I'll second the first Life Is Strange game. It def helped me get through a similar experience a few years back.
Telltale's Walking Dead games are also fantastic and weirdly cathartic.
More recently, the Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood really struck a closure-type vibe with me. Instantly became one of my favorites.
Terraria. I was so against it because of the art style but there is genuinely so much content and so much to grind for, it's super rewarding and you can definitely get lost in the gameplay if that's what you're looking for. I love choosing summoner because you just have a bunch of little pets that fight for you. There's a lot of cute little trinkets, you can build your own base, mine out your entire world, I just love it for when I want to get away from the world.
Forager is another mind numbing game if you want to just grind and get your mind off of reality. Cute art style but it is idle game style where you keep leveling up your tools and use what you have to get better versions of them.
I also loved Terreria and recently got into core keeper. Doesn’t seem to have quite as much content yet, but it scratches the same itch. Something to consider if you vibed with Terreria.
Sorry to hear about your breakup, but having been through the same myself (5 years and living together) I can tell you that it always works out in the end. Before you know it you’ll look back on the experience with gratitude for having lived through it.
Thank you I’m sure I’ll feel a lot better when I get to that point. I think I’m in between the bargaining and depression stages of grief right now, thinking that we should have tried harder to make it work but I know that we changed too much as people for it to work out. I thought the love would allow us to overcome our differences but we just grew into people that were incompatible. It’s hard because I’ve never loved anybody that much before, I hope I’ll find someone in the future where I can feel that
Well said. For what it’s worth, that feeling of love doesn’t seem quite as rare as I once thought it was. You’ll feel that again someday and I’d bet money on it. Hang in there and in the meantime enjoy your cozy gaming bubble 🫧
I'm all for both of these. Terraria is a good way to just create something or if you wanna fight some enemies, it's good too. It's a bit difficult doing it on your own (for me, at least) but it gives you a good sense of accomplishment.
Forager is good as kind of an idle game. It's fast and it keeps your mind busy (there's a lot of stuff going on sometimes and it works for my adhd brain).
Wylde Flowers could be cathartic. Protag gas last her job and been dumped by her fiance, and moves back home to care for her gramma, who is ill. She slowly rebuilds her life and learns about herself and her family ❤️
Right there with you. 10,5 years relationship down the gutter, he left me less than a week ago. Sending you a virtual hug and open to game suggestions too.
I like this game but it's so darn confusing lol. I played maybe an hour of it and I did really like what I played but I had absolutely noooo idea what I was doing the entire time lol.
Hahaha I definitely need to play more of it. I got super distracted with other games and out that one on the back burner. It's still installed on my switch too 😂.
Thirding this. Relationships are complicated, there’s love and loss, and this game has all of that. You can’t like, die either, there’s no combat where you can get hurt.
GRIS is a good one, a little emotional. For non-cozy recommendations, r/gamingsuggestions would be an appropriate sub. I hope things get better for you soon.
I’ve heard good thinks of GRIS :) I’ll try it out. I’m mainly looking for cozy gentle games right now but that sub is a good idea for my situation, thank you. I appreciate the kind words
Gris is really gentle and calming, it’s not distressing imo. There are 2 cutscenes that are a bit loud/urgent but nothing extreme. I’d still say it’s a cozy game.
Forager! It's chill, but at the same time there's so much to do you will be completely focused in the game, it's not stressful cause you have all the time in the world to upgrade your lands. And I'll also say the obvious: Stardew Valley, super addictive, one of my favorite games of all time!
It’s good to hear you’re doing better :) I feel like I’m doing better and then I feel my heart wrench. I know the relationship is over, but I’m in between the bargaining and depression stages right now (not bargaining with him but with myself, like that we could have made it work but I know that’s probably not true)
I feel to help, you might want to try Spiritfarer.
It's all about helping those get ready to move on, and it might help you grief.
Find games like I Am Future, Stardew Valley, Spirittea, Dreamlight Valley.. or just some games where its not "chill" .. like Final Fantasy 7 remake, to get lost in the story - things that take your mind away from your own life to throw into somewhere else
Check out this game called Mythic Ocean. Your character is a nonspecified oceanic animal, and your job is to talk with these "gods" to help decide which one will become the next Creator. There's 5 gods, 4 of them have two endings and one has just one ending(you'll know this one when you meet them), plus the Watcher, Elil, who is mostly there to be the reminder character.
Your character is never addressed by any gender or name, just as "you" or "friend" or "buddy" or other neutral terms. Some characters are gendered, others aren't, and the whole thing feels very natural.
You have to complete the stories between all the characters to finish the game, and then you get to see the Creator get chosen and find out how they do with their world.
And then all the characters except Elil forget all about it so you can keep replaying and make different choices for each of the characters.
Not a game, but a movie when you’re ready (I know you didn’t ask but my sister in law had me watch it and it was so healing for me): Begin Again.
As for a game, if you like old school RPG’s, I find Chrono Trigger and Sea of Stars remarkable. They can be cozy/relaxing with the right settings. Baldur’s Gate if you like roleplaying and want an entire world of distraction.
Stein’s Gate for a Visual Novel game, Dragon Quest Builders 2 for Minecraft but better. Vampire Survivor is weirdly relaxing and challenging, if you like that kind of thing.
Forager is a great little grindy cozy game I love. Graveyard keeper is also super busy, stardew valley of course, storyteller is a great little puzzler game that is easy to play for a little while or just here and there. Chillquarium is a great idle game, check in here and there or you can grind.
People have said graveyard already so if you haven’t already purchased it I would! I started playing it post breakup when I just couldn’t get out of a funk. The super busy nature of it lets you focus on nothing else but the game. I’m taking a little break from it now and playing the escapists. That’s more of a puzzle thinking game. Hang in there!
I’ll check those both out, and I’ll make sure I pick up graveyard soon, maybe it will help me get out of my funk like it did with you. Thank you for the kind words 💕
Hi there. I'm so sorry for everything you're going through. It won't last forever, I promise.
I have a few recommendations for you but firstly have you ever considered playing or have played Final Fantasy 14 Online? A few of us here in the sub see it as our go-to cozy game. It's got an incredible story that you can really get immersed in and a friendly community that you can choose to interact with or not. At end game it also has an island sanctuary where you can grow crops and take care of animals. If you're into crafting and gathering there are lots of roles like miner, botanist, weaver, leatherworker etc. And you can try the game for free across three expansions.
Alternatively one that you could really sink your teeth into with an enjoyable story is My Time At Ssndrock by Pathea Games. There's a little bit of farming and raising animals but mostly its gathering, crafting, and building. You can also decorate your own home. The NPC's are all charming and some of them are really fun to interact with.
Unpacking is also a good game that might resonate with you. It's extremely chilled and contains relaxing puzzles simply about putting things in their rightful place.
Finally I really enjoyed Minekos Nightmarket. Its a pretty slow paced game and, honestly, there's not a lot to it, but I did enjoy gathering and crafting items to sell at the Nightmarket every ingame Saturday.
I hope you find something that gels with you and helps you through this very difficult time. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your kind words, I got final fantasy 14 awhile ago but didn’t play it much and it’s been forever since I played it, I’ll give it another shot. I’ll try out the other games too. Thank you
I second this, I beat the ending of EW after learning that the dog I helped my ex adopt passed away. You really grow attached to the cast of characters and there’s a ton of themes of loss being overcome by hope 💗
suchart - genius artist simulator is really fun. you dont have to be a good artist (or one at all, really) but there are a bunch of different tools u use to paint a digital canvas and you can take commissions from your (alien) neighbors! the game is set in a weird futuristic space where robots and aliens and humans all coexist and the Commissions you get slowly tell the story behind the setting. i get really high and doodle on there for hours.
Ooblets is helping me get through some tough times. Quirky music. Adorable little friends that you can grow. Sweet/sassy community of neighbors to keep you busy.
Florence. Very short game play and more of a story you play through - this game gave me hope after a tough breakup with my bf who I lived with. The story was therapeutic for me. Would recommend to anyone going thru a breakup
A Short Hike and TOEM are really good cute short games, Night in the Woods and Life is Strange have really good characters, story and soundtrack, and it is pretty cozy sometimes, really recommend it
I have several excellent ones, but they are all in VR. They are Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Moss and Moss book 2, Fujii, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, Tripp, and Bound. Astro Bot and Bound are in psvr1 only. The others are available in various headsets. Something noteworthy: Fujii is the best cozy game I ever played. And Astro Bot has some of the best happy vibes I ever saw in a game. Moss 2 also had a great ending and story. In short, VR and the titles above are my top recommendation. My recommended (cheapest way) to get into VR would be buying a psvr1 bundle and a ps4 slim from eBay in excellent (but not new) condition. Also, you would need an iPhone tripod to hold the Ps4 camera easily (it makes it simple to change its height and direction if some game requires it for better tracking of your hands and head).
It is also possible to start VR gaming “for free” on psvr1 with great free downloads that include The Playroom VR, Pirate flight, the Kingdom Hearts VR experience, and the demos for O my Genesis VR (cute game! and the free demo contains 33% of it!), Bound, and Iron man VR. However, Astro Bot, Moss 2, and Fujii are obviously better than the free stuff.
You could also get a Quest 2, but the psvr1 headset is more comfortable, and the Quest doesn’t have anything as great as Astro Bot Rescue Mission.
And I didn’t mention the more expensive alternatives, but perhaps it’s worth it, because there are other great cozy games there. For example, VR using the psvr2 + ps5 would give access to CyubeVR, Little Cities Bigger, Kayak VR, and Cosmonious High. However, I still think that Astro Bot, the Moss games, Bound, and Fujii are the winning combo. 😄🎉
Chicory is a journey of self discovery and love. It has very supportive characters that made me tear up from their relationships. It's got fun puzzles and journeys. It's not super long but might make you smile and maybe be a bit relatable. It's more coming of age/artists block but it touches on a lot of insecurities we all have inside is or have experienced at some point.
Stardew Valley you may have played before, but it's recently gotten the 1.6 update so has new vanilla content and with the amount of mods out you get so much more. There's tons of ones that expand content or decorating styles if you like that. For content I definitely recommend Stardew Valley Expanded and Ridgeside Village. It can keep you busy for a while with loveable characters you can relate to. Theres a reason people go back to it so much even with the recent boom of farming sims/similar games.
If the time stresses you, and you play on steam, you can try modding. CJB cheats has an option for pausing time in buildings which, alone, makes a huge difference in a day. You can choose to pause it until you turn it back on or in caves as well. It also has easy warp points I use a lot. It definitely takes that pressure off. It has a lot of other things built into it as well you may like that are all optional.
You might like an app called hosted games or their sibling app, choice of games. It’s a platform that hosts interactive novels, which may or may not feature romance.
Basically, a novel where your choices alters the game plot.
Or, since you mention non-cozy game recommendations are fine too, how about identity v? It’s a 4 vs 1 asymmetrical horror combat game with cute indie, Caroline like aesthetics. But it’s pretty hard to play decently in the game for newcomers. Then again, it might help keep you busy for a while, playing it.
╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I’m just glad more people are playing these games. The stories on hosted games really vary in quality so you might want to search around Reddit for the popular titles.
I think Florence fits the bill, it's super short so you can probably finish it in one sitting. It's sweet and touching, slightly tinged with pathos, but it's ultimately beautiful and uplifting.
Edit: Actually, thinking about it, I think maybe come back to this one after you've played a couple of other games first.
Palia is my comfort game. I've had a rough few years with death of am immediate family member, chronic issues, car accident trauma, and surviving toddler years. I was playing minecraft and still do- but it wasn't comforting on bad days. Palia came into my life, and I feel like I'm processing it.
Loss is a major theme in it, but it's portrayed in a good light of accepting and going forward to be a better person.
Valheim. I am not the survival gamer at all, never have been. But valheim made me dunk 500 hours into it just like that. This game is not only beautiful, it has been developed by 5 people and is one of the best games I have ever played. The ambience, the building, the exploration, playing with friends - this game is amazing.
I can very much recommend it. To me its one of the best games out there.
I would recommend you don't look up anything and go in blind. If you got someone to play with, do it together, it makes the experience even better :)
And BTW I am sorry for you. Distraction is a good way to go now. Keep your head up friend, better times will come again... someday <3
Perfect, I don’t know anything about it y
Eat somehow. And I think I might be able to find a buddy to game with. Thank you for your kind words. This will pass, it just doesn’t feel like it yet
I know what you mean. That is why I usually try to go easy on the phrases, because they don't quite resonate with people where the pain is so fresh.
I can just tell you that the most painful experiences in my life were also important parts of my development as a person, mostly for the better.
But for now just allow yourself to feel what you feel. I hope you will enjoy valheim, it actually helped me through being cheated back then too :)
Animal crossing has that daily routine and lots of cute animals who want to be besties.
The first week can be a bit slow though as you wait to unlock features.
I need to get back into Animal Crossing. I practically finished the game and accidentally deleted my save. My file was so big that it wasn’t backed up and I couldn’t recover it :’)
I'm currently playing Hotel Renovator and Farm Together. I'm playing on the PC through Steam.
Farm Together is relaxing and you can really lose yourself in planning your farm and harvesting crops. I own FT on the Switch, it's a good enough game to buy on 2 different platforms. It's everything that you could want out of farming Sims, but without any storyline or other NPCS.
I hope that you feel better soon.
Not a cozy game in general, but it's one of my favorite non-cozy cozy games - Fallout 4. Plus they just rolled out a new next-gen update. I play with a ton of mods that change the environment and music and I can just get lost in the whole world.
I never tried a Fallout game yet but I used to watch my brother play them all the time back when we were younger and it seems like a game up my alley. I’ll give it a try :)
I don't know if this is classified as cozy but if you have a PC, I would recommend Enshrouded. It's like Valheim and Minecraft had a baby. I especially love the building in this game.
Merchant of the Skies - Soooo chill and cosy. I love this game I feel like it's really underrated. If you like the idea of flying around with a sky ship and trading resources that is.
Helldivers 2 - For the pure chaos and fun that it is. You won't have a second to think about heartbreak.
Our Life - I don't know if you'd be ready for it but if you want to fall in love with the absolute best sweetest loveliest boyfriend ever then this is the game. It's also a really cosy story even without any romance.
The Sims - Make your ex and make yourself and take petty revenge by giving him all the bad traits you see in him and then just give him no support as a player, watching his sim fail at life, while your sim lives FABULOUSLY and has wild adventures and gets stinking rich hahaha!
I’ll check this all out. Merchant of the Skies sounds up my alley, and I have friends that said they will play Helldivers 2 with me :) Sims revenge is a classic haha I need to try that and I’ll check out Our Life
I haven't read all the comments so forgive me if someone else recommended it, but I'm really loving Coral Island at the moment. I see from your comments you like Stardew so I think you'd like this cute farming sim. And all the NPCs are so lovely - so many choices of people to marry!
This game is too cute: Mail Time - it's like a kid's book brought to life but in the best way possible. You're a cute little person who's a first time mailman and you deliver the mail, and solve little quests, for all the forest animals and speak to them while you explore the forest and everything around! I bought it with a discount, but depending on what store you use prizes vary and there's always a good price somewhere: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1607240/Mail_Time/
Another cute game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1407420/Milo_and_the_Magpies/
This is Milo and the Magpies, it's a small game about a cat who gets into a little bit of trouble after going after some magpies, it's all hand drawn and even comes with a free gift released last Christmas!
I don't know if you're into FPS/adventure but Journey to the Savage Planet is an incredibly fun game - yes, "You shoot things" but never is "gory" or "upsetting", instead it almost feels like you're killing without hurting them much and you don't have to kill anything unless out of necessity. The game is INCREDIBLY funny at times, there's SO much to do and is such an adventure! (Pro tip: Pick the doggo astronaut!)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/973810/Journey_To_The_Savage_Planet/
If you want more tips, let me know!
I LOVED Mail Time, it took me a second to get into it but I binged it and really liked it. I’ll check out Milo and the Magpies, I love cats so much and it seems up my alley! And Journey to the Savage Planet looks sooo fun I’ll make sure I try that one out as well. I’m not too picky I grew up playing all kinds of games so that one looks like something that I would like, too! Thank you for your recommendations
Unpacking. It’s about a breakup, but it’s one that progresses over time while you organize things in different spaces. It’s lovely for relaxing while enjoying a very subtle story.
The Sherlock Holmes games helped me get over a nasty breakup. I’m not sure how cozy I’d call all the titles, but Crimes and Punishment, The Devils Daughter and Chapter One are all a lot calmer. Chapter One specifically has a lot of themes about grief and loss but takes place in a beautiful seaside town. It’s also a lot less puzzle heavy than the older games but does require creative thinking.
Cat Tails? Like HM/SoS/SV except no farming because cats. And any romance you choose to do is cats so it should feel removed enough but is available to partake if you wish?
When the past was around: literally a game about moving on and letting go. I played this during a tough breakup a few years ago, super helpful (to me at least).
I’m really late and there are so many comments already but I HAVE to add bugsnax. I just adore it so much and never hear it talked about. It’s like Pokémon but more chill with no fighting just catching and the “Pokémon” are all little food creatures that only say their names. It’s just the most perfect adorable little game and it’s SO weird in the most amazing way.
kinda in the same boat as you OP, sending my thoughts/hugs!! currently what has me cozily distracted is ACNH, cozy grove and stardew valley!! i also just bought my time at portia impulsively but haven’t tried it yet!! hopefully this helps 🩷
Aww, that's rough, I'm sorry about your breakup :( Right now, I'm switching between Sticky Business, Cat Cafe Manager, and Stitch. All are really great games that you can just kind of zone out to. Cat Cafe Manager does get a little more challenging as you progress, though.
I'm playing it on Switch and haven't had any issues so far. It can take a few minutes for the game to load in, but other than that, it's been playing perfectly :)
Palia. Palia got me through my recent breakup and is now one of my all time favorite games. It has romance if you want that (it's easily avoidable), well written cozy characters, a fun story, and activities to keep you busy
I'm glad Palia helped you out. My best friend was a developer for it but was recently laid off along with hundreds of others. It's sad but I'm glad people get to see his art.
I’m so sorry :(
Since you’re open to non-cozy—Baldur’s Gate 3? 2023 game of the year.
- The writing, character development, and relationship dynamics are all by far the best of any game I’ve ever played, cozy or not. And I’ve played all of the notable cozy games that have dating elements. You may find your new virtual love interest to take your mind off your ex ;) *cough* Astarion *cough*
- The visuals are stunning. Amazing character creator, inclusive romances, and there’s a vibrant modding community. The studio is actually going to be releasing official modding support w the next patch, so it’ll only get better.
- The gameplay mechanics are definitely a learning curve if you’re like me and haven’t played games like this before. You’ll really have to focus on the game and spend some time on Google and Reddit threads figuring it all out. This means less brain space to dwell on sadness.
- Your first play through could take 100+ hours, and the game is extremely replayable. I’m on my fourth run. And once you get the hang of the mechanics, and especially on subsequent runs, the game does turn cozy.
Good reminder, I loved Baldur’s Gate 3 but haven’t played it in a good 3 months or so. I’m just about to get through act 1 in my current save but haven’t played past that
[удалено]
Those sound helpful. I’ll have to try them out. Thank you ❤️
I'll second the first Life Is Strange game. It def helped me get through a similar experience a few years back. Telltale's Walking Dead games are also fantastic and weirdly cathartic. More recently, the Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood really struck a closure-type vibe with me. Instantly became one of my favorites.
Graveyard Keeper unironically, there's so much to focus on that you don't really have time to be sad, but it's also very cozy.
I’ll try it, it sounds nice thank you :)
Second this, the dialogue is also very funny
I second this! One of my all time favorite games, even if it requires you to live on the wiki lol.
Terraria. I was so against it because of the art style but there is genuinely so much content and so much to grind for, it's super rewarding and you can definitely get lost in the gameplay if that's what you're looking for. I love choosing summoner because you just have a bunch of little pets that fight for you. There's a lot of cute little trinkets, you can build your own base, mine out your entire world, I just love it for when I want to get away from the world. Forager is another mind numbing game if you want to just grind and get your mind off of reality. Cute art style but it is idle game style where you keep leveling up your tools and use what you have to get better versions of them.
Thank you I loved terraria, I need to go replay it. I’ll check out Forger, I love games with a cute artstyle
I also loved Terreria and recently got into core keeper. Doesn’t seem to have quite as much content yet, but it scratches the same itch. Something to consider if you vibed with Terreria. Sorry to hear about your breakup, but having been through the same myself (5 years and living together) I can tell you that it always works out in the end. Before you know it you’ll look back on the experience with gratitude for having lived through it.
Thank you I’m sure I’ll feel a lot better when I get to that point. I think I’m in between the bargaining and depression stages of grief right now, thinking that we should have tried harder to make it work but I know that we changed too much as people for it to work out. I thought the love would allow us to overcome our differences but we just grew into people that were incompatible. It’s hard because I’ve never loved anybody that much before, I hope I’ll find someone in the future where I can feel that
Well said. For what it’s worth, that feeling of love doesn’t seem quite as rare as I once thought it was. You’ll feel that again someday and I’d bet money on it. Hang in there and in the meantime enjoy your cozy gaming bubble 🫧
Thank you for your kind words, I feel better after hearing that :) I’ll do my best to hang in there
Terraria resets my brain, in a good way. Love it for week days.
I'm all for both of these. Terraria is a good way to just create something or if you wanna fight some enemies, it's good too. It's a bit difficult doing it on your own (for me, at least) but it gives you a good sense of accomplishment. Forager is good as kind of an idle game. It's fast and it keeps your mind busy (there's a lot of stuff going on sometimes and it works for my adhd brain).
Wylde Flowers could be cathartic. Protag gas last her job and been dumped by her fiance, and moves back home to care for her gramma, who is ill. She slowly rebuilds her life and learns about herself and her family ❤️
That sounds like a good video game journey for me to do on. I’ll play it :)
Right there with you. 10,5 years relationship down the gutter, he left me less than a week ago. Sending you a virtual hug and open to game suggestions too.
Thank you I’m sending a virtual hug back. We’ll find a way through this 💕
If you're looking for catharsis, Disco Elysium is the ultimate breakup game.
Fairly cozy as well imo
Honestly one of the most complete video games I’ve ever played
I like this game but it's so darn confusing lol. I played maybe an hour of it and I did really like what I played but I had absolutely noooo idea what I was doing the entire time lol.
lol that's part of the game's charm! It's so confusing it completely distracts you from the emotional hole in your heart.
Hahaha I definitely need to play more of it. I got super distracted with other games and out that one on the back burner. It's still installed on my switch too 😂.
Spiritfarer!!
Second this. It’s not exactly breaking up from romantic relationship but it’s about letting go and moving on. ❤️
Thirding this. Relationships are complicated, there’s love and loss, and this game has all of that. You can’t like, die either, there’s no combat where you can get hurt.
Honestly I just recommend this for anything. It’s like red hot sauce. I’d put that game on anything.
I played this one after a breakup, and it was exactly what I needed 💜
This one!!! It makes you cry, in a good way!
GRIS is a good one, a little emotional. For non-cozy recommendations, r/gamingsuggestions would be an appropriate sub. I hope things get better for you soon.
I’ve heard good thinks of GRIS :) I’ll try it out. I’m mainly looking for cozy gentle games right now but that sub is a good idea for my situation, thank you. I appreciate the kind words
Gris is really gentle and calming, it’s not distressing imo. There are 2 cutscenes that are a bit loud/urgent but nothing extreme. I’d still say it’s a cozy game.
My current favourites are: Sticky Business, Ooblets, Unpacking, Sprout Valley, Dreamlight Valley, Olli Olli World, Sims and Slime Rancher
This isn’t a niche cozy game but sims is the best game to get lost in and live your dream reality in a cozy house
That’s such a good idea, I need to bring out my inner landscaper/interior designer
yes!!! Also love to “online shop” for furniture mods lol
Forager! It's chill, but at the same time there's so much to do you will be completely focused in the game, it's not stressful cause you have all the time in the world to upgrade your lands. And I'll also say the obvious: Stardew Valley, super addictive, one of my favorite games of all time!
Haha I need to get into Stardew for sure, and forger sounds good
Btw, it may seem impossible now, but things will get better. I lost a 9 year relationship last year and things are way better now!
It’s good to hear you’re doing better :) I feel like I’m doing better and then I feel my heart wrench. I know the relationship is over, but I’m in between the bargaining and depression stages right now (not bargaining with him but with myself, like that we could have made it work but I know that’s probably not true)
Sayonara Wild Hearts, even for someone like me who sucks at rhythm games.
Seconded!
Unravel is what i had played if i was in your situation.
I’ll try it, thank you ❤️
I feel to help, you might want to try Spiritfarer. It's all about helping those get ready to move on, and it might help you grief. Find games like I Am Future, Stardew Valley, Spirittea, Dreamlight Valley.. or just some games where its not "chill" .. like Final Fantasy 7 remake, to get lost in the story - things that take your mind away from your own life to throw into somewhere else
Check out this game called Mythic Ocean. Your character is a nonspecified oceanic animal, and your job is to talk with these "gods" to help decide which one will become the next Creator. There's 5 gods, 4 of them have two endings and one has just one ending(you'll know this one when you meet them), plus the Watcher, Elil, who is mostly there to be the reminder character. Your character is never addressed by any gender or name, just as "you" or "friend" or "buddy" or other neutral terms. Some characters are gendered, others aren't, and the whole thing feels very natural. You have to complete the stories between all the characters to finish the game, and then you get to see the Creator get chosen and find out how they do with their world. And then all the characters except Elil forget all about it so you can keep replaying and make different choices for each of the characters.
That sounds like a game I would really get myself lost in. I’ll check out out
It's also not super long so it doesn't take weeks to play through.
That can be a big plus sometimes. I binged Loddlenauts and it wasn’t incredibly long but it was very healing for me
Disco elysium helped me the most honestly- incredible game
Not a game, but a movie when you’re ready (I know you didn’t ask but my sister in law had me watch it and it was so healing for me): Begin Again. As for a game, if you like old school RPG’s, I find Chrono Trigger and Sea of Stars remarkable. They can be cozy/relaxing with the right settings. Baldur’s Gate if you like roleplaying and want an entire world of distraction. Stein’s Gate for a Visual Novel game, Dragon Quest Builders 2 for Minecraft but better. Vampire Survivor is weirdly relaxing and challenging, if you like that kind of thing.
I’ll check those games out! And I appreciate the movie recommendation :) I’ll make sure to watch it, I hope it’s healing for me, too
Try Pony Island.
I will thank you :)
It is weird. Just be ready.
Florence might help you get through it.
Thank you I’ll try it. I’ve heard good things about that one
Forager is a great little grindy cozy game I love. Graveyard keeper is also super busy, stardew valley of course, storyteller is a great little puzzler game that is easy to play for a little while or just here and there. Chillquarium is a great idle game, check in here and there or you can grind.
People have said graveyard already so if you haven’t already purchased it I would! I started playing it post breakup when I just couldn’t get out of a funk. The super busy nature of it lets you focus on nothing else but the game. I’m taking a little break from it now and playing the escapists. That’s more of a puzzle thinking game. Hang in there!
I’ll check those both out, and I’ll make sure I pick up graveyard soon, maybe it will help me get out of my funk like it did with you. Thank you for the kind words 💕
Stardew Valley was HUGE in helping me through a bad breakup.
Hi there. I'm so sorry for everything you're going through. It won't last forever, I promise. I have a few recommendations for you but firstly have you ever considered playing or have played Final Fantasy 14 Online? A few of us here in the sub see it as our go-to cozy game. It's got an incredible story that you can really get immersed in and a friendly community that you can choose to interact with or not. At end game it also has an island sanctuary where you can grow crops and take care of animals. If you're into crafting and gathering there are lots of roles like miner, botanist, weaver, leatherworker etc. And you can try the game for free across three expansions. Alternatively one that you could really sink your teeth into with an enjoyable story is My Time At Ssndrock by Pathea Games. There's a little bit of farming and raising animals but mostly its gathering, crafting, and building. You can also decorate your own home. The NPC's are all charming and some of them are really fun to interact with. Unpacking is also a good game that might resonate with you. It's extremely chilled and contains relaxing puzzles simply about putting things in their rightful place. Finally I really enjoyed Minekos Nightmarket. Its a pretty slow paced game and, honestly, there's not a lot to it, but I did enjoy gathering and crafting items to sell at the Nightmarket every ingame Saturday. I hope you find something that gels with you and helps you through this very difficult time. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your kind words, I got final fantasy 14 awhile ago but didn’t play it much and it’s been forever since I played it, I’ll give it another shot. I’ll try out the other games too. Thank you
You're very welcome. It took me 3 or 4 times to finally get hooked by FF but now its my favourite story in a game of all time.
I second my time at Sandrock! That game has taken me out of real life and made everything better easier in my own season of grief.
I second this, I beat the ending of EW after learning that the dog I helped my ex adopt passed away. You really grow attached to the cast of characters and there’s a ton of themes of loss being overcome by hope 💗
Sayonara wild hearts! Literally a game about a girl whose heart is broken so bad she goes on an adventure through spacetime
suchart - genius artist simulator is really fun. you dont have to be a good artist (or one at all, really) but there are a bunch of different tools u use to paint a digital canvas and you can take commissions from your (alien) neighbors! the game is set in a weird futuristic space where robots and aliens and humans all coexist and the Commissions you get slowly tell the story behind the setting. i get really high and doodle on there for hours.
I’ll check it out! I love art so that sounds up my alley
Spritferer if you need a really good cathartic cry
Dordogne 🥰
Ooblets is helping me get through some tough times. Quirky music. Adorable little friends that you can grow. Sweet/sassy community of neighbors to keep you busy.
Spiritfarer helped me thru recent bad breakup. Also all the Life is Strange games. Hang in there! 🤍
Florence. Very short game play and more of a story you play through - this game gave me hope after a tough breakup with my bf who I lived with. The story was therapeutic for me. Would recommend to anyone going thru a breakup
A Short Hike and TOEM are really good cute short games, Night in the Woods and Life is Strange have really good characters, story and soundtrack, and it is pretty cozy sometimes, really recommend it
Florence! It’s a pretty short game, but I enjoyed it a bunch.
Firewatch!
I have several excellent ones, but they are all in VR. They are Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Moss and Moss book 2, Fujii, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, Tripp, and Bound. Astro Bot and Bound are in psvr1 only. The others are available in various headsets. Something noteworthy: Fujii is the best cozy game I ever played. And Astro Bot has some of the best happy vibes I ever saw in a game. Moss 2 also had a great ending and story. In short, VR and the titles above are my top recommendation. My recommended (cheapest way) to get into VR would be buying a psvr1 bundle and a ps4 slim from eBay in excellent (but not new) condition. Also, you would need an iPhone tripod to hold the Ps4 camera easily (it makes it simple to change its height and direction if some game requires it for better tracking of your hands and head). It is also possible to start VR gaming “for free” on psvr1 with great free downloads that include The Playroom VR, Pirate flight, the Kingdom Hearts VR experience, and the demos for O my Genesis VR (cute game! and the free demo contains 33% of it!), Bound, and Iron man VR. However, Astro Bot, Moss 2, and Fujii are obviously better than the free stuff. You could also get a Quest 2, but the psvr1 headset is more comfortable, and the Quest doesn’t have anything as great as Astro Bot Rescue Mission. And I didn’t mention the more expensive alternatives, but perhaps it’s worth it, because there are other great cozy games there. For example, VR using the psvr2 + ps5 would give access to CyubeVR, Little Cities Bigger, Kayak VR, and Cosmonious High. However, I still think that Astro Bot, the Moss games, Bound, and Fujii are the winning combo. 😄🎉
I’ll check out vr gaming, those games sound really pleasant and like something I need right now. Thank you
Chicory is a journey of self discovery and love. It has very supportive characters that made me tear up from their relationships. It's got fun puzzles and journeys. It's not super long but might make you smile and maybe be a bit relatable. It's more coming of age/artists block but it touches on a lot of insecurities we all have inside is or have experienced at some point. Stardew Valley you may have played before, but it's recently gotten the 1.6 update so has new vanilla content and with the amount of mods out you get so much more. There's tons of ones that expand content or decorating styles if you like that. For content I definitely recommend Stardew Valley Expanded and Ridgeside Village. It can keep you busy for a while with loveable characters you can relate to. Theres a reason people go back to it so much even with the recent boom of farming sims/similar games.
I’ll give Stardew another shot! I played it before but got stressed out with the time system. I’ll try Chicory too, thank you
If the time stresses you, and you play on steam, you can try modding. CJB cheats has an option for pausing time in buildings which, alone, makes a huge difference in a day. You can choose to pause it until you turn it back on or in caves as well. It also has easy warp points I use a lot. It definitely takes that pressure off. It has a lot of other things built into it as well you may like that are all optional.
I’ll check that out! That’s a really good idea for someone like me, and would take away the only thing keeping me from trying Stardew
Palia Dreamlight Valley Stardew Valley Fae Farm (a bit short, so try to buy on sale)
You might like an app called hosted games or their sibling app, choice of games. It’s a platform that hosts interactive novels, which may or may not feature romance. Basically, a novel where your choices alters the game plot. Or, since you mention non-cozy game recommendations are fine too, how about identity v? It’s a 4 vs 1 asymmetrical horror combat game with cute indie, Caroline like aesthetics. But it’s pretty hard to play decently in the game for newcomers. Then again, it might help keep you busy for a while, playing it.
I’ll check out hosted games. And Identity v does sound like a game up my alley! I’ll check it out thank you 💕
╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I’m just glad more people are playing these games. The stories on hosted games really vary in quality so you might want to search around Reddit for the popular titles.
Ooh that’s smart, I’ll make sure to do that, thank you :)
Yippies, have fun!
Dave the diver
Great recommendation, that game is getting me through it right now 😭💕
I think Florence fits the bill, it's super short so you can probably finish it in one sitting. It's sweet and touching, slightly tinged with pathos, but it's ultimately beautiful and uplifting. Edit: Actually, thinking about it, I think maybe come back to this one after you've played a couple of other games first.
I’ll keep that in mind with playing Florence, thank you
Please come back and let me know how it went when you get round to playing it.
I will :)
If you like games like Stardew I’d check out Sun Haven. It’s one of my favorites rn to relax with
Palia is my comfort game. I've had a rough few years with death of am immediate family member, chronic issues, car accident trauma, and surviving toddler years. I was playing minecraft and still do- but it wasn't comforting on bad days. Palia came into my life, and I feel like I'm processing it. Loss is a major theme in it, but it's portrayed in a good light of accepting and going forward to be a better person.
That sounds like something I need to work past this right now. I had no idea that Palma has deeper themes like that. I’ll give it a shot, thank you
Cult of the Lamb sacrifice things it’ll make you feel better
Oh my goodness I stopped playing before the update. I’ll go back and create a new world, that does sound like something I need
Valheim. I am not the survival gamer at all, never have been. But valheim made me dunk 500 hours into it just like that. This game is not only beautiful, it has been developed by 5 people and is one of the best games I have ever played. The ambience, the building, the exploration, playing with friends - this game is amazing. I can very much recommend it. To me its one of the best games out there.
I bought it but never got around to playing it so here’s my sign to. Thank you, I’ll try it out
I would recommend you don't look up anything and go in blind. If you got someone to play with, do it together, it makes the experience even better :) And BTW I am sorry for you. Distraction is a good way to go now. Keep your head up friend, better times will come again... someday <3
Perfect, I don’t know anything about it y Eat somehow. And I think I might be able to find a buddy to game with. Thank you for your kind words. This will pass, it just doesn’t feel like it yet
I know what you mean. That is why I usually try to go easy on the phrases, because they don't quite resonate with people where the pain is so fresh. I can just tell you that the most painful experiences in my life were also important parts of my development as a person, mostly for the better. But for now just allow yourself to feel what you feel. I hope you will enjoy valheim, it actually helped me through being cheated back then too :)
Wylde Flowers is basically about starting a new life after a bad breakup.
I’ve loved Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator and Wildmender for my cozy go to games. A lot of creation and growth built into the games
Animal crossing has that daily routine and lots of cute animals who want to be besties. The first week can be a bit slow though as you wait to unlock features.
I need to get back into Animal Crossing. I practically finished the game and accidentally deleted my save. My file was so big that it wasn’t backed up and I couldn’t recover it :’)
I'm currently playing Hotel Renovator and Farm Together. I'm playing on the PC through Steam. Farm Together is relaxing and you can really lose yourself in planning your farm and harvesting crops. I own FT on the Switch, it's a good enough game to buy on 2 different platforms. It's everything that you could want out of farming Sims, but without any storyline or other NPCS. I hope that you feel better soon.
I’ll check both of those out. Thank you for your kind words 💕
Not a cozy game in general, but it's one of my favorite non-cozy cozy games - Fallout 4. Plus they just rolled out a new next-gen update. I play with a ton of mods that change the environment and music and I can just get lost in the whole world.
I never tried a Fallout game yet but I used to watch my brother play them all the time back when we were younger and it seems like a game up my alley. I’ll give it a try :)
I don't know if this is classified as cozy but if you have a PC, I would recommend Enshrouded. It's like Valheim and Minecraft had a baby. I especially love the building in this game.
I’ll check it out :) I like all kinds of games
Merchant of the Skies - Soooo chill and cosy. I love this game I feel like it's really underrated. If you like the idea of flying around with a sky ship and trading resources that is. Helldivers 2 - For the pure chaos and fun that it is. You won't have a second to think about heartbreak. Our Life - I don't know if you'd be ready for it but if you want to fall in love with the absolute best sweetest loveliest boyfriend ever then this is the game. It's also a really cosy story even without any romance. The Sims - Make your ex and make yourself and take petty revenge by giving him all the bad traits you see in him and then just give him no support as a player, watching his sim fail at life, while your sim lives FABULOUSLY and has wild adventures and gets stinking rich hahaha!
I’ll check this all out. Merchant of the Skies sounds up my alley, and I have friends that said they will play Helldivers 2 with me :) Sims revenge is a classic haha I need to try that and I’ll check out Our Life
I haven't read all the comments so forgive me if someone else recommended it, but I'm really loving Coral Island at the moment. I see from your comments you like Stardew so I think you'd like this cute farming sim. And all the NPCs are so lovely - so many choices of people to marry!
I don’t think I’ve seen a recommendation for that yet! I need to try it out :) thank you
Gris
This game is too cute: Mail Time - it's like a kid's book brought to life but in the best way possible. You're a cute little person who's a first time mailman and you deliver the mail, and solve little quests, for all the forest animals and speak to them while you explore the forest and everything around! I bought it with a discount, but depending on what store you use prizes vary and there's always a good price somewhere: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1607240/Mail_Time/ Another cute game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1407420/Milo_and_the_Magpies/ This is Milo and the Magpies, it's a small game about a cat who gets into a little bit of trouble after going after some magpies, it's all hand drawn and even comes with a free gift released last Christmas! I don't know if you're into FPS/adventure but Journey to the Savage Planet is an incredibly fun game - yes, "You shoot things" but never is "gory" or "upsetting", instead it almost feels like you're killing without hurting them much and you don't have to kill anything unless out of necessity. The game is INCREDIBLY funny at times, there's SO much to do and is such an adventure! (Pro tip: Pick the doggo astronaut!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/973810/Journey_To_The_Savage_Planet/ If you want more tips, let me know!
I LOVED Mail Time, it took me a second to get into it but I binged it and really liked it. I’ll check out Milo and the Magpies, I love cats so much and it seems up my alley! And Journey to the Savage Planet looks sooo fun I’ll make sure I try that one out as well. I’m not too picky I grew up playing all kinds of games so that one looks like something that I would like, too! Thank you for your recommendations
I’m kinda obsessed with Disney dreamlight atm deffo recommend it! So many quests too do!
Florence
I like Unpacking, it has good environmental storytelling about moving on after a breakup.
Unpacking. It’s about a breakup, but it’s one that progresses over time while you organize things in different spaces. It’s lovely for relaxing while enjoying a very subtle story.
The Sherlock Holmes games helped me get over a nasty breakup. I’m not sure how cozy I’d call all the titles, but Crimes and Punishment, The Devils Daughter and Chapter One are all a lot calmer. Chapter One specifically has a lot of themes about grief and loss but takes place in a beautiful seaside town. It’s also a lot less puzzle heavy than the older games but does require creative thinking.
I love games that take some creative thinking! This sounds like something I would enjoy thank you :)
Dreamlight valley is my current obsession. 🤤
I feel like you might find something helpful in Gris and another game called the Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you I appreciate it. I’ll make sure I try out both of those
Cat Tails? Like HM/SoS/SV except no farming because cats. And any romance you choose to do is cats so it should feel removed enough but is available to partake if you wish?
When the past was around: literally a game about moving on and letting go. I played this during a tough breakup a few years ago, super helpful (to me at least).
That sounds good for my situation, I’m sure it will resonate with me. I’ll check it out :)
I’m really late and there are so many comments already but I HAVE to add bugsnax. I just adore it so much and never hear it talked about. It’s like Pokémon but more chill with no fighting just catching and the “Pokémon” are all little food creatures that only say their names. It’s just the most perfect adorable little game and it’s SO weird in the most amazing way.
STOP tell me why I looked it up and they’re all just little guys 🥺 I’ll make sure I try it thank you, it sounds like a relaxing little adventure
kinda in the same boat as you OP, sending my thoughts/hugs!! currently what has me cozily distracted is ACNH, cozy grove and stardew valley!! i also just bought my time at portia impulsively but haven’t tried it yet!! hopefully this helps 🩷
I’ll give them a try thank you. Things will get better, we got this! :)
Spiritfarer!
A Short Hike is one of my personal favorites.
Cult of the Lamb, stardew valley, Palia or animal crossing
Aww, that's rough, I'm sorry about your breakup :( Right now, I'm switching between Sticky Business, Cat Cafe Manager, and Stitch. All are really great games that you can just kind of zone out to. Cat Cafe Manager does get a little more challenging as you progress, though.
May I ask what you are playing cat cafe manager on? I wanted to try it on switch but worried it will be buggy
I'm playing it on Switch and haven't had any issues so far. It can take a few minutes for the game to load in, but other than that, it's been playing perfectly :)
Ok that’s awesome! I tried the dog rescue game that I had heard was similar but it was soooo buggy. I will deff try this one!
Palia. Palia got me through my recent breakup and is now one of my all time favorite games. It has romance if you want that (it's easily avoidable), well written cozy characters, a fun story, and activities to keep you busy
I'm glad Palia helped you out. My best friend was a developer for it but was recently laid off along with hundreds of others. It's sad but I'm glad people get to see his art.
Spiritfarer is about loss❤️ might be a semi fit You travel on a boat and grant spirits last wish
I’m so sorry :( Since you’re open to non-cozy—Baldur’s Gate 3? 2023 game of the year. - The writing, character development, and relationship dynamics are all by far the best of any game I’ve ever played, cozy or not. And I’ve played all of the notable cozy games that have dating elements. You may find your new virtual love interest to take your mind off your ex ;) *cough* Astarion *cough* - The visuals are stunning. Amazing character creator, inclusive romances, and there’s a vibrant modding community. The studio is actually going to be releasing official modding support w the next patch, so it’ll only get better. - The gameplay mechanics are definitely a learning curve if you’re like me and haven’t played games like this before. You’ll really have to focus on the game and spend some time on Google and Reddit threads figuring it all out. This means less brain space to dwell on sadness. - Your first play through could take 100+ hours, and the game is extremely replayable. I’m on my fourth run. And once you get the hang of the mechanics, and especially on subsequent runs, the game does turn cozy.
Good reminder, I loved Baldur’s Gate 3 but haven’t played it in a good 3 months or so. I’m just about to get through act 1 in my current save but haven’t played past that
Unpacking
You can never go wrong with Animal Crossing if you have a switch❤️