The cozy fantasy subgenre has been staging a quiet revolution in recent years, especially in the literature sphere. Novels like Legends and Lattes, Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches have become behemoths, and the videogame world is not immune to the charms of these vibes. We’ve had lots of cozy games arrive on the scene, like Stardew Valley, My Time at Portia, and A Short Hike, and the next to appear is the recently-released Ale and Tale Tavern, which is smashing it on Steam right now.
Ale and Tale Tavern plonks you into a fantasy game world where you’re tasked with restoring your abandoned inn back to its former glory. Combining survival, management, building, and RPG elements together into a delicious meal, it gives you plenty to get involved with – and you can invite some friends too as it’s fully playable in co-op.
If you want to focus on your tavern you can by cooking and serving your customers, renovating your pub, and making sure your business is a success. Or you can just head out into the open world and go hunting, fishing, or exploring – there’s even some combat thrown into the mix too, with plenty of monsters to face off against should you fancy it.
That bubbling cauldron mix of everything cozy and good combined with the ability to play with friends and choose your own pace and style of adventure is definitely going over well with fans, with the game attracting a hefty audience mere hours after launch. With a 24-hour peak of nearly 5,000 players and an 82% ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam, Ale and Tale Tavern seems to be exactly what a lot of fantasy fans have been looking for. It should come as no surprise, as the game was wishlisted a truly staggering amount of times before launch.
Ale and Tale Tavern is out now on Steam and you can save 10% until Thursday September 19. Head over to the game’s store page to learn more, and to see if a cozy adventure is just what you need next.
Should you be looking for something else in your life, our guides to the best management games and the best sandbox games will keep you in good company for a long time to come.
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