Wholesome Direct - 2022 Round Up

This was the only reason I bothered to write anything this not-E3. Wholesome Direct, the portion of gaming that isn’t about some kind of space horror. Of course it focuses on the smaller end of the gaming spectrum, as opposed to the Xbox & Bethesda showcase I covered yesterday. A good number of games I’m about to talk about are without solid release dates. A good portion of them are providing updates, shouting about some lovely demos, or simply announcing their crowd-funding projects. If there is anything in particular that you want to know more about, Wholesome Games has all the links to every game shown in the showcase.

Let’s kick off with a demo I covered last year, which returned to Steam’s Next Fest this year. Terra Nil continues to be about returning the environment to its lovely green, blue, and alive state. Still lacking a release date, the lovely folks over at Free Lives and Devolver seem to want a little more perfection to an already gorgeous and wholesome game. It is a diametric opposite of Free Lives previous game, Broforce, I am waiting with bated breath for the full release of this fantastically environmental-focused title, now with coral reefs.

Following that was possibly the most sinister second game ever, Little Bear Chef. Think Ratatouille with a porcelain bear, you’ll be cooking up a storm as you attempt to start your very first restaurant and traverse a kitchen that is possibly too big for your little paws. What I found rather sinister was the knife as the little bear chef looks into the oven as a lasagna dish bubbled with their latest meal. There’s no release date from BananaBoxCo, though over on Twitter, the team did give a small rundown of FAQs.

Stepping away from bears for just a moment, Melodyssey is an exploration-adventure game built around music. Yes, that includes a dog that is shaped a bit like an upside-down double semiquaver with the crotchet as the tail… or whatever it is called. Who said I know anything about music? Cute, thematic, and full of puzzles, I’m sure fans of relaxing games that may include ASMR will love Melodyssey when it releases in 2023.

Back to the bears now, Lumbearjack is a highlight of the entire Wholesome Direct. Released earlier this week for PC and Nintendo Switch, yesterday this cuddly environmentally conscious friend also made his Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S debut. In Lumbearjack you play as Jack, a bear that is rather annoyed at the hyper-capitalistic businesses behind deforestation and other issues to the environment. Thus he wages an all-out fight with the system. Particularly he takes on Evil Works, the corporation causing pollution, deforestation, and other environmentally unfriendly decisions.

Moving on to something we saw last year, The Garden Path continues to be Animal Crossing with an art-style I can’t get behind at all. This year the developer spoke a little more directly about the gameplay and how we’ll interact in-game. The Garden Path was revealed to similarly run in real-time, akin to Animal Crossing, and will feature seasonal quests to complete. Though we don’t have a specific date just yet, we do know The Garden Path will release later this year on PC, Mac, Linux, and the Nintendo Switch. There is also a limited-time demo running over on Itch.io.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a relaxing story-focused adventure as you ride your broom around the colorful world. It is from the developers of Deiland: Pocket Planet and Summer in Mara, the latter of which I’ve yet to dive into properly. Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is set to release in either late 2022 as Steam notes, or as the trailer shows, Q1 2023. As far as I’m able to uncover, Mika (the witch, not the singer) will be coming to just about everything, including 8th and 9th generation consoles as well as Steam and Epic.

Next up is a game that had me all over it. 30 Birds looks gorgeous. A mix of 2D and 3D art in a very interesting way, the word colorful undersells the Persian art we’ve seen from Zig’s adventure to find 30 birds. While Ram Ram’s 30 Birds lacks a release date at the moment, you can play a limited-time demo over on Steam right now. It is coming to Steam and select consoles.

Returning from last year, Mail Time came along once again to highlight a new area for the upcoming mushroom-based Postman Pat simulator. It still has an odd filter over it, akin to how Fallout New Vegas looked orange all the time, we did get an update on development. Coming later this year on Nintendo Switch, we got a short look at Grumblewood Grove and the new area.

Usagi Shima is a fantastically charming bunny collecting game with enough rabbits to fill a cereal box full of their droppings. It was rather impossible to garner much about this one as the trailer showed us why we want to decorate the bunny-inhabited island and little else. It will release at some point on Steam and mobile devices.

Following that and the wonderful Galaxy Fund T-shirts to support early game development for BIPOC and queer creators, we got another look at the most wholesome developer relationship. Trent Garlipp and his gran did another video for A Walk with Yiayia, the pixel-based walking simulator about taking your pet granny for a walk. Finally, with a release date, you’ll be able to play this adventure on August 20th, 2022 on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

Strange little platformer time. Chicken Journey is just that, an adventure coming to the Nintendo Switch and Steam later this year. Chicken Journey seems to be asking a rather stupid question. What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Another Animal Crossing-like, Puff Pals: Island Skies will let you live out your farming dreams as an LOL Doll. Lacking a release date or development details, I had to do a bit of digging before I found something solid and worth noting. Originally crowd-funded on Kickstarter early this year, the goal of $75,000 was backed by 42K people handing over $2.5-million for what will be coming to Steam soon as an alpha. Of course, as a stretch goal, there will be a full Switch release several years from now.

A bit David Cage-y, but interesting, Freeride is an RPG has you play as a telekinetic teenager in what is supposedly a bit of a personality test. It has branching paths and as much color as Beyond Good and Evil, in an art style that is soft yet defined well enough. Flightyfelon Games’ latest title is set to come to Steam and the Nintendo Switch next year. I for one am excited to see how the branching paths work out and how gameplay melds with the RPG elements.

I’ll put it in no short order, How to Say Goodbye is a grief simulator and it wants to break your heart into a million little bits. Coming to Steam and mobile devices later this year, it looks to be a very interesting and horrifying puzzle adventure about helping the dead move on. Once again I have to highlight the art styles because this showcase beyond all others seems to offer more depth in that regard than any other. Even when you know How to Say Goodbye is a grief simulator, the illustrated book style to it invites you in.

As much as I’ll happily say that Calico is a lovely chill vibe, the motion in that trailer for Calico: Pawsome Edition still makes a few people want to send their lunch outward, especially on the Switch. Said to be an update coming later this year to all platforms, it seems the cooking mini-game will return (hopefully with fewer bugs), alongside some more chill animal collecting and customization options. As much as I want to get into Calico from time to time, its performance and vomit-inducing motion can put some off.

Following that was a very Nintendo of America trailer, as someone shouted at me as they went on about a paper RPG. Paper Animal RPG is coming to PC via Steam, Epic, and Itch.io, as well as 8th and 9th generation consoles. One would assume it attempts to emulate the Paper Mario games of the Game Cube-era, though oddly enough I was unsure if this would be turn-based or real-time. As it turns out, the upcoming Kickstarter does a better job of getting across exactly what it is, “A cute Rogue-lite RPG with a real-time tile-based battle system.” As much as I’ll beat the chipper man shouting at me in the trailer to death with a rabbit, I’m interested.

A young pigeon Doctor that is criticizing the horrible US health care system? I’m in! Fall of Porcupine is a wonderful 2D platformer full of gorgeous little animals trying to fight the health-care system that just isn’t about health. Lacking a release date as of yet, we do know Buntspecht.Games’ Fall of Porcupine will be coming to Steam at some point. I just want it sooner.

Next we drift toward VR. The Last Clockwinder is a VR puzzle game about creating automated systems to complete a task. You play as several (or several hundred) robot clones as you create a chain network of tossing, hitting, cutting, and otherwise. Released on the 2nd of June, you can actually pick this one up right now and get to your Rube Goldberg fantasy of clockwork automation.

Birdy Tinder with rhythm, Lovebird is a dating simulator that has you swiping and tapping in time to get your bird back on the market. Releasing later this year to itch.io and other unnamed platforms, I’m sure this will take off like a pigeon in the high street as someone makes a loud noise. It is lovely, wholesome, and if you end up with a flamingo, we know what kind of kink you have.

Spirit Swap is a match-3 puzzler to the rhythm of lofi beats, and I’m here for it. It’s not here yet, it is queer, and I want it. Coming in 2023 to Steam, there is currently a small demo on Steam for all those that need a colorful LGBTQ+ puzzle game in their veins. Or we can wait for another game to keep spreading the gay agenda full of color and wholesomeness.

Then we got to a game that the entire show was dedicated to, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly continues the work of Mohammad Fahmi following his recent passing. Continuing on from the Seattle-based coffee shop, it looks like Coffee Talk 2 will be expanding on the base of its predecessor in 2023 when it releases on Steam and select consoles.

I swear Mathilde Hoffmann (the woman in the video) is a vocal coach. The video before we saw Oddada gave off too many PTSD-based memories of working with those types of chipper people. An odd little relaxing music-making game, Oddada is colorful, simple, and features the cutest Metronome. Still, there was no date announced, though you can wishlist Oddada over on Steam.

Speaking of PTSD memories, Frogun is a PS1-era platformer and no one can convince me otherwise. Coming to just about everything (except the Ouya) Molegato’s 3D platformer is colorful and pixelated, releasing later this summer. Oh, and did I mention there is a frog gun that works like a grappling hook? This is undoubtedly something I expect Alexx to be reviewing later this year on the Nintendo Switch.

One of the only games to send over a press release (thank you SOEDESCO), Garden Witch Life is something we saw last year at the Wholesome Snack in November. Still lacking a release date, this trailer was mostly to announce the publishing deal between FreeTimeStudio and SOEDESCO. It is a relaxing farming sim that I’m sure a few will be interested in when it releases on Steam and select consoles sometime in the future.

Princess Farmer is a game I feel like I’ve been seeing for years now, though it seems the match-3 visual novel game is expanding after its initial release, with the first bit of story dropping later this year. The free update is the first of a three-part story, coming to just about everything from Steam to 8th and 9th generation consoles.

After nearly 2-years in early access, Glumberland’s Ooblets is finally getting its full release later this summer. Coming to the Xbox One and Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Epic Games Store, we’ve still to find out the exact release date on Steam. No exact date has been given, but you won’t have to wait long to farm, play arcade games, and do whatever it is you do in this colorful RPG/creature collecting sim.

Bubble Gum Galaxy was up next, a title matching city-builder with a story throughout. It is from Smarto Club, the people behind that strange game Teacup, which wasn’t very long at all. Coming in 2023 to Steam and select consoles, the only troubles I had with this one was the font being too thin and pixel-y as well as the camera being too close to the tiles as you match them.

Niko was back to announce Here Comes Niko free DLC as part of the next update. Coming both to Steam and Nintendo Switch, we once again lacked a full release date for the colorful and charming adventure platformer.

I hope you really like music this year with your wholesome games. Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a musical adventure game based on the Moomin books and comics. Once again using the theme of environmentalism, you play as Snufkin, a loner that enjoys causing mischief and sometimes hanging out with the titular Moomin by Tove Jensson. Coming to Steam and select consoles in 2023, you’ll be the nightmare of an industrious parkkeeper as you attempt to bring balance back to Moominvalley.

A line puzzle game releasing later this year, Feed All Monsters is coming to Steam. You’ll get to experience its warm story of…well, feeding all the monsters. I don’t think there is much else to say. 10/10 for naming that one.

I really wanted to like SkateBird when it was initially released. Now with new levels and Among Us characters in the customization options, the latest update should now be available on Steam, Xbox consoles, Itch.io, and Nintendo Switch.

I had a moment watching Paper Trail where I yelled that I want it now and I want it in my veins. Very much like Jason Roberts’ Gorogoa, Paper Trail is a folding paper puzzle game specifically designed to break your head in Q1 of 2023. Releasing on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. I know I’ll be folding long into the night. For this week only, you can play a short demo over on Steam.

Soulitaire was something I was into, until the mention of Rogue-like story gameplay and not actually being anything to do with proper solitaire. It will release on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, at some point in the future. If you want to be a low-rent medium seeing visions of story that doesn’t matter because it is a Rogue-like, this one might be for you.

Announced solely (for now) on Steam, Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist was shown to announce a demo this week. Available until the 20th, you’ll have to be quick to paint the crude images that people in-game will give you money for. I know you, that’s exactly what you’ll do.

Normally I wouldn’t talk too much about the ads, but there was a segment of the showcase promoting the games and online harassment hotline. It was a great idea that undercut itself by being a number you text and being US only. Why that isn’t an app with support for select languages that could expand, I do not understand. If you’re going to be inclusive, do so properly and in the best possible way. This wasn’t it chief.

Up next was A Frog’s Tale, a turn-based RPG about a frog, surprisingly enough. Expected to release on Steam in 2023, you can also hop over to the Kickstarter to give this one a small bump to cross its goal of $60K. Similar to Crypt of the Necrodancer/Cadence of Hyrule, you’ll complete puzzles, fight, and complete platforming challenges to the beat of the music.

Freshly Frosted was released on Friday and while it is very interesting, it’s not a great challenge for a puzzle game. Available now on just about everything: PC, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, and the Nintendo Switch.

In more Pride Month-esque content, Kaichu: The Kaiju Dating Sim is a gay dating sim about Kaijus destroying cities to get to their cute monster-based loves. I was already into it before pink Godzilla and blue Ghidorah were destroying the houses of parliament just to snog each other. Releasing Q2 of 2022 for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch, I want it now. If you’re also into lovely monsters destroying landmarks to kiss each other, you can play the Kaichu demo available on Steam right now.

Back to the life-sims, Wholesome – Out & About is a “cottage-core” RPG about cataloging flora and funga like you are playing No Man’s Sky, or Starfield by the looks of that trailer shown the other day. A bit of cooking is thrown in too as you learn the plant identifications and decorate your wholesome little cottage, matched with an inclusive character creation tool. Releasing sometime next year, Wholesome – Out & About is set to come to Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch.

Announcing a demo that’s available right now, Paradise Marsh made another appearance ahead of its release later this year. Coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox consoles.

I’m going to tell my grandkids that this next game was Red Dead Redemption 2, as Gaucho and the Grassland is South American ranching in a game. Gaucho and the Grassland is a farming and life simulator set to release later this year. It is coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and of course, Nintendo Switch.

Announced last year, Lil Gator Game looks to be akin to adamgryu’s A Short Hike. It is an adorable adventure game about traversal and just playing around with mechanics. Releasing later this year for Steam and Nintendo Switch, I’ve got a feeling either Alexx or I will be reviewing this one upon release.

I still haven’t figured out why, but the music industry-based LGBTQ+ visual novel We Are OFK interested me last year, and it made a return this year. Oddly enough, it was to announce a demo available through Steam from the 13th. Though as I write this, you still can’t download the demo. Either way, We Are OFK is releasing later this summer for PS4 and PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

An apothecary simulator is next. Potion Permit is a crafting and life-sim RPG akin to Stardew Valley in a sense. You play as the local drug dealer. It will release later this year for PlayStation consoles, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. I find it odd there is no Xbox One release given its PS4 release though.

Speaking of Stardew/Harvest Moon-likes, Pixelshire is exactly that but with terraforming tools. Releasing next year, Pixelshire is coming to practically everything. Specifically, it will release on PC, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and the Nintendo Switch. I suspect David will be all over this one when it releases, and I say that because I sent him the link knowing full well he’d be interested.

Schim is one of the highlights of this year’s Wholesome Direct. Coming to Steam, Itch.io, and select consoles, this platformer does something very interesting indeed. You play as a little shadow frog that can only survive in the shadows of other animals, people, objects, and well, anything that casts a shadow. There is no release date as of yet, but the second Ewoud van der Werf’s puzzle platformer releases, I’m going to be playing it because I love that idea.

We saw Pekoe last year, the odd cat-based tea-drinking thing. This year it returned to showcase some of the tea-making, home decorating, and story-based conversations. Also the developers made a point to highlight that it will now release in Q2 of 2023 for Steam.

Exploration puzzle-based adventure game, Bilkins’ Folly got a showcase of its rather simplistic but effective art style. It may be because you play as treasure hunter Percy Bilkins that I’m getting a Monkey Island vibe, or it could be the late 18th century Caribbean Islands that are doing it. Either way, I know I’m excited for when this releases on Steam some time in the future, as we weren’t given a window for release.

We have another witchy game. Kitori Academy was unveiled to be a fun witch and wizard school for people that like the Scottish teacher that is also a cat. With a touch of farming sim, a bit of life sim, crafting, and RPG mechanics, I’m sure Alexx will be all over this one when it releases next year. It will release for Steam, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch. I’m just hoping it continues to be as wholesome as possible.

Coming to Steam and select consoles later this year, Togges is a 3D platformer that I could have sworn was going to turn out to be a party game. Then it turned out to be a game where you play as a Roomba that has both a blow and suck option. Interesting, weird, and plagued with a name that makes it forgettable, I’m sure I’ll say “oh, that released last month” by the time I can convince Alexx to get a review copy.

We saw Tracks of Thought last year, the lovely little lady-bug RPG set on a train. Still lacking a specific release date, Tracks of Thought is set to come to the Epic Games Store and Steam sometime next year. Though if you want to give it a go right now, there is a demo over on Steam right now.

Don’t ask me about this one, I’ve no idea. DokiToki: Time Slows Down When You’re In Love is a first-person adventure puzzle game about a Japanese schoolgirl called Ai. Coming to Steam next year, you too can put yourself on a watchlist for searching for this game.

Critter Crops is a Halloween-themed farming sim with rather simple art and a penchant for being almost monotonal from time to time. It is coming to Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Nintendo Switch at some point. Once again, it lacks a release date but you can head over to Steam and give the demo a try.

Another one of those open-world “play as an animal” games, Toroa is about a bird. As far as I’m able to understand you’ll play as a Northern Royal Albatross out in the Pacific Ocean, and that is it. Coming to Steam and select consoles, there is no date in sight. Just some clouds and the open ocean.

The next few games are returning from prior showcases either last year or this year. Starting with The Spirit and the Mouse, a puzzle platformer returning to show off new gameplay details and a demo that is currently available on Steam. It is coming later this year to the Nintendo Switch and Steam.

Also set for a 2022 release is the returning Snacko, an animal-based farming-sim adventure RPG where you play as a pixelated cat in an endlessly colorful world. It will release on Steam, PlayStation consoles, and the Nintendo Switch at some point later this year.

Another reminder that all cats are the worst things to ever be created, A Little To The Left is a casual organization puzzle game about having OCD. I just want to make sure the pencils are in the right order, ok? It is set to release in Q4 of 2022 for Steam, mobile devices, select consoles, and the Nintendo Switch. You can also play a demo right now over on Steam.

Next year, you’ll be able to follow Kokopa and Pollimero on their adventure in the procedurally-generated farming simulator, Kokopa’s Atlas. Exploration and crafting seem to be at the heart of this one, and you can find out for yourself with a demo supposedly available thanks to the Wholesome Direct. Though you can find the game over on Steam, platforms are supposedly yet to be announced, suggesting there may be a Switch, PS5, or Xbox Series X|S port on the way at some point.

I think it was the Day of the Devs showcase last year that showed off The Wandering Village, an environmental city-builder and Rogue-lite on the back of an Elden Ring shrine. More of an update than an announcement, Stray Fawn showed off Onbu, the creature your town is built on, and the toxic weather effects that affect those who are attempting to live as the Onbu wanders the world. This is a fantastic idea that will be released later this summer or into the Autumn, for Steam and the Xbox Series X|S.

“Zelda with a cute fox” the game (no, not Tunic) showed off some gameplay and announced a Demo over on Steam. Orge Pixel’s Lonesome Village is set to release later this year for Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox consoles, and other select consoles, of which I can only think of PlayStation. If you’re looking for another Zelda-like with top-down perspectives, this might be the one for you.

This is where we began a rapid-fire rundown, so details may be short on the next 30-ish games. Hamster on Rails is a game about building train tracks to move a hamster (get this) on rails. The title says it all really. It is coming to Steam, the Steam Deck, and select consoles. No release date as of yet, but there is a demo on Steam right now for those that want to place tracks so your hamster can ride the minecart they are in.

Garden of the Sea is a Meta-quest 2 (which steam still calls Oculus), HTC Vive, and Valve Index exclusive farming simulator that has been out since January. It is cute but limited in audience thanks to its VR-ness.

I’ll probably be kicked to death for this by the SkateBird people, but Olliefrog Toad Skater is the better skating game from this year’s Wholesome Direct. From Mr.Thee, there is a Kickstarter available now for it looking to get $35K with just under $5K pledged already, so get backing people. I’m not biased, but go back the game I want it! If you’re unsure about it still, there is a demo available to download on the Kickstarter and it is quite THPS in its controls. Set to release next year for platforms that are yet to be announced, though you can also wishlist on Steam now.

Available on Steam as well as Itch.io for free, With You seems to be a two-player Thomas Was Alone-like about a semi-circle and a triangle being best friends. It is a little horror-y with fuzzy edges and deep colors, but otherwise as far as I know it is wholesome.

Miska was up next, a game about Alex Horne living in the Taskmaster caravan. Ok, being serious for a moment, Miska is a narrative-driven adventure game about tidying up and seemingly researching different types of flora and fauna in an Australian nature reserve as you rekindle your connection with family. It is coming to Steam in Q1 of 2023. I can’t wait to play this one.

Bread & Fred is like the ice climbers, but you don’t want them to die when they appear in Smash. Coming to the Nintendo Switch and Steam later this year, you’ll have to team up with someone to precision platform your way across the mountain as these adorable penguins swing and jump their way about. Currently, with a demo available on Steam, this is one I’ll also be keeping an eye out for.

Pixelated to the point of looking like a PS1 on a 4K TV, Kity Builder is an island-building sandbox where you play as a kity. 7/10 for naming there, and loses points for being vague enough that you could think it was about building a cat instead of being a building cat. Osha assured, you’ll be able to play this one in Q4 of 2022 on Steam and select consoles. If you can’t wait for that, there is also a demo available on Steam right now.

If you keep killing all your real-life house planets because you have ADHD and forget to water them, you might like to play Garden In. Somehow, I don’t believe Dramatic Iceberg will take that as the tagline. Releasing later this year for Steam (yes, there’s a demo), this colorful game about growing flora is sometimes the calming thing we need in our lives.

What an amazing #WholesomeDirect it has been!

So many cozy and @_wholesomegames were showcased✨

Garden In! was one of them, did you see it? No?

Don't worry, you can watch the clip again here! 🪴#SummerGameFest #indiegame #indiedev #gamedevelopment pic.twitter.com/ZS04pfwSis

— Dramatic Iceberg 🧊 | Racoonie 🦝 & More 🌱 (@DramaticIceberg) June 12, 2022

Speaking of what is apparently needed in all our lives, Petit Island is a game about a soft kitty (little ball of fur) reliving their grandpaw’s past adventures. A bit like Pokémon Snap, you’ll take pictures and explore this charming world. We don’t know when it will release yet, though we do know that it will be coming to Steam and select consoles in the future.

Character customization is coming out pretty awesome! What do y’all think? 👀🏝🌴😎 #petitisland #indiegame pic.twitter.com/eShiWVXsJm

— Petit island Game🌴 (@petitislandgame) December 11, 2021

Flore is a weird little game about a ball avoiding hazards. It is a bit like a shmup game without the sci-fi gunships. There is no release date as of yet but will be coming to PC and the Nintendo Switch.

Pine Hearts is a wholesome (shocker) puzzle adventure game about a sentient pine tree on a Zelda-like adventure with Souls-like level design, supposedly. Coming in Q1 of 2023, you’ll find Pine Hearts on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

#PitchYaGame

Pine Hearts is an itsy-bitsy open world puzzle game!

Zelda style item progression and Souls-like level design, wrapped up in a #WholesomeGames aesthetic.

🌲❤️Show your support with a Wishlist🌲❤️https://t.co/kT4kQ7RuGg pic.twitter.com/3xqcDZTZej

— Pine Hearts (@pineheartsgame) November 2, 2021

Everybody needs a dog game. Hello Goodboy is an adventure puzzle game coming next year to Steam. It is cartoonish, features a golden retriever and a child with a yellow hat. Hello Goodboy is set to make its way into your heart.

Another odyssey, this time with a non-terfy witch. The colorful 3D adventure of Harmony’s Odyssey has a demo available right now. Set to release later this year in Q3, Harmony’s Odyssey is coming to Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

Seal World is one of those places you really don’t want to see in the news on a Monday morning. Already released on Steam, it seems this was just a case to show off Seal World to a wider audience.

Ghost: The video game showed up next. Love, Ghostie is a dating sim for those that want to sleep with Patrick Swayze. There is no release date as of yet, or as the Janbeh Games, LLC notes, “we’re working on it.” Coming to Steam whenever that happens to be.

🎉 AHHH ANNOUNCEMENT TIME! 🎉

Love, Ghostie has a STEAM PAGE!

👻 Be a wholesome ghost matchmaker!
🎁 Gift items to residents
💘 Set them up on dates
🥰 Watch their love bloom!

What romances will you create?

Wishlist on Steam now!! (Link below) #gamedev #indiedev #indiegames pic.twitter.com/hHDwromx24

— janbehchanbeh – Love, Ghostie 🔜 AnimeExpo#B13 (@janbehchanbeh) December 3, 2021

Another minimalistic game, Potion Prodigy has a demo available right now over on Itch.io. It is a 2D point-and-click game about completing small tasks. As part of developer Katie Wright’s bachelor’s degree, there is still no official release for Potion Prodigy just yet, as it is still in beta.

Moonstone Island is next. It is a deckbuilding open-world RPG coming to Steam and select consoles next year. Perfect for those who like things that are colorful, interesting, and turn-based.

Do you want to own and run a small store? Perhaps a mini-mart? Super Mini Mart is a time management life-sim coming to Steam and select consoles next year. I was sold when it was said I could run a mini-mart.

It seems chibi farm-sims are in this year, and every other year for that matter. Ova Magica is coming to everything but mobile devices in 2023. I assume Alexx will be covering this one when it releases on the Nintendo Switch.

A 3D platformer that is paper-craft? I’m sold! PaperKlay is lacking a release date at the moment, though we do know that it is coming to Steam and select consoles.

With the number of times I’m going to mention that there are terfy witches out there, you’ll think I have something against them. Nonetheless, another non-terfy one, Clef is a cute little witch that wants to solve puzzles and do some 2D platforming in Q2 of 2023. Puzzles for Clef is coming to the Nintendo Switch and Steam.

Released earlier this year on Steam, Lemon Cake is a restaurant, cooking, and farming-sim all in one. Weirdly enough, the trailer showcased a Q4 release. However, Lemon Cake is available now for Epic, Steam, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch.

Coming to Steam next year, Star Stuff is a puzzle game about programming. There isn’t much else to say about that given how simple it is. If you’re interested, there is a demo over on Steam right now.

Do you want to be a therapist for animals? Ok, first talk to your actual therapist, they’re worried about you (and your money). Then have a look at San Zoolin, a life-sim-ish game where you’ll walk about the Latin island asking cats how they feel (tired). You’ll have a relaxing time of doing so I would assume. Coming to Steam, Itch.io, and select consoles, the release date that’s given in the showcase is 2024. The release date on Steam is “Eventually!” though, so who knows.

With pixelated art that looks almost hand-drawn, Townseek is a calm exploration game about seemingly trading stuff as you fly about in your cobbled-together airship. Coming to Steam PC and the Steam Deck as well as Itch.io, you’ll be able to play this one in early 2023.

Coming to the Nintendo Switch and other select consoles, Skye Tales looks to be a side-on Will Smith property about sharks. Ok, nothing to do with Shark Tale, but it has a colorful cartoonish fish property that the art-style for that film had. As a floaty kind of adventure game, I’m not too sure about this one. it is set to release later this year.

Did someone say #FlashBackFriday ? Glide along through Skye Tales history 🕙#indiedev #IndieGameDev #UnrealEngine #indiegame pic.twitter.com/CIi5xICiSD

— Skye Tales (@SkyeTalesGame) June 10, 2022

With only a few days left on its Kickstarter relaunch (I’ve no idea why), Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a puzzle adventure game seemingly inspired by Spanish culture. A demo is available right now on Itch.io and Steam if you’d like to know more. Already surpassing its goal of $10K, this one is set to release in 2024 for Steam (probably itch.io too) and the Nintendo Switch.

Tiny Witch is another one of those witches and the last of them for this year’s Direct. Releasing on 9/1/2022 for whatever that means to you, this restaurant-sim is coming to Steam and select consoles.

Coming to Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch, The Courier looks to be a delivery simulator. I think that was given away in the title. Set to release in Q3 of 2022, you’ll be able to 3D platform your way to your next delivery or catch a spot of fishing from time to time. If you’re still interested, there is a demo on Steam right now.

Up next is the “anime woman in an odd city-builder and turn-based tactics” game, according to the Steam tags. Released earlier this year, The Hundred Year Kingdom is something that got a trailer so short I couldn’t tell you the first thing about it other than some anime women appeared and one of them had cat ears. This seems like something for a very specific type of person. If they are still interested, there is a demo available now on Steam if you’d like to try it ahead of buying it. It is available on both Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

A side-scrolling 2D-platformer with puzzles, Lost Twins 2 is something I think was shown last year or early this year at another showcase. At this point, I don’t rightly know, but it is coming to Steam and select consoles in Q4 of 2022.

The only game that is noted to be on the Playdate from this entire Direct is Bloom, a social sim that is heavily focused on narrative. Available now and only available on the Playdate, I’ve got a feeling only a handful of people will check this one out.

Then finally we got to Melatonin, a rhythm exploration game that is so pastel-shaded that it is almost difficult to look at. It will release September 16th on PC, the Nintendo Switch, and the Steam Deck.