December/January: Mind Your Business
Ah, yes. December, that time of the year when we push through the stress of the holidays, but work finally winds down for the year. At least for a few days, we can forget about the daily grind and just relax, maybe play a video game. Well, with this theme, you don't have to forget about work! We'll literally mind our virtual shop or other business, be it selling books or trading cards, upcycling trash, making meals or drinks for fantasy creatures, policing the streets, running hospitals, building successful theme parks or any other work sim you can think of!
In a less literal sense, you can also use the silent nights of winter to play some stealth games and secretly stick your nose in other people’s business!
You can use the following format to track your progress in the comments, and/or add your own thoughts about the played game(s) to your post!
name of game 1 | language(s) | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
name of game 1 | language(s) | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
name of game 1 | language(s) | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
total: | achievements obtained | language(s) | playtime this month | Number of games finished
Theme Song
Build your virtual empireFAQ
Do I have to participate in this month’s theme?
No, as with every theme, these are merely suggestions for anyone who is unsure about what to play next. If you already have a battle plan for your backlog and/or don’t like this month’s theme, you’re free to ignore it.
What happens if I don’t participate in the theme?
Nothing.
What happens if I play all of my unfinished games before the theme is over?
Your backlog will be a much smaller place.
I don’t have any unfinished games - I’ve beaten everything I’ve started.
Really? well that makes one of us… I salute you.
I already finished my entry can I play another?
Go ahead - the goal is to reduce your unfinished games list. The more you can play the better.
Hello nellyneko ! Thank you for this new theme (funny pun) and happy holidays in advance !
| Ale Abbey | 50/56 | HLTB : 30h-33h | Time played : 27h | Beaten (16/12/25) |
| Ship, Inc. | 48/48 | HLTB : 7h | Time played : 10h | Completed (17/12/2025) |
edit 16/12/25 : Ale Abbey, all markets unlocked and finished. It’s a ressources balancing game, grindy by essence but this one is really fun with a light ambiance, a good rythm, and some brewing balancing that make you think a bit. Much more fun than Potioncraft Alchemist. Though not perfect as it’s still repetitive and there is no scenario.
edit 17/12/2025 : Ship inc completed. It’s shit. I’m cured. Don’t want to work in a warehouse anymore. Grindy after just 10 minutes, and much too long.
| Gemporium: A Cute Mining Sim | 20/20 | HLTB : 6-10h | Time played : 9h | Completed (01/01/2026) |
| Two Point Museum | 0/44 | HLTB : 48h-56h | Time played : 0h | Never played |
Let’s go for january ! Happy new year !
edit 01/01/2026 : A little gems mine gifted by a gem of a friend. I played it in normal timed mode, good rythm, funny dialogues and endearing characters. After the 6h story though, the end is a bit stale and we’ve to add 3h of unnecessary grind. Overall still really cute and charming to discover.
Nice theme! Exactly for me. :D
Wish you a happy and peaceful Advent time. :3
| Name | Category | Achievements obtained | Playtime | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Styx: Shards of Darkness  |
Stealth | 8/38 (Initially 8) | 0h (Initially 5.5h) | playing |
| Planet Zoo | Business | 17/38 (intially 17) | 0h (initially 154h) | playing |
| Heart’s Medicine - Hospital Heat | Business | 0/21 | 0h | unfinished |
| Vampire Therapist | Business | 0/34 | 0h | unfinished |
| TOTAL: | 0 | 0h | 0 |
All those work sims are painfully long and require paid DLCs to 100%… guess I’m gonna try stealthing.
| Name | Theme | Achievements | Playtime | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Renovator | Business | 0/27 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| Murdered: Soul Suspect | Stealth | 0/48 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| Showdown Bandit | Stealth | 0/8 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| The Count Lucanor | Stealth | 0/32 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| The Sexy Brutale | Stealth | 0/18 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| Toy Tinker Simulator | Business | 0/24 | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| TOTAL: | Business (2), Stealth (4) | 0/157 | playtime this month | number of games finished |
Hmm…im not into the theme of the month…i might try.
Last Stop
You get into mundane sequences of going to work and getting back. Very monotonous, very soul crushing. Yay.
Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth
you run a wool export import business, you help around the village - like making an ointment for those in need, spend time as a Mason.
| Name | So how was it? | Playtime | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil 4 | ok | 20h | beaten |
| Last Stop | Nice | .5h | beaten |
| Shady Part of Me | ok | who cares | beaten |
| Ryse: Son of Rome | Nice | who cares | beaten |
| Hollow Knight | ugh | who cares | beaten |
| Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition | ugh | who cares | beaten |
| Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth | WOW | who cares | beaten |
| TOTAL: | month | hours | 7 games Beaten |
Your rating for Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is perfect. I will never stop recommending it whenever I get the chance.
Ohhh I have a planned game that fits the theme well. :D Also, I love the graphic for this month, very slick and stylized. :3