We’re back at Friday again, and this week horror is the focus! Not that it is the only genre or theme represented, but it is still the most common with seven games related to it! To balance them out, we also have chill 3D coloring and frog refuge titles, a couple of couch co-op games, and two more that have visual novel elements.
Note: All of the images shown below come from the respective game’s Steam sales page.
To watch a brief video of me mentioning the horror games in this post, please see below:
blank_01 (Horror Walking Simulator)
The monotony of life is the subject of today’s first game. In one of this title’s thumbnails the player’s to do list is work, eat, get money, pay, and sleep. Then you just repeat it over and over again. At least if we break down our lives to a super simple level, then it can feel that way for some of us. I will say that the art style is really unique, and people say the game conveys its message well. 96% of 65 reviews are positive!
Coloring Voxels (3D Coloring)
Here’s the first chill game of the week! Basically it is 3D coloring game with 7 worlds and 16 levels in each one. The soundtrack has calm piano music, too! 75% of 116 reviews are positive!
Dillo’s Dilemma (3D Collectathon Platformer)
I like the look of this 3D platformer quite a bit! You play as Dillo, an armadillo who can roll around in the form of a ball. This helps you get around the stages and collect bottles that your friends are trapped in. Rescue them using various contraptions and save the day! 100% of 11 reviews are positive!
Epoch Spire (First-person Shooter Roguelite)
While not amazing looking, I enjoyed the vibe given off in this game’s trailer. I thought some may want to try it out, so here it is!
The Heavens (Visual Novel)
Young souls (or angels) in heaven want to be reborn on Earth. That is the gist of this visual novel’s story. I appreciate the pleasant, pastel-colored artwork and nice music, so I really wanted to include it this week. It looks like an enjoyable title for fans of the genre and subject matter!
The Man in the Park 2: The Second Man in the Park (First-person Horror)
This is the second in a series of first-person horror games. Like the first, it also takes place in a park, but now there are two creepy men nearby. Just so you know, I mentioned the first game in the series a couple weeks ago as well. You can find my post that refers to it here. Some of the reviewers say it is better than the original, with 96% of 29 reviews being positive!
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge (Cozy Simulation)
For cozy game players, this is likely a good choice. It has nice 2D artwork and a calm, relaxing soundtrack. In it, you develop a sanctuary for frogs while also placing objects in the area and taking pictures of the various amphibians. The game is free at the Epic Games Store!
Memoria Altera (Walking Simulator)
With a neat cell-shaded look, this game may be an intriguing choice for fans of puzzle adventures and walking simulators. In it, you’ve lost your memory and need to explore a facility that you’re trapped in. As you do so, your memories start returning.
Monster Girl Manor (Romance Visual Novel)
A Choose-your-own-adventure game with anime girls. One aspect that people seem to like a lot is that the voice acting is done by a variety of popular Vtubers. 95% of 22 reviews are positive!
Nakuma (MMO-style RPG)
Those who miss the grind of old-school MMO’s may want to consider Nakuma. It is a single-player RPG with 2D graphics, but with some of the gameplay of an MMO where you grind a lot, fight a large number of enemies at once, and upgrade your weapons regularly. 97% of 36 reviews are positive!
Ondine: Prototype (2D Shooter)
This is an unusual 2D shooter where you collect souls from enemies, level up your weapons, and defeat the horde of monsters in a variety of areas. The game doesn’t have too many reviews, but it looked unique so I am including it here!
RAVENOUS (Psychological Horror)
Another horror game for the week! When I looked at the reviews for this title, I was impressed by the quality sound and lighting design featured here. Watching the trailer, the atmosphere was gripping from the start. People seem to really like it, with 100% of 45 reviews being positive!
Shards of the Library (Farming Sim)
This farm sim looks like a PlayStation 1 title, but uses anime artwork when talking to people in town. According to the sales page it features fishing, monster encounters, item crafting, farming, skill learning, and more. The game takes about 2 hours to complete and was developed as part of a graduation portfolio. Generative AI tools were used in the game’s development, but not for all areas of the game. I think some will like it!
Stomach (First-person Horror)
Like the previous release, this one also has a graphical style that imitates what one saw in the PS1 era. It is a first-person horror game where you gather ingredients and cook a meal on a cruise ship before time runs out. I will say that it is odd that your right hand is in an unusual position for much of the game, like you are holding an invisible plate. 78% of 28 reviews are positive!
Strange Horticulture (Detective Puzzle)
I’ve mentioned shop simulations in the past, and with this one you find and identify plants for your business. Along the way, you prepare things for your customers to help them with their challenges. All the while you unravel a mystery in the area. It is free this week on the Epic Games Store! In case you’re curious, this earlier Friday’s Free Games! has a shop simulator related to mushrooms.
Sub Terra (First-person Horror)
A first-person psychological horror game taking place deep underground. Your mission is to fix a leaky sewer line. Like some other games shown this week, I like the sound design quite a bit! 100% of 22 reviews are positive!
Tamako (2D Precision Platformer)
This is a 2D platformer that also includes a level editor. I like the graphics style as shown in the trailer! It also seems to be a rather chill game, which is appreciated.
Time Gamers: 12000 Years in One Square Mile (History Adventure)
History buffs may want to try out this game! In it, you gather DNA from extinct species of animals and also important historical figures. This involves walking around and pointing your “gun” at the animal or person and pressing a button. While doing so, there’s a narrator who shares some historical background of where you’re at and so on. As shown in the gameplay video, Time Gamers has you go back to the time of the Civil War so you can learn about how life was like back then. Oddly enough, the video on Steam shows about 30 minutes of lightly edited gameplay footage, so it isn’t exactly a game trailer. I’m glad that it shows what the title is really like, though!
Together in Forgotten Lands: Chapter One (Co-op Puzzle Adventure)
The first of a couple co-op games for this week! In this one you explore an unusual cave and solve puzzles with another player. The sound design in the trailer is pretty cool, although the narrator was a bit hard to understand at times. I did like the distinctive art design! 98% of 87 review are positive!
Unknowz (Co-op Platformer)
A nice looking local co-op platformer where two of you play as a couple of pirates, with one being alive and the other dead. You need to work together to make it through a skeleton-infested island. Strangely, there didn’t seem to be too many sound effects while playing, at least from what I saw of the trailer. Even so, the developers are responsive to fixing bugs, and 78% of 14 reviews are positive!
Virgil (First-person Horror)
Another of many horror games that are available this week. Here, you are working at a facility and need to move boxes around. Near you is a dangerous automaton that roams the area and only moves when you look away from it, or you blink in real life… The sound design in the trailer is rather well done, with some good voice acting. The title is very popular; 89% of 271 reviews are positive!
Void Stalkers (Survival Horror Simulation)
Probably one of the more unique horror games of the week. In this one you are a pilot of a spaceship that is traveling through the Void with terribly dangerous cargo. You are supposed to use your security cameras and other tools to stay alive until you make it to your destination. One of the reviewers says it is a hidden gem!
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