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 players, so it’s a good thing developers keep putting them out as often as they do. In fact, the market has become increasingly saturated with cozy titles on account of 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 emerges, giving JSquared Games’ upcoming life sim My Lil Afterlife a big advantage ahead of its release.
Something that might give My Lil Afterlife even more of an edge is how much it feels like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, only if it were eternally stuck in its Halloween celebration. In taking the laid-back, cozy gameplay often associated with the genre, throwing in some New Horizons concepts, and then blanketing it all in a spooky, grim (pun intended), and whimsical atmosphere, My Lil Afterlife clearly aims to give Animal Crossing fans something entirely fresh that a regular seasonal change or event in New Horizons can’t offer.
My Lil Afterlife Puts Players in Charge of an Animal Crossing-Like Afterlife
As its title suggests, My Lil Afterlife sees players taking over management of the afterlife from the Grim Reaper, who has gone mad with power and is currently holed up in his tower. The premise is simple, playful, and just quirky enough to make its Animal Crossing-like gameplay loop feel less like outright mimicry and more like an homage sundae with some added whipped cream and a cherry on top. My Lil Afterlife creates this divide by adding features and systems that aren’t conventional in an Animal Crossing game, even though the bulk of it does still feel reminiscent, as well as opting for a more retro feel in its presentation and music.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
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 realm and build it up as you see fit.
- SUMMON SPOOKY FRIENDS: Summon spooky residents to live in your otherworldly domain and interact with them.
- CUSTOMIZE AND DECORATE: Decorate your realm with items you can craft, find, buy, or unlock.
- FURNITURE AND CLOTHING: Collect new furniture pieces to decorate with and fresh clothing items to wear.
- MYSTERIES AND COMBAT: Unravel afterlife secrets by taking on the Reaper’s Tower with spells and combat mechanics.
- FISHING SYSTEM: Cast your rod at several coastline spots to fish up resources like stinky fish, bones, and essence.
- PETS AND BLIND BOXES: Find elemental-themed pets and companions through randomly dropping blind boxes.
My Lil Afterlife Adopts Several of Animal Crossing’s Most Iconic Features
Where My Lil Afterlife really starts 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 range of spirits” to come live there, just as games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons allow players to invite unique NPCs to take up residence on their island. My Lil Afterlife‘s Steam page description says these spirits can be anything from an “old wise skeleton to a sassy sasquatch,” implying a decent amount of variety when it comes to potential afterlife residents.
The Animal Crossing comparisons don’t stop there, however, as players can also customize and decorate the afterlife as they see fit. After purchasing items from residents, crafting them, or discovering them while exploring the Reaper’s Tower, players can then seemingly place these items wherever they choose to create the afterlife of their dreams. Items like graves, corn mazes, and jack-o-lanterns are all listed on the game’s Steam page, but it also suggests players can make their island look like a “tranquil park” or an “American diner.” As such, the list of decorative items is likely pretty extensive, especially considering the customization freedom it claims to offer.
My Lil Afterlife sees players taking over management of the afterlife from the Grim Reaper, who has gone mad with power and is currently holed up in his tower.
My Lil Afterlife also takes Animal Crossing‘s emphasis on fashion and contextualizes it within its afterlife setting. With a “range of clothes and accessories,” players can customize their character’s look to their heart’s content. Accessories like sunglasses and crowns can be worn in addition to various clothes, but the game’s description does mention that players will need to purchase these items from “the right residents” first. And one final similarity to Animal Crossing sees fishing possible in My Lil Afterlife, with potential resources available when players take the time to cast their line out into the sea.
My Lil Afterlife Distinguishes Itself With Combat and Companions
My Lil Afterlife isn’t entirely like Animal Crossing, though, and it primarily distinguishes itself with combat and companions. Firstly, players can explore the Reaper’s Tower for treasures that include valuable things like crafting ingredients and rare decorations, but doing so puts them head-to-head with the Reaper’s minions. While My Lil Afterlife‘s Steam description primarily mentions spells as a means for warding them off, swords can also be used.
It’s likely there are other weapons and combat options to choose from as well in My Lil Afterlife, though they aren’t listed.
Last but not least, My Lil Afterlife features collectible pets and companions, giving players another layer of charm and personalization 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 being mere cosmetic fillers, these pets occupy their own slot and add another collectible loop to the core gameplay, reinforcing the cozy, whimsical tone that the game is going for while offering players even more ways to express themselves and build attachment to their afterlife realm.
Ultimately, My Lil Afterlife feels like the latest evolution of what fans love most about cozy life sims, taking the familiar joy of Animal Crossing-style settlement gameplay and wrapping them in a quirky, spooky world. With its community-building mechanics, deep customization options, relaxing activities like fishing and decorating, collectible pets, 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 be the next cozy obsession for fans of games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
My Lil Afterlife launches on Steam in 2026. A playable demo is currently available on the game’s Steam page.
