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Cosy games are weird in that theyre not so much a genre as a vibe.
Browsing the cosy tag onSteamreveals games that lie in a variety of genres.
There are games likeTiny Glade, focusing on building and creative expression.
There are games likeStardew Valley, centering on simulating farming or life.
Theres Little Kitty Big City, where you play a cat exploring the city.
There are also puzzlers likeA Little to the Left.
What do they all have in common?
Really, not all that much.
They dont center on combat or violence.
They generally dont involve time pressure or competition.
ZA/UM has lost so much goodwill that its not even close to being the most popular Disco Elysium successor.
It has no combat, or any violence at all, at least within the game itself.
Its story-forward, funny, and heartwarming, with a strong cast oflargely endearing characters.
It has cute animals that you’ve got the option to pick up and pet.
These are all very Cosy Game Things.
But Wanderstop is interesting because these mechanics run counter to the protagonists inner turmoil.
Alta is suffering from burnout, induced by her own insatiable drive to work and succeed at all costs.
A more typical protagonist might embrace this lifestyle.
Alta, though, finds herself incensed by everything.
She struggles to accept that people might come to the shop with no intention to drink tea.
Shes antsy because there isnt enough to occupy her hands with.
Shes frustrated that everything takes time.
Why Do We Need Cosy Games?
Wanderstop is fairly unique in how its taken the cosy game template and subverted its tropes.
They want to elicit a reaction or feeling from players, allowing them to get lost in the world.
This is, in itself, not a problem,but isnt particularly interesting either.
In Stardew Valley, there is no fascism, no war, often not even death.
Its calm, peaceful, and stress-free.
What are we expecting games like this to give us?
What do we need from them?
Whats co-op gameplay without a co-op story?
What Alta is dealing with in Wanderstop is very clear and often emotionally confronting.
And because of that, Wanderstop stands out amongst its peers.
I cant say I learned all that much from PowerWash Simulator, but I did learn something from Wanderstop.
