All posts tagged in Adventure
Jul 6, 2023
Lushfoil Photography Sim is a realistic photography game featuring true-to-life recreations of diverse locations around the world. You get to trek across the world and explore a variety of environments. Use your in-game camera to capture pictures of stunning vistas and lush landscapes. Complete objectives in each environment, as well as discover secrets.
Equipped with a professional DSLR camera, you’ll take the time to line up shots with the perfect angles and perspectives. Use a wide variety of settings such as auto/manual focus, flash, exposure, contrast, and more. While you explore Lushfoil Photography Sim, you’ll unlock other cameras and tools that will be useful for your adventure. Don’t be afraid to adventure off the beaten path, also. You never know what you’ll find!
Lushfoil Photography Sim is on Steam, but has no release date. However, you can add it to your Wishlist to keep an eye on it!
Alekon is another photography game, but with a magical whimsy to it. The Star Named EOS is also a photography game featuring an engaging first-person narrative.
- Jul 5, 2023
About Coral Island
If you haven’t heard of Coral Island, it’s a beautiful farming sim that I think everyone should give a play. You leave behind the hustling city of Pokyo to start your new life on the laid-back island. Be who you want to be with character customization, farm a variety of crops, tend to farm animals, create the perfect homestead, and help revitalize the town and its coral reefs. Also, you can fish, mine, dive, and get to know over 70 different villagers, 28 of whom are dateable!
New Character, Festival, And More
Stairway Games will release an update for Coral Island that introduces some great new content. At last, we’ll get to meet a brand new Merfolk villager, Semeru, the Merfolk Kingdom’s Guard Leader. He’ll be joining Denali the gatekeeper and Princess Miranjani as the dateable Merfolk, rounding out the total list of dateables to 28.
You’ll be able to own llamas and collect llama wool from them. Plus, you won’t have to run around all day to pet, feed, and collect products from your animals anymore. The update will introduce auto petters, auto feeders, auto collectors, and temperature machines will be available to make caring for your animals even easier.
Perhaps the most useful part of the Coral Island update will be the addition of the Architect’s Desk. This handy tool will give you a helpful bird’s eye view of your entire farm. Build your perfect homestead even easier with the desk by rearranging crops, fences, decorative items, and even the logs and rocks that are scattered across the farm. Just be aware it will cost money to move each item!
Last but not least, and perhaps what I’m most excited for, is the addition of a new festival! Taking place on Fall 28, you’ll get to experience the Spooky Festival! Explore the wonderfully decorated festival grounds, and participate in some fabulous activities. Run around and play Bonk the Skeleton, take part in the Ring Toss event, and enjoy watching the vibrant Ogoh-ogoh Parade, a traditional Balinese procession meant to ward off evil spirits.
Coral Island is Available Now
While this lovely update isn’t available until August, you can pick up Coral Island now on Steam! It’s also currently on sale until July 13th.
If you’re looking for even more farming fun, checkout Litchi Town, Big Farm Story, or Kitaria Fables.
- May 25, 2023
Explore and Take Pictures
Flutter Away is a short but cozy nature adventure game that lets you explore the lush beauty of the Amazon rainforest. You are a butterfly researcher on a five-day camping trip to study the butterflies in the rainforest. You will explore the mesmerizing tropical forest while searching for butterflies, other creatures, and important plants.
Set up your tent in a cozy little spot in the rain forest so you have somewhere to call home for the trip. Take relaxing walks down the trails and embrace the beautiful sights of a waterfall, towering trees, and sweet little flowers. You will even search for the different types of mushrooms and frogs Flutter Away has to offer. Build a flourishing friendship with a shy little capybara to learn her secrets. And don’t forget to take pictures of your adventure! Add pictures of all the flora and fauna you encounter to your journal to document your findings and your journey.
Flutter Away is a relaxing and educational game that is perfect for nature lovers of all ages. It is a great way to learn about the Amazon rain forest and its inhabitants.
Coming Soon!
Unfortunately, the super cute Flutter Away does not have a release date available yet. However, you can find it on Steam, where you can add it to your Wishlist!
Want more creature collection or photography games? Check out Alekon, Alba: A Wildlife Journey, The Beasts of Maravilla Island, or Petit Island.
- May 24, 2023
Fish, Farm, Play With Animals, and Uncover Secrets
Big Farm Story is a charming farming simulator where you can customize your character and escape the hustle and bustle of city life to Grandpa’s beautiful farm. However, when you arrive, you find that the buildings are crumbling, the fields are overgrown, and Grandpa is nowhere to be found. You take it upon yourself to search for him, but in the meantime, you can start building the farm of your dreams!
Work hard to rebuild the derelict farm and harvest a variety of crops. Restore the chicken coop and befriend some chickens. Renovate the barn to get cows, llamas, and goats. You’ll even get to have adorable little ducks! Play with your cute farm friends, as well as the fluffy little dog companion who will follow you everywhere you go.
Refurbish the farmhouse with fun decorations, paints, and different flooring options. Make it into your dream home. Take some time to get to know the friendly residents in the nearby village too. Complete tasks for them using items you’ve harvested from the farm, resources you’ve collected around the map, and items you’ve crafted from materials you have. Each NPC has a unique personality and exciting stories to share with you.
Don’t forget to go collect mushrooms, fish, or cook meals too. Big Farm Story offers quite a bit of fun options to fill your days! And if that’s not enough, you can meet up on your friend’s farm to help them out. Or, play local co-op with a friend where one of you controls the game’s character and one controls the little dog companion.
Available Now!
The adorable Big Farm Story is currently available on Steam. It’s also 30% off until May 29th. It also has 5 different DLC packs available, which are also on sale right now!
Want more cute farming sims? Checkout Roots of Pacha, Wylde Flowers, or Fields of Mistria!
- May 17, 2023
Explore a New World, Nurture Plant Life, and Rebuild
In Distant Bloom, you play as a member of a space exploration team. You and your crew are in search of a new planet to establish as your new home in order to save your species. You’ve spotted what appears to be a suitable candidate, only to land on this alien planet and find that not everything is as it seemed through the telescope. The once flourishing and lush plant life is now dead and barren.
Explore this fantastical new planet, desolate though it may be. Learn how to care for the alien flora and nurture new life. Experiment with different plant structures to create a new thriving ecosystem. Harvest plants and turn them into recipes to eat, tools for you to use in your adventures, and items that can help you build up a new home base!
While you’re exploring Distant Bloom, be sure to search for your crew members who are scattered across the new world. Reunite them to build your community and discover their individual, unique stories. As you explore the wilds of your new home, discover the planet’s different history. Discover mysterious ruins, and perhaps find out what—or who—left them behind. Perhaps even learn why!
Whatever you do, make your choices thoughtfully, as everything you do will have an impact on nature and the lives of your crew members.
Coming Soon
The beautiful and cozy Distant Bloom is planned to release sometime in 2023 on Steam.
For more restoration type games, check out No Place Like Home and Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator.
- Apr 13, 2023
Explore the Ocean and Conduct Research
Beyond Blue is a serene single-player narrative about exploring the deep blue ocean. Play as Mirai, a deep-sea explorer and scientist, as she adventures through the sea in search of creatures and to uncover mysteries. You’ll also join a newly-formed scientific research team and use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with ocean life.
You’ll get to experience eight different dives as you play Beyond Blue. Pilot an innovative new submarine on its maiden voyage, decked out with all the tools you’ll need for your underwater adventures. Explore the magnificent ocean and use those tools to aid your research. Train the AI to recognize sea creatures like humpback whales, turtles, and stingrays. You’ll also learn how to tag them, too, allowing your team to track their behaviors. There’s even a dedicated Photo Mode. Play with dozens of filters, different types of lens settings, and other features to help you capture some breathtaking moments.
Beyond Blue features a full voice cast, as well as a beautiful original soundtrack. You’ll also hear songs from popular artists like Miles Davis and The Flaming Lips. You’ll even unlock sixteen unique mini-documentaries called Ocean Insights. Watch original footage and interviews with science’s leading ocean experts. Furthermore, Indie developer E-Line Media teamed up with BBC Studios, OceanX Media, and world-class ocean experts to craft Beyond Blue into an incredible and educational experience.
Available Now!
This beautiful aquatic adventure is available on many major platforms. You can get it for free on Epic Games April 20th to April 27th! Otherwise, you can find it on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Humble Store, and Apple Arcade.
For more low-stakes relaxation, check out Garden In!
- Apr 12, 2023
DREDGE is a short, but fantastic fishing adventure with some creepy and sinister undercurrents. You play as an unnamed fisherman and captain of your very own fishing trawler. Take your little fishing boat out into the open ocean to fish up over 100 different types of fish. Explore the beautiful, but mysterious archipelago to unearth some mysteries.
Conduct research on new parts for your boat. Buy upgraded engines to move faster, purchase new fishing poles and trawl nets to fish better, and collect building materials to make your boat better able to hold more items. Don’t forget to stop by and speak to the residents of the islands. They may have some quests or pieces of knowledge to impart. Someone even wants you to dredge up artifacts from the past, but can you truly trust them?
Just don’t get caught on the open sea at night. Nothing good happens at night.
The Overall Game
Black Salt Games really did well with the atmosphere and spookiness of DREDGE. The game isn’t meant to be overtly scary, just have hints of eeriness and an underlying sinister feel to it. And it achieves that.
The archipelago is plagued with secrets and mysteries. The art is beautiful, but really builds that creepy atmospheric feel. The NPC portraits depict tough, weathered people. Some are craggy and aging, some are youthful, but haggard, proving that life in tiny fishing villages isn’t always easy.
The dynamic lighting really helps set the scene, too. The main island, The Marrows, has clear seas and bright, beautiful skies. It lulls you into a false sense of security, but as you adventure around, things aren’t quite so safe. The dark hidey holes of Gale Cliffs hide some interesting fishing prospects, but also something a little more ominous. Stellar Basin with its bioluminescent creatures and white sands looks like a sweet beach getaway. At first. The yellow swampy haze of Twisted Strand hides some haunting mysteries. And Devil’s Spine, an island with volcanic vents and rivers, bathed in a fiery red light, holds an even more grim story.
Along with the unnamed nighttime terrors and the mysterious behaviors of the man who tasks you with uncovering the past, it all adds up to achieve that eerie spookiness without being an absolutely terrifying experience.
It’s a Simple, Easy Game
There is not a lot to DREDGE. You don’t control a character, there are no 3D NPCs to visit, no walking through villages or across islands. You only control your little fishing trawler while out to sea. When in port, it’s a simple 2D menu-type interaction. Your options for buildings and people are set out in front of you, and you simply scroll and tap the button to choose which option you want. I honestly liked it a lot. It simplified things. Do I need to visit the fishmonger to sell a load of mackerel? Slide over and click. Is a visit to the Shipwright for new fishing poles in order? Scroll and click. No mindless running across town to get to different people because I forgot something.
There’s also no over complicated crafting systems or gameplay in DREDGE. You explore the different islands in different biomes, you collect information and quests from the handful of people you come across, you dredge up items from the depths, and you fish! It’s perfect for those days when you don’t want to play something complicated, but want to play something.
The Fishing
There are 125 different types of fish to catch in DREDGE, and they all live in different areas. From the shallows of the main island to the deep dark depths of a volcanic island, and even the swamps of a totally different island. There’s no shortage of fish.
The fishing system is easy to use, too. The game implements a few different types of catching mini games, but they’re all essentially the same. You click a button to reel in the line when the timing is right and the necessary zones are lined up. That’s it. It can get repetitive, but it doesn’t hinder the enjoyment of the game, I think.
Final Thoughts
DREDGE is the first game for indie studio Black Salt Games, and it’s a good one. It’s a little short and slightly repetitive, but I think it’s worth a playthrough.
The spooky factor is just enough that the game feels creepy and a little off, but is pretty low-stakes. I’m a fairly anxious gamer, so it’s perfect for me. Even just hearing the music change in Breath of the Wild as a Guardian sees me is enough to get me anxious! It’s really why I like to mostly stick to the cozy games. Plus, the fishing is easy to do. There’s no fighting to match the bobber with the fish like in Stardew Valley. It can be repetitive, but it’s a fishing system I enjoy much more.
I also wish there was a little more to DREDGE. It has so many upgrades for you to get, but there’s really no use for a large portion of them. I want a reason to need those upgrades, other than personal satisfaction.
Ultimately, I give it:
You can find DREDGE on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox.
For more fishing, check out Luna’s Fishing Garden, and for something slightly spooky, check out Critter Crops.
- Mar 2, 2023
Explore the World, Gather Ingredients, and Make Potions
I stumbled across Alchemist: The Potion Monger from developer Art Games Studio S.A. back in February during Steam’s Next Fest. I honestly downloaded the demo based on the title and picture alone, and was not disappointed.
This beautiful first-person RPG allows you to create your character, but you’re no ordinary human. In fact, you play as an anthropomorphized animal! Choose from several different animals like cats, snakes, or goats. Pick a name that suits your new character, and don’t forget to choose a name for your trusty dog
Alchemist: The Potion Monger starts with you moving to a new town, and has you actually unpack your cart to begin setting up your house. Then it moves into teaching you the basics of potion-making.
You’ll have to explore the world to gather ingredients, then use your cauldron to make potions. You can sell those potions, use them to complete quests, or use them for yourself. Need to jump super high for some reason? There’s a potion for that!
Each ingredient you find in the wonderfully crafted world of Alchemist: The Potion Monger will have alchemical aspects. You’ll learn them as you play, and can access your found knowledge in your alchemy book. Plus, your cute little dog isn’t just there for looks. They’ll help you discover those alchemical aspects of ingredients.
Not to mention, you get to pet the dog. You’ll level up your alchemy through discovery. You’ll also learn new skills through challenges, get a chance to help NPCs, fight some slime monsters, and much more.
Coming Soon!
Unfortunately, Alchemist: The Potion Monger doesn’t have a specific date listed for release. The developer’s website lists the release as 2023, though! You can find the game on Steam, where you can add it to your Wishlist.
Want more potion fun? Give Alchemy Garden, Alchemy Story, Alchemic Cutie, Potionomics, or Potion Permit a try!
