The gaming community is currently in the midst of a cozy game renaissance, with more and more indie studios appearing on the scene to offer ways to properly escape both the demands of the real world and other titles on the market.Wanderstopis on another level of relaxing, with the majority of the game’s many tasks being completely optional and players encouraged to simply make some tea, plop down on a bench, and ponder. For some people, the idea of spending time with their thoughts may sound like misery, but the colorful world ofWanderstopmakes the idea much less daunting. In fact, Ivy Road’s latest game felt, at times, like a form of therapy.

After experiencing her first true failure in life, Alta collapses in the forest, only to awaken beside the perpetually grinning Boro, a hulking-yet-friendly figure who runs a teashop in the middle of nowhere. Though eager to return to her training to rediscover her self-worth, Alta instead ends up helping out around the titular shop, serving up tea to bizarre guests and taking care of the grounds nearby. This, understandably, frustrates her—after all, wasting her time gardening or just sitting around won’t help her improve her fighting skills or catapult her toward a much-needed victory. She needs to get back to work. She needs to be in control. She needs to be the best, even if it means sacrificing her health.

Wanderstop Tag Page Cover Art

As the credits rolled, it was clear that this was the hard-learned lesson thatWanderstopaims to teach. The game is a reminder that rest and relaxation are not optional, but mandatory, as burnout lurks around every corner in today’s full-throttle world. Working on your craft all day, every day seems to many like the recipe for success, but stopping to smell the roses, meeting people, and having a sweet cup of Darjeeling is what makes life worth living. It’s hard not to recommend the newest game from Ivy Road when it brings so much clarity to the table. After a while, booting up thiscozy fantasy gamealso started to feel like coming home.

Wanderstop’s Gameplay is the Perfect Remedy for the Daily Grind

Whilefamiliar aspects of the cozy game genrewere present inWanderstop’s initial reveal trailer, such as planting and harvesting crops, it was quickly evident that tending to vast fields of flora and earning money weren’t features present in its gameplay loop. As the title begins, Alta is steadily introduced to the daily grind of the mystical teashop, with a handy-dandy guidebook available at all times. Planting certain seeds next to one another results in unique fruits, each used in the brewing process—some conjure happy memories, while others lead to melancholy and more tumultuous reflection when sipped by Alta herself. It’s possible to plop down on a bench with a steaming hot cup whenever the player likes, with the main character’s stunning voice actress delivering a few potent lines each time.

The gardening portion of the title is satisfying, but the act of making tea itself is where it truly begins to shine. Compared to the brewing mechanics of othercafe-centered indie titles likeCoffee TalkorTavern Talk,Wanderstopis more hands-on and demanding. Though far from being a challenge, making a cup of tea isn’t done by simply selecting the ingredients and flipping a switch. Players need to pour the water, heat it to the proper temperature, and open a selection of valves to get the result they’re after. This may sound like busy work, and in some ways, it is. That fits perfectly intoWanderstop’s overall message, which sometimes came to me as a Robert Louis Stevenson quote: “A busy person never has time to be unhappy.” Maybe that’s what the player is doing too—picking up a controller to give their bad emotions some time off.

A teashop would be nothing without customers, and a curious collection of peculiar characters steadily make their way to the mysterious shop throughout the game. Filling their specific orders can provide as much of a challenge as the player wants, as growing certain fruits or varietals can take some trial and error. However, within the teashop, Alta can find the Book of Answers, which, as its title implies, tells her exactly what to do for each request.Wanderstopis filled with these thoughtful touches, urging players to only put in as much effort as they feel able to give. Not everything needs to be a challenge when life already has plenty. I do wish the title had more voice acting, though, in hindsight, this is a small gripe. The music is lovely, and manages to capture the exact mood of any given moment.

Using a controller is the recommended way to play, and the game looks and feels smooth on PC, with no noticeable graphical issues or glitches popping up during my time with the title. The valley itself isn’t incredibly vast, butasWanderstop’s story unfolds, the compact setting finds ways to reimagine and redesign itself, never feeling like a chore to traverse. The color palette chosen by the developers is stunning, and taking screenshots is actually part of Alta’s to-do list, as empty picture frames can be found all over the shop’s interior, ready to be filled. It’s all part of appreciating the current moment, even if nothing grand or spectacular is happening. Sometimes, you really do just want to remember how gorgeous the sunset was or how brightly the lake shimmered on a random Tuesday afternoon.

The Game’s Story Is Endlessly Relatable and Encourages Helpful Contemplation

InWanderstop, sometimes you take a broom, sweep up a pile of leaves, and find a dirty teacup. Sometimes you whack a bush with a basket to get tea leaves, sometimes you trim the weeds, and sometimes you go mushroom picking. But no matter what you do, you get a tiny jolt of satisfaction doing it. These aren’t major activities—you’re not saving the world or seeking priceless treasure or stopping a bad guy. IfWanderstophas an antagonist, it’s Alta’s own brain, and the only one who can defeat her damaging thoughts is Alta herself.Fighting yourself in a video gameis a welcome change of pace, especially if the ‘fighting’ is done with a watering can and a pair of shears. For so many people, the only way to stop defeatist self-talk is through action, but taking that first step is nearly impossible. Alta doesn’t take on her new duties at the tea shop in stride. She fights back at first, calling it all a waste of time, explaining that she should only be trying to improve her battle prowess. After all, that’s what she’s failing at, andthat’swhat needs to be fixed. How is sitting around drinking tea supposed to make her better?

Most people, at one point or another, get caught up in the belief that working hard without breaks will lead to success, when the polar opposite is true.Wanderstopdidn’t ask anything of me. If I didn’t feel like doing something, there was no on-screen indication that I was slacking off. The adorable bald shop owner, Boro, never criticized me or made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough. Maybe it sounds like hyperbole, but this little game gave me something I didn’t know I needed: permission to do nothing at all. I didn’t want to stop playing, even when nothing was expected of me and no new quests had been undertaken. That’s the wonder ofWanderstop. It’s a game that manages to be effortlessly enjoyable without following the template that most games follow, even others in the cozy genre. Who has time to build an entire farm? Who feels like worrying about money in a virtual world when we do enough of that in real life? Come, sit, have a warm beverage, and forget all about it.

It took me just under 12 hours to finishWanderstop, and most players can expect to beat the game in between 10-15 hours, depending on how leisurely they’d prefer to explore.

Sharing too much aboutWanderstop’s narrative would be doing it a disservice, but it contained more surprises than expected in a game that seemed from the start to be on the more simplistic side. This isn’t a title for everyone, but it’s impossible not to recommend it to everyone. A dozen hours is a small price to pay for a little sanity and quiet, and even those who prefer more active and demanding titles can take something valuable from spending time in this little tea shop. Sometimes, grinding isn’t the answer.

WHERE TO PLAY

Wanderstoplaunches March 11 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with a PC code for this review.