Dive into the wholesome mobile game for busy souls in ‘Cozy Grove’
It’s always a challenge these days to find moments to unwind and escape, given everyone’s dynamic daily rhythms. Yet, nestled in our very pockets – or handbags – of our busy schedules, a delightful pastime has emerged – mobile gaming.
It’s not just about pixels on a screen; it’s a vibrant world that awaits, ready to fill those brief gaps between work commitments. Whether you’re waiting for a meeting to start or enjoying a quick break, mobile gaming offers a convenient escape, transforming idle moments into exciting adventures.
Using my time to just zone out from anything work related, I explored Apple Arcade on my phone and stumbled upon Cozy Grove – a somewhat “eerie” camping adventure game, but in an adorable way, on an ever-expanding island as you level further up.
COZY GROVE
In the game, you step into the shoes of a Spirit Scout navigating the haunting and ever-changing island’s forest each day, while also uncovering hidden secrets and lending comforting hands to the local ghosts, with a dash of time and touch of crafting magic added.
As time passes, the desolate landscape transforms into a vibrant array of colours and joy the more quests you complete for each ghost character.
Spry Fox LLC is both the developer and publisher of this game and it was released on April 2021. You can tell I haven’t really been playing any mobile games, or games in general, up until quite recently.
What I love about this game is its beautifully dynamic hand-drawn landscapes that come alive when you help a ghost or spirit in need who you would eventually befriend the more hearts you fill.
Cozy Grove syncs with real-world time, just like in Animal Crossing, offering a fresh batch of quests every day for a cosy 30 to60 minutes of fun. Once you’ve soaked up the daily delights, dive into endless fishing, crafting, and decorating adventures to your heart’s content!
HOW IT STARTS
The island begins on a modest scale, gradually expanding as you progress through the game. Fuelling this growth involves feeding Spirit Logs to Flamey, the key mechanism for expanding the island.
Flamey’s your go-to companion for various interactions throughout the game, like the game’s power move, the secret sauce, and the primary means of propelling yourself forward would be to feed Spirit Logs to Flamey.
Flamey’s also your access to your storage – like a digital attic where you can stow away extra stuff, as well as access to the closet for your wardrobe to spice up your style whenever you feel a fashion itch. Flamey’s also where you go to burn things like chestnut, fish, and even silver ores.
One intriguing aspect is the island’s ever-changing layout, which introduces an element of randomness each day.
Landmarks, like a favourite spot or iconic feature, may shift locations, providing a unique experience for each player. Your friend’s island may have a different arrangement, and certain landmarks may not even appear on your island on a given day.
Despite the dynamic changes, there’s a sense of consistency. However, when it comes to storage, the ground isn’t your best bet.
While it’s safe for pets and decorations (they might be relocated but won’t be completely destroyed), other items are at risk.
Leaving things lying around for an extended period may result in their disappearance. Shells, for instance, not only face this risk but can also impede the spawning of new shells. While this dynamic might change in the future, for now, it’s advisable to keep items off the ground until you’re certain no more shells will appear for the day.
And just like anything scout related, you get to collect badges for every completed quest or action!
PLATFORMS
A great thing about Cozy Grove is that it’s available on quite a lot of gaming platforms like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Xbox Series X and Series S, tvOS, MacOS and PlayStation 5, so people who have any of these platforms can take a gander at it and play.
I do, however, feel a bit annoyed that I can’t interchangeably play between phone and tablet via cloud saving. But, I guess the bright side of that would be playing two different characters on two different platforms.
I checked out howlongtobeat.com, and according to the website, if you’re zipping through just the main objectives, it’ll take you roughly 69 hours to wrap up the game. However, for the thorough explorers out there aiming to experience every nook and cranny, plan for a longer journey – around 120 hours to achieve that sweet 100 per cent completion.
So far, I’ve played about 15 hours of the game, so I guess I still have a long way to go to complete it. – Izah Azahari
