All indies–mostly PC, many on Nintendo Switch, and some otherwise.
Monster Pub is a neat and funny narrative wrapped up in a nice isometric, pixel art game that is ultra-casual. You're whoever you want to be, a shadow-cloaked being, approached on a dark rainy street by a bright pink monster named Pfeffer. She leads you to a mysterious location that turns out to be a public house, for monsters, apparently based on the set for 80's TV show Cheers. Only here, it's where every *monster* knows your name. Let's play some sandwiches!
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.
Shu's Garden is a game that's part of the huge Itch.IO bundle release recently. It is essentially an open playground experience, with no strict rules or goals. Play a little space-cactus named Shu, a ball of shine with a friendly symbiotic tail that bounces around planets. This game holds up well over time, and even without any clear direction of strategy, it is still quite enjoyable as a mini-session or even tangential distraction. Let's take a look.
When I first started reviewing games, I wrote a list of flying games that I found intriguing around the time Sky Rogue first appeared on my radar. I feel like Sky Rogue has evolved from my first perception of it though. My own style is a bit different too since I’ve stepped out a bit more from my digital pacifism, at least on principle. Not much though. This is another game that has action-packed gameplay without being too coarse. I love Sky Rogue and I hope you will too. Let’s take a look.
I must have a sick sense of humor if I decided to go on this journey so eagerly in the gaming verse. I have a sense of humor, sorry for the orneriness. C'mon though "CHAIR" Simulator!? What's weird is it actually wasn't that bad. And it's free. If you literally have nothing else to do, just try it. I'm only jesting guys, obviously the creator was tongue in cheek when they created this, but I was surprised by the attention to gameplay that was put into this for being a joke game. Well, that, or it was created by aliens, which is fine too. Alright, let's unpack this, not too much though, since surely I'm doing the Lord's work today here. Launch...
Let's talk about an upcoming space game! Space Mechanic Simulator is a 3D space sim set in, you guessed, outer space. So far, this game is still in development, but that may have changed by the time you read this. It is currently in development with a demo on steam that I am reviewing here. Your job is to repair space stations, spaceships, and presumably other space vehicles with a sophisticated drill and a meter. Obtain parts from drones or 3D print them. Once you have detected the malfunctioning equipment, remove it and replace it.
Orbital Racer is a realistic space-sim pilot racer originally released for PC in 2017, now available on Xbox One and Series X. At a standard indie game price for nominal quality, I think this is one of the best racing games I have ever played. Players are given a selection of ring wing fighter jets that can be raced with or without combat. Each race starts off in an area in orbit around a planet in our solar system. You will navigate your ship through HUD point rings with beautiful space scenery in the background and collect power-ups to earn your place in each competition, which is also customizable. Even with video game perks like the power-ups, it is highly realistic and one of the best space racers out there.
Surviving Mars is a scientific strategy and simulation game about colonizing the red planet. Players are guided through the very basics of roving the terrain for information and resources. As their knowledge increases, it becomes possible to start envisioning an extraplanetary colony. Learn about theoretical technologies as well as real ones and how they interplay in our future on Mars. This is a game about exploration and survival.
Genesis Noir is an experimental detective story that takes place in a cosmogonic setting in different parts of the universe. If that already sounds mind-blowing, it's artistically extravagant in the creative gears that turn its two-dimensional, or even 5-dimensional, gameplay mechanics--metaphorically at least. The game starts wandering the streets of some strange alternative 1950's cityscape and blows open a new case to investigate with a bang, a big bang. Yes, that one. In this review, I'll talk about the game--and also talk to you about a new project I'm working on involving space exploration in games.
Nyaa-Kuza is an illustrated half-action interactive fiction title from the self-dubbed Catzooka Studios out of the University of Utah's EAE program. Play as Mochi, an ex Nyaa-Kuza brawler cat, whose cat wife, Hime, has been "catnapped" by the syndicate. You'll traverse the outskirts of a Japanese city interacting with leads and allies in a conventional visual novel style to find Hime. At other times, the game is highly interactive with button-mashing fight scenes with cat gangsters. The game is free on Steam, and I sincerely suspect you've never seen a game like this.
