Orchard Keeper

Orchard Keeper is a small farming sim with a big emphasis on trees. You prune, graft, and slowly build an orchard that changes with the seasons. It's low-stakes and deeply relaxing, the sort of thing you check on with your morning coffee.

There's no punishing timer or wilting-crop panic. Leave for a week and your orchard is fine. That relaxed design won us over quickly, though players who want tension or challenge will bounce off it fast.

The little touches carry it — bees that appear when your flowers bloom, a neighbour who trades you seeds for jam. It's not ambitious, but it's honest and it's kind, and sometimes that's exactly right.

What we liked

• No stressful timers or wilting mechanics
• Charming seasonal changes
• Small, warm world details