Some of the terminology we use in the gaming sphere is a bit… odd. I think part of this is down to the imprecise nature of language itself, sure, but a larger part of it is everyone’s weird obsession with categorizing things. There are some more “official” terms and genres for helping gamers sort through catalogs of titles, like “action RPG” or “farming simulator” – but what about the more informal verbiage we use to describe games? I’m talking the Cozy Games™ phenomenon. It’s a term that bothers me for a few different reasons – one being the tendency to label every single indie game under the sun as “cozy” because it’s a title from a smaller studio. My other big gripe is the way people tend to use and view the term – that is, to identify games that they view with disdain. I’m not going to get into that insanity here (that’s a whole other rabbit hole that deserves a psychological deep dive beyond my expertise) but I did feel like adding my two cents into the void. For me, I think a lot of people confuse the term “cozy” with “comfort” when looking at games.
These two terms might seem similar enough to be interchangeable, but when we’re talking about video games specifically, I think there’s a world of difference between the two. I’ve had this conversation with a few different friends, and I think it’s an interesting topic to get into; what’s a cozy game to you? What’s a comfort game to you? In my mind, cozy refers to a kind of game that I can switch my brain off to enjoy – it’s undemanding, low stakes, and something I can ease into after a long day at work, or to help a sour mood. There are a million and one elements that can compromise a cozy game (there might be cute animals, decorating opportunities, or some kind of chorin’ to take care of) but the crux of these titles, for me personally, are their light-hearted nature. Even something more mechanically dense can still be “cozy” because of its themes, colour scheme/art style, or story. Not to sound like a TikToker, but it’s all in the vibes, man. I think a lot of games can have cozy elements, but not necessarily be “cozy” themselves. However, I will be la-la-la-ing my way past that nuance for the sake of focus.
Which brings us to comfort games – are they not the same as cozy games? No. No, they are not. A comfort game, in my opinion, is pretty undefinable, because it’s unique to each person. In plainest terms, a game you find comfort in. Sure, that can be a cozy title, like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. But it could also be something like Dark Souls. Now, what is comforting about hostile everythings, trudging through poison swamps, and self-immolation, you may ask? To which I respond: familiarity. This is what a comfort game boils down to – regardless of content, difficulty, or setting, it’s a game you know like the back of your hand. Maybe it’s something you’ve played over and over since you were a kid, and it reminds you of simpler times. Maybe it’s a game you play with friends – friends that you wouldn’t have a chance to connect with otherwise. Or maybe it’s just a game that you love for too many reasons to list. In a world of constant change, uncertainty, and what feels like overwhelming negativity – this comfort game has got you, and you know exactly what you’re getting when you load in. I know the hunter-turned-beast Father Gascoigne is waiting for me in the Tomb of Oedon when I’m playing Bloodborne, and I’m ready to face him. When I (sadly and inevitably) start yet another playthrough of Persona 5, I’m excited to enjoy a story where abusers like Kamoshida, and Madarame get their just deserts. I love helping Sander Cohen complete his photographic art project in Bioshock’s Fort Frolic section – sure, a few of his old disciples have to die horribly, but this ain’t about them.
So while there shouldn’t be anything inherently comforting about murder, abusive people in positions of power, or bald, cleric-hating, penny-pinching weasels like Patches the Hyena, here we all are. Of course, I had to ask a few friends what their personal comfort games were, and I got answers like: Skyrim, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Street Fighter 4, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, Quake III Arena, and Crash Bandicoot. What are some of your comfort games?
What I’ve been playing lately: Cozy
So I have a slight obsession with cartoon frogs (I just think they’re neat), so of course I had to try Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge, which I’ve been following for quite a while. Your overall goal is to restore a series of wetlands, in order to help all the precious froggies thrive; you can breed frogs (each species comes in a variety different colour combinations, which you can tame to fill out your Frogedex), decorate your refuge, and use resources collected from the wetlands to craft items to sell and fund this whole endeavor. And, of course, you can take photos of all your froggie friends. I appreciate the way the story of this game works – you can choose when to advance the narrative, and give yourself new goals to work towards. If you’d rather just decorate, or work on your Frogedex, you can simply ignore the option to push the story forward, and relax for as long as you like. I’m really loving the art style of Kamaeru, and most importantly, I’m enjoying the relaxing gameplay. This has been one of the few games I’ve been able to bring myself to play after a long day at work. If I had to make a single complaint about the title, it would have to be the repetitive ‘mini games’ that you play each time you craft your sellable items – they do get old after a while. They are, however, quite short and sweet – I haven’t found them overly intrusive. Overall, I’d say Kamaeru nails the “cozy” theme perfectly, and I think all my wonderful frogs would agree.
What I’ve been playing lately: Comfort
I get the urge about once a year (sometimes more) to replay Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Don’t ask me why, I don’t make the rules. Yes, the new DLC for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, just came out, but guess what? My brain has decided that it’s that time – time to get back into the world of Sekiro. I’m a huge fan of FromSoft’s Souls games, and their adjacents, and I’ve played them all several times, but this one in particular keeps me coming back. Sekiro has my favourite combat system of any game (maybe ever?) and mastering it is SO satisfying. It required a lot of patience, and a lot of practice on my part, but I got there in the end. On top of its fantastic combat, Sekiro has some amazing boss fights, and there isn’t a single one that I don’t look forward to. Okay, maybe I don’t love the Demon of Hatred, but he’s technically optional. Compared to Dark Souls (Bed of Chaos is the definition of cheeks), Bloodborne (not a fan of Rom the Vacuous Spider, hard to imagine why, I’m sure), or Dark Souls 3, which has some missteps, boss-wise, for me personally. Sekiro also has what I would call the most straightforward narrative of all the Souls games, but it’s no less interesting or compelling for it. Despite not having the signature variety in builds or stats, and having a fairly linear game route, Sekiro is easily the FromSoft game that I’ve replayed the most – it’s absolutely a go-to comfort title for me. So here we go again: hey there Demon of Hatred, it’s me, ya boi.
So maybe, as a collective, we should be a bit more selective about the terms we apply to games; I’m not necessarily a fan of trying to label every title so that they fit into neat little boxes, however, I do think it serves a purpose when it comes to understanding themes and genre. Not every indie game is a cozy darling, or automatically cozy because it’s enjoyed by a mainly female audience. Not every comfort game is a bright and cheery paradise. Indie games can be dark and heavy, just like comfort games can be, well, uncomfortable. Which seems counterintuitive, but you know what I’m getting at. The recent rise in cozy games is something that I personally welcome, though I do hope we get a bit better at differentiating a relaxing house decorating sim, and say, navigating your way through a zombie-infested city while looking for your missing brother. There is nothing cozy about Resident Evil 2, you absolute degenerates. Much love though.
Meghan Plays Games 