Cozy Games I Played in 2023

AD – PR Product | I love playing cozy games, and there is nothing better than spending the evening relaxing with a cozy game. As 2023 comes to an end, I wanted to share the cozy games I played this year. I will not include The Sims 4 or Disney Dreamlight Valley in this list, as I started playing them before 2023. Also, I will not include Little Friends: Puppy Island as I wrote a whole post on my experience playing the game. With that said, let us begin!

Cozy Games I Played in 2023

Cornucopia

Cornucopia was released on July 31st, and I recently received a free review copy from Keymailer. Farming games are a staple for cozy games, and Cornucopia is another addition to the genre. In the game, you are found frozen in a mine, and from there, you inherit an old farm and restore it to its former glory. I have only played a few hours of Cornucopia, and I am enjoying it so far. The game is similar to other farming games in that you have a farm you slowly build up. However, there are numerous differences that make Cornucopia unique.

The graphic style is unlike other farming games because it has a pixel art paper style. Also, when planting crops, you must consider the soil type, as crops grow best on a specific soil. The fishing mechanic is also different. Fishing is like a Plinko mini-game where you drop the lures from the top, and it is random where the lure will end up at the bottom. One of my favorite differences is that your stamina regenerates so you can continuously farm and harvest materials until you are ready to do something else. These are just a few differences that make Cornucopia unique, and I look forward to playing it more.

$24.99 on Steam

Every Letter

Every Letter was released on September 18th, and in the game, you fulfill requests by writing letters using a typewriter. You can choose from 3 requests at a time and pick the one that resonates with you. If you make a mistake, you cannot backspace, so you have to go with the flow while typing the letters. The story mode is sweet and ends with you writing an optional letter to yourself. There is also an endless mode where you can write letters for as long as you want. Every Letter is a short game but worth playing if you enjoy creative writing.

Free on Steam

Fae Farm

Fae Farm was released on September 8th, and I received a free review copy from Keymailer. The game is a farming game where you wash up on the island of Azoria and are given a homestead. From there, you build up your farm and help the island. Fae Farm is different from other farming games in that there is magic. Early on in the game, you receive a staff that you use to clear areas of the island from thorns, and you also use the staff to fight enemies. After 7 hours of playtime, I received fairy wings, and my character can double jump with the wings! You will also learn a new spell to remove these dark clouds from the island and be able to make potions.

However, I am not the biggest fan of mining because one of the earlier story quests was to reach level 25 of the mine. To go to the next level of the mine, you need to find the button to open the door. You have to break rocks that could be covering buttons and fight enemies. Also, you will need to craft seals to teleport to a specific mine level, but you have to place seals in order. For example, you cannot place a seal at level 10 of the mine if you have not placed seals at the previous 9 levels. It felt like it took forever to complete this mine quest, and all I wanted to do was progress with the story.

I am taking a break from playing Fae Farm to check out other games, and if I had not received a review copy, I would not have purchased it because I do not think it is worth $40. Fae Farm is definitely better to pick up on sale.

$39.99 on Steam

Fall of Porcupine

Fall of Porcupine was released on June 15th, and I received a free review copy from Keymailer. The game has graphics and playstyle similar to Night in the Woods, but the story is different. In the game, you play as Finley, the pigeon who is a junior doctor at St. Ursula’s Hospital. However, things are not what they seem in the small town of Porcupine. I have only played Fall of Porcupine for 3 hours, so I have not gotten far in the story. I am finding the story intriguing, but a couple of things are a letdown.

First of all, there is not much to do in Porcupine. As you walk through the town to the hospital, you will go through several scenes where you can talk to one character or see a resident walking in the background, which makes the town feel deserted. Also, at the hospital, you will play several mini-games. There is one stethoscope mini-game that I still do not fully understand how to play. There is also a treatment mini-game where you have to press specific keys on the keyboard, but the game was bugged, and I could not press the three keys together even though I could press the keys separately and two together. Besides that, I am looking forward to continuing with the story.

$19.99 on Steam

Flutter Away

Flutter Away was released on August 3rd, and it is such a cozy game. In the game, you spend 5 days in the Amazon rainforest as a butterfly researcher. The game focuses on completing daily tasks, taking photos of butterflies, and befriending a capybara. The game can be finished in an hour, but it is adorable. I recommend getting the game on sale, as it is definitely worth checking out.

$12.99 on Steam

House Flipper 2

House Flipper 2 was just released on December 14th, and I received a free review copy from Keymailer. I love the first House Flipper game and have played through all the DLC. House Flipper 2 is the second iteration of the game, and I have only played through the first 5 jobs so far. In the first few jobs, there is a focus on cleaning houses and unpacking boxes. I am excited to play more and be able to paint walls, change the floor, decorate, and buy houses to renovate and sell. There are many of the same tasks in House Flipper 2, including cleaning dirt, cleaning windows, and vacuuming, but there are some changes as well.

In House Flipper 2, trash does not magically disappear when you pick it up, and you must fill a trash bag. Once the trash bag is full, you have to throw it away in an outdoor trash can. Also, when placing items, there is now a grid to easily line up items such as chairs and tables or decor on shelves. You also have a flipper sense that you can use, and it shows you the trash or dirt you have left to clean. I am definitely looking forward to playing more of the game.

$39.99 on Steam

Lake: Season’s Greetings

Lake: Season’s Greetings is the prequel to Lake, which was released on November 15th. I loved playing through Lake, and Season’s Greetings is perfect for playing this time of year. I love the winter setting around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. You have the same gameplay as in Lake, where you drive around and deliver mail, but you play as Meredith’s dad, Thomas. There are both old and new characters, new stories to explore, and background for what happened in Lake. Season’s Greetings was a joy to play through, and I recommend playing it if you have played through and enjoyed Lake.

$9.99 on Steam

Mineko’s Night Market

Mineko’s Night Market was released on September 26th, and I purchased the game as a belated birthday gift. At first, there were numerous bugs, including game-breaking ones, but they have since been fixed, and the game is enjoyable to play. In Mineko’s Night Market, you play as Mineko, who moved to a new island village with her dad. As you settle in, you begin to discover the secrets behind the town and restore the village to its former glory while completing quests and crafting items for the weekly Night Market.

I have completed the storyline of Mineko’s Night Market, but I do have side quests with the villagers left to do. I loved the night markets and crafting items to sell there. As you progress in the game, you slowly unlock more vendors and upgrades to the night market. You also slowly unlock more of the island to explore, and I enjoyed the story. I do recommend playing Mineko’s Night Market because the story is great, the night markets are fun, and the game-breaking bugs have been fixed.

$19.99 on Steam

Sticky Business

Sticky Business was released on July 17th and was on my Wholesome Direct Wish List. In the game, you run a sticker shop, design stickers, pack orders, and upgrade your shop. I love the creative element of making your own stickers, and you can even save them and print them in real life. I also loved the added element of the customers’ stories, and their stories are sweet and funny. Sticky Business is a game you can keep returning to because they have had regular free updates including for Halloween and Christmas, and they just released a paid DLC Plan with Me, which I bought but have not played with yet. If running a sticker shop sounds fun to you, I recommend checking out Sticky Business.

$9.99 on Steam

A Tiny Sticker Tale

A Tiny Sticker Tale was released on October 4th, and I received a free copy from the developer Ogre Pixel. In A Tiny Sticker Tale, you play as Flynn, the donkey, and change the world through the power of stickers. I played through the game’s story, which is sweet, and completed most of the achievements. Also, using items in the environment as stickers is a unique concept and unlike any games I have played before. There has also been a free update that added Halloween and Christmas-themed clothing for Flynn and decor for your home and the world. A Tiny Sticker is a shorter game, and it takes around 3 hours to complete the story and achievements, but it is such a delightful game.

$9.99 on Steam

---

Did you play any cozy games in 2023?