Cozy games are just games that make you feel warm, fuzzy, and…well, cozy…right? Turns out, there’s more to it than meets the eye!
If you’re here, you probably play cozy video games. Or, perhaps, you’re curious about the genre. Either way, I’m happy to see you here.
Though, you may be wondering…what makes a cozy game cozy, anyway? Is there some sort of questionnaire game devs fill out when they make their games to decide on their genre? Not exactly, but it would be so convenient if there was, right?
Yet, there are a few things that we within the community consider when deciding on what makes a game cozy. I thought it would be fun to compile those reasons together in one easy-to-digest list. That way, if you ever spot a game you want to play and think to yourself, “Gosh, is this actually cozy?” you’ll know right away!
Things That Make a Game Cozy
If you want to determine whether or not a game is cozy, there are four questions you should ask yourself:
1. Can You Fail?
Something I wholeheartedly believe is that it’s (practically) impossible to fail if the hardest aspects of a game are optional.
One example of an iconically difficult game is Dark Souls. Now, Dark Souls is a linear RPG. So, while you do have the option to roleplay to some degree, precise timing, strategy, and skill are required to progress.
As it features intense battles with formidable enemies and intricate boss fights, failure at these results in your character’s death. Of course, it’s more than possible to restart your save and try the fight again, but these fights are hard. Like, I know I’ve had friends fight the same moderate-level boss 20, 30, even 50 times in those games before finally succeeding. If you’re looking for a relaxing gaming experience, that’s anything but!
In contrast, let’s consider a game like Stardew Valley where players have the freedom to determine their own objectives. Naturally, your choices are influenced by the game’s inherent mechanics and systems, yet players are empowered to prioritize certain goals over others.
For example: In Stardew Valley, you can choose to simply immerse yourself in the pursuit of creating the most efficient farm. Alternatively, you can channel your efforts toward, say, completing the community bundles or marrying one of the bachelor(ette)s.
Regardless of the chosen path, it is the player who defines their objective. There are no impediments preventing them from pursuing alternative tasks should they wish to switch their focus. This ensures that if they grow disinterested in one objective, they can seamlessly transition to another activity without affecting their progress.
Freedom Within the Story
Not that there is no plot in these games – many cozy games have a story and/or lore. Like, in Stardew, your character inherits their farm from their grandfather after he passes away. You’re not just dropped on a random farm in the middle of nowhere! However, the player is allowed freedom within the story to make their own decisions. This is unlike Dark Souls, where there are still major story-related things that need to happen when playing the game.
Oh, also, probably the biggest contrast between Stardew and Dark Souls here is that you can’t die. That’s pretty important. I mean, sure, you can pass out in Stardew Valley if you get hit by, like, bats too many times in the mines. But, if you do, you just wake up in bed with (most of) your stuff. So, you can fight those bats (and other not-very-scary monsters) to your heart’s content. Low stakes, low stress, baby!
2. What Do You Actually Do?
Another important consideration pertains to the actual activities the player engages in. It seems straightforward: In cozy games, you do “nice” things, while in other games you do “mean” things…right?
Sure, many cozy games involve repetitive “chore-like” tasks, such as tending to crops in Stardew Valley or placing well-loved a bedroom in Unpacking. While it may seem mundane in theory, players genuinely derive enjoyment from these activities. Perhaps it’s the ability to multitask: Players can enjoy music/a podcast without exerting excessive mental effort to play the game.
But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t fight in cozy games; we did, after all, just say that players can fight monsters in Stardew Valley. The difference is how it’s done, or rather, the learning curve behind it.
Let’s go back to that Dark Souls example. When fighting enemies, you need to learn the right way to defeat them. If you’re off on your timing by a second, or do the wrong move at the wrong time, you’re screwed. It might be a chore in its own right, albeit a more frustrating one. Listening to a podcast would be a bad idea here.
Essentially, it’s less about the specific things being done and more about whether or not those things have the potential to freak you the heck out or frustrate you beyond comprehension.
3. Is Gender a Factor?
The whole idea of video games being a boys’ thing came about in the ’90s. No joke, this was purely because marketers had to decide on a gender to market to. Thus, this is why a lot of popular games that came out then through the aughts seemed to have this ‘bro’ vibe to them, with loud guns, disgusting monsters, and sexualized women.
While we know now that, theoretically, anyone can enjoy killing zombies with lasers or whatever, that idea persists even today. In fact, within the cozy game genre, we often see the reverse. A lot of their aspects, like cute characters, a relaxed plotline, and even romance between the player and NPCs, are typically associated with ‘femininity’, perhaps because they so contrast the more ‘masculine’ traits of other games.
It’s important to note that, like how any gender can, in theory, enjoy killing zombies with laser beams or whatever, anyone can also enjoy these ‘softer’ or ‘girly’ games. Unfortunately, marketing is still gendered whether we realize it or not, and not for no reason: Quantric Foundry did a study in 2017 that highlighted that several sub-genres associated with coziness, like Farm Sims, had high percentages of female players.
Regardless, I personally am all for getting more women (and non-binary folk!) into gaming with whatever genre, be it cozy or spooky-horror-bam-bam-guns-zombies. Video games are fun, gosh dang it!
4. What’s the Vibe?
I know, vibes might seem arbitrary. It’s not like there’s some vibe scale we can reference here. But, hear me out!
The “vibe” of the game affects not just how the player feels while playing, but also how they feel after, okay? For example, the Fallout series occurs in a dingy, dirty post-apocalyptic world. You literally have to kill irradiated monsters and bandits in order to survive. No one ever thinks about that and goes, “Ahh, now that’s relaxing!” Or maybe you do, I don’t know. I won’t yuck your yum, dude.
Basically, if you want your game to elicit that cozy feeling we’re looking for, it becomes essential to craft a world that is not overly harsh. This could entail attempting to elicit feelings of nostalgia or a particular aesthetic.
Generally, you can introduce darker elements sporadically (such as the aforementioned mines in Stardew Valley). However, it’s imperative to confine them within consistent and defined boundaries. This approach enhances the allure of these areas and diversifies your game world, without significantly disrupting other parts of the game. And, as we discussed earlier about the freedom to choose objectives, making those areas optional increases player agency. Win-win.
When Cozy Games Don’t Fit the Mold
Sometimes, games the community generally considers cozy don’t quite fit the above parameters. Below are a few examples I’ve noticed over the years:
- Before the Night is primarily a horror game, yet its cute graphics lend it to being often lumped in with other cozy games (I even mention it in my must-play games for Autumn).
- Some older games like Oblivion or Fallout: New Vegas are considered purely because of the nostalgia they bring, rather than the content of the game itself.
So, really, any game can be considered cozy by anyone! Though, when we’re defining in terms of the actual genre, they might not fit the way they should, if that makes sense.
Conclusion
Honestly, what matters most is the feeling games give you and whether you want to feel those feelings. You know what I’m saying?
So, if you want to feel your blood pumping and your core shaking, play a horror game! If you want to feel a sense of adventure, play an RPG!
Me? I like to feel like a literal mug of hot chocolate. So…I’ll stick to my cozy games.
Leave a Reply