If there’s one type of game we certainly haven’t been short of in recent years, it’s the life sim.
The ongoing success of such series as Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon has always ensured a steady supply of similar games, but it really does feel like the 2020s have seen a surge of them, often with the latest buzzword ‘cosy’ attached.
While most of these have come and gone without causing tremors in the industry, a few have made their mark by offering something different (I’ll defend Disney Dreamlight Valley to the death). NetEase’s Floatopia will hope it lands in the latter category, and the half hour I spent with it at Gamescom suggests it just might.