itch io - Mr. Dave Pizza

Caves Ablaze Feels like a Super Old School Platformer

Caves Ablaze is a 2D Metroidvania Platformer. Play as a ball of fire that completes puzzles deep underground by using flames and dashing abilities to unlock paths. Avoid water and slowly make your way to the surface. Playable with an X-Box Input Controller or keyboard. This was the inaugural free games post for the FGV blog. Not a lot documented here, but a perfectly enjoyable game.

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April 20, 2022

VISUAL NOVELS

Eternia is a Unique Visual Novel About Pets I Played For No Reason

There's a short, charming story in Eternia: Pet Whisperer. Even if you're a cockatoo/border-collie lover like me, or whether you lean more toward the exotic koala/frill-necked lizard, or rat brothers. These animals have a slight backstory, and cute appearance, plus a natural subtle wit. It's got that solo dev quirk that I love best of all, where the plot derails to form a full loopable plot-line but keep things manageable; that's a plus, folks. And I'm not going to spoil it for you, because you deserve that, but also because I think it's one of the charms of the game.

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March 12, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Necrow Co. is a Fun Little Platformer

If this headline doesn't raise an eyebrow, then stick with two, because this article is tapping into some unexplored territory with the game Necrow Co. by creator Zahran Worell. The game Necrow Co. is a 2D pixel platformer, playable with either a controller or keyboard. It's a light narrative about a crow who starts work for a company of reapers, featuring a cozy skeleton psychopomp grim dispatching you to a national park filled with spookies, squishies, and don't-touchies (terms coined on our end.) Abilities are basic: move left and right, jump, and shoot a sort-of crow song wave that disables mobs. Necrow Co. is a charming adventure, and despite the grim theme, fairly soft on the player. Let's take a look.

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January 23, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Soul Delivery is Absolutely Stunning

Alright, folks, I am compelled to write about this. Last night I posted a video of a game on itch.io called Soul Delivery. Yes, it is true, the graphics in this game are so stunning, it's enough to short circuit. Though, until now, I've never even heard of it. I don't know who the dev is, and I don't know anything more than what's covered on the itch.io page. But, since there's a demand on this, let's just take a look at it right now, and I'll polish this up later once I've had a little more time with it.

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January 21, 2022

INDIE GAMES

The Wratch’s Den is a Feast of Excellent Challenges

The Wratch's Den is a rogue-like dungeon builder from the depths of the PUNKCAKE Délicieux inventory on Itch.IO. The gameplay involves building a pixel art style base by mining the surrounding layers of cave rock. The core of the base is a simple brick square structure that houses a minotaur villain on a throne that oversees a group of minions. Progress is measured by how quickly you respond to crusading do-gooders and the retrieval of three magic orbs. When enough progress is made the arch-villain minotaur can research new areas in the base or even revive slain minions. This entire experience is procedurally generated and leads to casual replay value that is pretty dang fun. So, let me take you into the depths of The Wratch's Den, and tell you what I see.

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August 16, 2021

INDIE GAMES

Widget Satchel is an Interesting Hidden Gem

Widget Satchel is a cross-platform indie platformer out a couple of years but still very fun and fresh. It is currently available through the Itch.IO Palestinian aid bundle. Widget Satchel is a delightful flat graphic style game, where you play as an adorable ferret upon a space station. You start off with a satchel and explore junk-filled levels and builds things. There is no game over or way of getting hurt, but plenty of challenging scenarios to try things out. Let's have a look.

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July 22, 2021

VISUAL NOVELS

My Cup Of Coffee: The Trouble With Earl Grey (Review)

My Cup of Coffee: The Trouble with Earl Grey is a visual novel that takes place in a very imaginative turn of the century coffee shop presumably somewhere within Victorian society. You play as a family apprentice of the coffee trade and you more or less are plonked right into days as a barista. The story revolves around a casual plot involving a group of customers known as the Grey family. Using clues from casual conversation, you are tasked to unravel the feeling of tension between Mrs. Grey and Mr. Grey and their maid as well.

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July 6, 2021

INDIE GAMES

Magic Trick is A Cool Little itch.io Indie About Skating

Magic Trick is a 3D first-person skateboarding game that combines elements of popular wholesome achievement games with a skateboarding theme. It is rich in cotton candy pastels, low poly maps, and anthropomorphic characters to interact with through each island. You can play this game with a controller or keyboard and mouse. The storyline is driven by skateboarding objectives of traditional moves like ollies, grinds, flips, and jumps. It is a fully released game and exists in the realm of dev games that are available at a very affordable price mark for lots of fun!

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July 1, 2021

VISUAL NOVELS

Wheels of Aurelia 1978 is a Free Hidden Gem

Wheels of Aurelia is an interactive-fiction-style racing game set in Italy in 1978. The left-hand steers the wheel of a gritty game that is full of themes of crime, punk, and danger. While the themes are a bit serious, its thematic integrity is in check by fun, innovative game design, and a serious historical snapshot. Drive through the coastlines in low-polygon graphics and talk to your passengers about anything.

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June 24, 2021