The case for cosy games on bad days

Not every game needs to test you. Some evenings I don't want tension or failure states, I just want somewhere pleasant to spend an hour, and that's where the cosy corner of mobile gaming earns its keep.

Lanterns of Vael became my go-to for exactly this. There's no fail state to speak of, no timer breathing down your neck, just a quiet town to slowly bring back to light. The watercolour art and barely-there piano do a lot of gentle work.

I think these games are underrated precisely because they're calm. Reviewers chase difficulty and depth, but a game that reliably lowers your heart rate is doing something genuinely valuable.

If you're feeling burned out on everything being a grind, pick something short and warm. Four relaxing hours can be more satisfying than forty stressful ones.