With games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley All but taking over the gaming scene in recent years, the search for a new cozy obsession is ongoing for some gamers, so it's good that developers keep releasing them as often as they do. In fact, the market has become increasingly saturated with cozy titles due to their proven track record of drawing in large audiences and holding their attention for dozens, sometimes even hundreds of hours. Even with so many different titles to choose from already, fans of the genre are rarely disappointed when a new cozy game pops up, giving JSquared Games' upcoming life sim My Lil Afterlife a big advantage before the launch.
Something that can give My Lil Afterlife even more of an edge is how much it feels Animal Crossing: New Horizonsif only it was eternally stuck in its Halloween celebration. Taking the relaxed, cozy gameplay often associated with the genre, throwing in some New horizons concept, and then cover it all in an eerie, grim (pun intended) and whimsical atmosphere, My Lil Afterlife clearly aims to provide Animal Crossing fans something completely new like a regular season change or event i New horizons cannot offer.
My Lil Afterlife puts players in charge of an afterlife similar to animal crossing
As the title suggests, My Lil Afterlife sees players take over management of the afterlife from the Grim Reaper, who has gone mad with power and is currently trapped in his tower. The premise is simple, playful and just quirky enough to do its thing Animal Crossing-like game loop feels less like direct mimicry and more like a tribute ice cream with a little added whipped cream and a cherry on top. My Lil Afterlife creates this gap by adding features and systems that are not conventional in one Animal Crossing game, although the bulk of it still feels reminiscent, as well as opting for a more retro feel in the presentation and music.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
My Lil Afterlife's features at a glance
- RULE THE AFTERLIFE: Become the new ruler of your own supernatural kingdom and build it as you see fit.
- CALL GHOSTLY FRIENDS: Summon creepy inhabitants to live in your alien domain and interact with them.
- CUSTOMIZE AND DECORATE: Decorate your kingdom with items you can craft, find, buy or unlock.
- FURNITURE AND CLOTHES: Collect new furniture to decorate with and fresh clothes to wear.
- MYSTERIES AND BATTLE: Uncover the secrets of the afterlife by taking on the Reaper's Tower with spells and combat mechanics.
- FISHING SYSTEM: Cast your rod at several coastal areas to fish up resources such as smelly fish, bones and essence.
- Pets AND BLIND DRAWERS: Find elemental themed pets and companions by randomly dropping blind boxes.
My Lil Afterlife uses several of Animal Crossing's most iconic features
Where My Lil Afterlife really starting to feel like Animal Crossing is in its community building and settlement management loop. As the new ruler of the afterlife, players can summon a “colorful array of spirits” to come live there, just like games that Animal Crossing: New Horizons allow players to invite unique NPCs to settle on their island. My Lil AfterlifeThe description on the Steam page says that these spirits can be anything from an “old wise skeleton to a sassy sasquatch,” suggesting a decent amount of variety when it comes to potential afterlife inhabitants.
The Animal Crossing comparisons don't end there, however, as players can also customize and decorate the afterlife as they wish. After purchasing items from residents, crafting them, or discovering them while exploring the Reaper's Tower, players can then seemingly place those items wherever they choose to create the afterlife of their dreams. Items such as tombs, corn mazes and jack-o-lanterns are all listed on the game's Steam page, but it also suggests that players can make their island look like a “tranquil park” or an “American diner”. As such, the list of decorative items is likely quite extensive, especially given the freedom of customization it claims to offer.
My Lil Afterlife sees players taking over the management of the afterlife from the Grim Reaper, who has gone mad with power and is currently trapped in his tower.
My Lil Afterlife also takes Animal Crossings emphasis on fashion and contextualizes it within its post-world milieu. With a “range of clothing and accessories,” players can customize their character's appearance to their heart's content. Accessories such as sunglasses and crowns can be worn in addition to various clothing, but the game's description mentions that players must purchase these items from the “correct resident” first. And one last similarity with Animal Crossing see fishing possible in My Lil Afterlifewith potential resources available when players take the time to cast their line into the ocean.
My Lil Afterlife features combat and companions
My Lil Afterlife is not quite like Animal Crossinghowever, and it excels mainly with combat and companions. First, players can explore the Reaper's Tower for treasure that includes valuable items such as crafting ingredients and rare decorations, but doing so puts them head-to-head with the Reaper's minions. While My Lil AfterlifeThe Steam description primarily mentions spells as a way to ward them off, swords can also be used.
It's likely that there are other weapons and combat options to choose from as well My Lil Afterlifeeven if they are not listed.
Last but not least, My Lil Afterlife features collectible pets and companions, giving players another layer of charm and customization to enjoy. A recent demo update introduced a sixth equipment slot specifically for pets, and these companions can be found through elemental blind boxes that drop from various activities in the afterlife. Rather than just being cosmetic fillers, these pets occupy their own slot and add another collecting loop to the core gameplay, reinforcing the cozy, whimsical tone the game is going for while offering players even more ways to express themselves and build a connection to their afterlife.
Ultimately, My Lil Afterlife feels like the latest evolution of what fans love most about cozy life sims, with the familiar joy of Animal Crossing-style showdown game and plunge them into a quirky, eerie world. With its community-building mechanics, deep customization, relaxing activities like fishing and decorating, collectibles, and just enough combat and mystery to break up the routine, it offers both comfort and novelty in equal measure. Currently slated for a 2026 release, My Lil Afterlife could become the next cozy obsession for fans of games that Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
My Lil Afterlife starts on Steam in the year 2026. A playable demo is currently available on the game's Steam page.
