Some games to kick back and enjoy with fuzzy slippers and not a care in the world.
Unpacking is an isometric puzzle game by Witch Beam, an Australian developer, published by our very own sponsor Humble Bundle. You are a third-person clicker, looking down into an empty room with a stack of boxes sitting in the middle of the floor. There's no direction or impetus, but as you open the box, intuition sets in, and you start to place objects from here and there. Before you know it, you're an artisanal thing mover. You may take solace in a simulation of this if you're particularly neat, or simply like no-pressure puzzles. The game starts off in the year 1997, then soon 2004. Certainly, there are enough years on the timeline to keep you busy! But no rush, nor absence of themes. When you play Unpacking, you'll have plenty of time to put things as you like.
Yak & Co released Down in Bermuda catering to the growing indie cozy fanbase Q3 of 2019. Yes, this game is over two years old, but with the occasional mega discounts, from time to time and continuing interest it's cognizant to explore. It's still relevant, fun, and cozy--indeed. The level of a-ha moments in this puzzle platformer is suited to YouTube, Twitch, or wherever you want to turn a gathering into a chill hangout. And even as much on your own, whether it's the hunt of unlocking a puzzle on intuition alone that interests you or the pastel color stylizing, it's certified enjoyable. With cool color theory islands and cool low-poly characters, this game offers contemporary and relevant gameplay for the new wholesome/cozy gamer base, which fits in right at home here at MrDavePizza.com.
In Fall 2020 when I was just launching the Mr. Dave Pizza concept, I played Good Pizza, Great Pizza by Tapblaze on an Android tablet, one of the many formats this game is available on. Today I played the official version released for Nintendo Switch to go back and really see what amused me about this game. Pizza, the food, has always been pretty popular, but in the last five years, it's developed a near cult status. It's kind of weird honestly, but it's spun some pretty creative and entertaining ideas. So, after so much traffic from google here by indie-game playing pizza lovers and truffle pizza fast food cravers, I am issuing an inaugural validation of Good Pizza, Great Pizza as one of the greatest pizza-themed indie games of all time. At least that I've played--I'll get to you Freddy.
This is a game that had come across my desk yesterday, which I had accidentally overlooked because of my new format, but I was really interested in it. Shindig is an interactive fiction in the style of something like a kids' exploration picturebook with some tried and true interactive gameplay. As you might know, it's always been my goal to seek out wholesome indie games because I'm a bit jumpier than a jackrabbit at times. I tend to like games that can be played by anyone. In Shindig I explored this friendly animated world on a quest to help a friendly warthog find treasures to put together a party, or a Shindig rather. It's cute and thoughtful. Learn more here if you wish.
For the record, I am a big fan of Way Down Deep and their dating sim releases over the last year like the socially distanced romance sim Romantic Distancing and the popular release Half Past Fate. I've been eyeing Date Night Bowling since I first saw it in an upcoming games roster. So when the opportunity to play it on Switch arose, I snagged it and slipped on some bowling shoes. Eww, digital ones! I jest. Anyway, what we've got here is a combination of a very pleasant to look at video game with plenty of replay value and a pretty darn decent bowling simulator for the Switch. It's about $8 right now on sale. I decided to play through a date and flip through the options, I'll tell you what I observed here. Overall, to begin with, it's a good game.
Update: Alchemic Cutie is, once again, a game running across my desk, slated for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 for June 2023. I really have no particular context for describing it after so long, but when I tested it on PC I felt that it fits into the few neat descriptors of bright, colorful, cute. It's an RPG. In all fairness, it is a monster collection game, à la Pokemon-style games. In the realm of indies, it bridges stylistic notes of games like Arietta of Spirits as well as Potion Party, but goes a little more Zelda in its cutesy…
Beacon Pines is a visual novel, but really it qualifies with a new level of cozy interaction and fathoms deep optimistic complexity to its characters. The basic structure of the story relies on an interesting "plot device" made of... well, plot devices! You start in a storybook tale of a young fawn, though I'd say that's up for interpretation, named Luka at his grandmother's. Through exploration and experimentation and interacting with those around you can acquire something known as "charms." Charms help change the course of the story. You may need to go back and forth to test what works and what doesn't, but with each charm, comes some new element that alters everything. Hold on to your BOOK straps, we're going in.
Doggone Hungry is a lovely little PC doggo game about an adorable pup, his favorite toy, some loveable humans, and that gosh darn cat. You'll pounce against the clock to acquire enough, and by enough I mean as many as he wants, snacks to bulk up and solve the exasperating crises of your unreachable toy duck Quackerjack. The style is a colorful pretty much low poly location-based game filled with humans relaxing and occasionally opening doors for you. Don't be so quick to bark after lunching on some prepared hot dogs they had sitting out because you will get caught! They will just put you in timeout though. This game is so cute and so pleasant, (also it's free), so I just had to choose this as today's free-for-all showcase.
Hoa is an intricate hand-painted character and environment art platformer released this week. Visually it succeeds wonderfully with Miyazaki-like aesthetics in illustration, animation, and special effects. It also boasts an absolutely charming ambiance in its background music plus sound effects that are cinematic in quality and effect. It also is available in 10 different languages right from its launch. I feel very relaxed playing Hoa, and even watching someone playing it can be very pleasant. If you have ever been a fan of Totoro or woodland creatures with endearing hearts, fall in love as I did with the game Hoa. Let's take a look.
Mini-motorways is a delightful traffic planning sim released within the last month. It boasts charming flat graphic aesthetics with an intuitive casual style game experience. The sleek 2D environment bleeds indie simplicity worthy of a gaming machine or a new phone. The gameplay is relatively simple but allows interactive city planning in a selection of metropolitans all around the world. Start with a small group of structures within the map and drag road tiles and other traffic structures between color-coordinated structures to advance. As you progress, you'll learn tricks and skills to create a flawless infrastructure. I'm excited to take a look at this one with you, so let's get started!
