As someone who's put an embarrassing number of hours into Stardew Valley, this all really resonates. Cozy games give you this weirdly powerful illusion of control and calm - your farm, your pace, your little pixelated life that somehow feels safer than the real one. It's not just escapism - it's like a reset button for your brain. I love that the article highlights how these games aren't necessarily "easy," just low-stress. They let you engage deeply without the constant threat-response loop that most traditional games (or life) tend to trigger.