Search
Search
Subnautica's rare cozy moments meet my favorite Windows 98 screensaver in this relaxing new life sim, and I just hope my Steam Next Fest demo reef isn't lost to the seas forever
629
Anna Koselke
2026-03-02
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Every Friday Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them. Every Thursday GTA 6 O'clock Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts. Every Friday Knowledge From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon. Every Thursday The Setup Every Wednesday Switch 2 Spotlight Every Saturday The Watchlist Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Amid a sea of captivating Steam Next Fest demos, I've ended up finding peace in a blue and green-tinged life sim that has me building up a reef and ensuring it thrives – a wholesome little gem called Turquoise. If you haven't seen Turquoise yet, it's one of those games that catches your eye immediately thanks to its oddly vibrant color scheme. While the colors grabbed my attention initially, it's the cozy core gameplay loop that's kept me hooked. It has all the calming, quiet open water vibes of survival titles like Subnautica, without any of the more horror-aligned adrenaline boosts. You're given an environment to decorate and shape – it's entirely chill. And, I love it. Indie developer Low Flame Studio describes it on Steam as "a cozy collecting and building game that immerses you in the heart of a protected marine area," and yeah – that's about right. You uncover new fish, but along the way, you're editing pretty much everything to suit your tastes. You can place corals, rocks, plants, and all sorts of themed objects to give your space the glow-up you'd like – and boy, did I decorate. I've played Starsand Island for 25 hours, and this is the most invested I've been in a cozy game for years My biggest problem with Stardew Valley is fixed in the hottest new life sim RPG on Steam The cutest game I've ever played slapped me in the face with character death at the start of its Steam Next Fest demo Amid all the decorating, though, is the collection of marine life. I adore getting to read about every fish that comes my way, but where Turquoise really shines is in its ability to simply… be. I never feel any pressure, and I can literally just sit there and observe all of my beloved fishies going about their business. It's got the same sort of charm that Zoo Tycoon and Planet Zoo have for me, albeit with none of the stress. "A calm, educational, and inspiring experience," as Low Flame Studio puts it. So, if you're anything like me and spent far too long staring at that Windows 98 aquarium screensaver as a child, don't hesitate to give this a go – Turquoise ticks all those dreamy waterscape boxes and so many more, with its focus on creativity and serenity. I have a good feeling this is going to end up being one of those random games in my library with 100 hours clocked come its full April 14 launch. Hoping to unwind even more after Turquoise? Browse through our big roundup of the best relaxing games out there available to play right now.
113
3
Send
username_unavailable
Mar 02, 08:42 PM
pwned: without going into details... Not a great game. This is loud. goodbye
0
hello_world
Mar 02, 06:52 PM
I fixed it
0
grimPineapple
Mar 02, 06:12 PM
this is colorful. high-quality cap
0
Recent Articles