Video games offer tons of unique experiences for players looking to escape from their daily life of responsibilities. Action, adventure, intrigue, and romance are all viable options for players looking for something to spice up their video game queues. Of course, escaping can also lead to a transformation of the player, and who does not want to become a cute animal while fending off monsters or running a cult?
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Indie game studios offer great games where the player can not only quest away to their heart’s desire and experience fantastical and intricate worlds but also become an adorable animal while playing it.
8Stray
Stray,the 2022 game from BlueTwelve Studio, allows the players to meow endlessly while the cute stray cat protagonist navigates a world full of robots, machinery, and mutant bacteria looking to overtake the player inStray.
Along with the cat’s companion, a floating drone named B-12, the player must complete quests and travel through severalmysterious post-apocalypticwalled cities to solve puzzles, meet other zany robots, and mess with objects within the environment to ultimately go back to the surface and rejoin the other stray cats of the colony.
7Doggone Hungry
If food is a main motivator,Doggone Hungry, a student project, follows a dog as he eats his way through the game and only gets chunkier as the game progresses. The dog’s favorite toy, Quarterjack, is constantly getting stolen, and the player must go through challenges (and more food) to retrieve the toy.
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This is afree-to-playcozy game that features a really cute dog that charms humans for snacks, dressing up in different accessories, doing little tricks, and causing mischief. All in the name of food!
6Cult of the Lamb
Running a cult might not seem like an ideal simulator game, but being a cute little sheep makes it all the better.Cult of the Lambby Massive Monster follows the player as they cultivate their following and defeat monsters in thisroguelike video gamewith an occult backdrop.
The player can create and customize their adorable and loyal followers while tending to their needs between rogue-ish crusades togain resources and abilities. The player can become the ultimate cult leader while also being the most adorable lamb around.
5Tukoni
Based upon the book series by Ukranian artist Oksana Bula,Tukoniis a point-and-click game featuring puzzles and “tukoni” which are the inhabitants of the forest. This game features several different characters from a koala-looking fellow to astrological whales.
The goal of this cozy game is to meet the different inhabitants of the forest, help each other with puzzles, and craft items, and experience the unique kindness found within the forest. Not only are the animals adorable, but the player can also experience Bula’s incredible and unique art style that washand-drawn by the artistthroughout the game.
4Ori And The Blind Forest
While not explicit about whatkindof animal or creature the player finds themself as,Ori and the Blind Forest,by developers Moon Studios, follows a young orphan as they attempt to save their home forest, Nibel, from dying. This platformer has the playersfinding and solving puzzles, upgrading abilities, and finding the other animal-like inhabitants of the forest to help them along their journey.
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This game also features a captivating narrative, immersive environmental art, and musical score that lends itself to the stunning gameplay ofOri and the Blind Forestand its sequel,Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
3Tunic
Tunic, by the TUNIC Team, follows the player as they go through this action-adventure game as an eager fox on their way to free a fox spirit that is trapped inside of a crystal. The player explores this post-apocalyptic fantasy world inTunicto find hidden pages that contain clues, fight off enemies, and discover secret passages.
This game, alongside the adorable fox, also includes a unique 3-D isometric view feature, allowing the player to investigate the world through different perspectives to explore the terrain.
2Haven Park
Play as a cute little bird inHaven Parkby Bubblebird Studio, a cozy and peaceful game about exploring a natural park. The player, Flint who is next in line to run the park, can meet the other campers, engage in quests to please the park guests, and explore at one’s leisure.
This game isself-paced and rather short, therefore is meant to be enjoyed by taking one’s time to explore and have conversations with all the campers to hear about the secret lore of the forest. The relaxing gameplay and cute main character will be sure to bring a smile to the player’s face.
1Lil Gator Game
Lil Gator Gameby MegaWobble has players exploring as a young alligator who is constantly trying to get his elder sister’s attention. The goal of this game is for the players to explore, glide, and swim through the world to meet new characters and complete new quests within each area.
This game also has no health bar in thisopen world and movement-focusedgame so that the player can game with relaxation and ease. Between the adorable gator and the connection to the inner child, this game will have the player enjoying every alligator-filled second.
