100+ Best Cozy Games on Steam Sorted By Genre [2024 Update]

Posted on by Carmen

There are so many unique cozy games on Steam that I honestly don’t know where to start when it comes to recommendations sometimes. The Steam platform is blessed with having access to most cozy games first, before they are ported elsewhere, if they ever make it onto consoles at all. That makes it one of the best places to collect, review, and share cozy game recommendations.

With Steam Deck growing more and more popular, it’s more accessible than ever to play cozy games anywhere, anytime.

What counts as a cozy game?

This is a question I have been asked and have asked myself so many times. For the sake of sticking to my niche, I have had to get serious about a definition—though I don’t think being restrictive here is actually all that helpful. I tend to consider games that are:

  • from a stereotypically cozy genre, like farming sims or visual novels
  • low stakes, relaxing gameplay
  • cute, atmospheric, or picturesque visuals
  • heart-warming themes, like community building and nature conservation
  • welcoming to gamers who are traditionally pushed out of the space (women, POC, LGBTQ+ folks, disabled players)

However, that list is not all-encompassing. If a game gives me a cozy vibe, I’m going to write about it and promote it. Sometimes a game has a lot of pink and pastel colors and I think to myself, “What a cozy essence!” and want to write about it.

I’m way more interested in seeking out games that my audience might enjoy than being a gatekeeper of the cozy game genre.

How this article is formatted:

For each genre section, I’ll highlight some of the best-of-the-best cozy games on Steam and explain how they work and what to expect. I focused on games I have personally experienced and played, so that my recommendations can be more detailed.

However, cozy games release faster than I can play and review them and I don’t want to leave anyone out! So, I’ll also provide an additional list of game names you can check out if you need more.

Best Cozy Games on Steam – Complete List

This list is far from exhaustive, but these are some of my highest recommendations for those getting into cozy games on Steam sorted by genre.

👩‍🌾Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Farming Sims👩‍🌾

Farming sims are a cozy game genre that have some sort of…well, farming element. Typically, you’ll have a ranch, tend to livestock, and grow crops as the primary mechanics. Here are my top recommendations:

Stardew Valley – Hugely popular farming sim on many platforms

Stardew Valley is a cozy farming game where you inherit a run-down farm and get to turn it into something awesome. You plant crops, raise animals, go fishing, and explore caves to mine and fight monsters. You can make friends with the townsfolk, fall in love, and even get married. The game lets you do things at your own pace, so you can chill and decorate your farm or work hard to make it super profitable. It’s all about relaxing and creating your own little slice of farm life.

Already played Stardew Valley? Check out cozy games like Stardew Valley next.

Key game elements:

  • Crops and livestock
  • Dating and marriage
  • Seasonal festivals
  • Some combat
  • Co-op available

Sun Haven – High fantasy farming with skill trees

Sun Haven is a farming and life sim set in a magical world where you can grow crops, raise animals, and build your dream farm. But there’s more to do than farming—you can explore different towns, fight monsters, and learn powerful spells to help you along the way. You can play alone or with friends, meet interesting characters, and even romance them. It’s like a fantasy farming game where adventure and magic are just as important as growing veggies.

I love Sun Haven but haven’t got around to replaying and reviewing it yet. (Stay tuned.)

Key game elements:

  • Crops and foraging
  • Dating and relationship-building
  • Seasonal festivals
  • Combat and exploration
  • Co-op available

Wylde Flowers – Own a farm and become a witch

Wylde Flowers is a story-driven farming and life sim where you play as Tara, a young woman who moves to a small town to help her grandma on the farm. You plant crops, take care of animals, and make friends with quirky townsfolk. But there’s a twist—you discover you’re a witch and can use magic to grow your farm and solve mysteries. It’s like a farming game with a heartfelt story and a touch of witchy vibes.

You can read my full Wylde Flowers review (spoiler: I love it).

Key game elements:

  • Dating and relationship-building
  • Farming and raising livestock
  • Questing for townsfolk
  • Magic and potions

Fae Farm – Farming adventure with 4-player co-op

Fae Farm is a cozy, magical life sim where you farm, fish, craft, and explore in a charming fantasy world. You can decorate your home, brew potions, and even dive into dungeons filled with secrets and treasures. The game is super relaxing but also lets you adventure when you’re in the mood. You can play solo or with friends, and it’s all about creating your perfect magical life.

Disclosure: I actually didn’t like Fae Farm that much, but please don’t take my word for it alone. Fae Farm has a delightful community who love the game, so you should give it a try if it speaks to you!

Key game elements:

  • Crops and foraging
  • Collecting recipes and decorating
  • Combat and exploration
  • Co-op available

Roots of Pacha – Unique Stone Age farming sim

Roots of Pacha is a farming and life sim set in the Stone Age, where you work with your clan to grow food, raise animals, and discover new tools and inventions. You can gather resources, fish, and explore ancient caves for treasures and ideas. The game focuses on cooperation and community as you help your village thrive. It’s like a prehistoric take on farming games with a big emphasis on teamwork and discovery.

You can read more in my Roots of Pacha review.

Key game elements:

  • Livestock and crops
  • Foraging and resource management
  • Inventing and crafting
  • Relationships and community-building

Coral Island – Hand-drawn environmentalist farming sim

Coral Island is a tropical farming and life sim where you can grow crops, care for animals, and dive into the ocean to clean up coral reefs. You’ll meet a diverse cast of characters, build relationships, and restore the island to its former beauty. There’s also a focus on environmental conservation, making it feel like a farming game with a purpose. It’s all about relaxing in a sunny paradise while making a positive impact.

I have been having trouble reviewing Coral Island, as the game has been updating and changing so frequently since launch. I hope to have something written up soon! (Stay tuned.)

Key game elements:

  • Crops and livestock care
  • Foraging and crafting
  • Exploration and mining
  • Relationships and marriage

Additional Cozy Farming Sims to Try:

⚒️Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Life Simulation & Questing⚒️

Life simulation is so hard to narrow down as a genre but it’s essentially where the player goes about their day, simulating things like chores, task lists, and community building. It can take many shapes and forms, as you’ll see from my below list.

My Time at Sandrock – Craft and sell various items to make money

My Time at Sandrock is a game where you’re a builder in a dusty desert town, fixing things up and helping the locals. You gather stuff like wood and stone, craft machines, and build all kinds of projects to make the town better. There’s farming, exploring, and even some fighting when you head out into the wild. You also get to make friends with quirky townsfolk, decorate your workshop, and uncover the story of the place. It’s all about being creative and turning a run-down town into something awesome.

You can read my My Time at Sandrock review.

Key game elements:

  • Resource management and foraging
  • Combat and dungeon exploration
  • Crafting, requests, and questing
  • Relationship-building and marriage
  • Narrative driven

Cozy Grove – Do quests for spirits and friends

Cozy Grove is a chill game where you’re a Spirit Scout helping ghost bears on a magical island. You gather stuff like wood and flowers, craft items, and decorate your campsite. The island changes every day, so there’s always something new to find or do. As you help the ghost bears, you learn their stories and bring color back to the island. It’s all about relaxing, exploring, and making a little ghostly world feel cozy and alive.

Key game elements:

  • Real time clock & calendar
  • Daily quests/tasks
  • Community building

Disney Dreamlight Valley – Easy questing in the Disneyverse

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life sim where you live in a magical village with Disney and Pixar characters. You farm, cook, fish, and decorate your home while helping characters solve problems and bring magic back to the valley. There are lots of quests and fun ways to interact with your favorite characters. You can also customize your character and make the valley your own perfect Disney world.

Key game elements:

  • Decorating and collecting
  • Unlocking characters
  • Story-driven questing
  • Microtransactions

Potion Permit – Help a small town as an alchemist

Potion Permit is a game where you play as a chemist in a small town, trying to heal sick villagers by making potions. You gather ingredients from the forest, mine for resources, and explore the area to find what you need. The town has its own characters and stories that you can get to know as you help them. It’s a mix of crafting, exploring, and building relationships while solving the town’s problems.

You can also read my full Potion Permit review.

Key game elements:

  • Resource gathering and foraging
  • Mini-games and puzzles
  • Combat and exploration
  • Relationship-building
  • Crafting & upgrading

Littlewood – Play as a hero rebuilding their hometown

Littlewood is a relaxing game where you rebuild a town as the hero of an epic adventure that has already concluded. You gather resources, plant crops, raise animals, and build homes for the townspeople. As you get to know the villagers, you help them with their requests and develop relationships. You’ll need to balance different character requests to make a town that suites everyone.

I love Littlewood but haven’t got around to replaying and reviewing it yet. (Stay tuned.)

Key game elements:

  • Resource gathering and foraging
  • Combat and exploration
  • Town building & decorating
  • Relationships and community-building

Additional Cozy Life Sims to Try:

  • The Sims 4 – Play as unique characters, create worlds, and live virtually
  • Magical Delicacy – Cook and sell magical dishes in an enchanting fantasy world
  • Potion Craft – Mix ingredients to create potions, trade, and build your alchemy
  • Bandle Tale – An adventure game set in the League of Legends universe
  • Mineko’s Night Market – Create, craft, and socialize in a whimsical night market town
  • Go-Go Town! – Build, develop, and manage your own bustling town
  • Spirittea – Run a cozy bathhouse for spirits
  • Calico – Rebuild a cat cafe surrounded by a whimsical cast of characters
  • Cattails: Wildwood Story – Be a cat and build the best cat colony ever
  • Gourdlets – City builder with cute, colorful characters
  • Growing Up – Experience birth through death in this unique narrative game
  • Pine Hearts – Help people help you as you prepare to climb a mountain
  • Room in Dream – Decorate cute rooms with no rush or objectives
  • Snacko – Rebuild a town from scratch as a purple cat
  • SUMMERHOUSE – Decorate homes and spaces with unlimited creativity
  • Tiny Glade – Decorate a cozy cottage and yard to your heart’s content

🐸Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Creature-Collecting🐸

The creature collecting genre was made popular by the Pokemon franchise, although the original inspiration dates way back to the Shin Megami Tensei series. Here are some other games where you collect, care for, and sometimes even battle creative and colorful critters.

Moonstone Island – Explore random-generated island and collect critters

Moonstone Island is a cozy and fun game where you explore a big, open world full of islands and do all sorts of activities like fishing, farming, and battling monsters. You play as a young alchemist who moves to a magical island, makes friends with the local people, and uncovers secrets about the island’s past. You can grow crops, raise animals, and even make potions and items to help you in battles. The game has a cute art style and a relaxed vibe, perfect for players who enjoy life-sim games with a touch of adventure.

You can read my Moonstone Island review, though go easy on me, it was one of my very first reviews for this site!

Key game elements:

  • Explore randomly generated islands
  • Deck building and turn-based battles
  • Creature collection
  • Farming, gathering, and collecting

Ooblets – Collect silly creatures and dance-battle them

Ooblets is a cheerful, fun game where you live on a quirky little farm in a world full of adorable creatures called Ooblets. You can grow crops, decorate your home, and explore different areas while making friends with the townspeople. The best part is the Ooblet battles, which are like dance-offs where you and your Ooblets face off against other teams using special moves. You can catch new Ooblets, take care of them, and watch them grow as you play. The game has a lighthearted, silly feel with bright, cute graphics that make everything feel fun and easygoing.

I played and loved Ooblets but haven’t gotten back around to writing a review, as it came out long before my blog existed. So stay tuned!

Key game elements:

  • Creature collection
  • Turn-based dance battling
  • Silly, easy-going story
  • Pastel, colorful world

Slime Rancher – Collect and raise critters called Slimes

Slime Rancher is a fun and colorful game where you play as a farmer who takes care of cute, bouncy slimes on an alien planet. You go around collecting different types of slimes, feeding them, and making them happy so they can produce “plorts,” which are like little slime poop that you can sell for money. With the money you make, you can buy upgrades, build new gadgets, and explore more of the land to find new slimes and cool stuff. The game is easygoing and full of charm, with lots of exploring, collecting, and caring for your slimes.

Key game elements:

  • Collect & raise critters
  • First-person POV
  • Upgrade your farm and facilities
  • Exploration and adventure

Beastieball – Turn-based volleyball RPG with collectable creatures

Beastieball is a fun game where you train and battle cute, monster-like creatures called Beasties. You raise these creatures, teach them moves, and then put them in battles against other Beasties in a sports-like competition. The gameplay is a mix of strategy and teamwork, as you choose the right moves and Beasties for each match. You can also explore the world, find new Beasties, and level up your team to make them stronger. The game has a playful, colorful look and is great for anyone who likes monster collecting and turn-based battles.

Key game elements:

  • Collect & raise critters
  • First-person POV
  • Upgrade your farm and facilities
  • Exploration and adventure

Temtem – MMORPG creature-collection adventure

Temtem is a game where you explore a big world full of islands and catch creatures called Temtem, which are similar to Pokémon. You train these creatures, battle other trainers, and work to become the best Temtem tamer. Each Temtem has different types and moves, so you need to pick the right ones for battles and plan your strategy. You can also team up with friends to fight together and go on adventures. The game has a bright, cartoonish look and feels like an online multiplayer version of a classic monster-catching game.

Key game elements:

  • Collect & raise critters
  • First-person POV
  • Upgrade your farm and facilities
  • Exploration and adventure

Additional Cozy Creature Collectors to Try:

  • Digimon franchise – Collect and battle Digimon with engaging stories
  • Ova Magica – Unique creature collector in Early Access right now
  • Ni no Kuni franchise – Train magical creatures for turn-based battles
  • Cassette Beasts – Transform into creatures using cassette tapes and battle
  • Monster Sanctuary – Monster collecting with Metroidvania exploration and turn-based battles
  • Coromon – Retro-style creature collector with turn-based combat and exploration
  • Wobbledogs – Collect silly colorful dog-like creatures and care for them

🔮 Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Dark Cozy Games 🔮

Games that have cozy mechanical elements but feature darker themes or concepts tend to fall into this category. I like to separate them out for folks who might not want to read about death and despair in their cozy game worlds. However, for those who don’t mind dipping into the shadows, these games often have the most heart to them, narratively-speaking.

Spiritfarer – Help spirits pass on in death

Spiritfarer is a cozy, heartwarming game where you play as a character named Stella, who helps guide lost souls to the afterlife. You sail around in your boat, meeting and making friends with different spirits, each with their own stories and needs. You take care of them by fishing, farming, cooking, and building things on your boat. As you spend time with each spirit, you help them complete their final wishes and say goodbye when they’re ready to move on. The game is about friendship, saying farewell, and finding peace, with a beautiful, calming art style and soundtrack.

Key game elements:

  • Life & death themes
  • Crafting and building
  • Questing & tasks
  • Relationship building

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood – Tarot card narrative adventure

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is a game where you play as a witch named Fortuna, living in exile on a small asteroid. You make and read tarot-like cards that tell stories, predict the future, and help you guide the lives of people in your space community. You use these cards to help solve problems, form connections, and make choices that shape the story. The game is about finding your place, making friends, and dealing with tough choices, all with a beautiful, hand-drawn art style and a deep, magical storyline.

You can read my full Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood review.

Key game elements:

  • Creative, building, collecting
  • Visual novel
  • Choices matter pick-your-path story
  • Witch & occult themes

Strange Horticulture – Craft potions and poisons for clients

Strange Horticulture is a cozy game where you run a plant shop in a small, mysterious town. You take care of rare and magical plants, learning about their uses and properties as customers come in with requests. You have to identify different plants, make potions, and solve puzzles to help people with their problems. As you explore the town and meet strange characters, you uncover secrets and stories that make the game feel mysterious and interesting. It’s all about gardening, plant identification, and a bit of detective work with a calm, relaxing vibe.

Key game elements:

  • Plant care and gardening
  • Shop management
  • Potions & magic
  • Mystery/detective stories

Cult of the Lamb – Dark, silly base building game about a cult

Cult of the Lamb is a game where you play as a cute little lamb who is saved from sacrifice by a mysterious deity and then starts their own cult. You build and manage a small community of followers, teaching them your beliefs and keeping them happy. You explore dark, dangerous areas to fight enemies, gather resources, and unlock new abilities. The game mixes building and managing your cult with action-packed dungeon crawling, and it has a quirky, darkly funny style with charming, cartoonish graphics. It’s about balancing cult life, battling, and growing your influence.

Key game elements:

  • Anthropomorphic animals
  • Base building
  • Questing and collecting
  • Combat & strategy

Dredge – Spooky sailing & fishing game on the ocean

Dredge is a game where you play as a fisherman exploring a mysterious, fog-covered sea. You go out in your boat to catch fish, but there’s something strange and unsettling about the waters. As you fish, you might come across creepy sea creatures, hidden secrets, and dark places that make you feel uneasy. You need to manage your time, resources, and inventory to avoid getting too close to danger. The game mixes relaxing fishing with a bit of survival and a spooky, mysterious story that keeps you on edge.

Key game elements:

  • Sailing and fishing
  • Time and resource management
  • Lovecraftian horror

Additional Dark Cozy/Cult Cozy Games to Try:

  • Gone Home – Explore a house and uncover the story of a missing family
  • Graveyard Keeper – Manage a graveyard, build, and run a medieval cemetery business
  • Wytchwood – Collect materials and go questing in a dark fairytale world
  • Bokura – Co-op adventure game focusing on teamwork in a twisted world
  • Forest Quarter – Puzzle game about grief and ghosts
  • Harvest Island – Farm, fish, and build on an island with shadowy mysteries

💰Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Business Management 💰

Run a business with the intent to grow your audience and revenue. Exact business focus may vary!

Sticky Business – Make your own sticker biz

Sticky Business is a fun and quirky game where you run a small business making and selling sticky products like slime or glue. You start with a simple setup and need to gather ingredients, mix them to create products, and sell them to customers. As you progress, you can upgrade your equipment, unlock new recipes, and try to make your business bigger and better. The game has a playful, light-hearted vibe and is about managing your time, resources, and creativity to succeed in the sticky world of business.

Key game elements:

  • Creativity, crafting, and design
  • Shop management
  • Twitch/chat integration

Planet Zoo – Design and upkeep a zoo

Planet Zoo is a game where you build and manage your own zoo. You create habitats for different types of animals, make sure they have everything they need to be happy and healthy, and keep your visitors entertained. You can design the zoo with paths, decorations, and shops, and make sure it runs smoothly by managing staff and resources. The game is detailed and realistic, with lots of different animals to care for and a focus on creating a fun and beautiful zoo for both animals and visitors.

Key game elements:

  • Manage a zoo for guests
  • Make money & upgrade
  • Take care of animals
  • Realistic graphics

TCG Card Shop Simulator – Run a trading cards shop and interact with customers

TCG Card Shop Simulator is a game where you run your own trading card shop. You buy and sell different types of cards, set prices, and try to make your shop popular and profitable. You can trade with customers, complete special orders, and keep up with the latest card trends to stay ahead of the competition. The game lets you manage your inventory, decorate your shop, and grow your business while learning about the trading card world. It’s a fun mix of strategy, management, and collecting.

Key game elements:

  • Shop & inventory management
  • Price setting and sales
  • Guest interaction
  • Visual merchandising/marketing

House Flipper – Fix up houses and resell them for profit

House Flipper is a game where you buy, renovate, and sell houses to make a profit. You start by fixing up run-down homes, cleaning, painting, and repairing things like broken pipes or furniture. You can also decorate rooms, choose furniture, and make the house look appealing to buyers. The goal is to improve the house’s value and sell it for more than you paid. It’s a fun mix of DIY and business management, letting you design and remodel homes in whatever style you like.

Key game elements:

  • Style and decorating
  • Clean and repair
  • Business and revenuer management

Planet Coaster 2 – Manage and run a colorful theme park

Planet Coaster 2 is a game where you build and manage your own amusement park. You design and create custom roller coasters, build fun rides, and add attractions, shops, and decorations to make your park exciting and unique. You also need to manage park finances, keep your guests happy, and make sure everything runs smoothly. The game has a lot of options for creativity, allowing you to build crazy, intricate rides and set up the perfect theme park experience. It’s all about using your imagination and strategy to create the best park possible.

Key game elements:

  • Design and upgrade a theme park
  • Cost vs profit navigation
  • Attraction and facility building
  • Reputation management

Additional Business Sims to Try:

  • PowerWash Simulator – Meditatively clean up gunk on various surfaces
  • Dave the Diver – Run a sushi restaurant and go diving for each fresh catch
  • Cat Cafe Manager – Run a successful cat cafe and try to make money
  • Supermarket Simulator – Simulate running a supermarket, handling sales, stock, and staff
  • Bear and Breakfast – Manage a cozy inn, cater to guests, and explore nature
  • Two Point Hospital – Build and manage a hospital, cure wacky diseases, and keep patients happy
  • RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise – Design and manage a theme park and entertain visitors
  • SimCity 4 – A city-building game focusing on resource management and layout planning
  • Game Dev Tycoon – Start a game company, create and release games, and grow
  • Football Manager – Manage a soccer team, handle transfers, training, and match strategies
  • Startup Company – Run a tech startup, develop products, and compete to succeed
  • Capitalism 2 – Manage a business empire, handle production, marketing, and investments
  • Let’s School – Improve and manage a boarding school as the headmaster
  • Moonlighter – Explore dungeons to find things to sell to passing adventurers
  • World End Diner – It’s the end of the world, manage a diner or whoever is left

📘Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Visual Novels📘

Point-and-click your way through a pick-you-path narrative. Great for people who love to read and enjoy deep, emotional stories.

Coffee Talk – Listen in on coffee shop guests

Coffee Talk is a relaxing game where you run a coffee shop in a city full of fantastical creatures like elves, vampires, and mermaids. You don’t fight monsters or go on big adventures; instead, you chat with customers, listen to their stories and problems, and make drinks that help them feel better or connect with each other. The game is all about talking, building relationships, and making the perfect drink for each customer, with a cozy, chill vibe that feels like a warm hug in video game form.

Key game elements:

  • Interactive visual novel
  • Fantasy races and creatures
  • Relationship-building
  • Stories from different POVs

Tavern Talk – Run a tavern in a D&D-inspired fantasy world

Tavern Talk is a simple game where you play as a tavern owner in a fantasy world. You sit and chat with your customers, who are adventurers, townsfolk, and other characters who come into your tavern. They share stories, gossip, and sometimes ask for advice or help with their problems. You have to listen carefully and make choices in your conversations to keep people happy and build relationships. The game is all about talking, learning about the people around you, and managing the cozy atmosphere of your tavern.

Key game elements:

  • Interactive visual novel
  • Fantasy races and creatures
  • Relationship-building

Frog Detective – Silly froggy detective game

Frog Detective is a fun, silly game where you play as a frog detective who solves mysteries in a quirky world. You go around talking to different animals, asking questions, collecting clues, and trying to figure out who did what. The game is lighthearted and full of funny dialogue and strange characters, making it feel like a cute and playful detective story. It’s all about solving problems with your smarts and a bit of charm, without any serious drama.

Key game elements:

  • Detective and mystery stories
  • Anthropomorphic animals
  • Silly comedy
  • Quirky graphics

Until Then – Mysterious and dramatic modern day visual novel

Until Then is an emotionally charged visual novel wound with tons of mystery, drama, and charm set upon a stunning pixel graphics post-catastrophe world. A fateful meeting will have you racing to uncover the truth behind disappearing memories in a world that seems to teeter on the edge of disaster. Coming-of-age meets high octane suspense and deeply emotion narration.

Key game elements:

  • Suspense and mystery stories
  • Pixel graphics
  • Coming-of-age tale
  • Emotional ending

Necrobarista – Visual novel about death and moving on

Necrobarista is a game set in a magical coffee shop where the dead come to hang out before they move on to the afterlife. You play as a barista who makes drinks and talks to ghosts, with stories that mix the everyday struggles of life with supernatural twists. The game has a cool art style and tells a story through conversations, choices, and little scenes that feel like episodes in a show. It’s about friendship, loss, and what it means to be alive (or not).

Key game elements:

  • Dark atmosphere
  • Quirky, memorable characters
  • Themes of death and the afterlife
  • Emotional ending

Additional Cozy Visual Novels to Try:

  • Venba – A cooking story about family, memories, and finding your place in the world
  • Phoenix Wright franchise – Courtroom drama as a defense attorney proving innocence
  • Steins;Gate – Time-travel adventure with complex characters and intriguing plot
  • LoveChoice – Sweet dating sim in visual novel format
  • Clannad – Heartwarming story about family, friendship, and love
  • Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds – Romance and samurai in historical Japan with supernatural elements
  • Disco Elysium – Dark, edgy mystery with visual novel storytelling
  • Slay the Princess – Hand-drawn choices matter psychological horror tale
  • A Memoir Blue – An evocative journey through turbulent childhood memories
  • A Space for the Unbound – Story-rich, emotional coming of age tale
  • Emily is Away – Visit a retro chat room in this free, choices matter narrative game
  • Zipp’s Cafe – “Noir and chill” game about a café with animal and insect customers
  • Storyteller – Tell fairytale stories using only pictures

🧩Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Puzzle Games🧩

Solve puzzles of various shapes and forms. Many are point-and-click puzzles, figuring out what goes where to progress. Others have you manipulate shapes, physics, or the world to move forward. This is a subgenre with so much variety!

Zero Escape Series – Locked room puzzles with branching path narration

Zero Escape is a trilogy game series that mixes escape room puzzles with a deep and twisty story. You play as a character trapped in a mysterious situation, often with other people, and must solve tricky puzzles to find a way out. But it’s not just about escaping — there’s a lot of talking, decision-making, and uncovering secrets. The story goes back and forth through time and has lots of surprises, hidden motives, and mind-bending theories that make you question what’s real and who you can trust. It’s like a mix of a mystery, a thriller, and a brain-teasing challenge all in one.

Key game elements:

  • Point-and-click locked room puzzles
  • Dark, whodunnit mystery story
  • Character-driven narrative
  • Branching paths

The Witness – Path-based geometric puzzles in a mysterious, colorful world

The Witness is a puzzle game where you explore an island full of strange, colorful places and solve puzzles to move forward. The game doesn’t tell you what to do — you have to figure it out yourself by paying attention to your surroundings and the clues hidden in the environment. Each puzzle involves drawing lines on a grid, and as you progress, the puzzles get more complex and start teaching you new rules without words. It’s all about using your brain and noticing patterns to unlock more parts of the island and uncover the story behind it.

Key game elements:

  • Over 500 puzzles
  • First person path/geometric puzzles
  • Colorful and mysterious environment to expolore
  • Secrets and easter eggs, including a special ending

The Star Named EOS – Story-rich puzzle adventure built around photography

The Star Named EOS is a puzzle adventure game full of story, where you use photography to solve a family mystery. You recreate old photos to find out what really happened. You play as Dei, a young photographer following the path of his missing mother. When Dei was little, he got letters from her with pictures of places she visited, but one day he notices something strange in the photos that makes him question everything he thought he knew. With his mother’s voice in his heart, Dei starts his journey to uncover the truth behind her disappearance. The game has beautiful hand-drawn art and puzzles that make you think as you relive memories and search for answers.

Key game elements:

  • Hidden object games
  • Photography and albums
  • Memories and mysteries

Unpacking – Find places for belongings as life changes

Unpacking is a game where you move into new places and unpack your stuff. It’s simple—you take things out of boxes and find where they go in each room. The game isn’t about time limits or scores; it’s more about exploring and figuring out where each item belongs. As you unpack, you learn about the character’s life and story through the things they own, like their hobbies, interests, and memories. It’s a relaxing game that feels satisfying as you put everything in its place and see the spaces come to life.

Key game elements:

  • Point-and-click puzzles
  • Subtle, heatfelt story
  • LGBTQ+ representation
  • Relaxing pace

Untitled Goose Game – Silly, chaotic point-and-click puzzles

Untitled Goose Game is a funny and simple game where you play as a mischievous goose causing trouble in a small village. Your goal is to mess with the people, steal their stuff, and complete little tasks like making them drop their items or trapping them in a certain area. You sneak around, honk, and use your beak to grab things, and the villagers get increasingly frustrated as they try to stop you. It’s a lighthearted game full of silly moments and puzzles that make you feel like the smartest, most annoying goose around.

Key game elements:

  • Silly, quirky game play
  • Stealth point-and-click puzzles
  • Chapters and achievements

Additional Cozy Puzzle Games to Try:

🌎Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Exploration Games🌎

These are games that are about meandering around, enjoying your surroundings and seeing the sights. There may be puzzles or foraging or other gameplay elements, but they primarily stand out for being open and easy-going worlds to explore.

Journey – A quiet, meditative adventure with strangers

Journey is a simple but beautiful video game where you play as a robed traveler exploring a vast, desert landscape with the goal of reaching the top of a distant mountain. You don’t speak or have any weapons, just your own character and the ability to glide around. Along the way, you can find glowing symbols that help you move faster or regain energy. The game is unique because you can meet other players who are also on their journey, but you can’t talk to them—just share moments of companionship as you help each other out. It’s about exploring, feeling connected, and experiencing the beauty of the world.

Key game elements:

  • Quiet, beautiful landscapes
  • Silent co-op
  • Slight puzzle platforming (not hard)
  • Emotive musical score

ABZÛ – Peaceful and scenic underwater exploration

ABZU is a peaceful game where you play as a diver exploring the ocean. You swim around beautiful underwater environments full of colorful fish, coral, and giant sea creatures. You can interact with the sea life and even ride some of them. The goal isn’t to fight or complete challenging tasks but to enjoy the beauty of the ocean and solve puzzles that help you move through the story. It’s a calming experience that makes you feel like you’re really exploring the deep sea.

Key game elements:

  • Explore the ocean at your own pace
  • View beautiful underwater landscapes and creatures
  • Calming, easy-going gameplay

Palia – Free, online multiplayer exploration game

Palia is an online game where you create your own character and live in a cozy, fantasy world full of friendly people and fun activities. You can build and decorate your house, grow crops, fish, mine for resources, and make friends with other players or the non-player characters (NPCs). It’s kind of like a mix between Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, where the focus is on relaxing, exploring, and building your own life at your own pace. There’s no big fight or danger, just a laid-back, community-focused experience.

Key game elements:

  • Online multiplayer game
  • Free to play game
  • Exploring, collecting, crafting
  • Fishing and farming activities on the side

Europa – Gentle puzzle platformer with no perma-death or resets

Europa is a game where you explore a beautiful, ruined world on a moon near Jupiter. You play as Zee, a young robot boy, traveling through crumbling buildings and green valleys toward a floating paradise, following his father’s last wish. With special tech on his back, Zee can fly, hover, and glide over the landscape. The world looks amazing, like something from a Studio Ghibli movie mixed with a bit of Breath of the Wild. The game is about solving puzzles, platforming, and finding hidden secrets, but it’s also relaxing to just float around and enjoy the view.

You can read my full Europa review here.

Key game elements:

  • Slow paced exploration
  • Beautiful scenery
  • Puzzle platforming
  • No deaths or level resets

Sky: Children of the Light – Easy-going MMORPG within a cozy world

Sky: Children of the Light is a game where you play as a kid with magical powers exploring a beautiful, dreamy world full of floating islands and hidden places. Your goal is to help lost spirits find their way and bring light back to the world. You can fly, glide, and explore, solving puzzles and collecting special items to make your character stronger and help others. You can also meet and play with other players, sharing moments and working together. It’s a game about adventure, friendship, and spreading light and hope.

Sky: Children of the Light is free-to-play, so I probably won’t “officially” review it, as there barrier to entry for new players is so low/.

Key game elements:

  • Free to play game
  • Slow, relaxing exploration
  • Beautiful world
  • Online events and multiplayer

Additional Cozy Exploration Games to Try:

❤️Cozy Games on Steam: 5 Best Dating Sims❤️

Dating sims are pretty self-explanatory as a genre. The primary mechanic should be meeting and wooing a variety of eligible romance candidates. These games may be visual novels, idle clickers, or even puzzle-type games with dating and romance as a central theme.

Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator – Be a dad dating other dads

Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a lighthearted and funny game where you play as a single dad who moves to a new neighborhood with his daughter and meets other hot dads. The main goal is to build relationships with these dads and possibly date them. You go on dates, have conversations, and make choices that shape how the story unfolds, with plenty of humor, heart, and dad jokes along the way. It’s a game about friendship, romance, and finding your place in a community, all wrapped up in a silly and sweet package.

Key game elements:

  • LGBTQ+ inclusive narrative
  • Comedic and lighthearted

Monster Prom – Franchise about dating monsters and creatures

Monster Prom is a funny and chaotic dating sim where you play as a student at a high school for monsters. You have a limited amount of time to try to win the heart of one of your monstrous classmates before prom night. To do this, you need to balance your time between studying, going to class, and hanging out with friends to build up your charm, smarts, or other skills. The game is full of quirky characters, wild stories, and unexpected twists, and you can play with friends to see who can land the best date or survive the craziest situations.

Key game elements:

  • Fantasy and monsters
  • High school setting
  • Time management

Boyfriend Dungeon – Date various weapons and dungeon dive together

Boyfriend Dungeon is a game where you go on dates with people who can turn into weapons. You play as a character who moves to a new city, meets potential romantic interests, and helps them fight monsters in dungeons. As you spend time with these people, you level up both your relationship with them and their weapon form, making them stronger for battle. It’s a mix of dating sim and dungeon crawler, with each character having their own personality, backstory, and special abilities. The game has a fun, lighthearted vibe and explores themes of love, self-confidence, and facing your fears.

Key game elements:

  • Dating sim meets dungeon crawler
  • Combat and levelling up
  • Diverse cast of characters
  • Modern setting

HuniePop – Anime dating sim with adult themes

HuniePop is a puzzle game with dating sim elements where you try to win the hearts of different characters by going on dates and matching colored tokens on a game board. The more matches you make, the better your chances of impressing your date and deepening your relationship with them. Each character has their own personality, interests, and backstory, and you can learn more about them as you go on dates and have conversations. The game is known for its mature content and adult humor, with a mix of puzzle-solving and romance that can get pretty steamy.

I unabashedly love HuniePop. I think match-3 and dating sim is an absolutely addictive combo. But I probably won’t officially review it for…obvious reasons. Ha!

Key game elements:

  • 18+ visuals and gameplay
  • Match-3 puzzles
  • Adult humor
  • Doesn’t take itself too seriously

Kaichu: The Kaiju Dating Sim – Silly dating sim about Kaiju meet-cutes

Kaichu: The Kaiju Dating Sim is a quirky and humorous game where you play as a giant kaiju (like a Godzilla-type monster) trying to find love. You explore the city, meet other giant monsters, and go on dates with them to see if you can build a romantic connection. The game is full of fun, over-the-top scenarios and silly dialogue as you try to impress your kaiju crushes and navigate the challenges of monster-sized dating. It’s light, playful, and all about finding love in the most unexpected and monstrous way.

Key game elements:

  • Light-hearted and unique
  • Meet and date giant monsters

Additional Cozy Dating Sims to Try:

Sign Off

Those are some of the games that jump to mind when someone asks for cozy game recommendations for Steam. However, I also feel like you can’t go wrong just looking through my list of cozy games rated Overwhelmingly Positive by Steam audiences if you need an easy win to start with.

Stay cozy, gamers!