Why Cozy Games Fail To Understand Coziness

[@bartomolev6682]

there is no cozy without danger. a place becomes cozy puerly becouse of how much it contrasts the danger outside like a nice modern apartment that warm and well lit during a thunderstorm or a cabin in the woods with sturdy doors and a furnace heating the room portecting you from the everpresent cold outside during the winter

[@purringfurball2817]

If you are living in a stay safe zone, you may want to touch a game that is pure danger to create cozy sparks.

[@Wotvr]

Watching this in the maximum cozy situation. It's snowing like crazy outside and I'm sitting by the wood stove with a blanket and coffee. Thanks for the upload 👍

[@drax-thedarklord7605]

The games I find most cozy are survival games. Project Zomboid, Vintage Story, or The Long Dark to name a few. Imagine eating canned beef in the safety of your home. after fighting off zombies and looting abandoned buildings all day. Or waiting out a snowstorm in a cabin warmed by a crackling fire. These games are stressful for most of their gameplay, fending off dangerous animals and monsters, scavenging for food and trying to make most out of the little you have, but when you can finally relax, the peaceful feeling of coziness is unlike anything I ever felt when playing cozy games.

[@kappanova1302]

I relate to the sentiment of "coziness" being defined by contrasts very much, thank you for articulating your disconnect. Outer Wilds became a (mostly) very cozy game to me after I got over my FOMO while exploring the world

[@tegxi]

Incredible you went through an entire video talking about the concept of cozy games in its various forms without mentioning minecraft. The feeling of comfort of resting after a long adventure in a home that you built is, I think, the epitome of what you were talking about in this video. Due to the sandbox nature, I think minecraft has a unique capability to feel like home.

[@samunderwood5414]

that was literally my thoughts watching this video

[@saevus2686]

I definitely recommend Dredge if you are looking for a cozy game that fits "cozy" more aptly.

[@ghost_limit]

Thank you for the recommendation, looks super interesting!

[@toa12th4]

I completely relate to the idea that a game being ruthlessly time-bounded and hostile to completion is detrimental to the cozy factor, and I'm surprised nobody has brought it up in relation to stardew before

[@TESkyrimizer]

So if I understand it please allow me to summarize this concisely: True coziness cannot exist in a vacuum but must be contrasted against dangerous or stressful situations. Only then will coziness of safe spaces in the game world achieve the feeling. Is that about it? Actually if I think about it Minecraft was very cozy too. Coming back from a dangerous mining trip and then watching the rain fall around your house. But it didn't trigger the cozy genre birth like SV and AC.

[@fractalsauce]

I just want to say you did a really great job with this video! I've been following you for a while now and I can see your writing and video skills developing and growing each video. I hope you keep at it because I really feel like you've got a great perspective and I love hearing your thoughts on video games and how we as humans react to them and how they affect us :)

[@ghost_limit]

Happy to hear you liked it! And thank you for leaving comments and supporting me. I'm not planning to quit any time soon :)

[@hxsort]

Great video! Congrats on finishing the script even after losing part of it. I agree, Stardew Valley was never cozy for me. I tend to go on to the puzzle side of things, so some games like Stephen's Sausage Roll had really good cozy vibes for me. The visuals, sounds, music and me quietly solving the puzzle for very long minutes were some very cozy moments. Dark Souls was always very cozy for me too. The exploration part of it, just witnessing that world, wandering through the forests... that's some real cozy!

[@ghost_limit]

Glad to hear you liked it! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@DerpyEinstein]

I somewhat despite #cozy as a tag because a lot of games that either use that in marketing or get tagged as cozy are genuinely some of the most tedious, money grubby, or stressful titles I have ever played. By a lot of their logic; Fallout76 is a cozy game because of all the microtransations to purchase different outfits and base decorations to show off your personality. It is a 1:1 carbon copy of Animal Crossing Pocket Camp minus the combat and exploration. There's so many "cozy" games that charge you $20 dollars for something you won't even play for 4 hours. Either because the game is short or because you might find there is no soul to it. There are so many games that have replay ability or will have you playing them for more than that time and/or for less money. People should be playing Slime Rancher, Goat Simulator, Potion Craft, BABBDI, Kill it With Fire, Donut County, Webbed, or even The Looker. These games are either free or can be purchased on heavy discounts for under 10 dollars. 'Please, Touch the Artwork 2' is genuinely one the best free games I have played this year. And I think if you check out any free game this year, it should be this one. And if you want a second recommendation, play BABBDI. Great video.

[@Blirre]

Cozy basically means atmospheric and casual in games. Animal Crossing New Horizons was good, but it had many flaws compared to the previous game New Leaf. I've been waiting for a game that would hit those spots that Animal Crossing missed but I can't find one even though many games clearly tried. I love base building. I want a game that has that but without pointless endless repetition of chores. It's curious how it seems developers just can't seem to find the magic.

[@g-56]

Your voice is calming, as always Dont ask me why, it just is Video's great

[@janninejeleva9866]

I completely agree that there is oversaturation in the market and I'm tired of farming game. In my opinion "Cozy" is a bad descriptor of the genre. A better word might be "Wholesome". Its very important to mention how overwhelmingly female the audience is compared to other types of games. In a way it's a safe bubble for the objectively toxic gaming community. Some of the core attributes of the genre are: strong NPCs and atmosphere. Arbitrary and diverse goals which give you internal satisfaction. Peacefull and nonthreatening environment. Some of the games women found that wholesomeness before the genre include Minecraft, the Sims, fallout 4 and ofcourse Stardew valley. I understand your point and I agree that cozy is completely subjective descriptor, but I think your video is lacking the context of those games. They were created as an alternative to the violent and competitive online space, to be a welcoming and cozy relaxed experience.

[@chrono4998]

This is exactly how i feel about Stardew Valley! When playing it i suffered from a lot of anxiety, depression and adhd and i never was able to get more than a few hours into a farm because id get so overwhelmed and just never pick it up again. It was legitimately stressfull anytime i was not just talking to my favourite characters

[@catlover12045]

ratchet and clank 3 is such a classic childhood game. Played it through like 5 times. Brings back such memories.

[@ggarrus5355]

The algorithm is show this so much, I won't be suprised if this blows up fast.

[@andrempmorais]

Thank you so much for this nobody mentions how much stressful Stardew Valley really gets!

[@LePeppino]

Fantastic video man, very much enjoyed it. You made some great points here. I always told people that Souls games are my comfort games but I couldn't really explain why.. the emotional connection and the self-improvement I experienced with them as well as the lore and subtextual philosophies are what brings me back all the time. Bloodborne for example was my first Soulslike and initially I didn't understand the appeal. The more I played the more I fell in love with it because it helped me overcome my extremely depressing job at the time (I don't want to say that it saved my life, but it kinda feels like it). In contrast, I've tried many "cozy" games since the late 90s: Harvest Moon, The Sims, Stardew Valley and some others as well. None of them left a lasting desire to return and play more or at least I always stopped playing before the chores began. I need that energy for my actual real life stuff. In games, I much prefer skill based progressions, exploration and deeper meaning. Basically, so called "cozy" games are fine, but only offer *temporary escapism* and romanticised fantasy worlds that will likely never be real. That really stresses me out, because I'm basically sitting down to acknowledge that I'm running away from reality. Real cozy games like Souls (in my opinion) offer an experience to reflect, think about and improve on your skills and understanding of deeper concepts like struggle, depression, absurdism but also friendship, chance encounters and empathy, just to name a few. These games have given me so much more than any super-colorful, worry-free fantasy could ever give. Also I've never heard of the manga you talked about and some of the games you mentioned at the end, will definitely check them out. Btw, this whole video fell under my definiton of cozy, because I could just sit back, listen to your words and reflect and discuss with myself. Ok, I'm done now, have a nice day

[@oskari3659]

For similar reasons Last of Us has the most coziest parts in gaming for me, the beautiful moments in between all horror. Or something I said to a friend when playing Sons of the Forest, this is simultaneously one of the most coziest and frightening games at the same time. Building and crafting on a beautiful envinroment and suddenly swarmed by body horror mutants.

[@gofr36]

Voices of the void is so cozy. Its a horror game but ur base is soo cozy. U work in like a radio telescope facility in Swiss Alps. U have to get signals from the dishes and u do it from a computer inside, but from time to time u need to get out and fix them. There is a loot of castomasing bc every interor part that u buy is a Physics object. There are also many events that heppen like alien ships above ur base, big piramind with mantis legs apearing or aliens feeding you shrip while u sleep. Cool game. U can also go caving, fishing, looking for shit in ground using metal detector, make some kind of rituals using some weird rune tablets and human skulls. U can also get tv that will play ur mp4 files that u give it and posters and paintong with ur photos and 3d printer that will print ur 3d models made in like blender

[@OsokaOiv]

I am of the same opinion on these so called "cozy" games. Most don't seem cozy to me. Everytime I tried starting a cozy game like Animal Crossing I jumped of the experience after just a couple of hours. I don't want to manage a digital life after coming home and being stressed of my real life, which is the opposite of cozy for me. One aspect that I liked a lot though was the Cafe with Brewster and KK. The music and atmosphere where what made me feel really comfortable. And on the contrary I found some cozy places in the most bleakest games. One example you already mentioned being Dark Souls Bonfires and for me escpecially Firelink Shrine. Each time the music starts playing and you hear the crackling of the bonfire I am instantly feeling the warmth of the bonfire through the screen as if I am there. For the same reasons the bench in the City of Tears of Hollow Knight have a similar effect on making me feel at ease. And lastly there is NieR Replicant (not Automata) where being in the Village "the Song of the Ancients" played on the guitar makes me feel the kindness in the otherwise harsh world. These were all times I can remember a game space making me feel really cozy. (Still waiting for Girl's Last Tour to see the ending adapted) On a tangent I also have fond memories of title and menu screens making me feel cozy before playing the game. First of all Dark Souls again while creating a character. Persona 3 FES/Portable title screen with that ominous yet comforting piano music. Kingdom Hearts even though I never finished it. Drakengard 3 mission select menu with the beautiful vocals of Emi Evans. And lastly the PS2 startup menu.

[@ghost_limit]

I haven't finished it yet but I love that in Replicant, the music in the series is so good in general. The PS2 startup brings back some cozy memories for me as well.

[@jadefae]

Your best video yet

[@ghost_limit]

Thank you!

[@samunderwood5414]

in my opinion, one of the most cozy games I've played is actually Minecraft. There isn't anything more cozy than finally finishing your house that will keep you safe from the monsters outside. The way you can literally do anything since there's no story to follow also also adds to that coziness feeling.

[@cosmonaut6810]

I find the Zelda games on the switch the cosiest. Because If I’m tired and just want to relax, I can just walk in a random direction and unlock some secrets and achieve something. Or do a little side quest that has nothing to do with story or fighting. Just walking around is relaxing. There’s so much to explore. Love this video, I definitely relate. Those farming games like stardew look interesting but I know I’d get sucked into getting quite stressed about it, how I’d sometimes get about my animal crossing dailies. ❤

[@flow1194]

whenever I feel like playing a cozy game i always pick portal 2

[@andreasjensen6617]

I love girls last tour so much definitely my favourite manga of all time

[@reilynn7891]

There's a series of point-and-click flash games called Submachine that I've always found very cozy, and it's definitely because of the relative peace you experience while playing it contrasted with the utter desolation of the setting. I don't wanna spoil too much about the setting, but you never see another person, and while there are a couple other people who exist in the story, you never directly interact with them. In fact there's a point where one of them is ostensibly on the other end of a computer connection, but you have no keyboard so you can only ping them over and over, unable to ask any questions or meaningfully communicate. The sound design is also incredible, with every game filled with beautifully lonely, droning ambience that really sells how there is no one around to help you. Its this sense of isolation and the inhospitable nature of the setting that, at least to me, makes it so much more cozy to be able to calmly explore at your own pace, taking everything in and solving puzzles. I always try to recommend the Submachine series to people whenever I can, cause it really delivers an experience that I think a lot of people don't expect when they hear the words "point and click flash game"

[@ghost_limit]

Thank you for the recommendation, that looks really interesting!

[@vagabondyacine7987]

Great video bro (as usual). I completely agree with you, Dark souls 1 is one of the coziest games i've ever played, i get chills thinking about that masterpiece... Hollow knight and Celeste are also "cozy' in a way (that feeling when you can finally rest on a bench). You did not talk about it but what do you think about adventure and narrative cozy games ? There is a whole genra about narrative and walking cozy sim. Did you try A short hike ? Firewatch ? a Night in the woods ? Roadwarden (that one is special, its phenomenal, its a shame its so underated) ?

[@ghost_limit]

Thank you! I'm not actually that familiar with those games but I could definitely see how they could be cozy. Thanks for the recommendations, A Short Hike looks like something I would like and I actually already have Roadwarden but I haven't played it yet.

[@Typhoonflame]

started reading the manga you mentioned, thanks for the recommendation!

[@jennifertennent8319]

I bought a portable Switch recently to give me something to do other than doom scrolling on my phone. So far, I am not regretting my purchase, it's nice having something that can maintain my focus on something more pleasant. The first game I did buy was Stardew Valley. You are always so busy to try to get things done as fast as possible...where is the cozy feeling? While it could be argued that the game doesn't impose any penalties for the player taking their time and not progressing events and building friendships with the characters. There is a problem in that crafts and recipes are locked behind achieving a certain tier of friendship. I guess, achievements can be nice, it's in theory more rewarding than just being given something, but unless you want to spend countless hours doing trial and error you basically need a wiki guide to know what to do and when to do it. "Cozy" isn't always cozy.

[@rRecoveryProd]

I agree that Stardew Valley stressed me out for the same reasons you supplied in this video.

[@zojirushi1]

What do you do for work?

[@Laika_in_Space]

The coziest game is Euro Truck Simulator 2 🚚

[@a3a2_m]

very well put together video! thank algorithm i found it for i stayed till the end :)

[@Trenderoftiger]

Use Google docs instead or live documents

[@ghost_limit]

That's what I normally do, but I was going to have inconsistent access to internet for a month so I decided to keep it on a file this time. Immediately paid the price for it lol

[@HungryHungryB]

Sucks your laptop died man

[@lemail171]

Aika hyvä video

[@sqq3985]

35 minutes is kind of long... for this headline

[@CorpCoral]

Kind of a weird question, but are you Finnish by any chance? Your accent sounds Finnish.

[@CorpCoral]

17:26 looks like I guessed right.

[@Khalypso_]

I wholeheartedly agree with you! I feel like a lot of the "cozy" games confuse the word with relaxing. Doing your laundry might feel relaxing, but it is in no way cozy in my opinion. One of the things that might make people more likely to mix the words up is that relaxing games can be cozy! Coziness to me is like you said when you are safe, but it also needs that contrast of something being scary or unfamiliar. During the pandemic everyone was uncertain and afraid, and a relaxing game could be the safe place you take shelter in. What i am trying to say is that a lot of "cozy" games are relaxing, or offers a place to escape to. So when you combine them with external factors like a storm or pandemic you get the feeling of coziness! I think people therefore assume that the games are cozy, even if they by themselves aren't. It's the same as a cup of hot chocolate, it's not cozy to just drink some, but it is when you get home from a long walk in a snowstorm. Real cozy games are therefore those who gives us both of those feelings (as you said). My favorite example of this are the games "milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk" and "milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk". The former is just a 15 minute prelude, but "milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk" is a visual novel where you mostly just have a talk with a severely mentaly ill girl. The game touches on some very dark subjects, but it contrasts this with a peaceful and safe side. I cannot recommend the game enough, and it's only like 2-3 hours long so there is no excuse!

[@ghost_limit]

Thank you for the comment! I already had the milk games on my backlog, thanks for reminding me about them :)

[@JopieA]

Wow, I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't think cozy games arent that cozy, and I exactly think cause I struggle to feel anything while playing them cause it always feels one dimensional, like the game handed me my win. But in every other genre, you gotta earn your keep. Playing a strategy game, you're always being tested to make good tactical and strategical decisions to ensure progress, and you'll feel pride when you lead your squad or nation to victory cause you overcame the odds using your mind. Something from Paradox or a Total War. Playing a action game, you can be constantly on the edge of your seat hyper focused on every mob that comes at you, making sure you hit them and they don't hit you and it can get's your blood pumping. It can feel like you fought and won a actual battle. Co-op shooters like Left 4 Dead and Darktide come to mind. When you play a survival game, you begin constantly worrying about everything from food, water, temperature, and hostile fauna. But as you progress, you can tame the land and the animals to your side, and not just survive, but _thrive._ ARK comes to mind. But in these cozy games, I don't feel like I've done anything, like I've earned nothing, idk, its hard to put into words, but I think it's because there's no tension, excitement, nothing deviating from the norm. But when I play the game's mentioned, I have to stay on my toes or else something can go wrong, theres rising tention and then a ending, but in cozy games, I feel like its one straight line to the finish.

[@vi_k]

I will say that there's really no pressure for stardew valley, there's very few things in the game that are actually timed, you have an infinite amount of time to do things because the game never really truly ends, you could hit perfection but you can still play after that. Some of my friends have stardew farms in year 8+ Edit: The games you suggested seem amazing

[@tuutelis]

Cosy*

[@Taima]

cozy*

[@tuutelis]

@@Taima Cozy is a form caused by a misunderstanding on the part of the less intelligent Americans, imitating the pronunciation.

[@Taima]

@@tuutelis Nah, you're just butthurt over logical streamlined improvements to the language. English was originally and should have remained a phonetic language. There should be no fucking "u" in words like "color" or "armor." Spelling it like "centre" and "theatre" make no sense. "Encyclopaedia" and "foetus" are also incredibly dumb. The kind of shit pseudo-intellectuals would defend.