Today we’re back to a larger assortment of titles, with almost 20 games being showcased! Outside of various horror releases, there’s also a point and click adventure title that is fully voiced and has a jellyfish who wants to destroy the world, an interactive comic book about the housing crisis in Amsterdam, multiple walking simulators, a JRPG with polygonal backgrounds, platformers, and a popular first-person hack and slash game where you beat up robots after you’ve been fired!
Note: As is my custom, all of the images shown below are from the game’s Steam sales page.
I’ve also prepared a short YouTube video where I show gameplay footage of three games with unique premises.
BIRDHOUSE (Narrative Horror)
One of many horror games available this week, BIRDHOUSE is an overhead narrative-driven horror title made using RPG Maker. Despite the engine that was used to develop it, the games still has a distinctive look to it because it has hand drawn artwork. Reviewers also seem to like the sound design as well. You explore the house and backyard to find keys to progress the story. 97% of 36 reviews are positive!
Catch Sunlight Museum (Interactive Museum)
Why play a game when you can explore a museum instead! That’s what you’ll find here. It is a first-person title where you walk through a museum and look at artwork. I really like the look of this one!
The Day of the Jellyfish (Point and Click Adventure)
It’s clear from the trailer that the developers of this game are fans of late 1980’s and early 1990’s point and click adventure games! After all, I don’t think this game’s name is by accident (Wikipedia). This one has some really nice 8 or 16-bit pixel art and stars a couple of playable characters. Your intention was just to go and perform at a rock concert, but you find that there is a ecological disaster going on and a jellyfish wants to destroy the world! The dialogue is all fully voiced and it has original pixel art and music. It looks really great!
Don’t Get Your Hopes Up (Interactive Comic Book)
Okay, so this isn’t much of a game. It’s really an interactive comic book about the housing crisis in Amsterdam. The art style and the music were impressive in the trailer, so I want to show it off!
ENDLING (Walking Simulator)
What would it be like to have a perfect day? This game addresses that question through the medium of a walking simulator. You wake up in a new place and there is a virtual assistant that is talking with you and asks you questions. It seems to want you to have a perfect day, and if you don’t, then perhaps you’ll have it tomorrow, or the day after that. Apparently, it is an indie title from some years back that has been upgraded for its Steam release. It has really nice graphics and also some quality lighting effects as well. Destruction seems to be an important aspect of the game. 95% of 20 reviews are positive!
Frontier Combat: Beginnings (Polygonal JRPG)
It’s difficult for a JRPG to stand out graphically. However, with Frontier Combat: Beginnings the look is pretty unique in that it features a polygonal view of the world while the characters are 2D sprites. This isn’t very common for free JRPGs. Additionally, the combat is turn-based with some real-time aspects to it. Like you have to press buttons at certain times to block attacks and so on. Even though I don’t think it looks that amazing, I want to applaud the originality of how the game is presented. It doesn’t have many reviews, sadly.
Ghost Code: Escape (2D Platformer)
A 2D platformer that looks like a game that was made in 1990s. Beyond that, one thing that is distinctive about it is that the music is really prominent in the trailer. Moreover, the game takes place is futuristic world and reminds me of the Matrix since people jack plugs into their necks. Other things I enjoy include the world building and the running animation. For some reason there isn’t a trailer on the Steam page anymore. Here’s a link to it on YouTube if you want to check it out!
Goodbye (Walking Simulator)
This is a case where it feels like the trailer doesn’t tell you a whole lot, and yet the game is still intriguing! This is a first-person interactive fiction adventure game where you play as an old lady and need to do different tasks as you play. As shared in the trailer, you seem to be waiting for a loved one to send you a letter, but you’re worried that she forgot about you. 100% of 17 reviews are positive!
Magecraft: Spellbuilding (Roguelite Card Battler)
The first thing that I noticed about this was that I really like the pixel art style! It’s a roguelite card battler where you can create new spells to use against enemies. Much of the gameplay revolves around exploring randomly generated dungeons and defeating monsters. One aspect that surprised me about it is that when I looked at the reviews many had more than 10 hours of playtime, which is very unusual for a free game. 100% of 16 reviews are positive!
The Night Is Long (Lovecraftian Horror)
When it comes to Art design this is one of the most impressive for the week! It’s a first-person horror title where you play as a man who is grieving the loss of his wife. One night you are driving down the road and you see her again for the first time in 5 months. As you get closer to her, she keeps walking away toward a mansion. You feel compelled to follow her so you don’t lose her again. From the sales page images the lighting effects seem really impressive as are the details in some of the objects. The trailer also features some quality voice acting which really adds to that atmosphere! 91% of 12 reviews are positive!
PIG (Visual Novel)
The premise here is that you’re someone who is going to die soon, and in a bid to try to extend your life, you play a high-stakes game of pig. Don’t expect tons of gameplay depth; this is a short Choose Your Own Adventure game that was made in 10 days for a game Jam. Yet, it has a neat art style and some ominous music. It almost has 10 reviews, and all I saw were positive!
Poppy Sanctum Prologue: Aquance Isle (Puzzle Platformer)
When I listen to a voice in a trailer it may not be the most polished sounding, but it is distinct enough that it makes you want to keep on watching. That’s what happened with this game. Here you guide red pandas around an island and try to solve puzzles. It is played from an isometric perspective, with your job being to help them escape. I also really like the game’s distinctive art style!
Project Winter (PvP Survival Adventure)
The first game from the Epic Games Store this week is a PvP survival game in a snowy world. It is quite popular for fans of this type of game!
Rage Quit (First-person Hack and Slash)
You’ve been fired, and probably replaced by a bunch of robots. In retaliation for this, you get your sledgehammer and destroy everything in the office! It looks like a lot of fun and multiple reviews say it’s a great 10 minute experience! Some also state that there were no frame drops, so that’s cool! 98% of 98 reviews are positive!
Samorost 2 (Point and Click Adventure)
The first Samorost game has been free on Steam and GOG for quite some time. This week the Epic Games Store has the sequel available for free, too! If you want to see my review of the first game, it can be found here.
Skull8 (Fantasy Minesweeper)
Sometimes a game knows exactly what it is designed to be, and it’s not ashamed to just do it. This title which looks like an old PC game where you move your character around trying to acquire eight relics in 12 minutes. It plays a bit like minesweeper. Note: The trailer has a lot of flashing lights, so be aware of that if you are sensitive to such things.
Stanley Says (Puzzle Horror)
This is another game where the sound design really stands out! In the trailer the music starts playing immediately, yet I almost can’t understand what the person is saying while listening to it. It’s played from a first-person perspective and has more puzzle elements than other horror titles from this week. It takes place in a abandoned nursery from 2001 where there is a Stanley who is chasing after you. One good sign is that a lot of reviewers are hoping for a sequel that is a bit longer. The ending sets itself up for one. 84% of 19 reviews are positive!
Step Away (Casual Utility)
Out last title for the week is more of a utility than a game. Step Away is a “game” where you have a character that walks across the screen while you are not using it. The intention is to tell it what you’re going to work on next, like walking the dog or doing dishes. Then you step away and go do it! Meanwhile, there will be a character that walks in the “game” in a sideview 2D perspective. When you come back from your chore, the guy on screen may have earned a new hat that you can dress him with. That’s the point of the game! I like that there is some utility to this release that it is designed to help people be more productive. 100% of 13 reviews are positive!
Cheap Retro Gaming 
Leave a comment