7 Intimate Walking Simulator Games Like A Walk With Yiayia
Sometimes a game comes along so unexpected that it leaves you wanting more. A Walk with Yiayia shares an intimate look about the topic of caring for our elderly relatives and made me go on a search for other walking simulator games.
When my grandparents were alive we used to go on short walks around the village where they lived. Mostly it was so my siblings and I could play poo-sticks over the small river that ran past their neighbours homes.
It was the late 80’s then and they were still relatively young. There were no mobile phones demanding our attention and no weather app telling us it would rain in an hour. We would just walk until we were hungry. I wish I could recall the conversations we had but I was only 5 or 6. However, those walks are some of my happiest memories because I was in the moment, just being a kid.
Playing this walking simulator took me back to those memories and made me realise how fortunate I was to spend quality time with my Nanna and Poppa. It also made me think, why aren’t their more games about grandparents?
Our elderly relatives play a key part in our lives as kids. They probably played with us more than our parents did. It was because of my Poppa that I learnt how to use a video camera. I wanted to be behind the camera operating it, making up stories, and living through the lens rather than being on it.
Looking back at those videos my Poppa filmed you’d think I just loved the camera, but actually I just loved my Poppa. I wanted his full attention because he was the dad I never had.
Can you tell that this game has got me all nostalgic? For an indie game that’s only about an hour long it sure has made me emotional.
What Is A Walk With Yiayia About?
A Walk with Yiayia is a mini visual novel told through mostly dialogue text bubbles, with a couple of simple side games that add depth and emotion to the story.
You play as the grandson of a Greek grandmother, and you find yourself caring for her while your mother is away. It seems she’s having a much-needed night out with her friends.
You discover early on that your yiayia hasn’t left the house in over two weeks due to a scary fall that has left her shaken and anxious. Deciding that she needs to get up and about, you encourage her to take a walk with you.
With no fail states, low stress, and an emotional story connecting the experiences between first generation immigrants and their family members, this game reflecting on what they can learn from each other’s experiences.
It’s the perfect example of how connecting with our loved ones helps us empathize and accept our faults.
A Greyscale Vignette
A Walk with Yiayia is a predominantly greyscale aesthetic that feels like watching a classic movie. There’s a wonderful vignette towards the end as you take the form of a little grasshopper as Yiayia recalls her dream about her late husband.
I felt ever so relaxed playing it. I almost felt like there should be a watch button.
Games that let me get absorbed in their beauty are ones that I enjoy playing again and again. It reminded me a little bit of Blanc too which I reviewed recently. I often feel in awe of how game developers can create worlds that feel like interactive works of art.
Is A Walk With Yiayia Worth Playing?
A Walk With Yiayia is a pleasant little game. Rather than presenting itself as a traditional video game with goals and challenges, it invites you to slow down, reflect, and take a peaceful stroll with someone you love. The result is an intimate exploration of empathy and understanding, told not through spectacle but through the subtleties of everyday life.
I feel like it’s a game you can play at any age and still be able to relate to. I cried more than was probably necessary while playing, but I do have a soft spot for grandparents. It’s one I’m already recommending to anyone who will listen. All that was missing from this game was the tin of sweets and an old tv game show on repeat.
A Walk with Yiayia will be available on Steam.
You can find Steam games to buy now on Loaded. You can earn 1% cashback (converts to CDKoins) on eligible purchases across their site just by buying the games you love. These points can be redeemed for discounts on future games, expansions, or subscription purchases saving you money!
7 Intimate Walking Simulator Games To Play Next
Finishing A Walk With Yiayia left me wanting longer walks. Whether you like games about walking or perhaps just love the beauty of nature. I’ve found a few walking simulator games like A Walk With Yiayia that you might want to play next.
1
Lushfoil Photography Sim
Experience detailed, true-to-life recreations of beautiful and diverse locations around the world. Trek through and explore environments to capture stunning vistas and landscapes with your fully-featured in-game camera. Each environment is filled with objectives to reward players that have a good eye for angles and perspectives, and hidden secrets for those who are patient and observant.
Lushfoil Photography Sim is available on Steam
2
Millennium Dream
Wander through dreamscapes woven from memories of the millennium. Use your camera to freeze tender fragments of days gone by, collecting lost shards of childhood. In an atmosphere where Chinese Dreamcore and Liminal Space intertwine, savor a warmth that feels both familiar and strange.
Millennium Dream is available on Steam
3
The Collage Atlas
The Collage Atlas invites you on a journey through an entirely hand-drawn picture-book dream-world.
From the grass beneath your feet, to the butterflies dancing in the air, to the floating islands drifting overhead – every little detail has been lovingly-crafted with pen & ink on paper. At its heart this is a journey exploring agency, memory, and hope.
The Collage Atlas is available on Steam
4
Botany Manor
Botany Manor is a first-person puzzle game set in a Victorian English manor. It’s 1890, and you play as botanist Arabella Greene, who is working to finish her botanical research book ‘Forgotten Flora’. Explore a complete historical English manor and its grounds, researching how to grow rare plant specimens from seed. There are many rooms and gardens to discover, all set inside a beautiful countryside surrounding.
Botany Manor is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation & Xbox
5
Firewatch
The year is 1989. You play as Henry who has retreated from his messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, it’s your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. But when something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the forest, you’ll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have. It’s a walking simulator but for adults only due to its mature content.
Firewatch is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox
6
Kinsfolk
Kinsfolk is a heartfelt experience that lasts around 40 minutes. It’s short, but deeply meaningful. An exploration of the meaning of family, told through the eyes of a new father. Explore the challenges he faced in his youth, how it affected the relationship with his own father, and how it will shape the kind of father he becomes.
Kinsfolk is available on Steam
7
TOEM
I’m adding TOEM in as a bit of a wild card to this list. Despite not being a walking simulator the art style reminded me of A Walk with Yiayia.
Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical TOEM in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape!
TOEM is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation & Xbox
More Cozy Games To Play Next
10 FREE Cozy Games You Probably Didn’t Know About
If you’re on a budget and need a cozy game to help you unwind, there are plenty of options available and today I’m going to share with you some that are completely free to play!
25 Cozy Games Rated By The Cozy Gaming Community
I asked my readers what their favorite cozy game was and I was surprised by their answers! Find out what they voted for in my latest post.
10 Cozy Frog Games On Steam That Will Make You Hoppier!
I’ve found these frog games that you just have to play this year. Frogs are so wholesome. I mean who wouldn’t want to play as a frog, right?
As an INFP, Wendy is always late for her house. Her wardrobe is stuffed with snuggly jim-jams, and her hot water bottle is her best friend. Wendy enjoys playing a little bit of everything, but she'll always prefer to unwind with simulation and management games.
- 17 Gardening Games on Switch that are Giving Spring Energy - April 12, 2026
- Top 10 Whimsy Games that Feel like Spring (Steam Edition) - April 5, 2026
- 30+ Best Cozy and Free Games on Switch (2026 Edition) - March 29, 2026
Discover more from Her Cozy Gaming
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.