A Lawyer's Definitive Cozy Game Tier List (2024 Edition!)

[@moon-channel]

Go to displate.com/moonchannel and use code moonchannel at checkout to get up to 36% off your order!

[@CourtOfWinter]

It says the code is expired.

[@HEYimHeroic]

yeah code doesn't work, it says it's expired for me too

[@moon-channel]

Oh dear... Let me check in with Displate and get that sorted

[@CourtOfWinter]

@@moon-channel Since I needed it for a Christmas present I admittedly used someone else's code, but out of curiosity, did you figure out what happened?

[@moon-channel]

I did not :( I apologize for the inconvenience! Thank you for trying it though: that means a lot.

[@amberhide04]

honestly the whole disneyfication is my biggest vibe killer with a lot of games in this genre, i never managed to put it so succinctly but you killed it

[@gobogoo2329]

it definitely makes "cozy" feel like a marketing term sometimes

[@handsoaphandsoap]

Disney doesn’t bring up cozy feelings, it brings up thoughts of corporatism and being sold to, of marketing and focus groups and shareholders

[@saulitix]

​@@handsoaphandsoapwhile this is true for many of us, the fact the Disneyland is full of people means that there's a huge percentage of the population who still find their vibe cozy

[@ryanweible9090]

weirdly, dreamlight does delve into some sad concepts, but you have to go to the end of the "story" and i was actually somewhat impressed by that.

[@NeverduskX]

Ironically enough, Disney Dreamlight Valley has some of the most emotional moments I've experienced in a cozy game. And genuinely touches upon some very strong themes, in both its main story and through its characters. Heck, Mickey himself is fairly depressed from the start of the game. At times, it feels like classic Disney / Pixar movies.

[@moon-channel]

The actual tier list had a little bit of a desync towards the middle and end of the video! I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience: I edit these videos myself, and sometimes a few mistakes can slip through! Thank you so much for your understanding.

[@igntambir]

I will never forgive you😢

[@imp4356]

Didn't they teach you editing in law school? Thought that was required curriculum these days.

[@internetperson8224]

@@moon-channel I’ll always appreciate the free videos :)

[@DNeonLamp]

4:00 is the most Moon Channel sentence possible. In a video about rating cozy games we must first understand the context of the Danish concept of '*hygge*'

[@ryanweible9090]

humorously enough, since i work for a norwegian company, i am familiar with it, and kind of like it. its basically being happy with what you have and enjoying life. as an american its funny as it couldnt be a more unamaerican concept, but i like it. no getting the bigger car, bigger house, more absurd tv, just enjoy a nice comfy setting and enjoy talking with people who are your friends.

[@mausklick1635]

RPGs like Skyrim, The Witcher and BG3 have so much staying power in large part because I think they are cozy games for a lot of people. Still tens of thousands of concurrent players years after release is quite impressive for single player games.

[@ajbXYZcool]

Kingdom Hearts 2 is such for me, I think! At least until I get to the more challenging side content that I've yet to completely finish.

[@azraelsraven]

Skyrim is definitely cozy to me, because with mods...it becomes a homestead sim where I grow a garden, date a werewolf, build a house, befriend horses, and sometimes hunt a town guard for fun and me time

[@Summer_and_Rain]

someone pointed out that Skyrim is a game for casual players, because there is not much to the combat and I agree. It is fun because I get to do what I want to do and am not limited by my ability to learn how to play, I just play.

[@simonphoenix2563]

need more neo-confucianism

[@ChannelName3230]

Thought you said "neo-faucism" (dr. Fauci covid guy)

[@dogwalk3]

@@ChannelName3230i thought you said "neo-faustianism"; which - Go, off, Goethe!

[@HannesRadke]

@@ChannelName3230 I thought you said "neo-fuchsianism". Which would be an ideological relationship to a color.

[@ElTecnomagoai]

I thought you said neo-coffeianism. Those beans they get you

[@caocaoholdingaplushie6022]

Can someone give me a timestamp?

[@Bugnacious]

I have to admit (and this probably isn't rare): when you brought up the book Coral Island, my mind immediately returns to Lord of the Flies and how that classic was intended as a takedown of a contemporary popular genre, "lost British children use their British values ingrained in them from their few years of schooling to recreate Western society in microcosm and thrive in the wilderness", and in specific a bludgeon to the metaphorical shins of Coral Island.

[@demeowszx]

I miss this kind of videos, I still remember your very first vid about coziness and the last part with your sister reminds me the importance of things that last

[@mightyowl1800]

47:25 "My Animal Crossing bedroom is almost always mermaid themed" TASTE me too king!! it would be the perfect set if there was a bit more interactions with the furniture, places to set things on but you can't deny how GOOD it looks!! 🌊

[@ryanweible9090]

ditto.

[@Chameleonradio]

I used that for the bathroom--can't deny the vibe but I like my sleeping area to be a little more earth toned.

[@MemTMCR]

Hey Moony, Norwegian here, Hygge is a scandinavian idea more broadly. I would love to see a video where you feature it more substantively, because it really does not have an english equivalent

[@aersla1731]

I appreciate those words on the end of the video. It's probably the reason I have shifted more towards cozy games as I grow older. The idea of a world filled with kindness, always and still feels like a pipe dream, but the devs of these games give us a slice of what it could be.

[@hi-ougidemonfang]

I’ve been obsessed with “Smushi come home” lately. It’s a cute cozy 3D platformer with no enemies as far as I can tell, and no real timers to worry about, just a cute mushroom jumping around. Definitely feels windwaker inspired.

[@MikaykayChan]

Smushi was fantastic! I wish there were figures or plushies of him lol

[@syphyt808]

There are plushies of him @@MikaykayChan and they're available already. I went to a convention this year and saw them in person, the devs were giving one away!

[@nunyabiznes7446]

Glad to see Recettear getting the mention it deserves. I still remember getting to the very last day, realizing I wasn't going to make the cut, frantically running down to market and selling my entire stock for a fraction of its value to save my kneecaps by the skin of my teeth. Classic.

[@Tolly7249]

I wound up doing three runs of Teenage Exocolonist. One where I vibed, had a comfy friendship with huggy dog-boy, and became a botanist; one where I was an explorative loner who only really got on with Dys and a huge spoiler character and managed to force a decent ending where the humans got to live comfortably, and one where I was besties with Tammy, helped raise kids and cook, and got myself killed in the finale by not having the stats. I liked the special mechanic and the information I learned from each ending, but by the end of that last run I was more than done with how restrictive it was.

[@Mr_Daniels06]

I have been introduced to a new game genre. Stat builders. And volcano princess will be my first, because raising a daughter in a fantasy world sounds nice

[@EphemeralPseudonym]

ah yes the princess maker type games

[@Lishtenbird]

I thoroughly enjoy Volcano Princess, but do be aware that it has darker and anxiety-inducing themes, and translation is very wonky, and some mechanics are not evident. It is very much an "indie" experience, for better and for worse.

[@LoboRundas]

Never been more hype for a cozy games list, happy very early new year moony and moonsister!

[@Bundle85]

29:10 Congratulations, you played yourself

[@starplane1239]

Eyyyyyyy 👉👉

[@NatalieRath]

Gyatt damn

[@realkingofantarctica]

If my lawyer doesn't play "Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town," then I'd rather go to jail.

[@MrMegaManFan]

Heck yeah brother Moon! We all need some cozy games rn more than ever. Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing, but heck I'd even consider "hidden object" and puzzle games to be cozy too if we use your definition of "taking your mind off the stresses of the world."

[@moon-channel]

Some unfortunate news has emerged concerning Sun Haven. If you're watching this video later in the year, please be aware that circumstances have changed surrounding that game! You can learn more by watch MRIZ's video on the topic, below: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paa2iIODac-Zi7ssi=EBAi9b1wvyEwg5pU

[@SepSyn]

Ahhh I Was A Teenage Exocolonist! I love this game so much. So much fun each time through. Lots of emotions, a genuinely deep and fascinating backstory and current story and a theme song that stucks with you

[@digs_2742]

omg you ending up as a lawyer in elocutionist was peak story-telling. I loved that part the game sounds interesting might check it out ps. wanted to recommend my favorite cozy game: WitchSpringR

[@Cathowl]

Your discussion about what makes Stardew Valley special is incredible because yes, YES. I do love escaping to other worlds for entertainment... but there's something SPECIAL about something that feels real like that. That helps build that sense of connection and trying to be a part of a community. There's an animated music video series called "There She Is" which has a moment which has stuck with me for a long time now. The girl leaves the guy. The harsh world, the bigotry and hatred has gotten too much. She takes a ticket to Paradise and leaves to catch the plane. And the guy chases after her, and on the way, one of the girl's friends offers him a ticket to Paradise to join her. And you know what this guy does? He TEARS THE TICKET TO SHREDS. The video ends with them cleaning hateful graffiti off the vending machines where they met. And that's been in my heart ever since. It's meant a lot to me. We shouldn't just run away from this imperfect world, we should work together and do what work we can. I think Stardew understands that. I think you understand that. Thank you.

[@theguywholiksanime3697]

Im ready to sit in near my mental approximation of a fire place and watch moons cozy tier list while sipping water!

[@Crowyth]

27:42 Wow, you just threw this advice out of nowhere and hit me right where it hurt. The fact that it was just a few seconds of genuine advice on a random cozy game tier list video really made it feel like it was directly targeted at me, and was the tipping point that got me out of a downward spiral. I really needed to hear that, thank you.

[@enfisu586]

In my experience, people love fleshed out alien settings. That's half the reason Morrowind gets so much love. But maybe I spend too much time around nerds who don't represent the buying public. Then again we are a sizable niche.

[@haseebshahbaz6098]

moony, honest question- how are you so well read and versed on a variety of topics? Do you simply study and research prior to a video? Reason why I ask is because you discuss regarding culture, sociology, philosophy, politics, and history in a manner that doesn’t just seem like you did a couple dozen hours of research over the course of weeks. Do you just read a lot, are you actually 50 years old and are a repository of unc knowledge, what’s up? Also wonderful vid to finish off the year, Moonie.

[@Sazazezer]

I would not be surprised if he bothered read a lot and made a lot of notes as he did so. The type of broad knowledge he has smacks of strong link note taking. Either that or he just loves reading Wikipedia.

[@ryanweible9090]

probably being a lawyer is a big part of it. knowing a subject deeply so that you can really defend or pick it apart, in his schooling he probably was trained in the strategies of deeply interrogating concepts and following leads, and thats kind of his style here. "before we discuss x, lets discuss this major component of it in detail"

[@DemiCercle]

VA-11 HALL-A might be a nice cozy game. It has catgirl tho but they are nice and the characters feels authentics.

[@Nastara]

I picked up this month and when I booted it up it was the same day the game starts. December 13th. I’ve been playing one game day everday. It’s sublime.

[@MCArt25]

And much like Stardew, it inspired its own cozy subgenre, the barkeeper-sims

[@alexsantee]

I feel like the android theme made the characters less relatable, but still a great game. My favorite in the barkeeper genre is Coffee Talk, to me it has more real characters and a cozier vibe

[@hammieli1875]

I can never pin down Moon's ethnic background. Now I'm leaning towards Chinese which is so cool! Well at least your Mandarin is on point.

[@silent_reaper999]

Why does this matter to you😅

[@hammieli1875]

@@silent_reaper999 He's might be a Chinese New Yorker! Well since the channel is largely dedicated to East Asian culture studies, I wanted to know what cultural lessons have been taught to Moon. Turns out, we might have a lot in common!

[@outersocks]

​@@silent_reaper999something doesnt have to be super important to be something you idly wonder about ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@ferna5250]

I swore he was lightskin african american lol

[@AndresMora-s3h]

I thought he was Filipino or vietnamese

[@midosyt]

this channel is MY cozy place your videos have never failed to pick me up (also big ups to all the big brothers out there)

[@a.leuchat3168]

I just love that you are as dedicated to analyse cosy kawaii game as you are to analyse geopolitics and social dynamics, all with the same BBC docomentary voice. This is my favority vibe on YT, thanks you for existing. Happy holidays!

[@tomsko863]

Ever since November, Sniper Elite is my cozy game. Slowly getting to a nice view and sending a short, direct message to those who I feel need to hear it. It's the equivalent to fishing for my soul.

[@1fareast14]

13:39 I love how this humblebrag actually turns out self-deprecating

[@corbettcappon6220]

I also recommend you check out "Lil Gator Game", which is a cozy windwaker-like game with a narrative that is evocative, funny, and overall excellent

[@SleepyMatt-zzz]

Second this. Very cute game about growing up.

[@aturchomicz821]

@@SleepyMatt-zzz It truly is the consequence of a Socialist run in Victoria 3; Child Labour is now illegal and primary school is mandatory, the world will never be the same again, now we can dream of a better future, right fellow Trade Unionists?. Basically I couldnt take the game seriously at all, since it doesnt care about the rest of the world, where Child Labour is still around.

[@megans.1504]

Every time Moony talks about his sisters with love and respect (which is every time he talks about them) my trust in him grows 10%. Thanks for all the awesome video essays and game suggestions!

[@bokodasu]

I don't think those changes will fix why I didn't even finish Potionomics, but I'm willing to give it another go. Unfortunately I'm too busy petting all the chickens in the new update of *my* favorite cozy game, Project Zomboid.

[@89ji36]

Your monologue about both Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing made my eyes water and my throat burn a bit. Some games are more than the sum of all their parts. I played ACNH with my mom almost every day during the beginning of COVID-19 when I wasn't able to go to my general public facing job. No matter what was going on we always found time to play together. Of course life happens and we don't get to play together much anymore but it brought us closer like nothing else. Even now the music makes me a bit teary eyed. Thank you for doing both games justice this way.

[@Shantara11]

I waited for the cozy mode update until picking up Potionomics. Currently in middle of my playthrough, and I think I made the right decision. Great game when you don't have to suffer through the timeslot anxiety!

[@Lishtenbird]

I was looking at that game several times, and every time decided against it because of its lack of an (official) cozy mode. I still find it odd that it wasn't there for such a long time, but glad that they finally changed their mind, and now more people will get to play it the way they'll enjoy it.

[@noctap0d]

1:08 "Or afford to own your own home" 😂😂😂 Savagely realistically sad 😂

[@SARJABInc]

My favorite villager has always been Biskit, too!! Great taste, Pearlie :D

[@cosygracegames]

Cozy games rule!! I absolutely loved your list last year, and this one did not disappoint! You say your thoughts about these so succinctly, I couldn’t have said the words better myself! Loved this, merry Christmas!

[@nobleoxidation]

Cozy games with cultural coziness in mind is something I REALLY wanted from Coral Island and I'm hoping that there will at least some shift toward it. I was one of the original backers for the game because i wanted to play a non-western style game. I wanted to play a genre ive loved since I was young, but with a different cultural approach.

[@ComradePhoenix]

27:50 As someone who's recently been dumped, I needed to hear that. Thanks, Moony.

[@SimuLord]

My favorite cozy game six years running is American Truck Simulator. With a podcast or an audiobook on in the background, my cat asleep on the desk next to the keyboard (and occasionally rolling or pawing at said keyboard and running the truck off the road, but that's a story for another day), and the hum of the engine of my Volvo VNL 300 providing the backbeat to the whole experience, it's the perfect shift from my "I screw up and our fishermen can't do their jobs because the vendors cut us off" work in accounting from 8 to 4 every weekday.

[@xPszEmeGx]

Personally, I'd recommend WitchSpring R. It's a really cute and cozy JRPG with a beautiful story, well-written characters, and, in my opinion, an underrated gem among the games I played this year-even though I’m not typically a huge fan of JRPGs.

[@Lishtenbird]

I watched a full playthrough and enjoyed it immensely. It was positively surprising just how much quality there was for an anime-style game, and how well it used the fun anime tropes but (mostly) avoided the bad ones. Very cute, very cozy!

[@Miiias]

I always find it so interesting to learn about how different people approach relaxation. Especially since everyone basically tries to do the same thing, which is to shift focus, be it through „immersion“ like Moony or „concentration“ on my part. Just different ways of blending thoughts out, that for whatever reason need completely different stimulus which depend on so many criteria, I love it 🤓

[@eighth08]

Good news on Rune Factory, 5 isn't the end though it nearly ended for good before 5 even released. There's two more in the development pipeline. 6 & Guardians of Azuma. The snippets of Guardians we've seen don't look as clunky in the movement so hopefully they got the hang of it.

[@wusuosaltchannel4922]

I would like to recommend one that's a bit of an anomaly, because it is cozy...and edgy - yog sothoth's yard: you manage a hotel for eldritch critters, with all that it implies. There's romance too.

[@Devedrus]

I highly recommend Amber Isle as a cozy game to review. It's got a fun and distinct theme around prehistoric creatures, and shop management mechanics that are pleasantly difficult if you want to optimize but plenty forgiving if you can't keep up. Lots of characters too, and almost all of them have an amusing link to the science behind their species.

[@gregdan3d]

I'm shocked Webfishing didn't make it to the list!

[@starplane1239]

On one hand, absolutely. On the other hand, multiplayer can lead to some unhinged interactions and singleplayer just feels...well, disconnected.

[@aturchomicz821]

Hes no Homosexual, he just wouldnt understand imo

[@alistairlacaille]

I absolutely love this channel! I have never played a cozy game in my life... I've never had any interest in cozy games... I will likely never play a cozy game in my life. They're just not for me. With all that said, who but Moony could make an almost hour long video on a topic I otherwise couldn't care less about, and get me to not only watch it end to end, but thoroughly enjoy it in the process? Bravo my friend, bravo. 👏👏👏

[@qasderfful]

Hearing your take on Luma Island (once they figure themselves out) would be interesting.

[@mrhatsy]

I don't play any traditional cozy games but I gave Subnautica a full on replay this year so that is my cozy game of the year. I had 3 Cuddlefish! okay I lost one of the two I got from time capsules before finding the one in the world so I only really had 2 at a time so not really 3. I was really connected to my home made out of mainly one large room split into multiple smaller rooms by a big aquarium. One of my favourite parts of the game was whenever I thought of a new project to spice up my home and I would spend several hours working on it. I am excited for Subnautica 2 whenever it comes out, and I am eagerly awaiting Slime Rancher 2 to come out of early Access.

[@devin_blaze1616]

Have a good holiday Mooney and family. Looking forward to more awesome videos, but most importantly looking forward to trying Volcano Princess. It sounds like just the right recipe to make this 33 year old man's heart melt, something I always enjoy feeling. All the best.

[@leandronc]

My favorite cozy game ever is A Short Hike. It's actually cracks my top 10 games ever, amazing for a game with a 2 hour playthrough (into which I've poured almost 100 hours). It looks, plays, and sounds amazing, and it's just good to inhabit the game.

[@jillm9520]

Thanks for this and a great year of content! I listen to your videos while I work late at night and I feel like your content is a source of hygge when I don't have time to game!

[@JockMurphy]

I cannot express how much I appreciate the breadth and depth of what you cover. Legal details, history, culture, cozy games and all are a joy to experience and I am deeply grateful for them all

[@Antifrost]

This honestly made me realize how few new games I've played this year, cozy or otherwise. It's not even like I forgot about these games releasing or couldn't afford them; instead, this is the first I'm hearing of a good chunk of them.

[@crunchcmacmillan]

love your content! as someone who struggles to get into traditional "cozy" games, i always find it interesting to see what games other people relax to. i always struggled to get into animal crossing and most other farm sim/ life sim games, but for some reason stardew always hit for me. i know it doesnt really fall into the definition of cozy games you set up in this video, but ive always found the sims and house flipper to be perfect "sit back and relax" type games. but then again i also find soulsborne relaxing so maybe my tastes are wildly different from most people. keep up the good work man!

[@senpainoticedyou6182]

God I was addicted to growing up, I wish it was more popular. For the devs to continue updating it.

[@Tianke]

I honestly appreciate this so much. I'm a AAA game developer and I'm always playing these giant open worlds or the latest flashy action adventures because it's relevant for my work. I've been getting burnt out with games, honestly, they're a job. So recently I've been trying to get into smaller, more intimate games, that either give me some feel good experience or a wholesome story, and your list is a gold mine. If I could add something to your list, it would definitely be Coffee Talk and Venba. Both pretty short narrative games with recipe elements, by SEA developers. I really enjoyed them for a quiet afternoon.

[@rilstrup83]

If u like coffee talk, Tavern Talk is similar

[@sansundertale2424]

I love all the Christmas covers in (mostly) pokemon's game's soundfonts. Is there a playlist of them?

[@MMAPhreak21]

This video actually gave me a word for something I had been feeling for a while about one of my favorite cozy games: Wylde Flowers. The Disneylandification of that game is so real, though it is lampshaded a bit in a spoilery way. I'd definitely like to see it on next year's tierlist but it would probably wind up in B or C for that reason.

[@implozia-rewind]

Thank you for the amazing tierlist one again! Glad you made the second installment and look forward to the next! It would bring me great joy if you give my cozy game of choice, Silme Rancher! (either 1 or 2, they are quite similar, with 2 simply having more to it but being early access still whereas I did finish 1 and had me hook, line and sinker until the end!) I think that sense of belonging that I don't feel with other games happens so... seamlessly for me with Silme Rancher, and I find myself so engrossed, hours and hours pass without notice! There's always something to do, fully propelled by yourself, and once you get mid to late game, you simply want to unlock everything, explore every nook and cranny, and get all the beautiful expansions!

[@ArthurPhoenix]

I love it when someone can talk about a piece of media like Animal Crossing in a way that really makes me appreciate it, even if I didn't enjoy it myself.

[@SnakeintheGarden]

A friend actually bought me Potionomics and I hated it for the reasons you mentioned - the limited time to do anything, the boss fights, and the micromanaging was pretty frustrating and I just wanted to chill - thanks for letting me know about the new mode! I might actually get into it now.

[@superbtelevision]

My dad has thousands of hours in animal crossing new horizons. He has frequently fallen asleep fishing and loves decorating his island with all sorts of Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who references. Very grateful that a game like animal crossing exists as a peaceful place to simply exist and express yourself.

[@eternalded4445]

Thanks for the video, Moony. Really appreciated that you mention Subnautica as a representative of the genre. The kind of warming-near-campfire-under-harsh-environment cozy games sounds like a theme worth exploring. For some reason they generally feel more comforting.

[@TaniaRocha_tsr]

I really like how you look at cozy games. They are, in my experience, a space where we come back to remember that we are human. They have "meaning", even when they do not have "purpose" (Animal Crossing allows itself to be boring, and it is cozy because of that, not despite it). I am not finding the words to explain it better, I'm afraid. But it's that: a place without "you must".

[@lilies-and-lilies]

Yes! To everything you had to say about Coral Island. I was quite disappointed about the lack of depth but maybe they're improving on that 😮

[@magicfoxsocks]

I’ve spent more than 75 hours playing Dreamlight Valley since starting it a few weeks ago, and even after a game-ending crash forcing me to reset everything and start again, I still love this game. The comments on the game hurt a little bit, probably because they’re more true than I want to admit.

[@NaughtMax]

Potionomics has been on my list of games to play since its release but I’ve lacked the mental bandwidth to really play games. I think it’s a super appealing concept and I’m excited to play it when I can play games again

[@implozia-rewind]

9:05 My man gravitating towards Goth/Dark Academia is just *chef's kiss* A man of true culture, mad respect and resonate the same xD

[@graceggale]

I parasocially care about you, Moony. Happy holidays! ❤❤❤

[@altioc]

I involuntarily expelled air from my nose at the caterpillar line, good work.

[@melonysnicket]

One of my favourite cozy games this year was Wilmot Works It Out, the surprise sequel to Wilmot's Warehouse I didn't know I needed. It's simple, focused, and incredibly homey

[@cornshot9857]

Harvest moon FOMT mention and you get it right, it is the best! That makes me trust your opinions on this list sooo much more lol

[@TransientWitch]

My Animal Crossing room is almost always a tech-laced aquarium theme if I can put it together. Still, and cool, and shadowed like the deep sea. I find it very soothing.

[@NeneAmanoCh]

I love all of your regular content, and I loved this video too! Thank you!

[@Sjellokat]

15:33 I absolutely Love Potionomics! So glad to see it make the list, and I will be going back to replay it soonish

[@loveeevee396]

Garden Paws mentioned! I love that game to pieces, and it feels like nobody plays it. It’s very Animal Crossing-esque in feeling with bits and pieces of gameplay taken from Stardew Valley. My only major gripe is how crafting is split into separate workbenches. My backyard is littered with at least 7 different workbenches because certain furniture sets require their own for whatever reason

[@realdbh]

Thank you Moonie. These videos, and your channel as a whole, bring me a unique feeling I have very rarely seen on this platform. Keep up the great work, and enjoy your holidays. If anyone's earned it, it's you.

[@seeranos]

If you’re interested in a great game inspired by Pacific Islander experiences, Tchia is a game specifically designed by and about New Caledonians. It has real wind waker / breath of the wild vibes, and I find it to be very cozy indeed.

[@svenbtb]

Thank you for this video, and for all of your videos this year Moony! I appreciate what you do here so much. Here's hoping Mistria will be finished next year I really wanna play it, it looks so cute!

[@jeonwooki]

You know what? Talking about harvest moon makes me remember about a video I've watched a few years back (I can't remember which one, or if it even existed) about natsume and marvelous situation that make the game 'Harvest Moon' and 'Story of Seasons' two completely different games. I really want to know about the whole situation, and I feel like Moony is the perfect person to tackle this topic in like an hour to two hours long video.

[@Jaysontheraven]

This video was so nice to watch , it made me more interested in checking out more cozy games, thank you for going over all the various aspects of the games' experience 🌱

[@haydenarlo1950]

put volcano princess over growing up. rip. 😭 he wasn’t lying about save-scumming in exocolonist either, cause you literally cannot even attempt to romance tammy in your first playthrough without save-scumming

[@TheCencc]

That game sounds like it hates the player with how it won't let you end up with anyone lmao

[@andream8655]

this was a really beautiful video. I hope everyone find peace and love outside of a cozy game, and has a good new year

[@jaredmozzochi2452]

I'm so excited to tune into any of the videos you make in 2025, heavy topics or light hearted.

[@NerdettesNewsStand]

This is awesome, ur narration made it more then just an end year video

[@EvynTheBooksmith]

As a Dane, it is always a treat to hear people say "hygge", or as we would say "det er altid hyggeligt at høre folk sige 'hygge'". 😁 Speaking of Danish, I just realized that LEGO, as far as I remember, has never tried to make a cozy game. That is such a missed opportunity and I hope they do one day, and do it well.

[@aturchomicz821]

Sucking up all the district collectibles and missions on the roof tops/Cranes/Skyscrapers/sewers in Lego City Undercover is extremely cozy and relaxing, actually☝🏻🤓

[@arklanuthoslin]

I both resent and agree with the factorio comment. I love that game with my heart and soul, but I always end up on some deep, many step long curiosity dive of "why the hell is that not working?" and forget what I was really doing.

[@Kenneth1412]

Wonderful tierlist You have a way with words, I teared up. I love video games and media, the way they give hope for a better world

[@implozia-rewind]

29:05 OHHHH NOOOO MOONIE AAAAAAAA I am GENUINELY SO SO VERY SORRY MY GUY! If I may be so honest, as I became 19 and moving to a new country on my own, I thought my fate would be the same. Nobody's No.1, never find love, and having to fully dedicate myself to a career hope I will carve some stability and maybe a few accolades, if barely. Fortunately, somebody did find me and change my mind and haven't been the same since but I admit, what made it so was luck. BUT I AM SUPER DUPER SURE IS POSSIBLE AND NEVER 0%! YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!

[@atiny_em3ra1ddrag0n]

If you like story, characters, and a sense of community that some of the games in this list lacked, you might enjoy Wylde Flowers. First, an Apple Arcade game, it is super fun on the Switch. I started playing on Apple Arcade and logged at least 100 hours. I switched to the Switch version and logged another 150 hours into just the first year (in Relaxed mode). Also, I love the "My Life as a Teenage Robot" mention. Happy Holidays!!

[@splatlandss]

27:51 this advice just clotheslined me in the face while i was doing some dishes, u cant do this to me moony😭

[@mary_nyan]

Cozy video from my favorite cozy channel :P Thank you for mentioning Teenage Exocolonist! It sounds like my type of game and i don't think i would have found it otherwise! And i know you didn't really ask for it, but may i recommend you the atelier series (Potionomics reminded me of it) and Core Keeper (if you enjoy the aimless exploration of Terraria)? Atelier has been my cozy go-to for years, and core keeper has been a recent favorite between my friends and I. For the rest, happy holidays to you and sisters, and thank you for another year of great videos! Looking forward to what 2025 will bring ^^

[@iDefected]

Love your videos, Moon, thanks for another wonderful cozy game roundup! +1 to the Potionomics moved up to S tier, I played it for the first time after the update and it's hands down one of the most charming games I've played in a long time. The music and the characters live rent free in my head. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on Harvestella, picked it up after getting really stuck into RF4 and I see a lot of big parallels between the two. Also your thoughts on Stardew and Animal Crossing with it's imperfect characters and varied emotions are exactly why Fields of Mistria feels so hollow to me...Very curious how the final release of the game will shape up.

[@chillyprotocol]

Coming here from reddit. I typically leave my feedback as a comment so with that in mind, I chose this video as it pertains to my interests more than everything else on your channel. You've got a great speaking and you are excellent with your delivery. I would expect this learning that you are a lawyer, giving statements to the court definitely prepares you for prolonged speaking. Your videos are well edited with excellent audio balance throughout. You don't use obnoxious levels of jokes and memes and your humor is subtle and clever. I had to nitpick quite hard to find anything to complain about and I have a feeling you may have thought about this now and again, but your videos are quite long. While that definitely appeals to your audience as is evident by your views and engagement, for me at least your voice combined with the relaxed tone of the video and length does cause my attention to wane after a while. The dialogue at times comes across as overly wordy, which makes a lot of sense given your day job. I liked the 2023 edition a bit better than the 2024 edition of this tier list, once I got past the definition section (which I understood, but wasn't a fan of.) I deeply respect that you are still open to feedback even though you are already quite successful and I would imagine that your open mindedness to criticism is why your success is what it is. Thank you for giving back to the youtube community, have a great day!

[@bryangillis1362]

Thanks for all the recommendations here! I'll share one with you in turn: The Atelier series - in particular I recommend the first Atelier Ryza game as a starting point. It's part JRPG, part collecting and crafting with its alchemy system. The plot is simple and light, though can't resist getting a bit serious towards the end (kind of like Rune Factory).