Parents' Guide to Cozy Grove

This life simulation is as charming as it is relaxing. On one hand, Cozy Grove is similar to the popular Animal Crossing games that let you explore environments, meet a memorable cast of characters, craft items, fish for food, and tend to your surroundings. But Cozy Grove includes a more supernatural and spiritual theme, since you're perfoming tasks for ghosts, each of whom have stories tied to the island and its history. Much of your time will be spent performing tasks, moving about the island, and by accomplishing these tasks for these quirky inhabitants, you'll begin to paint the island with color. Tasks take about 30 minutes in total, and to keep you on your toes, the island respawns items or key areas (like a spot to dig using a shovel) over time. It's a slow burn, but it's not boring, as searching on the island is fun, as is decorating your campsite. Plus, the dialog with the characters keeps you engaged, and the graphics and music are top-notch.

As for the downsides to Cozy Grove, there's a lot of repetition in your tasks, since many of them requires you to scour the island and collect items for someone. Too bad the developers couldn't add a wider variety of challenges to partake in. As such, you may tire of these mini quests and decide to put the game away for a while (in fact, you'll be told to come back tomorrow, as if the game is telling you to put it down for the day). Also, some of the tasks are a little laborious, such as trying to find leaves near a bush, beside a tree, in a part of the island without color yet, so it can all blend together until you look closer (like a Where's Waldo exercise). Shortcomings aside, Cozy Grove is both relaxing and stimulating at the same time, and is highly recommended for those looking for an Animal Crossing-like digital diversion, and with a more mysterious and ghostly twist.