25 Cozy Games to Play on a Rainy Sunday Afternoon

1. A Short Hike

What better way to start this list than a game about a summer vacation away from the city? It's about a short hike up Hawk Peak in search of cell signal. There’re fun things to do along the way like finding seashells and fishing. I won't spoil what happens when you reach the peak. All I can say is this game made me appreciate time away from my phone and my mom.

2. Melatonin

Speaking of time away from my phone, the next one is Melatonin. It's a great replacement for doom scrolling before bed. This is a rhythm game that blends dreams and reality. The lo-fi beats and the purply visuals are so cozy.

3. Astroneer

Terraforming new worlds might sound a little overwhelming. In Astroneer, it doesn't have to be. The outer space here is bright and colorful, and you get a lot of freedom to do what you want to do. Whether it's crafting things like space matter, or building bases, or just going out to find new things. There isn't a lot of pressure holding you back, and you can even play with friends.

4. Abzu

I've always wondered what it would be like to be a mermaid, because I think it would be so cool to explore the sea. In Abzu, we're not exactly mermaids, but we get to explore a water world filled with beautiful creatures and ancient buildings. It's also relaxing. They even have a meditation mode. The controls can be a bit confusing at first. Just like in real life, learning how to swim is so rewarding.

5. New Pokémon Snap

New Pokémon Snap. In New Pokémon Snap, all you do is take cute photos of cute Pokémon. That's it. Catching Pikachu's cute dance of happiness overeating fruit or Squirtle piggyback riding Lapras is therapy dupe.

6. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

If you can't get enough of taking cute animal photos, check out Alba, a wildlife adventure. It's another summer vacation themed game. This time we not only explore the island, but we might also end up saving it as well. Alba is the kind of character who won't ignore litter. She takes it upon herself to clean the island, rescue and catalog the animals, and even repair a few bridges.

7. My Time at Portia

If you like cozy games, then you probably grew up with Harvest Moon. My time at Portia feels like the modern version, with cute pastel 3D and a whole lot more activities. You can go horse racing, get better at cooking, and yes, there's combat. Don't worry, it's nothing you can't handle.

8. Coral Island

For a more aquatic farmland feel, there's Coral Island. With the island setting, it focuses a lot on preserving the ocean. So, on top of managing the farm and romancing their characters, you can go fishing and collecting trash from the bottom of the ocean. Since it's still in early access, you might find some frustrating bugs. Then again, there's so much to do, you'll hardly notice.

9. Ooblets

Forget everything you know about making new beast friends. In Ooblets, you won't get anywhere with violence. Instead, you make new friends by defeating them in dance battles. After you give them treats, of course. Basically, it's a mix of life sim and Pokémon, with a lot of cute and weird twists.

10. Unpacking

Unpacking is a game about organizing your life. Unpack things from boxes and find a place for them. Each chapter is a new house, and you can tell a lot about the changes in your life by things she keeps and where she displays them.

11. A Little to the Left

A little to the left is a game that I like a bit more than unpacking. It's also an organization game, but it's a bit more puzzle heavy. The key is finding proper places for household objects, so they're displayed neatly and beautifully.

12. Terra Nil

We can take cleaning up the environment to a planetary level with Terra Nil. It's a simulation game where we use future tech to revive Earth, restoring it to the lush blue and green heaven it once was. Terra Nil requires a bit of strategy. If you're looking to play something that will give your thinking brain a break, the next two games are just that.

13. Dorfromantik

Dorfromantik plays like a solo board game. Much like Melatonin, I love playing it just before bed or when I'm winding down listening to a podcast. You play styles and create a beautiful German landscape. There's some strategy involved, but the stakes are low, and you can ignore them all together.

14. Townscaper

If you want to go full on relaxed city building mode, try Townscaper. All you do is pick a color and plop down colored blocks. The game helps you build a little town complete with little houses, castles, bridges, backyards and more. There's no real goal to this game. It's all about creating something beautiful.

15. Coffee Talk

Is there anything better than talking over coffee? Turn that into a visual novel and you get coffee talk. Aside from being a barista serving their drinks, you also have a heart-to-heart relationship with patrons who each bring different stories to the table. The best part is you get that chill cafe atmosphere the whole time you're playing.

16. Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery

This puzzle game lets you take on the life of an artist. In between segments of interactive painting, you make cups of coffee, listen to music, and work on getting your portfolio out. All the while, a story uncovers itself and it can get emotional from there. Still, with its art style and creative puzzles, it's easy to get lost in.

17. Firewatch

When it comes to storytelling, Firewatch deserves some recognition. Forests can make you think of campfires and smores over the fire. They're also scary and isolated. In Firewatch, you get to see the journey of a man venturing into the wild with only a walkie-talkie to keep him company. However you take the story, the breathtaking woodland scenery will definitely stay with you.

18. Gris

Gris means gray in French, and you do start out in this black and white world, but the more you progress, the more colors you bring back. While this game has a story, it's all a bit vague. What's not vague is the emotion the game brings out. Every time I unlocked a color, it felt like a warm hug after a long day or catharsis after a good cry.

19. Spiritfarer

On paper, Spiritfarer can be a bit dark. You play as a grim reaper on a boat-type character, helping souls cross to the afterlife by fulfilling their final wishes. When you actually play it, you'll discover that it's beyond a simple quest completion game. The warmth I felt playing this doesn't stop at the pretty visuals, but also in the relationships I made with the characters in this game.

20. Illustrated

Illustrated filled a need I've had for the longest time. To play a straight-up jigsaw puzzle without the mess, nor the possibility of missing pieces. This type of game isn't exactly revolutionary, especially while looking at all the other jigsaw puzzle games. What I love about Illustrated is the lack of ads, the Vincent van Gogh paintings, and the little stories and fun facts about the artists.

21. Good Pizza, Great Pizza

What's more satisfying than jigsaw puzzles? Pizza. Good Pizza, Great Pizza is a free-to-play game that's not only cute, it also isn't riddled with ads. Actually, you can play this game offline to skip all the ads. In this, we run a small pizzeria. We meet a diverse set of customers who really like custom pizzas. This game can be quite addicting and even a little challenging after a couple of chapters.

22. Donut County

Donut County. If playing a hole in the ground trying to consume everything sounds ridiculous, that's because it is. It isn't really that serious, and that's kind of what makes it fun. You get a scene, you play around with it, and eventually make everything disappear. And after that, you're back with friends, cracking you up around a campfire. Sometimes that's all you need.

23. PowerWash Simulator

See? Mindless can be meditating. That's what Powerwash Simulator teaches you. You go face-to-face with dirt and grime, and you focus on the bright and sparkly results. Once you get going, the “ssss” of the washer and the “ding” of the job well done will keep you going.

24. Figment

Pigment's dreamlike world is a great place to relax in. While there are a few combat scenes, the music, the storybook appeal, and the clever puzzles make the whole adventure worth your while.

25. What Remains of Edith Finch

Is What Remains of Edith Finch cozy? Hmm, I think of it as an interactive movie. Yes, the title sounds like a horror game, and the story is grim, but it left me more hopeful than horrified. It's immersive, and I really enjoy the twists and turns in the narrative. If you haven't played it yet, I envy you for being able to play it for the first time.