Cozy Grove

If you like your survival games to come with a cute charm that is soon ramps up, you will absolutely adore Crazy Grove. The game is developed by Spry Fox LLC, and has quickly gained a reputation in the short time that it has been out. Crazy Grove gets a lot of love because it takes the survival aspect to a new level. While it is still full of some of the classic tropes that exist within isometric survival games, it has more than enough charm to make it worth trying out.

An exploration game that changes constantly

The game itself is based around the concept of you, the player, being stuck on an island that changed constantly. You take on the role of a Spirit Scout, who is sent to the haunted island to cam pout and see what they can find out. The islands forest changes on a daily basis, so every time you find something it can all change the next time you head out.

The game is a story-rich, detailed experience that is loaded with secrets and side quests to help the ghosts of the forest find some peace. The game is a crafting classic that forces you to explore, to take risks, and to be a bit more enterprising. While it might have similarities to everything from Don’t Starve to Animal Crossing, it is very easy to fall in love with this exploration game.

It’s the kind of high-end, satisfying experience that forces you to really think and to look beyond the base outcome of your actions. You can enjoy a slow, paced experienced or you can keep playing all-day. The game is all about helping the land and the people who reside here, so it’s not a game about combat, skills, or any of that stuff.

Soothe the ghosts in style

One thing you will immediately find with this game is that it really does manage to lay on the charm with a trowel. The game is full of interesting writing, and gives you more or less total control over what you do, when you do it, and why. You can spend time building, upgrading your tent, growing and planting plants and trees, or even raising animals. You begin to help people on the island by taking part in everything from mining to foraging to the aforementioned tasks.

Pros:

• Easy to play for short bursts and still make progress
• Gorgeous art style paired with a tranquil, low-pressure gameplay
• Addictive gameplay loop that leaves you in total control of what to do

Cons:

• Can become slightly repetitive with the ghost fetch quests
• Greyscale of island at start of each island makes details harder to spot