All posts tagged in Life sim
Aug 29, 2024
If you’re unfamiliar with Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, it’s more of a productivity tool than a game. However, it’s the perfect cozy experience for getting work done with some gaming aspects. With the perfect lofi soundtrack playing in the background, you get to customize your character with a variety of fun clothes and hairstyles. Then, make your space the coziest possible place you could be by changing the furniture, decorations, and wall colors!
Set your character to do different things in their room while you get real-life work done. Sit by the fire, chill on the bed, sit at the desk to get some virtual work done, or sit at the large window and contemplate the view. Choose the time of day, the weather, and other background noises to create the perfect setting for you to get some tasks done. Create to-do lists, set a pomodoro timer to get work done while also taking breaks, track habits, write in the journal, and earn experience. As you play, you can discover different adorable spirit companions that will accompany you in your virtual cozy room. And you can pet them!
The Update
This new major update adds so much more to the already great Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, and I’m excited! First up is item previews. When choosing a new item, you can preview it on your character or companion before buying it. Which is perfect for new clothing and companion options (though the devs have left those a surprise).
There’s also a new activity for your character to engage in, and that’s gaming! What’s more perfect than cozying up on the bed with your console and playing an equally cozy game? Well, sitting by the fire to game, perhaps. Use your MON-ki Portable to do just that, or sit at the desk and play on the computer instead. This update will allow you to adjust the productivity tools, too. Scale them and reposition them how you see fit to make the layout suit your tastes and needs. But perhaps the most exciting of all is the addition of a new spirit companion! APE-bit is the mascot of the MON-ki Entertainment company, and is the perfect companion to accompany you in your gaming sessions.
The Spirit City: Lofi Sessions update doesn’t quite end there, though. You’ll get a whole bunch of new room customizations to experiment with, too. There are new desks and chairs to create your favorite study area. Add decor to the right side of the desk now, and make it even more personal. Choose your favorite side table, and decorate with a new Spiritdex skin or decor items. Plus, there are more bed covers and headboards to choose from, hanging lights to light up the room with, decor that can hang from the beams around the room, and new chairs for relaxing in front of the fireplace.
Release Date
If you didn’t already love Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, then now’s the chance to start with this incredible update. The update is OUT NOW, so get started now with improving your productivity and enjoying soothing lofi beats by finding the game on Steam – at the time of publishing this article, the game is on sale as well!
You can also check out my review of it here if you’re interested!
- Aug 28, 2024
Horticular is a relaxing gardening game with a magical twist. Developed by inDirection Games, this beautifully vibrant game begins with you being magically summoned by garden gnomes. They want you to restore a garden that was abandoned by its previous caretaker. So, take on this huge task, but at your own pace, and build a lush garden to be proud of!
You have total creative freedom to turn this garden into whatever you want. Use hundreds of unlockable surface types to create biomes with different terrain. Plant tons of different kinds of flowers and plants. Even place fun decorative items like pillars, planter boxes, and more to create your dream garden. Of course, you want to build the garden in a way that it’ll attract creatures! Each critter has requirements before it will move in, though. So, plan accordingly and soon your garden will overflow with plants and animals!
You also need to maintain the magic of the garden in Horticular. Animals will become unhappy, the garden will decay, and you’ll see corrupted agents sent by your nemesis show up. With the help of the garden gnomes and your abilities, though, you’ll be able to prevent all of that. There are also garden upgrades you can purchase. These upgrades will increase your skills and unlock new items. And while each playthrough will be different, no choice locks you out of upgrades. You’ll be able to unlock everything every time!
Release Date
You can find Horticular now on Steam!
Like gardening? Try Botany Manor!
- Aug 15, 2024
The adorable Sunrise’s Order is a farm sim where you’re tired of your old life. The hustle and bustle of the city paired with the corporate life just doesn’t appeal to you anymore. So, after losing your job because you stayed up all night to play your favorite video game, you decide change is in order. A big change. You sell your possessions and buy a private island in a once-in-a lifetime deal. Why? Well, to live like your favorite video game hero and start a farm, of course!
Start your adventure on your island with the basic necessities and a goal. Live in your tiny one-room house as you fish for different sea creatures and set up your farm. You’re all alone on your island, but that’s perfect for you! It gives you the freedom to do as you please, when you please. Order necessary supplies from Animazon, and build the island up how you wish with chicken coops, flower beds, cows, and more!
The Update
Sunrise’s Order is getting a new update soon, and it’s sure to add some great content! The hoe is getting a wonderful upgrade to make farming faster and more efficient. Craft a high-quality hoe to till multiple tiles of dirt all at once. There’s also a new line of decorative plushies to get your hand on in game. From a sweet little teddy bear to the magical unicorn, you’ll have even more cute decor to make your home perfect! Find these stuffed animal companions by exploring your island. You’ll come across clues and find hidden treasures scattered around. There’s also now a wiki you can access for the game. It currently only includes some basic information, but will be expanded.
That’s not all for this 1.1 update, though. In fact, there’s a long list of new things that have been added to Sunrise’s Order! Factories and repairs pull resources from chests, so you no longer need to have materials in your pockets. Your character will appear on the map to help you orient yourself. Furniture can be stored in the Wooden Tall Cabinet and the Enchanted Wardrobe, and plans now look different to differentiate them from recipes. And speaking of recipes, there’s a new omelet and butter chicken recipe! When you search through contracts, it now tells you how many you have in your inventory. Last, but not least, Animazon now offers a scythe tool and a wider range of ingredients and materials, there are more character customizations, and new dialogue too!
Modifications and Improvements
Then there’s the improvements that have been made to already existing aspects of Sunrise’s Order. Silos feed a max number of animals, and hoes have been rebalanced to account for the new upgrade. Plus, tools don’t lose durability if you miss hitting your target. Animazon lists items by type now, too. Movement within the Construction App has been improved for better navigation. A few recipes have been renamed to better reflect what they are. There’s also been a lot of balancing done. Item values, recipes for workshops and factories, fertilizers, scents on garbage, values of cooking recipes, and the energy given by certain meals have all had some rebalancing. Trash bags no longer spread around, adding fuel to fires uses materials in chests, and your character will refuse to fish if they have no stamina left. Now selection colors for breakable and unbreakable items are different to make it easier to distinguish. And conditions for unlocking buildings have been clarified for smoother gameplay!
Plus, there were a number of bug fixes that you can check out below!
Release Date
This the very first update coming to Sunrise’s Order and is available on Steam now! This game is shaping up to be absolutely wonderful with all these additions and fixes, and you should check it out.
- May 30, 2024
If you’ve been looking for another enchanting game about magic and just being a witch or a wizard, then perhaps Hollowmoor is for you! This cozy magic life sim developed by Small Town Ghosts, sets you on a new adventure. You’re a budding witch or wizard just trying to manage your farm and live life. Explore the world, gather items, and much more!
Hollowmoor uses charming pixel graphics and features a relaxing color palette to make the overall feel super relaxing. The town is a sleepy, but bustling little hamlet where you’ll meet 20 different characters. Get to know their stories and even complete orders for them. Build enough of a bond, and you could even date someone! Of course, you’re the only witch or wizard in town, so all the ingredients you need for brewing potions is up to you to grow. Nurture a variety of crops and care for different mythical creatures to get all you need. Or go explore the world to uncover the secrets it holds. Take a train to a nearby town, explore the ruins of a magic school, and much more in this fantastic little game.
Release Date
You can find Hollowmoor listed on Steam. There is currently no release date available, but you can go ahead and add it to your Wishlist!
If you’re looking for a short, witchy visual novel-type sim game, check out Witchy Life Story! It’s fantastic!
- May 9, 2024
Ready to set out on an exciting fantasy farming adventure full of yokai? Tales of Seikyu lets you do exactly that! Seikyu, an enchanting land, is a haven for the legendary creatures known as yokai. You and your friend Kon arrive in this lovely new place where you buy a farm, looking to settle down into a new life. You not only run your farm, but restore the local countryside inn to its former glory as you get to know fun new characters and explore a magical world!
Tales of Seikyu will have you engaging with 30 unique characters. Each one has an interesting and unique story of their own for you to get to know. Foster friendships with each one of them, and even build a budding romance with someone. On your farm, cultivate seasonal crops, restore old buildings, and raise different animals. You can also decorate your home with furniture and fun decor. Or, set out on an adventure through the world where you’ll encounter fun puzzles and find masks that give you different abilities!
Release Date
Tales of Seikyu will release some time this year. You can find it listed on Steam where you can add it to your Wishlist.
Cozy Crest is another unique farming sim that focuses on elemental magic.
- May 1, 2024
If you haven’t kept an eye on Echoes of the Plum Grove by developer Unwound Games, you should check it out now! In this charming game, you start a brand new life in Honeywood. There, you’re given a plot of land after you’ve washed up on the shores of the island. It’s up to you to turn that plot into a functional, prosperous farm. Of course, there’s much more to the game than just farming!
Echoes of the Plum Grove is a casual, cozy farm simulator where your decisions directly influence your gameplay. What you plant on the farm, the items you stock up on to survive winter, and the friends you make determine the way Honeywood will develop. You can even make enemies! Of course, survival is your number one priority, but don’t forget to take time to indulge in the festivities the town has to offer. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, after all. And unlike other farm sims, there’s a generational aspect to this game. You can get married, have children, and when your character dies, you can continue the game playing as one of your children or other relatives. This lends a fun and fresh element to the game you don’t often see!
Release Date
Echoes of the Plum Grove has finally been released on Steam, too! It’s even on sale for 10% off until May 6th, so if you’ve been eyeing this game, now’s a great time to pick it up.
Cozy Crest is a unique farming simulator to keep an eye on!
- Apr 4, 2024
Thanks to the developer Low-Hi Tech for giving us the opportunity to play Chill Town. Please also note this game is still in Early Access, which means this is not its final form.
ACNH came out in a time when we all needed it. It provided a cozy, comfortable little escape where we could forget about the horrors of the world and just exist. That game was even the first in the franchise for some of us, me included! However, it left behind an itch for similar games that just hasn’t been scratched since. Until now, anyway. Recently, Chill Town hit Steam in Early Access and so far it’s done well trying to pick up what ACNH has put down.
What Is Chill Town?
Chill Town is a cozy life sim where you help a small island town grow. You get your very own house, which you can decorate, plus you can settle in new neighbors by building their houses, which you also get to decorate. Decorate the island with a variety of plants, lights, outdoor furniture, and more to make it a comfortable little home. Spend your days (and nights) fishing, farming, catching Pals and bugs, and collecting resources. Take a flight to nearby islands to discover different fish and bugs, plants, and crops. Sell your items to earn money and buy more decorations for homes or the town. Complete quests to help the mayor and other residents. Or just sit and enjoy the beauty of your little island while listening to the soothing lo-fi soundtrack that’s built into the game.
My Experience So Far
First and foremost, I love the low-fi soundtrack that Chill Town has. Not only is the music relaxing and soothing, but you’re able to switch between the different songs at will. Plus, fishing is less stressful than in other games. If you accidentally pull the line up too early, it doesn’t disappear, so you can try again. Though, if the fish pulls the bobber underwater and you don’t click in time, you lose it. And, only your first catch (including bugs) pops up with a message that interrupts you to label the item. You still show it off to the camera, but it takes far less time without every catch having a message. It makes fishing and catching far more enjoyable.
Unfortunately tool durability is a feature, but it’s been really easy to earn money to buy new tools. Or if you want to make them with the recipes, resources are abundant. So, either option is super easy to achieve. The tools also feel like they have a good amount of durability before they break, and they have a durability amount you can keep track of in your inventory. Both make planning much easier.
Chill Town does have a day/night cycle similar to Stardew Valley. It’s not a real-time cycle like ACNH, which I actually enjoy more. I haven’t run into any consequences for staying up late, either. So, I’m able to work into the night on projects, but can hop in bed to advance the day. The seasons change, too! So, you can catch seasonal critters without waiting the whole year to do it. What the game needs, though, is the ability to pause. There’s no pause function, so if you want to walk away for a bit, make sure to save and quit to the main menu.
The Road Map
Low-Hi Tech released a road map for this fun sim game that promises a lot of cool features that I look forward to. Many of these new additions will add some great value and freedom to the game, too. Unfortunately, there aren’t set dates for the release of the features since development doesn’t always go to plan.
Chill Town’s road map promises the ability to add pathways to the island as well as fruit trees to cultivate. Social functions will be added to deepen player connections. Island sharing and island visiting are planned so you can allow others to visit or you can visit others. A trade system will be implemented so players can exchange decor items with each other.
What I’m most excited for is the addition of seasonal festivities, which will have fun mini-games, festive items, and experiences. Plus, there’s plans to improve on the seasonal flora and fauna that appears as the weather changes. A museum where you can display your artifacts and critters is coming, plus new bugs, Pals, and island ecosystems.
Final Thoughts
I have run into some issues where the game lags a whole heck of a lot, and my only option is to just shut it down. However, that doesn’t happen often. So, I’ve been able to just explore and really enjoy what the game has to offer. Again, this game is still in Early Access so not everything has been smoothed out or perfect, but the developer releases frequent patches and bug fixes to address problems. They’ve also been up-front with their roadmap, which is great!
I’ve very much enjoyed my time playing Chill Town, and look forward to the improvements that will be made. It’s a laid-back, relaxing little game that gives me the freedom to do my own thing while giving me some structure via quests. It’s fun to explore and decorate. Catching bugs and fish is great. And the overall environment, plus dynamic weather is just lovely. I’d highly recommend it for the ACNH lovers.
I give it:
You can find Chill Town on Steam!
- Apr 3, 2024
I’m taking it back a couple of years for this one because who doesn’t love a good tycoon game in the same vein as RollerCoaster Tycoon and such? This time, though, you run your own music festival! Festival Tycoon gives you the design and micro-management powers to create and run your dream music festival right from the comfort of your home. Plant flowers, fix toilets, book shows, and sign deals to grow your music show into a great success!
Use ‘create mode’ in Festival Tycoon to design your perfect festival grounds. Start from a modest backyard bash and grow into an international success. Pick from a variety of biomes to set up in, and place stages as well as food options and bathrooms to appease your guests. Set up a killer lineup from different music genres like folk, rock, and techno with your limited budget. And don’t forget the sponsors. They can help fund your dream festival, but they come with high demands you must meet. Plus, your customers need to be happy in order to have a successful show!
Will you build a globally successful festival?
Release Date
Festival Tycoon is available now on Steam and Epic!
