Indie Highlight
Feb 18, 2020
Roots of Pacha is an upcoming farming/life sim that takes place at the dawn of mankind.
I can’t help but get super excited at the prospect of a new farming or life simulation game. No matter what, there is always something new and unique to experience as we enjoy this genre from the eyes of many different developers and artists.
Roots of Pacha certainly has an all new adventure for us to partake, as we explore, discover and create all the things that make the world what it is today. Build the world from the ground up, quite literally.
From discovering irrigation techniques for more sustainable farming, to domesticating wild plants to create an array of healthy vegetation; Roots of Pacha is sure to give the feel of living life at the beginning of our race.
Some great features to expect in Roots of Pacha
The developers mention taking inspiration from our classic favorite farming/life sim game like Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons, but with a hint of Civilization and Age of Empires. So we can expect to see some of the classic features that we have grown to love over the years.
Do some cave exploring to harvest materials for higher grade tools and simple machines, after inventing them of course. How about fishing to help add variety to your diet and help you stay fit for all your community building endeavors.
After helping to build your community, get to know those who have come to inhabit it. Develop lasting relationships, and maybe even fall in love. There will be much to do by way of social life when not tending the crops or deep sea fishing.
Multiplayer Focus
The developers have also mentioned having built the game from the ground up with multiplayer in mind. Play with a friend from the start, and share everything. Live in the same home, go fishing together, frolic at festivals and even participate in cutscenes all in local co-op.
More info
Roots of Pacha is currently in development by a small indie studio comprised of just three people, two brothers and their good friend. The game is being developed for PC, but there is mention of brining the it to all major platforms somewhere down the line. There is no set release date.
For more information on this charmingly pixelated title, you can check out the official website. For up to date information on the game as it develops, be sure to follow the official Twitter page.
More Life Simulation games!
This life simulation game about Japanese Rural Life is one of the most anticipated upcoming indie games, check it out here!
For more cool upcoming indie games, check out my coverage of Wildspeakers.
- Feb 17, 2020
TailQuest Defense by Kivano is the most adorable tower defense game I’ve ever seen.
Now, usually you won’t see games that are centered around violence on myPotatoGames, but TailQuest Defense is certainly cute enough to make an exception. Currently in development by the team at Kivano games, this is one adorable indie title that I don’t mind bopping a few baddies to see what it’s all about.
What is TailQuest Defense?
TailQuest Defense is basically your classic tower defense style game, but with super cute graphics and a bit of puzzle solving and world exploration. Gather resources from your environment to build up your defenses to help protect the charming Nimbers from the invasion of evil robots that threaten the land.
Explore the world around you to find hidden areas that contain special goodies. Solve puzzles or find keys to access these beneficial bonuses. Use all your resources and knowledge to build the special towers you need to protect your homestead. There is even a bit of farming as you grow your own tomato mines to hinder your opponents progress.
From what I have seen so far, I know I will definitely be keeping an eye on this one as it develops. The colorful and bubbly graphics don’t give the impression of an overly violent game, but more of a relaxed and grindy, chill indie title.
TailQuest Trailer
More info.
The developers mention that TailQuest Defense will be available to play with a friend in split screen mode. The team at Kivano also mentioned wanting to bring this title to all current major platforms; XboxOne, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC/Mac. There is a planned release date set for sometime this year.
For more information on TailQuest Defense, you can check out the official website for the dev team. To stay up to date with what’s going on in production, be sure to follow the game on Twitter and Discord. You can also wishlist the game Steam!
For more adorable games with a touch of combat, check out my coverage of Wildspeakers.
- Feb 15, 2020
Currently in development, Wildspeakers looks super cute and exciting.
I am always on the lookout for new great exploration games, especially if they include some farming. Lately, a great source of farming and life-sim games has been the indie community. You can always expect something new and interesting when it comes to the minds of independent developers, and Wildspeakers appears to be no exception.
Well, it looks the the small crew at Team Verdant are cooking up something super sweet right now. There is not much information available on their game quite yet, as it is still deep in the development process. But we do have a title, Wildspeakers, and a quick preview of the way the game looks at this point in development.
The developers describe their game as “an adventure RPG with a farming twist.” I’m already sold. If you check out their Twitter, you will find a few images and even a bit of gameplay for Wildspeakers, but not much more. I expect the developers will release more soon, as the game is already looking super terrific.
“Preparing to delve deep into the crypts of Oblivion.” To keep an eye on Wildspeakers as it is created, be sure to follow the developers on Twitter and Discord. I will be sure to keep an eye on this one and update you when more info is released.
For more great adventure games that have a bit of farming, check out what’s new in Hokko Life. As the game is still in early development, there is no word of release date or consoles yet.
- Feb 12, 2020
Islands, villagers, and jellies – oh my! Alchemic Cutie wraps them all into one cute package. Developers Vakio and Viridian Software along with slime-loving publisher CIRCLE Entertainment are behind this new wholesome adventure RPG and it is now coming to Nintendo Switch.
About Alchemic Cutie
The game is set on Wimba Island, a bright pixel world that reminds me a little bit of Littlewood or even Stardew Valley’s Pelican Town. The game features an open world to explore with beautiful areas such as beaches, forests, the main village, and a Jelly Shrine!
In Achelmy Cutie you will be taming slime-like creatures called “jellies.” There are over 4,000 visual styles for jellies and each jelly will have unique traits and statistics.
They also have needs like hunger, energy, and happiness. You can show off your jellies by entering them into different competitions, how adorable is that?
Befriend the many villagers of Aimba!
You can even meet Wimba’s villagers to form new friendships or rivalries, whatever your preference is. The town is filled with unique characters to meet and engaged with.
The World is yours to explore!
One exciting and unique feature is the world map to help you navigate, the map expands as new locations are discovered. What makes this feature unique to similar games is that, once a place has been visited, you can use the map to fast travel there.
No more running back and worth and loosing valuable time to get your daily tasks done!
Alchemic Cutie coming to Nintendo Switch and other Platforms!
Alchemic Cutie is coming to Steam and itch.io sometime this year as well as PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One! In celebration of PAX East a brand new trailer has been revealed. Check out the adorable game trailer below!
More cute games!
If you enjoy games like this and Stardew Valley check out the most adorable Stardew Valley and Alchemy Cutie like games for Nintendo Switch!
- Feb 12, 2020
ConcernedApe or some may know him as Eric is the sole developer behind Stardew Valley. In a recent statement it was made known that he is currently working on two more games.
Eric was the sole developer on Stardew Valley since the game gained so much in popularity he has formed a very small team behind the game so that he could focus on adding new features to our beloved farming sim.
The latest 1.4 update touched nearly every aspect of the game and even added a new end-game mystery. The entire update was made available for free to everyone owning the game already.
A Game set in the Stardew Valley Universe
Eric is currently working on two more games, it is honestly hard to believe that he is still able to grab some snoozes at night. One of the two games is set in the Stardew Valley Universe, though not a farming game at heart.
Yes, I’m actually working on a couple of new projects. One takes place in the world of Stardew Valley, but is not a farming game. The other, I’m not 100% sure about the world yet, but it will tie into Stardew Valley in some way
Twitter @ConcernedApeHe also mentioned on Twitter that he tries to avoid revealing a lot of details about the games at this point, as he wants to make sure the core gameplay is set before revealing the game.
As humble as he is, he explains that:
I’m not setting out to make the next indie smash hit, I just want to make another game that I enjoy and am happy with. And to share some of my art & ideas with the world. If it becomes popular, I will be happy, but it’s not my focus
Twitter @ConcernedApeStardew Valley Support Continious
Even though Eric is hard at work making two more games he will continue supporting Stardew Valley with updates and bug fixes in the future. I am beyond excited to see what the two new games entail!
Witchbrook and Little With in the Woods
Witchbrook is considered the Stardew Valley of magic published by Chucklefish but not developed by Eric is slated for a release sometime this year.
Little Witch in the Woods is another adorable indie game where you play as a cute Witch!
- Feb 11, 2020
The developer of Hokko Life just launched an app that allows you to design clothing for Hokko Life.
Hokko Life is an upcoming farming and life sim game with loads of customization options and some absolutely adorable graphics. Robert Tatnell, the developer of Hokko Life, has recently released a load of great new details about the game, including a reveal trailer.
Hokko Designer
Another big announcement for this super cute upcoming farming indie title is the release of Hokko Designer, a new app that will allow you to upload some custom designs for your clothing in Hokko Life. The app will let you preview your designs on the clothing of two different characters from the full Hokko Life game, which you can then transfer to the full game when it releases.
Simply download the app, use the template to create in your favorite painting app (photoshop, adobe paint, etc.), and you’ll be ready to look your sharpest when the game launches in early access sometime this year.
The developer also mentions that Hokko Life will have its own in-game designer for clothing and furniture, and that only the pre-launch designer app will require a separate painting program.
With all the new information coming out all the time, I grow ever more excited to try this amazing, Animal Crossing inspired life sim.
More Info
For more information on the Hokko Designer app, and on Hokko Life in general, check out the official Hokko Life website. To stay up to date with what’s happening in Hokko Life, join the conversation on Twitter and Discord. For more great games like Hokko Life, check out my coverage of My Time at Portia.
- Feb 10, 2020
Take a dive down into Hokko Life and meet the adorable town folks in this upcoming life and village simulation game!
Animal Crossing games have become more and more popular over the years especially with New Horizons upon us! So it is just natural for indie developers to take some inspiration from the beloved village simulator. Hokko Life is a game I have had my eye on for more than a year now and I couldn’t be more excited that the Hokko Life Reveal Trailer is finally here!
Animal Crossing Inspired – But Shines All Its Own
Before take a tour through Hokko Life I would like to iterate that games inspired by other games is something that should be encouraged and not frown upon on. Stardew Valley, a game heavily inspired by the original Harvest Moon games has managed to push developers to make better, bigger and more engaging farming games.
Solid completion for the Animal Crossing franchise is a healthy for the future of the entire genre as well as for the Animal Crossing franchise itself.
An example of franchises not having enough competition is The Sims a game that has amazing potential but never or barely ever evolved out of its original state from the first game in 2000 due to a lack of competition – this may change with Paralives!
Meet Hokko Life!
Hokko Life does exactly that, as indie developer Robert openly describes Hokko Life as “Think Animal Crossing meets Lego and you’re a reasonable way there!”. However the game adds a lot of new and fresh content to the beloved genre.
Hokko Life captures what makes Animal Crossing special. A game in where you decide what to do, where your creativity is the only limit and where you live in a perfect little adorable town.
Endless Customizations in Hokko Life
Robert is the solve developer behind the game and while he is creating an expansive town simulation game he has also puts a lot of focus in adding a level of customizations never seen in any games like this before!
“Players will be given the power to create furniture, cakes, flower decorations and more through an intuitive construction kit. By combining different pieces, paints and accessories you can create whatever objects your heart (or a villager) desires!”.
This is exciting news for everyone who loves to design and create their own little town. The extra level of customization adds more depth and the feeling of actually making your home your sanctuary!
You can even share your creations, ideas and designs online with other players around the world. The developer is striving for a way to make every town look unique and giving players the tools to create their very own furniture without it being too overwhelming to use.
Hokko Life Reveal Trailer
The first trailer for Hokko Life has finally been revealed and not only shows off extremely adorable villagers but also – what appears to be super easy to use tools to make your own furniture and decorate your very own home. I am beyond excited to start playing Hokko Life!
You can wishlist Hokko Life on Steam already for a release sometime this year! Follow Hokko Life on Twitter here.
More Hokko Life News
I was able to sit down with Robert for an exclusive interview last year, if you’d like to get some more information on the game, make sure you check it out right here.
And here is everything we know so far about the adorable upcoming indie game Hokko Life.
- Feb 8, 2020
Developed by Peachy Keen Games and published by Whitethorn Digital. Calico is a magical, relaxed and family-friendly simulation game where players are given an opportunity to run their very own cat cafe.
The game is expected to be released on Steam at some point during Summer 2020. The game will most likely release on the following platforms shortly afterwards:
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
- macOS
- Macintosh operating systems
About Calico
Calico came about due to the game developer’s obsession with cats, magical girls and fluffy animals. However, wanting to create a game that would appeal to everyone, she also included creatures such as lizards, birds, deer, raccoons, dogs, turtles, red pandas, foxes, etc.
She then shares about how she wanted to publish a game that would make players feel ‘soft, happy, cuddly and cozy’. If that wasn’t wholesome enough, she has said in an interview that she just wanted to create a game where the only goal is to have the best time possble.
However, simply running the cat cafe is not the only things that players can do. The game also incorporates enjoyable aspects from other popular gaming franchises such as Animal Crossing. Similarities between Calico and Animal Crossing include the simulation aspects of both games, and the ability to place furnitire and decorations in your buildings. A perk about Calico however, is that the animals will not leave, the shop never closes, and crops never die.
Calico Key Features
- As all animals are interactive, players can explore the village to find cats and other animals, including raccoons, deer, dogs, turtles, red pandas, foxes, lizards, etc. The animals can be befriended, petted and played with
- Players can ride on giant cats ( as you do? ?)
- Run your café by filling it with animals, furniture and yummy café eats!
- Use magic potions to change your animals and environment
- Meet magical girls, witches and other townspeople who you can help and befriend
According to the Steam Website, Calico won’t playable until at least Summer 2020. However, there’s no need to be disappointed, as you can play these cat-themed games in the meantime to tide you over 🙂
For more updates on how the game is progressing, check their Twitter here.
More Magic Games!
Checkout Witchbrook the Stardew Valley of magic as well as Little Witch in the Woods and adorable magic and life simulation game!
If you love life simulation games, take a looksie at this game about Japanese Rural Life!
