Summary
- Cozy games like Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Stardew Valley, and Slime Rancher offer feel-good experiences.
- These games emphasize colorful visuals, relaxing atmospheres, and accessible gameplay over intense challenges.
- Nostalgia, whimsical characters, and soothing soundtracks contribute to the overall charm of these titles.
While most games provide some form of escapism, many are intent on immersing players in intense situations. Other games focus more on their mechanics than narrative or atmosphere, generally providing more brain-teasing than fantasy.
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These open-world games offer uniquely cozy experiences, and while some do still offer some conflict, they're punctuated with relaxing moments.
Be it nostalgia, visuals, story, or a combination of the three, a great number of video games are able to provide decidedly feel-good experiences. These games are typically colorful, wholesome, and accessible, but not necessarily lacking in gameplay.
1 Spyro: Reignited Trilogy
Old-School Charm & Accessible Gameplay
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
- Released
- November 13, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Toys for Bob
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Though certainly not the case for everyone, many old-school 3D platformers are likely to evoke a certain sense of nostalgia. Spyro is a particularly lighthearted experience, excelling with its colorful charm and accessible gameplay.
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The simple story and cartoon visuals both help to provide a feel-good experience, supported by creative environments. Best of all, the original trilogy was remastered and released in 2019 to positive reviews. This opens Spyro up to a whole new audience, allowing modern players to enjoy the trilogy without any prior experience.
2 Caravan SandWitch
A Wholesome Post-Apocalypse
Caravan SandWitch
- Released
- September 12, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Publisher(s)
- Dear Villagers
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC
Caravan SandWitch is a distinctive title that features a total lack of combat. Instead, the game focuses its efforts on providing meaningful exploration and a heartfelt narrative, all taking place in a surprisingly hopeful post-apocalyptic setting.
The colorful visual style helps to sell the relaxed atmosphere, but Caravan SandWitch excels with its optimistic tone and peaceful characters. All of this is supported by a soothing soundtrack that helps to convey the peaceful nature of the game's world.
3 Stardew Valley
A Cozy Farming Sim
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Stardew Valley is a decidedly feel-good farming-sim that offers a rewarding gameplay loop. In the game, players are tasked with transforming an overgrown plot of land into a fully-fledged farm, but there's very little in the way of pressure or challenge to keep players from achieving their goals over time.
As a result, Stardew Valley is able to offer a relaxed atmosphere. The variety of NPCs also help to provide wholesome interactions, supporting the overall positive feel of the game. Furthermore, Stardew Valley presents a low-stakes environment for online play, allowing players to enjoy this feel-good experience in tandem.
4 Slime Rancher
Lightweight & Colorful Exploration
Slime Rancher
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Monomi Park
- Publisher(s)
- Monomi Park
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Simulation
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Slime Rancher is a low-stakes monster-collecting experience that tasks players with wrangling an abundance of lively sentient slimes. Thankfully, taking care of these balls of slime is relatively stress-free, in keeping with the game's soothing atmosphere and vibrant environments.
The cartoon visuals, comforting soundtrack, and general charm of the game's critters make for a decidedly feel-good experience. Furthermore, Slime Rancher's gameplay is tremendously low-stakes, supported by intuitive controls that ensure mechanical issues rarely get in the way of its charming atmosphere.
5 Cobalt Core
Charming Characters & A Winning Atmosphere
Cobalt Core
- Released
- November 8, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rocket Rat Games
- Publisher(s)
- Brace Yourself Games
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Digital Card Game
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Cobalt Core is a roguelike deck-builder that can be challenging at times, but it remains a feel-good experience throughout. This is thanks in large part to its ensemble of charming characters and soothing atmosphere.
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The bubbly, tranquil soundtrack brings a particularly peaceful ambiance to Cobalt Core's tactical battles. The colorful pixel-art and wholesome character interactions also help, though, solidifying Cobalt Core as a decidedly feel-good experience well-worth checking out.
6 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
An Action-Packed Spacefaring Adventure
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Released
- June 11, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Ratchet & Clank series has been known to provide lighthearted, spacefaring adventures across a colorful variety of locales. Often featuring a cast of wacky, wonderful characters and wholesome themes revolving around friendship and teamwork, these games typically provide feel-good adventures with accessible gameplay. Rift Apart is no different.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart wears its sentimental and often nostalgic heart on its sleeve; it's a riveting adventure that propels players through its myriad locations at a breakneck pace, supported by excellent set-pieces and memorable NPCs that help to make the experience as charming as it is captivating. It's the overarching themes of forgiveness and teamwork, however, that make Rift Apart such a feel-good journey.
7 LEGO The Lord Of The Rings
A Memorable Journey Through A Familiar World
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game
- Released
- October 30, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Traveller's Tales, TT Fusion
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Feral Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PC, PS3, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Xbox 360
Almost any LEGO game fits the bill as a feel-good experience, but fans of Peter Jackson's beloved adaptations of The Lord Of The Rings will get a particularly heartwarming adventure from this LEGO title. The sheer coziness of Middle-earth does plenty of heavy lifting, but it's bolstered by LEGO's tongue-in-cheek charm and the heartfelt story of the source material.
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While nostalgia might play a part in this, exploring Middle-earth is a particularly feel-good experience thanks to the timeless score and faithful adaptation of environments. Furthermore, as with all LEGO games, LEGO The Lord Of The Rings is perfect for co-op, allowing players to easily share the wholesome experience with friends and family.
8 HiFi Rush
An Exuberant Blast Through Colorful Environments
Hi-Fi Rush
- Released
- January 25, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, PS5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Hi-Fi Rush is a colorful, lighthearted adventure that stands out for its unique rhythm-based action and 'Saturday morning cartoons' vibe. However, its wholesome narrative helps the game to provide a feel-good experience, working in tandem with an invigorating soundtrack.
The game's vibrant cast of characters are the backbone of Hi-Fi Rush, offering plenty of wholesome interactions and carrying the narrative forward with a great deal of heart. Despite its small scale, Hi-Fi Rush is a colorful explosion of lighthearted fun, meaningful narrative, and memorable characters, offering a rewarding experience that frequently evokes warm and fuzzy feelings.