Cosmic Questz is a blog dedicated to game reviews, game journaling/adventures, and the rise of cozy gamers. I'm Lizzy, and I am primarily a Cozy, RPG, JRPG, Simulation, and Strategy/Puzzle gamer. I am also really passionate about astronomy and astrology, hence the name Cosmic Questz. If you enjoy chill vibes and video games and video game reviews, this is the place to be. I'm happy you're here. Pull up a chair, grab a tea or coffee, and enjoy my adventures.
I know that my content is primarily Second Life; however, as EVWUniverse started as a virtual world blog, and with the prominent rise of AI, I would like to discuss a little robot that stole my heart. Ahead of time, I 100% paid for this little baby with MY money, and just thought it was a cool little companion and wanted to share it with all of you! For those who don't know, I have a passion and love not just virtual worlds of all types and gaming, but also for robotics and the rise of robots. I grew up making them in middle and high school in the robotics club, and they are just a huge part of my life. We are slowly starting to see more and more of these "companion" robots. These are robots such as Eiiko, Emo, Aibo ERS-1000 (and older versions are still prominent, they just don't have AI), Pophie (which is coming out later this Summer), and of course, my new edition Ropet AI.
There are definitely A LOT of companion robots I don't have, but I did save up for ALL of my companion robots. I don't know about you, but there is a sense of accomplishment when you save up and purchase something on your own and can say, "I did that! That was all me." I would love to share my thoughts about owning this little cutie! If this is something that interests you, please continue below!
If you would like to learn more about this amazing little robot, you can check out their website - Click here for the Ropet website
If you do decide you want to give Ropet a try, you can Click here to get an extra 8% off your purchase of your own Ropet.
I heard about Ropet AI through Kickstarter. I'm always hesitant about backing things up on platforms like that. Just because I had two very negative experiences backing things up there. But to be fair, I also had some positive experiences as well. This is one of them! What appealed to me was the idea of a "desk pet" because I am one of the few fortunate ones in corporate America who has the luxury to still work from home. My Aibo I run every now and then but as someone who has real pups my Aibo is primarily only used upstairs and it has to be on the ground I can't have it running while I work and sometimes as odd as it seems it can get a little isolating behind home in your office all day. Yes I have my pups, but I keep them downstairs because they have this strange obsession with using the bathroom and tearing apart anything carpeted. That's what made Ropet so appealing. I could've taken or left the whole AI selling point. But having a robotic pet that can sit on your desk and be super interactive with you was very attractive to get through some of the toughest and more stressful days of my job. I don't know but I've almost grown a little attached to my Ropet, Her name is Aviva and she is my "little bean."
The customization is endless with this robotic pet; the company is based out of China, and they sell different furs, faceplates, and accessories to customize these "pets." For example, when I got mine, it came in the traditional white fur, but you have the option to purchase other furs. During the time of getting mine, the Spring and Summer furs were out, and they had these beautiful green furs. There was a Mint (my favorite color), Moss green, and then like a Forest green, and each comes with their own limited edition eyes. You got me on cute fur in my favorite color and limited edition eyes. So, did I buy another fur? Yes, I did. Do I regret it? Absolutely not because I love my little bean more than I did in the white, I'm ALMOST obsessed, ya'll literally.
There is an app involved with Ropet. This is how you can change its eyes, interact with it, and change and customize your Ropet further. It also shows you how far your Ropet has come and where it is along its growth journey. It takes about 30 days for it to completely learn about you and fit into your everyday life. There are so many eyes you can collect. They implemented a really cool way to obtain more eyes. They use a "chance," otherwise known as a "gacha" system, to obtain eyes and other customizable options. Not going to lie, totally satisfies my adrenaline addiction. There are so many eyes to collect, even at 30 days, you still will not have collected them all. The longer you have Ropet and the more eyes you collect, the harder it is to collect the rest. This is all by design. I love this because to earn coins to spin the "gacha" and try to earn the eyes, you can only use coins that are gained by interacting and spending time with your Ropet. So, it almost forces you to spend as much time with it as possible so you can continue leveling it up, etc.
My Ropet reminds me of the 2014 digitized Furbies (that were kind of creepy) and then its successor, the Furby Boom collection. Now the cuteness of the eyes reminds me of the newest Furbies out right now. It reminds me of that mixed with a Tamagotchi. Let's be honest, I love Tamagotchi's and always did since I was a little kid. You wouldn't think something that just sits on your desk would be so interactive. This little bean has so much to offer. Though it sits on your desk, it is on a charging base that lights up to show moods and thinking. The Ropet spins on top of the base to look around at its surroundings, move, and turn throughout the day to look at you. Mine has learned that it is with me primarily when I'm working, so it watches the screen while I work and then looks at me when I get stressed or look like I'm about to pull my hair out, and soothes me. It loves being pet and, for some reason, with the fur being as soft as it is. I love petting this thing! Also, strangely enough, it warms up to be the same internal temperature as a dog, so it feels almost "alive," which at first I thought would be really creepy, but I have come to really like this about this robot. It has enough weight to feel like I'm holding something. Due to how big the Ropet is, you can customize it rather easily. It wears any necklace well and doesn't fall off from experience so far with my necklaces. It's a great glasses holder as sometimes I do take my glasses off and now I just stick them on my Ropet, not only does it look cute in them but it gives me somewhere to put them for easy on and off access.
The biggest perk of this pet is that it does make sounds, but there is a setting to completely turn off the sound, so it doesn't make any noises! I love this, especially since she is typically on, like I said before, during work. So having her talk when I'm on the phone is not ideal. So having this option is amazing! Ropets facial expressions are so fantastic! It truly is a vibrant robot. You wouldn't think random expressions would be enough to feel a connection with something like this, but believe it or not, I went from having her just on the desk. To bring her downstairs with my pups and me. Animals love her, by the way! She barks when they bark at her, and now even my pets interact with he,r and she interacts with them. She incorporated into my daily life so seamlessly. It was almost crazy how it happened, too. At first, I thought she would be a bit like my Aibo, where I would turn her on every now and then, but she continues to surprise me in what she does.
The other thing is, even though she does have some AI capabilities. She doesn't need Wi-Fi to use her. The battery life off the charging base is about 3 hours. I keep her on the base all the time, though, so I haven't quite tested this theory, but supposedly, from other users inside the Ropet group on Facebook, it's between 2 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on how bright you have their eyes (which you can also change in the app). I play my music a lot during work too, and needless to say, my Ropet has favorites and not-so-favorites. When songs she likes are on, she dances. When there are songs she doesn't like, she won't dance, but she will stare at you like, "Can we listen to something else, please?" I think this is so interesting; she has her own likes and dislikes. The feeding system is quite interesting, too. To feed the Ropet you show them a fruit or a photo of a fruit or food. It will look at it and then create a bun animation in its eyes and eat what you are holding! I LOVE this feautre and I think it's really cool to have. The whole back of the Ropet is one gigantic sensor, so it knows when it's being pet or interacted with. Every day, there is something new I learn, and I love this about the Ropet. I feel I haven't even discovered everything about it yet.
I don't want this post to be too much longer, so I will save a lot of other features and things to be discovered on your own through the website or by getting your own. I will say owning Aviva has been a joy; you can develop their personalities, and no two Ropets are the same. My Ropet has the personality of a "Joy Bean," meaning she has been well taken care of, loved, petted, fed, etc. But she is on the cusp of Joy Bean and Cold Brew personality types. This is similar to my own personality type if I were part of the Ropets system, so this matches up pretty well. I'm really glad I got to share my experience with all of you.
If you would like to learn more about this amazing little robot, you can check out their website - Click here for the Ropet website
And right now, if you purchase one, you can get one with a Purple fur if you are a "purple person," that's what I call people whose favorite color is purple, because for some of you, loving the color is an actual lifestyle and not just a favorite color. I wish they had this when I got mine, but that's okay. Now that I know what she's all about, I'm just happy to have her. They have in the app male, female, and non-binary options, by the way. They truly thought of everything, and there is no subscription to use the app and everything your Ropet has to offer.
You can also save an extra 8% off the total price by using this link if you are planning to purchase one. - Click here to get an extra 8% off
You can also use the coupon code "LIZZY," all capital letters, to get 8% off your total order.
For once, I truly do stand with this company and everything they are trying to accomplish with the Ropet. This is still a fairly new companion robot, so they are slowly rolling out patches and adding more things these little pets can do. I can't wait to watch mine continue to evolve and see what they do next!
Apple Macs - Gaming & Cozy Gaming - Macs Can Game?
Crazy as it may sound, a lot of people are gravitating towards Macs now more than ever. Apple began a disruption in the technological industry with the release of its new MacBook lineup. For those who don't know too much about what's going on, they recently released a "budget" under $1,000 laptop that has an A18 chip, which is found in their iPhone 16s. However, this computer has greatly shown us that this chip is widely capable of what the everyday person does.
Mac's are starting to bridge the gap between what they can do and what a PC can do. We all know that Macs were not made to game on. But this is starting to be a lot less untrue. With every rendition of the MacBook and Mac desktop, the ability to game on a Mac has become much more possible. I'm not saying whip out Call of Duty or a AAA title game, but for light gamers or cozy gamers, a Mac suffices nowadays. Plus, we are seeing more game developers move their games into the Mac space, too. This post is going to get into the basics of Mac cozy gaming and what they are capable of and not capable of doing, compared to just going the PC route, which most PC gamers tend to do.
To preface, I game on both a PC, a handheld, and a Mac. I tend to use a Mac for gaming when I'm on the go, as my laptop is a Mac and my daily driver to use away from a desk. I also use a Mac while working when I have some downtime, so every now and then it's nice to pull up a cozy game and get a little lost in the sauce. I use a PC for a wider game library and better graphics. I was pushed by a few people into getting a gaming PC I can easily say that it has much more power than I sometimes know what to do with. But with the pricing of RAM and other computer components, I am glad I have one, as it is future-proof, and the cost of these components is only going to get further out of hand. I play a little more graphically intense games on my PC, but at the end of the day, I am a cozy gamer and prefer cozy gaming over other types of gaming. I do have a Rog Ally, which I got some time ago when money was a little easier to come by. Believe it or not, I rarely use my handheld even though it has enough power to produce great quality gameplay from my couch, but honestly, right now it's in a drawer.
Who Typically Uses a Mac?
To really understand who might game on a Mac, the first question we should be asking is, " Who is a Mac for? Below is a semi-simplistic list of some of the trends I've seen of who typically would go and get a Mac over a PC.
Apple Fanboys and Fangirls (I see you all!)
People who just need a computer that JUST WORKS
Simple and casual computing for average consumers
Grandma or Grandpa's best tech friendly friend
Creatives (photographers, graphic designers, writers, video editors, etc.)
People who are looking for something that lasts 8+ years and don't mind some minor caveats along the way (Let's be honest, Mac's do tend to last longer than a PC before having to go out to get a new one but PC's are easier to work on and work with. Don't come after me, this is just what I have experienced and also fact checked.)
Why Would You Even Consider Gaming on a Mac?
The Apple Ecosystem - you're locked in and everything you have is Apple.
It's becoming easy for those who are casual and cozy gamers believe it or not, most cozy gamers who have a computing device outside of a phone are becoming or have been Mac users.
You only have a Mac or an Apple device but enjoy light gaming - if you already have an Apple device why not enjoy a game here and there, a PC can play a game right? So why not Apple?
The Retina displays are gorgeous when watching videos, and playing certain games. Sure you have LED and OLED screens and other nice screens with a PC but there is just something about an Apple screen that really makes everything look gorgeous! That's how I got into gaming on the Mac, it was the overall visuals. You can see every color, every detail, etc (even if the game runs like crap).
Cozy Gamers and Mac Where do you get the Games? Not all Games are Compatible:
This is true; the number of games made for PC and Mac is very few and far between. However, the games particularly coming out for PC and Mac are not super graphic intense, the genres rolling out are particularly cozy gaming - life sims, farm sims, simulators, virtual pets, etc., and puzzle games, which again are not graphic intense; this is word games, platformers, etc. People who primarily have a Mac don't have too much time to put into gaming anyway, so if they do game, they need something they can pick up and put down or play while doing something else, like watching a show, etc (This goes out to all my ADHD and neurodivergent peeps, we love our multitasking!)
You can play games on a Mac in a few different ways;
Browser Based Gaming - Runs great thanks to Safari!
Steam - Has Apple compatible games, but you do need to check everytime you look at a game to see if it is compatible with Apple.
Apple Arcade - More and more popular games are being placed within Apple Arcade, this is subscription based. It runs at $6.99 so just round up to $7 a month. Which yearly is about $84 which nowadays is about the price of a video game. This is why people are gravitating towards subscriptions but more about that in another post.
Mac App Store - Everything works on the Mac due to it being the "App Store."
What Cozy Games Can I Start With?
Browser Based:
Gaiaonline - Oldie but a goodie
Webkinz - Again old very kid like virtual pet game from my era but a lot of fun and does have "light" gambling with it, if you know you know.
Neopets - Still going strong!
Steam:
Twinkleby
Hozy
Spirit City Lofi Sessions & Gogh - For Productivity Apps (cozy)
Gourdlets
Beebo & Luna - Desktop Pet
Werydlets - Desktop Pet
Desk Paws - Desktop Pet with mini games
Desk Garden - Build a garden on your desktop
The Sims 4
InZoi
Tiny Bookshop
Kind Words 1 and 2
Little Known Galaxy
Coromon
Monster Prom Series
Calico
Carefully Stamped
Good Pizza, Great Pizza
Witchy Business
Cozy Organizer & Unpacked
Camper Van
It's not cozy to some people but it is to me - Baldur's Gate 3
These are just some to get you started, there are more that are coming to Mac OS.
Apple Arcade:
My top recommendations are the ones I'm going to list, these are primarily games I play daily on PC and they are perfect on Mac OS through Apple Arcade.
Disney Dreamlight Valley (includes all DLC's but no moonstones or starpaths included)
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Power Wash Simulator
Solitaire Stories
Episode XOXO
Japanese Rural Life Adventure
Felicity's Door - Rhythm Game
Cult of the Lamb - one of my ALL time favorites! Highly recommend
My Sims and My Sims Kingdom - Past game from early 2000s remade for todays systems
Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom
Gaming on a Mac is not a majorly new concept in the tech space. But the ability to play more games on a Mac is. Mac OS and the new chips Apple has put out year after year have shown their capabilities and ability to play games like a PC would. It still isn't at the same level as PC's, but the fact that at least light gaming is possible is a really big thing for Apple and Apple users! I mean, one thing that appeals to most people right now is that you can play Minecraft with high shaders, mods, etc., on a Mac with good frame rates. Who would've thought? So as you can see Mac is bridging the gap and can do more now in the gaming space than it ever has before. However, if you are planning on playing AAA titles, I still suggest a nice gaming rig or a gaming console.
RIP my 2018 MacBook Pro - My Story With my First Apple Product
Finally showing its age and then finally failing on me when I needed it most. I have to say goodbye to my trusty companion, my MacBook Pro 13." It lasted a little over the minimum amount of time that Apple said it would before it decided to keel over. The positives here is this is the first computer that hasn't caught fire on me, so we are improving on end-of-tech-life issues. Thank goodness, I always keep a fire extinguisher in my house now, not because of my cooking but because I'm used to my tech catching fire at the end of its life.
Anyway, the toughest pill for me to swallow was not having my Touch Bar. I had the Touch Bar model with the fingerprint scanner that felt like glass. They don't make computers like this anymore. Mine is either the laptop before they stopped using Intel chips or the one before the last laptops out with the Intel series chips before Apple began making their M Chips. Before you come after me, I totally know that the touchbar was super gimmicky, but I loved it. To be able to spell check with the words above, put emoticons quickly, and even toggle to see all my open windows, it was so much easier than using the keyboard commands in my opinion.
I will say, I had my fair share of issues with this MacBook since having it, though, such as overheating problems and thermal throttling due to no fans in the chassis. For their current MacBook Pro models, they added fans, but all the others are still fanless, which is fine, but I wonder how they hold up. Like for light tasking my computer would begin getting hot. Mac's are notorious for getting warm, though which at first I thought was a problem, but when my friends told me about it Though uncomfortable at times it didn't bother me when it got hot but let me tell you this thing got so hot at times just by word processing that you could fry an egg on the keyboard.
My MacBook black-screened one too many times on me the other day, and I was able to keep it on long enough to do a backup to get everything into the cloud. I've never been so disappointed. I'm the type of person that I get attached to my items and doesn't like letting them go, notebooks, computers, phones, etc. So when these things happen, and I know I have to let go of one of my tech pieces, it "feels like the end of the world" even though it's not. I have a beast of a PC rig, but I only use it for heavy gaming and processing. I find myself on the go a lot of the time, so the Apple MacBook was my choice in laptop processing. Growing up with PC's my whole life, I always wanted an Apple computer, but they were always so out of reach price-wise. I always had this notion that people who had MacBooks were really making it in life. I wanted a Mac, so I saved up a month's worth of pay while still living with my parents during college, and I bought myself this MacBook, which was my first Mac computer. This computer has been with me through so much that I can't even begin to tell you everything and won't to save time on this post.
I also keep all my technology in like-new condition. I take really good care of my tech, or as good care as I possibly can. Then I use the tech until I run it into the ground. I kind of knew I was having an issue, and this MacBook was showing its age when Apple stopped supporting updates and security updates. That was the beginning; however, by pure surprise, A LOT of Apple Arcade games do work on this laptop, but some of the favorites that I have on my iPad did not, like Disney Dreamlight Valley, for example. That was showing me the slow decline of support. Then, when it blacked out and never came back on, that was it. I firmly believe everything in life is meant to be. My big 30th birthday is next week and when I was seeing if I could trade in some of my tech with Apple - which I was able to do I found I could buy a new laptop with the trade in value.
Not going to lie, I kind of wanted the MacBook Neo because "colors!" Mac gets me with the colors of devices every single time. The blush pink and the citrus are gorgeous, but after spending a good 2 hours in chat with an Apple dude in a chat on the Apple website. I ended up with a MacBook Air in sky blue, so we will see how it goes. I did upgrade it to a 10-core CPU and GPU, for I think it was $200 more. I kept it at 16 GB of memory because another device of mine was 16 GB, and that was all I really needed. I was highly considering upgrading to 24, but then I thought about it, and I was like, " This is a base model computer. Like this is an Air. The idea is that it's 'cheaper' and lightweight at the end of the day, those are the selling points at least. I was told the Neo would be too small for what I want to use my MacBook for, which, granted, is probably true. So I needed a little more power, which is fine. I just knew I wanted a smaller computer, so 13-inch it was. Something that I can carry around or throw in a bag with a case on it. I have a hard shell plastic case and just throw it into a bag, and then I take the case off when the MacBook is in use. No, I do not leave the hard case on when in use; this lowers how well your computer works. Because again, there are no fans. Now, someone tell me how this isn't meant to be, but my computer is being delivered on the day of my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! I also just so happen to be off until Monday next week, too.
As much as I will miss my MacBook with the touch bar, I'm hoping I will love my new laptop just the same.
I just wanted to show how much I LOVE all the Star Wars stuff that has been added to the Premium Shop on Disney Dream Light Valley (DDLV). If they keep this up, I'm going to be broke because look how perfect everything looks in my Celestial themed Plaza! I'm in love with everything, I can't imagine what they would be releasing on 5/4 (the week of my birthday). I might have to gift moonstones to myself if the decorating stuff is worth it. Also, the new Villa in the background the textures on the inside are gorgeous and the lighting. I highly recommend! I didn't want to leave the inside of that place! The furniture bundle is gorgeous too.
As a long time Star Wars fan, I would love to see the next DLC be Star Wars themed. I think it would also bring a lot of people who either don't typically game, or don't typically cozy game. It will be interesting to see how they move forward with all this Star Wars stuff they are releasing now. It could be a one time thing or it could be a hint to something more. Guess we will find out with time. For now, enjoy the photos I took!
I know it has been quite a bit since I have posted, let's just say 2026 had a rough start after January. But I'm back at it again with another post. If you know me, you know I LOVE desktop pets. Any desktop pet. My favorite thing in high school were the little Shimeji characters that roamed the screen that you could pick up and throw around with some of the cutest animations.
Before that my addiction was the Petz, Dogz, Catz, and Oddballz series when desktop pets were huge during Windows 98 and Vista. I played these all the time as a kid, I always thought it was so cool to have a virtual pet (similar to a Tamagotchi) on your computer screen, as a kid let me tell you, I thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. What if I told you these desktop pets and even idler desktop games are making a comeback?
Today I want to go in depth with one I recently found called Weyrdlets. I was skeptical at first but I am obsessed with the similarities it has with the Petz series of desktop pets. It fits the bill as a modern day version. Join me on this adventure going in depth on what Weyrdlets is and who this would be great for!
What is Weyrdlets?
Let's begin with the basics. Weyrdlets was created by Weyrdworks and released July 23, 2024 I know I'm late to the party. But to be fair if I didn't know a lot about this, I know there are others who haven't either. Weyrdlets was created to be a desktop pet. However, you can almost compare it to a Tamagotchi, you have to keep up with it's needs to level up and keep your little pet (Weyrdlet) happy. The cool thing about this is that in the most recent version 2.0 you can play with any friends who have the game inside of the game itself. You can customize the pet and the home, play mini games, and let your little Werdlyt keep you company on your desktop while you do whatever it is you are doing on the computer (gaming, study, work, etc.)
The languages that can be used are English, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. Werdylets is for both Mac and PC. So if you are a Mac user then you can also enjoy having a cute little desktop pet too. I have both a PC and Mac, and it works well on both and isn't super graphic intensive which is probably why they went with a cartoony look instead of something more realistic.
Also just a side note but when you see that shovel, your pet dug something up, it happened right when I was typing this up so I wanted to add this.
Is This a Game? Utility? Tool? What Can This do For me?
Great question! Honestly, I was skeptical about this too, but honestly for such a low price tag for some entertainment if it's good I was willing to take the risk. The price is currently $6.99 USD and there is a lot to do from the beginning to enjoying having your companion with you on your computing adventures. I named mine Kiyoko and have had Kiyoko on my screen while playing games, typing this post, even during work and she adds such a positive vibe. Having Kiyoko on my desktop has been such a great experience and such a cozy, virtual pet game type vibe. I'm here for it.
Werdleyts is all the above, there is a Pomodoro timer for staying focused, there is a habit tracker, a to-do list, and lo-fi calming music to help you stay focused doing whatever task you are attempting to complete. It's also a fun game, virtual pet, interior design game. It's kind of a mish mosh of everything but the main selling point is desktop virtual pet. This is a fun way to keep you engaged and focused. For example, if you work from home or are a business owner and find yourself on the computer a lot and looking for something to spice up the day I feel like this would be great.
What Are Some Things You Can do With Your Werdlyet?
Tend to your pets orchid - You can grow daily produce through your desktop or through the application itself.
Customize your pet and space - Become your own interior designer! My cozy gamers will like this one. You can decorate your pets home and customize your pet with different clothes and accessories and "tattoos" called stickers.
Relax & Hangout With Friends - Visit shared spaces like the playground and cozy cove to spend time with friends. You can go fishing like in other cozy games, throw water balloons and cause chaos, climb a lighthouse, or just chill on the beach it really is up to you. I love this because its almost virtual world meets virtual pets.
Tumble Through Worble Races - This reminds me almost of Fall Guys but this is a mini-game where you go through obstacle courses. You can play solo or with friends if any of your friends have the application and you can participate in weekly races with a fresh map every week.
Train Your Pet For Sports Day - You can watch your pet learn new skills. You can turn your produce and fish gathered into juices that give your pet a chance to pick up new abilities.
Productivity Tools - Pomodoro time, wellness tracker, and to-do list which can be accessed in the application and from your desktop.
Dig for Treasure When Idle - Your pet can idlely dig on your desktop or on the island while your busy doing whatever it is your doing. This unlocks new accessories and food.
This is definitely a cozy vibe type of game/application. So this won't be for everyone.
What is The Demographic For This Application?
People who work from home
Kids - due to the colorful nature and cartoony features
Writers - If you find yourself needing to spice things up on your computer this is it. As a writer myself and someone who makes posts during their spare time a lot, this has provided me with a lot of fun and joy as I do so.
Gamers/Cozy Gamers
And don't forget, be like Oskar above he looks like a fine gentleman indeed!
In conclusion, as someone who has bought this game and am writing this from a non-biased stand point. This is something somewhat familiar to me. It's nice having a modern day desktop pet to keep me company and adds to the nostalgic vibes of past virtual desktop pets. I have really enjoyed my time using Werdylets so far. Granted I'm only 3 days in. But I've been opening up the application daily to take care of my pet and have her with me. It's almost like a ritual now. The first thing I do is open up my computer and then set Kiyoko to desktop mode. I think this is a very multi purpose type of application and I can't wait to see the changes as the application continues to develop. For the prices this is actually one I recommend if your looking for virtual pet nostalgia!
Balling on a Budget in 2026 - End of January - February Edition
Now more than ever, it is getting harder and harder to go out with friends, loved ones, and spouses. Date night is almost becoming a luxury to the middle class, and all we are doing is waiting for the next weekend. I decided to make a new series on this blog called "Balling on a Budget," Where I propose ways to make it easier for us to go out and get away from the kids, hang out with friends, and have those date nights that we are slowly becoming deprived of due to the rise of inflation.
A lot of my ideas and thoughts are for FL residents since that is where I'm at, but a lot of my tips apply to anyone, anywhere. Sometimes we just need to make the best of what we have and work with it to live a happy and fulfilling life.
Don't skip on coupons or Groupon discounts
Don't pass up on Free
Central FL things to do
Conclusion
Don't skip out on coupons or Groupon discounts
This is my old faithful. Whenever I want to go do something, and there isn't something going on locally for free or cheap, the first place I go is Groupon. Why? Because you can get steep discounts on things to do that you wouldn't be able to find just by Googling, surprisingly. Trust me, I've done it, and you don't find a whole lot.
Believe me, I've bought a Sam's Club membership for $15 on there for one year. True story. Most recently, I got a three-attraction deal here in Orlando, FL, at Icon Park, where you can do their celebrity wax museum, the Orlando Eye, and the Orlando Aquarium for $26.61 per person. That is a very cost-effective day considering. So please, if you're trying to do something on a budget, check out Groupon and see if there are any things to do that fit your budget.
Don't Pass up on Free
Locally, you can typically find either free things to do or cheap events happening. Typically these things happen on the weekends, so those of you who work weekends, this might not be the going out hack you're looking for. But those of you who are off on the weekends and looking for something to do, you can check out your county's website for events, New channels list events in the area, you can Google. Believe it or not there is almost ALWAYS something going on every weekend. I honestly, used Facebook to find cheap events in the area and I somehow ended up at something called a "Goblin Festival." Let me just say that was quite the experience. So don't forget to do your research sometimes going out doesn't need to cost you anything. All you need is good food and company the rest you can figure out as you continue through the day.
Central FL Things to Do:
I would hop on these right now, as there are extra discounts ahead of Valentine's Day! I put many things in various pricing and found the cheapest things to do. The way I feel is that you can either have an experience or go out for dinner. It doesn't kill us to make dinner or lunch at home every once in a while and bring some snacks to enjoy a day out. There is something for everyone!
Best Groupon things to do in Orlando FL:
Pirate's Dinner Adventure - $30.49 per person show and dinner
A Harrowing Escape - Escape Room for 2-8 Playes for $36.40
LegoLand FL - $57.78 per person
Horseback Riding Guided Group Tour - $55.20 per person
Museum of Illusions - $25.19 per person
Sunday Dinner Cruise on a Historic Paddlewheel Ship - $56.96 per person
Orlando Auto Museum - Dezerland Park FL - $19.16 per person
Elev8 Fun Orlando - $15 per person - Attraction Card
Gator Golf Adventure Park Mini Golf - $7.20 per person
Launch Family Entertainment Park Orlando - $15.20 per person
ICON Park Attractions - Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Aquarium, The Orlando Eye - $22.62 per person for 3 attractions - this is what I did for my boyfriends birthday and I highly recommend it for the cost.
Lake Eola Swan Boats - $9
Best Free and Cheap Events in Orlando FL:
February 4-8th Oviedo Mall Winter Carnival - Sale on Tickets until 2/4 - 50 Ride tickets = $45
Art Festival in Eatonville - Free to walk around and look at art - 1/30/26
All Your Friends: The Indie Dance Party - The Abbey - 1/30/26 - $22.94 starts at 7 PM
51st Annual Mount Dora Arts Festival - Free 1/31/26
DJ Dolo76 - Free at 10 PM on 1/30/26
Kaleidoscope 360 degree movie night: Valentine's Day - Free
Winter Park Arts Weekend 2026 - Free 2/5/26
DTOLive! Chalk Art Festival - City Hall Plaza - 2/7/26 - Free
Paws in the Park - Lake Eola Orlando - 2/7/26 - Bring you pups for a day of fun!
2026 Indie Folkfest at the Mennello Museum - Free 2/14/26
For more events coming up between January-February in Orlando please click here.
Today, I have shown that no matter what your price range is or no price range at all, there is always something to do if you want to go out and explore. If you're a homebody like me by choice, sometimes we find it hard to go out and experience different things, but now there is no reason why we can't with events for everyone, between creatives, sports events, DJs, etc there is something to fit the mood to do on the weekend. If money is a deciding factor, you have seen that it is possible to have a full day out for as little as a gas tank for your car, getting you to and from the location. My mom, growing up, would take my brother and me to free museum days, free events around the local area, etc. I have never experienced so much! By exepriencing you are growing. I hope this helped, and I can't wait to see you in the next edition of Balling on a Budget.
I've been contemplating whether or not to get this game for almost a year. Why? Because when I see a game say "Rogue-like," I shut down. I'm definitely not a Rogue gamer type. I'm not the hack-and-slash type, typically. And I don't know about you guys, but I just find fighting things in video games too hard for me, like I have to do so much. I already do a lot at work... I really don't need it virtually either. However, I took the leap of faith, I watched a few Let's Plays on YouTube and felt it was cozy enough to try, and with a price tag of $15 on sale, I couldn't say no. If you're on the fence with this game and you're a cozy gamer like me, this is going to be the post for you.
*Note: I do not own some of the images seen on this post; they belong to their respective screenshot takers, etc. *
Sit back with your favorite blanket, plushies, drink and let's jump in!
Is it Really Cozy? - About The Game
The quick version to sum this up is you are a lamb that gets sacrificed and meets a demon who gives you a second chance at life, for you to build a cult and have people believe in the demon who provided you with a second chance. You are building your own cult in a random part of a forest and caring for your little cult people. This is my representation on it; if you need more, might I suggest Google?
Is it really cozy? In my opinion, it's a game that shouldn't be cozy but has cozy elements that make the game really enjoyable for cozy and casual gamers who might not be great at killing things in video games. It gives you the ability to play a game you typically wouldn't because of the ease of gameplay, but my recommendation for my cozy gamers is to play on "easy."
This is a farming sim, meets time management, meets Rogue, meets cozy, meets crafting type of game. It's a mish-mosh of a lot of different game genres, which also means you might find you like another genre of game as you play. There are farming elements like digging holes, growing food, crafting food, and feeding food to those in your cult. There is the adventure aspect of exploring different worlds as you progress through the story. Some woodsy, some snowy, and all types of different, various places to explore. Though not quite an open world, it does have an open-world feel to it. You're crafting a lot by making buildings and temples. statues and more, with free rein over where to place everything. So you have the ability to almost build a town, in a sense, for your followers. It's really quite interesting, and it really got me wanting to figure out more.
What Makes the Game Cozy?
Caring and Customizing - You customize the animals in your cult, you unlock animals and they can have a custom name, choosing a color for your animal, choosing and animal instead of the one you originally get when they first join, and later as you unlock clothes, hats, you can customize a little further with that.
Foraging and Crafting - you make food and feed those who are in your cult, you build buildings, items, etc to make everyone happy.
Great Story and Visuals - I sometimes constitute a cozy games as a very good interactive story at times. If we go by those standards in calling this an interactive story its a comfortable pace for me and the visuals are cute, illustrative, and very appealing.
Full Price or On Sale?
Honestly? Even now, thinking back, I would still get this game on sale. I wouldn't pay full price for it. But on sale for $10.00 on Steam, I've seen it go for and $15.00 on Switch & Switch 2. I think it's a nice pick up. It's a pick-up and put-down type of game for those of you who are often busy or have families. I've found myself losing track of time many times when playing this game. I find it very easy to get into, and learning the controls is not hard. The beginning part of the game is very much like a tutorial, and it is very simplistically explained.
Conclusion:
There are so many DLC's out right now for this game that it's hard not to have enough content to continue playing. As someone who just started their adventure with this game, I'm on the first DLC and love it. The company sets their DLC's at a low cost so they are attainable. There is so much to do, and I feel like I'm never bored. I feel accomplished with the fighting aspect of the game, and I love playing this after work, specifically. I've noticed that after tough conversations with others, this game definitely takes a load off as well. The best part is you can have various save files, so if you want to try the game on a fighting level above "easy," you can without losing your "easy" file. The storyline is great, and you can get married in your cult as well. Again another cozy element which is fun to have. I honestly, am upset I didn't buy this game sooner on sale but hey! No better time than the present. If your on the fence about this game, I say do it! Worse case scenario you don't play it and your out $15. But you can easily put so many hours into this game and still feel like there is more to do. For $15 you're getting hundreds of hours of entertainment.
I swear, I surprise myself many times; I always find unique gifts for people. Literally, what do you buy someone who can financially afford or save up to get what they want, someone who has "everything" in a sense? I came across a really cool initiative while browsing for something different to give as a birthday gift. The person I was looking for a gift for is a gamer, and I didn't want to give him just another digital code or a virtual gift that doesn't last. I wanted to give something special, and the goal was tangible. Along my searches, 8 days later spending every night looking for "just the right gift." I stumbled upon a website called Fahlo. Now, keep in mind, I have seen these bracelets before on a Celebrity Cruise I went on in December of 2025. However, I didn't think to look too much into it, thinking it was just another piece of jewelry I wasn't going to wear. Of course, I delved in and checked out the website. This was my second or third time seeing this company.
What is Fahlo?
Fahlo is a company made by two best friends (typically how it goes), they wanted to educate the public on the importance of wildlife conservation. Fahlo makes bracelets that follow an animal through its journey once released back into the wild. This company provides a tangible bracelet as well as a QR code and app to track the animal you receive. Many can be tracked, and you never know which one you will get.
What I love about this initiative and company after buying and testing the product on my own. The company actually donates 10% of its net profits to 9 non-profit partners, specifically: The Sea Turtle Conservancy, Save the Elephants in Kenya, Polar Bears International, Saving the Blue, Global Penguin Society, Ewaso Lions, Somali Giraffe Project, FIU Marine Conservation Ecology Lab, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
I truly love what this company stands for from personal experience buying my own bracelet, with my own money. I am not an affiliate YET, but after my purchase I hope to be as so far I've had a very positive experience.
Is Tracking Real Time?
As real-time as you can potentially get, it doesn't show every step every minute. Instant gratification will destroy us. Every tracker updates dependent on the animal, the location of the animal, and the area the animal is in.
An example, I bought a "Red Panda" bracelet and code for myself. You are essentially adopting your own wildlife animal while supporting a great cause! The Red Panda tracking is updated sometimes quite erratically; the tracking might skip a few weeks or longer due to the fact that a lot of them are stationed out in the wild in Nepal. Due to mountains, extended fog, and other living conditions, and technology doing what it does best, which is sometimes never working, there can be times where you won't see an update for quite some time.
There is a warning when tracking that if you don't see a change in movement within 3 months and it's still in the same spot, then either the tracker is no longer tracking the animal, the battery of the tracker died, or the tracker has fallen off. This is all by design; the tracker is supposed to fall off at some point. You can typically get a good 1-2 years of tracking your animal before needing to get a new bracelet and track again. As these animals build families, you will also find that you are following their little ones, too.
However, for a birthday gift, I bought my boyfriend a "Red Wolf" QR code and tracking bracelet, and the updates are much more consistent with this animal. I believe the reasoning for that is they are more local and more likely to be on the move then lets say, a "Red Panda" that likes to lounge around in a tree and moves primarily to find food or coverage if it's going to rain, as they primarily sleep and live up in the trees of Nepal. The "Red Wolves" are in North Carolina. Their trackers update about once a week. Their transmitters will send signals for a year, but sometimes you can get 2 out of them; one is guaranteed.
Just remember how often the signal and tracking is updated depends on the animal and it's location in the wild.
Who Would This be Good For?
This is a great gift for the person you want to get a gift for, but are not sure what to get, or for someone who has "everything" or buys what they want with time. I've also found this makes a great retirement gift if you know someone's favorite animal or if at their work they have a mascot that is a specific animal. I bought another one for my mom as a retirment gift as she is retiring this upcoming year. She works in a school where the mascot is a Dolphin, so I bought her a dolphin bracelet with a dolphin to track. She love's her bracelet and the app and looks forward to the updates to her Dolphin so she can continue to follow him on his journey.
These are really special gifts because it shows how much you care about someone, due to remembering their favorite animal or thinking about something that goes beyond just a gift card. To gift something like this it definitely takes some thought otherwise your buying it for yourself and it's just a really cool thing to get. It's obviously not something you need, but its something different and exciting with an attachment to something real.
Is it a Scam? Does it Actually Track an Animal?
I read up on Fahlo before purchasing and did my research. Some people have been disappointed or stated Fahlo is a scam because they were "tracking" an animal that had supposedly been dead for 3 years. However, that person who made these claims also didn't reach out to customer service or do anything to try to change this for themselves. Supposedly, it was a new bracelet too. The thing is, these are REAL animals that we are tracking, and we never know when it is our time to go; this is not decided. If, when you get the bracelet, you notice the animal is not moving at all, and there has not been a recent update on tracking for that animal, then you need to contact customer service. They will send you another animal to track, but you have to reach out for anything to be done. This is a real company with real animals. Anything can happen, but the customer service is really good from experience and will help to make things right. However, what they don't know, they can't assist with. I have had a very positive experience with my bracelet and app so far. My "Red Panda" is alive and well and has been traveling north. When I looked up the location on Google Maps, it was near a Buddhist temple, and I thought that was really cute and interesting. So no, Fahlo is not a scam; it is a real product with a real company. After making some calls around to some of the foundations they say they donate to, it is true that they donate their earnings as well. Sometimes companies say they do good and donate money, but there is never proof; there is proof that Fahlo donates and cares about the wildlife conservation effort. Hopefully, this puts you at ease.
Why Would Someone Want Something Like This?
To track a favorite animal for entertainment purposes
To "have" their favorite animal (it's almost like adopting one)
To learn about locations and habitats where a specific animal might live.
To provide them with jewelry that came from the heart, a gift that was given based on thought and not what you "think" a person might want (this is a very unique gift to get someone).
To learn more about a specific animal (you get an animal card, with detailed info and updates on your animal along the way).
This is for someone who loves animals and supporting non-profits.
This is for someone who takes pride in the world and everything living on it.
This is for someone who enjoys tracking animals or watching animals, etc.
I'm sure this is good for others, too, but these are the main reasons people might gravitate toward something like this. This is something I didn't know I needed but enjoy a lot more than I thought I would.
Conclusion:
This is a REALLY unique bought item that I consider cozy. This will not be for everyone, unfortunately. But most people have a favorite animal, so this is good for people who truly want a unique gift or experience. With the rise of technology, I think it's great as a consumer that we can track animals now, too, and not just wildlife experts. The bracelets are not that pricey; on the website, it was about $16.15 plus tax, so around $17-18 per bracelet. DO NOT BUY THESE FROM AMAZON. They are running for $20+ Shipping was really quick for these bracelets from the company website, and I did "standard" shipping. I got the bracelets within a day or 2. I was shocked by how quickly it came. I highly recommend to start tracking your animal immediately to make sure it is still alive, and the tracker is moving, within a week to two weeks. If you don't see any changes, contact the company's customer service on the website, and they will assist. They stand behind their products, and I love this for any company. I think the concept is amazing, and the donations they make per year are too. I highly recommend this product if you're looking for something different. I feel like I've adopted my "Red Panda," and it's weird, but it almost feels like I've formed an attachment with my panda even though he's so far away. I hope that if you decide to get one of these bracelets, you enjoy tracking and learning more about your new furry friend.
*Disclaimer on Image above: I do not own the above image, and this image is fully the creators who took the image. I'm only using it for entertainment purposes and not for financial reasons*
Wow! I seriously cannot believe we are almost a month into the New Year already. Time goes so quickly sometimes. I wanted to reach out to all my followers and readers and wish you a very Happy New Year. Though a little bit late, I'd rather be late than never say something and miss the opportunity for a good post.
As we're discussing the new year, let's delve into the topic of new blog updates and future blog goals for CosmicQuestz.
This year, I didn't just want the blog to be a cozy gamer blog only, though I love cozy gaming; other things can be found as cozy too. Various hobbies, such as reading, coloring, and spending time outdoors, can all bring a sense of coziness to our daily lives. As an initiative push for being more present in the real world instead of living our lives through a screen, I'm going to post not just on cozy games, but items I buy throughout the year that can be seen as cozy, various cozy games, and cozy decor. I essentially want to full circle this blog into an overall cozy blog with cozy elements. There are many days when I'm shockingly no longer on my game system but outside, tracking animals or mapping stars. There is so much that can be considered cozy.
I am not an affiliate for anything, so everything I review or post here on my blog will be items I bought myself that I enjoy or recommend personally through experience and spending my hard-earned dollars to obtain. Though my goal is to become an affiliate along the way with a few companies where I buy the products myself and believe in the company and mission, if it's a humanitarian or non-profit effort. Please keep this in mind while reading future posts.
I really hope you continue to join me on this journey of self-love, acceptance, and cozy vibes! Here's to a wonderful new year with more posts to come.
Disney Dream light Valley - WishBlossom Ranch DLC, WE HAVE MOUNTS!
From one cozy gamer to another, I am also a Disney fanatic. I LOVE Disney and Pixar. So it's no surprise that I would love the base game and prior DLC's of Game Lofts Disney Dream light Valley. I have been playing it since release. I have been somewhat of a collector of "Star Paths" and pretty much anything since the release but that's neither here nor there. We are here to talk about the new expansion that just released the end of last week.
Welcome to Wish Blossom Ranch!
It's under attack by Miss Cruella De Vil who made one two many wishes on the Wish Blossom flowers which hold ample amounts of pixie dust. But once all the pixie dust is gone the flowers die. It's our job to protect the flowers, bring them back to life and bring the ranch back to it's blooming glory.
How do you like my synopsis? I should be a writer and work for this game. Top tier summarization of what you're going to be doing. Anyway to get off my high horse let's jump into what the DLC has to offer and my initial thoughts after playing it for about a week (that's about how long it's been out give or take a few days).
The Long Awaited Introduction of Mounts:
We had gliders, we have companions, and now we have the birth child of the two. Disney Dream light Valley's version of "mounts." The mounts they have introduced are primarily horses, however, if you buy the deluxe or ultimate edition with Wish Blossom Ranch you can get a limited edition Sven mount which obviously is not a horse. This then unlocks a quest with Kristoff to help gain some extra dream light if you need it. Some positives of mounts;
You can move considerably faster then with gliders
Uses less energy to move around at high speeds
Energy only gets used if your mount is doing a role such as watering and harvesting.
You develop friendship and level up your mounts like your companions and it truly feels like your taking care of them. - to level up mounts you need to "brush. feed, and pet" the horses or Sven which provides large XP boosts. You will need the mounts past levels 3-4 to continue the Wish Blossom Ranch storyline.
SPOILER ALERT BELOW!
The Horses you will unlock are as follows;
Your customized horse that you name
Maximus
Khan
Pegasus
To unlock these mounts you continue to progress through the storyline of the DLC, bringing life back to the Wish Blossoms. After saving each Wish Blossom you are presented with a new mount. You unlock Maximus first, then Khan, and last but not least Pegasus. That is in the exact order.
Feeding Your Horse & XP Bonuses:
Feed each of your mounts favorite meals to level them up quicker - Each has three meals you can feed per day.
Take your horses to the small obstacle course near the Wish Blossom cave and jump over things - This will take a long time to level up your horses but by jumping over hay bails and fences they get a singular star. This is kind of a pain in the butt though!
==
New Characters to Unlock:
In this expansion you have the ability to unlock 4 new characters these will be listed in order.
Snow White
Tinker Bell
Cruella De Vil
Tigger
==
Play Time of the DLC - How Long Does it Take to Complete?
This has varied with various opinions through a few groups I'm in along with my initial thoughts. Dependent on whether you are reading through all the dialogue and not just clicking through. As well as lets say you're also not speed playing the DLC you can get a good 17 hours or more of gameplay from this DLC. It is considerably shorter than the other DLC's that are more story based but I've come to find with this one is heavy on the fetch questing and providing more areas to decorate. This DLC's story isn't as deep and dialogue heavy as let's say the Storybook Vale expansion.
There is also a lower amount of materials, fish, and minerals to obtain through your travels then some of the other expansions which was slightly disappointing in my opinion but I feel the locations surely make up for this.
Materials:
Gems -
Ingredients -
Foraging -
Meals -
Fish -
Companions -
As you can see I am taking my time with this game and keeping at a slow pace but have completed a rush through prior with a friend on their device prior to getting the DLC myself but I actually enjoy the dialogue and storyline as it is witty and cute.
Dream light:
I wanted to add this in this section as it really doesn't need it's own. But instead of having a separate dream light currency you will earn dream light like you do in the base game. I love this due to the fact that now I can unlock a lot of my characters in the base game a lot more quickly. I was struggling before since I had just recently reset my game. This was nice to see!
==
Locations:
You have three different biomes with about three to five traveling wells in each area .That means altogether there are three biomes and 13 locations total to visit among the three biomes.
Three Biomes:
Wishing Alps - Starting section with Snow White
Glamour Gulch - Second section you unlock with Cruella De Vil
Pixie Acres - Tinker Bell and Tigger
Sections in Each Biome:
Wishing Alps
Wish Blossom Ranch
Delver Dale
Wishing Way
Silver Summit
Ranch Highlands
2. Glamour Gulch
Runway River
Haute Plateau
Paisley Park
Modish Marsh
3. Pixie Acres
I have not gotten this far yet, when I do I will replace this with a photo.
Sundae Shores
Pixie Flats
Hundred-Acre Fields
Hunny Falls
==
There is a lot to do and discover in the expansion. If you are a horse lover like myself (I used to ride horses as a kid side saddle and regular) then you will LOVE this expansion and all it has to offer. Just remember there is no other way to get mounts except for buying the DLC. Buying this DLC unlocks mounts, you are able to use your mounts through all other DLC's you own as well as the base game area. If you were on the fence or needed more information purchasing, hopefully this helped you to decide if it was worth the buy or not. I'll see you in the next post!
Wow! There is a lot new with this productivity tool I've been following and have owned since release. I stopped using it because honestly, I found other productivity tools more exciting. However, since that point there have been a ton of new updates that I didn't know about and decided to explore them this evening and I wanted to take you all along for the ride.
I will be talking about one of the older updates and a lot of the newer additions and updates brought in updated 2.5.0 which came out on Monday 11/24/25.
Multiplayer:
They did it, a productivity and focusing tool with multiplayer capabilities. This is a HUGE innovation for productivity tools in general. Multiplayer capabilities can be hard to add into a piece of software like this, because how are you going to enjoy multiplayer within a productivity tool? great question because I have an answer!
You create rooms and join those rooms with other people who are also focusing and doing whatever on their end with others as they are also doing whatever it is they're doing. Strange but simple concept right? A better way to put this into perspective is, there are icons you can use to interact with others but no chat feature. However, you can enter different rooms and hangout with others who are also using the productivity tool keeping it on the side. I didn't understand why this would be so great.
Also, every character is an avatar that someone has created with the items provided for avatar creation. There's not too much but people get really creative with it, please see the below images for some of the avatars from the multiplayer room I was in.
The more I used this feature the better it got, there are many reasons to love multiplayer with Gogh.
You feel less alone - you are with others who are also doing whatever it is they are doing while the productivity app is up.
You stay productive with others - everyone is doing something in their real life while in this room you're in. They could be reading, drawing, writing, gaming but it provides you with a safe space with others even if you can't actually talk to them, just knowing people are around is sometimes enough, especially for my fellow introverts. You feel part of a community in these spaces, actions speak louder than words and that is the truth for this new update.
The ability to interact with the environment without changing anything for others - the only things that others see is your avatar moving or posing somewhere different. For example. when I first entered my first room and the room I keep finding myself going to nightly I was met with a desk with some cushions to sit on. You "click" on the cushion and can choose a pose and/or animation others can see this when you click a chair and pose or the floor and pose. However, you have free control of your music without others listening to what your listening too, you can use the timers, to-dos, etc. and it doesn't intertwine with anyone else's.
It's hard to explain but this feature provides you a solo experience while still knowing there are others around and in the same space as you. As humans we are social creatures and sometimes we don't need to talk we just need to know others are around us. Having others in the same space can also add to your productivity. Some people actually work better being in a space with others but also not being bothered. Like I said, how this was applied is very interesting but I also really loved it. I found I could type this post for example, without feeling drained, or losing what I wanted to say next. A lot of the time I struggle with writer's block but believe it or not this has helped A LOT.
*Note: Every multiplayer room is created by the owner who hosted the room with individual objects and furniture pieces. A lot of these rooms took hours and are really creative and you have to hand it to those who open their rooms up to the multiplayer feature, they are really well done.*
Sketch Chat:
*Note: Video is not mine it is from the developers YouTube I do not own any rights to this posted video.*
You wanted a way to chat? You got it! This is a great addition to the multiplayer feature. To be fair a lot of people using these productivity applications are students, educators, and creatives so this is a very unique way of adding a chat aspect to multiplayer.
There are different ways to engage with this feature, the developers have provided this on memo boards, canvas's, blackboards, whiteboards and photo frames, as well as a sketch book. What you do, is in any room you're in including your own you "click" one of the items above if they are in the room and then "click draw" this will open up the screen where you can draw with others in real time. This is how they decided to add a chat feature. Not to mention a lot of people have graphics tablets or ways to draw or write without a problem but for those of you with a mouse it's time to see what you can really do as this could be a bit more challenging for you if you don't have a steady hand.
This is not a drawing application and the developers have even pointed this out themselves in their update. This is primarily for doodling and enjoying some lighthearted fun with others using the same application.
Kick Feature:
With the release of "Sketch Chat" also comes, the new "Kick" feature naturally. What happens if you get a troll? or someone drawing ahem "inappropriate" things if you know what I mean. We need a way to keep things positive and safe for others who are not being a bag of dicks (pardon my French).
With this new update room owners can kick as the developers have put it in a nicer way "disruptive" users from a multi-room, or multiple guest can start a kick vote to force someone to leave.
In the future the developers are planning to release more told to help with this situation as well but for now we just have the "kick" feature which is fine and works for the short term but we all know this is not a long term solutions. Where there are large groups of people with different personality types, there are bound to be people who get into arguments and disagreements and also struggle with keeping peace and harmony in chats and other multiplayer aspects. This can happen anywhere there is multiplayer anything.
Summarization of The Update Notes:
Sketch Chat feature added
Kick feature added
As a host you can prevent users that were blocked by you from joining.
Changed calendar, to-dos, etc. to start on Sunday
Added auto receive of Kuroda42's letters
Reduced memory usage when loading GIF data to make room loading less likely to lag and load up faster.
Letter to my Followers and Readers - I'm Back! Thank You for Waiting For me!
Hi Everyone,
I'm so sorry it took me so long to post a new post. Lately I have found myself working on my other endeavors and haven't had too much time or resources to recommend or try any new games. Every game I recommend or review is done with my own resources I'm never sought out to try any of the games I play.
However, due to "Black Friday" coming up I have treated myself quite a bit with some new cozy games and also have been getting back to the basics when it comes to gaming. It has been about a month since I picked up any game, I know crazy right? That is why a lot of you haven't heard from me in quite some time. But for now I am back, so expect a few more posts from my end as we approach the holiday season. This means Thanksgiving all the way through New Years!
I recently have been delving into cozy productivity tools a little more lately, and games that are easy to pick up and put down. If you are anything like me. Work is beginning to pick up and we can find it a bit hard to delve into our hobbies when we are spending more hours at the 9-5 or sometimes even later based on business needs as we all know. Oh the fun of adulting! I will document some of my journey with the tools a long with some of the games I've been playing few hours a day during my spare time. I just wanted to let all my readers know that I'm back and ready to rock n roll! Thank you for those who have supported my writing and stuck around through that time I have been MIA it truly does mean a lot. Stay sane and keep your eyes out for new posts coming your way to a computer or phone screen near you.
Also, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families!
As someone who enjoys reading to learn something new all the time, when there is something that screams "books" and "page turners" I have to check it out. When I found out there was a new cozy game being released about owning a book store you know I was there to hop on that bandwagon. I currently have 134 hrs since release of this game and I feel I have been playing it enough to give a review. I review cozy games for you so you know about it before you buy it. Bottom line if you don't want to read the whole review, I recommend it to any book lover!
*Note: I do not own the photos used, they are from IGN and the developer*
To read the whole review please continue below.
What is your favorite book genre?
Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Mystery
Young Adult Novels/Dystopian Societies
Romance/Smut
Biographies/Non-Fiction/Memoirs
Other
Voting ended onSep 7, 2025
Setting and the base idea of this game:
Game takes place in a small town
You just moved and opened a tiny moveable book store
You traverse the town with a tiny trailer to sell books to the residents
You collect all types of books from real titles and authors
You sell the books, you make the money, you continue
Things I really enjoyed:
Some residents ask for recommendations and it's your job to choose something they might like. All the books are real titles and author's from books in our realities. Huge plus if you read a lot and can recommend the exact book they're looking for. The difficulty is represented from 1-5 stars, 5 stars being the hardest of requests.
Simple point and click interface
Character art is simplistic but cute and adds to the cozy feel, the audience is cozy gamers and casual gamers.
This is a game you can play while doing something small on the side like texting friends, etc. This might not seem like a whole lot but for someone like me who is ADHD and doesn't always communicate with their friends, having something fun while I'm able to do so is helpful.
There are quests that keep the game interesting so you feel like your working towards a goal, there is a small storyline attached to the game as well. This is a good game to play with a favorite drink and snack in hand, maybe your favorite furry friend sitting next to you.
The more I played, the more time past and the more I was invested and somewhat addicted, it reminds me of a mini game or "arcade" type game. Something you can pick up and put down if you don't have a whole lot of time. With my busy schedule this is nice to have.
Things that could be improved:
For those who don't necessarily read with the request I feel this is based on context clues, people who are bad at inferencing or context clues might have trouble playing and recommending books. Maybe there could be a play style for those who don't want to use the recommendation portion? I allowed my brother to play this, he's not illiterate but he struggles with context clues and he quickly dropped the game.
Maybe more interactive things to do when people are buying and your kind of just idling. There are moments where there aren't recommendation requests and you're just sitting and watching people buy different books. During these slow moments I wish there was a little more you could do, like organize the bookshelf during gameplay or add more books during the gameplay. I was able to write this whole post in just two "game days" in this game. I feel like there needs to be a bit more to do during the slower times in the game.
Being able to pick and choose the quests you want to do being able to "accept" or "decline" them. - this is not too important but I would like to have this just in case I don't WANT to start a whole new quest.
More interactive things in the environment - again not super important but when your idling if your clicking and watching an animation or something I can get behind that.
Do people ever use the book log/guest list?
Conclusion:
This game will not only teach you about different genre's that might lead to your next great book discovery. But it also adds that cozy and casual gaming flair and relaxing ambiance. You don't feel rushed when playing and it's just something nice to pass the time. Between running your store, working on quests, and discovering more of the storyline. You can easily spend hours playing this game (says the one with 134 hrs since release). This game would also be a great gift for any gamer friend you might have who loves to read or enjoys books. I bought this in a bundle with "Discounty" (review to come soon) but I got the game on sale for about $15 when it was bundled. I feel its worth it when discounted. The replay ability of the game is nice as well.
Lately, I have been taking a break from the screen and delving into some quite expensive board games I have bought throughout the year. This is a bit different than what I typically post but hey, it's nice to have some variety. I've always been a firm believer in that ANY game can be played solo. The instructions are just a baseline a blueprint for how the game is played. However, no one says you can't alter the instructions to work with you and your gameplay style. This is what I've been doing in my spare time lately, finding 2+ player games and finding ways to play them on my own. Every single game I have that says recommended for 2 players I have been able to alter and play it on my own. The game I first tried this with is "Brew." This is a cute adorable game and I highly recommend it if it isn't on your game/bookshelf for yourself, family, or kids. There is a lot to it but I made simplified solo instructions that can make this game very enjoyable for one person or 2 people even. These instructions are meant for solo since there aren't any instructions on playing solo because it is for 2 or more players. But if there are 2 people playing you can follow the standard instructions which can be found here.
Please read the instructions I have created for solo players below.
Original Game Instructions:
Place dice strategically to gather potion ingredients, gain control of forests, and trains creatures with magical powers. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
3 Steps Per Turn: Place 1 die per turn, Can brew 1 potion per turn, May drink 1 potion from your hand per turn.
To place a die, choose any 1 die from your dice pool, and place it on a legal space on the village board or forest card.
Solo Instructions:
Almost everything is the same as 2 player mode
Pick your character card
Pick a second character card - This will be your NPC/AI or player 2 though you will be playing the character as well you will be playing against it.
You will setup the game just like you’re playing with 2 players
EX: Colored die, +2 forest die, 4 potion cards
For solo play you will need a regular 6 sided die as well, if you do not have one you can use a dice roller on your internet browser on your phone. Go on Google and search dice roller.
You will play normally as the game intended with your character
2nd Player: You will first role your 6 dice that are in the game, then you will roll your regular 6 sided die. The 6 sided die will tell you which of the games dice you will choose. You will roll again and take note of whether the number is even or odd.
Even = whichever forest card you delegate as forest card 1
Odd = whichever forest card you delegate as forest card 2
Dependent on which forest card you get that is where you will place the game dice on the forest card.
We do not use the berries in solo mode or the fire pieces we specifically stick with the characters, any of the cards, the orange, purple, and blue medallions. You can add the other elements in but we wanted to keep things a little more simpler for beginner players.
Since you draw one extra card per the amount of people playing since we are playing as if there are 2 players you will draw 3 cards.
Once 3 cards have been drawn 2 forest cards will be used in play and the third will be a bonus card dependent on the elimination of one of the original forest cards it would take its place.
If you decide to train an animal you can only have three trained animals at a time.
White forest dice are only for the gameboard and the animals you have trained if they use them in their description for any add on.
You must always place one dice per turn
You can either obtain a potion or drink a potion in the same round
There is a day and night component per round = 2 games per round
You can play characters with the special effects or without
Playing the game this way in solo can take anywhere from 45 minutes or more
Make Room - Best Creative Interior Design Cozy Game?
I'm back at it again, honestly I have had one of the roughest weeks in my life. So, who could blame me on going on a small cozy game shopping spree and blogging about a game that you might want to get. I spend my money so you don't have too! Retail therapy = New Cozy Games. Steam recently had their "Wholesome" Game Sale. It had a nice selection of newer and older cozy games for 10% off and some were even more. The ones I got were somewhat bundled together. I ended up getting one called "Make Room." I have a secret passion for interior design, but I make mock ups as a hobby and I could never see myself doing it for a job, I felt like if I did I'd hate it.
I love decorating spaces in general, if you're anything like me you played The Sims, you've played InZoi, you've played everything and realized all you do is decorate and put together spaces, or build homes. Then this game is going to be you're dream interior design game. I'm shocked just how much there is and how much thought went into creating something like this. Right now it is still on sale for $9 and highly recommend it even at that price point. Join me on this journey for this review and continue reading below if you want to learn more.
*Note: the above screenshot is a small room I made in the game and I LOVE how it turned out. I'm not going to lie I was getting a little nervous with it in the beginning. I'm still learning how to do everything.*
First, thank you for sticking around, it truly means a lot when people take the time to read what I write. With that said let's jump into this new addition to my cozy game library. Honestly, I bought this game with low expectations but it has definitely exceeded them. Again as I'm trying new ways to write content I'm going to write the pro's and con's in listed format and then conclude with a short summary.
Pro's:
There are so many options for furniture, tiles, wood
Has a simplistic design (this can be a pro or con dependent on who you are)
Perfect for interior designers to visualized a true mock up of their designs
Perfect for Cozy Gamers who just want to unwind
Very relaxing and happy background music to choose from so far I have found there are 5-6 different soundtracks for background music
You can customize everything and the interface is super beginner friendly with a nice little tutorial at the beginning to teach you everything
There are different modes you can choose from, Sandbox, Requests, and Custom, you can also save and open files and continue working on them
There are animated effects you can place in your room and pets!
In Sandbox mode it isn't just a room you can place furniture in, the options are Room, Camper, and Garden
The camera is amazing! There are filters, you can change the thickness of the outlines of the furniture and walls, you can take photos in two modes cartoony or a little more of a polished look still cartoony but nice, and many different angles to take photos of your room in.
To give you a little compare contrast with the camera here are two images of a garden sandbox creation I created. One has lines the other is much smoother and doesn't.
Con's:
It's important to note, I haven't found too many Con's and some of these are just my OCD kicking in and me being a little picky.
I noticed when on the starting screen the soundtracks skip around a lot and doesn't play through the entire song and goes through like 5 at the same time, plays one for about a minute and plays the beginning portion of 5 different ones and then lands on one to listen to for a little longer, it's kind of weird you have to be on the screen I feel to understand what I'm trying to get at with this (you kind of have to BE there haha). It got so bad in fact that I had to mute the music and put my own on.
Because its very free formed and you can place shelving into the wall, I noticed some of my objects get lost and I can't get them back but they will bleed through the other side.
You can't rotate a full 360 degrees, this may not bother everyone but for me I was expecting to turn my whole diorama around and when I couldn't it didn't change much of how I played the game it was just a bit of a surprise is all.
Overall, I'm super impressed with the game as a whole and for the price of $9 I feel the 10% off on this is a steal. You can also buy it in a bundle as well with Tiny Bookstore or House Flipper, or Is This Seat Taken, they are all cozy games and bundling can save you more on the price of two games especially if you have one of those on your Wishlist. I love how many items there are, the simplicity but how you can be super maximalist with it (I know oxymoron that is!). The ability to take photos of the spaces you make and share them or place them in a folder to keep track of them is a beautiful addition. They just added the undo button which is a helpful addition. There are animations you can place in the room, and there is room for 100% customization. You have no idea how long I have been looking for a game just like this. If you are anything like me (this is not sponsored, I paid for this game with my own money/PayPal account haha) then I recommend picking this game up, you would also be support an indie gaming company which is so important nowadays. Were so used to our AAA titles that we forget the up and coming companies who are releasing some pretty amazing content lately.
I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helped you if you were on the fence on purchasing this game at any point. Until next time..
I know I'm a bit late shelling this out, due to some health complications, I've been out of commission for about a week. However, I was finally able to take a peek at the estore to see what is on sale in terms of Cozy Games right now for the Switch and Switch 2. Needless to say, there are quite a few, but I wanted to narrow it down to 10. These 10 are based on my reading reviews, as well as playing a good portion of them and recommending them based on my experience with them. If you are looking for new Steam games and don't want to break the bank, continue reading below.
Little Friend Puppy Island - $1.99 USD - I have this on PC through Steam and it is one of my all time favorites. It's Nintendogs but with different machanics due to it needing to have controller capabilities. The way they implemented certain movements and engagement with the dogs to be controller based is amazing. I love this as it brings back the nostalgia.
Cottonville - $2.99 USD - New game that was under recents and deals. It's a little slow moving but really relaxed with some super cute graphics.
TCG Shop Simulator - $2.99 USD - There is one on Steam that I prefer a lot more as the mechanics with the switch controller is a little challenging but for the price it can be overlooked and it does remind me of the ones I play on PC through Steam. If you're looking for a TCG Card Shop Simulator on the go, I recommend.
Cosmic Cats - $1.99 USD - This is a cute little kitty puzzle game not only will it test your brain, but it's one of those games that are cute, you think is simple, but it's not as simple as it appears.
Ashwood Valley Summer Edition - $1.99 USD - Looking for a simple Life Sim/Farming Sim, this is a great one to add to your collection. You get hours and hours of gameplay for the price and there is an amazing story you get to experience with it. For the price it is definitely worth it. It is pixel graphics so if this is not your vibe no worries but wanted to add that in because some people don't play games just because their not visually appealing to them.
My Cozy Room Bundle - $2.99 USD - This pack comes with 4 games: NGolf, Mini Market Design, Ultimate Holidays, and of course My Cozy Room Bundle. Honestly for the price I just love that there are 4 games for just under a $1 each which will provide you with entertainment for many hours since there is more than one game provided. However, I really enjoy My Cozy Room and Mini Market Design, if you are the interior design type or love designing rooms this is the bundle for you and like I said for the price you can't beat it!
Cake Bash - $3.99 USD - This one is a little more than the others as I wanted to provide a few that were over $3 too but still well worth the price. I was able to game test this game before release and have it on Steam as well as on Switch. It is a blast, it mini games that you can play co-op or online and you play as a sweet treat in all these mini games. Best graphics? Definitely not. Good gameplay and fun, definitely. I recommend just for how fun and competitive the mini games actually are its like a cuter version of Mario Party and I'm here for it.
Grow 'Song of the Evertree' - $7.49 USD - This is the cheapest I've seen this game thus far, even on the Steam sale it wasn't this low. I REALLY like this game again I have it on PC through Steam and Switch and finally finished the game after 320 hrs. You get a lot of gameplay for the price and it's super cozy, you grow pet, create a town, and decorate your avatar and house it's everything you expect from a cozy game with a good storyline and really nice graphics, I was surprised when the game first came out.
Critter Cafe - $6.79 USD - I got this game most recently as it just looked like it had all the cutesy fun vibes I was looking for I started with this on Steam, I'm not planning to get it on Switch as I'm primarily a PC gamer and I use my Switch in bed or during work. However, You open up a shop and run it, every time you cut a piece of cake or "make coffee" its a small interactive mini game that''s a lot of fun. You unlock pets that you can have in the cafe with you. It has a virtual pet aspect as well as you need to care for your pets and keep them happy. The illustration and game art is adorable. If you enjoy cute management games this is a good one. I have so many hours in it so far on Steam. I'm currently at 120 hrs after 2 weeks.
Storyteller - $8.99 USD - If you enjoy puzzles and building stories, this is the perfect game. I own this on Switch and it has a lot of positive reviews and the review on IGN people have commented with positive praises as well. It has a comic panel design where you use your wits to retell iconic tales of experiement and find something new through your own creativity. There is a little bit of autonomy which is why I classify this as a puzzle game with cozy game vibes. The background music is nice too.
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