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Alta is an accomplished fighter, an arena champion who’s dedicated and driven to be the best—until a string of losses throws her off her game and she’s sent searching for answers in a mysterious forest. She isn’t, in other words, the sort of person who might normally slow down long enough to work in a rustic tea shop. But that’s exactly what the warrior does in indie game developer Ivy Road’s charming Wanderstop, and not quite by choice. When she finds herself unable to lift her sword or even travel out of the forest, she begrudgingly agrees to take it easy under the serene tutelage of the tea shop’s zen-like owner, Boro.

Shop, though, isn’t quite the word. A shop suggests money changing hands, and the drinks at Wanderstop are free of charge for whoever shows up in the forest clearing where the establishment is located.

Even after a year that saw the release of the Stardew Valley 1.6 update and new, innovative titles like Infinity Nikki, there are still so many incredible cozy games on the horizon. Although the life sim genre has existed for a long time, it was only in the past few years that cozy gaming really took off. Characterized by a generally slow pace, colorful visuals, and a feel-good atmosphere, cozy games have provided a much-needed mood boost to players of all ages.

And even though it's been going on for a while, the cozy gaming trend is still going strong. There are a multitude of cozy games due to be released in 2025 and beyond. From highly-anticipated major releases to lesser-known games like Fields of Mistria, it seems like new cozy games are coming out every week. Here are ten of the most exciting cozy game releases scheduled for the next year.

Spiritual successors seem to be the go-to method for following up a successful debut among indie developers. While actual sequels to Hotline Miami and Fez are either canceled or earn mixed receptions, the likes of Transistor, Soma, and Inside suffer only minor drops in quality from their predecessors and establish themselves as great games in their own right. Four years after the release of Gone Home, it’s Fullbright’s turn to continue this pattern with Tacoma, a curious little project that will inevitably be derided by everyone as “Gone Home in space”. While it certainly doesn’t deserve to be dismissed out of hand that way, make no mistake: this game was hit harder by the sophomore slump than most of its contemporaries.

Of course, to talk about Tacoma, you have to talk about the game that it grew out of. Gone Home was an environmental exploration game that...

Scott McCall (as a human and as his wild werewolf self) and best bud Stiles have their very own Funko Pop! figures now. Collect whichever vinyl figure tickles your fancy this spring! Also in today's Highlights: Wesley Snipes reveals The Recall's release date at CinemaCon 2017, a look at the teaser trailer for Deep Shock, and the Tribeca Games Festival announcement.

Photos & Release Details for Funko's Teen Wolf Pop! Vinyls: From Funko: “Teen werewolf Scott McCall and his best friend Stiles are coming to Pop! vinyl!

Bitten the night before starting sophomore year of high school, Scott is now a True Alpha werewolf! Collect Scott in his human form, or as a werewolf!

Add them to your collection this spring!

Coming in May!”

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The Recall Premiere Date Announced at CinemaCon 2017: Press Release: "Announced today by star Wesley Snipes at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Minds Eye Entertainment’s sci-fi...

The Beginner’s Guide

Developed by Everything Unlimited Ltd.

Published by Everything Unlimited Ltd.

Available on PC, Mac

To enjoy this game you have to let it surprise you, but to meaningfully write about it I will have to spoil the surprise. So, if you have not played it yet, stop reading this. What was clever, cold, and schematic in The Stanley Parable is stirring and emotional (deceivingly so) in Davey Wreden’s newest title. Both games share similar features. They’re first-person adventures in which a narrator/designer guides us through corridor-based scenarios that interrogate videogame conventions. Except this time the narrator is Wreden himself, who adds commentary to what he presents as the collected, unreleased, and often unfinished works of his former friend, Coda.

This conceit should be familiar to anyone who’s read Vladimir Nabokov’s Pale Fire or Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, novels...