During the month of December, the University Libraries staff make lists and check them twice. What are these lists about? Anything! You can look at past years’ lists here and stay tuned for more lists!
Winter is coming. And it’s important to have an optimal cozy vibe to get through the snowy, inclement days. For me, that usually means picking the right hobby or past-time to sink into that day. Here are 10 games I love to play with a mug of hot chocolate on a snow day (in no particular ranking):
- Beacon Pines (Cute and creepy visual novel style game with a great mystery. The soundtrack is fantastic as well!)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Are you bummed that the snowstorm canceled your D&D sesh? Do not fear! BG3 is your answer. Shadowheart, my queen.)
Available on: Playstation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and S, and Mac OS
- Stardew Valley (A game for when you want to trade the hustle and bustle of crumbling late stage capitalism for the quiet, farming life. Maybe that’s just me. Either way, it’s both single player and co-op! Also has an amazing soundtrack)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, Mac OS, Android, and Mac iOS. It’s ubiquitous and very easy to run on most devices
- Towerfall (A fun and retro couch co-op game wherein you try to trick shot your friends with a bow and arrows)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox
- Phasmophobia (Warning: very spooky! For when you and your friends have always wanted to be ghost hunters)
Available on: Playstation, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows
- Unpacking (Simple and cozy. It’s a really satisfying feeling to decorate each level. The story is subtle, but it did make me cry in a good way.
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Playstation, and Android
- Hades 1 & 2 (For all my Greek mythology kids!! Great soundtrack, very addictive combat. No notes.)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Microsoft Windows, and Mac
- Spiritfarer (Very cozy and sweet. You get to build a boat, and you get to play music with a bunch of anthropomorphic animals. Also a great soundtrack!)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS
- Undertale (An oldie-but-a-goodie. It just has peak vibes: good soundtrack, retro design, outrageous characters. A character that makes terrible puns. It’s got it all)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Microsoft Windows
- Wytchwood (You’re just a witch making potions in an autumnal setting. It’s just a winner.)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox
Gabe Harman is a Research & Education Librarian and someone who has a lot of opinions about video games. When he’s not at the library, you can find him playing Dungeon and Dragons, reading a book, or hanging out with his partner and 3 cat sons.
