All posts tagged in Indie Games
May 17, 2023
Explore a New World, Nurture Plant Life, and Rebuild
In Distant Bloom, you play as a member of a space exploration team. You and your crew are in search of a new planet to establish as your new home in order to save your species. You’ve spotted what appears to be a suitable candidate, only to land on this alien planet and find that not everything is as it seemed through the telescope. The once flourishing and lush plant life is now dead and barren.
Explore this fantastical new planet, desolate though it may be. Learn how to care for the alien flora and nurture new life. Experiment with different plant structures to create a new thriving ecosystem. Harvest plants and turn them into recipes to eat, tools for you to use in your adventures, and items that can help you build up a new home base!
While you’re exploring Distant Bloom, be sure to search for your crew members who are scattered across the new world. Reunite them to build your community and discover their individual, unique stories. As you explore the wilds of your new home, discover the planet’s different history. Discover mysterious ruins, and perhaps find out what—or who—left them behind. Perhaps even learn why!
Whatever you do, make your choices thoughtfully, as everything you do will have an impact on nature and the lives of your crew members.
Coming Soon
The beautiful and cozy Distant Bloom is planned to release sometime in 2023 on Steam.
For more restoration type games, check out No Place Like Home and Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator.
- Apr 13, 2023
Explore the Ocean and Conduct Research
Beyond Blue is a serene single-player narrative about exploring the deep blue ocean. Play as Mirai, a deep-sea explorer and scientist, as she adventures through the sea in search of creatures and to uncover mysteries. You’ll also join a newly-formed scientific research team and use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with ocean life.
You’ll get to experience eight different dives as you play Beyond Blue. Pilot an innovative new submarine on its maiden voyage, decked out with all the tools you’ll need for your underwater adventures. Explore the magnificent ocean and use those tools to aid your research. Train the AI to recognize sea creatures like humpback whales, turtles, and stingrays. You’ll also learn how to tag them, too, allowing your team to track their behaviors. There’s even a dedicated Photo Mode. Play with dozens of filters, different types of lens settings, and other features to help you capture some breathtaking moments.
Beyond Blue features a full voice cast, as well as a beautiful original soundtrack. You’ll also hear songs from popular artists like Miles Davis and The Flaming Lips. You’ll even unlock sixteen unique mini-documentaries called Ocean Insights. Watch original footage and interviews with science’s leading ocean experts. Furthermore, Indie developer E-Line Media teamed up with BBC Studios, OceanX Media, and world-class ocean experts to craft Beyond Blue into an incredible and educational experience.
Available Now!
This beautiful aquatic adventure is available on many major platforms. You can get it for free on Epic Games April 20th to April 27th! Otherwise, you can find it on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Humble Store, and Apple Arcade.
For more low-stakes relaxation, check out Garden In!
- Mar 8, 2023
Create Castles and Transform Forgotten Meadows
Tiny Glade is a beautiful little builder game from indie developer and publisher Pounce Light. With its free-form building mechanic, the game is intended to be a purely relaxing creative outlet. So, there is no resource management, no goals, no combat, and no wrong answers! Just sit back, build some fancy castles and turn some abandoned meadows into incredible architectural scenery.
The game offers a unique building chemistry, too. Tiny Glade features a gridless building system, but also lets players watch as each brick and roof tile is assembled. You don’t need to painstakingly place each piece yourself. Simply draw a path where you want it. Click and drag to place a fence or wall. Want a path to go through a wall? An arch will appear. Want your walls higher? Just drag the top of it higher! And if you drop the wall lower, arches will turn into fences for you.
Tiny Glade looks to be a wonderfully dynamic sandbox, making it perfect for experimenting with builds. There are no wrong answers, after all. Did you build something you don’t like? Changing it is easy! Accompanied by a cozy soundtrack, lighting that changes with the time of day, and other small, cozy details, there’s a lot to love in the game. Ivy adorns buildings, fireflies light up the night, and adorable little sheep roam the meadows freely. Tiny Glade is the perfect little world to escape to.
Coming Soon!
Tiny Glade is currently in development, but will be coming to Steam eventually! There is no release date available a this time. However, you can add it to your Steam Wishlist now to keep up to date on it.
Gourdlets is another cute building game with no combat, no objectives, and no management!
- Mar 2, 2023
Explore the World, Gather Ingredients, and Make Potions
I stumbled across Alchemist: The Potion Monger from developer Art Games Studio S.A. back in February during Steam’s Next Fest. I honestly downloaded the demo based on the title and picture alone, and was not disappointed.
This beautiful first-person RPG allows you to create your character, but you’re no ordinary human. In fact, you play as an anthropomorphized animal! Choose from several different animals like cats, snakes, or goats. Pick a name that suits your new character, and don’t forget to choose a name for your trusty dog
Alchemist: The Potion Monger starts with you moving to a new town, and has you actually unpack your cart to begin setting up your house. Then it moves into teaching you the basics of potion-making.
You’ll have to explore the world to gather ingredients, then use your cauldron to make potions. You can sell those potions, use them to complete quests, or use them for yourself. Need to jump super high for some reason? There’s a potion for that!
Each ingredient you find in the wonderfully crafted world of Alchemist: The Potion Monger will have alchemical aspects. You’ll learn them as you play, and can access your found knowledge in your alchemy book. Plus, your cute little dog isn’t just there for looks. They’ll help you discover those alchemical aspects of ingredients.
Not to mention, you get to pet the dog. You’ll level up your alchemy through discovery. You’ll also learn new skills through challenges, get a chance to help NPCs, fight some slime monsters, and much more.
Coming Soon!
Unfortunately, Alchemist: The Potion Monger doesn’t have a specific date listed for release. The developer’s website lists the release as 2023, though! You can find the game on Steam, where you can add it to your Wishlist.
Want more potion fun? Give Alchemy Garden, Alchemy Story, Alchemic Cutie, Potionomics, or Potion Permit a try!
- Jan 26, 2023
Design, Grow, and Nurture Your Garden
Welcome to Garden Life, where you are in charge! The goal of this realistic sandbox game is to build the garden of your dreams. There’s no magic or miracles to it, though, and it’s all up to you to plant and nurture your garden. Use the appropriate techniques, the correct tools, your creativity, and a little bit of elbow grease to create a flourishing paradise.
Take the time to learn the needs of your plants. Each one will need different types of care, like fertilizer and pruning. And don’t forget to water! You’re not alone in Garden Life, either. You’ll be able to fulfill the requests of your friendly neighbors, who will reward you with new tools, fun decorations, and even new plant varieties. Take those new plants, and the ones you’ve grown, and experiment with them. Create new hybrids and beautiful variations to further beautify your garden.
Garden Life implements a grid-free placement system, so players really are in control of the design of their gardens. There’s no snapping to place, and fighting against a grid system to create your vision. It also uses a specially developed procedural growth simulation technology. Every plant in your garden is unique, but will also easily adapt to its environment.
Release Date To Be Announced
Unfortunately, the beautifully crafted Garden Life has no publicly available release date. You can add it to your Wishlist on Steam, though. Developer Stillalive Studios also lists the game as being developed for Xbox and Playstation consoles, though the store pages for the game aren’t available yet.
For more gardening fun, check out A Garden Witch’s Life or Witchy Life Story.
- Dec 29, 2022
Farm, Tame, and Ride
Paleo Pines is an upcoming game that definitely has an Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley-like feel to it, but with dinosaurs!
Customize your character, and embark on a journey to a peaceful little island where pioneers live peacefully with affectionate dinosaurs. On the island, evolution went a different direction – “survival of the kindest” – and resulted in a world where humans and dinosaurs live together in harmony. Much to the delight of the residents of the island, you’re the last known descendant of the Flute Whisperer. Together with your Parasaurolophus, Lucky, you’ll build a ranch, make friends with residents, and discover the history of your lost ancestors.
Explore the various biomes of Paleo Pines. From the flowery fields of Veridian Valley, to the canyons of the desert, there’s no lack of space to roam around. There are a number of cute wild dinosaurs that roam the biomes, too. Gain their trust through building pens for them to frolic in, feeding them their favorite foods, and giving them nose pats! If you build enough trust with them, they may even help you with your farm chores, like digging rows and harvesting crops.
You’ll also be able to change your clothing via your wardrobe. Plus, your ranch is fully customizable. Create the perfect paradise for you and your dinosaur friends. Decorate your yard, or fill it full of planting rows. Your ranch is yours to make how you wish!
No Release Date
Unfortunately, there is no planned release date available at the moment. However, you can Wishlist it on Steam. You can also follow Paleo Pines on Twitter, where they frequently post little development updates. The Dev Blog for the game is a great place to look at updates too.
For more dinosaur fun, check out this list.
- Dec 14, 2022
Run Your Very Own Teahouse
Welcome to charming Pekoe, where you are the newest resident in town. You’re also the new owner of the local teahouse. Being the owner of a teahouse come with its own challenges, but don’t worry too much. As you play, you’ll learn all about teas and how to successfully run the teahouse.
Not only do you brew the teas to serve, but you’ll learn how to harvest tea leaves too. Learning what leaves on which plants to pick, and when it’s the best time to harvest them will help you create the best teas for your customers. There are also numerous ceremonies and rituals to perform, never mind the many different types of tea you can brew and recipes you can combine! Plus, it’s full of adorable cats.
There are over 10 unique cat characters in Pekoe for you to meet too. Serve them up the teas you brew, even the experimental ones! Just remember each character does have their own likes and dislikes. Visit seven different teahouses to learn from each one, and different beautiful tea cups to serve your drinks in. And don’t forget about your teahouse. You can upgrade it and customize it to suit your tastes! Unlock new items as you help the townsfolk while you play, and make your teahouse comfy-cozy.
Coming 2023
Sadly, the adorably relaxing Pekoe won’t be released until sometime in 2023. There’s no specific date listed. When it does come available, you’ll find it on Steam, where you can currently wishlist it.
For more cat game fun, there’s Mineko’s Night Market, Cat Cafe Manager, and Cats and Soup.
- Oct 18, 2022
A Story-rich Mystery Adventure
With Halloween fast approaching, I felt it appropriate to share Beacon Pines with all of you. It’s a cute and creepy adventure game set inside a mysterious book. As Hiding Spot Games puts it, “it’s Winnie-the-Pooh meets Twin Peaks”.
You’ll play as both the reader and Luka, the main character of the story. There is something weird happening at the local warehouse, but no one except Luka and his friends seems to take notice. Sneak out of the house late at night, meet new friends, and explore town to solve the mysteries of Beacon Pines.
While you adventure and investigate the mysteries of Beacon Pines, you’ll encounter special golden charms. Each charm has a single word engraved on it, and you’ll use these words to fill in the blanks of parts of the story. You may even drastically change the events of the story, depending on which words you use.
As the reader of the book, you’ll use the Chronicle to navigate the turning points of the story where words are missing. The Chronicle is an interactive story tree that grows as you progress in the story. Experiencing one piece of the story will unlock new charms for other parts of the story. So, you’ll spend your time bouncing around from story part to story part to get the whole picture of Beacon Pines.
Out Now!
Beacon Pines is out now on Nintendo Switch, Steam, Itch.io, and Xbox.
Check out our previous article on other Halloween games you could play to get in the spooky (but cute!) mood.
