Cozy games aren’t really my thing. I l do, however, love the idea of them: the low-stakes vibes, the gentle gameplay loops. I’ll dip into one now and then, with standouts like A Little to the Left, Storyteller, and Unpacking having hit that sweet spot for me: easy to slip into, satisfying in their simplicity, and gone before they wear out their welcome. But those are rare. Cozy games, for me, are more of a “once in a while” kind of thing. A quiet night filler.
Then I stumbled on Spilled!.
And I could not put it down.
Spilled! is the work of a solo developer named Lente, who lives and works aboard a houseboat she lovingly renovated with her mom. That detail alone feels poetic; creating a game about cleaning up the ocean while literally living on the water. The game began as a passion project and was brought to life through a successful Kickstarter campaign, quietly earning support from a small but enthusiastic community. There was no huge marketing push, no splashy trailer or viral buzz, just a simple, heartfelt idea that resonated with people. In Spilled!, you pilot a little solar-powered boat through murky, polluted waters, cleaning up oil spills, collecting trash, and slowly restoring the environment. That’s it. Just you, your tiny vessel, the lapping waves, and the quiet satisfaction of making things better. And honestly? It’s one of my favorite indie games of the year. And not enough people are talking about it.
At first, Spilled! is exactly what it looks like, a gentle ride across serene waters, sucking up oil spills and scooping trash from the waves. You cruise from one murky biome to the next, watching the ocean gradually return to life. Occasionally, you might spot a stranded duck, a frog perched on some debris, or a swan in the distance. As adorable as these critters are, they’re not just there for decoration; they need your help. A quick scoop brings them aboard your vessel, where they’re safe, and for a moment, you feel like a little environmental hero. It’s calm, it’s simple, and it’s so effortlessly relaxing. It’s a loop I could’ve happily stayed in forever: gliding across calm waters, sucking up globs of oil, rescuing wildlife, and watching as the ocean slowly transforms from murky to vibrant, is deeply rewarding. There’s something meditative about navigating through the water, watching oil slicks dissolve into brilliant blue waves behind you, and snatching wayward plastic bottles as you pass. It scratches that part of the brain that loves order and calm, but without ever feeling like a checklist or a chore. It’s just… peaceful. It’s the kind of loop that just feels good. Low pressure, high reward. One more area. One more clean-up. Just five more minutes. And yet, Spilled! soon reveals that it has so much more to offer beneath its surface.
As you collect oil, a little container on your ship begins to fill up. Once it’s full (or when you’re just ready for a break) you can head to the dock to offload your greasy haul. In return, you’re paid in coins for a job well done. It’s a wholesome little loop: work, reward, repeat. You can then use those coins to upgrade your boat. Maybe you buy a bigger oil container, so you don’t have to head back to the dock as often. Or maybe a faster propeller to zip around the map more efficiently. There’s also a wider collection scoop that lets you pick up more trash in one satisfying pass. Every upgrade feels earned, and every improvement makes the next biome even easier to clean up.
But just when I thought I had seen it all, Spilled! dives a little deeper.
As you progress, you unlock special modules for your vessel, like a hose that lets you spray down rocky coastlines slick with oil. The oil washes off into the ocean where you can collect it, turning a previously unreachable mess into another moment of satisfying cleanup. It’s small, but it changes the way you navigate the world. At one point, I noticed fires scattered around the coast and thought, “Wait… can I put those out?” I gave it a try. And sure enough, I could. The fire fizzled away, and a moment later, a helicopter buzzed overhead, dropped a gift of coins, and flew off. I wasn’t expecting that little touch of magic, but there it was, rewarding curiosity and making me feel genuinely good. Later, I unlocked a crane that dips beneath the waves, letting me retrieve sunken oil barrels that I could turn in for a hefty payday. And it’s not just the mechanics that evolve, the world does too. You start noticing rogue ships speeding off, leaving a trail of pollution behind them. It’s a tiny detail, but then it hits you: this ocean needs your help. And with every upgrade, every clean patch of water, you feel a growing sense of purpose. And that sense of care, of calm intention, is reflected in the way Spilled! looks and sounds.
The world of Spilled! is vibrant in a way that feels alive. The colors pop with a soft warmth, the water glimmers, and the transition from polluted to pristine has this quiet, visual reward that makes every bit of progress feel meaningful. It’s amazing that all of this – every pixel, every wave, every glowing stretch of ocean – came from a single developer. And then there’s the music. The soundtrack is light and serene, almost like a gentle breeze. It hangs in the background, never demanding your attention, but always there to wrap you up in its calm. It’s the kind of music that makes you exhale without realizing it. Just you, your little boat, the sea, and a quiet sense of resolve. Everything works together to lull you into this peaceful rhythm, like the game itself is telling you, “Take your time. You’re doing good.”
Spilled! isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s not flashy or loud or begging for your attention. It’s just… kind. Gentle. Thoughtful. It’s short, it’s sweet, and at just $6.99 on Steam, it’s a small price for something so thoughtfully made. In a crowded sea of cozy games, Spilled! doesn’t just float, it sails ahead with purpose. It gives back exactly what you put in, and then a little more, like a quiet thank you for showing up. In a year packed with big-budget releases and endless noise, it’s the kind of game that sneaks up on you, nestles in, and stays there. Cozy games might not usually be my thing, but Spilled! reminded me why they matter. Sometimes, it’s enough just to do a little good in a messy world. And sometimes, that’s everything.
Spilled! on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240080/Spilled/
