We need more art in games. Period. There is an entire world of the fine arts just begging to become someone’s inspiration, but instead it feels like new game releases just repeat its genre’s common formula with a new skin. That is what makes me so excited about puzzle platformer Unleaving: the developers have used a poem as the basis…
Cherrymochi hasn’t been around all that long – this Japanese-based developer only has one published game so far. But what a game it is! Tokyo Dark is essential stuff – it’s gripping, smart, provocative and evocative. It’s a masterpiece that seems destined to have a small cult following, but those…
Read MoreI love games where decisions can change your fate, and Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out promises that experience. It takes place ten generations after the events of the original game, and again has players making difficult choices and engaging in turn-based combat to ensure the survival of their clan.…
Read MoreGoodbye World is a game about two friends trying to create the world’s most successful indie game. Players experience their highs and lows through the complexities of development. It’s like the infamous Game Dev Story but with more of an actual story, ironically. Up until now, Goodbye World has only…
Read MoreOdencat isn’t exactly a household name, but this Japanese studio, behind the likes of Fishing Paradiso and Bear’s Restaurant, has been steadily building up a reputation for interesting ideas, executed well. The team’s next game is called Meg’s Monster, and it’s got a lot of promise. The game’s concept is…
Read MoreBrave’s Rage is fine. It’s a new entry in a very over-saturated genre, and doesn’t do nearly enough to stand out, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with the game itself. It’s just disappointing that there seems to be a shrinking pool of gameplay structures that indies work with, at a…
Read MoreThere are so many games based on the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West, that it’s almost impossible to count them. That’s not a complaint, of course, because it is a book that lends itself to video games nicely, and Journey to the West is perhaps the most global…
Read MoreI’m a big fan of itch.io for the freedom and open platform that it allows for developers to be creative, experimental, and directly canvas the audience for feedback for games that are not yet ready for primetime on Steam and its ilk. In addition, itch.io allows you to be transgressive,…
Read MoreWandering Sword blends HD-2D-style RPG blended with the aesthetics and style of Wuxia martial arts, and that is a most incredible concept for a game. You won’t need to wait long to see how it’s turning out, either, as there will be a demo available via Steam from February 6.…
Read MoreI’ve had my eye on Tchia since the Wholesome Snack last December. I say I have my eye on things a lot, but I keep tabs on an awful lot of games and it’s very true. I said then that Tchia is something special, and everything I’ve seen since then…
Read MoreSpiderweb Software is one of the all-time great names in independent development. It has had a 30-year history, focused entirely on making classical isometric RPGs for a fanbase that has been ravenous and supportive of its work. Now it’s looking to remake one of its all-time great titles, and is…
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