Hii cuties! I am currently going through quite the amount of evil disgusting and bad dysphoria, so I would really like to distract myself from myself right now... Even though I am not a fan of consumerism, this is the one time I feel it is appropriate to consume some media. I do have a homebrewed switch and a computer running Debian (with wine, so it can run windows games). I am a fan of rhythm games and cozy games like stardew valley (not a shooter kind of person).
EDIT: I am also a huge fan of games like outer wilds, cuz like wow that game is good. Also I like the magical parts of Terraria aaaaand floating islands are cool... Also I do have a VR headset. There, my infodump is completed now.
Palia is basically 3d multiplayer stardew. Free to play on both PC and switch. It IS very early access tho so you will occasionally run into some very game breaking bugs which might kill the cozy and make it frustrating.
Iono she says she doesn't want shooters? Even though I wouldn't call it that much of a shooter? Is that like doom... Even though you do use guns. But yeah it can be pretty cozy running your base I will say that
I recently discovered this adorable little indie point and click adventure game called Read Only Memories. The basic plot is that you're a struggling freelance journalist living in a crappy apartment in Neo-San Francisco in the year 2064. Human genetic and cybernetic modification is widely available, and some jackasses have decided to spend their time protesting outside the clinics that provide it. They claim it strips away the very things that make us human, whatever that may mean (editorialism mine -- the game, strangely, goes to great lengths to allow the player to choose either, or neither, side in this conflict through dialogue options, although the vast majority of characters you meet will have the same opinion I did). Also, ROMs (personal voice-activated robots -- think ChatGPT with legs) are fairly commonplace and can be seen everywhere from individual households to the police force. They're highly conversational though not particularly human.
Anyway, one day, you wake up, and one of these robots is standing at the foot of your bed. You're somewhat surprised by this, since you're way too broke to afford one. The robot introduces themself as Turing, a top-secret project to create a truly sapient ROM, who has just witnessed their creator being kidnapped and broke into your apartment during the night to ask for your help to solve the case.
I've only gotten to the second chapter so far, but I'm loving it. It is very cute and very queer and does not shy away from the gritty realities of its subject matter. I don't want to spoil too much, but there's one conversation where you find out why the genetically modified person who's been a bit of a dick to you got genetic modifications and the major struggles they went through to get it, and I do not think the allegory could have been more obvious if the entire screen turned into a giant trans flag.
Also Turing is adorable. And you can hug them. Also the music is incredible.
It's an incredible game and you should totally play it ^^
I haven't played it in years, but I remember getting really cozy vibes from "VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action". You basically just talk to customers and hear their stories while serving drinks. I didn't end up playing all the way to the end, but I remember it being really chill and laid back.
Come to think of it, since I didn't know I was trans back when I played it, I'm now wondering if some of the cozy vibes came from diffuse, unrecognized gender euphoria via the female protagonist. Been meaning to play it again to see how it strikes me now.
Actually, this is getting me kind of hype to play it; I think I'll fire it up.
Also, most of the game is just clicking through dialogue while enjoying synthwave music, which is great for letting your mind escape, but is not for everyone. I'm definitely enjoying it.
I assume you already played it but since it hasn't explicitly been mentioned I definitely have to call out Celeste, basically one of the most iconic transfem games out there!
Terraria can be pretty comfy if you're in the mood for it, and Clone Hero is the perfect rhythm game if you have Guitar Hero nostalgia!
Townscaper is a good one for just sinking yourself into mindless building. No resource limits, just making a city in an ocean. It's also a fairly cheap game - About Five bucks if I recall?
Hey! Sorry you're feeling shitty. I just finished Cassette Beasts while I was down with COVID. It's a fun, different take on the Pokemon formula with a cool aesthetic. Perhaps not the absolute coziest, but still cozy in my book.
If you're a fan of rhythm games, have you ever played Rhythm Heaven? :) RH Fever for the Wii, and RH Megamix for the 3ds are some of my faves in the genre. They're standouts and somewhat unconventional rhythm games based around animations. Very cute and fun and towards the end of the games challenging. I believe emulators are available for both on Debian. Dolphin for Wii emulation, Citra for 3ds. Citra has officially been discontinued by the original dev team, but forks are around for it.
On switch there's Animal Crossing, Yoshi's crafted world, Super Mario 3D world and Odyssey are both fantastic and cozy. Let's go Eevee and Pikachu are incredible and have a very warm idyllic vibe imo.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it already, but The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is really cozy and nice. You play as a witch that got exiled and is mentally not in a good place but then you get to do all kinds of badass witch stuff. It is inclusive of trans women and I had to cry a lot when I found out midgame.
Maybe not what you're thinking about but I quite like playing crusader kings 3 when I'm feeling like that and maybe you will too. It's kind of expensive with all the dlcs though so you should just get it here for free instead: https://fitgirl-repacks.site/crusader-kings-3/
if you haven't torrented anything before (I'm assuming you probably have though since you're a transfem with Linux) you'll need this to download it: https://www.qbittorrent.org/download
I know it's a bit of a clique at this point, but if you enjoy platformers, and especially if you want an emotionally compelling story, I'd reccomend Celeste, there's also a lot of trans allegories within the game, if you're up for that. It's on Steam and Switch, among other things, and is a pretty good indie game made by a trans woman
Farewell is so fun haha, incredibly hard, but great. I remember listening to a bunch of ContraPoints videos while playing through all that lol back in like, 2021/2022
Dinkum is fucking great if you're a fan of stardew and animal crossing
Also, I'm not sure if this one is up your alley since it's neither a rhythm game nor like stardew valley, but Rain World is such a beautiful piece of art and atmospheric. It feels alive and brutal. Even then, I still find a lot of cozy moments in this game.
Okay hear me out... Cataclysm Dark Days Ahead. There's something really entrancing about checking off the to-do list to become a mutant polymath in a solar rv bus made of scrap. You can even collect blahaj.
Sayonara wild hearts is a fun rythm game with a lovely aesthetic. I like that it is quite forgiving at the beginning so as to not frustrate, but still challenging when you try for the highscores
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game that involves the process of unpacking possessions from boxes and fitting them into a new home. The game, available on various platforms like PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, allows players to create a satisfying living space while uncovering clues about the life they are unpacking. Through eight house moves, players experience intimacy with an unseen character and unravel a story through the items they unpack. Unpacking received positive reviews and won several awards, including two BAFTA Games Awards and Game of the Year by Eurogamer[2][3][4]. It offers meditative gameplay without timers or scores, allowing players to explore domestic environments and discover a character's story through the items that accompany them to each new home[3].
If you're into engine-builders, i recommend wingspan as it has super comfy vibes. There's also parkitect if you like management sims/roller coaster tycoon; alternatively there's also just open RCT2.
I've been playing Sixty Four lately. It starts as an idle clicker and quickly evolves to factory automation. You mentioned rhythm games and this isn't one per se, but the machines make rhythmic sounds that are kind of mesmerizing.
Spiritfarer is a very good game. Kinda reminds me of Stardew valley. You're basically a person that runs this houseboat and you let spirits of dead people stay until they are ready to depart to the great unknown. In addition to running the houseboat, you can explore different islands and pick up new spirits as you go along. The world is really immersive.
It WILL make you cry at a couple of points, but it's so beautifully done. The art and music are just 👌🏻.
I'd recommend something like Divinity 2: Original sin, it's probably not really your style of game, but definetly worth checking out, it has an amazing multiplayer, too