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Light Up The Town Game Cover

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Light Up The Town is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Meadow Studios and was released on December 6, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Light Up The Town is a cozy casual game where you play as Bean, a young ferret decorating a wintery town for the Winter Festival. Toss string lights and decorations across 15+ handcrafted levels, customizing size and rotation to spread holiday cheer. Collect coins to unlock more festive items and brighten up Bellflower before the blizzard arrives.

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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 657 reviews
story51 positive mentions
stability17 negative mentions

  • Adorable and charming visuals that capture the holiday spirit perfectly.
  • Creative freedom in decorating allows for unique and personalized designs.
  • Heartwarming story and characters that evoke nostalgia and warmth.
  • Some bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, such as issues with light placement and camera controls.
  • Limited progression mechanics can make the game feel repetitive after a while.
  • The price may feel steep for some players given the game's length and content.
  • story
    142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally described as charming and heartwarming, following the protagonist, Bean, on her journey to decorate a town for the holidays. While some players found the narrative minimal and lacking depth, others appreciated its emotional moments and the cozy atmosphere it created. Overall, the story serves as a sweet backdrop to the decorating gameplay, though some wished for more substantial character interactions and plot development.

    • “The story, townspeople, and general atmosphere of the game are funny and cute, and I really enjoyed the game.”
    • “The story is charming and at moments very moving.”
    • “The story itself, while simple, is both adorable and full of heart, with little moments of emotion to make you love Bean.”
    • “The story is short, not story heavy, cozy and chill, and if that is something you are looking for, and you don't mind some inconveniences, then enjoy; otherwise, avoid it.”
    • “Forced story pacing: the game has a surprisingly large number of levels for a story that feels pushed and underdeveloped.”
    • “Tone mismatch: it tries to tell a sad or emotional story while being marketed as cozy and festive, which feels inconsistent.”
  • emotional
    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players highlighting its heartwarming story, charming characters, and cozy atmosphere that evoke nostalgia and joy. Many reviews mention moments that elicit genuine emotional responses, from laughter to tears, particularly in relation to the protagonist's journey and the festive setting. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to create a comforting and uplifting experience, making it a perfect choice for the holiday season.

    • “The story and characters, especially Bean (the protagonist), are charming and heartwarming that you can't help but have a smile on your face.”
    • “This game made me feel a whimsy for Christmas again.”
    • “I have never played and I doubt I will ever play anything cuter or more wholesome than this incredible game.”
  • music
    71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its cozy, heartwarming original score and delightful renditions of classic holiday carols, creating a soothing and festive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the nostalgic and ambient qualities of the soundtrack, which complements the game's charming visuals and relaxing gameplay, although some note that the music volume can be inconsistent between levels. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that adds depth and enjoyment to the game, making it a perfect accompaniment for holiday-themed play sessions.

    • “The music is a mix of a heartfelt original score and pleasant renditions of the more melodic classic carols.”
    • “Subtle ambient sounds, light footsteps in the snow, and a calm, festive soundtrack create a soothing soundscape that encourages long, relaxed play sessions.”
    • “The soundtrack and visuals work so well with the game, creating a warm cozy atmosphere that just ties everything together.”
    • “I'd love if that were adjusted at some point in the future to make the music volume more consistent between levels.”
    • “For example, the song that repeats that sounds like it's coming from a radio was a bit overwhelming after decorating in one spot for a long time.”
    • “I love the game; the only downside is you'll have to play Christmas music in the background on your own; the game doesn't have much of a music soundtrack.”
  • gameplay
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and charm, focusing on decorating a snowy town with festive lights rather than complex mechanics or high-stakes objectives. While some players appreciate the forgiving placement mechanics and creative freedom, others find the lack of depth and occasional bugs somewhat limiting. Overall, the game offers a cozy, low-pressure experience that resonates well with fans of seasonal aesthetics and creative expression, despite some minor technical issues.

    • “Rather than chasing mechanical depth or high-stakes objectives, the game focuses on the simple pleasure of transforming a quiet, snow-covered town into a glowing celebration of light.”
    • “The placement mechanics are forgiving, encouraging creativity over precision, and decorations can be rotated, resized, and layered freely.”
    • “For players drawn to cozy games, seasonal aesthetics, and low-pressure creative experiences, it stands as a charming and heartfelt reminder that sometimes the most satisfying gameplay comes from simply making a place feel brighter.”
    • “For players seeking deep management mechanics or evolving gameplay loops, this simplicity may feel limiting.”
    • “At the time of playing (version 1.1), the game still has what I'd call 'indie jank', that bit of lack of polish where you will find some bugs throughout gameplay.”
    • “Overall, mostly because of the parkour mechanics which are completely unnecessary in a cozy game, I had to give up playing because I simply couldn't continue levels without getting frustrated that I couldn't get up to get coins or to decorate higher windows, etc.”
  • graphics
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, adorable art style and cozy atmosphere, which enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and character designs, although some have noted technical issues such as lack of advanced graphical settings and occasional clipping in cutscenes. Overall, the game's aesthetic and sound design contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a delightful choice for fans of cozy gaming.

    • “The atmosphere, the sounds, the visuals, and the vibes are just right for you to get into the holiday spirit!”
    • “The art style is downright adorable.”
    • “The graphics, style, flow, and mini story are great.”
    • “The devs didn't include advanced graphical settings, so even with an RTX 3060, it's melting my GPU because the game is forcing 245Hz when I have a monitor locked at 60 for this reason.”
    • “The cutscenes are janky, have problems with the camera sometimes clipping into stuff, and graphics problems are common (from what I've seen).”
    • “It is definitely a really cute game; the only thing is for how long it took to come out, I wish there were more graphics and more storyline!”
  • atmosphere
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Light Up the Town" is consistently praised for its warm, inviting, and cozy qualities, making it an ideal experience for the holiday season. Players appreciate the unique and lovingly crafted environments, complemented by soothing visuals and soundscapes that enhance the overall charm. The game successfully creates a relaxing space where creativity flourishes, allowing players to immerse themselves in a heartwarming and festive ambiance.

    • “Light Up the Town is a deliberately gentle and warmly inviting indie experience developed and published by Meadow Studios that leans fully into the comforts of creativity, seasonal atmosphere, and unhurried play.”
    • “The music, scenery, and atmosphere are perfect for snuggling up in a blanket with a nice hot cocoa and getting yourself into the holiday mood.”
    • “The atmosphere of each level I played during the story was so unique, and I can tell a lot of love went into making each area!”
    • “Yes, the lights are pretty, but the scenery, atmosphere, and art style of the game are what do it for me.”
    • “The atmosphere is warm, charming, and honestly exactly what I wanted from a holiday game.”
  • stability
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly related to camera controls and item placement. While some players found these issues to be minor and manageable, others experienced significant disruptions, making parts of the game unplayable. However, there is optimism as developers are actively working on patches to address these stability concerns.

    • “I really wanted to like this game, but it was so buggy I couldn't even get through the tutorial.”
    • “It's buggy to the point of being unplayable when it comes to actually placing lights where you want to.”
    • “The camera gets buggy and jumps back while you are walking.”
  • humor
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its charming and whimsical dialogue, endearing characters, and amusing scenarios, such as decorating in absurd ways that lead to unexpected outcomes. Players appreciate the blend of cute and funny moments, often finding themselves laughing at the quirky interactions and situations, which create a warm and nostalgic atmosphere. Overall, the humor effectively enhances the game's appeal, making it both entertaining and heartwarming.

    • “While there is a 'goal' in each level, you can very easily brute force it, which even in 'that' case is still fun and funny as you turn some poor hedgehog's living room into a glowing sun of white lights, or fill some bird's bed with spiky blue icicle lights and Santas prepared to watch him as he sleeps.”
    • “The characters and writing are adorable and funny, and it's so fun putting up decorations and watching everything slowly come together.”
    • “Never has a game made me feel so nostalgic while laughing, smiling, and crying all in a matter of a few hours.”
  • optimization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and crashes, particularly on less powerful systems like the Steam Deck. While some users express hope for future improvements and bug fixes, the current state is seen as lacking, especially given the game's relatively simple mechanics.

    • “So I highly recommend 'Light Up the Town', and hope they do a bit more back-end optimization and bug fixes just to get it real smooth, because I promise I'll be playing this game every Christmas.”
    • “The performance is good enough - the in-game FPS counter doesn't seem to break 60 unfortunately, and it's not like I have a non-powerful rig, so it could probably do with a smidge more optimization.”
    • “This won’t be a concern if you aren’t playing on the Steam Deck, but there are definitely some optimization issues, and the frame rates understandably drop whenever you start to add a lot of lights to the little areas that you are given.”
    • “The only problem I have is it is poorly optimized, and I run into fatal errors every once in a while.”
    • “Poorly optimized, which is surprising for an indie game.”
    • “This won’t be a concern if you aren’t playing on the Steam Deck, but there are definitely some optimization issues and the frame rates understandably drop whenever you start to add a lot of lights to the little areas that you are given.”
  • replayability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers high replayability, primarily driven by creativity and customization, allowing players to revisit and redesign their spaces with various combinations. While it is relatively short, many users find themselves spending significant time enjoying the cozy, festive atmosphere, with estimates of 15-20 hours of gameplay for those who take their time. Overall, it provides a delightful experience that encourages repeated play.

    • “Replay value is driven less by systems and more by creativity.”
    • “There's going to be replay value for me because I can see myself going back and redoing houses with different combinations and such.”
    • “Yes, it's short but it's so replayable it doesn't matter; you can spend as many hours as you want just throwing up Christmas lights and making the town so festive!”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and may not appeal to all players, as it can become repetitive over time.

    • “Not for everyone as it might get tedious.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often frustrating.”
    • “It quickly becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is praised for being heart-warming and engaging, complemented by cozy gameplay and appealing graphics and character designs.

    • “That was some heart-warming character development!”
    • “Cozy and fun, beautiful graphics and cute character designs!”
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7h Median play time
8h Average play time
3-14h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Light Up The Town is a casual simulation game.

Light Up The Town is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Light Up The Town.

Light Up The Town was released on December 6, 2025.

Light Up The Town was developed by Meadow Studios.

Light Up The Town has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Light Up The Town is a single player game.

Similar games include Toem, Unpacking, Camper Van: Make it Home, Whisper of the House, SUMMERHOUSE and others.