All caught up on Virgin River and just can’t wait for the drama’s sixth season to drop? Or maybe you wish you could escape a chaotic workday with a quick trip to the titular cozy town. Regardless of why the remote, romance-inspiring place is calling to you, Netflix Stories: Virgin River has got you covered like your favorite fleece blanket. 

What kind of game is Virgin River?

The latest addition to Netflix Stories, Virgin River (iOs, Android) essentially serves as an interactive season of the series … starring you. More specifically, it’s a narrative-fueled, character-focused game that allows players to influence and shape its evolving story through choices and interactions.

Broken into multiple chapters — running 20 or so minutes each — Virgin River contains all the hallmarks of the hit series, from blossoming romances and beautiful, outdoorsy environments to a strong, comforting sense of small-town community. Of course, you can also expect a healthy dose of tense plot twists, cliff-hangers, and a little bit of mystery. Best of all, it’s all wrapped in a warm, vibrant style that stays true to the spirit of the series. 

What’s the Virgin River game about?

At a passing glance, this playable version of Virgin River could almost be mistaken for a faithful adaptation of the show. Spend just a few minutes with it, and you’ll soon find yourself chatting up beloved characters — from Mel and Jack to Hope and Doc — and even pulling up a stool at Jack’s Bar. 

But while the game is brimming with familiar faces, favorite locales, and the series’ oh-so-soothing score, it actually spins a totally original tale. Players assume the role of a brand-new character, an out-of-towner who’s temporarily left their big city life behind to attend to a personal matter in the idyllic town.

While visiting, the protagonist gets to addressing the task at hand, which involves settling the affairs of their deceased grandmother they never met. But it’s not long before players find their character — who also happens to be nursing a broken heart — on an emotional journey that mirrors Mel’s in many ways.

How do you play Virgin River?

As a largely narrative experience, Virgin River sees you regularly interacting with characters, for both quick, casual conversations and lengthier exchanges. From the perspective of your personalized avatar, you’ll steer these encounters with simple touch-based prompts.

While many of the inputs will simply progress the interactions to their eventual conclusion, others will offer a trio of selectable dialog options. Picking your desired response might continue the conversation naturally or push into a new, unexpected direction, leading to even more choices.

These branching dialog paths affect your chats in the short term, sometimes injecting a bit of flavor or providing additional details. But they can also significantly impact your personal relationships, as well as the game’s overarching story. So while minor decisions might see you, say, choosing a mocktail over a beer at Jack’s Bar, more critical choices could inform who you end up flirting with or even falling head over heels for. (Make the most of your time in Virgin River with these 6 strategies.)

Is Virgin River accessible to non-gamers?

While the game will feel comfortably familiar to fans of narrative-focused, point-and-click titles or choose-your-own-adventure experiences, you needn’t have existing knowledge of these genres to find romance, friendship, and a comforting sense of community in Virgin River. Forgoing complex controls and complicated features for a story-first fantasy that’s entirely navigated with your thumbs, Virgin River offers an incredibly accessible experience that you can pick up and play.

It also promotes inclusivity, allowing you to choose your name, gender, pronouns, and dating preferences. You can customize your lovesick characters with a variety of body types, hairstyles, and clothing and jewelry.

Do I need to watch Virgin River before playing the game?

Virgin River is full of familiar faces, from main characters like Jack and Mel to supporting favorites such as Preacher and Paige. Most of the game’s postcard-perfect locations are also pulled directly from the series, inviting players to take a load off at Jack’s watering hole or maybe lend a hand at Doc’s office.

While this makes for a more immersive experience for fans who’ve watched the whole series — or even just taken in a few episodes — you needn’t possess any prior knowledge of the show or its cast to appreciate the game. Virgin River puts you in the shoes of a new protagonist, following their own fresh path. Additionally, the game does a good job introducing and fleshing out existing characters, so newcomers never feel lost.

When can I play Virgin River?

You can play it right now by downloading it for free with your Netflix subscription through the mobile app (iOs, Android). 

What’s the maturity rating for the Virgin River game?

Netflix Stories: Virgin River is rated 17+ and is suitable for those aged 17 and older.

Check out more games available for download via the Netflix mobile app.