Top 10 Winter-Inspired Games to Sink Into This Holiday Season

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From snowy cities to quiet wilderness, these are my top winter-inspired games to binge over the holidays, cosy vibes, big worlds, and satisfying platinums.

I’ve put this list together with fellow trophy hunters in mind, a mix of cozy platinums, long-term grinds, and games that feel perfect for dark winter nights.

The festive season doesn’t always have to mean Christmas trees and jingling bells. Sometimes, it’s about wrapping up warm, settling in with a mug of something hot, and losing hours to a beautiful game that feels like winter.

These picks aren’t necessarily festive, instead, they offer snowy landscapes, quiet reflection, long play sessions, and that perfect “just one more hour” energy. Whether you’re chasing platinums or just soaking in the atmosphere, these are my top winter games this season.

 

10. Life Is Strange: Double Exposure

Emotional storytelling, set on a university campus across Winter break.

  • Trophies: 35 (3 Gold, 22 Silver, 9 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 2/10
  • Playthroughs: 2
  • Time to Platinum: 15 hours
Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: Life Is Strange - Square Enix
Set against a cold-weather backdrop, Double Exposure is full of introspective moments, making it perfect for dark winter evenings. It’s a game about relationships and emotional weight, and its gorgeous wintry setting makes it ideal for this time of year, especially if you’re after something thoughtful rather than action-heavy.


Trophy Tips:
Nothing here is particularly difficult. There are missable collectibles tied to specific sections, but thankfully, there’s chapter select. My advice is to play through the story naturally first and make the choices that speak to you, then go back and mop up anything you missed (or alternate choices) using a guide.


Completionist Note: If you’re aiming for a full 100% completion, you’ll need the Ultimate Edition, which includes the exclusive “cat content” as there are two trophies tied to it. I’m not a huge fan of that approach, but it is what it is.

9. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Visually stunning, a snowy New York, and winter vibes.

  • Trophies: 50 (2 Gold, 10 Silver, 37 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 3/10
  • Playthroughs: 2
  • Time to Platinum: 20 hours

Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: PlayStation Store
Swinging through a snow-dusted NYC during the holidays is peak winter comfort. It’s fast, fluid, and just the right length for a festive binge without overstaying its welcome.
 
Trophy Tip: This is a very achievable platinum, nothing is missable, but doing side activities as you go avoids backtracking and saves cleanup time.

Note: You need to do a NG+ run in order to get the plat, but cutscenes are skipable and you’re likely find this is a pretty quick run, especially if you go for it after you’ve already got 100% across the main districts (this puts you in the best place level-wise and ives you the tokens you need to unlocks msot of the skills and upgrades).

8. The Long Dark

Beautiful, brutal, and deeply atmospheric.

  • Trophies: 76 (4 Gold, 15 Silver, 56 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 6/10
  • Playthroughs: 9
  • Time to Platinum: 200+ hours

Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: Nintendo Store
Nothing says winter like struggling through frozen wilderness. It’s quiet, tense, and oddly calming.. until it isn’t. Perfect for players who enjoy solitude and survival.

Trophy Tips: Plan ahead, seriously, you’re going to want to check out a guide for this one, some trophies reward long-term survival and starting on those early will help your plat run and your sanity.

Difficulty-specific trophies stack, so play on the hardest mode you’re comfortable with.

7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

A massive Viking saga built for long winter sessions.

  • Trophies: 51 (1 Gold, 13 Silver, 35 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 3/10
  • Playthroughs: 1
  • Time to Platinum: 100+ hours

Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: Ubisoft
Snowy landscapes, Norse mythology, and endless exploration make this ideal for holiday downtime. It’s sprawling and slow-burning, exactly what winter gaming is for.


Trophy Tip: It’s not a difficult game, but there are a LOT of side activities and collectables, so the best advice here is to chip away at side activities as you go through the story, as leaving them all until the end can feel very overwhelming.


Completionist Note: If you’re aiming for 100%, this game has 8 DLC packs

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider

Snow, survival, and cinematic exploration.

  • Trophies: 66 (1 Gold, 0 Silver, 64 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 4/10
  • Playthroughs: 2
  • Time to Platinum: 40 hours

Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: Epic Games
Siberian tundras, icy tombs, and one of Lara’s strongest outings. It’s cinematic, challenging, and visually stunning.


Trophy Tip: The second playthrough here is for the whole extra game mode: ‘Score Attack’ where you collect and use cards to add modifiers to complete timed runs of levels, but there’s a huge time-saver here: you can use other players’ loadouts from top leaderboard runs. This lets you borrow optimised card setups instead of burning through your own cards (which get used up in a run), making the gold scores you’ll need far more manageable.


Completionist Note: For all you completionists, there are an additional 5 DLC’s included with the game and a total of 125 trophies (including base game trophies).

5. Stardew Valley

Cosy, comforting, and dangerously addictive.

  • Trophies: 41 (4 Gold, 10 Silver, 26 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 6/10
  • Playthroughs: 2
  • Time to Platinum: 100+ hours

Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles
Image source: Steam
Stardew Valley is just one of those games where hours disappear without you noticing. Winter in Stardew is quiet, reflective, and perfectly fits the vibes for this time of year.

Trophy Tip: Long-term trophies require patience, this one’s about consistency, not rushing and if you’re serious about the plat then the SD Wiki is your new best friend, a few must have tabs for me whenever I dive back into a serious session are the gift list and community bundles (note some of the things needed for bundles like crops and fish are season specific so planning ahead can save you waiting untill the season rolls around again).

4. Frostpunk

Cold, cruel, and completely absorbing.

  • Trophies: 64 (5 Gold, 4 Silver, 54 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 9/10
  • Playthroughs: 13
  • Time to Platinum: 100+ hours


Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles

Image source: Pocket Tactics

This one feels like winter. Every decision weighs heavily, every storm feels personal, and the atmosphere is unmatched.

While the platinum may not be for everyone, I thoroughly recommend giving the game a try. It’s unlike anything else, a true masterclass in atmosphere, tension, and moral consequence.


Trophy Tip: This is not a one-and-done platinum. Multiple playthroughs are unavoidable, and you will make mistakes on your first few tries, save often, learn from failure and embrace it, the game is worth enduring the leanring curve, trust me.


Note, some achievements require intentional bad decisions, which feels wrong but is necessary.

3. Death Stranding

Isolation, snowstorms, and emotional weight.

  • Trophies: 63 (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 59 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 3/10
  • Playthroughs: 1
  • Time to Platinum: 100+ hours


Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles

Image source: PlayStation Store
Few games capture winter isolation like Death Stranding, it’s not just snowy, it’s lonely, quiet, and strangely comforting. Gameplay-wise, it’s slow, strange, and oddly soothing, a game that rewards persistence and reflection.

Trophy Tip: Ziplines are your best friend, and setting up zip-line networks early is the biggest time-saver for the platinum. They massively reduce travel time, especially in the snowy mountain regions and make late-game deliveries far more manageable.

2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

A classic and the ultimate winter-time game.

  • Trophies: 51 (1 Gold, 14 Silver, 35 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 5/10
  • Playthroughs: 1
  • Time to Platinum: 125 hours


Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles

Image source: PlayStation Store
Snowy mountains, crackling fires, and endless freedom. Skyrim is winter gaming. Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, it always fits the season.

Trophy Tips: Keep multiple saves, some questlines can conflict if you’re not careful.
Werewolf/Vampire perks are easiest to farm in late-game enemy zones.

Note: For completionists, there are an additional 3 DLC’s and a total of 76 trophies and 1800 points.

1. Hogwarts Legacy

Snow-covered magic and total escapism.

  • Trophies: 46 (2 Gold, 15 Silver, 28 Bronze)
  • Difficulty: 3/10
  • Playthroughs: 1
  • Time to Platinum: 50 hours


Trophy List: PSNProfiles
Platinum Guide: PSNProfiles

Image source: hogwartslegacy.com
Hogwarts in winter, what more do I need to say? This game is just pure comfort. It’s a game that begs you to wander, explore, and lose time, all that, and it look absolutely stunning, especially during winter, gorgeous snowy landscapes, staying warm by your dorm fireplace, and a beautifully decorated Hogsmeade. This is the perfect game to immerse yourself in this holiday period.

Trophy Tips: For the four House-specific trophies, you need four partial playthroughs, but don’t be put off by this; while it is a pain, it’s only ~2 hours per house. You can create a save just before the Sorting Ceremony to reduce the total replay time here as well.

There are a lot of collectables to get, two of the biggest grinds are Merlin Trials and Revilio pages. Aim to do them steadily as you work through the main story to cut down on the tedious grind later.

Honourable Mentions

  • Unpacking: Pure comfort gaming.
  • Firewatch: Quiet, introspective, and atmospheric.
  • SnowRunner: Snowy chaos with patience-testing realism.
  • God of War Ragnarök: Epic winter landscapes with emotional weight.

Final Thoughts 

For me, winter gaming is about immersion, games that let you slow down, settle in, and live in their worlds for a while. Whether you’re chasing platinums or just enjoying the vibes, these are the titles I feel myself gravitating toward with the nights getting longer and colder.

If you’re looking for something cosy, snowy, and binge-worthy this festive season, you can’t go wrong with any of these.

💬 What will you be playing this winter, and are you chasing the platinum?

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