This cozy tidying sim wracked up millions of views on TikTok — here's why it should be in your library

There’s nothing I like more than playing a game that lets me switch off entirely.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>There’s nothing I like more than playing a game that lets me switch off entirely. Mundane tasks that require minimal brain power are my greatest escape (apart from a good book) and it’s even better when I’m able to gain a deep sense of achievement from completing them. </p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Under the Radar</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><p class="fancy-box__body-text">Under the Radar is our way of highlighting great games that might have passed you by. Through a regular mix of news stories and features, we'll cover great experiences that we feel haven't found the audience they deserve. Read the <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/under-the-radar">full series here</a>.</p></div></div><p>I’ve played countless hours of <em>The Sims 4</em> and <em>Stardew Valley</em> over the years, or more recently <em>Starsand Island</em>. These titles earn their impressive ratings and big sales for providing exactly what cozy gamers like me want – a place to unwind, relax and tick boxes. But, I’m always on the hunt more. Little did I know that an evening scroll on TikTok was about to kick up my next cozy obsession that almost went <a href="https://www.techradar.com/uk/tag/under-the-radar">Under the Radar</a>.</p><p>As if by magic, videos were appearing on my feed of a library littered with thousands of books, all out of place. The players gaze over the chaotic collection with a visual aesthetic akin to <em>Harry Potter</em> saying things like: “You’re seriously telling me I have to put all these back away where they’re supposed to go” and “Oh my god, there’s a second floor.” And that’s when I got really intrigued. </p><p><em>Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Library! </em>is exactly as the name suggests, a game where you become the librarian and <em>must</em> tidy everything up. </p><h2 id="serenely-sorting-shelves">Serenely sorting shelves</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="rjxzMAtdhdf64CB9vGii9N" name="librarian_utr_1" alt="Carrying books in Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Librarian" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rjxzMAtdhdf64CB9vGii9N.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ArtRising / Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s a big, big mess. Huge. There are books strewn everywhere, piled on tables, disordered in corners like some massive puzzle you need to solve. The task is simple, really, even if it does require you to sort out over 3,000 books. But, with a cozy vibe and a lot of time on my hands, I was so utterly ready to get stuck in.</p><p>What <em>Tidy Up the Arcane Library! </em>wants you to do is place all the books on the correct shelves, in the correct order, before you’re allowed to leave. There’s a couple of maps on the walls explaining which category of book belongs on which shelf and to start, you just need to, well, get going.</p><p>Don’t get me wrong, I was a little worried that the sheer mess would unsettle any promise of coziness. It’s not quite the same as tending to your crops or gathering resources, but it was the kind of task I get a kick out of – and I’m hopeful comfort gamers will agree. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="HmtnsBXXu7SU4G7Tc4Hr7N" name="librarian_utr_2" alt="The staircases and ceiling in Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Librarian" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HmtnsBXXu7SU4G7Tc4Hr7N.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ArtRising / Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>It reminds me of silly little tasks I’ve always loved to do like sorting out coins or writing addresses on a tower of envelopes, but no-one ever threw all those coins or envelopes haphazardly across a room and asked me to tidy them up. Fortunately, my worries were quickly cast aside when the game began, offering me the chance to play a specifically-made <em>cozy</em> mode with no time restraints, just chilled out sorting.</p><p>Every time you put a book on the shelf in the right place, it glitters gold and I almost felt like I was shimmering with satisfaction. The dopamine rush in games like these are hard to beat, especially when it’s so simply gained. </p><p>But, if you put a book in the wrong place, there’s no glimmering reward, only a desperation to figure out where it goes instead. But, no bother, I told myself, there are always more books to sort.</p><h2 id="list-slaying">List-slaying</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="yE9x44ZeC4HM5jTedj8stM" name="librarian_utr_4" alt="The magical abilities in a book in Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Librarian" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yE9x44ZeC4HM5jTedj8stM.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ArtRising / Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Now, it’s worth mentioning here that book-sorting isn’t something you have to take on alone. No, you can also harness a little bit of <em>magic</em>. As you begin to fill up shelves correctly, you level up, unlocking points that can be spent on different magical abilities. </p><p>From illuminating the correct shelf for the top book you’re holding to placing the book onto said shelf without you having to lift a finger, it’s entirely up to you if you want to tackle <em>Tidy Up the Arcane Library!</em> without using any magic. But, if you want to protect your peace, I strongly recommend you do.</p><p>It’s also entirely up to you whether you spent your points on all the abilities. I didn’t. While Sort automatically arranges the books in your possession in numerical order, I actually quite liked just taking my time over it, rifling through my books like a proper librarian. But, I did lean heavily on the other abilities to make sure I didn’t go crazy. </p><div class="youtube-video" data-nosnippet ><div class="video-aspect-box"><iframe data-lazy-priority="low" data-lazy-src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fw61OdZYs0g" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><p>I even ended up using those TikTok videos that led me here in the first place to teach me about the hidden keys that transformed me into a much more efficient librarian – carrying more books, moving faster and even jumping.</p><p>I’ve worked in a library, I’ve also worked in a bookshop, but I can safely say that the calmness and magic of <em>Tidy Up the Arcane Library!</em> makes it a far cozier experience than real life, especially with absolutely no customers. </p><p>I’m still clocking up hours in the game taking my sweet, sweet time because I know once it’s over, I’ll miss it. If you're interested in playing too, you can pick it up on <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/4197610/Librarian_Tidy_Up_the_Arcane_Library/" target="_blank">Steam</a>.</p> </article> ]]>