Steam’s most recent Next Fest inspired me to write this post because there were so many new cozy game demos to try! Here are the single-player ones that I tried as well as why I decided if I’ll buy them or not. Stay tuned for another post in the near future which will be all about the multiplayer cozy game demos I’ve tried too for those of you who’d like to spend time with your friends <3
Tiny Bookshop
As an avid reader since I was in elementary school, Tiny Bookshop was right up my alley due to the thought of traveling as I pleased and sharing my love of books along the way. In this single-player game, you’ll leave your old life behind to live a relaxing life by the sea in Bookstonbury where you run your own mobile bookshop! You have the ability to decorate your bookshop with various items including some that could add Boosts such as an increased sale chance for certain genres, recommend books to customers (including well-known titles like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green), stock your bookshop through the classifieds section in the local newspaper, and complete side quests along the way.
Would I buy it? While the thought of this game is appealing since I love books and it was exciting to see titles that I knew of or have already read, I don’t plan to buy Tiny Bookshop. It’s much too laidback for my taste and I felt like there wasn’t much for me to do, so I unfortunately got bored while playing the demo. However, if you are also a book lover and enjoy slow paced cozy games, I think you should give this game a shot!
Tales of Seikyu
This single-player game truly spoke to my inner otaku because it is enriched with Japanese culture and has many aspects that remind me of anime that I have watched. In Tales of Seikyu, you and your sister are the last yokai (supernatural beings) of the fox clan that you’re aware of. The whereabouts of your parents and everyone else in the clan is shrouded in mystery, but the last scrap of paper you have from your parents point you in the direction you should go: Seikyu. Aside from being on the constant search for your parents and the rest of your clan, you will be able to form friendships (and romantic relationships if you’d like) with the local yokai from the other clans, cook, battle monsters, fish, craft, mine, and garden.
Would I buy it? I am 100% buying Tales of Seikyu when it comes out because this is my go-to type of cozy game since it includes a lot of the activities that I like to do as mentioned above. Plus, it has a whole bunch of side quests that can be accepted at the bulletin board in the town. What makes this game a cut above the rest is the focus on Japanese culture and the fact that it doesn’t follow the usual cozy game trope of “I inherited this farm from my family member who passed recently” or having to rebuild a town.
Plant Nursery Simulator
To continue on with the big influx of simulator games as of late, we now have Plant Nursery Simulator! In this single-player game, your Uncle Joe decides to retire and leave his nursery to you. Just like other simulator games, you can access your computer to buy stock, apply for different licenses to unlock new items, expand your store, and hire employees. Since your store is a nursery, you’ll have the ability to grow crops in a greenhouse as well.
Would I buy it? I am scared to buy this game (but I honestly probably will) because I don’t know about y‘all, but simulator games are incredibly addicting LOL. Plus, I really love gardening and taking care of my own indoor plants and the graphics are much better in my opinion in comparison to other simulator games I have tried before.
Camper Van: Make it Home
Camper Van: Make it Home is a very relaxing and satisfying game that is all about decorating and organizing. I can absolutely see myself playing this from time to time whenever I need to tune out and unwind. In this single-player game, you can change the color and design of the inside and outside of your camper van. However, in my opinion, the best part about this game is placing all of your items inside and outside of your van because it’s up to you to find out which items belong in predetermined spots like a puzzle and which items you can place freely.
Would I buy it? At first, I had a great time while playing this demo because of all of the cute decorations available to me and the puzzle piece aspect of it was a fun challenge. However, there are a LOT of items that can be placed into your camper van and honestly, it felt really cluttered. I’m fully aware that you don’t have to use all of the items that the game provides, but the completionist in me did not feel right leaving anything out. I wish that the camper van were bigger so people like me who gets stressed out with a bunch of knick knacks could have a more calming experience while playing this game. I will not be buying Camper Van: Make it Home due to that.
Hotel Galactic
Similarly to Tales of Seikyu, Hotel Galactic is another single-player cozy game that has a lot of Japanese inspiration behind it. This point-and-click game is all about managing many, many aspects of a hotel which is all done through delegating tasks to the hotel employees. Through them, you’ll be able to construct rooms, cook meals for the hotel guests, craft furniture, gather resources, and so much more. With the help of the hotel employees, your goal is to ensure that you cater to your hotel guests’ needs while keeping in mind what specific things different species prefer in order to receive a 5 star review each time a guest checks out of the hotel.
Would I buy it? Hotel Galactic is by far the game I want to play the most on this list, so I am absolutely buying it. It is unlike any other cozy game I have in terms of art style (which I find beautiful) and due to the fact that your view of the hotel is essentially made to look like an old fashioned dollhouse. Furthermore, it reminds me of my most favorite Studio Ghibli movie of all time: Spirited Away.
BloomTale
In BloomTale, your grandma leaves her flower shop to you for the time being to run along with her assistant, Bel, who is some type of unknown creature that is currently in the form of a cat. I have no idea what’s going on with that, but I’d love to know once the full game is out LOL. Luckily, your character is able to speak to animals, so you are able to understand Bel as well as the occasional animal customer. In this game, you’ll utilize your FlowerDex app on your phone which includes a floriography guide (the meaning of each flower) to provide each customer with standalone flowers or a whole bouquet that they order either in-person or online. If you meet all of their wishes, you’ll be guaranteed to receive a 3 star review!
Would I buy it? Although I normally don’t gravitate towards more laidback games like BloomTale, I surprisingly think that I would actually buy this game. The reason isn’t because I take pleasure in making bouquets in real life or anything like that either – I genuinely found that this game simply made me really happy while playing it. Maybe it was all the flowers or the characters or the dialogue, but whatever it was, I’m sold.
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