I Tried 18 Cozy Game Demos and Here’s What I Thought

I’ve recently participated in Steam Next Fest where I got the chance to download and try out many demo games, including some really cozy ones that hit the spot! But with so many options available, it can be tough to choose which cozy game is right for you.

As someone who enjoys casual games, I went out on a quest to find my next favorite cozy game. I played 18 different demos and I’m pleased to say I’ve found some real cozy gems! Sadly, I also came across a few games that didn’t make it to my Steam Wishlist.

From exploring the depths of space in Lightyear Frontier to solving mysteries about a missing sandwich in Duck Detective, there’s something for everyone on this list. So, let’s take a journey into the world of cozy games together and see if these demos are worth adding to your wishlist.

Please keep in mind that the following reviews are solely based on my personal opinion. If there is a game that I didn’t like but it sounds like something you would enjoy, I recommend trying the demo out for yourself. Also, these reviews are based on the game’s demo, so the game’s functionality and overall outlook may change once the full version is released.

In no particular order, here are my reviews of 18 different cozy game demos:

1. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami

Duck Detective is a charming and funny detective game. Navigate a charming world as a duck to inspect evidence, piece together clues, and quack open the case! This game was an absolute joy to play! Even though the demo lasted 15 minutes, I was able to get a real grasp of what the game offers. It left me wanting to play more.

The instructions were easy to follow and I had fun filling in the bubbles with the correct answers. However, some of the clues weren’t as intuitive to follow, but since there was no penalty for wrong answers you could keep guessing until you got the right answer. Overall, I loved this game and will most definitely be adding it to my wishlist. The full game is set to release sometime in 2024.

2. Tell Me Your Story

Tell Me Your Story is a charming silent narrative with adorable visuals about a granddaughter uncovering her grandma’s past. I liked the puzzles which give off similar vibes of a Little to the Left and Unpacking, however sometimes it wasn’t clear what to do so you had to click around to figure them out.

The art style is adorable and it was a really relaxing game. It would make a perfect game for the Switch and Steam Deck. I wouldn’t say I’d be putting in hours into this game but if I wanted something stress-free and relaxing to take my mind off things, this one would do it! Overall, I liked the game but whether or not it’ll be worth the price is still up in the air for me. The planned release date for this game is sometime in 2024.

3. Lightyear Frontier

Lightyear Frontier lets you explore a strange beautiful planet, where you’ll farm alien crops, build your own mech-powered farm, and discover ancient secrets with up to three friends – all in a peaceful, low-stress environment.

If you’d like to read a more in-depth review of this game click here. This game was an exciting and unexpected discovery during my search for cozy games. I enjoyed every aspect of the game and will definitely be adding it to my wishlist. The full version of this game has an expected March 19th release date.

4. Furnish Master

Furnish Master is a zen-like simulator where you unleash your skills as an interior decorator by furnishing apartments, houses, and even outdoor spaces with a variety of furniture. As your reputation grows, unlock new items and properties, fueling your creative vision and expanding your design empire! The Tutorial mode of this game was helpful and definitely has some cozy aspects of decorating!

This game would be awesome for those who like to build and decorate with a variety of customization options and details. The gameplay has features like Unpacking which allows you to organize each drawer and appliance to put items inside it. Although the mechanics can be a bit frustrating, as you have to right-click every item to move it, there is an added puzzle mini-game that I enjoyed. This wasn’t my kind of game, but if you enjoy designing, you can start playing on February 20th!

5. Minami Lane

In Minami Lane, you design and manage a charming Japanese-inspired street, building homes for villagers, crafting unique shops, and ensuring everyone thrives in your cozy little neighborhood. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was the game for me because it didn’t seem like there was a lot to do. However, I realized you can click on the people and they will give you feedback as to how and change the ramen recipe or pricing. There are also added tasks of finding trash and petting cats to keep you busy.

I enjoyed the challenge of finding the perfect recipe and price, but it wasn’t too difficult. In later levels, you have added objectives and news stores like an adorable bookstore. It definitely qualifies as a cute and cozy game with the cute muted color scheme and relaxing music. Overall, I really enjoyed the game. I don’t think I’ll sink a bunch of hours into it, but it is a perfect game to play when you’re in the mood! This game is set to release on February 28!

6. Botany Manor

In Botany Manor, you step into the shoes of Arabella Greene, a retired botanist, exploring her 19th-century English manor and lush gardens. Use your botanical knowledge to cultivate forgotten flora, revealing their mysteries and secrets within the manor.

This game gave me all the cozy vibes I was looking for! The sound effects (like flipping pages of a book) were top-notch and the world was so pretty to look at! The puzzles felt very intuitive and weren’t hard to figure out. Even though this game is played in first person, they thankfully have motion sickness settings to combat that! This one is on my list of games I’m excited to play when it comes out on April 9th.

7. Summerhouse

Summerhouse invites you to create charming neighborhoods in diverse settings like beaches, mountains, and cities. With no pressure to win or lose, this relaxing building game focuses on pure creativity and soaking up a peaceful summer atmosphere. This is absolutely a cozy, calming, build at your own pace simulator with beautiful scenery, and relaxing music.

I wish there were labels or instructions to help me understand the tools better. It wasn’t very intuitive for someone who doesn’t usually design games. I wish it were possible to cycle through items when selecting windows, doors, etc. Additionally, I felt that the amount of decorations available was limited. This wasn’t a game for me, but if you love creating and decorating you can look forward to this game when it comes out March 8.

8. Little-Known Galaxy

In Little-Known Galaxy, you step into the role of a captain-in-training aboard a cozy spaceship, befriending your quirky crew and exploring the galaxy to solve the mysteries of an ancient relic, all while building your own vibrant community and tending to your own farm amidst the stars. I honestly didn’t have high hopes for liking this game, but I’m so glad I tried the demo because it’s easily become a must-need game for me in 2024. The concept of being a space captain is really cool and not like the usual scene of farming games I tend to gravitate towards.

The cute and cozy art style is similar in nature to Stardew Valley. The characters are well-developed, and their stories and tasks are so engaging that I found it hard to stop playing. Even after putting it down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This is one of those games that really sucks you in. I wasn’t sure what I wanted in a cozy game, but this one somehow hit the spot and gave me exactly what I needed. Be sure to keep this one on your radar for upcoming cozy games!

9. Coffee Caravan

Coffee Caravan is a coffee shop management game where you brew new drink recipes and attempt to satisfy your customers on your road trip journey. This game was fun to play and certainly had cozy vibes with the cute little characters and being able to design your dream coffee caravan! It was controller-compatible which added to the coziness.

However, it did have some stressful elements added to it where you had to hurry and serve your customers and do repetitive tasks like starting the coffee pot, serving the drink, washing the cup, and repeating before the next customer. It reminded me of the Overcooked game style which can be fun, but also not a game you can play leisurely. This style of game isn’t my cup of tea, but if the price is right, it’s a fun game to play every so often! They expect to release this game in Q1 of 2024!

10. Echoes Of The Plum Grove

In Echoes of the Plum Grove, you build a thriving community for generations by farming, forgaging friendships, and uncovering secrets. Your choices will shape both the town and the island’s destiny. This was such a cute game to play! The art style was super unique in that you play as a paper character in a 2D/3D world.

I quite liked the storytelling and the realism of needing to pay off your farm and pay your taxes. Another neat aspect of this game is that it’s set in the 1600s era of pilgrims where all of the goods you create can be bartered with other NPCs in the game for their handcrafted goods, textiles, and resources. While the art style isn’t my typical preference, I really enjoyed playing this and am looking forward to its full release this year!

11. Night Stones

Explore a dream-like world in Night Stones, where you can control the time of day with magical stones, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets to find your way home. This was an enjoyable game to play, enough so that when the demo ended I was disappointed I couldn’t play more. I enjoyed the story and problem-solving, along with the combat that acted more like a puzzle than a challenge.

There are easily some cozy vibes with this game between the adorable creatures, music, and beautiful graphics. The open world was a great addition, allowing for exploration without fall damage and the ability to swim in water. However, I wish there was a motion sickness setting since the camera moves around for you. For that, I’m on the fence about it, but if they could add that feature I would definitely be interested! This game is set to release in April 2024.

12. Pine Hearts

Pine Hearts is a cozy puzzle adventure set in a quiet caravan park, that follows Tyke on a journey of self-discovery as they explore, solve puzzles, and reminisce about childhood memories, all while grappling with the loss of a loved one. The accessibility options on this game are nice, offering full or simplified controls and color-blocking visuals. This would be the ultimate laid-back, non-stressful cozy game for Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.

This is an absolutely wholesome game with charming characters, soothing music, and beautiful storytelling. At first, I thought this game would be too kiddish and not much for me to do, but I was quick to overlook that when I found myself wanting to play more and unlock other areas and puzzles. I’m excited for the Q1 release, but I might wait to purchase it on the off chance it will come out on the Switch, as that would be my preference for playing this game.

13. Taking Root

Taking Root is a soothing world of indoor gardening. This relaxing game lets you nurture a variety of houseplants in real time while customizing your room to be exactly how you like it. This game really gives off some cozy vibes with the plants and decorating.

It’s a fantastic game for those who possess the skills of taking care of plants. However, I have no green thumb, and I have already overwatered my virtual plants. Despite my desire to be a plant person, I forget to water my real-life plants, let alone water my virtual ones. The game has a unique concept, but it’s not suitable for me and my forgetfulness. The full release of this game is expected to come out in Q2 of 2024.

14. Fireside

Embark on a heartwarming journey and enjoy the comforting warmth of campfire stories and trading in Fireside. Create lasting bonds with fellow travelers, share stories, trade resources, and explore a serene, magical world at your own relaxed pace. This game gave me the ultimate cozy vibes I was looking for! Between the characters, the art, and the stories, I didn’t want to stop playing this game!

The game itself was not super difficult however the trading in the game is a little confusing because even though the scale levels out, the person you trade with might not accept the deal. I loved that this was a choose-your-own path/story game style and that there were consequences for what you chose. This is a game that’s different than my normal go-to games and I’m so glad to have found it, as I’ll definitely be picking this game up when it releases this year.

15. Potions: A Curious Tale

In Potions: A Curious Tale, you set out as an aspiring young witch named Luna on a magical adventure, brewing potions to solve puzzles, battle enchanting creatures, and unlock secrets of the world. The game was nice to play and I really liked the art style and dialogue.

While the game was fun, it didn’t leave me with the desire to keep playing. The potion crafting and experimenting were entertaining and I liked that you could discover quite a bit of potion recipes. However, I kept pressing the wrong button when picking up items around the world and would end up wasting a potion I worked hard on gathering the ingredients for, which was very frustrating. This game may not be for me, but it might be for you. Look out for it when it releases on March 7.

16. Everholm

In Everholm, Lily builds a charming life on a magical island, befriending quirky residents and unraveling its secrets along the way about her lost sister. The art is so pretty and the game definitely puts off some cozy vibes mixed with mystery and intrigue. It gives Stardew Valley vibes but makes it cutesy and magical!

The storyline is interesting and I really liked the concept of having a quest to recover lost memories while farming and befriending locals. However, I wasn’t fully into it as I was in other games. If you like Stardew Valley, you’ll probably like this game! I’m just waiting to see if the price will justify if I purchase this game or not.

17. Magical Delicacy

In Magical Delicacy, you play Flora, a young witch who sets up shop in a charming harbor town. Using your magical cooking skills and exploring the town, you gather ingredients, fulfill townsfolk’s requests, and unravel the island’s hidden secrets, all while growing as a witch and perfecting your culinary craft.

This game was so enjoyable to play! It worked best with the controller and the art and storytelling are delightful. Sometimes the dialogue felt a little too long, but it didn’t take away from the experience. Some of the jumping was confusing and I thought I had gotten stuck at one point but I realized it was just user error! I was sad this demo ended but will be keeping an eye out for it when it releases sometime this year.

18. Pathless Woods

Begin your cozy, survival adventure in the open world of Pathless Woods! Craft traditional Chinese structures, harvest crops, and forge alliances with friends as you team up to explore a mystical land and protect your home from raiders. There are cozy elements to this game like the music and being able to farm and decorate your homestead, but the lack of character customization was disappointing.

This is a combat, survival game that reminds me of Zelda, which has added elements of stress to it. While you can play the demo for up to 10 hours, I had to quit after 20 minutes as the mechanic of having to hold down the right mouse button to look around was too frustrating for me to continue with. I almost didn’t finish the tutorial section. There was also an overwhelming amount of things to keep track of and the crafting was a bit too much for me. If you’re good with combat and complexity, keep an eye out for this game when it releases sometime in 2024.

To sum it up, I had a lot of fun finding some new cozy games that’ll be on my radar this year. I’ve got a bunch of games that I’m super excited about, like Little-Known Galaxy, Fireside, Lightyear Frontier, and Magical Delicacy. Other games like Pathless Woods, Summerhouse, and Taking Root, didn’t quite cut it for me. Games like Everholm, Night Stones, and Coffee Caravan are still on my radar, but I need more info before I decide. Overall, I had a huge success in finding some new cozy games for this year and I can’t wait to play the full versions of some of these games!

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