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Simpler Times

Simpler Times Game Cover
98%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:music, story
Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization
98% User Score Based on 82 reviews

Platforms

PCSteam DeckWindows
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Simpler Times Game Cover

About Simpler Times

Simpler Times is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by stoneskip. and was released on June 7, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In Simpler Times, you step into the shoes of Taina as she prepares to move out of her childhood home and begin the next chapter of her life. Relive her memories and learn how she grew into the creative, expressive person she has become. This is a contemplative, cozy experience. There is no score, no timer, no combat, no failing, and no anxiety. Just vibes. 4 SEASONS, 4 RECORDS Simpler Times take…

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Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
Simpler Times screenshot
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Reviews

98%Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews
music26 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • Beautiful, cozy, and calming atmosphere with painterly visuals and a warm, seasonal aesthetic.
  • Relaxing gameplay featuring simple puzzles, interactive narrative, and various soothing activities like birdwatching, painting, and listening to vinyl records.
  • Emotional and relatable story about growth, nostalgia, and transitioning to new life chapters, supported by excellent voice acting and a fitting lo-fi soundtrack.
  • The game is quite short, with completion typically under three hours, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • Controls and movement mechanics can feel wonky and unintuitive, particularly the first-person point-and-click navigation and some puzzle designs.
  • Technical issues and bugs such as glitches, missable achievements, and lack of save/load options detract from the overall experience.

  • music

    45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    58% positive mentions, 35% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions

    The game's music, primarily a relaxing lo-fi soundtrack, is widely praised for enhancing the cozy, meditative atmosphere and complementing the storytelling and visuals. Many reviewers found the music integral to the experience, noting its calming, nostalgic, and immersive qualities that elevate the gameplay and overall vibe.

    • “Complementing this is a carefully curated lo-fi soundtrack that plays a central role in shaping the experience.”
    • “The music perfectly underpinned the chill, cosy and wholesome vibe of the game, and the art is amazing: every time I could pick something up and spin it or zoom in, I did—just to take in the effort and quality that went into the models and art.”
    • “The music is not just background noise but an integral part of the storytelling, with each track reinforcing the mood of a particular moment.”
    • “It's decent (which may sound like damning with faint praise, but I really did enjoy my time)... the music is... well, not to my tastes, but serviceable enough.”
    • “I really appreciate the relaxing atmosphere here, and the music by George Pandrea was well crafted for this game.”

  • story

    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    23% positive mentions, 69% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions

    The story is a cozy, emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale told through seasonal vignettes and environmental interaction, focusing on personal growth and reflection with subtle melancholy undertones. It avoids dramatic peaks, relying on mood, details, and fragmented memories to create a quietly moving narrative that some find deeply impactful while others see it as simple and sweet. Though not overtly complex or replayable, the story’s charm lies in its gentle, artful storytelling and immersive atmosphere.

    • “The story is centered around personal slice of life moments from across her lifetime that took place in her childhood room, and they function as small vignettes that feature her different interests over the years.”
    • “Rather than presenting a linear narrative, the game allows players to piece together fragments of the story by interacting with objects scattered throughout the space.”
    • “Each level tells a wonderful story of a girl growing up and finding herself, where her bedroom adapts with the seasons and her interests.”
    • “The story was cute but being unable to tab out at all during the game, even after switching to windowed mode, and with how slow you can turn and move, made it almost unbearable.”
    • “Conversations and thoughts emerge as players interact with the environment, often out of sequence, which can make the story feel slightly disjointed at times.”
    • “Once the story has been experienced, there is limited incentive to return, as most of its impact comes from the initial journey rather than replayability.”

  • gameplay

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions

    The gameplay is simple, cozy, and relaxing, focusing on narrative exploration through point-and-click mechanics, light puzzles, and item interaction. While some find the movement and zoom controls slightly wonky, overall it offers an engaging, introspective experience that emphasizes atmosphere and story over complex mechanics. Technical issues may affect the experience for some, but the gameplay remains accessible and thoughtfully designed.

    • “Highly recommend this game for anyone who loves cozy storytelling, relaxing gameplay, and beautiful seasonal scenery!”
    • “The gameplay is simple, you can collect things, inspect them and listen to what the character has to say about them, you can build things and listen to records.”
    • “The mechanics are great and easy to understand and the storyline is very deep and moving.”
    • “There are a few puzzles, so it's not gameplay-less, but you discover the story through clicking on the items present in the room and hearing what the character says about them.”
    • “And published by iam8bit presents, is a reflective, narrative-focused experience that leans into quiet introspection rather than traditional gameplay.”
    • “With this edit, I just wanted to express how disappointing it is that such charming games can have their experience deeply affected by numerous technical issues and poorly optimized game mechanics.”

  • graphics

    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    55% positive mentions, 18% neutral mentions, 27% negative mentions

    The graphics are generally praised for their cozy, vibrant, and painterly art style, offering a visually pleasant and relaxing experience despite being low-poly and sometimes requiring graphics tweaks. The visuals contribute significantly to the game's charming and soothing atmosphere, making it appealing as a beautiful short artistic experience.

    • “The graphics are pretty and it is entertaining for the 1.5-2 hours it takes to complete.”
    • “I thought the game had such a cute story, and it was so relaxing with a beautiful art style.”
    • “Then I had to tweak my graphics settings, such as setting the FPS to the lowest value, because my system was working way harder than it should for a game like this.”
    • “Very relaxing, I used a Logitech controller. My laptop memory is a little low so the graphics weren't 100% (totally on me), still a beautiful short little game.”
    • “Visually the artwork is vibrant and colorful, sometimes almost painterly.”

  • emotional

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game delivers a heartfelt, emotionally grounded experience centered on themes of growth, transition, and letting go, using a simple, cozy setting to evoke nostalgia and personal reflection. Its well-written narrative transforms potentially sad memories into warm, wholesome moments, creating a contemplative story that resonates deeply despite minimal gameplay. The art and music further enhance the emotional atmosphere, making it a touching and memorable journey.

    • “Framed around a young woman preparing to leave home and step into a new chapter of her life, it explores the emotional weight of transition—how the past lingers in ordinary objects, and how memories are often tied to the simplest spaces we inhabit.”
    • “When the pieces come together, the result is a quietly emotional story about growth, uncertainty, and the process of letting go.”
    • “The game has the potential of being a sad and emotional game, but the narrative was so well written, that Taina, the main character, manages to turn it around, making these possibly sad memories into fond and wholesome memories.”

  • atmosphere

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    43% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The atmosphere is consistently praised for its relaxing, contemplative, and emotionally grounded qualities, enhanced by calming music and beautiful scenery. It allows players to move at their own pace without pressure, fostering personal reflection and a cozy, immersive experience.

    • “There are no time pressures or fail states, allowing the player to move at their own pace and absorb the atmosphere without distraction.”
    • “It offers a contemplative, emotionally grounded experience that prioritizes atmosphere and personal reflection over mechanics or spectacle.”
    • “I actually wanted to play it last year when it was released because the meditative atmosphere combined with a narrative experience and lo-fi music appealed to me greatly.”

  • replayability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, as its main impact is tied to the initial story experience, providing little incentive for players to revisit it.

    • “Replayability: one time.”
    • “Once the story has been experienced, there is limited incentive to return, as most of its impact comes from the initial journey rather than replayability.”

  • optimization

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game "Simpler Times" is charming but suffers from significant technical issues and poorly optimized mechanics, which detract from the overall experience and prevent it from achieving greatness.

    • “Overall, Simpler Times is a very sweet game, but for it to be considered truly great, a few things would have needed further optimization.”
    • “With this edit, I just wanted to express how disappointing it is that such charming games can have their experience deeply affected by numerous technical issues and poorly optimized game mechanics.”

  • humor

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by playful mechanics, such as the ability to manually stop and rewind the record, adding a quirky and amusing touch to the experience.

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game suffers from stability issues, with frequent bugs affecting puzzles and overall gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience rather than a relaxing one.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Simpler Times is a casual simulation game. Common tags for Simpler Times include first-person, indie, exploration, life sim, family friendly and others.

Simpler Times is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

Simpler Times was released on June 7, 2024.

Simpler Times was developed by stoneskip..

Simpler Times has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Simpler Times for its music but disliked it for its replayability.

Simpler Times is a single player game.

Similar games include Dordogne, SEASON: A letter to the future, The Star Named EOS, Pieced Together, Camper Van: Make it Home and others.