"Sable" is a very promising story-rich open world game with lots of punch in the aesthetics and some very captivating design qualities. Most noticeably, is the 2D illustration in a 3D environment, but also the story. Gamers will feel like they are flipping through a really high-quality graphic novel that has come to life on whatever system they're using to play it on.
"OPUS Echo of Starsong" is a narrative sci-fi drama taking place in the far reaches of lawless space, created by SIGONO, the developer of the OPUS series. I covered the previous two OPUS games in the series last year, and they were very popular, accounting for a ton of traffic on my site! I also thoroughly enjoyed them. So, when I started off today learning that I would have an opportunity to cover the third OPUS game in the series, OPUS Echo of Starsong, which was just released on September 1st, I was super excited! This series has so much to offer in interpersonal character development, art design, and dramatic storytelling. It is no wonder fans love OPUS. So let's get started.
"non - The First Warp" is a unique puzzle-platformer released this summer. It stirs up themes of hypnagogic-like environments and alien sci-fi worlds, that feels like a strew of estranged organs and strange puzzles. Okay, I'm in. Play a purple alien in this squishy puzzle environment, where cluess seem to live within the structure of the game like some giant biological telephone book.
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.
Universe for Sale is an upcoming title that combines sci-fi themes and metaphysical themes into a quirky and compelling visual novel/interactive fiction. I already do not recall the main character's name, and neither will you, as the shroud of mystery is an important part of this introduction. He is a self-described "cultist" with a floating head who drops into a tea shop on Jupiter to meet with a young lady named Lila. The prologue sets up a story involving Lila's special gift to create mini-universes! Hence the game title.
Astroneer is a low poly space sim with a playful and colorful, stylized atmosphere. It uses its practical fundamental mechanics and graphics to pull off an engaging and creative experience. After completing the tutorial on your basic tools and resources available, the game is essentially an open-world sandbox where you can develop your base camp or head to another planet. It is similar to games like The Outer Worlds and No Man's Sky, without the realistic graphics and more emphasis on casual, puzzle-solving gameplay. Today, I'll take you through what my experience is with this game.
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.
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.