Urban Jungle | PC Review

“Cozy” is not a word that I have knowingly selected in a game that I have played in the past. I suppose I’ve played a couple of them, especially on my phone. Time wasters with little to no story value.

Definitely not the case with Urban Jungle, from Kylyk Games and published by Assemble Entertainment. Urban Jungle brings the cozy along with a pretty strong story. The level design is fun and mostly interactive. If you’re a fan of the cozy subgenre, then Urban Jungle might just be the perfect match for you.

Money and Success Do Not Equal Happiness

Urban Jungle begins with Ayta at her desk during a Zoom-esque business call congratulating her on her accomplishments. However, Ayta is so despondent about her lonely and mundane life of success that she doesn’t even respond; her coworkers assume she had left the call.

What better avenue than a video game to help people go back in time to make decisions that will lead to a more fulfilling life? We go back to the beginning when Ayta was a child. Instead of rejecting her Grandmother’s love of plants, she embraces it. And, thus, begins her new path: personal happiness over professional success, family over career, and sunshine over gloom. 

The game spans several chapters, from childhood to college, to adulthood, and finally to starting a family, offering around three hours of gameplay.

Cozy But Repetitive Gameplay

This is very similar to Unpacking but with plants. You can decorate the location to your heart’s content. You may leave it messy or straighten things up. There’s unpacking to do and items that you are rewarded for putting in their proper place. I didn’t notice a difference between making decisions that, for instance, might bother your brother/roommate/spouse. Once you’ve covered the assigned tasks in each chapter, it’s time to buy plants and place them around your house. 

Plants have specific requirements. Some thrive in light, while others prefer shade. Humidity is also a factor. In both of these cases, you receive a better achievement reward for placing plants in areas that they will thrive in. Ignoring their requirements will decrease the achievement points and make you stay in that chapter longer. 

The one issue that I had here was that you have to place a lot of plants. No matter how much of a neat freak you made your apartment or room, the plants will become clutter because you need to place so many of them in order to gain enough achievement points to progress to the next chapter.

And then the next chapter is more of the same. Ayta is just at another point of her much happier and more fulfilled life.

If this is truly a game for you, you’ll appreciate the unlockable Creative Mode. Once you complete a chapter, it becomes available as a sandbox with no rules, no achievements, and no requirements. Just move objects and place your plants however you like! 

A limitation for Creative Mode, and the game itself, is that not all objects are moveable and interaction is light. You can’t turn on the TV or open an appliance. You cannot move the major pieces of furniture, either. These are slight limitations, though. I didn’t mind.

Really Pleasant Environment

The graphics were perfect for what the game is. Each room, dorm, apartment, and house has their own minimally different style. There is no mistaking the objects spread throughout the area. “Find the teddy bear and place it on the bed” was a provided task, the teddy bear was hidden just enough to make me look around, but I found it. A quick note that if played on a Steam Deck, these object-finding tasks could be a bigger challenge. Thankfully, you’re able to zoom in and out or shift your view away from the comfy isometric default. 

The sound design and music is perfectly adequate. The purposefully cozy acoustic guitar keeps the plant placement pleasant. The popping noise made when you earn an achievement reward wore a little thin for me, but I won’t hold it against the game. It was likely just a “me” thing.

I did run into a couple of issues where the controls felt a little clunky. I accidentally put a few items down into a place that I could not access. I still don’t know where I put my roommate’s book that she left on my desk. 

Urban Jungle Final Verdict

For my first cozy game, I’d say I hit the jackpot. My expectations were low. If the worst thing I can say is “repetitive gameplay” then I’d say that Urban Jungle is pretty darn good! Honestly, what cozy game doesn’t have repetitive gameplay? 

The story resonated with me. I empathize with the original Ayta and appreciated the impact of her new life choices. The narrative feels meaningful, with every chapter reflecting the weight of your decisions.

If you love plants and rearranging your home, then Urban Jungle is for you. If cozy games aren’t for you, then this is one that you can equally avoid.

To hear me talk more about Urban Jungle, be sure to listen to the April 4, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast.

This review is based on a PC copy of Urban Jungle provided by PR Hound for coverage purposes. As of this time of this writing, it is exclusive to this platform.