The best cosy video games to play and relax with this winter-Michael Beckwith-Entertainment – Metro

No prizes for guessing if a certain popular farming sim is on the list (Picture: Steam)

If you’re looking for something more relaxing than the usual action games this winter, there’s a whole cosy world of video games waiting for you.

As much as we love the action thrills of games like Elden Ring and Call Of Duty, sometimes you just want a relaxing time where you can lose yourself in a stress-free game and not have to worry about dying or making the wrong decision.

The term cosy game is rather nebulous, and to a degree depends on your point of view, but usually it refers to something simple and safe that typically doesn’t involve a lot of action or require fast reflexes.

With the winter season upon us and the colder weather forcing everyone under several layers of blankets to stay warm, it’s the perfect time to indulge in cosier fare. So, we’ve put together a short list of some of the best cosy games available, for when you need a break from more demanding titles.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Nintendo Switch)

The quintessential cosy game has been around since the early 2000s but it really came into its own with the release of Switch entry Animal Crossing: New Horizons, just at the start of the pandemic. That may go down as the most fortuitous release date ever as its gentle, stress-free gameplay, about exploring and customising your cute little village involved all the sort of everyday, outdoor tasks that were suddenly denied to people.

New Horizons has no goal. You can do as little or as much as you like, whether it’s catching fish and insects, a spot of DIY and landscaping, or simply chatting to your neighbours and making friends with the animal inhabitants or online human visitors. Nintendo stopped supporting the game some time ago but it quickly became one of their most successful games ever and that’s certain to mean a new entry very early on in the Switch 2’s lifespan.

Still waiting on that sequel, Nintendo (Nintendo)

A Short Hike

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC)

Just like the name implies, A Short Hike isn’t the lengthiest of games. You could very easily beat it in a single evening, but that’s not to its detriment. If anything, it’s impressive how, in such little time, A Short Hike features a wonderfully open-ended island that’s more fun to explore than some triple-A titles.

It’s also dripping with charm from start to finish, with a delightful script, cast of characters, and soundtrack. As an anthropomorphic bird named Claire, your goal is to simply reach a mountain summit to get some mobile phone reception. While the conclusion to this simple tale is a tad underplayed, the journey is one worth taking, especially with how cheap it is.

Coffee Talk

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC)

Visual novels are well suited to late night play sessions, while lying in bed, since they act more like interactive books where the most input required is proceeding to the next bit of dialogue. If something like Ace Attorney, with its high-stake courtroom dramas, is too exciting for you, though, you may prefer the vibes of Coffee Talk.

In this game, you are a humble barista who runs a coffee shop in an urban fantasy take on Seattle. Your only goal is to serve the customers that frequent your shop and listen to their problems. Between its 90s inspired art style and lo-fi soundtrack, it’s perfect for quick play sessions before bedtime.

Spiritfarer

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android)

Now for something more involved. In Spiritfarer, you are in charge of ferrying spirits of the dead over to the afterlife. That may sound like a grim premise, but Spiritfarer is anything but. One look at its visuals and that becomes readily apparent, with most of the game spent on befriending your passengers, learning their backstories, and ensuring their last voyage is a happy one.

It’s like a more sombre Animal Crossing since, by the end, you need to say goodbye to your newfound friends forever as they move on. And Spiritfarer isn’t afraid to get into the nitty-gritty of the effects death can have on those left behind. Still, it’s a moving, comforting kind of adventure, and not all the tears you shed by the end will be sad ones.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, and iOS)

Calling Disney Dreamlight Valley a Disney take on Animal Crossing feels a bit reductive, but it’s apt. Instead of an island home, you build and manage the titular valley to meet the needs of a wide range of Disney icons. Much like the classic animated movies kids of the 90s know Disney for, it’s all very whimsical and full of heart.

And, unlike Animal Crossing, it’s planning to pump out expansions and updates all the way throughout 2025, bringing even more characters, biomes, and customisation options to the games. We’re sure once a new Animal Crossing drops, everyone will flock to that, but Disney Dreamlight Valley is still a perfectly valid alternative.

Stardew Valley

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC)

Of course we included Stardew Valley. Out of all the farming sims on the market, it is by far the most famous example, even though it’s technically a clone of the much older Harvest Moon/Story Of Seasons franchise. The sole work of one Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone, Stardew Valley’s compelling gameplay loop, diverse cast of characters, and mountains of content have kept it popular for over eight years and made it even more famous than its inspiration.

Beyond the base game, there are also plenty of fan-made mods to download that risk making Stardew Valley the only game you’ll ever play again, if it gets its hooks in you. Barone keeps adding new content, with the latest update arriving in March 2024, despite plans to release a new sim title, Haunted Chocolatier.

While other farming sims have come and gone since 2016, Stardew Valley has remained. No matter the time of year, the best time to start playing Stardew Valley was eight years ago. The next best time is right now.

If you’re not playing Stardew Valley, why not? (Steam)

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