Oct 3, 2024Indie Highlight
In Map Map – A Game About Maps, you’re tasked with making maps! Indeed, you’re a cartographer whose job requires you to explore the world and create accurate maps. You’ll need to use your sense of direction to explore the different islands. Use your skills and an array of tools to expertly create maps that mark the interesting landmarks on each island. But there’s more to this grand adventure than just marking landmarks on paper!
There’s treasure to be found on the islands in Map Map. Explore ancient ruins and beautiful environments as you search for exciting pieces of treasure. Of course, you’re not alone, either. In fact, you have a whole crew with you! Each one is unique and you’ll have the chance to get to know them as you explore the beautifully handcrafted world before you. Each one has their own story for you to get to know, after all.
Map Map is set to come to Steam some time. There is no release date available, but you can add it to your Wishlist to keep an eye on it!
Oct 2, 2024Indie Highlight
Your Uncle Lou has disappeared, leaving behind his seaplane and successful delivery service. Naturally, it’s your job to not only run the business, but figure out what happened to him in Tiny Roar’s Lou’s Lagoon! Embark on a vibrant journey across the diverse islands of Limbo Archipelago as you collect resources and craft goods to deliver to customers. And your seaplane is the key to it all. Upgrade and expand it as your delivery service grows more successful, because without it, you couldn’t make deliveries at all!
There’s more to the archipelago than meets the eye, too. Explore the lush forests and sandy beaches of each island to not only find quests to complete, but uncover secrets. Unearth hidden treasures tucked away in the corners of the islands. Even discover clues as to what happened to your uncle. So, take your time and leave no stone unturned while searching!
Add Lou’s Lagoon to your Steam Wishlist to be notified of when it releases as it currently has no release date!
Oct 1, 2024Indie Highlight
The developers over at Sunny Lab have recently launched their Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming game The Witch’s Bakery. In this charming 2D adventure RPG, you play as an adorably joyful witch named Lunne. She has just opened her very own bakery in Paris. Lunne also possesses a very special, very specific talent, too. She can see into people’s hearts and heal emotions using her magic. So, get ready for a magical adventure full of baked goods, magic, and a heartfelt story!
Your days in The Witch’s Bakery are split into three phases. You’ll start each day managing your bakery and serving customers. In the evening, explore the beautiful city of Paris. Discover what secrets The City of Light (and Love!) has to offer, but also get to know other characters. Delve into their troubled hearts to help them out. To do this, Lunne enters their Heart Palace to guide the locked away emotions back to the heart. Inside each Heart Palace, you’ll uncover each person’s deepest personal struggles. You’ll even collect the necessary ingredients to make tasty breads to heal them!
At night, once your bakery is closed and you’ve explored the alluring city, take time to practice your magic. There’s always room for improvement. You also can spend time decorating your bakery to make it the coziest, most welcoming shop around. Or just take time to hang out in your atelier. Each day brings you the chance to earn money, solve deep, emotional problems, and get to know a varied cast of characters. So, what will you accomplish in The Witch’s Bakery?
You can find The Witch’s Bakery listed on Steam now, but you can also head over to their Kickstarter campaign to help support this gorgeous cozy game. There are a ton of fun stretch goals for backing the project like expanded romance storylines, new recipes, expanded maps, and more bakery decor. Plus, you can unlock fun rewards depending on the backer tier you support. There are things like beta access, digital artbooks, stickers, the chance to have your loved one’s name placed on a monument in game, and more!
It’s expected to release on Steam and Nintendo Switch next year!
Sep 26, 2024Indie Highlight
Wanderstop features a narrative-focused story where you play as fallen fighter Alta. Alta doesn’t want to be here, and if she gets what she wants, the tea shop you run will be nothing more than a short, painful memory. Until that should happen, if it should happen at all, you must run the tea shop to the best of your abilities! Nestled in a magical forest, you’ll serve a variety of customers in a beautifully cozy setting. Make them tea and see what else they can teach you!
Each of your customers is a traveler who holds their own unique story. Listen to their stories and determine which tea is best for them. Even grow and harvest your own tea ingredients for the full management experience. And when you’re not running the shop and serving customers, there’s plenty for you to do in Wanderstop. Decorate the shop to make it more welcoming. Clean up the nearby clearing or even just sit and do nothing. Though, Alta can’t stand doing nothing. She’s not used to sitting still and just being, but perhaps that’s exactly why she’s here!
You can find Wanderstop listed on Steam, but there is no release date available. Add it to your Wishlist to be notified, though!
Sep 25, 2024Reviews
Thank you to Carbon & Kay for the opportunity to play Little-Known Galaxy!
Stardew Valley has been THE pinnacle of cozy games for 8 years now. There have been a great many other cozy games that have tried to follow in its footsteps that have succeeded in earning a spot on many players’ lists. Roots of Pacha, DREDGE, My Time at Sandrock, and Echoes of the Plum Grove are good examples of excellent games that have been released in the past few years, but none of them have quite scratched that itch that SDV left behind, at least for me. However, I’ve been spending my time playing Little-Known Galaxy, whose development I’ve followed for a while now. It has honestly given me the cozy comforting vibes that SDV gave me without being a clone. It’s unique, but familiar and has absolutely devoured my time lately.
In Little-Known Galaxy, you play as your own customizable character who has been employed as the captain of a run-down spaceship. You’re a brand new captain-in-training and this is your first real captain assignment. In order to rise through the ranks and prove you’re worthy of being a full-fledged captain, you need to show the Space Alliance you can handle running your own ship!
Alongside your crew, who are a cast of quirky and fun characters, you need to accomplish quite a bit. Restore the old, run-down ship you (and the crew) call home. It’s seen better days and really needs a facelift. You also need to make sure crew morale stays high by providing them with fun new things to do on the ship. And don’t forget to do a little farming, gather microbes for your scientists to study, and solve the mystery of the relic found on the Grey Planet!
Of course, your day-to-day life in Little-Known Galaxy doesn’t have to be solely filled with work. Take time to get to know your crew members. Each one has a unique personality with some fun backstory for you to learn. They also each have their own role to play on the spaceship. The shopkeeper, the gardener, the food bar owner, and more all brighten up what could be very dull space travel. Some of them are even single and you can date them!
Well, all of it. It really does scratch that cozy, immersive itch that Stardew Valley left behind. It has that addictive “I’ll play just one more in-game day” quality to it. Some days I go explore the different planets, which function much like the mines in SDV. Break rocks with your trusty laser to gather resources and fight a few enemies. You search for the travel point hidden in one of the rocks, or buried in the sand in order to progress. It’s easy and familiar while being unique with a different atmosphere (literally!).
Perhaps the best addition is that the NPC list in Little-Known Galaxy allows you to locate which floor of the ship someone is on! No wasting your whole day looking for that one person you want to give a gift. Schedules are fine, but this is by far the better way to find someone in game. Plus, the crew you start with isn’t the whole crew you’ll have. As you progress through the game, you pick up a few more members to flesh out what’s already a wonderfully diverse cast of characters.
I also have really enjoyed the fact that your upgraded tools get delivered to your quarters when they’re ready. No chasing them down and realizing the shop is closed today! The upgrades do take several days to complete, but I’ve found there’s plenty to do while you wait. Catching microbes, for example, was a tedious task to begin with. However, the developers have been eagerly listening to the critiques and made some great updates already. The microbe minigame is now far more enjoyable than it was. And of course the overall storyline and mystery surrounding the relic from the Grey Planet make this game so much fun. It’s hard to put it down.
If you’ve been looking for something to dive into and get lost in, or some cozy sci-fi game to relax with after work, this is it! Little-Known Galaxy is so cute and has such a diverse cast of characters with depth. The story is great, and even the grinding is fun. Plus, the developers are so passionate about this game it’s hard not to get swept up into their enthusiasm. I would (and do) recommend this game to anyone who will listen to me!
I give it:
You can grab Little-Known Galaxy on Steam!
Sep 25, 2024Indie Highlight
Take a trip down memory lane and experience the nostalgia where retro gaming meets beloved 90s kid’s cartoon in Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland by The MIX Games and Wallride! When Tommy, Chucky, Phil, and Lil see a commercial for the new Reptar game, they decide to have some fun of their own and pretend to be in a video game. Armed with only their imagination, watch as the babies transform Tommy’s house into their very own action-packed game world.
Select your favorite Rugrat and set out on an exciting 2D action adventure. Toggle between HD art and 8-bit art for the ultimate retro feel. A baby’s gotta do what a baby’s gotta do, and that means getting things down how you can! Dodge enemies as you traverse beautiful ice levels. Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland will have you collecting bottles, cookies, and Reptar coins in wooded levels. And use your trusty screwdriver to enter boss fights with some familiar faces. You can even play solar or 2 player co-op, so grab a friend and return to that 90s nostalgia!
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is on Steam now. It’s also on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and even the NES will have physical releases! Plus, there’s a demo available on Steam.
Melon Journey also uses a fun retro style!
Sep 25, 2024Indie Highlight
Remember the days of taking care of your Gigapet or Tamagotchi while chilling at home or on the go? Nanomon Virtual Pet by developers Oscar Brittain and Bob Hawke Surf Team is your chance to relive those relaxing days, but on your computer! Adopt a Nanomon and help them achieve their dreams. Each creature has a Life Goal like becoming a sports star, chef, or even the strongest creature in the world. Care for them to help them reach that goal!
Take care of your Nanomon’s basic needs. Feed them, pet them, and just hang out. The food you feed them can influence how they evolve, so pick wisely. Enjoy a variety of activities in Nanomon Virtual Pet like fishing, stick ball, or even exploring dungeons. Explore a wide world inspired by classics like Adventure Time, Digimon, and Tamagotchi, too. Then, level up your creature’s abilities and engage in battles throughout the world. Everything you do with your pet will help it achieve its Life Goal, so don’t be afraid to try a little bit of everything!
Nanomon Virtual Pet is coming to Steam sometime next year. There is a demo you can try out now, though. And don’t forget to Wishlist it so you can keep track of it and get notified when it releases!
If you enjoy cute little virtual pets, check out Werydlets, Catgotchi, and Peridot!
Sep 19, 2024Indie Highlight
Space Boat is a super colorful and quirky sci-fi investigative narrative set on an intergalactic cruise ship. You play as Inspector Domino, a space cat detective, sent to the cruise ship to capture a shapeshifting thief among the carpet-based life forms who live on the ship. Wear your handy mech suit and embark on a fun-filled detective story full of weird characters, enjoyable minigames, exploration, and mystery.
You start your adventure at Jelly Shore, the popular holiday destination on Gelatonix IV. This ship was once a simple little fishing village until it became the ideal holiday cruise ship. On the ship you’ll meet a cast of unique characters that range from the Capetians, a jelly dog you can pet, to the gelatinous Geletonians. Explore the branching narrative as you explore the cruise ship and affect the outcome of the story with your choices. Even play different mini games like the famous and dangerous F.B.C Racing while you search for the thief!
Space Boat is coming to Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation sometime soon. You can even find a free demo on each of the platforms so you can try before you buy!