warning: I will do my best to avoid end game spoilers but I will at least be spoiling some basic intros and set up of the games, don't read if you want to go in blind.

cozy grove

current review est: 7k

i played this originally on switch and would recommend this as opposed to going mobage, it is way too time gated for my liking. just pay the $X upfront and be happy in the long run. I spent untold hours satisfyingly coloring in my map, gathering materials and befriending the sweetest bear ghosts.

You play as a spirit scout whose on a mission to earn badges and make this island a cute and habitable place. The stories of the npcs were really sweet but with like a nice somber twist. they're all dead remember? unlike other cozy sims this avoids the traditional farming set up in favor of developing an overgrown wild island. there is so much freedom when it comes to decoration and placement, but also good direction to place items that satisfy and match the preferences of nearby ghosties. oh and the music *chefs kiss*

Chinese Parents

current review est: 22k

if you like child raising sims, this is your game. if you like learning about other cultures, this is your game. if you like match 3 games and satisfying popping animations, this is your game. Culturally i can't common on how realistically the game portrays chinese childhood...seeing as I'm not Chinese. But the developers are chinese and the game was originally written in chinese. What's even cooler is that in game you can answer surveys about whether or not you experienced a similar scenario in your childhood.

You start the game as a literal infant and have to gain the skills you need to become a model child and high scorer on the culturally infamous gaokao exam. You earn skills in different areas to unlock differnt outcomes for your future including careers, spouses, and parenting styles for when you raise the next generation. I spent hours trying to find all the possible combinations and was not disappointed.

idol manager

current review est: 3.5k

ok i know if you got this far i've definitely got some idol lovers out there who want a more immersive idol sim. as much as i love mobage out there with wonderful idols i've come to love, i wanted a game where i could build their entire image from scratch. and i was not disappointed.

You are the manager of a brand new idol company with some not at all seedy benefactors behind the scenes. You name the groups. You hire the girls. You pick the songs, styles, promotions, everything. you can also date the idols if you're into that... This game did a good job trying to recreate a lot of the dark issues that arise in the idol industry without being too fan servicey about it. They walk a fine line soemtimes remember i said you can date the idols...that you manage...in a power imbalance...sometimes underage. But you can also completely ignore that aspect of the game. Which I do. I'm here to make money ladies, not date. let's get focused.

It's not for everyone, but it is extremely flexible and mod friendly (with lots of wardrobe and character sprite updates). it really lets you play however you want and gives you lots of fun scenarios to manage.

maid cafe on electric street

current review est: under 1k

i found this game one day by skimming through games in the kawaii tag. i wasn't sure it was going to be a good fit, the graphics were a bit too gritty looking for me at first. but then i gave it a shot and was not disappointed.

this game plays half as a restaurant sim and half as a life sim. If you liked wandering the streets of tokyo in persona 5 i think you will enjoy this game. the side scroller layout is really different and fun. the world is cute and pixelated. it really feels like you live in the heart of akibahara. my biggest critique of the game is wishing there was a bit more in terms of customizing your mc. aaaand i didn't finish the game because i started it right before a different game i wanted to play came out. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't play it. finish it and tell me to get back into it.

nancy drew series

current review est: under 1k

im going to date myself so hard but i dont care if it means i convince you to try out the nancy drew series. very few people remember this game coming out in the early 2000s, but i do. my neighbor convinced me to go to target and buy the physical c.d.s (as you did back in the stone age). I started playing secret of the scarlet hand and was hooked since.

you're nancy drew and you're here in this point and click story to solve a mystery. you interview suspects, solve puzzles, and perform chores that are completely inappropriate most of the time for a teenage guest on vacation but who cares about child labor laws when there could be g..g...gg...ghosts! Each game is set in different cities and you get to learn a lot of fun facts about history, science, culture, and more than you ever wanted to know about morse code (somehow it always gets in there).

There are so many different stories you can choose from, each with great replay value that streamers are still playing these games over for dozens of times. My top recs are Warnings at Waveryly Academy for the dark academia girlies, Haunting of Castle Malloy for the whimsy goths, and the final scene for some jump scares that still get me.

max gentleman sexy business

current review est: 1.5k

lets say you wanted play hunie pop but then thought to yourself, i wish this had more historical references and humor. good news gang you've got max gentleman sexy business. it's a dating sim meets idle tycoon with hilarious gilded-age humor for my intellectuals.

you play a rich victorian heir whose money disappears and your former assets revoked. You must work from the ground up with only a small million dollar or so loan to get you started. with your trusty battle buttler and business maid you rise up through the ranks and meet other business owners of the upper echelons. oh yeah, and you can fuck them.