Life sims: about the games
Planet Zoo is a zoo simulation from the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon, in which players build and manage zoos housing living animals that think, feel and explore the world around them. Players construct detailed habitats recreating natural environments, research and manage each species, and help their animals raise families. A globe-trotting campaign takes players across the world, or Sandbox mode lets them build freely, shaping lakes, mountains and caves.
Persona 3 Reload is a reimagining of the RPG that defined the genre, rebuilt with modern graphics and gameplay. You step into the role of a transfer student whose unexpected fate leads into the hour hidden between one day and the next. There you awaken a remarkable power, chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends and leave a lasting mark on their memories. Days can be spent in many ways, from exploring Port Island to forging genuine bonds with characters, while you build and command a team against otherworldly Shadows.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a relaxing life-simulation adventure in which you fish, mine, craft and take on quests. The Valley was once an idyllic land where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony, until the Forgetting came: Night Thorns spread across it and severed the memories tied to the place. Its inhabitants withdrew behind locked doors of the Dream Castle, leaving you to uncover their stories, customize your own Valley and bring the magic back alongside more than 50 heroes and villains.
Persona 4 Golden is a coming-of-age story in which the protagonist and his friends set out on a journey kicked off by a chain of serial murders. The action takes place in Inaba, a quiet town in rural Japan. The hero meets kindred spirits, experiences a sense of belonging and confronts the darker sides of his own self. It is an RPG built around the gameplay typical of the Persona series.
Amber Isle is a shop management and social sim set on an island of prehistoric animal islanders called Paleofolk. You run its only shop — gathering materials, crafting goods and selling them to customers whose needs and preferences you learn, haggling your way up the Shop Rankings. Profits unlock decor and more floor space and help rebuild the island, opening new areas you can decorate. Its 48 Paleofolk have their own personalities, dialogue and quests; befriending them earns recipes and upgrades, and they go on to build their own stalls, cafés and gardens. You also design your own Paleofolk from five body presets.
Medieval Dynasty is set in the harsh Middle Ages. You begin as a simple farmer or hunter and, with growing experience, can become the head of a prospering town. You build and improve your dwelling from a hut to an extensive farm, bring in residents, start a family and secure the future of your dynasty. Two open-world maps await – the Valley for solo play and The Oxbow for solo or co-op with up to four friends. Changing seasons and weather force you to hunt wild animals, plant crops or trade so that your people lack neither food nor water.
The game takes place in the desert community of Sandrock, where you play as a fledgling Builder. Using your toolset, you gather resources, construct machines and turn a run-down workshop into a production facility meant to pull the town out of economic ruin. Set in a post-apocalyptic world 330 years after the Day of Calamity, it lets you get to know residents, defend the town from monsters, explore deserts and ruins, and play with up to three other players.
You take the wheel as a taxi driver who arrives in Barcelona with nothing but a car and a dream. You carry passengers across the city, follow traffic rules and handle impatient tourists, changing weather and rush hours, rerouting around random events such as accidents, roadworks or parades. Barcelona is reproduced at 1:1 scale with 460 km of roads. Experience earned by driving, exploring and dealing with customers unlocks skills, while profits fund new cars and hired staff; steering wheels, game controllers, electric or petrol cars and automatic, semi-automatic or manual gearboxes are supported.
This farming and cozy-life simulation has you grow crops, raise animals and get to know the people of Zephyr Town, then sell your goods at your own stall during the weekly bazaar to bring back its former glory. Windmills are used to craft new products, while a glider and new jumping skills make getting around town and working the farm easier. Inspired by the classic handheld title, the game offers a larger world, new characters, an expanded story and full voice work in story events, a first for the series.
Sengoku Dynasty is a village-building simulation with RPG elements set in feudal Japan, where you shape the open world through combat or through the economy. You begin with a single house in the Nata Valley, a land scarred by famine and war, and expand into several settlements with workshops, forges and taverns. You gather, hunt and craft, then assign jobs and tools to villagers so production runs on its own. As a Leader, Craftsman, Warrior or Monk you fight with sticks, spears, katanas or yumi bows using combos, dashes, blocks and parries, and marry to secure a successor. Play solo or in co-op with up to four players.
Date Everything! is a sandbox dating simulator set in the comfort of your own home, offering 100 fully voice-acted characters you can pursue. After losing your job to AI despite holding a BFA in customer service, you receive magical glasses called ‘Dateviators’ from a mysterious stranger, which bring the objects in your house to life and make them datable. Each one has its own story and can become a lover, friend, or enemy. A detailed Who’s Who of voice actors accompanies the game.
In Chef Life you run your own restaurant and handle everything from the menu and ingredient purchasing to kitchen equipment, décor, staff and customers. You can try the cooking yourself: chopping, grilling, baking and mixing, and add your own creative touch when plating. The menu is built from classic French, Italian and international dishes, which you can refine and adapt to the seasons. The goal is to build a popular establishment, from a small café up to a restaurant with a Michelin star.