Last Updated on Sep 30, 2025 @ 14:16:46 PM.
Gaming has always been a hobby that is supposedly about relaxing and unwinding, and yet, with the proliferation of the ‘cosy’ genre, it’s clear that the majority of games don’t actually bring that reaction out of us. With the rest of the Cosy genre though, and in some ways in a far better way than the others, Starsand Island is shaping up to be the very best at helping everyone switch off and find some relaxation in a time where the world isn’t offering it… and after some behind-closed-doors hands-on at Gamescom 2025, I’m glad to say it’s going to be doing it in spades, for everyone!
Full disclosure, I’m not typically a cosy gamer. I’ll play a range of games, but as someone who struggles to switch off for more than a few minutes, I need constant stimulation before my brain decides to turn on itself. That doesn’t lend itself to many ‘slower’ games, but I think Starsand Island may break that routine. From Seed Lab, Starsand Island looks to include all the standard fare you’d expect from the genre, albeit with its own twists.
You’ll be able to fish, farm, have livestock, and even become friends/fall in love with the locals in the area, to further your own goals or just because you’re lonely. However, it also includes a few facets that you’d not expect, or at least, done in such a way that they’re utterly unique – the biggest of which is the game’s DIY system, something that I could find myself thoroughly invested in, even with my short time with it. When speaking to the developers at Gamescom, they likened it to The Sims AND Minecraft, as an odd child of them, and this is about as accurate as they could be.
Between being able to build a floating house – seriously, you can take yourself away from society as a whole and live on a barge, built with multiple floors and even a farming area if you so wish – or just a huge commune surrounded by NPCs, your friends, and your livestock, your only limit is what you can think up. The vehicles don’t stop there, with the developer having included the likes of boats, planes and SKATEBOARDS. Similarly, the jobs available within the game are promised to be expanding, although they were adamant about the fact that they’d have to fit within the lore of the universe they’re giving us, which is understandable.
With a set of professions already available, which, for the record, felt like your way to explore every facet of the game, from combat-centric stuff to farming, and so on, you’ll be able to live the anime life you always wanted.
By the end of my time with the ridiculously in-depth DIY system, the exploration of the stunningly beautiful (and huge) environment, and taking some time to enjoy the different professions and completing tasks asked of me, it made me realise how much time had passed, and how Starsand really was a game that could be played by anyone, in almost any way. As I said to the developers at the time, it’s quite a few games all wrapped up in one.
Starsand Island is set to release on February 1st, 2026, and be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
