New slice-of-life game Cozy Gove, the story of a young Spirit Scout aiding lost souls to the afterlife on a deserted island, provides a great mixture of narrative and exploration. Many mechanics in Cozy Gove will be familiar to fans of life sim titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley, including crafting, cooking, island decoration, and uncovering the secrets of the world during exploration.

Much like Animal Crossing's gameplayCozy Gove isn't about getting things done as quickly as possible. The clock moves in real time, and each day has a different set of goals to progress the main storyline. After completing their quests for the day, players can spend time fishing, collecting resources to use in crafting, or rearranging the decorations set up around their island. Unlocking different ghostly spirits expends the number of things a player can do in the day, which, in turn, gives gameplay an exciting resource management aspect.

Related: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Restart Tips - What To Do Different

Fans of big farming sims like Stardew Valley may be disappointed with Cozy Grove, however, if they were hoping to cover their island in crop fields and livestock barns. Cozy Grove allows players to care for fruit trees and forage for produce hidden around the island, but a large-scale farming operation is prevented by the island's size and all the other tasks that must be accomplished throughout each day. Players can care for animal spirits, though, like birds and deer. While perhaps not as potentially profitable as chickens, spirit birds can be just as adorable to have pecking around the player's property.

Cozy Grove Has More Emphasis On Story Than Animal Crossing

Cozy Groce Orange Tree

Narrative is an important part of Cozy Grove, much like the underlying story in Stardew Valleyand enriches its gameplay. For those who enjoy learning the backstories and struggles of NPCs and their virtual communities, Cozy Grove would be a great fit. Unlike Animal Crossing: New HorizonsCozy Grove includes important, detailed histories for each of its ghosts, the player's character, and the overall world the island is a part of.

While Cozy Grove has similarities to both Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley mechanics, the experience of exploring this new title is unique. Neither Stardew Valley nor Animal Crossing captures the whimsical magic that is a key part of Cozy Grove's story. Its gameplay and exploration do more closely resemble Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but Cozy Grove still stands out from - and potentially surpasses - other games in the simulation genre.

Next: Animal Crossing Cherry Blossoms Amaze & Entertain Real-Life Cat

Cozy Grove is currently available on iOS, PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox.