Did you watch the 2024 Summer Games Fest presentations this year? There were a ton of great indie titles showcased and a huge assortment of cozy games, too. Here’s everything cozy from this year’s Summer Games Fest show:
Petal Runner – Creature collection RPG
Petal Runner is a slice-of-life RPG set in the cyberpunk-inspired city of Sapphire Valley. Players join Cali and her HanaPet, Kira, on a journey to become Petal Runners, motorcycle couriers delivering energy products derived from flowers. The game features open-world exploration, diverse minigames, and a heartfelt coming-of-age story inspired by 90s anime. It emphasizes wholesome storytelling and a nostalgic pixel art style reminiscent of the Game Boy Color era.
Afterlove EP – Hand drawn slice of life story
Afterlove EP is a slice-of-life adventure game blending visual novel, narrative exploration, and rhythm elements. Set in modern Jakarta, it follows Rama, a young musician struggling to cope with the death of his girlfriend, Cinta. Players guide Rama through 28 days, making choices that affect his relationships, music, and personal growth. The game features side-scrolling exploration, meaningful conversations, and rhythm-based gameplay, all within a vibrant depiction of Jakarta. Created by Pikselnesia, the game is set for release in Q3 2024.
A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars – Relaxing puzzle game
A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars is an expansion for the puzzle game “A Little to the Left.” It introduces 38 new levels, including 33 standard and 5 bonus levels, featuring puzzles with multiple solutions. Players can engage in a variety of interactive tasks such as folding, crushing, and stacking items. The expansion offers up to 100 different solutions to discover, accompanied by new music and multiple cats appearing throughout the game.
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit – Real-time questing & collectathon
Cozy Grove is a life-simulation game where players take on the role of a Spirit Scout on a haunted island. The goal is to explore the island’s forest daily, uncover hidden secrets, and help soothe the local ghostly inhabitants, primarily ghost bears. Through crafting and other activities, players bring color and joy back to the island, creating a heartwarming experience.
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – 2D puzzle adventure
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure follows Jemma, a small-town misfit, on a journey of self-discovery in a world governed by fear and a strange static force. The game features a unique interconnected grid system for movement, exploration, and combat, creating playful and thoughtful puzzles. It offers a story-driven adventure with an 8-10 hour campaign, focusing on a breezy RPG experience without traditional XP or inventory management.
Phoenix Springs – Point-and-click mystery
Phoenix Springs is a modern point-and-click adventure set in a neo-noir world. Players follow reporter Iris Dormer as she investigates the disappearance of her brother in a desert oasis community. The game features fully voice-acted characters, hand-drawn art, and challenging puzzles. Players collect and connect clues to progress, exploring ancient ruins and interacting with a diverse cast. The narrative-driven experience emphasizes an intuitive UI and immersive storytelling.
Simpler Times – First-person exploration sandbox
Simpler Times is a contemplative, interactive experience where players step into the shoes of Taina, who is preparing to move out of her childhood home. The game focuses on exploration, relaxation, and reflection with no timers, combat, or failure states. Players can engage in various activities like listening to music, painting, and solving puzzles, all set to a soothing lo-fi soundtrack. It offers a cozy, narrative-driven experience through different seasons and moments in Taina’s life.
While Waiting – Wholesome comedy puzzler
While Waiting is a transformative adventure game that explores the art of patience and acceptance. Developed by Optillusion, the game involves clearing various life scenarios by doing nothing, emphasizing the power of waiting. It features a mix of humor and serious themes, inviting players to embrace everyday life and uncover hidden elements during seemingly mundane waiting periods.
Hello Again – Cozy time loop mystery
Hello Again is a puzzling adventure game set on the island of Mychaea, where players must explore ancient ruins and solve clockwork puzzles to uncover the secrets of a mysterious time loop. As a postal worker, you interact with quirky characters and navigate a world where structures shift throughout the day. The game’s narrative revolves around breaking free from the eternal time loop while engaging in humorous and engaging dialogue.
Cairn – Atmospheric exploration narrative
Cairn is an atmospheric climbing game where players, as pro climber Aava, attempt to scale the never-before-climbed Mount Kami. The game features realistic climbing mechanics, resource management, and an open-world route selection. Players must manage supplies and navigate treacherous terrain while uncovering the mountain’s history. With challenging gameplay that feels like a series of boss fights, Cairn offers endless replayability in its Expedition mode, supported by an award-winning indie team.
Building Relationships – Absurdist comedy dating sim
What can I say about Buiding Relationships except: You play as a house on a date. As a new arrival to a colorful, multi-biome island, you (a literal house) are here to meet eligible bachelorx pads and—hopefully—to find love. This absurdist, comedy dating sim (?????) let’s you roll, jump, wave-dash, go fishing, and (I quote): “unlock skills that let you jump and dash exactly like a building.” I, er….have so many questions.
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Did any of these cozy games from Summer Game Fest 2024 catch your eye? Let me know which ones landed on your wishlist in the comments below!
Stay cozy, gamers!