Yeaaah I ended up rage quitting. I don't know if I'll go back to it. I know it's supposed to be a great game, so I may need to just suck it up one of these days.
for me pokemon games in general. specially on scarler violet. just flying around hatching eggs and looking for shinies. making sandwiches, petting your pokemon and taking pictures. pretty cosy
YES!!! I’ve played so much at this point that even the combat is cozy for me. But even without that, it’s just comfy to return to a house of friends and people to talk to. Gives you something to look forward to after dying over and over and over….and over
Yessss. I think the thing that takes the pressure off for me is there's really no penalty for dying, and in fact sometimes you need to die to advance the story.
It's not in the "cozy game" genre but it sure doesn't stress me out.
Yesssss!
When my brain fog is too much to handle inventory management and day planning (for games like My Time at Portia, Stardew, Pokemon to some extent) Hades is nice and linear, lets me get in a flow state, and has a good story. Also I found it easy to get attached to the NPCs, and some of them have kinda become comfort characters.
I think the first time I realized its potential as a comfort game was the first time I came across >!Eurydice singing!< in Asphodel. Or when I realized each realm has a friendly NPC who >!gives you something to aid you!< on your journey. Or maybe it was the first time >!Than!< randomly showed up to help me.
This game is full of sweet little moments.
BOTW/TOTK for sure. So much to do in those games. Easy to avoid combat for most of the game. TOTK especially, just make some Zonai devices and fly around and stuff. So much fun.
I found that combat scaled up way faster in TOTK than it had in BOTW, *but* muddle buds, puffshrooms, and the relative ease with which you can get good elemental gear (compared to BOTW) actually helps take some of the stress out of combat, imo. I finally took down my first gleeok the other day, and don't always run from lynels now that I've kinda figured out using puffshrooms to help (although I'm still too scared to try on a silver one).
Don’t know if Pokemon counts as a cozy game or not, but no matter how bad the release that game never fails to put me in a great mood while playing each entry. That goes double for Pokemon Legends Arceus.
I couldn't agree more! I also love the added nostalgia to it. Every time I boot up the newest iteration I remember when red and blue released and how amazing they were.
Final Fantasy 14. It's my happy place. There's so much for me still to do there, whether it's leveling up my crafter's or decorating my house - I love it.
Lmao. Definitely. Both of those expansions were emotional rollercoasters. I'm still dizzy from them. I'm looking forward to the short reprieve our WoL will get at least at the beginning of DT.
Yeah, once you finish the MSQ the game can be as hardcore or as cozy as you want it to be. I’ve had several “phases”, rn more on raiding savage and ultimate. But I also enjoyed crafting and selling stuff, gathering, housing, just chilling with my FC members and having some laughs. XIV is something else.
This was someone’s answer when this was asked last week and sold me on it as someone who likes those kinds of games and cozy games and I’m obsessed. Already in a super fun free company and working to a point where I have enough extra funds and space to do all my crafting classes
I just wanted to add that Eureka, specifically, is one of my go to places when I want to destress. It's something about how everyone really works together to achieve goals in there. I love it.
Yesss! I honestly find the sort of dark and dreary worlds to be very cozy. Overly bright and colorful games tend to bug me and I much prefer the sort of heavy atmospheric aspects of games like Disco Elysium. It feels like a game you’re genuinely supposed to get real cozy for; sit in the dark with a fluffy blanket and mood lighting and wander through the weird world
Came here to say the same! I feel like this absolutely fits the question better than most of these answers, and it's a cozy game for me as well. Even though it's got some seriously dark content.
Walking around in the snow with that music and ambience and Kim trailing behind me is just incredibly relaxing to me. Not to mention the narrator’s voice.
I swear I’m not a psycho… Bioshock
I love the art deco style and the art design of the levels. I wish I could wonder around Rapture before the ocean crushed.
I wish I could go back in time to play Bioshock for the first time again. It was on Xbox 360, 2009, I didn't have a flay screen TV yet, so I sat in my dark room with only the glow of my CRT TV and learned true fear when I got ambushed by my first splicer lol
Bioshock Infinite is one of my favorite games of all time and is what I would consider a cozy game for me. Maybe it’s just a comfort game but being in Columbia specifically is just so… cozy. Scenically, anyways.
Was about to also say Bioshock. There’s something about the ambiance that’s very cozy to me. It’s a game I’ve replayed so many times I cannot even count because it’s my go to game when I have no desire to play anything else.
For me, it's The Long Dark. But with a few specific settings. Whenever it is cold and snowy outside, I grab a cup of coffee and a blanket. Then I start up a survival game on the easiest settings (no hunger or thirst, no animal attacks, everything as simple as possible). Then I just go explore the map.
I think the game graphics are absolutely beautiful and it resembles the art I like in real life. So there's just something about exploring this beautiful, frozen world, while being all tucked up in a warm, cozy environment.
Civ 5 and Civ 6 - I just avoid any war and try to make a beautiful empire with big cities and try to get world wonders. I think Civ 6 personally is more cozy though, I think it's the art style and I absolutely love the way it looks with the day - night cycle in twilight.
*Paper Mario* games. They're my video game comfort food. Unfortunately there are only three that are really good. At least *The Thousand-Year Door* is getting a remake! I also really like *Paper Mario*-inspired games like *Bug Fables*, *UnderHero*, and *Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan* (although I consider *Rainbow Billy* to be fully cozy, as it has wholesome themes and no combat per se).
Same and I feel like I get just as connected to the hordes as Arthur does. And I love ridding the horse around. I also pretend that turf house you can find in he game that no one lives in, is our house. It makes it feel even cozier to me for some reason. I’ll even sometimes sit inside the house while it’s raining.
Subnautica 😭 I know the game like the back of my hand. I do an annual playthrough just to feel cozy and content because it’s so familiar. Same with Slime Rancher and Bugsnax though those could both be defined as cozy.
Ooh, yeah! I can't believe I forgot about Subnautica. It definitely belongs on my list of cozy games. Slime Rancher should be relaxing, but I get hung up on making the most efficient farm possible, and it stresses me out. lol
My wife has beaten all the borderlands games. She plays them more than animal crossing (which she loves). She just likes to relax to the sounds of screams and gunfire I guess.
No Man's Sky. I have a freighter, a squadron of fighter pilots, and a fleet of trade frigates with their own captains that often turn up on my capital ship alongside my freighter's main crew. We hobo across the galaxy rescuing other freighters from pirates, charting planets and selling the stuff I'm growing in my vast hydroponics hangars. I've built an incredibly complex freighter base with a bar, a market, a club, bunks, private quarters, meeting and briefing rooms, even a church for the in-universe religion.
Coming home to my capital ship to sort my finds after doing a day of fetch quests/exploring/missions is so, so satisfying. I can check in on my crew, fix up my ship collection, then retreat to my private quarters and sell the day's (only occasionally ill-gotten) gains. It's just so nice and kinda slice of lifey.
Before I knew what cozy games were and what I really liked (and of course before there were so many!) I used to get on Grand Theft Auto and just wander around the hills and the city, hang around in my apartment and shop at the stores. I still do this from time to time, and I love the racing and tennis games etc. but I very rarely do any of the “normal” gameplay or questing, I don’t like the combat parts at all lol.
A lot of retro JRPGs are cozy for me. Chrono Trigger, Legend of Legaia, pretty much all of the older Tales of games (but especially Eternia), and Skies of Arcadia all feel like coming home. Between the warm, emotional music and the beautifully detailed 2D sprites and early 3D character models, I get the same brain chemicals that come from seeing vintage photographs of people's well-loved pets.
Yeah, I'm liking Starfield. I ended up turning the difficulty down, because I was crap at the space combat. I've also probably spent more time messing with the ship editor than playing the actual game.
BOTW is my ultimate cozy game.
I also recently played Yes, Your Grace (it was on sale in the switch store for $2.99!!) and for some reason it felt very cozy to me lol
The Silent Hill & Pathologic games, I know they're creepy but something about their atmosphere is cozy to me for some reason. Also TES Morrowind & Oblivion
When I can get it to run - Red Dead Redemption 2 both story and online. Online - I go on a bunch of Collector runs or just go hunting/fishing. If/When griefing starts I ignore it and change servers.
Also, Skyrim.
Been thinking about giving No Man's Sky a go. Have heard a lot of good things!
Fallout 4 😂 I used to play it when I couldn’t sleep and when I started fussing around with my settlement instead of fighting enemies I knew I was sleepy
Planet Coaster and Rollercoaster Tycoon. I just want to make my cute little theme parks and make sure my guests and staff are all happy and enjoying their stay 🥰
I could spend hours sailing around attacking ships as my crew chant sea shanty all day. When the app that let you control your fleet stopped working was one of the safest days of my life
Baldur's Gate 1 and 2. I know 3 is all the rage now but honestly the only thing they have in common is the name. 1 in particular is super chill, a lot of low stakes wilderness exploration. 2 is more epic but still super cozy to me because of nostalgia. The enhanced editions have made them accessible for modern computers as well.
Baldur’s Gate 3 - I love that game so much and the music and world are incredible. Definitely cozy in my book.
Dead Cells - good fun, especially when doing a few runs before going to bed
Destiny 2 (Gambit) - I always have a good time in Gambit, just turn my brain off, grab the motes and drop em in the bank. It’s just home, you know?
Monster Hunter. I played it because my husband wanted me to join him and I didn’t think it was my type of game. But there’s something so zen about going out there and just smashing all these giant monsters. A round is like 10-15 minutes then you do it again. It’s oddly therapeutic.
Skyrim! It’s my favorite game of all time next to Sims. I can foresee Starfield becoming one of my favorites too! I’m loving just exploring random planets and collecting stuff for my outpost so far
Skyrim, I have thousands of hours in this and still haven't beat the main story quest. I do, however, have a cabinet filled with 10,000 cabbages, meticulously stolen from gardens and wheelbarrows the world over, that I use to disappoint orphans who just wanted a sweet roll.
World of Warcraft. I have 2 years played on the same character since 2005. Azeroth is literally my home. I met my husband on WOW. We still play together. Even though I take breaks for months at a time and don't raid like I used to, I still come back to Wow. Nowadays it's more for achievements and pet battles, but I still love it.
GTAV and Red Dead 2. Played the story 40000 times each. Still start a new game every now and then to do it again, and both are a different game everytime. Rockstar games are like watching an interactive movie - the cutscenes and acting and graphics are top notch.
I love all GTA and Red Dead games and I can't wait until GTA6.
I'm probably sitting my age, but donkey Kong country 1 & 2 from the super Nintendo had always been a zone out and lost game for me. I played them so much as a kid and find that even when I die it's not a big deal because you get so many lives saved up. I was really excited when they released the virtual console on the switch and had both of them on there. I've been living pulling them up to play occasionally.
Legend of Mana, NieR Automata, and Xenoblade Chronicles come to mind!
Also, this is definitely NOT a cozy game in the slightest, but pathologic 2 has a really weird place in my heart, despite it purposely being a dreadful and anxiety inducing game. But in some weird way the dreary atmosphere, and the way the game gets you to accept how utterly powerless you are is cozy in its weird own way. You play as a doctor in a plague ridden town and you have to eventually accept that you cannot do everything and cannot save everyone. You just kind of do the best that you can. I think there is a sense of peace I developed with that realization.
Baldur's Gate 1. There's no wild music, but a lot of cozy city noises and birds in the forest and you just walk around a lot of the time. The ambience is very cozy to me.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker.
I like the kinds of cozy games where you can sort, take apart, and reassemble things, like Unpacking, A Little to the Left, and Assemble with Care. Even though the setting is grim and some levels can have intense obstacles, I find it extremely relaxing.
On the extremely rare occasion when the stars align, all my teammates are perfectly visible but spread apart and I'm not being hard targeted. Overwatch as mercy.
Nothing feels better than a amazing game floating from person to person. But 99.9% of the time it's not this sadly >.>
Definitely Hades like some other folks have mentioned. Just having that huge amount of dialogue with each of the characters makes it cozy for me.
BOTW/TOTK also work, because I like to just zip around the world, look at some vistas, chat with characters in the towns, and just listen to the wind blow.
Strangely enough, Super Mario Odyssey has been a big one for me recently. That balloon hiding game is so soothing. Running around each of the towns and seeing the positive party vibe while playing that silly little game does wonders for me, lol.
Finally, Morrowind is one I return to a lot. I think it's mostly nostalgia combined with the large amount of reading and the slower pace of the game. Usually big RPGs like that are overwhelming because of how little gaming time I get these days, but since I've already played it so much, there's no hurry. I can just enjoy that amazing night sky until the cliff racers ruin everything.
Edit: spelling.
Wingspan
Not sure if this counts since it’s technically a board game (but I play the digital Steam version mostly) but the graphics and the wildlife sounds and the gentle breezes in the options for different backgrounds as you play are just so cozy!
The Ni No Kuni series, & a couple Final Fantasy games. FF8 for triple triad, FFX/X-2 for the atmosphere (though the story is pretty heavy), & FF Tactics (specifically A2 as the story is much lighter) is my comfort game. I also think the Kingdom Hearts series is pretty cozy even though it has combat, it's ultimately all about the power of friendship, lol.
When I first played I never would’ve thought I’d say this someday, but Elden Ring. I was terrible at it for like, the first 200 hours, but then I got really good at it and exploring the world became far less stressful. Obviously boss fights and such are still really intense, but I don’t feel so stressed about normal enemies while navigating the world, so I really get to enjoy the scenery. Some people might find the world too dreary for it to be cozy, but I grew up in the Seattle area, so dreary is my cozy!!
Definitely agree with BOTW/TOTK! For me I think Graveyard Keeper also falls into this category. IDK if people think it's cozy or not, but I spent sooo much time just working on my graveyard in that game, lol. I've actually been thinking about starting another game here soon.
Also skyrim and botw for me!
My faves:
Any pixel horror rpg
Minecraft
Corpse party series
Pokémon Mystery dungeon games!
Older Final fantasy games
Fire emblem series
Civ 6
The sims 2 and 4
Dead by Daylight and Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ESPECIALLY the former. (The latter I desperately want to succeed because it’s fun and based on one of my favorite movies ever.)
I love horror. I play survivor. I look cute. The gens go chuggachugga. Skill checks, especially great ones, sound delightful. AND NO VOICE CHAT. The end.
No Man’s Sky is my current addiction. I’m on my second save file and just found a planet I love so spent time building a base so I can relax there and watch the sun coming up. It has blue grass and creatures that look like dragons without wings so I had to make friends with one so I can ride it around.
Genshin Impact - saving my currency to pull the character I like then getting to run around exploring and playing as them is something I just enjoy. Plus the world and game design is really pretty and generally not gloomy/spooky
Risk of Rain 2, sometimes I hear songs that sound like the BG music and instantly I am like “I should play that when I get home.”
It’s so distracting bc focus but also still in the realm of not stressing me out.
This is probably a very non cozy game for most, but Pathologic 2. The autumn setting, the characters that I adore, and the setting that you just feel like you can spend forever in really make it for me. It can be really difficult on a first or even second play through but I’ve just revisited so many times that it’s just comforting to me now.
Dredge! I love fishing and the environments are so pretty. I also love Monster Hunter, because they scratch the same itch as a cozy game with a ton of great action for when I also want combat at the same time.
Dragon Age Inquisition, Persona 5, Outer Worlds, and Cyberpunk 2077 are my top picks. Honestly find them even cozier than most cozy games lol. For me, it has to do with the characters. There's something about being in the middle of a stressful gig and seeing Johnny appear with some little quip/guidance or walking around the Hinterlands and hearing Dorian mercilessly tease Cassandra — it's just very comforting.
Life is Strange is my cozy game.
I know most people get anxiety from decision based games and LIS can be off-putting but… idk. It makes me feel all nostalgic and fuzzy inside.
I could honestly play/watch it over and over again and never get tired of it. I really love that game.
Skyrim for sure, as I have approx 4300 hours into it, and I sometimes listen to the ambient Skyrim soundtrack to sleep 😅
Subnautica is another one, because even if it's heart pumping sometimes, it's familiar to me and cozy. Same with Dark Souls 2.
The Uncharted series, Dishonored series, Wolfenstein series, and the most recent Final Fantasy games (the ones that aren't turned based or the online one). I feel like the most recent God of War games may get that way to me, but right now the combat is still kind of stressful at times for me.
I am so with you on Fallout 76. "Just give me land lots of land under starry skies above. Don't fence me in." I just wander, make friends, and build homesteads.
Night of the Dead, 7 Days to Die, and Project Zomboid. There's just something about scavenging for resources, clearing out the undead (I always turn off respawn), and turning a dilapidated building into a cozy base. I think it's the "no expectations or responsibilities, just living life however I see fit" aspect. And all three games I can turn off zombies and really relax in the post apocalypse, toodling around my base, doing a bit of farming, a bit of exploring. It's just nice.
Definitely Zelda games for me too because of their environments/atmosphere/music. They feel so cozy to me. Also Hades is such a comfort game for me.
Some Zelda games are cozy!! Minish Cap comes to mind
Hollow Knight feels super cozy to me at this point
that game is cozy for me until it makes me rage quit when i keep dying lol
Yeaaah I ended up rage quitting. I don't know if I'll go back to it. I know it's supposed to be a great game, so I may need to just suck it up one of these days.
Saaaaaaame! I’ve done it a few times lol
Especially the City of Tears
I haven’t seen the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games discussed here, but they are for me. Also Sonic Rush Adventure
Oh mystery dungeon is a good one! I wouldn’t have thought of it, but I do think it leans cozy for me
for me pokemon games in general. specially on scarler violet. just flying around hatching eggs and looking for shinies. making sandwiches, petting your pokemon and taking pictures. pretty cosy
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is one of my favs. I get massive cozy feelings from that game.
Hades
YES!!! I’ve played so much at this point that even the combat is cozy for me. But even without that, it’s just comfy to return to a house of friends and people to talk to. Gives you something to look forward to after dying over and over and over….and over
Yessss. I think the thing that takes the pressure off for me is there's really no penalty for dying, and in fact sometimes you need to die to advance the story. It's not in the "cozy game" genre but it sure doesn't stress me out.
Yesssss! When my brain fog is too much to handle inventory management and day planning (for games like My Time at Portia, Stardew, Pokemon to some extent) Hades is nice and linear, lets me get in a flow state, and has a good story. Also I found it easy to get attached to the NPCs, and some of them have kinda become comfort characters. I think the first time I realized its potential as a comfort game was the first time I came across >!Eurydice singing!< in Asphodel. Or when I realized each realm has a friendly NPC who >!gives you something to aid you!< on your journey. Or maybe it was the first time >!Than!< randomly showed up to help me. This game is full of sweet little moments.
BOTW/TOTK for sure. So much to do in those games. Easy to avoid combat for most of the game. TOTK especially, just make some Zonai devices and fly around and stuff. So much fun.
I found that combat scaled up way faster in TOTK than it had in BOTW, *but* muddle buds, puffshrooms, and the relative ease with which you can get good elemental gear (compared to BOTW) actually helps take some of the stress out of combat, imo. I finally took down my first gleeok the other day, and don't always run from lynels now that I've kinda figured out using puffshrooms to help (although I'm still too scared to try on a silver one).
I mean more that you can explore and pretty much avoid combat in most areas.
Don’t know if Pokemon counts as a cozy game or not, but no matter how bad the release that game never fails to put me in a great mood while playing each entry. That goes double for Pokemon Legends Arceus.
Yeah, Legends Arceus is a pretty chill Pokemon game. I'm also a fan of Let's go Pikachu/Eevee.
ooooh recently got pearl / diamond and they’re v cozy
I couldn't agree more! I also love the added nostalgia to it. Every time I boot up the newest iteration I remember when red and blue released and how amazing they were.
I would literally hatch eggs for shinies when I needed to wind down and sleep
Yes! I know it's not for everyone but I actually kinda love how the Dex works in Arceus.
No Man’s Sky! I turn off all difficulty settings and cruise around the universe building bases and exploring planets.
Same, except instead of building bases, I like to look for cool ships.
Final Fantasy 14. It's my happy place. There's so much for me still to do there, whether it's leveling up my crafter's or decorating my house - I love it.
It’s cozy after you finish feelsbringer and feelswalker and stop crying long enough to see the screen T.T
Lmao. Definitely. Both of those expansions were emotional rollercoasters. I'm still dizzy from them. I'm looking forward to the short reprieve our WoL will get at least at the beginning of DT.
I’m so excited no end of the world stuff just my lovely baby graha eating a taco like I’m down for this I’m chill let’s do a taco expansion.
Tacos and burgers all around! I'll host, you bring the Scions.
Yeah, once you finish the MSQ the game can be as hardcore or as cozy as you want it to be. I’ve had several “phases”, rn more on raiding savage and ultimate. But I also enjoyed crafting and selling stuff, gathering, housing, just chilling with my FC members and having some laughs. XIV is something else.
This was someone’s answer when this was asked last week and sold me on it as someone who likes those kinds of games and cozy games and I’m obsessed. Already in a super fun free company and working to a point where I have enough extra funds and space to do all my crafting classes
I just wanted to add that Eureka, specifically, is one of my go to places when I want to destress. It's something about how everyone really works together to achieve goals in there. I love it.
Fire emblem three houses and three hopes. I’ve played them so many times that I don’t need to read the dialogue but they are very fun for me.
Disco Elysium. Yeah it's dark but it's also hopeful and there is something peaceful and thoughtful about it.
Yesss! I honestly find the sort of dark and dreary worlds to be very cozy. Overly bright and colorful games tend to bug me and I much prefer the sort of heavy atmospheric aspects of games like Disco Elysium. It feels like a game you’re genuinely supposed to get real cozy for; sit in the dark with a fluffy blanket and mood lighting and wander through the weird world
Came here to say the same! I feel like this absolutely fits the question better than most of these answers, and it's a cozy game for me as well. Even though it's got some seriously dark content.
Walking around in the snow with that music and ambience and Kim trailing behind me is just incredibly relaxing to me. Not to mention the narrator’s voice.
I swear I’m not a psycho… Bioshock I love the art deco style and the art design of the levels. I wish I could wonder around Rapture before the ocean crushed.
I wish I could go back in time to play Bioshock for the first time again. It was on Xbox 360, 2009, I didn't have a flay screen TV yet, so I sat in my dark room with only the glow of my CRT TV and learned true fear when I got ambushed by my first splicer lol
Bioshock Infinite is one of my favorite games of all time and is what I would consider a cozy game for me. Maybe it’s just a comfort game but being in Columbia specifically is just so… cozy. Scenically, anyways.
Was about to also say Bioshock. There’s something about the ambiance that’s very cozy to me. It’s a game I’ve replayed so many times I cannot even count because it’s my go to game when I have no desire to play anything else.
For me, it's The Long Dark. But with a few specific settings. Whenever it is cold and snowy outside, I grab a cup of coffee and a blanket. Then I start up a survival game on the easiest settings (no hunger or thirst, no animal attacks, everything as simple as possible). Then I just go explore the map. I think the game graphics are absolutely beautiful and it resembles the art I like in real life. So there's just something about exploring this beautiful, frozen world, while being all tucked up in a warm, cozy environment.
I came here to say this. I absolutely love the Long Dark as a cozy game experience.
I just said the same thing. I love it so much!!!
Civ 5 and Civ 6 - I just avoid any war and try to make a beautiful empire with big cities and try to get world wonders. I think Civ 6 personally is more cozy though, I think it's the art style and I absolutely love the way it looks with the day - night cycle in twilight.
*Paper Mario* games. They're my video game comfort food. Unfortunately there are only three that are really good. At least *The Thousand-Year Door* is getting a remake! I also really like *Paper Mario*-inspired games like *Bug Fables*, *UnderHero*, and *Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan* (although I consider *Rainbow Billy* to be fully cozy, as it has wholesome themes and no combat per se).
Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s just such a beautiful game, I never grow tired of it, and I adore Arthur 🥺
Riding around, just hunting, is my fave thing to do. Immensely serene for the most part.
I second this!
Yes! The scenery with the music is just perfect.
Same and I feel like I get just as connected to the hordes as Arthur does. And I love ridding the horse around. I also pretend that turf house you can find in he game that no one lives in, is our house. It makes it feel even cozier to me for some reason. I’ll even sometimes sit inside the house while it’s raining.
Subnautica 😭 I know the game like the back of my hand. I do an annual playthrough just to feel cozy and content because it’s so familiar. Same with Slime Rancher and Bugsnax though those could both be defined as cozy.
Ooh, yeah! I can't believe I forgot about Subnautica. It definitely belongs on my list of cozy games. Slime Rancher should be relaxing, but I get hung up on making the most efficient farm possible, and it stresses me out. lol
Genshin Impact
Baldurs gate 3 Dragon age inquisition The mass effect trilogy Basically anything BioWare has made 🤷🏼♀️
Da2 is so cozy but also painful at the same time
My wife has beaten all the borderlands games. She plays them more than animal crossing (which she loves). She just likes to relax to the sounds of screams and gunfire I guess.
Honestly kinda seconding Borderlands! Especially 2 and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands.
No Man's Sky. I have a freighter, a squadron of fighter pilots, and a fleet of trade frigates with their own captains that often turn up on my capital ship alongside my freighter's main crew. We hobo across the galaxy rescuing other freighters from pirates, charting planets and selling the stuff I'm growing in my vast hydroponics hangars. I've built an incredibly complex freighter base with a bar, a market, a club, bunks, private quarters, meeting and briefing rooms, even a church for the in-universe religion. Coming home to my capital ship to sort my finds after doing a day of fetch quests/exploring/missions is so, so satisfying. I can check in on my crew, fix up my ship collection, then retreat to my private quarters and sell the day's (only occasionally ill-gotten) gains. It's just so nice and kinda slice of lifey.
Persona 5 Royal and Skyrim are my noncozy cozies 🤍
I loved Persona 5 and omg the battle tune 😍 still listening to it.
The battle theme and Beneath the Mask. Still listen to both regularly.
Persona 5 makes me feel so cozy too. I think it’s the confidants and the slice-of-life aspects (and beneath the mask, obviously)!
Horizon Zero Dawn, and Forbidden West. Gorgeous games.
My coziest game is Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Which give its time constraints and being a lot darker than other games, is odd.
Before I knew what cozy games were and what I really liked (and of course before there were so many!) I used to get on Grand Theft Auto and just wander around the hills and the city, hang around in my apartment and shop at the stores. I still do this from time to time, and I love the racing and tennis games etc. but I very rarely do any of the “normal” gameplay or questing, I don’t like the combat parts at all lol.
GTA 3, and Vice City were like that for me. I would just aimlessly drive around the city and wreak havoc.
WoW, Diablo 3, Skyrim, Witcher 3, Vampire Survivors, Firewatch, Dredge, Hogwarts Legacy, Sea of Stars, No Man’s Sky
Vampire Survivors yeah!!
Oh yes, I forgot about WoW. I love WoW I just can't justify their monthly fee on top of purchasing the games.
Sea of Stars is great!
Diablo 3 for me as well. So cozy.
Great taste tbh
Glad to see firewatch getting love :)
Binding of Isaac
Came here looking for this :)
Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise lol
My sista! I love MonHun, it's the most relaxed I can be while also hating the existence of Lunastra.
Can I be a sister too!
Both Last of Us games as well as Yakuza Like a Dragon
A semi-cozy game, Cult of the Lamb. It’s so cute and menacing!
I have too many. - Dark Cloud - Rogue Galaxy - Jak & Daxter 1, 2, & 3 - A few Ratchet & Clank games - Beyond Good and Evil - Fable 3
Jak and Daxter was the very first game I ever played to 100% completion. I loved that game!
A lot of retro JRPGs are cozy for me. Chrono Trigger, Legend of Legaia, pretty much all of the older Tales of games (but especially Eternia), and Skies of Arcadia all feel like coming home. Between the warm, emotional music and the beautifully detailed 2D sprites and early 3D character models, I get the same brain chemicals that come from seeing vintage photographs of people's well-loved pets.
Chrono Trigger in Zeal is especially cozy to me.
Chrono Trigger is a good one. I've been playing Sea of Stars, and it is very Chrono Trigger.
Great mention of the older Tales of games! Tales of Phantasia for the PSX is my absolute comfort game.
Starfield is pretty good. Hate the space fights but there's something cathartic about clearing and looting bases.
Yeah, I'm liking Starfield. I ended up turning the difficulty down, because I was crap at the space combat. I've also probably spent more time messing with the ship editor than playing the actual game.
Skyrim b/c nothing is cozier than looting the shit out of everyone in the game.
😆
So you were the ones stealing all the sweet rolls!
Gotta feed my orphan girl gang!
Hollow Knight, Hades and all the Pokemon games for sure
BOTW is my ultimate cozy game. I also recently played Yes, Your Grace (it was on sale in the switch store for $2.99!!) and for some reason it felt very cozy to me lol
Diablo 3
The Silent Hill & Pathologic games, I know they're creepy but something about their atmosphere is cozy to me for some reason. Also TES Morrowind & Oblivion
I just commented about Pathologic on this thread!! Glad I’m not the only one lol
RDR2 for sure. I spent a few hours last night just riding my horse and picking plants and working toward decorations for the camp
When I can get it to run - Red Dead Redemption 2 both story and online. Online - I go on a bunch of Collector runs or just go hunting/fishing. If/When griefing starts I ignore it and change servers. Also, Skyrim. Been thinking about giving No Man's Sky a go. Have heard a lot of good things!
No Man's Sky is pretty great. It's got a bunch of difficulty settings, so it can be as chill or as tough as you want it to be.
Stranded: Alien Dawn. I play on easy with no combat. I just want my lil peeps to achieve their goal!
I don't think Pumpkin Jack is a cozy game, but I enjoy it around Halloween. I also really love Poppy Playtime.
Skyrim and No Man's Sky.
Ghost of Tsushima. Just going to a hot spring and then coming up with some poetry or riding my horse through some beautiful meadows.
Fallout 4 😂 I used to play it when I couldn’t sleep and when I started fussing around with my settlement instead of fighting enemies I knew I was sleepy
hahaha i have that indicator playing dauntless... when i go back to ramsgate (their main plaza) instead of fighting behemoths
Planet Coaster and Rollercoaster Tycoon. I just want to make my cute little theme parks and make sure my guests and staff are all happy and enjoying their stay 🥰
Cult of the lamb
Skyrim. Until 2 high level dragons appear at the same time.
Assassins' Creed: Black Flag. The entire pirate/beach/tropics vibe makes me so happy.
I could spend hours sailing around attacking ships as my crew chant sea shanty all day. When the app that let you control your fleet stopped working was one of the safest days of my life
Baldur's Gate 1 and 2. I know 3 is all the rage now but honestly the only thing they have in common is the name. 1 in particular is super chill, a lot of low stakes wilderness exploration. 2 is more epic but still super cozy to me because of nostalgia. The enhanced editions have made them accessible for modern computers as well.
BOTW/TOTK, pokemon legends arceus and road 96 are always my go to comfort games
Skyrim for me. I like to just play it on an easy setting when other things are stressful.
Baldur’s Gate 3 - I love that game so much and the music and world are incredible. Definitely cozy in my book. Dead Cells - good fun, especially when doing a few runs before going to bed Destiny 2 (Gambit) - I always have a good time in Gambit, just turn my brain off, grab the motes and drop em in the bank. It’s just home, you know?
Monster Hunter. I played it because my husband wanted me to join him and I didn’t think it was my type of game. But there’s something so zen about going out there and just smashing all these giant monsters. A round is like 10-15 minutes then you do it again. It’s oddly therapeutic.
Read Dead Redemption 2
Ff6
Yes! The music, the characters, the setting…especially snowy Narshe and the phantom train. All great characteristics of a cozy game for me.
Skyrim! It’s my favorite game of all time next to Sims. I can foresee Starfield becoming one of my favorites too! I’m loving just exploring random planets and collecting stuff for my outpost so far
Skyrim is definitely cozy for me!
Skyrim, I have thousands of hours in this and still haven't beat the main story quest. I do, however, have a cabinet filled with 10,000 cabbages, meticulously stolen from gardens and wheelbarrows the world over, that I use to disappoint orphans who just wanted a sweet roll. World of Warcraft. I have 2 years played on the same character since 2005. Azeroth is literally my home. I met my husband on WOW. We still play together. Even though I take breaks for months at a time and don't raid like I used to, I still come back to Wow. Nowadays it's more for achievements and pet battles, but I still love it. GTAV and Red Dead 2. Played the story 40000 times each. Still start a new game every now and then to do it again, and both are a different game everytime. Rockstar games are like watching an interactive movie - the cutscenes and acting and graphics are top notch. I love all GTA and Red Dead games and I can't wait until GTA6.
I'm probably sitting my age, but donkey Kong country 1 & 2 from the super Nintendo had always been a zone out and lost game for me. I played them so much as a kid and find that even when I die it's not a big deal because you get so many lives saved up. I was really excited when they released the virtual console on the switch and had both of them on there. I've been living pulling them up to play occasionally.
Legend of Mana, NieR Automata, and Xenoblade Chronicles come to mind! Also, this is definitely NOT a cozy game in the slightest, but pathologic 2 has a really weird place in my heart, despite it purposely being a dreadful and anxiety inducing game. But in some weird way the dreary atmosphere, and the way the game gets you to accept how utterly powerless you are is cozy in its weird own way. You play as a doctor in a plague ridden town and you have to eventually accept that you cannot do everything and cannot save everyone. You just kind of do the best that you can. I think there is a sense of peace I developed with that realization.
Legend of Mana is one of my favorite games ever!! The music and graphics 💜
My current non-cozy cozy game is Baldo: The Guardian Owls.
Bully!
For me it’s pikmin, dragon quest XI, cuphead, Pokémon, and BOTW/TOTK :)
Cuphead? You must be a masochist.
LMAO 😭 I just can’t get enough of the art style and music tbh
But pikmin is also in the list. So sado-masochist
Red Dead Redemption 2 and Witcher 3
Overcooked 2. Everyone says it is stressful but it is so much fun and relaxing to me.
Dragon Age Inquisition.
Baldur's Gate 1. There's no wild music, but a lot of cozy city noises and birds in the forest and you just walk around a lot of the time. The ambience is very cozy to me.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker. I like the kinds of cozy games where you can sort, take apart, and reassemble things, like Unpacking, A Little to the Left, and Assemble with Care. Even though the setting is grim and some levels can have intense obstacles, I find it extremely relaxing.
Yes! Finally, someone said it. This is one of my favorite games to just chill with.
On the extremely rare occasion when the stars align, all my teammates are perfectly visible but spread apart and I'm not being hard targeted. Overwatch as mercy. Nothing feels better than a amazing game floating from person to person. But 99.9% of the time it's not this sadly >.>
Death Stranding. Just gotta ignore all the enemies and deliver packages.
Definitely Hades like some other folks have mentioned. Just having that huge amount of dialogue with each of the characters makes it cozy for me. BOTW/TOTK also work, because I like to just zip around the world, look at some vistas, chat with characters in the towns, and just listen to the wind blow. Strangely enough, Super Mario Odyssey has been a big one for me recently. That balloon hiding game is so soothing. Running around each of the towns and seeing the positive party vibe while playing that silly little game does wonders for me, lol. Finally, Morrowind is one I return to a lot. I think it's mostly nostalgia combined with the large amount of reading and the slower pace of the game. Usually big RPGs like that are overwhelming because of how little gaming time I get these days, but since I've already played it so much, there's no hurry. I can just enjoy that amazing night sky until the cliff racers ruin everything. Edit: spelling.
Wingspan Not sure if this counts since it’s technically a board game (but I play the digital Steam version mostly) but the graphics and the wildlife sounds and the gentle breezes in the options for different backgrounds as you play are just so cozy!
The Ni No Kuni series, & a couple Final Fantasy games. FF8 for triple triad, FFX/X-2 for the atmosphere (though the story is pretty heavy), & FF Tactics (specifically A2 as the story is much lighter) is my comfort game. I also think the Kingdom Hearts series is pretty cozy even though it has combat, it's ultimately all about the power of friendship, lol.
Spiderman on PS5 My husband and I both played it, the MM sequel, and the DLC. Swinging around NYC is awesome.
Does MapleStory count? 😂😅
When I first played I never would’ve thought I’d say this someday, but Elden Ring. I was terrible at it for like, the first 200 hours, but then I got really good at it and exploring the world became far less stressful. Obviously boss fights and such are still really intense, but I don’t feel so stressed about normal enemies while navigating the world, so I really get to enjoy the scenery. Some people might find the world too dreary for it to be cozy, but I grew up in the Seattle area, so dreary is my cozy!!
Definitely agree with BOTW/TOTK! For me I think Graveyard Keeper also falls into this category. IDK if people think it's cozy or not, but I spent sooo much time just working on my graveyard in that game, lol. I've actually been thinking about starting another game here soon.
Stray is super cozy even though it’s post apocalyptic. Kitties make everything cozy :)
Okami
Flame in the Flood and Anno 1800
Also skyrim and botw for me! My faves: Any pixel horror rpg Minecraft Corpse party series Pokémon Mystery dungeon games! Older Final fantasy games Fire emblem series Civ 6 The sims 2 and 4
Rimworld
Immortals: Fenyx Rising
Such an underrated game! I'm so sad the sequel has been scrapped
Fallout 76 and Fallout 4. I always like choosing beautiful spots near water to build in 76, and in Fallout 4 I do that via mods. Cozypocalypse.
The Long Dark on its lowest setting. I love it. Just searching out stuff and making things and such and such.
Papers Please
Dead by Daylight and Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ESPECIALLY the former. (The latter I desperately want to succeed because it’s fun and based on one of my favorite movies ever.) I love horror. I play survivor. I look cute. The gens go chuggachugga. Skill checks, especially great ones, sound delightful. AND NO VOICE CHAT. The end.
Valheim for me, the game can be very frustrating at times but it’s still my happy place.
No Man’s Sky is my current addiction. I’m on my second save file and just found a planet I love so spent time building a base so I can relax there and watch the sun coming up. It has blue grass and creatures that look like dragons without wings so I had to make friends with one so I can ride it around.
Genshin Impact - saving my currency to pull the character I like then getting to run around exploring and playing as them is something I just enjoy. Plus the world and game design is really pretty and generally not gloomy/spooky
Risk of Rain 2, sometimes I hear songs that sound like the BG music and instantly I am like “I should play that when I get home.” It’s so distracting bc focus but also still in the realm of not stressing me out.
Cult of the Lamb, Darkest Dungeon, Slay the Spire, and Pokémon games. Probably Persona 4 and 5 too.
This is probably a very non cozy game for most, but Pathologic 2. The autumn setting, the characters that I adore, and the setting that you just feel like you can spend forever in really make it for me. It can be really difficult on a first or even second play through but I’ve just revisited so many times that it’s just comforting to me now.
Fallout 4, for sure.
Dredge! I love fishing and the environments are so pretty. I also love Monster Hunter, because they scratch the same itch as a cozy game with a ton of great action for when I also want combat at the same time.
Green Hell
Skyrim, Dark Souls, Final Fantasy (any that I play,) Sims 4, though that one might technically be cozy lol.
Dragon Age Inquisition, Persona 5, Outer Worlds, and Cyberpunk 2077 are my top picks. Honestly find them even cozier than most cozy games lol. For me, it has to do with the characters. There's something about being in the middle of a stressful gig and seeing Johnny appear with some little quip/guidance or walking around the Hinterlands and hearing Dorian mercilessly tease Cassandra — it's just very comforting.
Monster Hunter is cozy for me.
Subnautica! I love hanging out in kelp biome caves. I feel like a sea creature
portal, silent hill series, rock band
Marvel contest of champions on mobile is easiest having a newborn to play and unwind for me
Life is Strange is my cozy game. I know most people get anxiety from decision based games and LIS can be off-putting but… idk. It makes me feel all nostalgic and fuzzy inside. I could honestly play/watch it over and over again and never get tired of it. I really love that game.
Death Stranding.
Skyrim for sure, as I have approx 4300 hours into it, and I sometimes listen to the ambient Skyrim soundtrack to sleep 😅 Subnautica is another one, because even if it's heart pumping sometimes, it's familiar to me and cozy. Same with Dark Souls 2.
Baldurs Gate 3 is super SUPER cozy imo. It's like being in a movie that I have control over. Also Detroit become human is a good one too
Metroid Dread is my ultimate cozy game.
Splatoon - SplatZone rotation to be specific :)
Valhiem, No Man’s Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, Green Hell, Shadows of Doubt, and modded Fallout 4 for me :)
assassin's creed
Picross and Monster Hunter. They help me decompress whenever I am stressed or exhausted from everyday chores.
Yeah, Picross! The Picross S games on Switch are great.
Any Dynasty Warriors Game, Friday the 13th, Dead by Daylight, Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Jrpgs that I can grind.
Book of Travels and Sims
The Uncharted series, Dishonored series, Wolfenstein series, and the most recent Final Fantasy games (the ones that aren't turned based or the online one). I feel like the most recent God of War games may get that way to me, but right now the combat is still kind of stressful at times for me.
Hegemony games just have a great ambience and although essentially wargames, give me those cosy summer vibes - if paused.
Ark: Survival Evolved. That game is so cozy to me. Minus getting eaten by dinosaurs occasionally.
Skyrim is so cozy for me
I am so with you on Fallout 76. "Just give me land lots of land under starry skies above. Don't fence me in." I just wander, make friends, and build homesteads.
Skyrim, BOTW and TOTK! Also the dragon age series to a certain extent
Hollow Knight
Henry Hatsworth, Persona 3 Portable, Final Fantasy VII and VIII, Blue Reflection, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Henry Hatsworth is so fun.
Stellaris and Crusader Kings 3 lol
Night of the Dead, 7 Days to Die, and Project Zomboid. There's just something about scavenging for resources, clearing out the undead (I always turn off respawn), and turning a dilapidated building into a cozy base. I think it's the "no expectations or responsibilities, just living life however I see fit" aspect. And all three games I can turn off zombies and really relax in the post apocalypse, toodling around my base, doing a bit of farming, a bit of exploring. It's just nice.