While the claims of Heartopia being "Best Cozy Game of 2026" (for me) might still be too early to say, especially since we're still just starting the year, the multiplayer life simulation with gacha mechanics sure hits the spot when it comes to kicking back and living a fantasy utopian life.
Having played Heartopia since it became playable on mobile and on PC (via their official website), I had the great pleasure of participating in the various activities, hobbies, events, and mischief the game has to offer. The game can be compared to Animal Crossing with the freedom the it gives you when it comes to doing daily life activities, which are called Hobbies. What sets it apart from Animal Crossing, in my opinion, is that while you have the freedom to do what you want, there are still objectives for you to do. These objectives are given by the multitude of NPCs in the island, various Hobby milestones which you level up just by doing the activity, and the sprinkling of events that you, your friends, or NPCs can start. So, while you are doing you activities, there is always something you are chasing and improving on, whether it be getting more recipes to cook or getting more plots of land to plant crops on.
There is also the D.G. Member Level that you get to level up by doing daily quests. By leveling these up, you get access to more building materials, features, plots of land, and a lot more!
When it comes to customization, you start the game by creating your own character with the usual details of skin color, body type, hair, eyebrows, and etc. As you load into the game, you'll be able to craft a mirror, which can then, to my surprise, open up more options for customizing your character. And if that's not enough, you can also go to the second floor of the local Clothing Store to get even more options.
You also further customize your character by buying clothes at, you guessed it, the above mentioned Clothing Store, where the selection changes daily.
Not just your character, you can also build your own home. The building mechanics of the game is easy to understand. It takes a bit of time to get used to manipulating camera angles and how to do various things, but once you get used to it, you'll be able to make your dream home!
Another great thing about the game, for me, is that since it's online, you load into the map and have random people in your neighborhood. But they don't have to be random for long, as you can add people up in your friends list. Once in your friends list, you can then choose to visit their neighborhood if you do end up not loading into their island, or vice versa. This feel very seamless and natural, so to speak, when compared to how Animal Crossing did it, wherein you have to open up your island to having people visit it. This persistent online neighborhood with friends (or randoms) gives that community energy, that is so refreshing to see in a cozy game.
But going back to the term that some people dread - "gacha". This game allows you to pull for premium skins and home building materials that really do stand out. But you can totally opt not to do this and just enjoy the free experience, since the cozy game does a great job of giving you tons of options for clothing your character or making your house a home.
Also, as a little public service announcement, the game is also now available on Steam at the time of writing this post.
I could go over more features of the game, like how you can go on fishing expeditions with people, adopt cats and dogs, befriend local wildlife, build your own furniture and dye them to the color you want, record your own music, burn a CD of it, and have other people listen, write your own book in-game, publish it, and receive income from it, or just drive around town with your own scooter or car. Whatever you choose to do, this cozy game has a LOT to offer. Now, if you don't mind me, I'll just sink into my bath and relax a bit more with this game.
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