Category: Indie Impressions

Été – Demo Impressions

Colour me in love.

Été

Developer: Impossible

Release Date: Q1 2024

Été is a relaxing painting game where you freely explore a city in the summer, collecting ideas in your album, creating artworks on canvas, and decorating your studio by selling your art to your neighbours.

The tagline for this post was going to be ‘Colour me impressed’, but some how that is not enough to do my feelings towards Été justice. This game is outstanding.

Été is an art game for both artists and none artists alike. If you love the idea of creating art but the idea of picking up a paintbrush fills you with dread, this game solves that in impressive ways.

Gameplay is split into two main parts. The first part is exploring the city, meeting the folks that inhabit it and seeking out opportunities as you go. The second part is creating your own art.

You are a watercolour artist that has just moved into the area. Everywhere you go starts off as, well, a blank canvas. But this isn’t your canvas, you have an easel for that. This is instead, your inspiration that will expand the more time you spend exploring it. As you take in your environment, colour enters the world, building a catalogue of references that you can use in your own art.

Not only is this effect striking on the eyes, the entire art direction of this game is a visual metaphor about inspiration, perspective and seeing the world in a different way. It encourages you to not only absorb the scene around you, but every little mundane object within, as it could be the subject of your next masterpiece.

In the second part of the gameplay, it is your turn to create some art. Using colours that you have unlocked and the objects from the world around you, it is time to add them to your canvas and create some magic. You can move them, scale them, re-order them, re-colour them and for live subjects, choose exactly which frame of their animation you would like to use. Commisions will give you a brief to fulfil, or you can make whatever your heart desires to fill the walls of your own apartment.

Through these modes of gameplay you are free to use your time as you see fit with no pressure other than the end of the day, and all that does is refreshes your energy, readying you for more collection and creating. The world is your oyster and the possibilities are endless.

The first time I saw the trailer I was reminded of The Unfinished Swan but after playing, they are barely comparable at all. Using colour to reveal the environment is the only similarity. Été is way more akin to Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist, but of course with its own look, feel and mechanics. I was completely blown away by this demo, this is a must play for me and I urge anyone to give it a go.

Demo Length – The demo lasts for 7 in-game days. I played for over 2 hours which was 5 in-game days. Progress will not transfer to the full game.

At a glance
+ The game is completely stunning.
+ You do not need to be good at art (particularly drawing or painting) to express yourself or get a lot out of this game.
+ Freedom to focus on commisions or take as much time as you like exploring, discovering new things, collecting subjects and decorating your apartment.
+ Optional collectathon.
+ The purpose of exploration may make you see the world differently.
+ Exploration is rewarded by expanding your creative options.
+ I didn’t encounter a single bug.
+ Never once felt limited by my options on the canvas (in fact kept being blown away).
+ It is fun to see your art fill the world as you hand in commisions.

More demo impressions here…
More from Steam Next Fest October 2023 here…

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Nom Nom Cozy Forest Café – Demo Impressions

I’ve never been cozier.

Nom Nom Cozy Forest Cafe

Developer: Anaïs Salla

Release Date: Coming Soon

Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café is a cozy and relaxing decoration and rhythm game where you manage a café and befriend cute animals.

The demo for Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café is short but sweet. I like cute things, but I have a blurry, undefined line where too much cute has the opposite effect and pushes me away. Where it begins and ends is a mystery, but I just wanted to be clear that cute on its own generally doesn’t do it for me. Nom Nom stays on exactly the right side of the line while somehow making me feel the need to squeal with delight with everything I do.

I don’t know exactly how the core gameplay loop is going to go just from playing the demo, but meeting characters, creating designs for products such as cookies, drinks and t-shirts, and decorating your café are certainly a large part of it. Something else that I know for certain is that I want to meet every one of the characters that were teased so that I can marvel at their impossibly adorable character design.

This game is actually providing a service that I have wanted for a long time. Every so often I get the urge to decorate food. Cakes, cookies, either works. The only thing is, it never turns out great and I end up ‘decorating’ the entire kitchen in the process. I don’t know how I do it, but it happens often enough that I know better than to divulge in these urges, lest I be cleaning chocolate from the walls and my hair. Then, I end up with a tonne of sweet treats that I WILL eat in two days because splitting them between two days is the best my self control can do.

I know I am not the only one out there like this, and I am honestly excited at the prospect of this game taking those urges away by making some digital delights instead. These, as well as taking place in an aesthetically pleasing, well polished, user friendly environment that is clearly made by someone very passionate and talented at what they do, is why I wanted to highlight this game!

Demo Length – It depends how much time you want to spend designing cookies. The demo only contains one design slot. I played for 30 mins.

At a glance
+ Difficulty options for the rhythm game so you can customise your experience.
+ Soo many options for decorating the cookies, I wanted to make so many different types.
+ Love the pixel drawing, it is simple enough while also being precise.
+ Character designs are ADORABLE.
+ Furniture is stylish and customisable.
+ Full game features listed at the end of the demo sound fun.
+ Everything works so smoothly
+ It’s just so cute.
+/- Since this demo felt like a teaser, I am unsure on what the gameplay loop of the full game is going to be.

More demo impressions here…
More from Steam Next Fest October 2023 here…

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Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor – Early Impressions

I dig it.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Developer: Funday Games

Release Date: Q1 2024

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a single player survivor-like auto-shooter. Wield the full arsenal of Deep Rock Galactic, take on hordes of lethal aliens, mine riches, and unlock powerful upgrades. It’s one dwarf against all of Planet Hoxxes!

In case you don’t know, the idea of the ‘survivor-like’ genre is like a giant game of tag. Everyone is ‘it’, they are all monsters and if they touch you, you aren’t going to live for much longer. In order to survive, you have weapons that automatically trigger on a cool down basis. Every enemy you kill drops XP which you can then collect to upgrade your weapons and your character, never allowing you to be too far away from the chaos as you retrace the trail of death in your wake, absorbing all of the gains along the way.

Stemming from the game-changing innovation that is Vampire Survivors, these games are particularly popular on the go as runs tend to be relatively short and meta progression can make even a dud run worthwhile. They don’t tend to require memorising buttons, making them very easy and satisfying to pick up as a palate cleanser between other games.

What makes Deep Rock Galactic: Survivors stand out among an ever-growing genre isn’t necesserily just the IP. The digging mechanic opens up a breadth of possibilities that takes engagement up to a whole new level. Not only are you playing this game of extreme dodgeball, having the ability to mine resources forces you to choose how you want to spend your time, how much risk you are willing take to become more powerful, gives you something to juggle in the opening minutes of the level and opens up manoeuvrability options that can save your life, or get you killed.

I had 3 runs, the third of which got me my first clear. It was intense, the adrenaline was high and I got out by the skin of my teeth. The difficulty rising throughout the levels feels consistant, every run giving you more information and a chance to be better equipped than the last.

While I haven’t played enough of either Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor or Vampire Survivors to make definitive statements, this game has huge potential to have the holding power that Vampire Survivors didn’t quite have for me. I highly recommend giving this one a try if you are even slightly curious. The game doesn’t hold your hand but the learning curve truly is a pleasure.

Demo Length – As long as you want, there is quite a bit of content. There is a disclaimer that it probably wont transfer to the full game. I played for 1hr 30mins.

At a glance
+ Outstanding Survivor-like.
+ Visually easy to read.
+ Mining adds an entirely new strategic layer.
+ Enemy variety.
+ Lot’s of content.
+ Runs feel well paced.
+ Satisfying progression.
+ The components of Deep Rock Galactic blend exceptionally well into this genre.
+/- Progress is probably not going to transfer over to the full game.

More demo impressions here…
More from Steam Next Fest October 2023 here…

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Jusant – Demo Impressions

Where did the tide go?

Jusant

Developer: DON’T NOD

Release Date: 31 October 2023

Jusant(n.): a French nautical term for a receding tide

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past

Jusant opens with an understated screen. It reads ‘Jusant(n.): a French nautical term for a receding tide’. This is followed by a wordless cutscene, setting the scene of a sprawling wasteland, a mass grave littered with the remains of sea vessels as far as the eye can see. Not a word was spoken, and it didn’t need to be.

Our protagonist appears over the horizon, seemingly not of our world, carrying what can only be presumed to be precious cargo. They approach a towering cliff, a grand spectacle so tall that it fades into the clouds above, and thus begins Jusant.

There is no shortage of wildlife, contrasting the eerie stillness of the abandoned cliff village with the bustle of nature, bringing the environment to life. But a question remains, where are the people? and that is just one question of many that I have from playing this stunning demo.

Was the receding tide expected in this clearly nautical nation, did it used to be stable, where did it go and who are we? These are things that I hope that we will find out along the way. All that we know about the world are the items surrounding us left behind by the former inhabitents, and the letters that we find along the way offering a window into a past life.

It may be clear that the world enraptured me so much that the gameplay felt secondary to me. So far it is simple and forgiving, and while that might not be up everyone’s alley, I personally find it complements the pensive tone by giving us the ability to keep pressing forward on our journey for answers.

I dont know whether the full game will deliver on the Journey or Brothers: Tale of Two Sons-esque feelings that I am getting, whether the difficulty will ramp up or whether all of my questions will be answered. But one thing that is for sure is that I am really looking forward to finding out.

Demo Length – 1 hour.

At a glance
+ Fascinating world.
+ Unique setting.
+ Stunning vistas.
+ Gets the imagination going.
+ The creatures in this world.
+ I was feeling emotions without being told to feel emotions.
+/- It isn’t difficult.
+/- I looked for secrets but I didn’t really find any. May be a dissapointing thing but it is good to know early how thoroughly you have to look into every nook and cranny.
– A little buggy.

More demo impressions here…
More from Steam Next Fest October 2023 here…

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Crime Scene Cleaner – Demo Impressions

Continuously kicking the bucket.

Crime Scene Cleaner

Developer: President Studio

Release Date: 2024

Once you get tangled with the mob, you will forever be a part of the mob. At least they pay a decent salary and all you have to do is clean up after their dirty work, but you know what you’re doing. So clean crime scenes, outsmart the police, and get ready for the next mission.

I am unsure whether I should be ashamed to admit that out of the 35 demos I currently have to try, Crime Scene Cleaner is the one that I absolutely had to try first. But crimes, fixing crime scenes, virtual cleaning, secret handouts… there is no shame there, that is a winning recipe if I ever saw one. The real shame lies when I skip my own chores to conscientiously scrub the splattered viscera of the former owners from every surface of their enviable mansion, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

This demo exceeded my expectations in just about every way. As a PowerWash Simulator appreciator and someone that is eagerly awaiting House Flipper 2, my curiosity was piqued but I could not have imagined that this would – in my opinion – live up to both of those titles. Sure, you don’t have the design options that you have in House Flipper and you don’t have the unlimited water that you have in PowerWash Sim, but this game brings other mechanics to the table.

In Crime Scene Cleaner we are playing as a character with a personality and a life. His one liners are consistantly fun, almost feeling like an homage to a horror protagonist. School janitor by day, alternative janitor by night, we are trying to earn money to be able to pay for the treatment of our seriously ill daughter. Not only do we need to clean up the horrendous crime scenes but we have to manage our suspicion levels as we decide how much of the crime scene we can get away with quietly taking for ourselves.

I never realised I wanted a gory cozy game but so far, that is exactly what this game feels like for me and I eagerly await the full experience.

Demo Length – 2 hours. Certainly won’t take that long for everyone but I wanted the place to be spotless and kept finding secrets upon secrets rather than the dining chair that I was looking for.

At a glance
+ Level design
+ Satisfaction
+ Felt like a great tutorial
+ Potential for depth to the game beyond only cleaning
+ A charming amount of jank
+ Secrets
+ Humour
+ The character we are playing as has a personality
+/- This is not going to appeal to everyone
– I had a couple of UI/visual bugs, I have reported them to the devs!

More demo impressions here…
More from Steam Next Fest October 2023 here…

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Indie Showcase – Steam Next Fest February 2023

It is Steam Next Fest time! That’s right, it is once again time to celebrate the indie games being created day in day out, all around the world! I love to take this opportunity to play as many demos as possible, trying out as many as I can in my never ending quest to see what passionate developers are creating.

If you are looking for coverage of all genres I’m afraid you won’t find it here. Racing games, rhythm games, deck builders, challenging games, shooters and horror (with a couple of exceptions) are absolutely not my genres. Personally, I am not terribly interested in combat or anything too fast paced. I very occasionally dabble in management games, survival games and simulators but they aren’t my biggest focus. The types of games I am looking for include interesting narratives and ways to tell said narratives. I like exploring interesting spaces and moving in interesting ways. Level design, world building, art direction, story and atmosphere all matter a great deal to me. Whether that is a cozy time gathering materials to craft objects, or a thrilling time investigating a grisly murder. An epic adventure across lands unheard, or an intimate story one can only experience by playing for themself. I game for feelings and I game for escapism. I game for different perspectives and I game for art. Finally, as we all do, I game for fun.

Now that you have an idea of my tastes, shall we begin the search for my Noob Picks of the Steam Next Fest February 2023!? Let’s go!

Wishlisting a game on steam helps the creators by aiding in discoverability as well as keeping you informed, so if you see something that you like then don’t be shy about hitting the Wishlist button.

And that is a wrap on the Steam Next Fest February 2023! You can find my 10 favourite demos below and if you are interested in seeing more, I have created some YouTube Shorts.

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened

Developer: Frogwares

Release Date: Q1 2023

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened was added to my wishlist the second that it was announced. Last year I streamed both Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment and Sherlock Holmes: The Devils Daughter, and while they weren’t perfect games, we had a lot of fun with them. I have yet to play Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, but when I saw a demo for The Awakened I was tentatively excited. This game is a reimagining of the 2008 game of the same name. I have no experience of that version so I can only talk in the context of the previous titles that I know.
The game plays similarly to Crimes and Punishment and The Devils Daughter, but also feels noticeably different. Firstly, this takes place in a Lovecraftian world, so naturally it is going to have a different atmosphere. But beyond that, based on the demo, I am thrilled by the changes they have made. There are too many to list but it feels tighter. The mechanics simultaneously feel easier, make more sense and yet feel more tricky. The demo did drop us in the middle of the game so I can’t speak for the story, except for how much I loved what I played. It had the drama that I have grown to expect from both the cinematics and the character alike.

+ Made in Ukraine.
+ I really like what I have seen from this version of the character.
+ The environments look great.
+ The Lovecraft influence lends very well to the timeframe and setting of Sherlock Holmes.
+ Fun detective gameplay.
+ Drama.
+ The end of the demo. If you know, you know.
+ An optional environment scan to highlight clues you may have missed.
+ New added mechanics like pinning clues to your HUD, which in turn effects the clues you may find.
+/- The new systems have a chance of making the game more difficult.
– Facial animations and hair textures aren’t quite as good as everything else is visually.

Highly recommend this one, here is the Steam page.

Lakeburg Legacies

Developer: Ishtar Games

Release Date: Q2 2023

Lakeburg Legacies is the city building management game that I had no idea that I wanted, but now that I have tried it, boy do I know it. The unique mechanic in this game is that you are recruiting individuals with specific skills, interests and desires to live in your village. You then play matchmaker, finding an individual that is compatible to be their partner while also hopefully having the skills you need to fill in your job market. As time passes and you build more resources, the city grows, as do the number of residents and their families. You are free to choose where they work where the more skilled they are, the more they produce.

If you enjoy management games and/or city builders but often find yourself overwhelmed, this could be the game that you are looking for. I didn’t find it too difficult but I did find it very satisfying. Not to mention the attention to detail is great. The sheer number of ways that a character can look means all of my villagers are individual, and their outfit changes depending on the job that they have. This individuality makes the happiness meter feel like more than just a number like it often feels in other games of its kind, and instead something that feels a lot easier and more interesting for me to engage with.

+ Really fun management loop.
+ Attention to detail.
+ Nice to look at and easy on the eye.
+ Huge variety in portraits.
+ Lots of choices to make without too much micromanaging.
+/- Not too difficult (again, whether this is a good thing or not depends on what you are looking for).

If this interests you, you can find out more here on Steam.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain

Developer: Chibig, Nukefist

Release Date: 2023

My initial impression of Mika and the Witch’s Mountain was if Death Stranding and A Short Hike had a child. I don’t think I was that far off, but I would perhaps replace Death Stranding with Lake. In the Demo, we play as Mika, who must climb to the peak of a mountain to prove she can be the witch that she desires to be. As misfortune has it, all she has to her name is a broken broom. Thankfully, there is a job opening at a local delivery service in which her ability to fly makes her the perfect candidate. We proceed to deliver packages in the village, swooping and diving, on a mission to buy a suitable broom for the journey. Combining fun, unique movement mechanics with a delivery game feels like the next step for a sub-genre that appears to be growing, particularly in the indie scene.

+ The cutscenes are adorably animated.
+ The world is full of critters, bringing it to life.
+ Movement is fun.
+ A sense of freedom.
+/- Seems to have a progression loop of – do jobs to get better equiptment, which allows you to do more difficult jobs, to get more equiptment.

Check out the Steam page for more information.

Mineko’s Night Market

Developer: Meowza Games

Release Date: Coming Soon

When you think of crafting in video games, I think it is quite natural to think of gathering resources to create weapons, tools, better resources, armour, alchemy and sometimes furniture. It’s not very often that you would think of hand crafts, like paper crafts and flower crafts. That’s where Mineko’s Night Market comes in. Set on a Japanese Island, it didn’t take long to get a sense of a cute and hilarious culture that I would like to spend more time in. The demo was very short with no sense of how the ‘Night Market’ side of the game will actually play out, but it charmed me so much based on exploring and chatting to the townsfolk that I am already sold on the game. All I want to do is help this village become again what it once was. In addition, the 2D/3D design blend together to craft something as beautiful as you would hope that a game about crafting would deliver.

+ The art style means that every frame looks like it could be a still painting in a very distinctive style.
+ The character design is fun, they all have character.
+ Made me laugh more than once.
+ The location feels culturally wonderful.
+ Feels seamless and well made.
+ Cats.
– My only complaint is that I didn’t realise that I could run till the end of the demo, if there was a prompt I missed it and one area is quite big, making the walk speed feel very slow.

Wishlist it on Steam here.

Boxes: Lost Fragments

Developer: Big Loop Studios

Release Date: Coming Soon

In Boxes: Lost Fragments, we are solving puzzles to open intricate boxes, locked by mechanisms that are even more complex than the puzzles themselves. Although I admittedly haven’t played The Room – aesthetically, it feels very similar. I feel fans of one could certainly find enjoyment in the other. Each box that you open is contained within its own level, but the process of opening it is a journey in itself. The fun and elaborate designs make opening a lock exciting as you don’t know what wild mechanical process it is about to set in motion. The gameplay is smooth, it looks great and while what is happening on the screen can look complicated, the beauty of the demo was in its simplicity.

+ The way the boxes change as a result of your actions is satisfying.
+ Lovely graphics.
+ Smooth as heck.
+/- I found the puzzles quite easy (I have no idea whether to expect them to get more difficult or not and whether that is a good thing or not depends on the individual).

You can take a look for yourself on Steam here.

The End of the Sun

Developer: The End of the Sun Team

Release Date: Q4 2023

In The End of the Sun we travel to the past, guided by fire to aid in peoples fates. This is a walking simulator in which we identify what is going wrong and figure out ways to fix it, following the journey of a couple throughout their life. The game is gorgeous, and the Slavic mythology and design really bring the atmosphere to life. I want more, to learn more about both the lifestyle of these folks and the folklore surrounding them.

+ Gorgeous scenery.
+ A fun, unique idea for a walking sim.
+ The atmosphere.
+ The way that you can feel the culture and time period in the environment.
+ The mythology.
+ The game directs the player without explicitly telling you what to do.
+ Guardian Angel Simulator?

Check it out here.

The Star Named EOS

Developer: Silver Lining Studio

Release Date: Coming Soon

From the creators of Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery is this relaxing point and click puzzle game. Or at least, the demo was relaxing. During my 30 minutes with the game I solved an escape room style puzzle in a beautiful art style along side some very chilled out music. Throughout this time, we get to know a little about our character and his relationship with his mother. The section played gave off the energy of love, creativity, and mindfulness. I assumed that this is how the rest of the game will be too, until the end. As I reached the abrupt finish, I am left wondering whether this is after all going to be a chill, peaceful experience, or is it going to break my heart instead?

+ Art style is nice to look at.
+ Fun puzzles.
+ I like the positive messaging so far.
+ Chill vibes.
+ Taking photos can reveal more story and flavour.
+/- Unsure whether it is going to stay chill.
+/- The demo wasn’t about the finding a good angle or correct lighting side of photography.
+/- Can be played entirely with the mouse. All movement is click and drag.
– There is some vaguely hint-y text as you explore, but I personally would have preferred a dedicated hint system.

For more information check out the Steam page here.

Planet of Lana

Developer: Wishfully

Release Date: Q2 2023

Planet of Lana is a side-scrolling, puzzle adventure game that takes you on a journey through a sci-fi narrative. Many games of this type are going to be compared to Inside as it is a classic and a staple of the genre. I am pleased to say that this game really feels like its own fresh take while still having a somewhat familiar style. The colours are vibrant, giving the world life in a surprisingly soft way. While we are only told the story through the world and haven’t yet seen much of it, I am sold on the idea that this is a world worth protecting. As appealing as the environments are, there are dangers both big and small, bringing a nerve-wracking contrast to the peace and beauty. Finally, a key detail that separates this game from others like it is that we have a friend. Not only do we control Lana, she then controls an adorable little chinchilla-monkey critter. Having two controllable characters in puzzles creates moving parts that you can’t really create in a single character scenario. The game may take your breath away with the vistas, or cause you to hold it in intense stealth moments. Either way, it is sure to be quite a ride.

+ Stunning backdrop.
+ The little friend adds to the narrative and the gameplay.
+ The contrast of the enemies is effective.
+ The eco-system makes the world feel alien but alive.
+ Something new for Inside fans.
+/- I get the impression that there is going to be quite a bit of stealth.
+/- Some of the enemies in the demo were based on fast moving spiders, it will probably work well for most people but this is just a personal bummer as I don’t hate spiders and am starting to fatigue of how they are treat in media (and as an extension in society) as a whole.

Try it out for yourself here.

A Tower Full of Cats

Developer: Devcats

Release Date: 2023

A Tower Full of Cats – a continuation of A Building Full of Cats and A Castle Full of Cats – is a hidden object game where you have to find, wait for it, cats! Depending on your personality type, you may meditatively scour the environment, precisely clicking everytime you find a little fury delight. Alternatively, you may furiously click everything you see (or don’t see) in a slightly different kind of meditation. Either way, this game provides a little humour and observation training in an easy to use, well presented package. I would love a game like this on mobile to play on the go using touchscreen. The best part? The game is developed entirely by 5 rescue cats.

+ Cats being cats.
+ The doodles are very charming.
+ Search your way through different themes.
+ The music is great and themed to each location.
+ The way colour is used.
+ Therapeutic.
+ Adopt don’t shop.
+/- There is not a whole lot to it, it’s like an interactive Where’s Wally.
– I imagine I will get frustrated if I have used my hint and have a single cat left to find.

Wishlist here on Steam.

Voltaire: The Vegan Vampire

Developer: Digitality Games

Release Date: 27th February 2023

While Voltaire isn’t a game that I will personally continue, I have to give it a shout-out. It is quirky and whimsical while being cute – but not in an overbearing way. It would be easy to think this game was like Cult of the Lamb based on the fact this has base building aspects in the rogue-lite genre, not to mention the art style. But when you start playing you realise that it isn’t really like that at all. Rather than dungeon crawling – slaying any enemies in your path through procedurally generated areas – the enemies will come to you. Expect tower defence as you are protecting your home and land. Hunger is your biggest currency and you have to divide your attention between growing plants to satiate that, and deciding which plots to give up to protect the plants, ensuring that you still have a yield by the time the sun rises. There is a learning curve that is a bit beyond me, but if you enjoy tower defence then you should certainly check it out. The awesome opening cutscene set up the charm that follows and I really hope that this game finds it’s audience.

+ Great animated opening cutscene.
+ Charming concept and execution.
+ Lots of decisions to be made.
+ Randomised perks were exciting.
+/- Tower defence/base building rogue-lite.
+/- Complexity.

More info here on Steam.

This is the second festival that I have covered under the Indie Showcase name, the first being October 2022 where I created a magazine. If you would like to check out any of my previous coverage please take a look at the links below!

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12 Days of Game Pass 2022 Round Up

Last month I sat down to start my first Let’s Play since Exit/Corners. I was so excited to get back to recording. Just me, the game, the freedom of recording whenever felt good, and the flexibility of being able to take a moment and edit it out. What I didn’t anticipate was the colossal struggle of deciding what I wanted to play. Often, it is not until you begin a game that you know whether you should have recorded or streamed it, which resulted in me staring at my screen in complete decision paralysis.

Then, all of a sudden – there was a lightbulb. Christmas was coming and there were still a few weeks to prepare if I wanted to do a special series. I was too late for an advent calender scenario (in hindsight after 21 hours of recording, thank goodness), but the 12 Days of Christmas doesn’t start till Christmas day. Score!

I immediatly knew that this would be a perfect opportunity for me to finally try out some different games that I have had my eye on. I decided on Game Pass because games can leave at any time and I rarely have a subscription, so if I wanted to get through some of my ‘Play Later’ list I would need to hustle. I painstakingly managed to whittle the list of 70+ games down to 12, and looking at the result – I was extremely excited about it.

Day 1 – Valheim (Early Access 2021)

Valheim is a brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally-generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!

Back when this game released – when everyone’s life temporarily became consumed with exploring the mysterious lands, building the fanciest buildings and voyages to collect lost equiptment – I didn’t have access to join in myself. This is probably for the better because I can be known to lose myself to games from time to time. While I think that I barely scratched the surface in my look at the game, I was very pleased to finally have the opportunity to do so.

I definitely wanted to play more when I was done, but I have found that the more games that I have played since then, the less tempted I was to go back. At this point, I have played the beginning of many survival games. Sadly though, it is very rare that I get hooked and while I still could go back to it, it has moved down the priority list far enough that I could be ok leaving it there.

Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me.

Day 2 – Undertale (2015)

Welcome to UNDERTALE. In this RPG, you control a human who falls underground into the world of monsters. Now you must find your way out…or stay trapped forever.

Undertale was one of those legendary games for me where I feel like I have heard whispers here and there, but in reality knew virtually nothing about it. As a result, the main desire to play it came from a curiosity and ability to add it to my game reference archives rather than excitement to play the actual game itself. That probably heavily adds to the surprise of how much I loved playing this game. Of the titbits that I had heard, not one thing had lead me to believe that this game was going to be half as funny as it is. That alone would be enough for me to continue, but the intrigue to see where it is going is also strong enough that I didn’t want to put it down.

Now that I have completed this series, Undertale is at the bottom of the Let’s Play priority list purely because I feel like it isn’t going to be easy to pick back up. I also have no idea if I have screwed myself with the choices I have made so I am conflicted as to whether I need to do a little research before diving back in. Don’t worry though, I certainly have to see it through at some point.

Ranking – Continue playing online.

Day 3 – As Dusk Falls (2022)

As Dusk Falls is an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT that explores the entangled lives of two families across thirty years. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona, the choices you make have a powerful impact on the characters’ lives in this uncompromising story of betrayal, sacrifice and resilience.

I am so surprised I didn’t jump on this earlier. It feels like an alternative to a Telltale or a Quantic Dream game, which are some of my absolute favourites. Add in that one of the primary genres – at least in the first chapter – is thriller. How did I not play this sooner?! As opposed to a horror narrative like a Supermassive game (Until Dawn, Man of Medan), I can play this and experience making stressful decisions without the need for reassurance and distractions from the atmosphere. That makes this the perfect game for a Let’s Play as it is exactly the type of content that I love to record. I am always curious to what my gut instincts are in these difficult situations and what happens as a result. It is going to be a lot of fun returning to this and the chapters make for good episode dividers which is always handy for me.

Ranking – Continue playing online.

Day 4 – Deaths Door (2022)

Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a Crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death – where creatures grow far past their expiry and overflow with greed and power.

I really enjoyed this game. I loved the concept, I loved exploring the weird world and I loved my little character. I certainly want to continue it, the only hesitation I have is the difficulty. I managed well enough with the combat so far, but I am concerned that I will get stuck and drop off, which I don’t like to do with a series that I am sharing if I can help it. If I do continue online it will be a Let’s Play because that means I can edit any repetitive failures into death montages. I am going to play the other games first then reassess, but if you would like to see it then please let me know. Same goes for all the other games in question as if there is external interest then I will make special effort to continue it online.

Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline.

Day 5 – Citizen Sleeper (2022)

You are a sleeper, a digitised human consciousness in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants you back. Thrust amongst the unfamiliar and colourful inhabitants of the Eye, you need to build friendships, earn your keep, and navigate the factions of this strange metropolis, if you hope to survive to see the next cycle.

Ahhh, Citizen Sleeper. I was nervous about trying this one as I knew it was going to be a lot of reading. To top it off, I got sick and lost my voice right as this was my next game to play. So, as much as I heard good things, I was entering this one with an ever so slight dread in my mind. It didn’t take long, however, before I was enraptured in the world. You know it is a good game when you want to keep going and going despite the reading out loud. The further I got and the more mechanics I learned, I was more and more won over by the game, leading it to be my favourite in the entire bunch. At the time of this post it is likely that the Let’s Play has already begun as I am planning on continuing this game first! Don’t sleep on it (hur hur hur).

Ranking – Continue playing online.

Day 6 – Signalis (2022)

Awaken from slumber and explore a surreal retrotech world as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost partner and her lost dreams. Discover terrifying secrets, challenging puzzles, and nightmarish creatures in a tense and melancholic experience of cosmic dread and classic psychological survival horror.

I tried really hard with this one. This game is well loved by a lot of people and I wanted to see why. It is just unfortunate that in survival horror, both survival and horror stress me out massively. This was the first excessively long video as I knew that once I put the game down it was likely I wouldn’t be able to pick it back up, so I wanted to see as much as I could. All things considered, I think I did pretty well! It is awesome to have the classically influenced genre in an entirely new style. It feels modern and old school at the same time.

The great thing is, as much as I suffer with survival horror, I LOVE watching other people suffer through it. So even though I won’t be continuing the game, I will certainly enjoy watching someone else’s playthrough and enjoy it vicariously.

Ranking – That’s enough for me.

Day 7 – Exo One (2021)

A strange signal… an alien craft… Exo One is an interplanetary, gravity-defying journey through space and time.

This is another game that I was nervous to record. I had it recommended and wanted to give it a try as it felt like the type of game that could leave the service before I get around to playing it. From what I understood about the game, I was worried that there was going to be a lot of downtime with nothing to talk about. There certainly was a lot of downtime, but each uniquely beautiful environment seemed to offer enough intrigue to fill the gaps, in a game that also seems well suited to some flow state meditative time.

At the time of recording I decided that it was enough. I reached a point that felt appropriate to stop and called it there. However, for a reason that I cant quite put my finger on, this game stayed in my mind. It could be that we made good progress or it could be a fear of missing out, but not finishing it isn’t sitting right with me. So I think I will actually update my ranking from ‘That’s enough for me’ to ‘Continue Offline’.

Ranking – Continue offline/That’s enough for me.

Day 8 – Spore (2008)

Be the architect of your own universe with Spore, an exciting single-player adventure available for download to your PC. Will you be a bloodthirsty carnivore destined to crush your competitors, or a gentle herbivore seeking out stronger allies to enforce your quiet way of life?

This game is adorable. Seeing where we started and where we ended up is so entertaining and fascinating to me. From weird little critter to slightly bigger weird critter, I am still curious to see how far the game goes. The fun part about it is that everyone’s game is going to be slightly different. I am definitely more interested in the evolution and creation than the rest of the gameplay, but it kept a pace so that you were never far away from your next adaptation. The rest of the gameplay was made more interesting by the other weird critters that you can meet. I am unsure why the game isn’t calling me back, but at the same time I don’t think I can uninstall it until I’ve at least played a little more.

Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me.

Day 9 – Kentucky Route Zero (2013)

KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO: TV EDITION is a magical realist adventure game in five acts, featuring a haunting electronic score, and a suite of hymns and bluegrass standards recorded by The Bedquilt Ramblers. Rendered in a striking visual style that draws as much from theater, film, and experimental electronic art as it does from the history of videogames, this is a story of unpayable debts, abandoned futures, and the human drive to find community.

It is funny how there are so many individual things that I like about this one, but as a whole it didn’t really capture my attention or imagination. I enjoyed the freedom of being able to talk to people then explore the map, seeking out the places they talked about. It felt fantastic that I found a place that was just mentioned off hand when my objective was to go elsewhere. The issue was that I didn’t really feel any pay off from it. Things were weird but I don’t know why they were weird, and even whether to expect any explanations or just more weird.

The thing I liked the most was the art style. It is distinctively simple and effective, and I loved the use of shapes. I am still interested in continuing the game, I am just unsure whether I should record it as there is no way of knowing whether it is going to fall flat for me or not. It will be interesting to see how it developed over the years, but I can see that by playing it myself. Do let me know if you would like to see more.

Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline.

Day 10 – No Man’s Sky (2016)

In No Man’s Sky, every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose. Fly smoothly from deep space to planetary surfaces, with no loading screens, and no limits. In this infinite procedurally generated universe, you’ll discover places and creatures that no other players have seen before – and perhaps never will again.

For whatever reason, I did not expect this game to be such a survival game. I knew it was about exploration but it has all the fundamentals that I have seen in survival games before. The great thing about this though is that you can customise to your heart’s content.

I did enjoy my time with it but I am beginning to think that survival games in general aren’t for me. The introductions and tutorials tend to either be very long and by the time I get freedom I have had enough, or very short with no direction and I lose patience trying to figure it out. That, combined with either a lack of a beginning direction or a lack of an end goal and I should probably conclude that I am not the target audience for the genre. Having said all of that, I am glad to see that this game turned everything around from release and has turned into a vast game with lots to discover, should you choose to.

Ranking – That’s enough for me.

Day 11 – Opus: Echo of Starsong (2021)

Asteroids emitting a sound known as “Starsongs” have become the center of conflict for the immense power they hold. Determined to claim asteroids of his own, a young man ventures out with a girl who can imitate starsongs, lending her voice to unravel an ancient myth deep in the heart of space.

I am not sure whether it comes through on the video – I think I hid it well enough – but I honestly shouldn’t have recorded on this day. I did it because I was on a schedule but I was so exhausted, I probably should have rescheduled. Having said that, if there was any game that I could have played while feeling that way it was this one. The story moved along at a good pace to stay engaged. The world was fictional enough to capture the imagination yet familiar enough with its politics. It was easy to play, nice to look at and is told from a perspective that I feel is more common in movies than games, which happens to work very well in my opinion. The characters are imperfect which makes choices fun, and I definitely would like to see more of the story. It is just a huge shame that the voice acting isn’t in English. Please let me know if you would like to see more of this one.

Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline.

Day 12 – Tunic (2022)

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure. Stranded in a ruined land, and armed with only your own curiosity, you will confront colossal beasts, collect strange and powerful items, and unravel long-lost secrets.

Tunic swooped in at the end there to claim the title of my second favourite game in this series. It is very similar to Death’s Door in genre, gameplay and perspective, but with an entirely different vibe. Both of these games have similarities to the Souls series and as a fan from a distance, it is wonderful to get to have the things I like about that series in a game that is more my style. The exploration and level design is wonderful, and the lack of direct information elevates the achievement of figuring something out, as well as the mystery of the land. It is colourful, satisfying, and the accessibility features give me the confidence to definitely pursue this one as a Let’s Play. I cannot wait to get back in there and find a god damn shield!

Ranking – Continue playing online.

The best part about doing this series is not only that I got to experience so many games, but it has also given me a great insight in to the types of games that I would like to play on the channel. Since then, I have created a bigger list of games that I would like to record, so I have plenty of options when my Game Pass runs out. This has been an experiment, a challenge and a joy all at once, and I am so glad that I managed to get it finished in the planned timescale without sacrificing any quantity or quality (I did sacrifice my Christmas Eve so rip to that, but it was worth it). I hope you guys had at least some of the fun that I had. Thankfully, this was just the beginning. I now have the pleasure of actually playing these games!

Definitely continuing as Let’s Plays

  • Undertale
  • As Dusk Falls
  • Citizen Sleeper
  • Tunic

Potentially continuing as Let’s Plays

  • Death’s Door
  • Kentucky Route Zero
  • Opus: Echo of Starsong

Along side this post I am going to run some Twitter Polls to see if I can gauge interest in the games I am unsure about so please look out for those!

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Indie Game Festivals – 2021 Releases

I recently made a post about a bunch of the Indie Games that have released this year, of who’s demos I had played over the years. Since I didn’t cover all the Indie Game Festivals as comprehensively as I would have liked at the time, I decided to do the same thing again except this time, for games that got their releases last year. This still feels relevant as thankfully, the games havent gone anywhere. In fact, now may be better than ever what with updates and such.

4th February 2021 – NUTS – Joon, Pol, Muutsch, Char & Torfi

NUTS is a single-player walking simulator surveillance mystery. Record the squirrels, report your findings, and piece together what’s really going on in Melmoth Forest.

This games striking art style grabbed my attention almost as much as the premise. We play as a sort of wildlife watcher. Our job is to place cameras and watch them each night, in order to track the movements of Squirrels. I really enjoyed both the puzzle of the tracking and the potential of the story that is being told through it.

You can get the game for yourself here on Steam

18th February 2021 – Lemon Cake – Cozy Bee Games

Restore an abandoned bakery and prepare pastries from farm to table! Grow fresh ingredients in the greenhouse, cook pastries & sweets in the kitchen and serve your baked goods to hungry customers in your own shop!

Lemon Cake is an especially cute bakery management game. The adorable art and the cozy vibes made this a pleasant experience all around. Eloise from Cozy Bee Games is also very open with her development, sharing her designs and progress on Twitter and Twitch!

Here is a link to the Steam Page

26th February 2021 – Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery – Kiary Games

Everybody are missing in a town. Find the answers of town mystery in a point and click adventure game with escape the room mechanics

I love escape room games. Tiny Room Stories: Town Mysteries features escape rooms – or escape buildings/areas – each in their own little dioramas, connected by an ongoing story. The difficulty was perfect for me to make it an enjoyable experience that I want more of.

Check it out on Steam here.

22nd July 2021 – Song of Farca – Wooden Monkeys

Hack into crime scenes, look for evidence, analyze data, interrogate criminals, track suspects and deal with the consequences of your decisions. This is a dark and brutal detective story with a Black Mirror-esque atmosphere of digital dominance and the narrative structure of a US crime procedural.

The Song of Farca Prologue is still available to play for free at the time of writing. This game is set in an apartment, but it is easy to forget as you are interacting with the story through different panels, experiencing the world beyond. It is fun making use of the tools given to you and working your way through mysteries in a way that only a private detective could.

Try the prologue or buy the game here.

17th September 2021 – TOEM – Something We Made

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 a black and white adventure game where our goal is exploration and taking photographs. I had a lot of fun scouring every area for things to snap to fill up my compendium. Best of all, the game has just had a big update, including new areas and more. So even if you have already played there is every reason to go back and take another look.

Get it here on Steam.

14th October 2021 – Growing Up – Vile Monarch

This is the story of your life. Experience the entire journey from toddler to adulthood. Go to schools, learn new things, meet new friends, and have wild adventures! Every choice you make will influence your future career, and decide who your romantic partner will be. Who will you become?

When I first started this demo I had no idea what to expect. I had never played a game that looked or played like it. I ended up really enjoying it and being sad when I reached the end. In this game you will play through your characters life, shaping their personality and experiences through the choices that you make. Balance their needs and life decisions and see how you turn out.

Check it out here.

18th October 2021 – Sacred Fire: A Role Playing Game – Poetic

Sacred Fire is a psychological role-playing game. You’re a refugee hunted by Rome, your actions compromised by fear and rage. Build up your willpower to control story choices and master battle tactics. Outsmart opponents and gain allies. Wage war or strive for peace. End up a hero or an outcast.

I loved this demo. I have never played anything like it and I got really into it. The art style is somehow simple and complex at the same time. It is a game full of choices and you are in a lot of control of how to deal with situations. Or at least, you are in control of how you intend to deal with them, as long as the dice roll goes your way.

The game is currently in Early Access with a free demo here.

19th October 2021 – Escape Simulator – Pine Studio

First-person puzzler you can play solo or in an online co-op (best with 2-3 players, but playable with more). Explore a set of highly interactive escape rooms. Move furniture, pick up and examine everything, smash pots and break locks! Supports community rooms through the level editor.

Escape Simulator is an escape room experience specifically designed for multiple players. The rooms themselves are fun and well themed, and another selling point is that you can create your own rooms, as well as play rooms others have created.

Here is the Steam page if you would like to check it out.

21st October 2021 – Growbot – Wabisabi Play

An adventure about a robot saving her home from a dark crystalline force. Set upon a biopunk space station bursting with fantastic plants and aliens.

Growbot is an adorable point and click adventure. While art style can play a huge part on whether I enjoy a game, that isnt the only reason I liked it. Upon solving the puzzles and reading every bit of lore I could find, I was fascinated by this world that I was learning about. From what I can tell, this game is fairly short. I would love to stream it sometime.

Take a closer look here.

16th November 2021 – Moncage – Optillusion

Moncage is a unique puzzle adventure game where you explore a fascinating world trapped inside a mysterious cube. With each face displaying a unique scene, you’ll have to leverage the illusions and discover the hidden links to solve the puzzle.

There were so many unique games released in 2021 and Moncage is no exception. This is a puzzle game in which you need to manipulate objects within an environment, in order to alter the perspective. It is very satisfying when you solve a puzzle and everything lines up the way it should. It is also telling a story throughout. I would say it is comparable to a 3D Gorogoa, all be it in a totally different style. 

You can buy it on Steam here.

There were of course many more Indies released in 2021, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the demo of every game above. It is so great to watch a game go from releasing a demo to releasing the full game, rooting for them and seeing how they do. Now, I will get back to playing more demos, scouting for more of these delights!

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Indie Game Festivals – 2022 Releases

Over the last couple of years since the very first Steam Game Festival, I have spent a lot of time playing the demos of Indie Games. The idea of these festivals was fantastic to me. Games get the chance to showcase what they are, and I get the chance to try games that I may not try otherwise. Since then, I have covered festivals on my blog, on my YT channel and in my discord. It is something that I enjoy very much and would like to continue for years into the future. Seeking out the Indie gems is like panning for gold and when you find it, it makes you want to shout from the rooftops.

I got the idea to look back over the demos I have played back in July when 4 of those games released in one month! It is so nice to see games that I first tried back in 2020 finally get their release. So here are the demos that I enjoyed that have released this year, and some more to watch out for in the coming months. I haven’t played them all but I am itching to!

March 19th – Eternal Threads – Cosmonaut Studios

Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence.

I prioritised playing this demo, not only because it looked up my alley but it is set in the North of England. I was not disappointed. Taking place within a house, this narrative based walking sim absorbed me, flashing between the past and the present, piecing together what happened. This is a game that I would love to stream sometime.

You can check out Eternal Threads on Steam here.

April 14th – Cat Café Manager – Roost Games

Travel to the sleepy village of Caterwaul Way and rebuild your grandmother’s cat cafe. Renovate your restaurant, befriend the local cats and townsfolk, forge lasting friendships, unravel catty mysteries, and build a home for dozens of unique felines!

Cat Café Manager is a very chill, cute, management game. The problem with management games is that you don’t know whether there will be a difficulty spike, or equally, whether it will stay engaging for long. As far as I can tell, this is a nice, easy going game that would be a good entry to the genre for anyone intimidated by management sims or looking for something that isnt too taxing on the brain.

Buy or Wishlist it here.

May 20th – Apico – Tngineers

APICO is a laid-back beekeeping sim game about breeding, collecting, & conserving bees! Set in a series of lush environments, APICO uniquely combines resource gathering, biology, and beekeeping minigames, taking ideas from a mix of real-life and fantasy apiculture & floriculture.

This is another management game, but instead of serving food you are breeding bees! The simplistic art style is easy on the eyes, giving way to the addiction of repopulating the island. I really enjoyed trying to breed them all, and the demo is still available so you can try bee-fore you buy.

Find it on steam here.

July 14th – Escape Academy – Coin Crew Games

Welcome to Escape Academy. Train to become the ultimate Escapist. Solve Puzzles. Hack Servers. Meet the Faculty. Brew the perfect cup of tea. Escape Rooms in single player or co-op with a friend – local or online!

Escape Academy is a delightful escape room puzzle game. If you enjoy escape rooms then you are sure to like it. With a fun story between and silky smooth gameplay, I can’t recommend this one enough. This is the only game on the list that I have played in full, and you can too right now if you have Game Pass!

Here is a link to the steam page.

July 15th – The Final Earth 2 – Florian van Strien

The Final Earth 2 is a vertical sci-fi city builder. Earth is unlivable, so you decide to create a space colony. Gather resources, then build and research your way to a better future! Grow your city from an exploration ship to a huge metropolis, full of advanced technology. What will you build?

This is a great city builder. Easy to pick up, but so difficult to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. The graphics are simple but clean and clear, making a visually unique game that you can get creative with. Definitely a recommend from me.

Check it out on Steam here.

July 20th – Hazel Sky – Coffee Addict Studio

Hazel Sky is a heartfelt adventure about a young engineer facing his destiny and his desires. Fix ramshackle flying machines and jump, climb, swing, and slide through a beautiful, mysterious world.

Hazel Sky is one of the earliest demos that I played and I was very happy to see it recently get a release. I can’t speak for the rest of the game, but the demo made me laugh out loud, and contained intrigue that made me want to see the rest of this world.

You can take a look for yourself here.

July 28th – Bear and Breakfast – Gummy Cat

Bear and Breakfast is a laid-back management adventure game where you build and run a bed and breakfast…but you’re a bear.

I am seeing a trend here. And the trend is lovely, laid back management sims. In this one, you play as a bear running a bed and breakfast. I really do have a spectrum of management covered! You can explore while gathering resources to make your business the best that it can be and meet the people(?) around you, all with minimal stress!

For more info check out the Steam page here.

July 28th – Lord Winklebottom Investigates – Cave Monsters

It’s the 1920s and the world’s foremost detective is about to embark on his most challenging case yet. Thankfully, in this world that’s not quite like our own, there’s nobody better to crack the case than the great detective and gentleman giraffe, Lord Winklebottom.

I really want to play this game! Lord Winklebottom is a classic, point and click murder mystery adventure game. I love the style, it feels so nostalgic and has charm. The people are animals (obviously), fully voiced, and British. As someone who loves playing detective.. Yes please to all of the above!

Buy the game for yourself here.

September 13th – Deadwater Saloon – Creative Storm Entertainment / Tanglefoot Games

Dive into the wild west as a saloon owner in a volatile frontier town. Customize your character and face the consequences of your choices as you forge friendships and enemies of townsfolk, travellers, outlaws and lawmen. Build the most famous saloon in the territory, or be overwhelmed and destroyed.

I was so mixed about this one. On one hand, I had problems with it. But on the other, I couldn’t stop playing. Two hours in and I finally forced myself to stop. At the time of writing the game has just released, so I will be interested to see if the problems have been fixed!

Check it out on steam here.

All of the above have released so far this year. But wait.. There’s more! September and beyond are full of releases.

September 22nd – Beacon Pines – Hiding Spot

Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure game. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!

I really enjoyed this one. The mixture of its really unique art style, and the contrast of cute but eerie makes me want to continue. The closest tone I can think of is if Night in the Woods, except younger characters. The gameplay however is a story book narrative puzzle. You collect terms that you can add to the story in certain places to alter the sentences and as a result, branch the paths. I have seen similar mechanics in Fate of Kai, and Indie Showcase demo Storyteller, and I have loved them every time. If this couldn’t be better, it is, because it will be available day one on Game Pass! I’m really looking forward to see how this one does.

Wishlist on Steam here to be notified when the game releases!

September 26th – Monorail Stories – Stelex Software

Monorail Stories is an adventure game focusing on extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. Board the monorail and experience a special story about humanity, friendships, and intertwined destinies manifesting during the everyday commute.

This is another demo that I played a long time ago. It was short but sweet, telling a story and building a world through rides on a monorail. You only need to look at the screenshots to see how much care has gone into the art. I wish them all the luck for a successful launch!

Wishlist on Steam here.

September 27th – Dome Keeper – Bippinbits

Mine for resources, choose from powerful upgrade paths and fend off waves of alien attackers in this innovative roguelike mining action game. There’s just enough time to mine a little deeper, find a little more and get back to defend before the next wave attacks your dome.

I played the Dome Keeper demo earlier this year as recommended by a few friends. They were right, it was a blast! In this roguelike your time is split between mining for resources and defending your base, using upgrades gained from said resources. It is fast paced, easy to learn but I imagine not so easy to master, and has that ‘one more try’ appeal. I hope this one blows up!

Wishlist here on Steam now.

September 28th – The Excavation of Hobs Barrow – Cloak and Dagger Games

The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a folk horror narrative-driven adventure. Explore the isolated moors of rural Victorian England as you uncover the mysteries of Hob’s Barrow. The answers lie in the soil…

I am generally not a fan of horror so I avoid it, but for whatever reason this is one of the demos that I played. And honestly? I was so glad I did. I played this one on my own without recording and I remember having a great affection for it. But – my memory being my memory – I can’t remember exactly what happened or how it played. What I do know, is that it immediately went on my Wishlist, and I would love to stream it sometime after it releases. The art is gorgeous and I want to be back in that atmosphere.

Previously known as Incantamentum, you can wishlist on steam here.

2022 – Nobodies: After Death – Blyts

Nobodies: After Death is a puzzling point-and-click adventure in cleaning up dirty work. After your agency takes out a target, you make the evidence disappear without a trace. Find a way to get in, get out, and leave no bodies behind.

I loved the demo for this one and it is still available now! The best comparison I can make is that this is like a point and click, escape room style game. You are cleaning up after murders and trying not to get caught by solving the puzzle of the area you are in. The art is gorgeous which sounds like a contrast to the concept of the game, but it makes it even more fun to see where you might end up next. I hope this one finds its audience because the demo is a strong recommend from me!

Follow along on Steam here.

2022 – Organs Please – TECHHOME

A dark and satirical management sim, where you take control of a recycling factory with a twist: it recycles humans. Your job is to decide who gets to escape our dying planet in a cozy spaceship and who sacrifices their blood, sweat and tears for humanity. Literally.

Finally, Organs Please doesn’t have a release date except 2022. Despite the dark humour in the dire world that we are living in, it is easy to forget the horrors of what you are actually doing as you enter a flow state of maximum efficiency. The mechanics are introduced at a satisfying pace, building you up from rookie to mega multitasker in no time. I really enjoyed the gameplay of this one and would definitely like to play more upon release.

Here is a link to the Steam page.

And that is it. Apparently this has been a quiet year for games. While that may be true in the AAA spaces, new indie games are coming out every day. It can be hard to know how to filter through the volume of games, so hopefully someone will not only find this list useful, but also give these ones a chance! Some of these games were created solo and they are absolutely excellent. Let me know if you give any of them a go!

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Indie Showcase #1-#50 – Top 10

It is slightly late but upon looking back over my Indie Showcase so far, I thought it would be fun to pick out some favourites. I originally planned to do this when I reach 100 videos, but picking out the 10 best is already proving to be difficult so I am going to go ahead and do it now!

For those who don’t know, during my weekly Indie Showcase series I try out an indie game for give or take an hour. It started as short, free to play games but evolved into demos, bundle games and games that I received a code for. I wasn’t sure how long it would last but as it turns out, I already have over 50 more games lined up! So, here are my top 10 highlights from my first 50 weeks, in alphabetical order so that I don’t actually have to rank them.

The Cast of the Golden Idol [Demo] – Color Gray Games

‘A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.’

I love being a detective. I love murder mysteries, figuring out the order of events, solving deaths, and this game is chock full of that. Recommended by Lucas Pope (Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn developer) for people who enjoyed Obra Dinn, I agree that this is very worth playing. Each case had references and call backs to the other cases I worked, leading to a feeling that the full game is going to have a larger overarching story. Based on the demo this is going to be a fun game for logic puzzle enthusiasts and budding detectives alike.

‘Coming soon’ on Steam but you can Wishlist it here.

Cloud Climber [ Free to play] – Two Star Games

‘A surreal first person walking sim about the end of humanity. Explore magnificent sky-bound ruins, and learn why they were built.’

This one is a short, simple walking sim set at the end of an apocalyptic world. The atmosphere, setting and story were all enjoyable to me from the start and I would love to see more of this world. The unique art style only added to the experience, making me explore every nook and cranny of this small world. A solemn experience that I think is worth having.

Cloud Climber is free to download on Steam now.

Dagon: by H.P. Lovecraft [Free to play] – Bit Golem

‘Face unspeakable horrors. Succumb to madness. Welcome to a free daemonic narrative experience inspired by H. P. Lovecraft.’

I played other games that I enjoyed that were more involved than this one, but I just couldn’t bump it from the top 10. While the reasons are really subjective, I may not be the only one to have this experience and I would love to encourage others too. I am not familiar with Lovecraft’s works. I know of Cthulhu. I know that it is supposed to be mind-bending horrors. But the only experience I have had with any of his work is through games that have shared themes. This game is a short, point and click version of one of his stories, Dagon. In this visual novel, the story is told through a stunning set of scenes where the player can look around and click on interactable objects. Not only is the story presented to you, but there are collectibles that give you some insight into the history of Lovecraft himself. I had a great time getting to know some background about the guy who inspired so many works for so many years beyond him. It’s not the most interactive game or the longest, but what it does, it does really well and I encourage anyone who doesn’t know where to start with Lovecraft to give it a try.

It is totally free to play here on Steam.

Firework [Demo] – Shiying Studio

‘An accidental fire at a funeral forces the police to re-investigate a closed case of massacre. Lin Lixun participates the re-investigation by chances. As the investigation goes deeper, the past of the victims gradually emerges. However, the case becomes more bewildering.’

Firework is a Chinese horror puzzle game. Wait.. Horror you say? And Noob played it? This game had the perfect amount of horror for me. It was spooky, I was filled with dread about what might happen next, but none of it was too much. I managed to not only complete the demo, but wish to finish the rest of the game too. Playing games with a different culture to your own will always introduce a new flavour and it left me wanting more.

The full game is available on Steam now for £7.19.

Inscryption [Demo] – Daniel Mullins Games

‘Inscryption is an inky black card-based odyssey that blends the deckbuilding roguelike, escape-room style puzzles, and psychological horror into a blood-laced smoothie. Darker still are the secrets inscrybed upon the cards…’

I can’t believe I still haven’t played the full game. Not only is this a mash-up of a spooky escape room amongst other things, the card game presented in this demo was so much fun. Everyone that I know that has played the full game has recommended it. The only thing I am aware of is that there might be some surprises. But what they are.. I have absolutely no idea. Though, the demo hooked me well enough that I would like to find out.

Inscryption is available for £16.79 on Steam here.

Larry The Unlucky [Free to play] – Strongshell Software

‘Follow Larry’s life to find the source of his lack of luck. Discover his intriguing story and solve puzzles to understand how his life plays out.’

I am so glad that I stumbled upon this game. Heavily inspired by the Rusty Lake series, the first two games in this series are free and they both contain three chapters each. I enjoyed them so much that I will definitely be buying the third. In case you don’t know Rusty Lake, think – weird and morbid but humorous point and click puzzles, comparable to escape rooms. I don’t have a lot else to add except if that sounds appealing to you then they are definitely worth a playthrough.

You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here on Steam, completely free!

Storyteller [Demo] – Daniel Benmergui

‘With Storyteller you are the one writing the stories! Start with a title, characters and settings and create your own twist on stories familiar and new.’

This charming puzzle game was really fun to play. It is a game where the wrong answers can be even better than the right ones. The game tells a selection of short stories through storyboards. Your job as the player is to fill these storyboards with the correct characters and scenarios in order to complete the story. It is simple but deep, as placing the wrong person can change the entire course of the story. This was a very fine demo and I would love to play more. The release date is TBD and there has been no news for a long time, but it is being published by Annapurna Interactive so we can trust that it will be release when it is ready.

In the meantime, you can Wishlist the game here.

Strange Horticulture [Demo] – Bad Viking

‘Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.’

In the Strange Horticulture demo, I really enjoyed having an adventure and a business from the comfort of my own workspace. You can organise it how you see fit and have different panels for you desk and your shelves that you can see at nearly all times, as well as drawers to hide things in. It is a fantasy botany identification simulator with an overarching story. I enjoyed the balance of ‘exploration’ and figuring out which plant was which, hoping you got it correct so you don’t poison your loyal customer.

The full game released in January and is £12.99 on Steam here.

SuchArt: Creative Space [Free stand-alone demo] – Goose Minded

‘Paint on any surfaces with numerous tools in Creative Space — a free sandbox version of SuchArt: Genius Artist Simulator. Create masterpieces, complete commissions, and decorate your studio in the most advanced artist sim!’

Considering this is basically a demo, it contains so much content. Use the paint physics and tools to fulfil commissions and decorate your studio in literally any way you see fit. I had a great time playing around with paint, seeing what all the different tools do, and completing my masterpiece with absolutely no disasters at all. Just take a look at the steam page to see the type of art people have made. It really is a sandbox for the imagination. This demo is so packed full of stuff that it makes the prospect of the full game very exciting.

Both are available on Steam now!

Temple of Snek [Code received] – Aetheric Games

Temple of Snek [Code recieved] – Aetheric Games

‘A snaky tile-based puzzle dungeon adventure. Defend the temple, monch the infidels, and grow and grow and grow…’

They managed to turn the classic snake (I am just realising that we are past the generation that grew up with snake being their first portable game) into a puzzle game with moving parts. Not only that, but they have done it with style. Part rhythm puzzle game, part dungeon escape game, you can gladly bob your head as your Snek swallows her foes whole, growing into the goodest, long, fiercest mama. Since I played they have added decorating your Snek too – ‘Mek-a-Snek’ – you can’t go wrong with some wonderfully customisable Snek fashion. I would love for more people to see this game becasue it really is a cool one. Just be careful not to touch your Snek with your Snek. Snek only knows what the consequences would be. Snek is such a great word. Snek.

Currently in Early Access, it is £9.99 on Steam here.

It was so difficult to narrow this down. There were games that I really liked that just didn’t make it onto the list. There is so much fantastic Indie content out there and it is all thanks to creative developers that take that step to turn their visions into reality. I thank them so much, and ask them to keep up the excellent work (but only at a healthy pace of course). All being well I will be back in another year to evaluate the next 50 and showcase some more highlights!

If you would like to discover more Indie games or stay up to date with the series, here is the entire playlist!

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