s been no better time to sink beneath some blankets and play the day away.

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This list contains some classics as well as some hidden gems that stole hearts quickly. Games like Fae Farm and Coral Island brought a bit of magic into farming simulators, while others like Palia let us roam around and discover the most enchanting environments. Come rain or shine, these games are here to whisk you away into comfort and let you forget about the worries outside.

9 My Time At Sandrock

My Time At Sandrock

RPG Simulation Farming Released November 2, 2023 Developer(s) Pathea Games Platform(s) PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand Collapse

For those who enjoy Stardew Valley, My Time At Sandrock is a similar game that has you rebuilding a sandy town to help it prosper. Starting with a rundown workshop, you build until you’ve got entire production lines going.

There are countless activities to take part in while playing. Spend the day searching for resources or upgrading your tools and machines. If you don’t fancy working the day away, have a stroll around the town and introduce yourself to the townsfolk, maybe even look for that special someone. Whatever it is you do, you’ll always feel welcome in the sunny realm of Sandrock.

8 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Life Simulation Released December 5, 2023 Developer(s) Gameloft Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Apple Arcade Powered by Expand Collapse

Like many Disney games, Disney Dreamlight Valley is full of magic and delightful fascination. The life simulator lets you fully immerse yourself in an entirely new world with your favourite heroes and characters. Who wouldn’t want to live next door to Mickey Mouse?

The game's story is very true to Disney; finding a town overrun by evil and restoring it to its former glory is something to happily expect. If you’re not doing the main story, you can take time to explore the world and meet its characters; with all the activities available, you won’t find yourself getting bored at all.

7 Coral Island

Coral Island

Farming Simulation Released October 11, 2022 Developer(s) Stairway Games Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand Collapse

Coral Island is a fantastic game that can take you from the gloomiest place on earth to a brightly coloured tropical island. You can create farms to grow crops, tend to animals, and explore the town to meet new people.

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Along with a nice story to follow, there are lots of minigames and activities to take part in. You’ll meet lots of friendly NPCs and with only small amounts of optional fighting, it’s a truly cozy escape. Topping it off with a great art style and a beautiful environment to explore, Coral Island is a great release that helped end the year.

6 A Highland Song

A Highland Song

Platformer Adventure Released December 6, 2023 Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC Developer inkle Ltd Powered by Expand Collapse

If you’ve had the lucky opportunity to explore the Scottish Highlands, you’ll know how beautiful its scenery is. A Highland Song is a cute indie game that follows Moira, a girl trying to reach the sea as she crosses the wonders of the Highlands as she goes.

The game uses music to form the world around you as you move. You can visit different peaks as you explore and meet people along the way. If you live in the city, it’s a great game that takes you away into the countryside. A Highland Song is only a few days old, but it’s easily one of the peaceful games that take you away from reality when you need it.

5 Fae Farm

Fae Farm

Farming Simulation RPG Released September 8, 2023 Developer(s) Phoenix Labs Platform(s) PC, Switch Powered by Expand Collapse

Fae Farm is a cute co-op farm simulator that takes you to the enchanted island of Azoria. There are lots of different biomes for you to explore, and the art style and animations of the game are so charming you’ll find yourself playing all day.

The greatest feature of this game is probably its co-op option. Being able to indulge yourself in the coziness of looking after your home by cooking and crafting but tagging along with your friends to do so is the cherry on top. There are plenty of characters to meet and stories to uncover, making Fae Farm one of the sweetest games this year.

4 Palia

Palia

Simulation MMO Developer(s) Singularity 6, Inc. Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC Powered by Expand Collapse

Palia has been giving us small glances at its colourful environments through beta gameplay this year, but it's been magical enough to get everyone excited about its full release. In this MMO, you get to live in a lovely community, meeting new people and learning their stories while settling yourself into its pleasant setting.

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The game has a variety of activities to do, including fishing, farming, cooking, and crafting. It's easy to find something to do in a game as big as Palia, making it great if you want something to play for a whole day.

3 Tchia

Tchia

Open-World Adventure Developer(s) Awaceb Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand Collapse

Tchia is a game that transports you to an entirely new world. It’s an open-world title that lets you travel on a tropical adventure around a beautifully crafted island. Through an action-driven story about a girl saving her father from a cruel ruler, you can run, climb, swing, swim, and sail around every part of the island.

The game sets you free without restrictions, meaning you can climb anything and everything. Traversing in an open world like this has never been so easy, which is what makes Tchia so satisfying to play after a long day. When you get tired, you can sit around a campfire and play your ukelele, a great way to end the day.

2 Moving Through Life

Moving Through Life is one of those games for the organizers. The game is a little like building in the Sims but has you arranging one room through the stages of your life. Your decisions and placements of certain objects will impact the story as it goes, making this a fantastically simple narrative that still has room for surprise.

The game has a nice rhythm to it, so it’s easy to find a flow and lose yourself to organizing and arranging for a few hours. It's not very long and doesn’t have a hugely deep story to uncover, meaning it’s a nice cozy choice for when you want to relax and switch off for a few hours without a worry in the world.

1 Paleo Pines

Paleo Pines

Indie RPG Simulation Released September 25, 2023 Platform(s) Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One Powered by Expand Collapse

Paleo Pines is a little like Ark: Survival Evolved, but without all the bloodshed and frightening dinosaurs that chase you around. Unlike other games we’ve mentioned, Paleo Pines is more focused on taming friendly dinos and having them help out on your ranch.

Enjoying these mundane tasks with help from some reptile friends can easily eat up a few hours of your day. There are lots of areas to explore and new things to discover. Its exceptionally distinctive style is what makes it one of the best this year. Besides, getting to befriend cute dinos, both big and small, will make anyone’s day better.

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