When people think about space games, they often picture something close to Star Wars or something straight out of Alien vs. Predator. But what if space didn’t have to be the cold, unwelcoming final frontier it’s always depicted as?
Believe it or not,there are actually tons of games out there that make exploring the vast void of space feel as comforting as cozying up under the stars.
Instead of high-stakes dogfights and abandoned space stations, these titles focus on things like peaceful exploration, base management, and even farming!
Whether you’re tending to alien gardens or starting your own otherworldly ranch, these games make exploring the galaxy feel a whole lot less stressful.
Qualifying a cozy game as space-set needs to meet one of the two criteria: it has to heavily feature outer space segments, or set on a planet that is faraway and distinct enough from good old Earth to make its exploration an alien journey.
9Verdant Skies
Alien Farming Sim
Verdant Skies
If you’ve ever wondered what Stardew Valley would be like if you chucked it into space, then you just got your answer with Verdant Skies.
This farming sim takes place on a faraway, terraformed planet where you get to grow crops, raise animals, and date nearly anything that moves.Verdant Skies leans heavily on its dating aspect, but don’t let that deter you ifyou’re only in it for the farming!
This game lets you do pretty much anything you want on the alien world of Viridis Primus. From making pottery to using genetic splicing machines to create the perfect crops, the possibilities are pretty much endless.
8Mrs.Cat in Mars
A Purrfect Platformer
Mrs.Cat in Mars is one of those games that’s perfect for when you’ve only got an afternoon to spare. It’s fully engaging, very minimalist, andfeels reminiscent of those old-school arcade games you used to waste all your tokens on as a kid.
Mrs.Cat in Mars is a precision platformer that lets you step into the well-groomed paws of a cat on Mars. With each level, you’ll have to memorize the movement and attack patterns of several enemies, all while navigatingan otherworldly 2D environment.
This game is almost deceivingly simple. The 2D graphics and minimalist art style lure you into a false sense of security, whileits real difficulty level smacks you in the face harder than a mosquito on a windshield. This game is as delightfully adorable as it is challenging, so don’t go reaching for it unless you’re up for a challenge!
A Pawsitively Cozy Base-Builder
“Cats in Space” has to be one of the most niche, underrated sub-genres of cozy games that I’ve ever seen. MewnBase is a base-building survival game that throws its players into the role of an astronaut cat (catstronaut) building a base on an uncharted, alien planet.
This comes with most of the challenges that you’d expect, like no free oxygen or food, but it also throws in a couple more obstacles that make the whole experience feel that much more unique.
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Crafting solar panels, building air purifiers, and weathering constant dust storms in your DIY bunker are only a few of the hurdles you’ll have to jump if you want to survive.
On top of all that,you’ll also have to grow your own food, find and utilize clean sources of water, and piece together an ancient exo-mysteryusing the primitive artifacts you find littered all around the planet’s surface. For a cat-themed base-builder, it’s actually a lot more in-depth than you’d think.
6Oxygen Not Included
Become a Space Politician
Oxygen Not Included
Oxygen Not Included isn’t your average space survival game. Instead of fighting back against deadly alien creatures or killer foliage, this game forces you to facethe ultimate extraterrestrial threat: colony management.
In Oxygen Not Included, you’re in charge of a small colony of people trying to survive in the harsh conditions of space.Every single aspect of your colony is under your control, from resource allocation to leisure activities; which sounds cool, until you realize that “under your control” also means “your responsibility” when it all goes wrong.
You’ll have to manage not only an entire colony of people but also the massive base itself. Juggling your base’s thermodynamics, oxygen generation processes, and complex power resources is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to managing your base.
It’s a lot more complicated than you’d think, but it’s also one of the most entertaining ways of wasting an afternoon that I’ve found so far.
Stardew Valley in Space
This game is about as close as we’re ever going to get to a space-based sequel to Stardew Valley. Nearly everything about this game reminded me of Stardew Valley, even the story.
Farlands opens up with the main character, you, deciding you need a break from the hustle and bustle of space-city life, and deciding to buy an entire agricultural planet for a bargain deal. With little to nothing but your ship and your desire for a lifestyle change by your side, you head out to become the best space farmer you could ever hope to be.
Sound familiar yet? I mean, it’s literallya space-ified version of Stardew Valley’s opening. Not that there’s anything wrong with that;space Stardew Valley is every bit as cool as it sounds. You get to become part of a thriving community with humans and aliens alike, along with turning what used to be an abandoned agrarian rock into a thriving homestead.
Interstellar exploration, interior decorating, and even romance are all on the table in this extraterrestrial farming sim. If you’ve been on the hunt for the perfect interstellar farming sim, then you’ve just found it in Farlands.
4Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor
An Anti-Adventure RPG
Diaries Of A Spaceport Janitor
As one of the few"anti-adventure" gamesthat I’ve come across, Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor offers an experience like no other. This game is literally a space janitor simulator, and while that might not sound all that appealing at first, just trust me; this game will suck you in faster than a vampire at a blood bank.
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This self-proclaimed anti-adventure game puts you in the water-logged boots of a janitor working at an alien bazaar.As the spaceport’s only trash-incinerating Alaensee girlbeast, it’s your job to explore its many alleyways, side streets, and plazas for discarded trash to burn.
Along the way, you’ll find rare treasures like old food or body parts, which can often be eaten to gain mysterious powers (or curses). This game is the perfect balance between mundane and ridiculous; just when you think you’re getting the hang of your routine, a floating, ancient cranial entity will pop up behind you and turn it all upside down.
Escapism at its Finest
Sable feels like the kind of game you’d want to play after a long day of being stuck at work.
I realize that the purpose of most games is to serve as some form of escape, but Sable just takes it to a whole other level; if you’ve ever hadthe childish dream of exploring distant planets on a hoverbike without a care in the world, then Sable is about to be your next biggest obsession.
In this exploration RPG, you get to take on the role of Sable, a masked nomad with a sick hoverbike and a sense of adventure. As Sable, you’ll embark on a journey known as a Gliding, a rite of passage that will span multiple alien civilizations and vast, uncharted deserts, all in search of who you really are behind your mask.
The lands and people that you’ll come across in this game have a way of sticking with you long after you’ve put the controller down. No matter how hard you try to get away from it, this game manages to worm its way back into your brain every time; if you want a game that’ll change how you look at life for the rest of your days, then Sable is it.
2I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
Growing Up on an Alien Planet
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is the ultimate coming-of-age alien experience. This was one of the first games that genuinely blew me away, and it’s one of the few titles that I’ve actually played over 5+ times and counting.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is an RPG about growing up in humanity’s first-ever extrasolar space colony, completely separated from Earth and its galaxy. You’ll go through each phase of childhood, making choices that shape your future, your relationships, and even the fate of the colony itself.
Along the way, you’ll be able to explore the alien world of Vertumna, a paradise brimming with alien creatures, foliage, and mysterious remnants of a long-lost civilization.
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Your home’s success as a colony rests in your hands and how you decide to live with the world around you; will you choose to fight back against Vertumna’s native inhabitants, or will you live in harmony instead? Will you become a great leader for your colony, or will you leave all the big decision-making to someone else?
Every choice that you make in this game matters on an unfathomable scale, from what you eat for breakfast to how you spend your free time. Even if coming-of-age games aren’t necessarily your thing, just trust me, I Was a Teenage Excolonist is not an experience you want to miss.
1Slime Rancher
Alien Slime Ranching
Slime Rancher
Slime Rancher is a well-known and well-loved title in the cozy game genre, and the fact that the game takes place in outer space is just another bonus.
This cozy, unconventional farming sim puts you in the boots of Beatrix LeBeau, an optimistic young rancher who sets out to build a life for herself on the Far, Far Range, a planet teeming with bouncy, jiggly slimes just waiting to be collected.
This game takesthe creature-collecting genreto new heights, as you go around sucking up slimes and shooting them out into your ranch with your trusty vacpack.Each slime offers a different resource that you’ll be able to collect and sell for cash, so the more slimes you collect, the more money you can make.
In addition to ranching adorable bubbles of joy, you may also start your own farm and grow crops, most of which will go towards feeding your horde of slimes. If you think watching them eat is adorable, just wait until they start pooping out resources.
No matter what kinds of games you usually go for, Slime Rancher has a little bit of something for everybody. Whether you’re into farming, exploring, or just plain old capitalism, you’ll definitely find something to love about this cozy game.
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