There is a wealth of games on the market that give you all the tools you could possibly ever need to create something truly wonderful. Whetherthat’s a survival base buildergiving you the prefabs to kick off your audacious treehouse base. Or a game like Minecraft that effectively limits you only by your own imagination.
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These games are great, but the issue is that you often need to put in a lot of time and effort to come up with a concept and then execute on that idea. Something that often takes artistic skill and a lot ofgrinding for in-game resources.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way, as there are a bunch of games out there which allow you to create, let your imagination run wild, and facilitate the creation of works of art without ever making you work all that hard to do so.
So, if you want to feel like Michelangelo, but want to do it in a paint-by-numbers sort of way, then these games might be up your alley.
9Chicory: A Colorful Tale
A Pop Of Color
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
As someone with more than a few adult coloring books floating about the house, I knew that Chicory would be a firm favorite from the moment I became aware of its existence.
Playing as a little doggo, you’ll need to take the magic brush left behind by the wielder, and you’ll need to restore color to the land. Not only to make the place a little more vibrant and inviting, but also to solve puzzles and progress through the story.
It’s a quintessential cozy gamewith a real DIY feel, as no one’s world will look identical to another, yet, because the game’s mechanics are so simple, you’re never working all that hard to make the place look incredible.
It’s a game that takes the precision out of painting, and as someone who has massacred more than a few art projects while attending paint & sips, it’s something I really appreciate.
8Concrete Genie
An Emo Hometown Restoration Project
Concrete Genie
Concrete Genie is always a game that I hesitate to recommend to people, mainly because of the game’s reliance on rather temperamental PS4 motion controls. However, those who can overlook that will be in for a treat.
Concrete Genie isa classic coming-of-age storythat tells a heartfelt tale of a town that has gone to ruin, and one kid with a magical paintbrush that has the power to restore this seaside dump to its former glory.
The ‘hurt people hurt people’ narrative is touching, but the real standout feature is the ability to use your brush to add neon decorations and features to the town. Not to mention, the ability to create the titular Concrete Genies.
You can create these Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends rejects in your own image, and they are delightful to play around with. But best of all, it’s all so intuitive that you’ll create masterpieces without ever feeling worn out. You know, provided the motion controls behave.
7Cloud Gardens
Post-Apocalyptic Paradise
Cloud Gardens
If you’ve ever thought that the overgrown post-apocalyptic ruins found in games like The Last of Us have a certain unspoken beauty to them, then Cloud Garden will be right up your street.
Cloud Gardensis a voxel-powered creationtool that gives you a little block of what could easily be Silent Hill minus the fog, and your goal is to add elements to it to create something in your own image.
There’s no real goal here other than using the tools at your disposal to create something cool, and because the assets blend together so seamlessly, you may’t really go wrong.
You’ll be able to create truly awe-inspiring blocks in minutes, so if you want to feel like an end-of-world cityscaper without the end-of-world stress, this is the game for you.
6Kind Words
To Whom It May Concern
Kind Words
Being creative doesn’t always mean breaking out the art supplies or building something in-game. As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword. Or in this case, the paintbrush.
Kind Words is a truly incredible concept that allows you to sit down at a desk in your cozy in-game room, and there, you can answer messages that pop up on your computer and reply.
It’s effectively like having a pen pal, as these messages are sent out into the ether by real people, and you may take the time to craft a message of support, advice, or whatever makes sense in the moment.
We all have conversations every day, and this is just an extension of that. No artistic ability needed, or technical skill required, just a few kind words.
5Passpartout: The Starving Artist
Now This, I Love!
You may or may not be aware of the fact that are is, in fact, subjective. Which means that beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder, and even the most amateur artwork can be held in the highest regard.
This is something that Passpartout taps into, as you play as a literal starving French artist with a chronic baguette addiction who needs to sell their paintings for big bucks if they want to scoff their face.
However, what’s remarkable about this game is that even the most artistically adverse player can find success and sell a gallery’s worth of work, provided they lean into minimalist themes and pay attention to what art collectors want.
You might produce a fully red canvas with a blue dot, but they might see the inevitable heat death of the universe and snap your arm off to buy it. Essentially, in this game, anyone can be an artist, and there’s nothing like being hailed as a generational talent while doing next to nothing at all.
4SUMMERHOUSE
Get Away From It All
SUMMERHOUSE
We sold Cloud Gardens to you as a voxel-powered apocalypse crafter. Well, Summerhouse is very much cut from the same cloth, but instead, you’ll be creating the backdrop of that one summer holiday from your childhood.
Using a wealth of voxel assets, you’ll be able to craft an idyllic scene of a sleepy countryside, a quiet spot on the outskirts of the city, or a quaint little village that just feels like a slice of heaven where you can get away from it all.
Aesthetically, the game is near-flawless and captures that summer holiday vibe to a tee, but it also succeeds thanks to the ease with which you may use the tools at your disposal to create eye-catching side-scrolling areas with minimal effort.
It’s a game designed to allow just about anyone to craft a cozy getaway. No goals to speak of, no quests, and no fail states. Just infinite possibilities and a cozy vibe.
3Tiny Glade
King of The Castle
Tiny Glade
I’m sure more than a few of you can recall needing to create a diorama as a school project back in the day, and I’m sure you remember the effort and anguish that went into making it. Well, imagine if the hard work were taken out of the process.
Tiny Glade is a game that allows you to head into a quiet meadow, take a forgotten castle ruin, and use simple building mechanics to restore the ruin to its former glory.
The art style makes each scene feel like a literal diorama, and this is only further actualized by the way the assets can be molded and changed in the blink of an eye.
There’s no stress, no fail states, and no time limits. Oh, and you won’t be graded on this assignment, which is always a plus.
2Townscaper
My Kind of Town
Townscaper
Very few town-building games are made with the express desire to make the player feel stressed or overwhelmed. But, try as they might, the player will often heap creative expectations on themselves, set unattainable goals, and work themselves into a stupor to create the town of their dreams.
This is why Townscaper is so impressive, as you can create a truly awe-inspiring town in your own image, and you can do so without wanting to pull your hair out in the process.
These floating island towns take shape in mere minutes, allowing you to piece together assets that fit together seamlessly for an aesthetically pleasing look, but the game equally gives you ample room to put your own spin on things and let your creative juices flow.
There’s no Tom Nook breathing down your neck for mortgage payments, and no townsfolk complaining about shoddy infrastructure. Just idyllic-looking towns that you wish you could step into for an afternoon stroll.
1Dorfromantik
One Tile At A Time
Dorfromantik
Almost every game we listed here to this point has been games completely without fail states. Dorfromantik is the exception as it is a puzzle game at its core. But the remarkable thing is that you’ll never feel the stress or headache that comes part and parcel with most puzzlers.
This is because Dorfromantik’s puzzle format is so simplistic that you can almost play on autopilot, matching different color-coded assets to create larger sections of the map, all the while passively building a rich and vibrant landscape in mere minutes.
The puzzle aspect is addictive enough to keep you coming back for more, but what’s even more addictive is getting to the end of your run and marveling at the incredible world you have created.
you’re able to create masterpieces, but equally, you can play this as a second-screen game, and that’s the true beauty of Dorfromantik. It’s a game where creativity is practically taken care of for you, allowing you to revel in the feeling of accomplishment without needing to do the legwork to attain it.
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