I should probably start by saying that summer is not exactly my peak gaming season. Between long walks, spontaneous plans, and the general refusal to stay indoors when the sun finally shows up, my PC (and other gaming devices) tend to be a little… neglected. And honestly? I’m perfectly okay with that.
Unlike winter, when I happily disappear under a blanket with an endless backlog (if you happened to read my Unwrapping My Steam Backlog article, you already know the struggle), summer feels different. Gaming isn’t my main activity anymore. Instead, it becomes something I naturally drift back to at the end of a long day outside.
So rather than giving you a list of must-play summer games, I thought I’d share something a little more personal: the small gaming rituals that somehow return every summer. My cosy essentials, if you will.
Beach Gaming? I’ll pass
Can we talk about something for a second? People who bring their gaming devices to the beach.
How? I genuinely admire your confidence because I simply don’t understand it.
If there’s water, I’m in it. If there’s sand… well, I’d rather keep it as far away from my electronics as humanly possible. Why would I voluntarily introduce tiny grains of anxiety into my console’s ventilation system?
No, really. Beach gaming isn’t for me. I’ll happily spend hours swimming, reading, chatting with friends or doing absolutely nothing under the sun. My Steam library can survive without me for one afternoon.
Now…Once I’m back home, showered, pleasantly exhausted, with that wonderful post-swim feeling where your body suddenly weighs twice as much and doing absolutely anything feels optional…
That’s when gaming starts sounding like the perfect idea.
The Perfect End To a Summer Day
When I reach that wonderfully sleepy state, I don’t want intense action or complicated stories. I want something gentle. Something familiar.
That’s usually when the Professor Layton games come back into my life. I love the whole series, but Professor Layton and the Curious Village obviously have its own special place in my gamer heart.
There’s something incredibly comforting about those games. The soundtrack is calm without ever becoming sleepy, the puzzles are engaging enough to wake up my brain just a little, and the charming art style somehow makes everything feel cozy. It’s the kind of game that lets me unwind without asking too much from me.
Some people end their summer evenings with a film. Apparently, I solve puzzles with an English gentleman in a top hat. What can I say? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Summer Is Also Demo Season… Sort Of
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Lunarea, don’t you spend half the year writing about indie games?” Yes. Which means demos inevitably find their way to me, even during summer. The difference is that I stop planning.
Usually, I keep wishlists, follow showcases, make notes… Summer completely destroys that organisation. If a demo catches my attention on a random Tuesday evening, I’ll probably give it a try. If not, I’ll simply keep enjoying the sunshine.
Last summer, I found myself coming back to two demos in particular: Dordogne (check out Mina’s review about it!), with its beautiful watercolour landscapes that felt almost like an extension of my time outdoors, and Swim Out, a clever little puzzle game about guiding swimmers across a pool without letting them bump into each other.
Neither demanded huge time commitments. Neither required me to remember fifteen hours of storyline from my previous session. They simply fit the season.
If You Really Want to Twist My Arm …
Okay, okay. I know this article was supposed to be about how I barely game during summer, and somehow I’ve spent the last few hundred words explaining exactly that. But if you absolutely insist on me recommending a few games, these are probably the ones I’d be most tempted to boot up between two sunny afternoons.
Thrifty Business
Running a cosy thrift shop feels surprisingly close to what I enjoy about summer itself: taking your time, chatting with familiar faces, decorating a welcoming place and never feeling rushed.
Milano’s Odd Job Collection
If I only have half an hour before heading out again, Milano’s Odd Job Collection feels almost tailor-made for that. One odd job, a little redecorating, a splash of colourful pixel art, and I’m good to go. It’s cheerful, wonderfully nostalgic and doesn’t mind if I disappear for the rest of the day.
Is This Seat Taken?
There is something incredibly satisfying about solving these tiny seating problems, making sure everyone is comfortable and slowly discovering the stories behind these little geometric characters. The pastel visuals and relaxing soundtrack only add to that feeling of a calm summer evening.
Looking at this list, I may have accidentally discovered my own summer gaming formula:
less urgency,
more colour,
and absolutely no world-ending catastrophe to deal with before breakfast.
May the Sun Be On Your Side!
Gaming patiently waits for me until the evening, after the walk, after the swim, after the ice cream, after watching the sunset just a little longer than planned. And somehow, those shorter sessions become even more special because of it.
So whether your perfect summer means finishing your backlog, discovering dozens of demos, replaying old favourites, or barely touching your console for weeks, I hope you enjoy every minute of it.
After all, both summer and gaming are supposed to be fun. However you choose to combine the two, I wish you a wonderful season!
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