H I D D E N C A T S I N J I G S A W P U Z Z L E

7/7 (100%), 2.3 hours

As someone who really enjoys the Hidden Cats series by Nukearts, I was curious (and a little excited) to see how their gorgeous hand-drawn art would translate into a jigsaw puzzle format. Safe to say—it works really well!

The base game uses seven scenes from Hidden Cats in Paris, like the Louvre, Versailles, and the Catacombs, and each one comes with different challenge modes based on piece count and whether you want the puzzle coloured or uncoloured. If you really enjoy the base game, the DLCs can be bought for additional scenes from other Nukearts' games.

Just to clarify though—despite the name of this game, you’re not actually finding cats in this one. It’s purely a jigsaw game using the art from the hidden cats series, so if you're looking for a cat-finding fix, you'll want to check out the original games instead. That said, the art is still super charming and detailed, and the puzzles themselves are really relaxing.

For a free game, it’s a solid cozy experience, and if you’re a fan of the Nukearts style like I am, it’s a fun way to appreciate the art from a different angle. Definitely worth a try if you like jigsaw puzzles and chill vibes!

S T R A Y C A T S I N C O Z Y T O W N

10/10 (100%), 1.1 hours

Stray Cats in Cozy Town is another adorable hidden-cats gem from the Devcats team, and if you’re a fan of cozy vibes, cats, and kindness, it’s definitely worth a play. You roam around a sweet little village full of charming details, trying to spot 150 stray cats tucked into corners, windows, alleyways—you name it. You’ll also find food and water bowls for them, which is a really nice touch and just adds to the overall feel-good energy.

It’s completely free to play, and while there is a paid DLC, none of the achievements are locked behind it. But here’s the catch (in the best way): the DLC money goes to real-life cat shelters, which honestly made me feel like I totally had to buy it. I mean, how can you not when it's for a good cause and you get more cat content?

It’s short, sweet, and just a pure, wholesome time. Whether you're in it for the achievements, the relaxing gameplay, or the cats (let’s be honest, it's the cats), this one’s a purrfect little escape. 🐾

M O N S T E R H U N T E R: W O R L D

54/100 (54%), 110.7 hours

I started Monster Hunter: World in 2022 with my husband, who’s a longtime fan of the series. I’d never played a Monster Hunter game before, but he was super excited to introduce me to it, and I was ready to dive in. At first, I was absolutely set on getting all the achievements—big goals, right? But due to the grindy nature of them and the game itself, I ended up taking a break from it in 2023. It was just one of those things where you pause the game and suddenly a year’s gone by.

Meanwhile, my husband was patiently waiting for me to get back into it, and for Monster Hunter: Wilds to come out. Unfortunately for me, Wilds came out just before my energy for finishing World, so my husband was focused on that! He beat it though, and we got back into World, and oh boy, was it a bit difficult to get back into it!

Before my long hiatus, we were so close to the end. We only had four monsters left: Furious Rajang, Raging Brachydios, Alatreon, and Fatalis. That was it! We were so close. But after a year off, I forgot pretty much everything about how to play. My muscle memory was gone, I was forgetting buttons and how to dodge, how to sneak, how to run. Getting through those last four monsters was rough, but we finally did it, and I’m so proud we saw it through together.

Now, three years later, I’ve finally finished the game. No, I didn’t get all the achievements (and honestly, I have no desire to try). It’s a phenomenal game, but it's also extremely grindy, and I just don’t have the patience for that level of repetition in any games. Still, I totally understand why this game means so much to so many people, my husband included. It holds up incredibly well even now, and the monster design and world-building are just chef’s kiss.

I’ll definitely be playing Monster Hunter: Rise and Wilds eventually—and of course, I’ll be playing with the husband again. Anyway, I highly recommend World if you like action-y co-op games and don’t mind a bit (or a lot) of grinding. It was a great experience, even if it took me a few years to finish.

T H E S I M S 2 L E G A C Y C O L L E C T I O N

no achievements, 30 hours

The Sims 2 was my first ever Sims game growing up—I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid, and my mom even got me all the expansion packs. So when the Legacy Collection dropped, I grabbed it mostly for the nostalgia.

Yes, modders had already figured out how to make the game work on modern PCs, but it’s nice to have an official version. It had a rocky launch, but thankfully it runs pretty smoothly now. I ended up playing around 30 hours, reliving those cozy, chaotic sim moments.

I raised a Sim from baby to teen, sent her off to college… and then she lit herself on fire using the fireplace. Classic Sims energy lmao. I don’t plan to play much more, but it was such a fun trip down memory lane. If you loved it back in the day, it’s definitely worth a revisit.