steam - Mr. Dave Pizza

Moonstuck is Literally Impossible, Stop Now

This is one of the games that I hesitated to add because I am not any good at playing it yet. Then again, that is basically the reason I decided to create this side blog because I can share the actual game info quicker than I pick up the learning curve. Anyway, Moonstuck is a 2D platformer from CozyGames and Black County Games available on Steam just released today. It utilizes a very difficult mechanic involving rocket propulsion and a scenario where touching the majority portions of the platform can result in being kicked back to the start, or checkpoint if you proceed far enough. The aesthetics of the game, especially the environment, music, and character are really pleasant. It offers a cozy place to zone out and cuts no corners in creativity. Some comments on Steam described it as a “calm rage game,” which I think is a perfect description. As usual, the game is totally free and even offers controller support, so it is worth checking out!

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April 20, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Octarina, A Game About an Octopus Trapped in a Sushi Factory

e of the octopus!) Using your squiggly limbs and momentum, propel yourself around the interior of the factory with the intention of escaping. You can use suction cups to climb structures and hurl objects at switches to reverse conveyor belts and such. There are three modes: speed mode, story mode, and “the floor is lava.” Despite the dire situation, the game is pretty pleasant and amusing. The graphics and art style are spot on, making use of mid-range graphics cards, which I confirmed on my desktop build. It’s best played with a controller in my opinion. The story is short and sweet, but this is a free game that rewards you for wanting straight-to-the-point gameplay to appreciate its concept. The game is from an academic dev at FH Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, which has some other projects out too.

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April 20, 2022

INDIE GAMES

With You is a co-op game For couples

With You is from Carol Mertz and Insatiable Cycle, the same publisher of “We should talk.” It’s a simple co-op puzzle platformer that can be played with a keyboard. It can also be played as one player using the respective sides of their keyboard to control the two main characters. Solve puzzles by figuring out geometric obstacles, flipping around your square and half circle buddies so that they can fit into the floating sections on the two-dimensional plane behind them, unlocking the next levels. The game features a cute style, with a pleasant soundtrack, and is described on the Steam page as a game “that hopes to inspire couples to connect, communicate, and collaborate.” I think it succeeds, and that’s why it is my free game this today, which has also got me back on the hunt for more free Steam games!

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April 20, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Exoblast is Basically Cyberpunk Pong

Exoblast is basically a very extreme version of pong. Made by the French developer DreamIRL Games, it hit Steam last month and is free as of version 1.0. You control a machine slider in charge of one side of the screen playing against either an AI or another player (there seems to be functionality for online mode too.) The original style of this type of game is expanded upon with the ability to shoot plasma at the other side of the screen, distracting or even disabling the enemy player. It’s loaded with all sorts of cyberpunk aesthetics and is quite fun actually. It is also capable of full controller support. Find it here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/725100/Exoblast/

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April 20, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Village Monsters: A Pleasant Town Sim Borrowing From Made Up Myths

Village Monsters is a solo dev project from Josh Bosser. It's a pixel art town sim that departs from conventional titles with an alternative community of friendly monsters. The game plays on similar genre themes as Stardew Valley but the content goes into the outsider/quirk genre of games with its monster acceptance communicated in each character's unconventional friendliness. It departs from too much comparison by offering a vast amount of exclusive unique story concepts in each characters' backstory and dialogue. Players can also enjoy activities like treasure hunting, fishing, exploring, working, and contributing to the town itself. Village Monsters is pleasantly surprising and the subject of this indie game collective showcase/review post. So, let's see what's inside!

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April 13, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Pompom is A Challenging, Colorful Hamster Platformer

The recently released pixel platformer Pompom: The Great Space Rescue ran across my desk as a showcase opportunity through my friends at Indie Game Collective. It's a precision platformer, sort of, with a feature I've never seen before this involving time slowing AND improvised platform placement. You can play with a controller, or you can play it with a mouse (or hamster actually, since that is Pompom's main character you play as.) The game balances innovative gameplay, a moderate learning curve, and generous leniency to keep your gameplay flowing. I'm thoroughly enjoying it, at the level of some other top precision platformers like Celeste. From the pleasant pixel art to the rewarding gameplay, this game earns every slice in the Mr. Dave Pizza pie. So, let me do my duty and share with you some information about this excellent game. Also, I made a cam appearance for the first time on this game's video--with my favorite hat! Not sure why, just felt like doing it.

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April 10, 2022

INDIE GAMES / NINTENDO SWITCH

Moonlighter is a Much Better Game Than I Thought

The game Moonlighter is a combination rogue-lite dungeon-crawler mixed with trade simulation and story-rich RPG elements. This timeless, beautifully rendered pixel top-down was released by Digital Sun in 2018, and is available on most platforms.

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March 10, 2022

INDIE GAMES

Mago is a Colorful SNES Style Indie Platformer About a Sorcerer

Mago: The Villain's Burger is an adventure set in a world populated by fresh NES sprites and joyful playful storytelling. It is your responsibility as Mago (which is a perfect name for a sorcerer) to rescue the princess and do heroic things. It's filled with so many fun easy-to-learn but masterable abilities and unique mechanics that you just don't find in every game. The best way to understand it is most likely visually, but today I'll be talking about why Mago is a promising look at how its developers are creating something that is, possibly, capable of going big if they wish.

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February 10, 2022

VISUAL NOVELS

Fayburrow is a Free Cozy Student Made Interactive Fiction

Today, I plunged headfirst into the free games pile new releases over on Steam store. On my arrival, I discovered a cozy little visual novel among the listings called Fayburrow, and I decided to take a look at it. Fayburrow is a free game created by the self-named "Fayburrow Troupe" at VIA University College in Denmark. It just hit the Steam store today. What was first intrigue, turned into a fascination with the conjunction of such delightful graphics with a genre I have not covered in far too long! So, after downloading, I fired it up and took it for a spin at the courtesy of the game's student makers and you dear reader. Let's take a look at Fayburrow.

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February 3, 2022