Let’s face it, the “cozy” term has begun to be thrown around quite a lot at this point, and the inevitable that can happen with hot labels has also plagued it at times… and that’s it getting pulled down by some pretty lousy titles. Whether the issue is with developers just trying to copy the Stardew Valley template, and typically poorly at that, or simply setting up some activities to enjoy but then never really pulling the overall experience together, there have been at least as many misses in this category as hits. Thankfully Collector’s Cove, though remaining true to the laid back spirit and generally easygoing activities you’ve come to expect, has put in some real effort to make an experience that stands well on its own, and it shows.

While, yes, you’ll be farming once again along this journey, this time you’ll do it on a boat! Thankfully I mean that much more playfully than it may sound, as the fact that you’ll be moving around from island to island really does change the typical formula quite a lot. Rather than continuing to traipse through the same fields and meadows over and over again, once you’ve exhausted finding everything a given island has to offer, you can set course for another. You won’t just be looking for new plants either, you’ll also have the opportunity to do some fishing, and many islands will even feature a puzzle or two that help give them a little more personality.

Your goal? To fill your Collector’s Compendium left to you by your adventurous parents of course! To do that you’ll need to be pretty thorough though, not only going to new locations but being sure to check them out at different times of day and in different conditions as well if you want to try to find everything. One simple thing I really appreciate though is that activities like fishing may not be deep, but they’re at least implemented well. Somehow it feels like so many games make it over-complicated or even aggravating, but here there’s a minor amount of technique that just keeps it from feeling automatic for the most part. If you enjoy decorating there’s a nice emphasis here on that as well, providing you the chance not just to beautify your ship, but to even accessorize your giant water-bound friend pulling you along as well. Sure, people who may not be into the satisfying comfort of repetition mixed with discovery could call this sort of experience a grind, but if you’re just looking to relax and enjoy it fits the bill.