5 Cozy Indie Demos You Should Check Out

Demos are abundant, so I’m here to help suggest some worth your time. This month's theme for Demo Dialog is cozy indie games. I’m not the biggest fan of the stereotypical “cozy” games, but there are some peaceful titles that I do enjoy and I know others would love. 

So let’s jump right in with five cozy indie games with demos that I think you should check out.

Tiny Book Shop

Tiny Bookshop on Steam

Leave everything behind and open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game. Stock your tiny bookshop with different books and items, set up shop in scenic locations, and run your cozy second-hand bookshop while getting to know the locals.

STEAM

A cute title that has you becoming a traveling book merchant. Take your trailer full of books and decide where you want to set up shop for the day in a vast town. Decorate, stock your shop, and give book suggestions to patrons. The whole point of the game is to share a love for reading, and you might even see a familiar title in your shop. The devs used real books to fill the inventory, which I think is the best aspect of the whole game. 

Webbing Journey

Save 30% on A Webbing Journey on Steam

Adorable spider chaos! Swing around the house, weave crazy structures, play with physics-based objects, and pull off chores with nothing but your webs and your wits in this madcap sandbox adventure.

STEAM

If you like physics-based sandbox games, Webbing Journey might be a great demo to put on your list. You play as a colorful spider exploring a house to help your favorite person. Everything is climbable, you can interact and destroy basically anything, and customize your little spider buddy. Use your spider webs to swing around and build up dynamic webs, both big and small.

Boba Cafe Simulator

Boba Cafe Simulator on Steam

You’re reborn—back at the beginning of your startup journey. In your last life, poor management led to your shop being crushed by competitors. This time, the sweet scent of condensed milk runs through your veins, and you’re set on one goal: turn “Bingbao” into the top name in the industry.

STEAM

If you like boba and the simulator genre, here's the combination of the two. Do everything from taking orders to making the drinks. Cut up the fresh fruit and fill up the cup with the right amount of sugar and tea. This just seems like a great sim game to try out if you’ve run out of others catching your attention.

Birdwatching Notebook

Birdwatching Notebook on Steam

Build cozy birdwatching spots on balconies, docks, cliffs, rainforests, or deserts, and wait for lovely birds to visit. A gentle desktop idle game—like tiny postcards on your screen, where beautiful scenes and cute birds accompany your quiet moments.

STEAM

If you really wanna lie back and enjoy a calm game, this one has you building up a birdwatching nook. As time passes, different types of birds will gather and enjoy their time in your nook. The better you make your nook, the more comfortable the birds will be and start to behave differently. Take pictures of the birds to unlock information about each species. 

Bento Blocks

Bento Blocks on Steam

Craft delicious lunch boxes in this cozy-yet-challenging ingredient-cutting puzzle game.

STEAM

If you like puzzle games, this one is great, but it will make you hungry. Bento Blocks is another food preparation game where you have to cut up rice blocks to fit the requirements of the bento box. I have played a similar game in Inbento and this one offers a bit of a different take on how they set up the puzzles. 

That was February’s demo recommendations, if you enjoyed any of them, let me know in the comments below, I would love to know. Also, if you have suggestions for great demos, I should include in a future episode of Demo Dialog.