Wanderstop

Far from just another “cozy” game, Wanderstop invites you into a colorful world filled with quirky characters and bizarrely flavored tea at the price of some uncomfortably insightful introspection.

Wanderstop is endlessly charming and necessary. It is a game as much about making tea as it is about finding yourself.

Wanderstop's gorgeous visuals, solid character writing, and relaxing workaday gameplay routine brew up a wonderful experience.

Slow and steady.

Wanderstop has officially pulled me into the cozy game genre and is a beautifully moving game which realistically portrays the long and difficult journey of burnout recovery, while also being as hilarious as you would expect from the creator of The Stanley Parable.

With a core message about the importance of being aware of burnout and self-care, Ivy Roads’ debut game works both as an approachable tea shop simulator where you can switch you brain off too — along with interweaving a hard-hitting narrative that regularly has you both on the edge of your seat and smiling from ear to ear.  Achieving that balance is an insanely difficult feat that any dev team should be commended for.

Sharing too much about Wanderstop’s narrative would be doing it a disservice, but it contained more surprises than expected in a game that seemed from the start to be on the more simplistic side. This isn't a title for everyone, but it's impossible not to recommend it to everyone. A dozen hours is a small price to pay for a little sanity and quiet, and even those who prefer more active and demanding titles can take something valuable from spending time in this little tea shop. Sometimes, grinding isn't the answer.

Wanderstop doesn’t tell a brand-new story, rather it has a unique way of showing it. Mechanically, you are obligated to complete the tasks at hand, but you aren’t time. You do it at your own pace, let the mind wander, so to speak.

On first appearance, Wanderstop looks like your average wholesome, low-stakes indie game with easy-going objectives and enjoyable, soothing tasks to perform. While the game is exactly that, it layers on top a story that hones in on the central character's mental state, and it's an effective combination.

Whereas it is a worthy experiment and a cozy game deserving of a recommendation, Wanderstop ultimately struggles to live up to its creators’ illustrious reputations.

I believe there are many people who will love and identify with Wanderstop! I just found it clunky, broken on PS5, and far from cozy.

The future I dream of isn’t one without friction, but one that ensures a slower, happier life for my community, even if that means doing the work. Wanderstop feels the most meaningful when it focuses on that.