May 15, 2025
Immerse yourself in a unique blend of relaxing life sim and idle game featuring soothing music, home and island decorating, and much more in ChillTown. This cute game takes the best and most beloved features of cozy sim games and gives players an excellent fun experience. Customize your character using numerous hairstyles, colors, features, and more.
Then, engage in a number of different activities like exploring, or complete a number of quests. There’s a little bit of something for everyone to love in this game. You can even just chill out and enjoy the music and beautiful scenery!
Wander your new island home and gather resources. Go fishing with your trusty fishing rod. Plant your dream garden. Even catch adorable little creatures and get busy with building and decorating the town or your own house. Move new neighbors in to populate your ChillTown little island. Then, use build mode to place tons of different decorations to create comfortable little gardens, island parks, or just turn your home into your personal oasis.
You can even decorate the insides of the NPC homes, too. Your imagination is the limit here. And if you want to let the game run while you get some work done, you can do that too! There’s an auto function that allows your character to catch fish without your manual input. Or just hang out and enjoy what you’ve built.
Chill Town 1.0 Brings tons of new content
ChillTown just received its biggest update yet introducing tons of new content. There is a new Museum where you can donate your local finds, so go hunt those little critters and bugs!
Exploring is now even more fun with new biomes and all new areas to discover, embark on cozy journey and enjoy the beautiful environments. Additionally you can also take part in new seasonal festivals, meet adorable unique new villagers and just so much more!
Now is the best time to hop into Chill Town!
Release Date
You can get ChillTown on Steam now. The developers have created a familiar, but unique game that deserves lots of love. Their hard work and improvements show with every update!
If you enjoy the idle aspect, checkout these 10 Mini Desktop Games, too!
- Nov 1, 2024
If you want to share a unique Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing themed gift this year, look no further. Browse some super adorable themed gaming merch and so much more – browse my shop to see my entire collection and on Etsy here.
Stardew Valley Gardening kit & Stardew Valley Gaming Mat
This Stardew Valley inspired DIY gardening kit comes with everything you need to grow your own beautiful plant. The printed weather proofed ceramic pot has a drain hole and a tray so that you can safely water your plant friend. The print features a wide variety of characters and memorable scenery from the game. The kit includes a reusable zipper pouch, a bamboo gardening stake to name your plant, instruction cards, stickers and so much more!
Animal Crossing Themed Gardening kit – Tiny Garden Pals
Much like the Stardew Valley kit, everything is custom made with the tiny world of Animal Crossing that fits in the palm of your hand in mind. Perfect to grow the included seeds or a succulent of your likings. It comes with a tiny shovel, made for the kit, the tiny planter is last imprinted so it won’t fade, it also has a drainage hole and a bamboo coaster. There is a small canvas soil bag themed after Leif. A no fail instruction card along with a tiny bamboo plant stick also themed after our gardening friend Leif from Animal Crossing.
Animal Crossing themed Coin Purses… and more!
This super soft Animal Crossing inspired Coin Purse comes in the design inspired by everyone’s favorite video game. Choose between a midnight blue Fossil, golden Bell Bag or the ever adorable Celeste from ACNH inspired coin purse. If you want to go for the ultimate fan bundle you can choose the tripple pack that includes all three of them, perfect for gifting or to keep all to yourself.
And so much more…
- May 15, 2025
Starsand Island is a tranquil farming and island life game inspired by classic Studio Ghibli films. In this game, you’re more than just a farmer, too. You’re a creator, explorer, and guardian to the island. Shed your real life burdens and set out on a wholesome adventure that seeks to evoke feelings of comfort and relaxation. Build your cozy little home in the mountains or seaside and get creative with your decor. Then, lead your quiet farming life and experience a whole bunch of fun things to do on your beautiful new island home!
Of course, there’s farming in Starsand Island, too! Care for your crops and watch them grow from your careful nurturing. Otherwise, you can set out and explore the island to see what all there is to see. Gather treasures like shells from the crystal blue waters, capture colorful fish, or go diving for fun underwater items like pearls. Even go mine for minerals and gather tropical plants as you traverse the island. Or go into the town in Starsand Island and get to know the 40+ unique townspeople. Each one has their own story to tell, and if you build your friendship, you’ll get to hear it. Some of the townsfolk are even open to romance, so you might just find the love of your life! Whatever you do and however you do it, you’re sure to find a fulfilling sense of community and belonging as you progress through this lovely life sim.
Release Date
Starsand Island is expected to release at the end of next year on Steam!
- May 14, 2025
Kitchen Sync: Aloha! is a narrative cooking RPG where you manage your kitchen, customize and optimize your set up, and build your relationships with others. Play as one of two siblings as you take on kitchen management duties in order to reopen your family’s restaurant. Master delectable Hawaiian cuisine and explore the island paradise you call home!
In order to run your pop-up kitchens, you need to recruit up to 8 other chefs you meet on the island. Partner them up based on their compatibility to watch their friendship grow or even watch love bloom! You unlock conversations, side quests, and special abilities as they get to know each other. Then, you’ll coordinate your teams of two chefs so they can run the kitchen and serve guests. Use each chef’s abilities to optimize how things run.
Of course, no kitchen is complete without your own personal touch! Select your own menu and add something special to each of your recipes. Kitchen Sync: Aloha! lets you rearrange the layout of the kitchen to better suit the workflow for your chefs. Even improve your chefs by upgrading their abilities with ability books you collect throughout your adventure. But don’t get totally caught up in running a restaurant, as you get to make your own friends (or even rivals!). Enjoy local food and art as well as Hawaiian music. There are even different minigames you can play for some added fun!
Release Date
Kitchen Sync: Aloha! is set to release on Steam sometime. However, there is a demo you can try out in the meantime!
- May 8, 2025
The quest for great horse games continues as I hunt down newer options regularly. Recent promotions showing Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori give a very promising view of what looks to be a gorgeous game. Then there’s Equire by developer NobleCourt. Where Windstorm is an epic adventure that involves horses, this game focuses on the ranch and competition life of equestrianism. Your goal is to make it to the top of the equestrian world by making a name for yourself!
Equire isn’t just about competing, though. You run your very own ranch, which you get to build yourself. Of course riding and competitions are important for making a name for yourself, but so is breeding, training, and successfully trading horses. Through these endeavors, you’ll earn money to fund your next prospects and to expand your ranch. Even hire workers and open the ranch to visitors so they can experience what it is you do. You can even unlock different pretty areas to explore via horseback so you can kick back and relax with a peaceful trail ride after a long day of training!
Release Date
Equire currently has no release date listed, but is set to release on Steam!
Don’t forget to check out Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori if you like horse games!
- Apr 30, 2025
Step into a brand new life as soon as you hop off the bus in To Pixelia. You’ve left behind your old life to begin an exciting new one doing whatever it is you desire. Carefully design your character and make choices to steer their life how you wish. Rent your first apartment, a dingy little thing, until you can upgrade to bigger and better things. Start work wherever you can just to make rent, then move into the career path you want. Become who you want to be!
The character creator lets you create whoever you want. Pick from a number of different hairstyles, facial hair, tattoos, accessories, and clothes. Even decorate your home with tons of different floors, walls, furniture, and decor options. To Pixelia lets your individual style shine through in almost every aspect. You also get to pick your career path. Start working at an entry level position like waiter, cleaner, baker, or others. Then, through dedication and hard work, you can pivot into the career path you desire. Become a famous musician, a renowned supermodel, a popular painter, or even the president. Just remember, there are hundreds of Pixelians in the city with you, and you can’t get along with everyone. Sometimes you just have to fight it out to get your point across!
The Ultimate Life Sim
I got to play To Pixelia a while back, thanks to the devs and publisher, and it really is the ultimate life sim. There’s just so much to do and accomplish. Not a moment went by where I was bored, because I could engage in small jobs or take on new hobbies or even train for a new career. Decorating my home was satisfying and easy to do. Plus, exploring the huge city by walking or using the bus system was fun all on its own. Each character you meet is unique and fun to interact with, too. You can even look forward to leaving the city for greener pastures (literally). There’s a nice farmland area you can eventually settle down on if city life becomes too much for you. So, there’s something for everyone in this unique life sim!
Release Date
To Pixelia hits virtual shelves tomorrow, May 1st! You can grab a copy over on Steam. Grab the game and see where your new virtual life takes you.
- Apr 24, 2025
Thanks to Mudita Games and RedDeer.Games for a copy!
Pilo and the Holobook is a colorful adventure game that takes place in a far-away galaxy. You play as Pilo, the adorable fox. You’re an apprentice explorer teamed up with a scientist who dreams big, and together you set out to document the wonders and mysteries of the universe. Your teacher, Professor Chiron, has fashioned a handy notebook called the Holobook where you can record your adventures and useful items by turning them into stickers!
Explore gorgeous hand-painted planets as you document the cool, the incredible, and the weird things you come across. Turn just about everything you come across into a sticker and see what all you can collect. Even solve some mysteries along the way, but most important of all, you need to figure out how to defeat the Tar! It threatens life in this galaxy and has driven away the inhabitants already.
Can you defeat the Tar and collect all the stickers?
Sticker Collecting Fun
Unfortunately, Pilo and the Holobook is a short game. I spent around 5 hours wandering through the lovely worlds collecting everything I could get my hands on. Those short few hours were some of the best, most relaxing hours I’ve spent in a game in a long time. Not once was I bored and ready to move on, either. I was totally consumed by this cute game, and wish I had more!
There aren’t many characters in this game, but each one has such a unique and fun personality. The dialogue between Pilo and Prof is witty and hilarious. The overall storyline is absolutely heartwarming, too. The galaxy was once inhabited by people, but the Tar’s terrible presence has made each planet dangerous, so they fled. Those who stayed paint such a lovely picture of what once was that you can’t help but feel sympathy and jump in to help.
Of course, the stickers are the best thing. There’s no combat or fail states in Pilo and the Holobook. It’s just easy, relaxing sticker collecting and mystery solving. Even better, is that you could use your brain and reason out what ought to be a sticker and what may not be. Or, you could play like I did, and mindlessly shoot the Holobook at everything! Either way, gameplay was so laid-back and easy to get into. That’s part of what made the game so enjoyable. It’s easy to pick up whenever. Plus, the ending is so satisfying!
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a short game to dive right into, this is it. There’s a time and place for the longer, more all-consuming games out there, and sometimes short little 5 hour games are the perfect palette cleanser. I can’t recommend this game enough. Plus, there’s a free demo on Steam so you can try before you buy! Absolutely go pick up Pilo and the Holobook, though. It’s worth it!
I give it:
- Apr 23, 2025
From the creators of Sticky Business, comes Ritual of Raven, a cozy story-based farm sim set in a magical world. Different traditions of magic live side by side in this adorable little game. There were once grand plans to open portals between worlds, but the ritual to open those portals went terribly wrong. Everyone involved in the ritual lost something precious to them and the portals began producing random new arrivals. You became victim to such a portal and were tossed out the other side of one, where you met the local witch. This witch, Sage, deems you perfect to help her with her quest and off you go to search for her companion Flutterstoop!
Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this new place. Your cheeky raven companion will accompany you as you settle into your new home and get to work. Make friends with the Ritual of Raven cast of unique and quirky characters. Each one has a different backstory for you to hear about. Plus, you can trade valuable ingredients with them! Care for a flourishing herb garden, too. Use your magical abilities to collect and enchant Arcana Constructs to care for your crops. Harvesting by hand ruins the magical properties of the plants, after all.
Best of all is you can unleash your creativity to decorate! You’re in a brand new land, and it’s important to find a sense of belonging. The best way to do that is to personalize your home to suit your tastes. Visit Pistachio’s to pick up all the decor you could possibly want. Then, decorate your homestead, your garden, and even the town!
Release Date
While it has no release date yet, Ritual of Raven will be coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch! Add it to your Wishlist now to receive notification of its release.
- Apr 18, 2025
Pilo and the Holobook sets you on a cosmic journey in the XOP-642 star system where you’ll guide Pilo through vibrant worlds. An ominous substance called the Tar has spread across the galaxy. It threatens the beautiful ecosystems and creatures you’ll encounter. As you traverse through different ecosystems and encounter fun puzzles to solve, you’ll discover the origins of the Tar and how to defeat it. You also have a powerful, and exciting, tool to use on your journey!
Pilo and the Holobook focuses on a combatless gameplay that emphasizes a player’s creativity, kindness, and curiosity. To do that, you’re armed with the Holobook. This book lets you interact with creatures, the environment around you, and then solve problems you may encounter. You even turn things you find into useful stickers that track your progress, unlock new skills, and solve environmental puzzles. So dive into this heartwarming story about friendship, mentorship, and saving the environment to see what fun solutions you come up with!
Release Date
You can pick up this wonderfully wholesome and cozy little game on Steam and Nintendo Switch now! You can also check out the Pilo and the Holobook demo on Steam.
