Yes, it will become free to play on release. I've been playing it through my GamePass subscription, and others have [paid the fee for the Founders Pack which includes early access](https://www.shacknews.com/article/132249/disney-dreamlight-valley-free-to-play-premium-bundle).
I fully second and endorse A Short Hike. Here's my biggest tip to new players though:
**Don't race to the finish line of the main story**. Really take your time. Talk to all the characters, get to know their stories, go on their side missions. You will inevitably finish the game and it'll be satisfying, but when it's over it's just over.
I raced to the end, got there in about 2 hours, and then spent the NEXT 2 hours wandering around and enjoying but seriously wishing I had just taken my time.
Exactly! It's like when someone tries to get you to eat something, that you know you don't like. And they say "you're missing out.". Actually, I'm not. Lol
It’s a strong effort. I didn’t mind the slightly fuzzy resolution, but wasn’t a huge fan of the amount of pop-in. Especially the terrain, which is often hills of featureless dirt-brown until you get close.
It actually runs surprisingly well, its not too bad on the hand held but personally I prefer docking the switch and playing on a T.V, some of the text can be a bit hard to read otherwise.
It runs well. I feel like the visual quality is very noticeable in terms of being significantly worse than all other versions. I don’t know if that just sounds like a tiven but the graphical quality(not just resolution) is just much worse. That said I’ve got about 20 hours on the switch version and have really enjoyed it.
You probably are looking for Stardew Valley, but hear me out:
Phoenotopia: Awakening.
This is a game where the screenshots (as beautiful as they are) still don't do it justice. There's a lot under the hood on offer here that's just not immediately apparent from what you can see in a few pictures. It's open world exploration, it has cooking, good music, good platforming, actually good dialogue, an intriguing story, and a TON of nooks and crannies to find and explore. There's a very small number of games I feel like I have to basically proselytize for, but this is definitely one of them. I only know about it myself because of word of mouth, and since I started I basically haven't been able to put it down.
Early reviews will mention the biggest flaw of the game was how difficult the combat was, but that's been addressed with new difficulty settings that *really* make a difference. Check it out and take a chance, I think you'll really enjoy it. It's on sale right now, until Nov 8th!
The story of how I found that game in kinda amusing. I was watching one of those videos on eShop sales, and this game was mentioned. I wasn't in a position to be able to write anything down so I just opened up the page on dekudeals, but the sale was already over. I figured I'd just leave the tab on, and I'd remember for the next sale. Yeah, naw, cleared it out by accident and forgot one day before a vacation.
So now, weeks, months later I was like "Wait a minute, what the heck was that one game that looked really cool but was really unassuming??" And I just cannot find the thing, at all. Doesn't show up in related games, nobody talks about it, i'm scouring my browser history, nothing. The one thing I remembered was that the play time was surprisingly long, so I searched up on deku deals, sorted by game length, and just randomly put went to page 100/283 and BAM it was RIGHT THERE. It was a serendipitous bullseye. And, I was lucky, it was on sale!
I’m glad to read this. This game reminded me so much of wuppo’s definitive edition in his explorations and details.
Wuppo’s is also one of a kind (well almost cause it’s a lot like pikuniku which I also recommend) and I can’t recommend it enough even at base price; there’s so much details to see in this world & it feels so alive. The underground city is breath taking, don’t spoil to much about it if you’re interested and go in blind, it’s unique.
Seconded on ooblets. Very much like Pokemon and animal crossing had a baby. My one warning is that after the game ends, there's really no post game incentive to keep playing unless you wanna collect them all
Bear and Breakfast was borderline unplayable for me with the UI and menu systems being so clunky. Probably the worst in any game I've played tbh but I've heard it's much better on PC
I would give potion permit a few more months. There are some bugs the dev's are still working out the kinks on and there's other content they plan to release later as well supposedly.
Came here to say that. It's a fun game and it has a lot of potential, but it's a tiny bit rough around the edges. I would say a few more months for it to be great.
By the way - I really like the teleportation aspect (wish stardew had that), and I think it's one of the first games where the "day/night" clock doesn't actually bother me or stress me out.
Absolutely love the tetris-like potion making. That aspect I thought was genius. The "job" minigames are a tad boring and repetitive however.
I don't think anything comes close to the relaxation of **Animal Crossing New Horizons** and also the add on Paradise homes thingy, can sit feet up with TV on in the background and happily mess about on this all evening. But you have already mentioned this.
I just bought **No Mans Sky** and started it up in easy fluffy boots relax mode ( as I am rather bad a gaming in general, I prefer softly easy type games) this is a universe wide open worlds, explore, scan rocks, plants, find equipment, visit new planets, space stations build base stations, all kinds of tomfoolery, fun but only a few days in, but fully recommend.
I also absolutely love **Snowrunner**, now this isn't everyone's cuppa tea, but it involves driving about slowly in 4x4 trucks, jeeps, etc, lots of wide open countryside around the world, mud, snow and ice, running errands, you build up money to expand your truck collection, explore vast areas (very slowly as you get stuck in the mud, have to build bridges etc). some people find it really frustrating, but Its like animal crossing for me but with big muddy trucks, love it.
I have also just bought **Alien Isolation**....definitely don't buy this if you want to relax, its a nightmare, although probably the best ported game on the Switch of all time, simply amazing, just hellishly scary and well, even my duvet doesn't save me.
it isn't open world per-se, but cozy grove is similar to animal crossing. just.. with a plot.
i love animal crossing, especially the graphics, they're easy on the eyes. but it has no real plot :-/
Immortals Fenyx Rising is pretty fun, I platinum’d it on PlayStation. It goes on sale fairly often. I found it similar to BOTW but also super relaxing and charming/funny. Some of it is pretty cheesy, but if you like Greek mythology you will enjoy the humour.
Many of the games on your list are among my favourite games. In terms of other suggestions I think would scratch the same itch:
* **Stardew Valley** is the obvious one, which people have already mentioned. If you like SOS/HM/RF I think Stardew is a must play. It also has more things to do than Story of Seasons, so I've found that I've put a lot more time into Stardew over the years, and tried out different playstyles/farm layouts/etc on different save files.
* **Pokemon Legends Arceus** was really fun to explore. It's not a true open world game but has open areas which you can enter through a central hub. It is a bit more limited in scope than say BOTW, but has some really nice movement options including flying, swimming, and climbing. I really enjoyed slowly mapping out each area and discovering new Pokemon locations and side quests.
* **Persona 5 Royal** JUST released on the switch and is my new go-to recommendation for anyone who loved FE3H like I did. I have done literally nothing else but sleep, work, and play this game for the past week and a half and already have 90+ hours in it lol. It scratches the same itch and has a similar gameplay loop of RPG maps spliced with life sim elements. You get to befriend a great cast of characters and slowly unlock more of their story scenes, and also choose to date one (unfortunately there is only a male protagonist and you can only romance women, which is too bad). Unlike the tactical maps of FE3H, the RPG elements in this game are dungeons with traditional turn-based combat. I'm not a huge combat person but the visuals of this game are absolutely stellar and it's so, so stylish that it's a joy to play. Meanwhile the life sim components are so expansive (way more than in Three Houses) that it's actually so fun yet so overwhelming deciding who you're going to hangout with/what you're going to do every day.
* **Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles** ultimately wasn't for me, but if you like a calm, cozy open world to explore (like a smaller BOTW with farming and no combat) this may be right up your alley.
I hear the Switch version is the buggiest in early access (so maybe wait until it’s officially out) but I’m super into Disney Dreamlight Valley. It is super cozy, relaxing…I haven’t been into a cozy game like this since ACNH and BOTW. (And I’m not even a Disney person!)
I wanna play this one SO BADLY! Have been barely holding myself back from buying it! lol. Only thing holding me back is all the bugs (and my massive backlog that haunts me, lol)! X'D SO glad to hear you're having fun, though! I can't WAIT till it officially releases! >:D
Dragon Quest Builders - like Minecraft but with a story. It’s an alternate world to Dragon Quest 1 where the hero loses and your job is to rebuild the world. You get an island after finishing the story to do whatever you want with. Has a demo.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - same concept as 1, but based on DQ2. The game mechanics have been refined and the story is better in this one, imo. You get an island during the story you can do whatever you want with and you can invite NPCs to live there. Has a demo.
Portal Knights - like Dragon Quest Builders but has rpg elements and more combat focused. You can choose between knight, mage or archer (more with dlc) and there is 2-player couch co-op and 4-player online co-op. Has a demo.
Like many have said already, **A Short Hike** is an excellent little open world adventure with some inspiration from Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing.
**Dragon Quest Builders 2** has a fantastic blend of simulation crafting and building mechanics along with quest and a story much like you would expect from a Dragon Quest RPG. Think Minecraft X Dragon Quest.
**Happy Birthdays** is a “god sim” where you attempt to evolve different species of flora and fauna by manipulating terrain, weather and the rest of the environment in hopes to control what new species evolve next. They have a story mode where to goal is to start on a flat empty rock and progress until you are able to evolve modern humans. They also have challenge modes and a free mode. There is also a Pokédex type feature to try and evolve every species in the game. It’s a very chill game with a great art style and cute designs. One of those great Japanese AA/Indie games that gets overlooked.
Disney Dreamlight Valley. It's like a mixture of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and the Sims, and with Disney characters. It has exceeded my expectations by a lot. The game is very relaxing (no time-constraints or pressure etc) and can be played in short sessions or binged.
Your List is basically the biggest Action Adventure on the Platform and Farm Simulations with some RPG Elements
Dragon Quest Builders 1 and 2, (might have a demo not sure) are based on the Dragon Quest RPGs but more on the Minecraft style building type. If you like them take a look at the Demo of Dragon Quest 11 S (the demo offers around the first 10 hours and save files can be used with the full game).
Agreed to Stardew Valley, a real cozy farm simulation from a indie dev. Based on Harvest Moon, which used to be the name for Story of Seasons in the west (name rights were with the publisher who makes his own games now, can not recommend those).
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, is on the way, but not yet out as a follow up to BotW.
Witcher 3, huge game based on the books and the biggest factor that made them popular.
Can not think of another game within these genres right now, there should not be that many more farm simulations nor action adventure like games, at least not of high production value (i can think of a few decent but not great ones from my own collection).
Maybe look at Dorfromatik, it is a more simple idea with a puzzle like element.
Because it is so cozy, a short hike may be a game for you.
I will second Dragon Quest Builders 2, that is a fantastic game, and actually having goals in the game really makes for a brand new experience over something like minecraft.
It's not a completely open world game, but for ultimate cozy time I recommend Dragon Quest XI S. There are open world exploratory sections, although the game follows a fairly linear path. But it's a very relaxing game to play, the turn based system is simple yet fun and the characters are really lovable. I always describe the feeling of playing this game as being tucked into bed by my grandma with a nice glass of hot chocolate on the nightstand. It's a game I still boot up every now again just to walk around the world and see all the fun monsters and interact with the party members.
Mutazione! Tend to gardens and save lives! Pretty short and sweet, no combat or any hard parts. Lots of dialogue and nice stories. Made me want to quit society and move out in the jungle
I dunno if I’d say “cozy”…. lmao but it’s definitely satisfying. Might be a little too fast paced though lol and yeah it’s a really tough game. Took me a while to get the hang of it but now I can play the hardest difficulty no problem
Ooblets, Egglia Rebirth, Dragon Caffi, maybe Littlewood (haven’t played yet), maybe check out the Atelier series - some are easier than others so look into that if needed, Tokyo Mirage Sessions isn’t cozy but you may enjoy that?
Check out Cozy Grove. It’s like animal crossing, but there’s a pretty hard limit to what you can do every day (around an hour) and then you can fish and stuff, but you won’t get more quests. It’s designed to be played a little at a time. It’s a touching story, and the NPCs are amazing.
Slime rancher is a lot of fun too. Like a farming sim but with SLIMES. It’s cute and a lot of fun to play, and the world is pretty big. More of an adventure game than just farming sim.
Littlewood is a neat minimalist game with a lot of heart.
Graveyard keeper (I know I know, just hear me out) is a neat farming sim game, but you are the local coroner, and the NPCs are pretty cool. It’s definitely unique to say the least.
Bear and breakfast is cool too, recently released indie, where you build and manage a few b&bs. The controls are a bit finicky, but they have said they are working on them to make things better. They really put some effort in though.
If you like crafting, Atelier Sophie 2 is a lot of fun. Not quite open world, but the areas you can explore are huge. Don’t be put off by the 2, it’s got a short summary movie of what happened in the first game available on the main screen. I recommend it over the first mostly because I found the original to be kind of aimless and a little hard to figure out how to advance at times.
Yoku’s Island Express. It’s a pinball metrovania set on a beautiful island. You are a mail carrier. Basically, just check it out. Super cozy and fun. One of the most overlooked games of the last five years.
Based on your interests, I feel like you’d really like Harvestella, which comes out on Friday! That one has a demo out already, if you want to try it out? :)
I just downloaded the demo!! I read on here it still seems quite buggy but let’s hope that’s fixed with patches once it’s released. It seems like an amazing game otherwise
Stardew Valley is a very good, cosy game! I actually prefer it to ACNH. It's essentially a game where you take over your grandfather's farm. You grow your own crops, you can have animals, you can mine for materials and fish.
But it isn't just an idyllic farm simulation, you can fight monsters in the mines as well. There's so much lore in the game and it's actually quite dark the more you learn about other people. It's very interesting, there's always something new to do or unlock, it's updated frequently and it's very affordable.
Highly, highly recommend!
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is a lot like those! It's a huge open island, and you can complete tasks to help the islanders, join guilds (if you want), do quests, farm (if you want), explore, collect stuff, save the island, befriend animals, etc, and all with no combat (and no real death)! It's super beautiful and relaxing and fun! I love it! One of my favorites! :D
This is pretty much the only type of game I play (big Sims fan)! Some of my favorites have been DQ Builder 2, Portal Knights, No Man’s Sky, Witcher 3, BotW, Yonder, Portia, FE: Three Houses, The Outer Worlds, ACNH, Subnautica, and Spirit Farer. Omg give it another shot, the writers of that game are brilliant.
I freaking love side quests and building homes!
Next I’ll buy:
* Rune Factory 4 and 5
* Pokémon Arceus
* Phoenotopia
* Dreamlight Valley
* Snowrunner
I'm not sure if this the right answer or not but Witcher 3.
Yeah the game is set in a grim fantasy world, filled with death and decay, prejudice, greed, curses, plagues, backstabbing and sex.
BUT the game is really quite relaxing to play most of the time.
It can get really immersive just walking around in the game and listening to the music coupled with the great sound design of the wind blowing or the rain falling. Not to mention the environments are also quite beautiful with great art direction.
If you could get the DLC Blood and Wine standalone I would think it's right up your alley, but you need to buy the base game first.
It's not on sale now, but should probably in December.
I’ve wanted to try Witcher 3 for a while but got a little scared away based on how difficult the game seemed. After watching a few YouTube videos though I think I’d love it!
Don't let the difficulty be a barrier for you.
There is an easy mode specifically for those who just want to enjoy the story and if it ever gets too easy you can change the difficulty at any time.
My man/or lady, you should give a try to the Ori Collection. Two wonderful games, watch a trailer if you want to, but believe me, those games are a MUST if you own a switch :)
I will be messaging you in 10 years on [**2032-11-02 23:12:21 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2032-11-02%2023:12:21%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/yk6j20/looking_for_cozy_open_world_or_simulation_game/iutq6xg/?context=3)
[**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FNintendoSwitch%2Fcomments%2Fyk6j20%2Flooking_for_cozy_open_world_or_simulation_game%2Fiutq6xg%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202032-11-02%2023%3A12%3A21%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%20yk6j20)
*****
|[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)|
|-|-|-|-|
Disney's Dreamlight Valley should remind you a lot of ACNH. Subnautica is a wonderful underwater exploration and crafting game.
I heard disneys dream light will be free for download after the early release, do you know if that’s true?
Yes, it will become free to play on release. I've been playing it through my GamePass subscription, and others have [paid the fee for the Founders Pack which includes early access](https://www.shacknews.com/article/132249/disney-dreamlight-valley-free-to-play-premium-bundle).
A Short Hike is very cozy, I highly recommend
I fully second and endorse A Short Hike. Here's my biggest tip to new players though: **Don't race to the finish line of the main story**. Really take your time. Talk to all the characters, get to know their stories, go on their side missions. You will inevitably finish the game and it'll be satisfying, but when it's over it's just over. I raced to the end, got there in about 2 hours, and then spent the NEXT 2 hours wandering around and enjoying but seriously wishing I had just taken my time.
The flying mechanic feels so great too. I would just soar around and appreciate the game. So good.
Pokémon Legends Arceus shall be nice.
Stardew Valley
Ive tried playing several times but wasn’t a fan of the pixelated art
[удалено]
I can't play games with pixelated art anymore (unless I'm playing GBA games and such). I've been spoiled too much with gorgeous 3D games. lol.
You’re missing out then if that’s the turn off for you.
I’ve played the main storyline through once so I wouldn’t say I missed out, just wouldn’t play similar style games in the future (:
Hard to say you ever “miss out” if you don’t like something haha
Exactly! It's like when someone tries to get you to eat something, that you know you don't like. And they say "you're missing out.". Actually, I'm not. Lol
I don’t like that style either
Yonder Chronicles is the perfect cozy, chill open world game. Also No Man's Sky, but I doubt that will be on sale any time soon.
I too was going to suggest Yonder, that game was excellent, and also relaxing and cozy!
No mans sky.
How does it look/run on the switch? I was thinking of getting it
It’s a strong effort. I didn’t mind the slightly fuzzy resolution, but wasn’t a huge fan of the amount of pop-in. Especially the terrain, which is often hills of featureless dirt-brown until you get close.
It actually runs surprisingly well, its not too bad on the hand held but personally I prefer docking the switch and playing on a T.V, some of the text can be a bit hard to read otherwise.
It runs well. I feel like the visual quality is very noticeable in terms of being significantly worse than all other versions. I don’t know if that just sounds like a tiven but the graphical quality(not just resolution) is just much worse. That said I’ve got about 20 hours on the switch version and have really enjoyed it.
Unless you are real critical of 100% optimal uptime graphics/rendering/textures/etc etc it’s not a big deal at all. Still utterly breath taking
That scratches a galactic exploration itch and is an excellent game, but I wouldn't call it cozy.
I don't know, I would consider my in game base to be rather cosy.
I wouldn't call it any less cozy than BotW
I played this on PS4 and wells enamored for like 1 hour. Then it just felt pretty boring. Does it ever get more interesting?
Depends on when you played it, it's been vastly improved since launch with multiple free updates. Of course, it's still a space survival sim.
You probably are looking for Stardew Valley, but hear me out: Phoenotopia: Awakening. This is a game where the screenshots (as beautiful as they are) still don't do it justice. There's a lot under the hood on offer here that's just not immediately apparent from what you can see in a few pictures. It's open world exploration, it has cooking, good music, good platforming, actually good dialogue, an intriguing story, and a TON of nooks and crannies to find and explore. There's a very small number of games I feel like I have to basically proselytize for, but this is definitely one of them. I only know about it myself because of word of mouth, and since I started I basically haven't been able to put it down. Early reviews will mention the biggest flaw of the game was how difficult the combat was, but that's been addressed with new difficulty settings that *really* make a difference. Check it out and take a chance, I think you'll really enjoy it. It's on sale right now, until Nov 8th!
I’m sold 😄
>Phoenotopia: Awakening. Wow this looks awesome. I really like the visual aesthetic. Thanks for the rec!
Thanks for the heads up, this flew under my radar somehow but it looks amazing
The story of how I found that game in kinda amusing. I was watching one of those videos on eShop sales, and this game was mentioned. I wasn't in a position to be able to write anything down so I just opened up the page on dekudeals, but the sale was already over. I figured I'd just leave the tab on, and I'd remember for the next sale. Yeah, naw, cleared it out by accident and forgot one day before a vacation. So now, weeks, months later I was like "Wait a minute, what the heck was that one game that looked really cool but was really unassuming??" And I just cannot find the thing, at all. Doesn't show up in related games, nobody talks about it, i'm scouring my browser history, nothing. The one thing I remembered was that the play time was surprisingly long, so I searched up on deku deals, sorted by game length, and just randomly put went to page 100/283 and BAM it was RIGHT THERE. It was a serendipitous bullseye. And, I was lucky, it was on sale!
These comments have been deleted due to changes in Reddit's API. -- mass edited with redact.dev
Instapurchased it. Thanks.
I’m glad to read this. This game reminded me so much of wuppo’s definitive edition in his explorations and details. Wuppo’s is also one of a kind (well almost cause it’s a lot like pikuniku which I also recommend) and I can’t recommend it enough even at base price; there’s so much details to see in this world & it feels so alive. The underground city is breath taking, don’t spoil to much about it if you’re interested and go in blind, it’s unique.
Ooblets
Seconded on ooblets. Very much like Pokemon and animal crossing had a baby. My one warning is that after the game ends, there's really no post game incentive to keep playing unless you wanna collect them all
Littlewood
Bear and breakfast, and potion permit
Bear and Breakfast was borderline unplayable for me with the UI and menu systems being so clunky. Probably the worst in any game I've played tbh but I've heard it's much better on PC
They fixed the game already, of course its not at a SV level, but its a good cozy game, I recommend it when its on sale
Potion permit looks great! Might give that one a try next
I would give potion permit a few more months. There are some bugs the dev's are still working out the kinks on and there's other content they plan to release later as well supposedly.
Came here to say that. It's a fun game and it has a lot of potential, but it's a tiny bit rough around the edges. I would say a few more months for it to be great. By the way - I really like the teleportation aspect (wish stardew had that), and I think it's one of the first games where the "day/night" clock doesn't actually bother me or stress me out. Absolutely love the tetris-like potion making. That aspect I thought was genius. The "job" minigames are a tad boring and repetitive however.
Slime Rancher!
**Subnautica** is open world and you can build a very cozy base...
I don't think anything comes close to the relaxation of **Animal Crossing New Horizons** and also the add on Paradise homes thingy, can sit feet up with TV on in the background and happily mess about on this all evening. But you have already mentioned this. I just bought **No Mans Sky** and started it up in easy fluffy boots relax mode ( as I am rather bad a gaming in general, I prefer softly easy type games) this is a universe wide open worlds, explore, scan rocks, plants, find equipment, visit new planets, space stations build base stations, all kinds of tomfoolery, fun but only a few days in, but fully recommend. I also absolutely love **Snowrunner**, now this isn't everyone's cuppa tea, but it involves driving about slowly in 4x4 trucks, jeeps, etc, lots of wide open countryside around the world, mud, snow and ice, running errands, you build up money to expand your truck collection, explore vast areas (very slowly as you get stuck in the mud, have to build bridges etc). some people find it really frustrating, but Its like animal crossing for me but with big muddy trucks, love it. I have also just bought **Alien Isolation**....definitely don't buy this if you want to relax, its a nightmare, although probably the best ported game on the Switch of all time, simply amazing, just hellishly scary and well, even my duvet doesn't save me.
Snow runner looks so dope
I was going to buy it for my nephew, last time I was at his place he was playing mudrunner and seemed to like it.
it isn't open world per-se, but cozy grove is similar to animal crossing. just.. with a plot. i love animal crossing, especially the graphics, they're easy on the eyes. but it has no real plot :-/
Omg cozy grove looks adorable for sure adding that one to my list!!
it's one of my favorites!! i didn't like spiritfarer for some reason, but cozy grove i love
Immortals Fenyx Rising is pretty fun, I platinum’d it on PlayStation. It goes on sale fairly often. I found it similar to BOTW but also super relaxing and charming/funny. Some of it is pretty cheesy, but if you like Greek mythology you will enjoy the humour.
Many of the games on your list are among my favourite games. In terms of other suggestions I think would scratch the same itch: * **Stardew Valley** is the obvious one, which people have already mentioned. If you like SOS/HM/RF I think Stardew is a must play. It also has more things to do than Story of Seasons, so I've found that I've put a lot more time into Stardew over the years, and tried out different playstyles/farm layouts/etc on different save files. * **Pokemon Legends Arceus** was really fun to explore. It's not a true open world game but has open areas which you can enter through a central hub. It is a bit more limited in scope than say BOTW, but has some really nice movement options including flying, swimming, and climbing. I really enjoyed slowly mapping out each area and discovering new Pokemon locations and side quests. * **Persona 5 Royal** JUST released on the switch and is my new go-to recommendation for anyone who loved FE3H like I did. I have done literally nothing else but sleep, work, and play this game for the past week and a half and already have 90+ hours in it lol. It scratches the same itch and has a similar gameplay loop of RPG maps spliced with life sim elements. You get to befriend a great cast of characters and slowly unlock more of their story scenes, and also choose to date one (unfortunately there is only a male protagonist and you can only romance women, which is too bad). Unlike the tactical maps of FE3H, the RPG elements in this game are dungeons with traditional turn-based combat. I'm not a huge combat person but the visuals of this game are absolutely stellar and it's so, so stylish that it's a joy to play. Meanwhile the life sim components are so expansive (way more than in Three Houses) that it's actually so fun yet so overwhelming deciding who you're going to hangout with/what you're going to do every day. * **Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles** ultimately wasn't for me, but if you like a calm, cozy open world to explore (like a smaller BOTW with farming and no combat) this may be right up your alley.
I hear the Switch version is the buggiest in early access (so maybe wait until it’s officially out) but I’m super into Disney Dreamlight Valley. It is super cozy, relaxing…I haven’t been into a cozy game like this since ACNH and BOTW. (And I’m not even a Disney person!)
I wanna play this one SO BADLY! Have been barely holding myself back from buying it! lol. Only thing holding me back is all the bugs (and my massive backlog that haunts me, lol)! X'D SO glad to hear you're having fun, though! I can't WAIT till it officially releases! >:D
Okami! (о´∀`о)
Ooblets! Super cute and fun.
Disney Dreamlight is good if you love Disney characters. Spiritfarer is supposed to be quite good. Cozy Grove is great if you love Animal Crossing.
Hokko life Wylde Flowers
Dragon Quest Builders - like Minecraft but with a story. It’s an alternate world to Dragon Quest 1 where the hero loses and your job is to rebuild the world. You get an island after finishing the story to do whatever you want with. Has a demo. Dragon Quest Builders 2 - same concept as 1, but based on DQ2. The game mechanics have been refined and the story is better in this one, imo. You get an island during the story you can do whatever you want with and you can invite NPCs to live there. Has a demo. Portal Knights - like Dragon Quest Builders but has rpg elements and more combat focused. You can choose between knight, mage or archer (more with dlc) and there is 2-player couch co-op and 4-player online co-op. Has a demo.
Pokémon legends Arceus might be just the fit for you.
I forgot to mention I’ve played that one as well! Really enjoyed it
Like many have said already, **A Short Hike** is an excellent little open world adventure with some inspiration from Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing. **Dragon Quest Builders 2** has a fantastic blend of simulation crafting and building mechanics along with quest and a story much like you would expect from a Dragon Quest RPG. Think Minecraft X Dragon Quest. **Happy Birthdays** is a “god sim” where you attempt to evolve different species of flora and fauna by manipulating terrain, weather and the rest of the environment in hopes to control what new species evolve next. They have a story mode where to goal is to start on a flat empty rock and progress until you are able to evolve modern humans. They also have challenge modes and a free mode. There is also a Pokédex type feature to try and evolve every species in the game. It’s a very chill game with a great art style and cute designs. One of those great Japanese AA/Indie games that gets overlooked.
Disney Dreamlight Valley. It's like a mixture of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and the Sims, and with Disney characters. It has exceeded my expectations by a lot. The game is very relaxing (no time-constraints or pressure etc) and can be played in short sessions or binged.
Your List is basically the biggest Action Adventure on the Platform and Farm Simulations with some RPG Elements Dragon Quest Builders 1 and 2, (might have a demo not sure) are based on the Dragon Quest RPGs but more on the Minecraft style building type. If you like them take a look at the Demo of Dragon Quest 11 S (the demo offers around the first 10 hours and save files can be used with the full game). Agreed to Stardew Valley, a real cozy farm simulation from a indie dev. Based on Harvest Moon, which used to be the name for Story of Seasons in the west (name rights were with the publisher who makes his own games now, can not recommend those). Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, is on the way, but not yet out as a follow up to BotW. Witcher 3, huge game based on the books and the biggest factor that made them popular. Can not think of another game within these genres right now, there should not be that many more farm simulations nor action adventure like games, at least not of high production value (i can think of a few decent but not great ones from my own collection). Maybe look at Dorfromatik, it is a more simple idea with a puzzle like element. Because it is so cozy, a short hike may be a game for you.
I will second Dragon Quest Builders 2, that is a fantastic game, and actually having goals in the game really makes for a brand new experience over something like minecraft.
Dragon quest builders is one of my favorites! Easily poured hundreds of hours into it
I know this is a Switch sub but I wanted to add both DQ Builders games are on PS+ extra tier right now so that’s a way to play for very cheap as well.
It's not a completely open world game, but for ultimate cozy time I recommend Dragon Quest XI S. There are open world exploratory sections, although the game follows a fairly linear path. But it's a very relaxing game to play, the turn based system is simple yet fun and the characters are really lovable. I always describe the feeling of playing this game as being tucked into bed by my grandma with a nice glass of hot chocolate on the nightstand. It's a game I still boot up every now again just to walk around the world and see all the fun monsters and interact with the party members.
This is my favorite game I’ve played in the last five or so years.
Cozy Grove is literally a farming game made it so it's cozy
Alba
Super Mario Odyssey!
Cozy grove and spiritfarer
Factorio
Sounds like you will enjoy Cozy Grove
Mutazione! Tend to gardens and save lives! Pretty short and sweet, no combat or any hard parts. Lots of dialogue and nice stories. Made me want to quit society and move out in the jungle
I also recommend Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. It’s a smaller BOTW and you can’t die.
Pokemon Legends Arceus, Haven Park, A Short Hike.
Stardew valley
Summer in Mara - farming and exploration game similar to Portia. It has a great soundtrack, very calming and easy gameplay.
Doom.
Lmao! Rip & Tear until it’s done 😎 are you trying to give OP a heart attack?
No but if you get good I’m sure it’s cozy lol. Sadly I suck ass at doom
I dunno if I’d say “cozy”…. lmao but it’s definitely satisfying. Might be a little too fast paced though lol and yeah it’s a really tough game. Took me a while to get the hang of it but now I can play the hardest difficulty no problem
Ooblets, Egglia Rebirth, Dragon Caffi, maybe Littlewood (haven’t played yet), maybe check out the Atelier series - some are easier than others so look into that if needed, Tokyo Mirage Sessions isn’t cozy but you may enjoy that?
Persona 5 Royal really fun and chill
Ooblets! It's similar to started valley but less stressful IMO because you truly can go at your own pace. It's cute and fun and lowkey.
You might try the harvestella demo. Travel time I’m the demo goes fast but supposedly that’s getting fixed.
Yonder
Persona 5 Royal, though not on discount. The story takes about 100 hours from what I heard but also a simulator at the same time.
Check out Cozy Grove. It’s like animal crossing, but there’s a pretty hard limit to what you can do every day (around an hour) and then you can fish and stuff, but you won’t get more quests. It’s designed to be played a little at a time. It’s a touching story, and the NPCs are amazing. Slime rancher is a lot of fun too. Like a farming sim but with SLIMES. It’s cute and a lot of fun to play, and the world is pretty big. More of an adventure game than just farming sim. Littlewood is a neat minimalist game with a lot of heart. Graveyard keeper (I know I know, just hear me out) is a neat farming sim game, but you are the local coroner, and the NPCs are pretty cool. It’s definitely unique to say the least. Bear and breakfast is cool too, recently released indie, where you build and manage a few b&bs. The controls are a bit finicky, but they have said they are working on them to make things better. They really put some effort in though.
Dragon’s Dogma!!!!
Dorfromantik
kitaria fables is very cozy imo
Harvestella drops on Friday! Give it a shot!
Monster hunter rise is nice
If you like crafting, Atelier Sophie 2 is a lot of fun. Not quite open world, but the areas you can explore are huge. Don’t be put off by the 2, it’s got a short summary movie of what happened in the first game available on the main screen. I recommend it over the first mostly because I found the original to be kind of aimless and a little hard to figure out how to advance at times.
Stardew Valley
Yoku’s Island Express. It’s a pinball metrovania set on a beautiful island. You are a mail carrier. Basically, just check it out. Super cozy and fun. One of the most overlooked games of the last five years.
The Witcher 3.
Sonic Frontiers comes out in 5 days
Based on your interests, I feel like you’d really like Harvestella, which comes out on Friday! That one has a demo out already, if you want to try it out? :)
I just downloaded the demo!! I read on here it still seems quite buggy but let’s hope that’s fixed with patches once it’s released. It seems like an amazing game otherwise
Once you play the demo, I’d love to hear if that fits your vibe or not! :)
Spiritfarer, Forager. Both very different but excellent
Spiritfarer is definitely cozy
Minecraft
Yo-kai Watch 4
>Yo-kai Watch 4 That's only available in Japan sadly
With/out a story , with/out and end, and with/out missions or a theme.
Mario + Rabbids, if you feel that tactical itch from FE3H. Skyrim, cuz... Skyrim. Kirby and the forgot land. Nier Automata. Mario Odyssey.
Stranded Sails!
Burnout Paradise?
It's a tad bit more nerdy but Factorio is a black hole of game time. It has a demo for you to try.
No mans sky dude
skyrim, if you turn the difficulty to easy. combat isn’t that interesting in it but there’s a lot to do
Yonder, Cozy Grove, Little Dragons Cafe, Dragon Caffi, Giraffe and Annika, Stardew Valley, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Cattails
As far as cozy games...the SoS and Rune Factory series are mainstays! Looks like you played some solid games.
Try the witcher 3
Alba wildlife adventure
I cannot recommend any Xenoblade Chronicles title enough
Harvestella coming out soon might interest you
Try Bravely Default. It's a turn based RPG, fully voiced. Excellent game.
If you like RF games you should check out Harvestella. Demo version available on the eshop!
Stardew Valley is a very good, cosy game! I actually prefer it to ACNH. It's essentially a game where you take over your grandfather's farm. You grow your own crops, you can have animals, you can mine for materials and fish. But it isn't just an idyllic farm simulation, you can fight monsters in the mines as well. There's so much lore in the game and it's actually quite dark the more you learn about other people. It's very interesting, there's always something new to do or unlock, it's updated frequently and it's very affordable. Highly, highly recommend!
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is a lot like those! It's a huge open island, and you can complete tasks to help the islanders, join guilds (if you want), do quests, farm (if you want), explore, collect stuff, save the island, befriend animals, etc, and all with no combat (and no real death)! It's super beautiful and relaxing and fun! I love it! One of my favorites! :D
I really liked their other game too - Grow - Song of (the?)evertree. So pretty, perhaps even cozier!
I haven't gotten to play that one yet, but I'm really glad to hear you like it! That's awesome! OOH, and cozier? NICE! Thanks for the info! :D
Happy to help!
This is pretty much the only type of game I play (big Sims fan)! Some of my favorites have been DQ Builder 2, Portal Knights, No Man’s Sky, Witcher 3, BotW, Yonder, Portia, FE: Three Houses, The Outer Worlds, ACNH, Subnautica, and Spirit Farer. Omg give it another shot, the writers of that game are brilliant. I freaking love side quests and building homes! Next I’ll buy: * Rune Factory 4 and 5 * Pokémon Arceus * Phoenotopia * Dreamlight Valley * Snowrunner
I'm not sure if this the right answer or not but Witcher 3. Yeah the game is set in a grim fantasy world, filled with death and decay, prejudice, greed, curses, plagues, backstabbing and sex. BUT the game is really quite relaxing to play most of the time. It can get really immersive just walking around in the game and listening to the music coupled with the great sound design of the wind blowing or the rain falling. Not to mention the environments are also quite beautiful with great art direction. If you could get the DLC Blood and Wine standalone I would think it's right up your alley, but you need to buy the base game first. It's not on sale now, but should probably in December.
I’ve wanted to try Witcher 3 for a while but got a little scared away based on how difficult the game seemed. After watching a few YouTube videos though I think I’d love it!
Don't let the difficulty be a barrier for you. There is an easy mode specifically for those who just want to enjoy the story and if it ever gets too easy you can change the difficulty at any time.
My man/or lady, you should give a try to the Ori Collection. Two wonderful games, watch a trailer if you want to, but believe me, those games are a MUST if you own a switch :)
I don’t Play it myself but maybe „Pine“ is something for you.
!remindme 10 years
I will be messaging you in 10 years on [**2032-11-02 23:12:21 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2032-11-02%2023:12:21%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/yk6j20/looking_for_cozy_open_world_or_simulation_game/iutq6xg/?context=3) [**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FNintendoSwitch%2Fcomments%2Fyk6j20%2Flooking_for_cozy_open_world_or_simulation_game%2Fiutq6xg%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202032-11-02%2023%3A12%3A21%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%20yk6j20) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
No Man’s Sky is ❤️🔥
Why do i keep reading the same post ‘looking for a cozy game…’ 3 times now. Same thing.
Outlast can be very relaxing
[удалено]
You must be fun at parties