10 Best Slow-Life Fantasy Games, Ranked

Key things

• Cozy games offer a relaxing slow life with storytelling features that traditional games lack.
• Popular cozy games include farming simulators, MMOs, and non-combat fantasy RPGs with a focus on customization and relationships.
• These games appeal to players who are looking for mental health benefits, relaxation and a break from traditional adrenaline titles.

Cozy gaming is a massively popular genre right now. Instead of slaying a dragon, many players try to slow down and relax and start a farm, run a cafe, or decorate a home. Still, it's nice to have a few dragons around! Enjoying a fantastic environment from a more relaxed perspective, as opposed to a fast-paced, combat-focused one, can be great for mental health and stress relief. Additionally, these games use innovative mechanics, stories, and aesthetics that traditional, adrenaline-pumping titles don't have, creating a different kind of storytelling experience.

These games provide ultimate relaxation for players looking for the ultimate slow-life fantasy experience. Don't confuse slow life with boring: these games have their own secrets that players willing to put in the time (and maybe do some virtual work) can unlock.

10 Kingdom of MySims

Animal Crossing, but with princesses

Bring happiness back to the kingdom in this story sequel MySims. Fans Animal Crossing and accompanying DLC Happy Home Paradise you will enjoy this game focused on renovating the kingdom and completing tasks for various charming characters.

Newly re-released on Switch alongside the original MySimsthis game is a great non-combat cozy game, although the narrative and characters are a bit simple.

9 Paley

Farm, feed and decorate with friends

Paley is an MMO game with farming, crafting and exploration in a bright fantasy setting. There's great character and home customization, although some options require the purchase of in-game currency (a reasonable requirement for this free-to-play game – and don't worry, all buy-ins are cosmetic). There's no combat—instead, players are encouraged to build their relationships with both charming NPCs and each other through tasks like catching bugs, fishing, farming, and exploring.

While the MMO aspect Paley sets it apart from other cozy games, it's also a disadvantage for all players who expect to enter the game as a lone wolf: teamwork is required to get the best resources. However, Paley it has an active online community and it's easy to connect with other players.

8 Mirthwood

Homesteading and sword fighting

Players looking for an authentic peasant grind experience will find fun Mirthwood: a dark fantasy resource management simulator and RPG. This game allows both adventurers and farmers to build a prosperous homestead in a beautiful hand-drawn environment. Combat can be complex and progress is slow, but players won't lack for quests to complete or NPCs to bother. Mirthwood.

Unfortunately, this indie title has some lingering game-breaking bugs, including framerate drops, players freezing in place, and a lackluster UI. The potential is there, but patches are needed.

7 Fae Farm

Another Cozy Farming Simulator

Another MMO, Fae Farm brings a cute-fantasy spin to the farming sim formula. Players can gather friends for a challenging dungeon crawl, farm or gather resources, or go it alone: ​​the game allows for both.

The game doesn't make any revolutionary changes to the loop of farming, mining, fighting, upgrading items that are so popular in games Stardew Valley, but it still provides a lot of fun gameplay with great aesthetics and the combat brings a level of real challenge.

6 Potion Permit

The health of the city is in your hands

Tired of farming? IN Potion Permit, players heal charming NPCs of illness and injury as they search the surrounding enchanted wilderness for potion ingredients. The game has some great puzzles and mini-games that get more challenging as it progresses, and some of the best character writing in the genre.

While the minigames have great replay value, some of the combat and resource gathering can get old over time. Still, the star of the show here is the charming storytelling and setting.

5 Talking about coffee

Making coffee, learning new recipes, crying

This charming visual novel is set in an alternate Seattle full of fantasy creatures. All these creatures have two things in common: complex emotional pathways and a love of hot drinks. Players can learn all their favorites as they help these characters navigate family relationships, love, and identity.

The writing is earnest and clever, and the soundtrack makes it the perfect choice for a cozy evening. However, only one night as this game can be completed in about four hours. Still, there is a free coffee mode for those who love the barista minigame.

4 Coffee Talk Chapter 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly

Cry even more

In this sequel, which retains all the charms of the original, even more drinks and advice await in fantasy Seattle. New characters are introduced, old favorites return with updates to their stories and looks, and there are new drinks to brew!

The running time of this visual novel is approximately 12 hours, so there is plenty of additional content for those who loved the first one Talking about coffee.

3 Rune Factory 4

For die-hard farmers

Fans Harvest Moon will love this title which was recently updated for the new consoles. Rune Factory 4 includes everything classic Harvest Moon elements such as farming, resource gathering and marriage, with the addition of dragon gods, monster breeding and combat. While Rune Factory 5 it's newer and a lot of fun with it, Rune Factory 4 it has more content overall and would be a better place to start for new players Rune Factory.

The new version for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Switch also features new and updated cutscenes for players already familiar with the franchise.

2 Fields in Mistria

Perfecting the Fantasy Farm genre

Fields in Mistria it has great animation, character design and dialogue, plus rewarding combat and farming mechanics. This game took the formula set by games like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley and perfected it. It's a beautiful romp with characters that feel fleshed out in a way that other games in the genre don't quite manage.

There's tons of customization, players can save in the middle of the day, all the characters are super charming, and there's a dragon marriage candidate. What more could a farmer ask for?

1 Stardew Valley

New content, same endless replayability

Gamers looking for a slow life have probably already made their way Stardew Valley, but it's a game worth watching. With the new 1.6 update now available on consoles, this classic indie hit still has a lot to discover.

Farm, fight mummies, go fishing, befriend a bear, decorate your home, enter a volcano and reacquaint yourself with your neighbors in this sleepy seaside town. This is a cult classic for a reason.