Summary
With therise of hit indie games likePalworldandLethal Company, there’s been a real drive for players to lean intoindie gamingmore than ever before, discovering creative, original gems made by small development teams. With passion projects and heartfelt stories coming to life by those dedicated to making them a reality, it’s no surprise that many adore the indie gaming landscape, and especially the cozier side of relaxing titles to escape with.
ThroughEarly Access releases, these indie teams have only begun to thrive further, allowing developers to crowdfund for their titles andgarner audience feedback in the earlier stagesof their projects. Enhanced by ongoing updates and community involvement, these Early Access indie games are often some of the best out there, taking on player critiques before an impactful full release down the line.
Now, let’s check out some ofthe best cozy indie games in Early Accessthat players might’ve missed!
Stranded at sea,Havendockoffers a respite away from the world in more ways than one, asking the player to build a haven for castaways floating at sea far away from the industrialized cities they know. Through general resource management and gathering, the beginner’s humble wooden dock will quickly transform into a bustling town filled with houses, a lighthouse, a greenhouse, and more.
Intended to be a peaceful getaway,Havendockperfectly slots into the cozy gaming category as something that’s hard to put down. Its Early Access launch has also been integral in tweaking and changing gameplay elements, leaving the development open-ended for community feedback and growth, which should only further encourage players to pick it up.
Pulling the player into easy-going gameplay and grounded natural visuals, the new puzzlerPreservedelivers on being a cozy indie treat. Reminiscent of the recent gorgeous puzzlersDorfromantikandPan’orama,the gameplay revolves around card choices dragged onto hexagonal tiles, creating luscious nature scenes of green and autumnal forests, magical biomes, rivers, and more.
With changing seasons and conjoining tile selections, players are encouraged to create a vibrant ecosystem with their selections, placing plants and animals in the places best suited for them to thrive. Through dev vlog updates, the team continue to sharetheir upcoming intentions for progression in Early Access with players, continuing to build something that’s easy to escape into.
As much as gamers often look to pick up video games for a break from the real world, there’s something aboutGrocery Store Simulatorthat makes those everyday tasks feel like an unexpected treat. As players run their own grocery store, gameplay includes scanning items, hiring employees, placing and stocking shelves, setting prices to match competitors, managing their own warehouse, and even teaming up in co-op to make a supermarket empire.
With an addictive gameplay loop that’s easy to sink hours into,Grocery Store Simulatoris a definite cozy indie game to retreat into when needed. The most recent Early Access updates have even seen the implementation of employee commands, morale and shift patterns, as well as other beneficial changes like shelf labels and general customization to make everyone’s store their own, keeping it fresh each time players return.
Embark on a countryside escape inSnacko,a cat-based life simulator that blends gorgeous 3D graphics with a pixelated twist. Rebuilding the town from scratch, it’s up to the player to set up a bustling little town as they decorate, collect, produce, and make friends with the locals on this sweet little journey.
With vast open areas and biomes, there’s plenty of narrative and gameplay to uncover as players progress, meeting with a cast of engaging characters to enrich the story along the way. Other elements like puzzles, farming, and building are sure to keep everyone occupied, all the while the developers add new Early Access quests, tool upgrades, building items, and plenty more, all based on feedback received along the way.
As mayor of the rundown town inGo-Go Town!,gamers get free rein in constructing their chosen shops, hiring staff, automating deliveries, attracting tourists, and more, blending a life-sim experience with management elements into one addictive mix. Through terraforming and farming, the world is moldable to players' liking, giving them power tools to customize their town to be their own.
When gamers want an escape from the hustle, the town offers a bunch of townsfolk to meet, arcade games to ace, dances to learn, and food to devour, keeping players occupied in whatever they choose to do. Early Access has also paved the way for new features like a vastly expanded map, subways, customization, terraforming options, and other additions still on the way.
Set in the scorching desert,Dinkumtakes life-sim players on a new adventure, taking place in a setting that’s a refreshing switch up from the usual rural villages that cozy gamers have come to love. Setting the player up for discovery with tropical eucalyptus forests, vast deserts, cool billabongs, and more, this Australian outback setting is one that’s guaranteed to take players on a cozy adventure far, far away.
As players are in charge of building their own town, setting up a farm and making friends with the locals,Dinkumfeels like an experience crafted around whoever decides to play. There’s a lot more to see too, with Australian wildlife like jackaroos, wombats, crocodiles, fish, and bugs. Early Access has also seen the addition of new tools, events, and more, keepingDinkumprogressing towards what will be an exciting full launch down the line.
Thrown into an underground world of adventure,Core Keepertakes place deep below the ground with entire biomes, structures, and more to see and uncover. With few story details other than players being torn from their fellow adventurers (unless they choose to play multiplayer),Core Keeperinstead jumps headfirst into the gameplay with a mix of mining, building, fighting and crafting elements that have seen it compared tothe greats likeTerrariaandMinecraft.
Despite featuring survival elements and combat, there’s something really cozy about the experience ofCore Keeper.Whether it’s the cute base building, ambient lighting, unique creatures, or something else, it offers an escape even through the more stressful times that await. What’s more, the Early Access period has allowed for the developers to deliver on epic events, new biomes, and so much more, all because of fan feedback.
There’s nothing quite like aneasy-going life-sim, andResearch Storyticks plenty of boxes as another relaxing retreat from the world, while equally standing out as something new. After relocating to the town of Shimmerbrook, this game’s protagonist begins work for the local research collective, documenting the strange new species of plants and animals in the area. Discovering cute cat-like creatures with leaf stems, exotic plants, and lots more, these magical lands feel rich with stories to tell.
Despite being in Early Access,Research Storyalready offers players a full release’s wortth of content. From developing friendships and relationships with NPCs, to fishing, farming, foraging, creature taming, and completing research projects, this new spin on the farming and life-sim genres brings new fun to be found as research becomes the player’s number one objective.
Since therise of games likeStardew Valley,cozy gamers have been yearning for an escape that offers the same charm, exploration, and things to do with an entirely unique concept of its own, andFields of Mistriamight be that missing piece. As players start their new lives in this farming and life-sim blend,Fields of Mistriaembraces not just the ease of the everyday, but the whimsicality of magic and fantasy weaved into a game that’s like home.
An idyllic village between the forest and the sea, the town of Mistria quite literally feels like a dream, taking players to a place overflowing with magic and potential. There’s plenty to do too, encompassing all the expected features of a life-sim with farming, fishing, mining, and crafting, as well as the unique additions of magic, animal breeding, ancient ruins, romanceable NPCs, festivals, quests, and more.
A sequel to the hit indie slice-of-life management and exploration gameSlime Rancher,the Early Access release ofSlime Rancher 2further builds upon the base of the original with so much more depth, technical improvements, and plenty more to do. Continuing the adventures of protagonist Beatrix LeBeau, this new island is filled with bright, vibrant colors, ancient technology, new resources, characters and, of course, new adorable slimes.
With upgrades, gadgets, base expansions, a gorgeous visual overhaul, and more,Slime Rancher 2stands out as the perfect cozy game, and one that’ll often have players forgetting it’s not even fully completed yet. Through Early Access,the teamcontinue to add new creative slimes, features, and more, across the board, enhancing the player experience as they go.
