Developer: Spry Fox
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Casual, Simulation
Publisher: Spry Fox
Life can get pretty hectic, which is exactly why games like Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit feel so refreshing. Developed and published by Spry Fox, this heartwarming sequel builds upon everything that made the original Cozy Grove so beloved while welcoming completely new players with open arms. Even without playing the first game, I never felt like I was missing out on anything, making Camp Spirit a fantastic standalone experience that’s easy to jump into. Â
Your adventure begins aboard a camp bus that unexpectedly crashes, leaving you stranded in a mysterious spirit-filled world where the rest of your fellow scouts have mysteriously disappeared. Taking on the role of a Spirit Scout, you soon meet Flamey, a magical campfire who becomes your guide throughout the journey. Flamey requires Spirit Logs to expand the island, allowing you to discover new areas, uncover hidden secrets, and meet an unforgettable cast of ghostly bear spirits.
Each bear has their own unique personality, backstory, and unfinished business that slowly unfolds as you complete quests and build friendships. One of my favourite aspects of the storytelling is how every bear’s appearance reflects something about their past life, making each interaction feel surprisingly meaningful despite the game’s light-hearted tone. As you help these spirits move on, the once dull and colourless island gradually comes back to life, creating a satisfying sense of progression both visually and emotionally.
Unlike many life-simulation games that encourage hours of grinding in one sitting, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is clearly designed to be enjoyed in shorter daily sessions. The game even synchronises with your real-world clock, meaning new quests, resources, and activities become available each day.
Personally, I think this works perfectly. While you could spend several hours playing if you really wanted to, the gameplay loop does become repetitive after a while. Logging in for 30 minutes to an hour each day feels like exactly how the game was intended to be experienced, making every visit feel relaxing rather than exhausting.
Most of your time is spent completing quests for the island’s ghostly residents. These usually involve gathering materials, crafting items, fishing, bug catching, digging up hidden treasures, or delivering objects to different bears. Completing these tasks rewards you with friendship hearts and Spirit Logs, which in turn allow Flamey to expand the island and reveal even more content.
There’s always another objective waiting around the corner, and I genuinely appreciated that the game never leaves you wondering what to do next. The quest tracking is clear, the user interface is clean and intuitive, and if you ever struggle to locate hidden items, you can even purchase hints to point you in the right direction.
If you’re someone who enjoys collecting absolutely everything in a game, Camp Spirit has plenty to keep you busy. Fishing and bug catching immediately reminded me of Animal Crossing, offering that same relaxing feeling of slowly filling out collections over time.
Outside of quests, there’s a surprising amount to do. You can forage using tools like your shovel and pickaxe, grow trees and flowers, gather crafting materials, care for adorable pets that produce valuable bird essence, and donate collectables to expand your collection. One feature I especially loved was upgrading and decorating your tent. It adds another layer of progression and creativity, letting you personalise your own little space while giving you another reason to keep coming back every day.
Visually, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is absolutely charming. The hand-drawn, storybook-inspired art style gives the game a warm personality that’s difficult not to fall in love with. The island begins as a muted, almost monochromatic landscape before gradually filling with vibrant colours as you help each spirit heal, making your progress feel tangible every step of the way. Every character is wonderfully expressive despite only communicating through adorable little mumbling noises. Those simple sound effects somehow make the bears even more lovable.
The soundtrack deserves praise as well. It’s calm, cosy, and relaxing throughout, with just enough upbeat moments to keep the atmosphere from ever feeling dull. Combined with ambient nature sounds and the satisfying audio feedback from fishing, gathering, and crafting, the entire game feels incredibly peaceful without becoming overwhelming.
I genuinely had a great time with Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit. As someone who never played the original game, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible everything felt from the very beginning. The game does an excellent job of introducing its mechanics without ever making newcomers feel left behind.
That said, it won’t be for everyone. Much of the gameplay revolves around gathering resources, completing fetch quests, crafting items, decorating your space, and revisiting familiar areas. There is a fair amount of backtracking and repetition, especially if you’re trying to progress quickly. Thankfully, the daily structure helps prevent the grind from becoming too overwhelming, encouraging players to enjoy the game at a slower, more relaxing pace instead.
Rather than focusing on fast-paced action or challenging combat, Camp Spirit thrives on creating a comforting routine where every small achievement feels rewarding. It’s the kind of game you can sit down with after a long day, complete a few quests, decorate your campsite, and simply unwind.
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is a wonderfully wholesome game that perfectly captures what makes cosy games so enjoyable. With its heartfelt storytelling, lovable cast of ghostly bears, relaxing daily gameplay loop, satisfying collection mechanics, and beautiful hand-drawn presentation, it’s incredibly easy to lose yourself in its peaceful world. Whether you’re a returning fan or, like me, completely new to the series, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is an easy recommendation and one of those rare games that makes coming back every day feel genuinely rewarding.
Overall: 8/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
