“Cozy games” – snug and hygge – are rarely at the same time a cold survival game, where every minute brings a sweet little mouse closer to a grim end… Even more rarely do such games remain cute and, moreover, completely accessible to everyone.
Goat Simulator… And this is already its third edition… It turns out to be a gem, or rather a bezoar of accessible gaming!
For an entire generation, Pokémon was the gateway into the world of gaming – accessible, engaging, and driven by an addictive gameplay loop that tapped into our hunter-gatherer instincts. Cassette Beasts is clearly inspired by Nintendo’s iconic series and, boy is that a good thing.
Can being a medieval painter be easy? It turns out, yes. This painted card game with a sprinkle of amusing narrative shouldn’t overwhelm anyone. You don’t need to have experience with similar games. There are no microtransactions or loot boxes… nor is there an Izzy Mode Certificate. And for a reason.
Spiritfarer is the best couch co-op I’ve had the pleasure to (co-)play, one of the best games that can be classified as “easy without crossing the threshold of childishness or boredom”, and the most underrated game I know.
Even though Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t meet many of the standards I usually set for games with the Izzy Mode Certificate, by Merlin’s Beard! If this game doesn’t convince a n00b into gaming, may a centaur get this muggle, because I’m done!
This game is the holy grail of casual games. Thank you for coming to my TED talk, goodbye.