Cosy games are doing more work than they get credit for

Cosy games get dismissed as fluff, but I think that misses the point. A game like Tiny Harbor Life isn't trying to challenge you — it's trying to give you a pleasant place to be for a few minutes.

The magic is in routine. Checking the catch, planning the day, watching your little harbour grow — none of it is hard, but it forms a rhythm you look forward to. That's a real design skill, not an absence of one.

My advice with sim games like this is not to rush the upgrades. Half the pleasure is in the slow build, and racing to the endgame throws that away.

After a stressful day, that gentle loop can be exactly what you need. There's nothing wrong with a game that just wants you to relax.