very cute.
from the creators of game dev tycoon, this has been a passion project over a decade in the making—and it shows. every detail feels handcrafted, from the art to the sound design to the delightfully physical ui.
you run a tavern in a fantasy world. adventurers come through, drink ale, eat food, sleep in your beds, and get into trouble. you manage the space, hire staff, brew drinks, and gradually expand from a tiny roadside stop to… well, whatever you want it to be.
what makes tavern keeper special is the design mode. you can craft your own furniture, decorations, and layouts, then share them with the community. it scratches the same itch as building in the sims, but with more ale barrels and fewer drowning pool deaths.
greenheart games is a tiny international-remote indie studio founded by brothers patrick and daniel klug. they’ve been joking that they’re “finally living up to their name and adding the ‘s’ to greenheart games” with this second release. the full 25-hour campaign is fully narrated by steven pacey, which adds a lovely storybook quality.
it’s in early access, so there’s more coming. but even now, it’s sitting at overwhelmingly positive on steam with 95% positive reviews. the kind of game where you look up and realize three hours have passed and your tavern finally has that perfect corner booth you’ve been trying to design.
greenheart games understands cozy, and this might be their coziest yet.