A Redditor asked for cozy games that require "no time limit" and "no fighting." Gamers were happy to oblige.
Not all video games revolve around sword fights, gunfire, or split-second reactions. For many players, cozy gaming has become a go-to source of comfort, relaxation, and stress relief. It offers slower-paced experiences designed to soothe rather than stimulate.
These games often prioritize atmosphere, creativity, and gentle progression. This makes them especially appealing to players looking to unwind after a long day—or for those who are living with health issues.
While Stardew Valley is widely regarded as the gold standard of the cozy gaming genre, one Redditor wondered if there were similar games out there. u/More-Principle-8011 asked in the r/cozygaming subreddit, "Does anyone have recs for cozy games with the least possible amount of stress?"
They explained that they specifically needed games with "no time limit, no fighting, no rushing to get stuff done, etc."
Thankfully, other Redditors were more than happy to help. Suggestions poured in, ranging from cozy life sims like Palia and storybook animal adventures such as Winter Burrow, to more unconventional picks like playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey in a stress-free historical tour mode. The variety of recommendations highlighted just how expansive and creative the cozy gaming space has become.
Check out 18 of the best, stress-free cozy games recommended by Redditors...
1. Fabledom
"Fabledom is a fantasy themed city/town builder that's pretty simplified, cute, and cozy." —u/Eat--The--Rich–
2. Tiny Bookshop
"Tiny Bookshop, it might be my fave and least stressful cozy game to date (POTS, long covid, 3 clashing neurodivergencies)." —u/echochorus
"It's lovely and low key." —u/Disastrous_Fun_9433
3. Ooblets
"After finishing Tiny Bookshop, I started Ooblets and have been enjoying it. I'm really able to take my time and focus on what I like (mainly farming and gathering). It's very silly and goofy in a wholesome way." —u/SinisterAsparagus
4. Hello Kitty Island Adventure
"Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Super cute, quests are easy, and they have a bunch of fun events that happen throughout the year that give you special prizes. They also have some mini puzzle games in each area" —u/marissazam
5. Toem
"Toem would be perfect." —u/kristiwinks
6. PowerWash Simulator
"I’ve had a scan through the comments and there are two games I don’t think anyone else has mentioned that might be worth taking a look at. I find PowerWash Simulator very therapeutic and gentle and play it on my iPad when lying in bed.
The other game you might like to check out is Discounty - I haven’t played it yet, but it’s on my wish list and it might suit your like of buying and selling stuff." —u/[deleted]
7. Ship Inc
"For no thoughts I’ve enjoyed Ship Inc. Obviously Animal Crossing!" —u/SnooPears8066
8. Baba is You
"Baba is You if you like puzzles that are hard to figure out but you have all of the time in the world." —u/SassafrasTeaTime
9. Palia
"My rec would be Palia if you haven't tried it already! I play it with my older sister who also has ME/CFS. The game is free, no time limits on any quests (there are monthly bundle boards but honestly they are hardly ever even worth it to do and are more for when you are bored later in game), zero battle (there is hunting but the animals just poof into neat little loot baggies, and they never hurt you), the stamina bar is a mere suggestion as you can just keep going, there are some puzzles but you can just find easy tutorials if thinking is too much, and there is zero health bar because NOTHING can hurt you!" —u/Pink-Willow-42
10. Wilmot Works It Out
"A game where you solve jigsaw puzzles. No time limits or fighting. Just Wilmot and his puzzles." —u/05blob
11. Whisper of the House
"I’d say maybe Whisper of the House if you haven’t tried it! It’s similar to Unpacking, but I find it a bit more enjoyable since it feels more dynamic the way it’s designed when putting the variety of things in their place. A Little to the Left is really nice too. It’s simple with small levels where you can take your time." —u/fallenstarsx
12. Teddy's Haven
"Teddy's Haven is just about as stress free as you can get. You run a magical shop in a fantasy world. The main focus is on the shop sim (stocking, checking out customers, crafting, and decorating your shop) but there is a small, open world that you can explore to harvest things to sell. Also, you can farm to grow your own produce to sell, and enchant the seeds with aether to make different varieties." —u/arislyn
13. Electronauts
"Electronauts lets you play any music you want at beautiful retro-futuristic locations with various easy-to-use instruments and dj tools. There are no scores to shoot for and no variables that could stress out the player. You simply pick a cool location, an artist (for the background music), and you go there and play your music with the instruments for as long as you want." —u/BooksLoveTalksnIdeas
14. Littlewood
"Littlewood on Switch. Maybe on steam but I haven’t checked. Very low stress. No time. The time goes by number of actions you do in a day. There’s a romance system. It’s very cute." —u/snuffbox360
15. Gemporium
"Gemporium is a good one, you can turn on cozy mode and take all the time you need. 😊 I’ve been enjoying it that way for a couple of days" —u/Fit-Change-3810
16. Assassin's Creed Odyssey
"In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, you can ignore the main game and just select the historical tours. This lets you go on a guided tour of historical sites all across ancient Greece with some very well-informed tour guides and you can wander around on your own within each site. If you struggle to travel, this is a fab way to do a little tourism from home. Wait for a sale though, as the main game is far too fighty." —u/DickJonesPuppet
17. Minecraft
"Have you tried Minecraft? In peaceful mode you don’t have to worry about fighting any monsters, you can just build and garden and mine in peace." —u/EggplantAstronaut
18. Winter Burrow
"I just finished Winter Burrow and that was really chill. Took me 9 hours to finish the game and do all the achievements. It's mostly exploring and resource gathering when you're not talking to the characters. There is combat but you can decide when it happens and it's really simple." —u/-GatorFIRE-
19. Blue Prince
"Blue Prince maybe? It's very chill and there's no punishment for playing at your own pace. It's a puzzle game where you solve little mysteries as well as reach your own goal given in the game. Your blueprint resets every in game day. Super fun, super chill." —u/boobiesrkoozies
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