ShantyTown Review: A Cozy Game that Makes You Slow Down

Cozy games have become incredibly popular lately, so it’s great to see a new game that truly captures what makes the genre so appealing. This game is short and offers a unique, relaxed experience – you can play it however you like, and that freedom is both unusual and really enjoyable.

I recently got to spend a good amount of time playing ShantyTown, after first trying it at PAX East. My initial preview didn’t quite capture everything, but now I have a much better understanding of the game. What stands out most is its immersive atmosphere, but beyond that, it’s simply a really relaxing and fun experience.

I wasn’t expecting much from ShantyTown, honestly, but it really surprised me! It’s a short game, so I didn’t plan on investing a ton of time, but the time I did spend with it felt really impactful. I quickly found myself getting lost in it, playing it in a way I hadn’t initially planned – it just kind of took over my free time!

What is ShantyTown?

ShantyTown is a relaxing town-building game where you establish small settlements in different locations. These areas vary in size and complexity – some are spacious, while others demand clever planning. As you build, you’re essentially surveying the land to decide whether to abandon it or let your towns flourish.

The game has a distinctive approach to gameplay. Each area presents optional goals that can help guide your construction, but ultimately, you have complete freedom to design and build however you like.

You’ll be given a mix of items to place, though they’ll generally be similar types, ensuring you can complete your goals. Buildings like houses, shops, and landmarks each have specific needs that must be fulfilled to upgrade them from a dilapidated state to a fully constructed one.

Improve your buildings, finish tasks, and find special items in each area that you can use when building creatively. Once you’ve completed an area, you can take a picture of your creation. You don’t need to finish all the objectives to take the picture – just place enough items to create the look you want, giving you full control over the design.

Sneaky Game Design That Absorbs You

I’m not usually one for super cozy games – I typically just do what’s needed to progress and then move on. But ShantyTown really surprised me! It wasn’t a complicated game, but I found myself genuinely wanting to make each little area feel special and well-put-together. I honestly didn’t expect to get so invested!

I didn’t always organize things carefully – I used to hide items in random spots just for fun. But as the levels became more complex, I started being more thoughtful about placement. I began separating homes and businesses and put extra objects where they seemed to fit logically.

It was just for fun, but I kept noticing I’d play until the very end of each level, collecting everything, even though I could have finished much sooner. It seems trivial, but getting completely absorbed in a short game like this is actually a really enjoyable experience.

A Strange Kind of Artistry

The game’s graphics aren’t flashy or highly detailed. It doesn’t aim for realism with impressive buildings, but it still manages to be visually appealing. Each area begins as a mostly empty space, with very little to see at first.

As you build and expand small towns, they come to life with vibrant details, even before anyone moves in. This encourages you to create places that are both useful and beautiful. You have complete control over how your towns develop, and can customize almost anything – from colors to shapes – to perfectly match your vision.

I usually prefer to finish tasks quickly and move on, but ShantyTown really captured my attention and drew me in more than I expected.

It’s strange to think about how these places began when I look at the photos I took. I’m not sure what I expected, but each location really transformed as I worked on it. It felt like I was starting with a clean slate at every spot, whether the result was a mess or something amazing.

Not Without Problems

The game is generally good and has a lot going for it, but it’s not quite perfect. After playing for a while, you might notice a few minor issues or things that feel a little rough around the edges. These don’t ruin the experience, but they’re definitely noticeable and can pull you out of the moment. Overall, it’s still enjoyable, despite these small flaws.

Each building spot is outlined by a small boundary. You can place buildings right up against this boundary as many as you like, but once they’re placed, you can’t upgrade them. For example, if you try to add an extension that goes beyond the boundary, the game won’t let you.

It might not seem important, but it’s always a pleasant surprise to really get absorbed in a game, particularly one that doesn’t take too long to finish.

You can unlock special items by improving buildings in a location, but it appears to be based on chance. This doesn’t seem intentional, and it feels strange that you might not always get the item even after upgrading. It’s a bit frustrating, but not a major issue.

Subscribe to our newsletter for cozy-game insights

Hungry for deeper cozy-game coverage? Subscribe to the newsletter for thoughtful takes on games like ShantyTown, design breakdowns, creative snapshots, and curated picks across cozy and indie town-builders to spark your next build.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

While not a major issue, the towns felt a bit lifeless after completing them. They look vibrant and detailed, but lack people going about their business. Adding even simple, low-poly characters – just basic bodies with heads – could really bring those locations to life.

Player Freedom That Matters

Many relaxing games have restrictions on how you build or customize things. ShantyTown is similar in some ways, but it also gives you a surprising amount of creative freedom, which I really liked. I could stack houses really high, put up neon signs wherever I wanted, or even place an aquarium on top of a building – the possibilities at each location were endless.

Those experiences were sometimes helpful, and always fun. The freedom to build and experiment was amazing, even if it occasionally meant sacrificing a building upgrade or two. Ultimately, the towns are built by the players, and they should feel free to design them however they want.

Many games offer player freedom, but I especially appreciated how ShantyTown handled it. I realized that, ultimately, my choices didn’t impact the outcome – I could complete each area regardless of how I approached it. This made me reflect on why I chose to play the game in a certain way, and it simply gave me the space to do so.

Closing Comments

ShantyTown is a charming and relaxing town-building game that’s easy to get lost in. It’s not a sprawling epic, but a thoughtfully crafted experience that feels rewarding. You can complete it in a single evening, or take your time and really explore its depths. It’s enjoyable, polished, and visually stunning once you finish building up an area. ShantyTown lets you build at your own speed, and that’s what makes it so special.

2026-04-16 16:10