Ranking Every Cozy Game I Played in 2025

Updated on February 16th, 2026

AD – PR Product | With the start of a new year, I wanted to look back on the cozy games I played in 2025 and share my tier ranking. Like last year’s ranking, the S tier will include my favorite games I have played, while the D tier will include games I did not enjoy. However, my opinion is subjective, and you may have different views of the games.

What are Cozy Games?

Before I begin my tier ranking, I wanted to briefly describe what cozy games are. Simply, cozy games are games you play to relax. They often do not have combat or high-stress gameplay. Cozy games can cover a variety of different genres, from simulation and puzzle to adventure and story-based games. Also, some of the games in my ranking, I received a copy to play and review. For these games, I will include an asterisk after the name and state at the beginning of the review. Let us begin!

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S Tier – My Favorites

The games in the S Tier are my favorite cozy games I played in 2025, and I would highly recommend them.

Cabernet

Cabernet released on February 20th, and the game is set in 19th-century Eastern Europe. In Cabernet, you play as Liza as you guide her as a newly turned vampire. You do make choices throughout the game that affect her humanity or nihilism, along with her relationships with other characters. You also learn various vampire abilities and gain skills in different topics. I am enjoying the story, completing the quests, and exploring the world as Liza, and Cabernet is one of my favorite games I have played in 2025.

Cabernet is $19.99 on Steam

Is This Seat Taken?*

I received a copy of Is This Seat Taken? from Wholesome Games, and it released on August 7th. Is This Seat Taken? is a fun logic puzzle game where you find the perfect spot for each person. There are 27 levels with 5 bonus levels, and the puzzle element of finding the right place is challenging, but not impossible. I loved the variety of settings, from finding the right seats on a bus to the right spots in a queue at an airport. The game is a fantastic puzzle game.

Is This Seat Taken? is $9.99 on Steam

Magical Greenhouse*

Magical Greenhouse released on November 4th, and I received a copy from Mgtt Studio. In Magical Greenhouse, you play as a witch who runs a potion shop, and you buy, water, and harvest plants, and use the ingredients to make potions to complete villager requests or sell in the shop. The gameplay loop is fun, and you can buy decor to increase your daily energy, boost the price of items sold in the shop, and more. You can also play at your own pace and complete requests whenever you have the ingredients for the potion. For the most part, the villager requests are straightforward and easy to figure out, but there are a couple of requests that are vague. However, it did not affect my enjoyment of the game. I also love the art style and the characters, and Magical Greenhouse is one of my favorite games from 2025.

Magical Greenhouse is $6.99 on Steam

The Roottrees are Dead

The Roottrees are Dead released on January 15th and is set in 1998 after a private jet crashed, and on it were the Roottree sisters and their parents. In the game, you have to determine who is a blood relative in the Roottree family in order for the wealth to be redistributed to the rest of the family. I loved searching the internet for clues and reading through web pages, articles, and book excerpts to complete the family tree. If you get stuck on what to do next, there is a rubber duck that will give you hints. When you finish the main family tree, you unlock Roottreamania, which adds a new family tree to fill out. The Roottrees are Dead is an outstanding puzzle game, and it is one of the best games I have played.

The Roottrees are Dead is $19.99 on Steam

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A Tier – Great Games

The games in the A Tier are great games I recommend playing, but they are not one of my favorite games I played in 2025.

Alex Hill: Whispers at White Oak Inn

Alex Hill: Whispers at White Oak Inn released on March 7th. In the game, you play as detective Alex Hill as she investigates a haunting at White Oak Inn and the mysterious letters an employee received. I love the Nancy Drew PC games, and I loved the Nancy Drew references in Alex Hill, along with the point-and-click style of gameplay. The voice acting is also fantastic, and the puzzles were fun. Alex Hill is a great mystery game that I recommend playing, especially if you enjoy the Nancy Drew games.

Alex Hill: Whispers at White Oak Inn is $19.99 on Steam

Dancing Pandas: Ranger’s Path*

Dancing Pandas: Ranger’s Path released on March 11th, and I received a copy from Bonus Stage Publishing. The game follows Mico as he grows his courage by helping other pandas while on a quest to find his grandma. There is a nice variety of quests to do and areas to explore. After the story ends, you can continue playing to complete any unfinished quests, and I had a great time playing the game.

Dancing Pandas: Ranger’s Path is $12.99 on Steam

The Darkside Detective

The Darkside Detective released in 2017, and in the game, you play as Detective Francis McQueen. He is part of the Darkside Division, which investigates mysterious occurrences in Twin Lakes. There are 9 cases to solve, and I had a lot of fun playing them. There are some puzzles to solve, but they are not difficult, and you also have to find and combine different items to use. Overall, The Darkside Detective is a great mystery game.

The Darkside Detective is $14.99 on Steam

Discounty*

I received a copy of Discounty from Keymailer, and the game released on August 21st. In Discounty, you manage your own discount supermarket in the town of Blomkest. I enjoyed stocking the supermarket with products, checking customers out at the register, and getting trade deals for new products to sell. There are also daily and weekly challenges, and as you complete them, you earn points to unlock more products to sell and get a bigger inventory. When you are not working at the supermarket, you can explore the town, visit various locations, and get to know the residents. Discounty is such a great simulation game.

Discounty is $19.99 on Steam

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping*

I received a copy of Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping from Future Friends Games, and the game released on May 22nd. The Ghost of Glamping is the sequel to The Secret Salami, and in the sequel, Duck Detective cracks the case of a haunted luxury campsite. The Ghost of Glamping is a lot of fun to play. The game is fully voice-acted, and I loved looking for clues, talking to the characters, and solving the Deducktions. Both Duck Detective games are great mystery games.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is $9.99 on Steam

Hotel Architect*

Hotel Architect released in early access on May 20th, and I received a copy from Guillotine. In Hotel Architect, you build, design, and run hotels across the globe. There are various locations to play in, including Gothenburg, Santorini, Paris, St. Anton, New York, and Las Vegas. At each location, you can play through the scenario and have objectives to complete, or you can play in sandbox mode and build a hotel from the ground up. The scenarios are fun, and there are a lot of customization options, from choosing the color of the wallpaper to deciding who to hire to work at the hotel. Overall, Hotel Architect is a great hotel management game, and I would recommend playing it.

Hotel Architect is $19.99 on Steam

Kabuto Park*

I received a copy of Kabuto Park from Doot, and the game released on May 28th. In the game, you play as Hana during her summer vacation, and you catch bugs, train them, and battle in the Summer Beetle Battles Championship. Kabuto Park is such a cute and fun game. I enjoyed slowly unlocking new areas and catching new bugs, including shiny bugs. The gameplay of the battles is simple enough to learn, and I liked the mechanics of playing cards based on the bugs’ abilities. Kabuto Park is a great game.

Kabuto Park is $4.99 on Steam

Kokoro Kitchen*

Kokoro Kitchen released on October 17th, and I received a copy from Mango Leaf Games. In Kokoro Kitchen, you restore a rundown Japanese restaurant in the spirit world and serve delicious meals. I love cooking games, and Kokoro Kitchen is so cute! The game reminds me a bit of Lemon Cake, but I found myself enjoying Kokoro Kitchen more because it is not as grindy to unlock upgrades, new dishes, and even cows and plants for the farm. I also like the addition of the mini games. There is always something to do in the game, from cooking dishes for the spirits, restocking ingredients, cleaning up, and doing dishes, but the game does not feel overwhelming, which makes it a great cooking game.

Kokoro Kitchen is $11.99 on Steam

MakeRoom*

I received a copy of MakeRoom from Wholesome Games, and the game released on August 7th. MakeRoom is a sandbox building game where you design rooms, gardens, camper vans, and boats. There is a large variety of objects and customization options, and you can change the color and size of the objects. There are some quests to complete, and from there, you can create as many rooms as you want. You can also create your own decor objects from scratch, but I found it difficult to do so. However, you can easily download items from the Steam Workshop that others have created and have even more objects to decorate with. If you like sandbox building games, then I do recommend playing MakeRoom.

MakeRoom is $9.99 on Steam

MySims Kingdom

MySims Kindgom rereleased in 2024, and it is included in a bundle with MySims. In the game, you help King Roland revitalize the kingdom by visiting different islands and helping citizens in need. On each island you visit, you will be tasked with building specific locations, using mechanical objects to build contraptions, and collecting essences to complete scrolls and unlock new objects to build. I enjoyed completing the quests, and the gameplay did not feel repetitive compared to MySims.

MySims: Cozy Bundle is $39.99 on Steam

The Painscreek Killings

The Painscreek Killings released in 2017, and you play as Janet, a journalist exploring the abandoned town of Painscreek to investigate a cold case. Unlike most mystery games, there is no task list or quests, and your main objective is to figure out who murdered Vivian Roberts. You will have to take your own notes as you explore the town. However, there is a journal that keeps track of diaries and documents you find, and you can use the in-game camera to take pictures of clues. I loved the non-linear format of the game and following up on clues as I found them. It was satisfying solving the mystery, and The Painscreek Killings is a great mystery game.

The Painscreek Killings is $19.99 on Steam

Projected Dreams*

I received a copy of Projected Dreams from Flawberry Studio, and the game released on May 29th. In Projected Dreams, you use toys in the room to match the shadows. There are 6 chapters to play through with 6-7 levels each. Each chapter introduces new mechanics that make the game fun and not feel repetitive. There are numerous ways to complete each level, and I liked figuring out what combination of toys to use. Some levels are challenging, but there is a hint system that shows you the toys to use to make the shadow. I do think Projected Dreams is a great and unique puzzle game.

Projected Dreams is $14.99 on Steam

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley released in 2024, and you play as Snufkin as he restores harmony and balance and protects Moominvalley from the Park Keeper. I loved playing Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley. The art style is beautiful, and I loved completing the quests, solving puzzles, and meeting characters from the Moomin series.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is $19.99 on Steam

Wanderstop*

I received a copy of Wanderstop from Ivy Road, and the game released on March 11th. In the game, you play as fallen fighter Alta as she helps run a tea shop in a magical forest and tends to customers who pass through. You will grow plants to use as ingredients, collect tea leaves, and make tea for the customers. I also liked the story as it revolves around burnout. Wanderstop is a great game with a unique story and fun tea-making gameplay.

Wanderstop is $24.99 on Steam

While Waiting*

While Waiting released on February 5th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In the game, you learn to embrace life as you wait during numerous situations. There is a large variety of levels as you follow the main character from childhood through adulthood, and each level has various objectives to complete, including an objective to do nothing. Some objectives can be challenging to figure out, but you can easily replay the levels at any time. I do think that While Waiting is a great game.

While Waiting is $19.99 on Steam

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B Tier – Good Games

The games in the B Tier are good games that I recommend playing, but they often have a couple of downsides that bring the game down a little.

Bad Credit? No Problem!*

I received a copy of the game from the developer, and Bad Credit? No Problem! released on October 2nd. Bad Credit? No Problem! is a fun game where you work at a title loan company. You have to check the applicants’ documents while following a list of rules, such as the name on the application matches the name on the car title, and the car value is more than the loan they are requesting.

You first play through a 14-day probation period, and if you make 3 mistakes, you will be terminated and have to start over. Once you pass the probation period, you will unlock the Endless Shift and Fright Night Files modes. The game can be a bit stressful as you have to check the applications in time, but there are boosters and apps you can unlock to make the process easier. I did enjoy my time playing the game.

Bad Credit? No Problem! is $7.99 on Steam

Camper Van: Make it Home

Camper Van released on June 7th, and you play through 9 different destinations and place items in and around various camper vans. At a later destination, you can choose to have a dog, cat, or iguana as a pet, and I loved the ability to have a pet. However, a big downside is the camera because it can be hard to get the right angle to place objects on a shelf or in a drawer. Also, even though you have the freedom to place items where you want in the van, it can be hard to know where they will fit or which items will stack. That said, I did have fun playing Camper Van, and I would recommend the game.

Camper Van: Make it Home is $14.99 on Steam

Detective Dotson*

Detective Dotson released on April 24th, and I received a temporary copy from Fellow Traveller. In the game, you play as Dotson as he uncovers details about his father’s sudden passing. There are 4 cases to investigate, and completing each one ties into the final mystery. The cases were fun to solve, and there are also several mini games to play and earn money from, including finding hidden objects, playing street cricket, and having a dance-off. Detective Dotson is a good mystery adventure game.

Detective Dotson is $14.99 on Steam

Flowers and Favours*

I received a copy of the game from MISK Games, and Flowers and Favours released on August 29th. Flowers and Favours is a florist simulation game where you run a flower shop and create bouquets based on customers’ requests. The art style is adorable, and I loved being creative when making the bouquets. However, there is no overarching plot, and the days do end up feeling repetitive. That said, I still enjoyed playing Flowers and Favours.

Flowers and Favours is $6.99 on Steam

Frog Detective Series

I played all 3 Frog Detective games in 2025, including The Haunted Island, The Case of the Invisible Wizard, and Corruption at Cowboy County. In the games, you play as a frog who is a detective, and you track down clues and interrogate suspects. Each of the games takes less than an hour to play, but they are all fun mystery games.

Frog Detective 1: The Haunted Island is $4.99 on Steam

Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard is $4.99 on Steam

Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County is $4.99 on Steam

Gas Station Simulator*

Gas Station Simulator released in 2021, and I received a copy of the game from Keymailer. In the game, you run a gas station and do various tasks such as fueling, repairing, and washing the cars, scanning items at checkout, restocking shelves, and cleaning the gas station. There is always something to do, and you can hire employees to help out. However, the game was quite laggy, and I had to keep messing with the settings until I was able to play the game without lag. I did have fun playing the game and completing the main story.

Gas Station Simulator is $19.99 on Steam

Hidden in my Paradise

Hidden in my Paradise released in 2024, and it is a hidden object game where you will find objects in 25 different levels. Each level has a list of items to find, along with fairies and treasure chests, and photos to recreate using items and characters in the level. However, it can be a hassle to recreate the photos because you need every single item from the reference photo and fit them all in the frame. Once you play through the levels or anytime before then, you can download player-created levels and play them as well. Furthermore, you can also create your own levels with items you unlock with coins and tickets. With all that said, I do think Hidden in my Paradise is a good hidden object game.

Hidden in my Paradise is $9.99 on Steam

Instants*

Instants released on June 7th, and I received a copy of the game from Future Friends Games. In Instants, you create photo albums for Maya’s family and friends. First, you will have to sort the photos in chronological order, then you can decorate the album with various scrapbooking tools. I liked the puzzle element of sorting the photos in chronological order. I also liked being creative with adding stickers, tape, and text, and changing the background. Lastly, I liked the story of learning about Maya and her family through the albums. That said, it took me 2 and a half hours to play through all the chapters, and I do think the price is a little high considering my playtime. However, I did enjoy playing Instants, and I would recommend the game.

Instants is $11.99 on Steam

Leila*

I received a copy of the game from Ubik Studios, and Leila released on April 7th. In the game, you play as Leila as you explore her memories during different stages of her life. I like the voice acting in the game, and there is a good variety of puzzles. That said, it is not always clear what you should do for a puzzle, but there is a hint system to help. Overall, I do think Leila is a good game.

Leila is $11.99 on Steam

Little Problems*

Little Problems released on September 9th, and I received a copy from Guillotine. In the game, you look for clues and use the information to solve 10 little problems. I enjoyed solving the cases, and it was fun looking around the scenes for clues and using those clues to solve the tasks. I also loved the story of following Mary during her first year of university. However, many of the cases have 20 or more clues to find, which can be challenging to sort through. That said, there is a hint system, and none of the cases were impossible to figure out. I did have a good time playing Little Problems.

Little Problems is $9.99 on Steam

MySims

MySims rereleased in 2024, and it is included in a bundle with MySims Kingdom. In the game, you rebuild a struggling town. You invite guests from the hotel and build their home or business, then complete quests by crafting furniture and objects. MySims is fun at first, but it does get repetitive because each in-game day is the same. You check the hotel for visitors, build them their home or business, see if other characters in town have quests, and collect essences needed to craft the furniture.

When building homes or businesses, there are a few items you are required to use, but other than that, you are allowed to customize the build however you want. That said, the items you can use are limited in comparison to The Sims 4. It is also tedious collecting essences through fishing and prospecting, and crafting the furniture is tedious as well, which makes MySims not as fun as MySims Kingdom.

MySims: Cozy Bundle is $39.99 on Steam

Out and About

Out and About released in early access on August 11th, and you identify and gather real-life plants and fungi, use them in recipes, and help rebuild the town of Portobello after a storm. I do like that the plants are based on real-life plants, and you can make the recipes in real life, too. The game does have a large focus on being able to identify edible plants from toxic plants that look similar, which is helpful for people who are interested in foraging.

I also like completing the quests and helping around town, but after some time, the quests feel repetitive because they all follow a similar format where you forage a specific plant, then give it to a character or use the plant in a recipe before giving it to them. It can also be difficult to find the plants you need to forage for the quests, and I have had to look up a foraging guide outside of the game for help.

Out and About is $17.99 on Steam

Petit Island

Petit Island released in 2024, and in the game, you play as Lily the cat, who travels to Petit Island to relive her Grandpaw’s memories and help him remember his past. The story is so sweet, and I enjoyed completing the quests on Petit Island. However, the tool management is cumbersome, and it is time-consuming to travel around the island to complete the quests. That said, I did have fun playing Petit Island.

Petit Island is $19.99 on Steam

Pilo and the Holobook*

Pilo and the Holobook released on April 10th, and I received a copy from the developer. In the game, you play as Pilo, and you use a Holobook to turn everything into stickers as you document the universe. I like the gameplay mechanic of scanning items in the environment and making them into stickers. However, it is difficult at times to complete the quests, and I had to use outside guides for help. The ending is sweet, though, and I do think it is a good game.

Pilo and the Holobook is $12.99 on Steam

Spilled!

Spilled! released on March 26th, and it is a satisfying game where you slowly clean up ocean waste and upgrade your boat. I enjoyed playing Spilled!, but it is a short game with only 8 areas to clean. It did take me about an hour to 100% complete the game. However, I do think Spilled! is a good short game.

Spilled! is $5.99 on Steam

Tidy Backpack

Tidy Backpack is a puzzle game that released in 2024. There are 96 levels, and in each level, you have to place all the items in a backpack with no overlap. Some levels are easy to figure out, but others took a while, and I had to keep rearranging the items. There is a hint button that shows you where to place the first item, but I wish you could use the hint button more, as you can get stuck on a level. You can move on to the next level if you do get stuck, but eventually, you will have to go back to the level if you want to fully complete the chapter. Tidy Backpack is a fun game, but some of the levels are quite challenging.

Tidy Backpack is $3.99 on Steam

Tiny Company*

Tiny Company released on October 24th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In Tiny Company, you run a shop that creates custom terrariums for tiny critters. There are 3 different game modes, including Story mode with 16 levels, Daily mode with a new challenge each day, and Endless mode, where you can create as many terrariums as you want. The game is so cute, and I do like the different game modes, from reading the critters’ stories to trying the challenge for the day.

It can be hard to get 3 stars in the levels, though, but you can replay the Story mode levels as many times as you want, while the Daily level can only be played once. The object physics are also finicky with the objects spinning around when you pick them up, and fragile objects shattering at the smallest drop. However, Tiny Company is a cute and fun game.

Tiny Company is $4.99 on Steam

to a T*

to a T released on May 28th, and I received a copy of the game from popagenda. In to a T, you play as a 13-year-old who navigates daily life while their body is stuck in a T-pose. I liked the story of to a T, and I loved being helped by the dog. Also, the character customization options are great. That said, the story is very linear, and you are limited on when you can explore the town and visit the shops. Also, I do not like the camera because you cannot rotate it. Therefore, it can be hard to see coins and know where you are going without continuously checking the map. Despite that, I do think to a T is a good game.

to a T is $19.99 on Steam

UMAMI*

The game released on November 17th, and I received a copy from Mimmox. UMAMI is a 3D puzzle game with 15 food-themed levels. The puzzles are challenging, but you can look at a reference photo of the solved puzzle for a hint. The art style is also so cute, and in each level, you can pet the animal and find a collectible card in the environment. It took me 3 and a half hours to complete all 15 puzzles, but the playtime can vary depending on how long you take and if you look at the reference photos. Overall, I do think UMAMI is a good puzzle game.

UMAMI is $13.99 on Steam

Urban Jungle*

Urban Jungle released on March 21st, and I received a copy of the game from PR Hound. In Urban Jungle, you follow the story of Ita through different stages of her life. In each chapter, you place plants around the home and complete various tasks. I liked the story of following Ita from childhood to adulthood, and when you finish a chapter, it is added to the creative mode. In creative mode, you can fully customize the location. That said, it is not challenging to place the plants or earn enough points to move onto the next chapter. Therefore, if you are looking for a challenging puzzle game, Urban Jungle would not be for you. That said, Urban Jungle is a fun game, and I would recommend it.

Urban Jungle is $11.99 on Steam

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C Tier – Okay Games

The games in the C Tier are okay games in that there is a mix of positives and negatives, but I would generally still recommend them.

Animal Shelter 2*

Animal Shelter 2 released on July 23rd, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In the game, you run an animal shelter and find homes for dogs and cats. I enjoyed cleaning up the animal shelter as it reminded me of House Flipper. I also liked giving the animals food and water, playing with them, going for walks, and getting them adopted.

However, the reason why Animal Shelter 2 is just okay is that the loading time is so long, and the game lagged every time I cleaned a room. I also had an issue with the employee letting animals run out of their cages. I found a hungry dog in the yard with the door to their cage closed and a cat by the side of the building, and I had to carry them back to their cages. Animal Shelter 2 is a fine simulation game, but it is not as good as other simulation games I have played.

Animal Shelter 2 is $24.99 on Steam

Call of the Golden Valley*

I received a copy of Call of the Golden Valley from Keymailer, and the game released on October 22nd. Call of the Golden Valley is a mystery game where you play as Danielle, who is visiting her childhood friend in Australia, but when she arrives, her friend is missing. The plot is interesting as it is set in an old mining town in Australia, and I loved the voice acting. Also, some of the puzzles were challenging, and the hint system in the game was helpful.

However, the game is buggy, and I experienced a game-breaking bug and had to start the game over. I did reach out to the developers, and they have since fixed the bug. Even though I liked the voice acting, the characters did not have any talking animation, which made for an off-putting experience. Call of the Golden Valley is not a bad mystery game, but the game-breaking bug I experienced brought the game down for me.

Call of the Golden Valley is $19.99 on Steam

Catto’s Post Office

Catto’s Post Office released on August 4th, and in the game, you play as Catto and deliver mail around town. The art style is adorable, and I enjoyed delivering packages around town and helping the residents. However, the game is short. It took me 40 minutes to play through the main story, and I do think the price is a bit high for the playtime.

Catto’s Post Office is $4.99 on Steam

Clawfish

Clawfish released in 2021, and you use various claw machines to catch fish and release them into the water. The game is fun, but I played for 30 minutes and came back later to finish the game, but there is no save system. Even though the game was released in 2021, and the lack of saves has been brought up, the developer has never added a way to save your progress in the game. You can play the game in one sitting, but not being able to save your progress does bring the game down.

Clawfish is $2.99 on Steam

Hanako’s Flower Shop*

I received a copy of Hanako’s Flower Shop from Keymailer, and the game released on April 25th. Hanako’s Flower Shop is a visual novel game where you play as Hanako, who runs her grandpa’s flower shop. I like that the game is voice-acted, as most visual novels are not. However, with some of the customers, I just wanted to click through their story and get to making the bouquet. You can also go for walks and find flowers, and grow your own flowers in the garden, so there is more to do outside of the game than just listening to stories and making bouquets. However, I found myself not finishing the game because I lost interest in all the customers’ stories.

Hanako’s Flower Shop is $14.99 on Steam

Libritopia*

Libritopia released in early access on January 30th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In Libritopia, you run a library. There are 3 different game modes, but Survival Mode is too stressful because the game ends if you get 3 dissatisfied patrons. In Score Mode, the game ends after 15 days, whereas in Relax Mode, you can play as long as you want, and you do not have to worry about satisfaction.

The gameplay is a bit repetitive because you put books on the shelves, check in and out books, and help people find the book they are looking for. Also, by day 5 in Relax Mode, I became overwhelmed because I had stacks of books to check in, books on the reading table to put back, and also other books that were delivered, but I was busy helping people or checking out books. There is an auto checkout counter, but you are left to do all the other tasks by yourself. I do think Libritopia is an okay simulation game.

Libritopia is $6.99 on Steam

Parisian Brasserie Simulator*

I received a copy of Parisian Brasserie Simulator from Keymailer, and the game released on August 25th. In the game, you manage a restaurant in Paris. Like with the previous simulation game, I found Parisian Brasserie Simulator repetitive because when customers arrive, you assign them a table and give them a bread basket, then fulfill their order. If they request drinks, you make them at the bar, and any meals are made by the chef. When the customers are done eating, they will come up to the bar and pay. You do unlock more dishes as you play, and you can customize the brasserie as you like, but the gameplay itself is repetitive and makes it better to play in short bursts.

Parisian Brasserie Simulator is $13.99 on Steam

Sports: Renovations*

Sports: Renovations released on March 27th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In the game, you clean and renovate various sports facilities while slowly renovating the hometown basketball court. I like the cleaning aspect as it reminded me of House Flipper. I also liked the story associated with each location. However, I used a controller to play, and you cannot rotate objects, which made for a frustrating experience when trying to place a ladder to reach higher spots. Also, when you are painting a wall, it will eventually autocomplete. However, it does not actually finish painting the wall and leaves any areas you did not get to unpainted. Sports: Renovations is an okay game.

Sports: Renovations is $24.99 on Steam

Tiny Garden

Tiny Garden released on April 8th. In Tiny Garden, you plant, grow, and trade plants for new seeds and furniture to customize a magical toy. As you play, you unlock new seed collections and a variety of tools that are useful for gameplay. That said, the gameplay is repetitive. You buy a seed, plant a seed, turn the crank until the plant grows, and collect the plant. From there, you can buy more seeds, furniture, and other items. Also, as you progress, the gameplay becomes more tedious. The seeds you unlock later in the game require a variety of different plants. It can be cumbersome to remember all the plants you need, and I often forgot what plant I needed next to be able to buy the seed. I did have fun playing Tiny Garden, but the repetitiveness and tediousness make Tiny Garden an okay game.

Tiny Garden is $12.99 on Steam

Unbox the Room*

Unbox the Room released on October 17th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In Unbox the Room, you are an intern for the moving company Unbox the Room, and you unbox and arrange items for clients. There are 21 levels in Story Mode, and you can also create your own rooms in Sandbox mode. The game is a bit like Unpacking, but you have more freedom to place items where you want in the levels, and even arrange the furniture in later levels. However, the number of items in the game is quite limited. It can feel repetitive when you are playing through the levels and even making your own rooms, because there is not a lot of variety with the items. That said, I did have fun playing through the story and unboxing the items.

Unbox the Room is $7.99 on Steam

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D Tier – The Worst Games

The games in the D Tier are the worst games I played in 2025, and I personally cannot recommend them because the downsides outweigh any positives.

Bramblewood*

Bramblewood released in 2024, and I received a copy from the developer. In the game, you work for a plant sorceress in Bramblewood, but the game is rough. The movement is awkward, the character constantly shakes, picking up objects is buggy, the music is repetitive, and I had to stop playing after 15 minutes. There is also no option to save your progress, and you have to start a new game every time. For these reasons, I cannot recommend playing Bramblewood.

Bramblewood is $15.99 on Steam

Chocolate Factory Simulator*

Chocolate Factory Simulator released on January 7th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In the game, you run a chocolate factory. The game has an interesting concept, and I liked combining the ingredients to make the chocolates. However, there is a lot of downtime from waiting for the chocolate to cool down and crystallize to waiting for the airship to come and pick up the order, and then get a new order. Also, with each order, you go through the same process, which makes the gameplay feel repetitive. Chocolate Factory Simulator is not an inherently bad game, but it was not that fun for me to play.

Chocolate Factory Simulator is $19.9 on Steam

Gemporium*

I received a copy of Gemporium from Merge Conflict Studio, and the game released on August 7th. In Gemporium, you mine, refine, and sell gems while paying off your grandma’s debt. The art style is cute, but the game is not for me. I do like that as you play, you unlock upgrades such as a bigger bag to store gems, a drill to help mine the gems, more levels of the mine, and an option to haggle with customers.

That said, the gameplay is repetitive because each day you are mining, refining, and selling games. If you are playing on the default mode, it is stressful to mine and refine nonstop until the shop opens for the day. There is a cozy mode where there is no time limit, but once you mine all the gems, refine them, and sell as many as you can, you repeat the same tasks the next day while making loan payments. I can see how the game can appeal to others, but the repetitive gameplay makes me lose interest after playing 2 in-game days.

Gemporium is $9.99 on Steam

Pine: A Story of Loss*

Pine released in 2024, and I received a temporary copy of the game from Fellow Traveller. In Pine, you play as a woodworker who struggles with the loss of his wife. The hand-drawn art style is lovely, and it feels like you are watching a movie instead of playing a game. I also liked playing through the seasons and seeing how the woodworker deals with grief. However, the game is repetitive. Each day during the season, you do the same chores, and the same animated scene plays. The puzzles are also simple to do, and I did not like doing the woodcarvings because you just click and rotate the piece of wood until the carving is complete. Lastly, the game is short, and there is no replayability. The downsides outweigh the positives. Therefore, I cannot recommend playing Pine.

Pine: A Story of Loss is $9.99 on Steam

Planisphere*

Planisphere released on January 4th, and the game is free-to-play, but the developer asked if I could play it. In the game, you rediscover lost constellations, but I found Planisphere impossible to play. There is a brief tutorial mode that shows you how to place stars according to the illustration, but there is no illustration, so you have to randomly place a star and hope that it is at the right spot. If the star is in the right spot, the illustration will show. You are then told to place stars at the glowing lights, but again, there is no glowing light.

Once you have the stars in the right spots, you connect them to make the constellation, and then you are left on your own. There is no indication of what to do next. You can open the book to see the constellations you found. You can also rotate the screen and randomly place stars, but again, there are no more illustrations shown. If you spam the screen, you can be lucky, and the next illustration will show, but again, there is no indication where the stars should be placed because there are no glowing lights. I cannot recommend playing Planisphere.

Planisphere is free-to-play on Steam

Skystead Ranch*

Skystead Ranch released on January 17th, and I received a copy from Keymailer. In the game, you turn a sky island into a sanctuary for Skylets. However, the game is lacking. There are no character customization options, and the default character is off-putting. There are some initial quests, but after feeding the Skylet Shelly, there are no more quests, and there is no story. Furthermore, you can get a house in the game, but it does nothing, and you cannot even go inside it.

There is a day and night cycle in the game, but you cannot sleep at any point to pass the time. Lastly, there is no inventory system. Therefore, you have to carry items one by one. If you want to buy multiple items from the shopkeeper at the skyship, you have to buy them one at a time, carry the item back to the island, and then go back to the skyship. This also makes feeding the Skylets time-consuming because you can only carry one fruit or vegetable at a time. Skystead Ranch is not a fun game, and I would not recommend playing it.

Skystead Ranch is $24.99 on Steam

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What cozy games did you play in 2025?