Whether you want to start life over on a run-down farm or you want a new challenge to absorb all of yo??ur spare time, there’s never a shortage of cozy games ready and waiting to distract you from reality. 2025 is set to be a big year for the genre, with a myriad of announced titles set to release. 

Although games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing served to propel the cozy gaming genre to a huge number of new players, the genre has been around for far longer. Some would pinpoint the birth of cozy games with Little Computer People, released for multiple platforms in 1985. We’ve come a long way since then, ??but? cozy games are still a firm favorite for many. 

Many cozy titles are set to release this year, make their way to new platf?orms, or leave early access behind. As something of a cozy gamer myself, here are 15 that I’m looking forward to getting into. 

Kitori Academy

Although there is no set release date for Kitori Academy yet, and the Kickstarter page still suggests that the game should have been fully released in 2023, all signs point to this magical cozy game being released at some point in 2025. Of course, that’s not set in stone, but? the gorgeous art style and p?romising concept of the game are hard not to be hopeful about. 

In Kitori Academy, you take on the role of a wizard apprentice who attends the academy alongside their pet cat. If you’ve ever wanted to head off to Hogwarts, this will definitely appeal to you. Not only can you train in the arts of potion brewing and spellcasting with an aim to tackle the curse that threatens the land, but you can also grow vegetables and build ??relationships with those around you. 

Discounty

Discounty is what would happen if Jojamart were in charge of Stardew Valley. Rather than trying to save the town from a money-hungry conglomerate,?? Discounty will give you control over the local town store and hand you the power to pour contamination into the water stream. Or, you could take the other, more honorable route, but that’s been done before, right?

There are plenty of townsfolk to make friends with in Blomkest �or turn into enemies if you disturb the peace of the quiet town by growing your business too rapidly. You get to pick your stock, set the prices, and make trade deals to thrive one way or another. Essentially, you get to become Pierre, and th??at’s weirdly appealing. 

We Harvest Shadows

Admittedly, We Harvest Shadows can only b??e described as ‘cozy�if you ignore the large number of horror ele?ments at play, but there are some who find relaxation in creepy surroundings. The game takes inspiration from the terrifying folklore surrounding the Appalachian mountains. You know the ones �“if you hear someone calling your name, no, you didn’t� 

But that’s just one side of We Harvest Shadows. The cozy elements come in the form of farming, fixing up your house, looking after your animals, and getting to know those who live in the area surrounding the farm. There’s a huge focus on slow-burn sto??rytelling, rather than throwing you in at the deep end with pure horror and jump scares, so you can take your time enjoying the cozy before giving yourself nightmares. 

Fields of Mistria

Fields of Mistria is technically already available to play and has been since it entered Early Access in August 2024. There’s already so much to do, including over 40 hours of gamepl??ay and endless customization, never mind all of the friends you can make along the way. However, it is set to leave early access behind at some point during 2025, fully packed with?? features that currently aren’t implemented. 

According to the roadmap, more levels are set to be added to the Mines, new NPCs are due to arrive, and many new items are likely to arrive, too. I’m very much a fan of Fields of Mistria, and those who have played it already have fallen i??n love with the world and the people in it. It’s easy to lose hours while playing, and it’s worth diving in whenever you’re ready??. 

Solarpunk

If you’re looking for a cozy game with space to drag your friends along for the ride, Solarpunk might be it, although it’s perfect if you want to do some solo gaming as well. It is a survival game with an emphasis on rebuilding and thriving on futuristic float??ing islands, alth??ough there’s a huge amount of cottagecore goodness to be found even in the technologically advanced setting. 

While the game will center around building up a farmstead using farming, crafting, and gathering skills and harnessing natural energy to? power it all, there’s also an ?exploration element to Solarpunk. Eventually, you’ll be able to build a private airship, facilitating travel to islands further afield so that you can gather resources and materials or make new friends along the way. 

Witchbrook 

2025 might be the year of magic-based cozy games, with Witchbrook being the second on this list based in the more fantastical realm. With instantly familiar graphics and an emphasis on friendship building, Witchbrook has all of the elements that point to success and is definitely worth keeping an e?ye on as we get closer?? to release day. 

Once again, you enroll at a College of Witchcraft to learn everything there is to know about magic, but that’s not all there is to Witchbrook. You’ll be able to cook, grow plants, forage, and even soar through the skie??s on a broom. Eventually, you move on to postgraduate studies and take on deliveries for the locals, allowing you to build friendships or romantic relationships with those both inside and outside of the college walls.?? 

While Waiting

Sometimes, it can be hard to sit back and watch the world around you without any input, but While Waiting is a cozy game that aims to challenge the contro?l freak in all of us, no matter how big or small that part of us may be. The game even comes with a warning that it might get boring at times, but that’s not necessarily the case.

While the aim of Just Waiting is overwhelmingly simple �just wait �there is no shortage of things to do or experience while you do. I mean, yes, you might technically be waiting for a bus or for the rain to stop, and nothi?ng you do will make that waiting time go any quicker, but there’s still a lot to interact with in each scene and many puzzles to figure out to complete objectives. 

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

I know that Hello Kitty Island Adventure was first released in 2023, but thanks to the exclusive availability on only the Apple Arcade,?? many people have never had the chance to play. Now, it’s coming to both Nintendo Switch and PC through Steam, opening up the Sanrio world to a whole new influx of players. 

With all of the most well-loved Sanrio characters (including Gudetama, a fact that makes my heart sing), Hello Kitty Island Adventure has won a long list of ??rewards for gameplay and de??sign. There are 80 quests to complete, many friends to make, crafting and gathering to be done, and all of it in Sanrio’s telltale kawaii style. 

Ritual of Raven

Ritual of Raven isn’t the first cozy game from Spellgarden Games, but it is their first foray into the world of farming sims. You might be familiar with its previous cozy gem, Sticky Business, and the now familiar art style has bee?n transformed into a live??ly, story-based life sim that revolves around growing herbs in a magical world while accompanied by your trusty raven. 

Not only can you cultivate your herb garden with the power of magic, but you can also truly personalize your space with decorations. A few friendly neighbors are waiting to form friendships with you, and you can even learn how to control the phases of the moon in your own self-interest. Ritual of Raven has been on my radar since it was announced in August 2024, and I can’t wai??t to dive in and play. 

Outbound

In Outbound, you’re in control of a camper van with a huge map to explore, materials to be scavenged, and endless customization options as you turn the camper van into your own ideal home on wheels. You can play both solo or with up to four friends, and there’s no right or wrong, making Outbound truly cozy in every sense of the word. 

?You’ll need to adapt your play style depending on how far you venture,? with everything from expansive fields to treacherous mountains to explore, but your trusty camper van can go everywhere with you. You can also establish a base camp by building around the camper van, growing plants, and learning to cook the ingredients you cultivate. 

Crimson Hollow

And just like that, another magic-based cozy game is waiting to be tried. Crimson Hollow will allow you to try your hand at skills like mining, blacksmithing, herbalism, alchemy, and fishing because what would a cozy game be if there was no fishing? It’s almost a basic requ??irement at this point. Almost. 

Outside of your own farming and gathering tasks, there are also quests to complete and townsfolk to meet, befriend, or become romantically entangled with. Building relationships will uncover new secrets or perks, and you’ll also be able to customize not only your character but also your home. With a cute cartoon art style and an intriguing story waiting to be told, Crimson Hollow is worth keeping on your radar.

Date Everything

Date Everything is proof that there’s a fine line between just-plain-weird and weirdly-cozy. Dating sims aren’t exactly a new thing, but Date Everything takes, well, everything, to the extreme. Rather than meeting and picking up regular people, Date Everything puts you in a house and offer??s you the chance to date everything from the lamps to the dishwasher. How many times can I say “date everything�in one paragraph?

The concept is bizarre, but there’s a lot of appeal there. While I can’t say I’ve ever thought about the potential personified appearance of my TV cabinet, I’m intrigued to see what it could look like if given the chance to become something more than it cur?rently is. There are 100 characters waiting to be pulled from the furniture and appliances; the whole pun-filled experience is fully voice-acted by a large number of recognizable voices, featuring three endings per character. That’s a lot to get absorbed in.

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game

There’s something infinitely appealing about life in? Hobbiton, The Shire, Middle Earth. It’s picturesque, quiet, laid back, and outside of the appearance of Gandalf and Pippin and Merry’s insistence on causing chaos, there’s very little drama. That sounds relaxing, peaceful, and, dare I say it, ultimately cozy. 

In Tales of the Shire, you can immerse yourself in Hobbit life.?? Farming, fishing, foraging, and, of course, the most important task for any Hobbit, cooking. No Hobbit hole is complete without a well-stocked pantry, and second breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Stock up on potatoes, and explore the village of Bywater to create connections with your fellow Hobbits, which is greatly helped by sharing meals.

Loftia

Loftia is a cross between a life sim and a small-scale MMO. You have your own floating island that can be customized and used to farm, forage, and craft?? your way to a brighter future. You can then join players nearby to form neighborhoods, using ethical energy? to power your creations in this sustainable new world. 

Through the use of hydroponics, trellis farming, repurposing trash into usable furniture, and scavenging from abandoned factories, you can create a utopia while uncovering hidden stories to play through and locations to explore. There’s also the ability to adopt companions, including capybaras, turtles, and even some as-yet unrevealed endangered creatures. As if that’s not enough, you can dress them in adorable outfits, instantly making Loftia worth your time. 

inZOI

It’s been hard to avoid hearing about inZOI over the last few months, especially for those heavily into The Sims and other similar titles. inZOI takes the proven life sim concept and throws it into the 21st century with almost photo-realistic graphics and endless customization possibilities powered by wha??t KRAFTON has ??promised to be ethical generative AI. 

There have been countless videos of early gameplay released through YouTubers such as MadMorph, and KRAFTON also released the character studio demo for a few weeks toward the end of 2024, allowing players a glimpse of what’s to come. And what’s to come looks incredibly impressive. With ultimate control over everything from the weather to the type of wild creatures you can encounter and the possibility to upload photos of your own items to import and use in the game, there’s no end of new things to try when inZOI eventually gets a full release on March 28.

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Back in August, The Sims competitor inZOI released a demo of the games Character Studio to the public so that t??hey could ?make their own ultra realistic Zois ahead of the game’s launch, which was originally planned to be at some point before 2024 was over. 

On November 8, inZOI Director and Producer Kjun took to Discord to issue a statement, giving the disappointing yet understandable announcement that the early access release of inZOI has now been delayed until March 28, 2025. 

Thanking fans of the game for their support, and their overwhelmingly positive reception at Gamescom (they had a giant fluffy cat overlooking their booth, it was truly something to behold), Kjun went on to reveal the sad news and the reasoning behind th?e del?ay.

“After reviewing your feedback from inZOI: Character Studio and analyzing a wealth of data from our various play tests, we have made our decision to release inZOI in Early Access on March 28, 2025. We apologize that we could not bring you the game sooner, but this decision reflects our commitment to giving inZOI the best possible start.�/p>

While it is disappointing for life simulation fans who have been desperate for a Sims competitor for a long time now, it’s at least reassuring to know that the team behind inZOI will be taking their time to iron out bugs, ?rather than releasing a game filled with glitches and issues from the very b??eginning. 

Kjun went on to compare the process of developing inZOI to that of a primate?? raising a human child, which is a weird analogy but I guess it makes sense if you really think about it. 

“It is said that among primates, raising a human child to adulthood takes the longest time because humans must be prepared to endure and adapt to their ever-changing surroundings. The extra love and care that is required to properly nurture a child is how I see our journey with inZOI—a game that we will be nurturing together from its Early Access birth.�/p>

In the comments of the Twitter announcement post, fans were supportive and expressed their patience, but some were asking whether the Character Studio demo would be made available for us to carry on messing around with in the meantime. There has been no word from KRAFTON or inZOIs development team on this front. 

If you want regular updates about the development of inZOI, the best thing to do is join the official Discord Server. Not onl??y will you get updates and announcements first, but there’s also a solid community of players discussing the game and all of its known features, so you m?ight even make some like-minded friends in the run-up to release day.

The post The Sims competitor inZOI will no?w enter early access on March 28??, 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’re a fan of the life simulation genre, you’ve undoubtedly heard of inZOI at this point. The Character Studio demo is currentl??y available fo??r a limited time and players have been creating their ‘Zoiselvesâ€?in droves. 

One of the best parts of the Character Studio is the inbuilt Photo Mode, which allows you to to take almost photo-realistic shots of your created?? cha?racters. The graphics are stunning and if you take some time, you can get some truly beautiful photos that wouldn’t look out of place in a photo album. 

There’s a lot of settings which can be tweaked and played with in order to make the most of Photo Mode in inZOI, and I’ve spent approximately 10 hours over the last couple of days getting to grips with everything that’s curre??ntly available as p?art of the demo. 

Here’s 10 of my best t?ips to help you make the most of the time?? you have with Photo Mode, as well as the Character Studio itself by association. 

Use the lighting options to create interesting shadows

Changing the lighting is done through the Studio feature when creating a character. There are four sliders, two for the main light and two for t??he backlight. Moving these around can result in some?? really interesting shadows which can completely change the feeling of a photo. 

Play with filters

There are currently 9 different filters available for use in the Character Stu??dio demo, and all of them add a unique twist to any photo. By default, the filter is set to ‘Realistic� which also happens to be my favorite of the bunch due to the photo-realism it offers, but there are also options to turn a photo into a sketch or one to desaturate the image. There’s even a fish-eye lens (shown above) which I urge you to try at least once, even if it isn't exactly the most flattering. 

Experiment with Dof and FoV

FoV (Field of Vision) is used to change how much of the area you can capture in a picture, with a lower DoF allowing you to take extreme close-ups of your Zoi. DoF (Depth of Field) is used to choose?? where you want ?to focus in the image. By tweaking these manually in the Camera Options menu, you can end up with some really interesting shots. 

Use the world around you

There are currently a choice of four different pre-made backgrounds outside of the basic white character creation screen. In each of ?them, there are elements which can be used to help with framing or as additional focal points in a photo. For instance, in the bedroom background there are fairy lights around the windows and in the basketball court, there is a particular piece of Angel Wings graffiti which can be used to add to your shot.

Make bold outfit choices

Not only does inZOI allow you to create endless patterns using generative AI, it also allows you to upload whatever image you want to use as patterns on your clothing. This allows you to make infinite design choices that will never be the same as anybody elses and that’s something? that you shouldn’t pass up. 

Even if you choose not to upload your own im??ages or use the AI software, choose bright colors that really pop against your chosen background - it really helps create an intere?sting shot.

Don’t be afraid to get abstract

Perhaps I’ve spent too much time in art galleries, but there’s nothing I love more than abstract portrait photography. While the Photo Mode of inZOI doesn’t quite allow for full abstraction just yet (I live in hope that one day it may), ?it d??oes allow you to get creative with your angles and lighting to take photos of your Zoi. 

Get expressive

There are 11 expressions which can be used in Photo Mode and mixing them with the long list of poses can result in some really interesting photos of your Zoi. Admittedly, some of the expressions are more realistic than others, with ‘J??oyful�being particularly unsettling on my Zoi (shown above), but try them out on your own Zoi and you’ll soon find your own favorites.

Play with posing

There are a lot of poses to play with in the Character Studio demo, including some designed explicitly for couples, despite the fact that you can’t actually?? create a couple in the demo, but I digress.

Even though you’re flying solo for the duration of the demo, you can still use these couple poses to get some close ups of your Zoi. Not only that, but two of the poses come with their own props - Shoot Money Gun, which co?mes with a money gun and flying cash, and Laundry Room 2 which for some reason comes? with a coffee cup. 

Use the pause button!

A lot of the poses currently available are actually long animations which provide an almost infinite numb?er of frozen moments to capture. Rather than trying to be quick with the capture and save buttons, make use of the pause button on the left hand side of the? Photo Mode interface. This allows you to freeze your Zoi in place during the animation, making sure you never miss an opportunity to tweak your camera angle. 

Don’t settle for basic backgrounds

While we can’t add our own backgrounds to the Studio (yet, ?it’s a part of the full game but not quite available in the? demo), that doesn’t stop us from being able to tweak the ones we have to be more unique in our photos. 

You can alter certain colors in each background, like the neon lighting in the Gas Station scene or the color of the sky and clouds in the, well, cloud scene. In the latter example, which I've shown above??, you can see? that changing the background color also causes a change in the tone of the Zois skin, without any changes to lighting or filters applied.

The post 1?0 tips and tricks to get the most out of inZOIs Pho?to Mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Canvas is the built in design sharing platform for inZOI, and it’s an amazing tool if you’re struggling for inspiration or simply want to skip o??ver designing? your own Zoi or items. However, it can be a little daunting to begin with. 

There are a lot of options on Canvas. As with any social media profile, you can gain followers or follow others, share pictures, use hashtags, and make comments. Constantly updating with new creations from other players, Canvas is thriving during the limited release of the inZOI Character Creator demo. 

How to sign up for a Canvas account in inZOI

As long as you’re logged in to inZOI via your Krafton ID, you’ll already have a Canvas account, but you’ll want to set a nickname for yourself unles??s you’re happy wit?h being publicly known as “Trainee_xxxx�

To do this, open Canvas either via the computer on the main screen of inZOI or in the top right corner of the Character Studio screen. You’ll see a bunch of other playersâ€?Zois, but don’t worry about those for now, let’s focus on getting you a u??nique username. 

You’ll need to open up your profile on the?? right side of the Canvas interface, then click “Edit M?y Profileâ€? 

Setting your nickname couldn’t be easier. Just select where it currently says “Trainee_xxxxâ€?and type in the name you wish to be known by on Canvas. This name must be unique, and once inZOI releases fully, you’ll retain this nickname, although it can be changed?? at any time. 

As well as setting your nickname, you can also change your profile picture, header image, add a small description of yourself, and even link your social media accounts so that people can follow you outside of inZOI. 

How to upload creations to Canvas in inZOI

Once you’ve got your profile all set up and ready to go, you can start uploading your creations to Canvas for others to enjoy or download as they see fit. The only way to ??do this currently is via the Character Studio itself. 

Once you’ve come up with a character you want to share with the world, you’ll need to take some photos in inZOIs built in P?hoto Mode. Take your time with this, because there are a lot of settings and it’s possible to take some amazing, super realistic looking shots. When you’re ready, select “Upload to Canvasâ€?in the top right corner of the Character Studio screen. 

This will open up the upload options, where you can choose up to four photos to upload. You can either take new photos of the Zoi as they are now, or upload photos that you’ve taken previously in Photo Mode. Saved photos taken in inZOI can be found in the following location:

• AppData\Local\inZOI_Character_Studio\Saved\Photo

?After uploading photos, you’ll need to give your creation a name, description, and select which presets you want others to be able to download. If you’re happy with other players using your entire Zoi, then you can leave all three options selected. 

Each option allows others to download the following parts of the uploade??d Zo?i:

• Zoi presets - Allows players to download the entire Zoi to use in their game
• Face presets - Allows players to download the face of your Zoi to use on their own body
• Outfit presets - Allows players to download just the outfit on display

Canvas will send you a notification if another player likes, comments on, or downl?oads one of your uploaded creations. 

The post How to set up and use Canvas in inZOI appeared first on Destructoid.

The limited release of the inZOI Character Studio is just hours away and will run from August 21 to August 25.?? You’ll have the chance to make as many characters as you like, get to grips with the incredibly in-depth customization features, and share your creations through Canvas. 

Before you can dive into the Character Studio, though, you’re going to need to set up a Krafton ID in order to log in to Inzoi. This is a relatively straightforward process, and if you’ve ever played any other Krafton games (PUBG or Subnautica, for instance), you’ll likely already have one. 

If you haven’t got a Krafton ID already, you’ll need to fo?llow these steps:

• Head over to the Krafton Accounts site and set up a Krafton ID using your email, Google account, Facebook account, or one of the many other options
• Once signed up, go to Linked Accounts and link your Steam account to your Krafton ID

When you’ve downloaded the Inzoi Character Studio through Steam, you’ll be able to immediately log in with y?our Krafton ID and dive straight into making your ideas a re??ality. 

If you’re hoping to upload your realized creations through Inzoi's built-in sharing platform, Canvas, you’ll need to select a separate nickname for the platform. This nickname will be unique to you, and you’ll be able to continue using it upon the full release of Inzoi later this year. 

Inzoi will also hold an event during the time in which the Characte?r Studio is available to play. To be in the running to win unspecified ‘special gifts� you need to upload your customized Zois to social media using the following three hashtags:

• #inZOI 
• #CAZ 
• #CreateAZoi

Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to fill out this google form, including a link to you??r social media post, to be entere?d with a chance to win.

The post How to make a Krafto??n ID for Inzoi Character Studio limited release appeared first on Destructoid.

KRAFTON's up and coming competitor to The Sims 4, inZOI, is due for release later in 2024, but the Character Studio demo will be available to play for five days starting on ?August 21. If you’re wondering whether your rig can handle the game, here’s what you need to know. 

inZOI looks undeniably fantastic. Early displays of gamepla??y show a fully immersive world where you can alter and control almost everything from the state o??f the city, to the animals who wander around, to the weather. 

All of this without mentioning the frankly genius use of generative AI to customize not only yourself, but the world around youâ€?inZOI looks truly promising. You can even upload photos of things from the real world and inZOI will present you with an in-game 3D sculpt of said ?item to use in game. 

But with all of those features comes some fa??irly hefty system requirements, so can your computer run the game? Let’s find out.

inZOI minimum PC requirements

To simply dive in and play inZOI without necessarily having your visual settings at t?heir highest, you’ll need to meet the following system requirements??:

inZOI recommended PC requirements

If you’re wanting to turn all settings up to their highest and enjoy inZOI in?? the best state possible, youâ€??™ll need to meet the following requirements:

The post inZOI minimum and recommended?? PC ?system requirements appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’ve been looking for a fresh new take on life simulation, then inZOI might be the answer to your prayers. From KRAFTON, the developer behind PUBG: Battlegrounds, inZOI is set to revolutionize the life sim genre, and? you can try out character creation for yourself later this month. 

Like many long-time The Sims players, I’ve sunk hours of my life into character creation, downloading CC to improve my characters and tweaking the most minute of details. With that said, inZOI looks to have made some major improvements on what I’ve grown used to, and I can see myself sinking at least 2??0 hours into the Character Studio alone. 

Speaking of the Character Studio, it will go live on Steam for just five days on August 21 before going offline again on August 26. This sneak peek into the potential competitor to The Sims will come just one day after we get to see a brand new trailer for inZOI at Gamescom 2024 Opening Night Live. 

According to a press release from KRAFTON, the Character Studio fea?tures over 250 customization options, including the following:

• Length and style of hair
• Sleeves on a shirt
• Age
• Fingernails
• Height
• Body Type
• Complexion

The Character Studio also uses generative AI in order to create truly unique patterns on items of clothing, and players are encouraged to share their creations on ‘Canvas� which is a built-in platform where the community can share their creations, similar to The Sims 4 Gallery. 

KRAFTON is also partnering with Overwolf, a platform that allows creators to create and monetize in-game apps, mods, and more. The hope is that the partnership will allo??w inZOI players to build on the base game and add further customization options as soon as the game launches into Early Access, which is set to b??e sometime in late 2024. 

The post PUBG dev’s Sims competitor inZOI to release Character Studio in August appeared first on Destructoid.