I would have shrugged if you had asked me if I liked cozy games 15 years ago. Not because I disliked them, but because I have always been rather free with my love for all games, as long as they are good games. Life simulators just weren’t really an escape for me. The puzzles, combat, and ‘missions’ of hardcore gaming were my stress busters. Then I got older, and I developed a rather unhealthy relationship with stress that led to way too many moments of rage quitting. In those moments, I began to appreciate the quiet, wholesome rhythms of a ‘cozier title.’
What is a cozy game, though? To this day, I am not quite sure I completely agree with the commonly accepted definition of a game that eschews violence and embraces relaxation. Mostly because ‘relaxation’ means different things for different people. Instead, I think we should think about cozy games as being titles that engender that feeling within people. This means it can include small amounts of violence, just as it can include non-simulation elements. It can and should include anything wholesome for the player in question. That includes just the right amount of chaos in the gameplay.
Considering The Nature of Chaotic Gameplay
Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley are considered the biggest cozy titles, but they do nothing for me. Something about the repetitive elements and the entirely human parallel just make it repetitive and boring (for me). Don’t get me wrong, as a designer, I can see how and why it works. These games have simple goals, a good mix of tasks of varying difficulties that provide quick rewards, a cute and engaging art style, and a lot of lovable characters. This, inherently, is a massive difference from the stressors of day-to-day life, and completing them feels rewarding and productive, providing a satisfying dopamine hit. They reflect life as we know it. Success there tells you that you can succeed in your world, too.
That, right there, is the reason it doesn’t work for me. It feels way too much like my life, even though I am no farmer, and it’s not like I do any of these tasks. However, it is a relatable human task and isn’t enough of a break. This is where I look for chaotic gameplay, where a series of actions or a gameplay mechanic can lead to an unexpected outcome. That is delightful. It’s surprising and different. That is where I get a complete break from my reality, where I can leave my daily woes and irritants behind.
More expectedly, it’s when I am on a random planet trying to farm adorable slimes and get them to mate. Or when I am a robot trying to replicate a ‘human job’ badly. These games surprise and delight you by starting with expected or predictable tasks. However, as you do these tasks, things take a twist because of the world (Slime Rancher), the premise (Job Simulator), or even the mechanics (Worms). It gets more entertaining when we begin to play simulations or as characters for which we have little or no frame of reference. Like Bread… I still can’t get over the brilliance of creating a game around a bread slice trying to turn into toast.
However, my favorite version of this is when we get to play the ridiculously silly yet fun animal simulations. I get to play as a pet or an animal for a day or a few hours. I can’t help but wonder if the developer had the same thought as me, that this mundane thing is something the animal in question thought about. Or that they were able to create a random, delightful scenario. So, is it any surprise that my current obsession is Little Kitty, Big City?
Cute With A Dash Of Chaos: Little Kitty, Big City
This game is a perfect example to break down some of the elements I have been talking about. Whether we look at it from the traditional definition or my perspective, Little Kitty, Big City fits in perfectly. You play as a cute indoor cat that falls off the window sill when it ‘does a big stretch.’ You then have to thrive in the big bad world to get the skills and energy needed to climb back to being human. As the description suggests, it is ridiculously cute. That is even before you consider the animation and art that make this cat your favorite animal. As you travel this world, you meet other cute animals who teach you the necessary skills or give you adorable missions.
Is it wholesome? Yes. There is something very delightful about going about your day as a cat. It is cuter when you consider that this is an incompetent cat. As an indoor baby, he has no outdoor skills, which is where the chaos begins, albeit in really tiny doses. You get it in Kitty’s clumsy jumping and walking skills that make traversing the world entertaining and challenging. Even if the platforming is forgiving and adds to the easygoing vibe, it is always questionable whether you will succeed in your climb. Of course, you also find that easygoing unpredictability with the characters you meet, with the hapless chameleon and a fast travel-providing Racoon.
The 50-50 Split: Untitled Goose Game
Now, while cats definitely come with their own levels of chaos in real life, there is no creature quite as chaotic as the goose. House House ran with that as a mechanic in Untitled Goose Game. After all, this game is completely about creating chaos within the village and annoying everyone. Let me just say that after playing this game, I kinda understood why my sister likes to annoy me. There is a certain amount of cathartic joy in being able to sneak behind someone, honk at them so that they drop what they have, then steal it and run away. I am a consummate rule follower in real life, and it might be one of the reasons I absolutely loved the ability to be a little shit to everyone without any real-world consequences.
Welcome Aboard The Chaos Train: Goat Simulator
Then you find games where the developers just throw any form of simulation right out the window and just embrace the chaos. Goat Simulator was the game that actually brought me into a ‘cozy’ space. While this game may not match the standard definition of cozy, I believe it is. It is so over the top, hilarious, and, thus, harmless that it is wholesome. This is a game where the only purpose is to have a good time in the most chaotic manner. You have to look for the most ridiculous ways to achieve a goal, and as such, you are likely to fail at every goal.
It is that chaos, though, that keeps it fun even when you fail. This isn’t a game where you can get frustrated; if you are, you are playing it wrong. Here, a jump won’t pan out as expected, a weapon won’t harm you, and violence is but a physics tool. Here, every single mechanic results in an unexpected outcome, where it becomes delightful and relaxing.
Chaos As The Ultimate Cozy Tool
If you actually pay attention, you will see that a lot more cozy games are beginning to feature chaotic gameplay. Hardcore games are also beginning to fold them in with cozy and chaotic elements. After all, the unexpected is where you can really delight a gamer. Like I said earlier, if something is chaotic, it is, by definition, unpredictable. That is where the ‘new’ exists. Those chaotic elements are what bring you back to a game. It is why I always have Plants vs Zombies installed on my computer, why my friends invariably end up playing Overcooked, and why, even decades later, I am always down to pick up Katamari. I firmly believe that the chaotic challenge is why a game like Helldivers 2 or any bullet hell is successful.
Chaos serves as a complete break, and it keeps a game from feeling like work. When it is paired with something cute, it immediately puts a smile on your face. It automatically gives you an additional reason to replay, push through difficulty, and discover what comes next. This is why you should consider adding a cute and chaotic game to your playlist when looking for a stress breaker.
