Is It Seriously Summer Already? Beat the Heat With Cozy Escapism

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Speak Up Sesh

Summer is right around the corner! Isn’t that nuts? This year feels like it’s been going on forever, but it also feels like it’s just speeding by us. Wasn’t it March just yesterday? The weather is so incredibly comfortable where I am in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s fun to go out and chill, especially since I’ve been so swamped with work. For those who aren’t really interested in going outdoors, but still want to simulate it in some way, here are some cozy games that might be perfect for the upcoming summer months (Stardew Valley and Fields of Mistria are basically hall of famers. I recommend them too, but like, everyone recommends them, lol):

• Paralives - It’s in early access, so there are some bugs that the team hasn’t hammered out yet. But there are already a lot of cool features like blueprints to make homes to scale (something that I can never get right even after like decades in Sims 2 or 3), and the team is so passionate about adding new content based on feedback. Did you know that if you want to get all of the add-ons to Sims 4, it costs like $1000, and the game barely works enough to do so? Well, Paralives will offer updates and content for free.

• Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley - I hemmed and hawwed between this one or Moomintroll, but I think that if you’re looking for something comfy, then Snufkin is the way to go. Moomintroll had a slightly darker tone and a wintry vibe that doesn’t suit this warm summer season. Plus, it’s on sale right now for 45% off.

• Pokopia - Pokopia is a crazy time sink of a game because there’s always something to do, and the game makes the feedback loop so satisfying that you want to do the things in the game. It’s cute, making it fun for non-Pokemon fans as well, and you can even play with friends if you want some co-op building.

• Is This Seat Taken? - A shorter game than the other ones here that also makes you exercise your noggin a bit more.

• Thrifty Business - A really bright and fun management sim with some fun NPCs. It honestly reminds me of the 2010s in a good way. Also, I always think of LaKenzo, the Dandelion Crayon girl, when I see this!

Top 10 Stories From the Past Month

• Sweet Hamster Days Dating Sim Demo Appears on Steam - I’m not saying this is going to be like Summer Sweetheart, but I have to say, this reminds me of the infamous cat girl (not a real cat girl) girlfriend from Summer Sweetheart.

• Road to Empress II Release Date Set - It’ll be out in early June 2026. If you haven’t played it yet, I highly recommend doing so or watching a stream. It’s a treat with genuinely interesting storylines.

• June 2026 State of Play Will Spend Over an Hour on PS5 Games - Wow, the PS5 really has games!

• Voice Actress Wakana Yamazaki Died at 61 - 61 is so insanely young, and she was such a generational actress thanks to her work as Ran.

• Street Figher 6 Chun-Li Premium Masterline Figure Costs at Least $1,099 - Honestly, if you’re dropping this kind of crazy cash anyway for a huge figure, you might as well go all the way and get the $1,599 special edition if possible.

• Heaven Burns Red Persona 5 Royal Event Stars Queen, Violet, and Tsukasa Tojo - Not to sound too morbid, but I’m always curious about a Persona 5 collaboration in a gacha game. Mostly to see if the curse kicks in.

• Level-5 Issued Statement on Pirating Roms of Its Games - It being Level-5, the genAI lovers, saying this is just too funny.

• New The Ghost in the Shell Anime Trailer Teases July Debut - The global debut of the first two episodes will be at the June 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

• Leon Must Die Forever in Free Resident Evil Requiem Mode - Don’t be dumb like me and get the “drops grenade when you discard item” perk and walk forward to where the grenade it, because Leon will die (forever).

• NTE: Neverness to Everness Developers Admit AI Used in Game - It would be one thing if they used genAI, but to hide it from the people who worked on it and promo-ed it was really nasty. Nothing about this game seems original at all, which is a shame because getting “anime GTA” before GTA 6 would’ve been nice.

Upcoming Games

• Dave The Diver: In The Jungle - June 18 (PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, Switch 2, PC)

• The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales - June 18 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PC)

• Star Fox - June 25 (Switch 2)

• Dead Or Alive 6 Last Round - June 25 (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC)