Cozy games that don't try to run your life

There's a whole category of 'cozy' game that is secretly stressful, loaded with daily chores and streaks that punish you for having a life. I avoid those. The real cozy game is one you can leave for a month and come back to without guilt.

Tiny Harbor Town is my current pick for this. You rebuild a sleepy village at your own pace, and nothing bad happens if you don't open it for days. The town is just there, waiting.

The trick these games pull is making you want to return without forcing it. That comes from small, satisfying loops and a world that feels alive, not from manipulative timers.

Protect your evenings. Pick games that treat your attention as a gift, not a resource to mine.