There are some gamers who will not appreciate this timed approach. It is a genuine slow burn, unfolding with a cozy narrative to keep you going beyond Halloween. Cozy Grove does exactly this in a warm and positive way. TL dr: For a game to qualify as “helping”, it needs to have regular “save points” or milestones so that you can limit your play, stop there, and be rewarded for your accomplishment. For more on this, check out my previous article, Gaming is Good for Your Health (presented at PAX Aust 2019). I am a HUGE fan of clear and distinct signposts for breaks in games. Sure, you can hang around to check out the fishing but that’s about it. Once you’re finished, Flamey tells you there’s no more spirit wood and you can come back tomorrow. The majority of the tasks in Cozy Grove can be completed within 30-60 minutes. However, unlike AC: NH, there is no big push for you to be forever checking the game. Each day, there are a new set of tasks given to players to help move you around the island and complete quests. Short but Sweet VisitsĬozy Grove, like other games in the genre, operates in real-time, changing from day to night as you do. But it also makes it a really great game to play overall. This alone makes it perfect for our 31 Days of Halloween Games because you will want to play it a lot over this ghostly season. To put it simply, Cozy Grove wants me to visit but have a life too. Most games are designed to hook you for as long as possible, always wanting more of my time so I don’t spend it with other games or things. There is one really big feature to distinguish Cozy Grove from AC: NH–and it’s not just the Halloween-cozy vibes. It is a brilliant way to show how good deeds can make the world a better place without being too preachy about it. Your character is rewarded with their own acknowledgement along with the visible improvement in the area. As you help various ghosts, it all starts to fill out with texture and color. When you first start to play Cozy Grove, you’re presented with beautifully hand-drawn but washed out scenery.

With each new friend you help, you gain badges and rewards, along with the personal satisfaction of improving this quaint little place.

You play as a Spirit Scout, wandering around the island and meeting the local ghosts. It fits perfectly within the same popular genre as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley. What is Cozy Grove?Ĭozy Grove is a life-sim game with camping on a haunted island. I would much rather make friends with a ghost bear on a haunted island than trade beetroot with a racoon any day. Personally, Cozy Grove is like a warm blanket wrapped around me, making it so much better on many levels. But the comparison is like comparing the living world with the spirit world–and during the month of Halloween, Cozy Grove gives that extra spice. It is hard not to write a review about Cozy Grove without drawing comparisons with Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Cozy grove reviews