Cozy Grove - What We Know So Far

Have you ever dreamed of camping with ghosts on a mysterious, haunted island, but in a totally fun and non-scary way? If so, then upcoming title Cozy Grove might just be a game to watch. At first glance, Cozy Grove seems to have some superficial similarities to Animal Crossing and budget Steam survival game Don't Starve Together. But as you'll soon learn, there are many surprises that make this game one of a kind.

Now, just because this is a game with ghosts doesn't mean it's going to make any year-end horror lists. Think more along the lines of Casper for adults, rather than a game that might be too disturbing to get through. Though mystery is sure to be part of your Cozy Grove experience, so will adorable animals and smiling spirits.

Based on the release date, juicy trailer, and all the details that have been shared so far, now is the perfect time to get up to speed on all things Cozy Grove. Hopefully, these details can help you decide if this game has the potential to be your new favorite — or if you'd rather stay off the island altogether.

According to the official Cozy Grove press kit, the game is set to drop on Apr. 8, 2021. Once Cozy Grove is out, you'll be able to buy it on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Apple Arcade. That's plenty of options for everyone, and the game retails for a reasonable $14.99.

Cozy Grove game was made by Seattle-based developer Spry Fox, a company with the motto "make the world a better place" as its guiding principle. This team's previous games include puzzlers like Alphabear, Triple Town, and Road Not Taken.

The publisher, The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, got its start developing successful puzzle games like The Bridge and Tumblestone. Its team specializes in "help[ing] independent developers successfully launch their games on PC, consoles, and beyond." It's also a Seattle-based company, but unlike the rainy city, this game looks like it's going to be all shine. With these vetted and successful gamemakers behind Cozy Grove, it's clearly time to start counting down the days until release.

The trailer for Cozy Grove is short, sweet, and to the point. With plenty of views of the island where the game takes place, it offers a good idea of what players can expect for gameplay. Bouncy, human-like characters are shown making their way around the area and doing various tasks, like changing outfits, chopping down shrubs, and talking to animal-like and ethereal creatures of all shapes and sizes.

At one point in the trailer, the camera zooms up on the bottom of the Welcome to Cozy Grove sign to reveal this key piece of text: "Surprise...it's haunted!" Shortly after that, a campfire transforms into a cheerful, multicolored supernatural creature after it is fed something. The dialogue on the screen attributed to this fiery character reads, "Ah! Another healthy dose of positive spirit energy."

The upbeat and quirky trailer wraps up with a nearly-still image focusing on the Welcome to Cozy Grove sign, along with all of the game's release details. While the trailer doesn't reveal much about the game's full plot, players get a decent feel for the game's vibe.

As covered by the official Cozy Grove press kit, the game is "a life-sim game about camping on a haunted, ever-changing island." Players take on the role of a Spirit Scout, whose duties consist of exploring the forest daily, uncovering mysteries, and "helping soothe the local ghosts." Hard work, time, and crafting are key to "bring[ing] color and joy back to Cozy Grove!"

SpryFox CEO David Edery shared some details with IGN about the story and the heart of the game. Comparing his game to Animal Crossing, he personally wished the latter game had a more "meaningful story," describing the majority of Animal Crossing characters as "largely throwaway." On top of that, he was not a fan of Tom Nook's prominence, which struck him as a "weird capitalist fantasy." In Cozy Grove, there's a much richer story, and each of the dozens of characters has "a deep issue that you [will help] them dig into."

Cozy Grove features stunning, inviting landscape design, drawn by hand and enhanced every time a player helps out a local spirit. Variation is the name of the game. No two characters are alike, and each of the dozens of spirits you'll met along the way will come with its own "unique, extensive story for you to unravel over time," according to the official Cozy Grove press kit. 

The developers focused on diversity in character design, with different skin tones and hair types to choose from, "all unattached to gender expression" as IGN reported. The game also features well-researched representation for people with disabilities.

As the trailer showed briefly, crafting, collecting, fishing, decorating, digging, and other island activities are going to be your bread and butter. The game appears to be designed to give players their money's worth, as well. The publishers estimate it will take most players 40 hours or more to conquer the main campaign and its included side quests. David Edery shared that some players may get up to 100 hours worth of fun out of Cozy Grove.