Cozy sims that don't waste your time

Cozy sims are everywhere now, and most of them hide a timer that nags you to come back. The good ones don't need to. They trust that if the game is pleasant, you'll return on your own.

Workshop of Small Things gets this balance right. You fix odd little gadgets through gentle drag-and-tap tasks, and nothing punishes you for stepping away. I played it in ten-minute bursts and it never guilted me about it.

What makes a cozy sim actually cozy, I think, is character. When a music box you repaired comes back with a thank-you note, the chores stop feeling like chores. Small stories do more for warmth than any stat screen.

If you want something to wind down with, skip the ones built around pressure. Find the sim that's happy to be put down. Those are the ones that last.