Our cozy games of April list is looking so chilled out that there isn't even a single farm sim on it

The cozy games launching in April are almost unanimously chilled out. It's really feeling like groundhog day around here because somehow the extra six weeks of winter aren't over. I've dragged PC Gamer's cozy gaming collective out of their burrows to curate the cozy games of April calendar and tell you a little about what they're planning to play. Spoiler alert: no farm/life sims to be found. So just shhhh put your cable knit sweater back on and play a game with no fail state, little critters.

April cozy game forecast: ❄️ Chill warning

There's nary a farm sim in sight this month! The cozy game calendar for April feels like it really expects you to stay tucked under the blankets for one more month of rot time before the spring rush begins. We've got multiple hidden object games, multiple diorama builders, and emotional adventure games. The cozy games of this month are going to really let us play at our own pace—no rushing to get in bed or do chores before 2am, not this time!

Most anticipated

Outbound | April 23
As of the start of the month, co-op off-the-grid base-builder Outbound has reached #16 on Steam's most wishlisted list, which means there's a good chance you'll see this one flying around on social media or in your group chats if you're co-op inclined.

April cozy games calendar

Our cozy game picks for April

Kara Phillips

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is releasing its second DLC this month, adding my beloved U*SA*HA*NA to the game. I've exhausted all my adventures with all my Sanrio besties on Friendship Island, and I'm getting there with Wheatflour Wonderland too, so this DLC couldn't have come at a better time. The only thing I'm a bit apprehensive about is the extreme lack of Pompompurin in the trailer, but I'm sure my favourite pudding puppy will play a part somewhere.

Andrea Shearon

At first I didn't get it. How on earth am I supposed to do tower defense if the tower I'm defending has no health bar? But it's quite literally in the name, Castle Idler. There are no waves, the enemies just go round and round in the same loop until you find the right defense combination to take them all out in one successful killstreak. If you don't have the resources to sustain a win, just let it idle!

It took me a few rounds to find my groove with the demo, but when it clicked? Brilliant. I was in the zone balancing perk upgrades and planning the perfect hands-off defenses. It's a nice change of pace from all the farming and pet idle games I've been playing, so Castle Idler is probably my next second screen distraction when it launches later this month.

Jess Kinghorn

I loved the dark cozy vibes of cyberpunk city builder Dystopika, but found myself longing for just a bit more structure when creating my cluttered skylines. Shanty Town takes a level-based approach, and offers an almost Tetris-like quality to gameplay as you try to cram a defined list of props into a tiny amount of space. Judging by the airships and the strange marshland creature I spied in one level, Shanty Town lays its scene somewhere decidedly outside of our world. Your mileage may vary as to whether that gives it license to side step discussion of the economic conditions that give rise to shanty towns in real life, but the very generous demo gives you plenty of time to ponder that question.

Lauren Morton

It's been a while since my core crafting games group chat has had a reason to get the band back together and maybe Outbound is finally the one. Building an off-the-grid base on top of our cute little camper van is just enough of a fun new premise to entice my friends, I think. Outbound's bright colors and renewable energy sources look like a nice cozy twist on crafting sims. Only question is: Who's driving? This passenger princess is ready to blow a bit of steam off the old finger gun barrels by tackling a new build system.