Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth, the sequel to Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, is basically the perfect example of a cozy game.
It follows Moomintroll as he accidentally wakes from hibernation in the middle of winter and emerges into a snowy, unfamiliar world, where he must meet strange creatures and go on adventures in order to bring back spring. This story, familiar to generations of Moomin fans (and retold in basically every Moomin adaptation you can imagine), comes first from Moominland Midwinter, one of the original chapter books written by Tove Jansson.
It's also a story that generations of Moomin fans will recognize as, uh, not actually cozy, which makes Winter's Warmth a fascinating example of the priorities and emotional landscapes that wholesome games have to conform to. To make my case, please indulge me while I recite the journey of a children's book written 68 years ago.
Moomintroll waking from hibernation is textually an interruption to his normal cozy life. He spends early chapters trying to get back to sleep (he can't), change Moominhouse to be as comfortable and warm as he's used...
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