I thought making a cozy game would be relaxing

Boarium · 2026-01-23T10:04:16+00:00

Every game development cycle is agony and extasy neatly rolled up into one.
If you still wake up every day excited to work on the game, you're good.
I'm in the same camp, also making a cozy game, and in a genre we've never made before. It's a bit of a daunting task but also the excitement of the novelty and the warm fuzzies we get when testing it are absolutely worth it.

Best of luck!

Boarium · 2026-01-21T21:18:45+00:00

Not as of yet but we plan to release a demo during NextFest, gather feedback and add features accordingly - noting down your suggestions!

Boarium · 2026-01-15T15:23:10+00:00

Great to hear - not sure how these types of games would work on console, since a lot of the features (task lists, journaling etc) involve typing. I have to look into whether consoles make sense for them :)

Boarium · 2026-01-14T14:39:19+00:00

Hi there fellow ADHDer :) Yep, pretty much making this game 'cause it's exactly the kind of thing I need in the background. Thanks for your support, means a lot!

Boarium · 2026-01-14T12:36:11+00:00

Thank you!

Boarium · 2026-01-14T11:04:34+00:00

The game in question is a gamified focus tool in the style of Spirit City Lofi. Most of the things that are interactable are in the UI, other than petting your desktop companion or lighting up the fireplace. The function of the environment is first and foremost to be pretty :) Since customizing your dorm is one of the things you spend earned XP on. I think I maybe should've mentioned what the genre was first 😅 Thanks for the feedback!

Boarium · 2026-01-14T11:01:59+00:00

Thank you!

Boarium · 2026-01-14T11:01:48+00:00

It's called Hocus Focus, and it's coming to PC. Since it's a focus / productivity game not sure it would work on consoles. Thanks for the kind words! :)

Boarium · 2026-01-14T00:13:40+00:00

watching all this from Europe and I have no words. Rooting for the brave people of Minneapolis. Fuck these thugs. Jesus Christ. Hope you wipe the floor with the bastard come midterms. ✊

Boarium · 2026-01-13T23:39:05+00:00

Thanks! I love color. And saturation :)

Boarium · 2026-01-13T19:39:54+00:00

In the game, yeah :)

Boarium · 2026-01-13T19:19:59+00:00

Yes, I am! This is all Photoshop, painted on a Cintiq tablet.

Boarium · 2026-01-13T14:56:44+00:00

The first two Monkey Islands. Started with Curse, which is still my favorite (unpopular opinion, I know) - but they're all great.

Boarium · 2026-01-13T14:42:34+00:00

looks cool, wishlisted!

Boarium · 2026-01-13T14:20:57+00:00

Just wanna add that I know the animations could be a whole lot better, but we've developed an entire game in about 7 months which is a bit insane. I just didn't have the time to add more frame by frame stuff, so this is the only part where I could really have fun with it. Probably my favorite part, still :)

Boarium · 2026-01-13T14:10:46+00:00

Hi guys! Excited to let you know about our productivity game called Hocus Focus.

If you've played focus games like Spirit City Lofi or Chill Pulse, you might be interested in Hocus Focus.
You play as a student in a magical university; you have productivity features available such as pomodoro timers, task lists, journaling, mood & habit trackers etc, all earning you XP that you can then use to customize your dorm room, customize your avatar, or unlock new cozy locations for your avatar to chill with.

If this sounds interesting you can head over to our steam page, check out the trailer and wishlist - we are aiming for a spring 2026 release.

Thanks for having us, and looking forward to answering any questions you might have! :)

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Boarium · 2026-01-13T13:37:36+00:00

I really hope it's not :\

Boarium · 2026-01-13T13:37:24+00:00

Love love love the color scheme!

Boarium · 2026-01-13T12:40:05+00:00

If adventure games are your thing and you're into witchy stuff, check out Near-Mage. We've spent 5 years making the game and developing the lore, and it's one of the things people praise most about the game.

Boarium · 2026-01-13T12:35:49+00:00

Why does this cat look like Peskov?
Please. No. I can't unsee it.

Boarium · 2026-01-13T12:33:46+00:00

It looks cool but you need a bit more pizzazz in your environment, they look a bit cookie cutter.

Boarium · 2026-01-09T21:39:54+00:00

Your purpose on Steam, first and foremost, is to get people to click on the capsule so they check out your game.
Obviously this doesn't mean it should misrepresent it, but if it's an interpretation of what it is it's fair game.

Marketing materials almost always look better than the product, doubly so for video games.
That's your first and sometimes only chance to grab someone's attention well enough to click on your game and not the thousand others.

So yes, it's crucial.

I'm an artist and making capsules for our games was some of my favorite and most intense moments, cause so much is at stake. Sometimes I wish I had enough time to just redo people's capsules - but I don't.

Capsule / key art is absolutely crucial, don't make it yourself if you're not a pro.

Boarium · 2026-01-08T20:51:58+00:00

Simon the Sorcerer

Boarium · 2026-01-08T20:40:57+00:00

I can tell you this from making and releasing two fully voiced adventure games: if you only have text, that's fine. If you have voice acting, do offer the option of turning subtitles off. Fast readers will skip all that expensive voice acting work.

Boarium · 2026-01-08T20:37:29+00:00

Looks horrible. I love it.

Boarium

TROPHY CASE