Roll20's Indie Showcase highlights Glitter Hearts, a TTRPG inspired by magical girl anime like Sailor Moon.

Glitter Hearts at Indie Showcase 2020

Hunker down and cozy up to this list of the best vibes in the RPG hobby.

The Best Cozy RPGs

Hero Squad plays through Ryuutama, a cozy, heartwarming, natural fantasy RPG about feeding stories to dragons who control the seasons.

Ryuutama: Roleplaying With Dragons

A cast of podcasters and comedians convenes to play Wanderhome, a game of traveling animal-folk searching for home.

Dreamstream: Wanderhome

Many of the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service have perfect heartwarming vibes. Lots of Disney and Pixar's animated films like Coco, Encanto, and Up are great examples too. Movies like Amélie, Moonstruck, the Paddington series, and Homeward Bound also capture the essence of heartwarming stories. Optimistic comedy series like Parks & Rec and Ted Lasso are great examples on television, and lots of popular indie games like Stardew Valley, Unpacking, and Spiritfarer bring emotional character growth to the forefront.

What are some examples of heartwarming media?

The hallmarks of heartwarming games and media are emotional openness and vulnerability. Whether that's the pure love between a parent and child, or an animal and their person, being expressed unfiltered and unconditionally; the uplifting emotional growth of a character learning that only they can define who they are; or two characters coming to realize that their bond is unbreakable, we love to see people grow strong enough to express their true feelings. 

Conflict in these kinds of stories tends to be peaceful, but it can still be difficult! Emotional and interpersonal problems, whether they originate from differences between characters or struggles within the characters themselves, often cause friction in heartwarming stories. Sometimes the conflict is completely external, like being lost, an unfortunate accident, terrible weather, or something beyond anyone's control, and characters must learn to deal with it. Characters in these kinds of stories tend to resolve these problems through openness, honesty, conversation, acts of kindness, and a willingness to grow emotionally. 

What kinds of conflicts are there in heartwarming media?

There are myriad themes for heartwarming games! Some focus on journeys and exploration, experiencing new cultures, seeing beautiful places, meeting new people, and growing closer with traveling companions. Some cast player characters as the owners of a small business or the stewards of a farm, ranch, or natural location, and have them deal with visitors and the everyday challenges that crop up. Some have mysteries, challenges, and even fights, but are more concerned with the emotional lives of the characters involved than who wins and who loses, asking rather, "how are the characters affected?" And others are simply slice-of-life stories that deal with the everyday struggles of school, work and family.

Heartwarming

Heartwarming is a tone that describes a subgenre of a larger set of media. It denotes a lighthearted, charming, and uplifting style that focuses on interpersonal relationships, slice-of-life stories, and emotional growth. Conflict in heartwarming media tends to have lower stakes and is usually nonviolent. Themes of love, care, food, hospitality, and harmony with animals and nature are central. 

Heartwarming tabletop roleplaying games are character driven, and bring the motivations and relationships of player characters and NPCs to the fore. Characters deal with interpersonal problems and challenges both internal and external. These games give players the tools to address those challenges through emotional openness, conversation, and acts of kindness. Resolution usually comes through character development and personal growth, which may also represent advancement in the game. You'll know a heartwarming RPG is doing its job when things a character says or does elicit a table-wide "awwwww!"

Browse Heartwarming TTRPGs Explore one-shots, campaigns, and homebrew adventures run by expert GMs across Roll20, Foundry VTT, Discord & more. Find your perfect game on StartPlayingGames!

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