Aug 28, 2024
Horticular is a relaxing gardening game with a magical twist. Developed by inDirection Games, this beautifully vibrant game begins with you being magically summoned by garden gnomes. They want you to restore a garden that was abandoned by its previous caretaker. So, take on this huge task, but at your own pace, and build a lush garden to be proud of!
You have total creative freedom to turn this garden into whatever you want. Use hundreds of unlockable surface types to create biomes with different terrain. Plant tons of different kinds of flowers and plants. Even place fun decorative items like pillars, planter boxes, and more to create your dream garden. Of course, you want to build the garden in a way that it’ll attract creatures! Each critter has requirements before it will move in, though. So, plan accordingly and soon your garden will overflow with plants and animals!
You also need to maintain the magic of the garden in Horticular. Animals will become unhappy, the garden will decay, and you’ll see corrupted agents sent by your nemesis show up. With the help of the garden gnomes and your abilities, though, you’ll be able to prevent all of that. There are also garden upgrades you can purchase. These upgrades will increase your skills and unlock new items. And while each playthrough will be different, no choice locks you out of upgrades. You’ll be able to unlock everything every time!
Release Date
You can find Horticular now on Steam!
Like gardening? Try Botany Manor!
- Aug 28, 2024
Into the Emberlands is a quirky storybook-like adventure game where you uncover an ever-changing world. Your job is to rebuild your decimated village and save the villagers who’ve been lost to the Miasma. You’re the chosen Lightbearer, and you’re the only one capable of navigating the Miasma. Equipped with a lantern fueled by a light-bringing ember, you can venture forth to find the villagers. Just be sure your light doesn’t fade while you’re in the Miasma or you’ll be lost too, and need to wait on the next Lightbearer to find you!
Explore different biomes in a procedurally generated world as you discover scenery hidden behind the Miasma. There’s tons of life and secrets to find during your journey. Encounter small adventures and big surprises, too. Like quirky and mystical creatures that come in all shapes, sizes, and fantastic colors! Help out the creatures of Into the Emberlands and they’ll aid you in your journey to restore the village by providing you with necessary resources and helpful equipment upgrades. Use the resources you gather to rebuild the village, taking it from nothing to the thriving safe haven your people deserve. Different buildings and vendors within your town can help kickstart your next adventure, too. So, rebuild and find those villagers!
Release Date
You can pick up Into the Emberlands on Steam now!
Want some more exploration games, but perhaps something a little less world saving? Try Endless Ocean Luminous, Seasons of Rocco, or Alba: A Wildlife Adventure!
- Aug 22, 2024
Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss is a first-person interactive fiction adventure that takes place in 1905. You play as Cam, a deep sea diver who’s part of a crew of adventurers and pioneers. Aboard the Thalassa, you and the crew prepare to a Spanish galleon from the ocean, but what should be a momentous occasion quickly turns into anything but. After the incident, you took some time to heal, but have learned the crew of the Thalassa have all disappeared, and so has the ship. To find out what happened, you decide to dive down to the wreckage to gather clues about what happened that fateful day.
This atmospheric adventure isn’t exactly a horror story, but it does explore the complexities of human emotions and sorrow. You’ll navigate through the beautiful ocean surroundings of Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss to get to the wreckage of your old ship. Once aboard, you must navigate through the debris and search for clues while dealing with the grief of losing friends. Find the necessary tools around the ship in order to open blocked doors and clear obstructions. Leave no stone unturned in the Thalassa to figure out what happened to your crew.
Release Date
Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss is set to release on Steam at some point. Add it to your Wishlist now to get notifications when it releases!
If you prefer an ocean-based game with less mystery and more exploration, check out Beyond Blue!
- Aug 22, 2024
Ready to take a relaxing walk around an island full of surprises? Cozy Island by developer LazyFish Studio is just that! This super adorable casual adventure game will have you exploring an island full of fun and excitement. Roam the island how you want and as you want. Encounter cute little animals to befriend, play mini-games, and even collect decorative items.
Build your very own secret base while you’re at it. Use the toys and furniture you collect to decorate your new home. Start a farm plot where you can grow different vegetables, too. Sell your crops for money, then spend your money on the Cozy Island gacha machine to see what surprises you can get. You can even bring home all the cute animals you find across the island, like that capybara chilling in the pond! There’s even a multiplayer mode, so grab a friend and explore this fun island together, or take some time to chill out on the beach and just enjoy the moment!
Release Date
Cozy Island is coming to Steam at some point. Add it to your Wishlist to get notified of its release!
Check out Camper Van: Make It Home for even ore cozy cuteness.
- Aug 21, 2024
Snacko is a super adorable farming sim where you and your friend venture to Snacko Island in search of a new life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. When you arrive, you find the island a little run down and empty. In fact, there’s only one resident who’s kind enough to get you settled into a new home. From there, it’s up to you to restore the town and the rest of the island. It’s not just some island, though. It features a deep, rich past full of mystery that you also get to discover!
Run around the idyllic island collecting resources, fishing, exploring, and farming. There are 4 distinct biomes for you to traverse, each with their own unique items to collect, plus 4 different shrines to encounter. You can fish up over 20 different types of fish across the island, as well as grow 12 crops and raise cows and chickens for produce. Then, restore the town! Use resources to rebuild the ruins of buildings. Set up a grocery store and other shops to revive the scene. Invite different characters to join you on the island, too. Those shops will need workers and people to sell to! There are 20+ different NPCs you can encounter, and a system in place to make re-inviting villagers easier so you can befriend everyone!
Quests and Villager Overhaul
There’s already some great stuff in Snacko. Being able to save during the day and sleeping wherever you can using beds and sleeping boxes you’ve placed. Talk about stress-free exploring! Of course, there’s a ton more in this lovely little game, but an upcoming update promises some equally exciting things. Buckle up for a lot of improvements and changes!
First up is the restriction on villagers. You can now have everyone all at once! The blueprint shop and other recipes are no longer all unlocked at the beginning. MIAO will act more like a guide, nudging you in the right direction of progression instead of unlocking everything. In fact, there’s now quests you must complete to unlock them. Some of these unlocks happen through Guild quests. However, you’ll encounter several different ways to unlock new dye recipes, cooking recipes, and crafting recipes. Of course, the Guild function is brand new too! Each Guild has its own representative(s) that possess their own personalities and will communicate with you through quests and deliveries. Some of the reps even have mini story arcs for you to experience.
Villager quests have also been overhauled in Snacko, and there are new ones added to the mix. These quests will unlock recipes like Guild quests, but also unlock new shop items. Plus, you can get to know your villagers more through these questlines! Villager dialogue pools have also been overhauled to make more sense and give you a chance to see them all. For example, Rejka will no longer be confused when you speak to him in the morning while dating. The idea is to move away from the mundane cycle of talking, gifting, and repeating to build a relationship. The developers want to give you more options to build your bonds, which is great!
UI Changes and More
There have been some UI changes for expanded dark mode, which includes a new quest and UI to accompany it. Dark mode has been expanded beyond the dialogue boxes, which is great for those of us who prefer less brightness. Dark mode tones down some of the bright green grasses and shiny blue waters. And I think the developers achieved a great balance without sacrificing the beauty of their art and color palettes!
Crafting recipes can now be tracked on the Snacko HUD just like quests. No more second guessing what you just read or keeping a thousand sticky notes all over your desk like me. Simply track the crafting recipe like you would a quest for better efficiency. You can even pin the recipe to match the quantity of items you want to craft. So, if you want to make 3 softwood lampposts, pin the recipe for 3 to track the total resources needed. You can also buy basic resources from the shops after they’re closed now, too.
Now you can charge your sword into a dash function. The dash can be used mid-air to achieve a type of pseudo flying. The distance you travel is dependent on the charge amount, but if you string smaller dashes together, you’ll stay airborne. The pickaxe can bounce you around, too. When you’re mid-air, like from a jump, you can use the charged pickaxe to bounce off things like cliffs. So, fly around or bounce around town for a fun new way to travel!
Release Date
This Town & Guild Update for Snacko is live now! So, hop on and get familiar with all these cool new features! You can find this absolutely adorable game on Steam.
- Aug 15, 2024
The adorable Sunrise’s Order is a farm sim where you’re tired of your old life. The hustle and bustle of the city paired with the corporate life just doesn’t appeal to you anymore. So, after losing your job because you stayed up all night to play your favorite video game, you decide change is in order. A big change. You sell your possessions and buy a private island in a once-in-a lifetime deal. Why? Well, to live like your favorite video game hero and start a farm, of course!
Start your adventure on your island with the basic necessities and a goal. Live in your tiny one-room house as you fish for different sea creatures and set up your farm. You’re all alone on your island, but that’s perfect for you! It gives you the freedom to do as you please, when you please. Order necessary supplies from Animazon, and build the island up how you wish with chicken coops, flower beds, cows, and more!
The Update
Sunrise’s Order is getting a new update soon, and it’s sure to add some great content! The hoe is getting a wonderful upgrade to make farming faster and more efficient. Craft a high-quality hoe to till multiple tiles of dirt all at once. There’s also a new line of decorative plushies to get your hand on in game. From a sweet little teddy bear to the magical unicorn, you’ll have even more cute decor to make your home perfect! Find these stuffed animal companions by exploring your island. You’ll come across clues and find hidden treasures scattered around. There’s also now a wiki you can access for the game. It currently only includes some basic information, but will be expanded.
That’s not all for this 1.1 update, though. In fact, there’s a long list of new things that have been added to Sunrise’s Order! Factories and repairs pull resources from chests, so you no longer need to have materials in your pockets. Your character will appear on the map to help you orient yourself. Furniture can be stored in the Wooden Tall Cabinet and the Enchanted Wardrobe, and plans now look different to differentiate them from recipes. And speaking of recipes, there’s a new omelet and butter chicken recipe! When you search through contracts, it now tells you how many you have in your inventory. Last, but not least, Animazon now offers a scythe tool and a wider range of ingredients and materials, there are more character customizations, and new dialogue too!
Modifications and Improvements
Then there’s the improvements that have been made to already existing aspects of Sunrise’s Order. Silos feed a max number of animals, and hoes have been rebalanced to account for the new upgrade. Plus, tools don’t lose durability if you miss hitting your target. Animazon lists items by type now, too. Movement within the Construction App has been improved for better navigation. A few recipes have been renamed to better reflect what they are. There’s also been a lot of balancing done. Item values, recipes for workshops and factories, fertilizers, scents on garbage, values of cooking recipes, and the energy given by certain meals have all had some rebalancing. Trash bags no longer spread around, adding fuel to fires uses materials in chests, and your character will refuse to fish if they have no stamina left. Now selection colors for breakable and unbreakable items are different to make it easier to distinguish. And conditions for unlocking buildings have been clarified for smoother gameplay!
Plus, there were a number of bug fixes that you can check out below!
Release Date
This the very first update coming to Sunrise’s Order and is available on Steam now! This game is shaping up to be absolutely wonderful with all these additions and fixes, and you should check it out.
- Aug 14, 2024
If you loved the dark and cozy occult puzzle game Strange Horticulture, then surely you’ll love the next game from developer Bad Viking! Strange Antiquities takes place several years after the events of Strange Horticulture. This new dark and cozy mystery adventure is set in Undermere, where you’ll encounter an ancient woodland, candle-lit library, and grim folklore.
You run an occult antiquities shop. Your job is to hunt down and identify different objects and arcane artifacts. Then, use these objects you find to help the residents of Undermere with their strange and weird problems. In fact, you’ll find that strange things happen in Undermere about as often as it rains! You’ll need to solve a variety of puzzles and mysteries that are full of dark twists and turns in order to succeed in helping the residents. What will you discover about the strange happenings in Undermere?
Release Date
You can find Strange Antiquities listed on Steam, but it currently has no release date. Add it to your Wishlist to be notified when it does release! And don’t worry, you don’t need to play Strange Horticulture before playing this game, but what better time than to do so while you wait?
- Aug 14, 2024
Set out on a grand adventure solo or with up to three other players in Luma Island by developer Feel Free Games. In this beautiful farm sim, start from humble beginnings living in a caravan and work towards building your very own homestead. Create your dream farm with a beautiful home and flourishing crop plots to grow all kinds of plants. Grow crops like pumpkins and wheat, among other varieties. There are even fluffy bunnies to raise! Of course crafting is a staple of the game, too. Then, utilize the sawmill, the kiln, and the ore smelter to turn resources into usable items. Even work to master one of seven different professions in Luma Island. Each one has a progression path and tools that you can upgrade to further progress your chosen job path!
Release Date
Luma Island is currently listed on Steam, where you can Wishlist it. The game is expected to release some time this year, though!
Lightyear Frontier is another gorgeous co-op farming sim you should try!
