Wētā Workshop’s Tales of The Shire is the first game from within The Lord of the Rings franchise that inhabits the joyful peacefulness of The Shire that Tolkien fans longed to retreat to every time Frodo and Bilbo set off on perilous journeys. Without warfare, brutality, or a shred of conflict beyond aggravating the neighbors, Tales of The Shire is a hobbit simulator that immerses players in the cozy magic of The Lord of the Rings universe, deviating from its iconic darker content.
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A tonal shift from the franchise’s popular genre and style can be controversial for fans, as the attempt at wish fulfillment can sometimes backfire and risk losing the qualities that made franchises successful in the first place. However, some franchises, be they established game, book, TV, or movie franchises, could hugely benefit from fully embracing their cute or wholesome characters, diving into beautiful locations, or entirely re-imagining a violent universe into a pacifist, cozy life-sim all their own. Here are the franchises that could succeed with a cozy, cheerful game just as snug and homey as Tales of The Shire.
5 Gilmore Girls
Stars Hollow Could Be The Next Stardew Valley
- Created by: Amy Sherman Palladino
- Executive Producers: Amy Sherman Palladino and Daniel Palladino
- First Aired: 10/05/2000
- Network: The CW
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
It is hardly revolutionary to suggest that Gilmore Girls is the epitome of effortlessly heartwarming TV, but recent recreations of Gilmore Girls Locations in The Sims 4 are a reminder of how perfectly Star Hollow suits the cozy gaming genre. Why hasn’t Amy Sherman Palladino’s magnum opus about a wholesome mother-daughter duo been converted into an autumnal video game yet? Imagine how adorable 3D renditions of Sookie and Babette would look, or how soothing the Dragonfly Inn would be in a hand-drawn storybook art style.
With opportunities to play as the whole cast, a Gilmore Girls video game could be far more than a dating life sim, although this could be a huge element as players get to explore Lorelai and Rory’s iconic romantic choices from Dean, Jess, and Logan all the way to Digger and Rune. Manage the Independence or Dragonfly Inn as Lorelai, flip burgers and argue with Taylor in a backward baseball cap at Luke’s diner, craft culinary masterpieces as chef Sookie, or ace tests with Paris and Rory; even the potential chaos of playing as Kirk alone could be as silly and entertaining as the Untitled Goose Game. With the potential for hundreds of mini-games for all the townies and endearing dialogue, this comforting cult classic would shine without a single deviation as a cozy life-sim.
4 Studio Ghibli
Please Kiki, Deliver Us A Studio Ghibli Video Game
- Founded: 06/15/1985
- Founders: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
- Genre: Anime, Adventure
Studio Ghibli has enchanted fans since 1985 before gaining international stardom around the world with the 2D hand-drawn movie masterpiece Spirited Away, but this franchise is sorely missing a video game debut. Studio Ghibli has animated sequences for Level-5’s magical adventure RPG series Ni no Kuni, but they have yet to convert one of their own tales into a video game or craft a new story specifically for gamers. If the Japanese studio wanted to indulge in fan favorites rather than new characters, Kiki Delivery’s Service alone would be ideal for a cutesy witchcraft RPG about flying to treasured customers to deliver goods, similar to the cozy witch simulator games Witchy Life Story and The Cosmic Wheel of Sisterhood.
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A Spirited Away game would be a fascinating exploration of the mysterious, colorful characters at the bathhouse, just as any Studio Ghibli animation could be easily adapted for consoles. The light, dreamy original scores by composer Joe Hisaishi would immerse players completely in any characters or world that Studio Ghibli wanted to create. Ni no Kuni, Behind The Frame, and all other games to play inspired by Studio Ghibli, prove that their charming art style, endearing characters, and serene scenery would thrive in a unique Studio Ghibli cozy life simulator.
3 The Last of Us
Give Joel, Ellie, And Riley A Happy Ever After
- Released
- September 2, 2022
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Fans suffered alongside beloved characters Ellie and Joel throughout various titles within the bleak post-apocalyptic RPG epic franchise, The Last of Us. From harrowing deaths, massacres, zombie outbreaks, and killing dogs, gameplay throughout the series has been tragic yet compelling. Occasional intervals of wholesome moments, endearing dialogue, and teasers of a positive future cause players to become attached to their favorite characters, but the relentless onslaught of terrible events that befall them can be depressing at best. The Last of Us: Left Behind was a downloadable prequel installment that proved that fans could be fully satisfied with gameplay whereby Ellie was allowed to bond with her best friend Riley and have fun, despite the sad ending.
A cozy life sim within The Last of Us franchise would be a stark, jarring genre deviation, exactly the same as Tales of the Shire was for The Lord of The Rings. However, a quirky, cute, and comforting title could be exactly the vacation that players and characters need from the oppressive atmosphere and endless trauma of the main timeline. Players may want to create their own post-apocalypse avatar to traverse a small peaceful community, where adored characters like Ellie and Joel get to live in safety and harmony for once and where the infected zombies are as harmless as cartoonish pests to gently scare away from crops.
2 The Batman Franchise
Raising Robin, Foster Fails, And Bat-Family Dinners
- Released
- June 23, 2015
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
DC’s caped crusader is infamous for beating costumed criminals and solving bleak mysteries in the popular Batman: Arkham Series, despite Batman’s rare comedic, cutesy appearances in the child-friendly Lego Batman Series and in Justice League: Cosmic Chaos. The majority of Batman gameplay on the market is as consistently dark, brooding, and violent as its titular character, excluding the fact that, canonically, Batman is as much a hopeless single Dad as he is a vigilante of vengeance. Bruce Wayne first adopted Richard Grayson to form the iconic crime-fighting duo Batman and Robin, before becoming the father of Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne (his biological son conceived without Batman’s consent). Since then, Batman has been the ultimate ‘foster fail’ father, adopting every child that comes under his bat-wing; Bruce sheltered countless youths like Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, and Barbara Gordon, and even had more biological children with Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and Talia across multiple alternate universes and timelines.
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How does one single Dad make sure his tiny superheroes stay alive, go to school, eat, sleep, and still train them to fight crime alongside him? Is Gotham’s guardian as talented at parent-teacher meetings, bedtime stories, and homework as he is punching the Joker? Fans could find out for themselves playing a chaotic, brooding superhero Dad in an adorable parenting simulator video game that displays the caring, lighthearted side of The Dark Knight. The harrowing backstories and tense conflicts between Wayne and his children could blend with the wholesome, humorous, and heartwarming moments of a single father raising a horde of crime-fighting children.
1 Game of Thrones
Enjoy a Cozy Virtual King’s Landing Without Any “Shame!”
Game of Thrones – A Telltale Games Series
- Released
- December 2, 2014
Surprisingly, despite the immense everlasting popularity of George R. R. Martin’s book and TV series, the best attempts at a Game of Thrones video game have largely amounted to a string of failed, canceled, or forgotten titles, with few success stories. There were merits to Cyanide’s 2012 combat RPG and to Telltale’s 2014 choice-based storytelling game, although the latter is currently unavailable due to Telltale’s hiatus, leaving a huge gap in the market for a fully-fledged Game of Thrones RPG. The Game of Thrones universe is one where despair, greed, and wars over power are the lifeblood of the world and its characters; heavy themes of incest, murder, revenge, and far worse are sewn into every plot. But what if it wasn’t?
In a similar vein to how Hogwarts Legacy let Potterheads roam the wizarding school with their own unique characters, a Game of Thrones life sim could be a sanctuary where adoptable Direwolves don’t have a short expiry date and cute baby dragons that don’t barbeque children. Who hasn’t wanted to bask in the sunny gardens at King’s Landing or curl up with a book by the fire at snowy Winterfell? Developers may want to keep character cameos to a minimum: a peaceful existence in a cozy, fantastical medieval life sim is challenging, with players needing to constantly restrain themselves from attacking the most repulsive Game of Thrones characters like Cersei, Joffrey or Ramsay on sight.
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