There are a few days left of the Steam Next Fest, and there's one demo I'd recommend trying above all so far: Critter Cafe, a charming little life sim with some seriously cozy vibes and irresistibly cute creatures to collect.
Sumo Digital is cooking up an absolutely adorable game, and I got to play it early thanks to its new demo. I had no idea it would hook me so quickly, but just two minutes in and its wholesome Animal Crossing-esque flair had my full attention. The character creator, which I admittedly spent far too long in, was the first part of the sim to snag my heart with trendy accessories, chibi features, and vibrant colors.
I eventually created a whimsical anime-style version of myself and settled on a lovely dress I only wish I could wear in real life. From there, I was tasked with decorating my cafe with everything from bookshelves to cat trees. I definitely overdid this bit, but boy did I enjoy it. It felt like I was back in New Horizons, doing up each of Tom Nook's overpriced room expansions in my house - and as usual, I made everything as pink as I possibly could.
After decorating every nook and cranny of my new cafe, it was time to get to work - and this part got surprisingly stressful considering how cozy the game is otherwise. It was almost reminiscent of PlateUp! in a way, with all of the running back and forth from increasingly impatient customers to the kitchen, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't fun. The chaos of it all was a welcome rift in the relaxing gameplay loop, and it kept me more engaged.
The minigames available during my shift as a virtual cafe worker were brilliant, too. From the rhythm game-aligned latte art to the timed cake slicing, I was reminded of another iconic Nintendo series: WarioWare. The excitement didn't end after my cafe closed, either. It was then time for what's likely my favorite part of Critter Cafe: capturing the titular critters and caring for them. Collecting creatures isn't like what I was used to in Pokemon, though.
In Critter Cafe, you don't walk up to an animal you want and throw a ball at it. Instead, you open a portal and complete a sequence of brain-tickling puzzles to reach the critter before rescuing it. Once you've secured a creature, you'll have to care for it in a pasture-like portion of the map dubbed the "habitat" until it trusts you enough to help out around the cafe. It's a system I've never quite seen before, and I honestly love how it plays out.
After playing Critter Cafe for a short period, I'd recommend a quick playthrough of the demo while Valve's seasonal Steam Next Fest is still underway - especially to fans of cozier games. The cafe management is chaotic but genuinely fun, the customization is top-tier, the creature collecting feels unique in its integration of puzzle mechanics, and the whole sim deliver an enchanting energy I won't soon forget. The full game is coming to PC and Switch next month.
Check out some of these upcoming indie games for even more to look forward to.
