Jul 8, 2019News
Fans of Harry Potter and Little Witch Academia will be pleased to hear that there are currently two very exciting magic school games in development. Whilst Chucklefish’s game, which has the working title of ‘Witchbrook’ is still in its early stages, Ikenfell is much further in development. Ikenfell is expected to be released around June 2018.
Interestingly, both games use pixel game art, are simulation games, and are (obviously) set in a magic school. However, they both have unique art styles, with Chucklefish’s game Witchbrook having visual similarities to their very popular game, Stardew Valley.
Ikenfell is a JRPG game which utilises turn-based and timing-based battle mechanics. These mechanics enhance it’s variety of characters and story development. It’ creator has said it’s art style was influenced by a plethora of games such as Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Earthbound (Witchbrook, Starbound, Earthbound, Warbound, everything-bound!), and Robotrek. The game also takes i nspiration from fictional teen series such as Harry Potter and Carry On.
The game’s publisher is Humble Bundle, and its platforms are PC, Mac and possibly Linux. Humble Bundle are helping to polish the game, market it, and will soon add it to Steam.
An update from the game’s founder talks of the release of a new game trailer at the beginning of 2018, so look out for that!
Currently, the game takes around 20 hours to complete (possibly more for less experienced players).
Safina is invited to the magical school of Ikenfell for witches and wizards, leaving behind her slightly embittered sister Maritte, who doesn’t have magic powers. Safina soon becomes one of the school’s most notorious students.
However, Safina doesn’t return home one summer. She has gone missing alongside the school’s headmistress.
You play as Maritte, who goes to Ikenfell to find her sister and discover the truth of what exactly is going on.
The expansive school is full of ‘magic, mysteries, secret passages, hidden rooms, and many strange characters’ for you to explore.
Witchbrook is an up and coming RPG turn-based strategy simulation game in development by Chucklefish, the creators of Wargroove and publishers of Stardew Valley. Finn Brice, the founder and director of the game says that a formal announcement is “maybe quite a way off”. He also suggests that the game is around a three-to-four year project. The working title Witchbrook came from Chucklefish’s game Wargroove’s working title, Warbound.
Influences on the game include a variety of old Nintendo console games (Earthbound again perhaps?), as well as games such as Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon and 2D Zelda games. Although not the intention of Chucklefish, many people compare the game’s graphics to Little Witch Academia. However, Brice has said that Ghibli films such as Kiki’s delivery service (which look similar to Little Witch Academia) did influence the game’s art style.
However, unlike Ikenfell, which is heavily story based, the developers want Witchbrook to have the appeal of Stardew Valley where players can simply enjoy being inside a charming world and make it their own.
Similar to Ikenfell, Witchbrook allows players to have relationships with other characters and to go on dates with them. However, these don’t always go to plan, making the game more true-to-life, as opposed to the idealised romance often portrayed in other forms of media.
However, Brice reassures players that even though the developers want to hit home and capture what it’s like to be in school, they want to provide a nice kind of nostalgia for players. Therefore, interactions with other characters won’t be too difficult or ‘horrific’.
Ikenfell has been pretty much complete since late 2016, with the kickstarter campaign being set up to mainly fund:
However, Witchbrook still has plenty of room for development, influences and features.
What would you like to see in Witchbrook?
Nov 30, 2018News
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ans of the RollerCoaster Tycoon games (which simulate theme park management), will be pleased to learn that a similar game entitled Parkitect is now available to play on Steam.
Parkitect is a sandbox theme-park construction-management game for Windows, Mac, and Linux. After a two-year early access period, the game was released worldwide yesterday, 29th November 2018.
Developed and published by Texel Raptor, Parkitect shares the premise of RollerCoaster Tycoon games: To build a successful theme park. Players are able to build rides, design and manage the park, and tasked with keeping their guests happy.
Parkitect differentiates from RollerCoaster Tycoon in that it offers players features such as:
Parkitect can be purchased on Steam, where it currently holds a 9/10 rating and has very positive reviews, for a modest price of $29.99.
With the abundance of negative reviews expressing disappointment in Atari’s RollerCoaster Tycoon World, could Parkitect be destined for success like the popular 2016 game Planet Coaster?
Oct 28, 2018News
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]orager is an upcoming indie game that is being developed by HopFrog and will be published by Humble Bundle, who will also publish Ikenfell and Mineko’s Night Market. Forager was initially released for free on itch.io, where it was well received. After a year of development, the game will soon be available to buy from Steam, the Humble Store and the Nintendo eShop. Whilst no set release date has been specified, the game is scheduled for release during fall 2018, meaning we should hopefully be able to play it very soon!
Described as an “idle game that you want to actively keep playing”, Forager is a 2D open world game inspired by exploration, farming and crafting games such as Stardew Valley, Terraria and Zelda. The game contains a variety of lands and biomes to explore and players can craft, gather resources, uncover secrets and even build a base.
Oct 25, 2018News
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]attails, which is a feline-themed simulation RPG game available on Steam, will soon be playable on Nintendo Switch, it has been confirmed.
Developed and published by Falcon Entertainment for PC, Mac and Linux on December 1st 2017, the game has garnered very ‘paws-itive’ feedback since its release. Through the eyes of a cat, Cattails allows players to hunt for food, interact with other cats, gather herbs and explore an expansive world.
Kotaku have said that “Cattails looks like Stardew Valley, except cats.” and IGN have said that Cattails is “an adorably silly game, but one that’s also a lot of fun.”
Tyler Thompson, the founder of Falcon Entertainment, has made the following statement:
“We are extremely excited to bring our first game to the Nintendo Switch system. We hope that players, new and old, will share in our enthusiasm for introducing Cattails to a whole new audience of console gamers.”
The game is scheduled to be released for Switch in just over a month on November 29th. Whilst the price of the Switch version has not yet been announced, the game currently costs $14.99 USD to purr-chase on Steam.
In the meantime, why don’t mew check out the paw-some cat games already available on Switch.
Aug 20, 2018News
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t has previously been announced that the highly anticipated game, Little Dragons Cafe, will be released for Switch in North America on 24th August. European gamers will be pleased to know that Rising Star Games have recently announced a release date for the game in Europe. The game will be released in Europe on 21st September.
It has not been announced whether European gamers will be able to buy limited edition copies of the game or not. However, physical copies of the game will definitely be available to purchase. With a cute box design, this is welcome news to those who collect physical copies of Switch games.
??? We’re pleased to unveil the European #PS4 and #NintendoSwitch packshots for #LittleDragonsCafé – the latest tour de’ force from Yasuhiro Wada, founder of the Harvest Moon series! pic.twitter.com/NpWr8E1YVV
— Rising Star Games (@RisingStarGames) August 2, 2018
Little Dragons Cafe is an upcoming game from Rising Star Games, who are infamous for their Harvest Moon series.
The story begins with a twin brother and sister running a small café with their mother. All was peaceful and routine until one morning the twins discovered that their mother fell into a deep sleep and wouldn’t wake up. Suddenly, an old wizard appears and tells the twins that their mother is gravely ill and that they must raise a dragon in order to save her.
Working together with their three quirky staff members (waiter, waitress, and chef), the two siblings must raise a dragon and manage the family business while at the same time discover what is causing their mother’s illness and find a cure.
Little Dragons Café is the latest tour de’ force from Yasuhiro Wada, founder of the Harvest Moon series.
Raise your very own dragon! Embrace your nurturing instincts and raise your own dragon! Through wise decisions, proper nutrition, and empathetic nurturing show the world the true potential of your dragon companion!
Create culinary masterpieces and run a successful café – Learn new recipes and master the art of cooking while running your café. Explore the world, discover new ingredients, and expand your menu (and your restaurant!) while catering to the whims of your customers.
Farm the land and harvest nature’s bounty – The best dishes use the freshest ingredients, and the best way to ensure that is to grow your own produce. Till the land and fish the rivers, and gather the most flavourful fixings for your signature dishes.
Serve the townsfolk, make them happy! Not only cook for the people in your town, but also help them with their problems to increase your popularity and the general happiness of everyone around you.
The highly anticipated game is being released for a huge variety of platforms, which include:
Are you looking forward to playing Little Dragons Cafe? Will you be purchasing a physical copy of the game? Or downloading it from the eShop? Let us know in the comments 🙂
Aug 14, 2018News
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]akuen is a beautiful adventure game that features a hospitalised boy, who travels to the fantasy world of Rakuen with his mother. Upon its release on 10th May of last year, Rakuen was a firm favorite here at MPG, despite flying under the radar a little. Since then, however, it has obtained a well-deserved overwhelmingly positive review score on Steam, and captured the hearts of many. ????
As an indie game, it was assumed that Rakuen would be something of a one-hit-wonder. However, Laura Shigihara (the developer and publisher of Rakuen), recently posted an exciting trailer to her channel. Entitled ‘The Farmer in the Sky – Trailer (Rakuen 3D animated series)’, the cute trailer gives us a sneak-peak of an upcoming 3D animated series, which is set in the whimsical world of Rakuen. The Farmer in the Sky is currently in development by Laura Shigihara and animator Slamacow. The series has its own YouTube channel, which will provide more details about its launch in due course.
To celebrate the exciting news of an imminent animated series for Rakuen, the game is currently 40% off on Steam!
Aug 2, 2018Feature
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]re you in want of some games to play during the summer holidays? Maybe you want some new casual games to play whilst waiting (impatiently) for Animal Crossing Switch? Look no further, as we have compiled a list of 4 great upcoming casual games coming to Steam this month.
Overcooked returns with a brand-new helping of chaotic cooking action! Journey back to the Onion Kingdom and assemble your team of chefs in classic couch co-op or online play for up to four players. Hold onto your aprons… it’s time to save the world again!
Deiland is a single-player adventure RPG with several sandbox elements, such as farming, crafting, and building. Put on the mantle of the Little Prince of Deiland and rule over your own planet!
Join the Crystal Gems on the ultimate quest! A mysterious new Gem has stolen a powerful weapon. Only Steven and his friends have what it takes to stop her. “Save the Light” is a unique RPG hybrid that combines real-time and turn-based combat.
DYSTOA is a surreal, poetic, and minimalistic first person exploration game. A homage to the beauty of life and death and thoughts from one or another world.
– Calm and surreal music and ambience.
– Very dense and isolated atmosphere to free your mind.
– A vast and openly shaped world.
– Beautiful scenery with intriguing aesthetics.
Jun 2, 2018News
So we recently posted about the exciting revelation of Mineko’s Night Market coming to Nintendo Switch. (For those unfamiliar with the upcoming game, click here to be enlightened). We also posted about the possibility of merchandise for the game. This possibility has been confirmed!
Although merchandise is not yet available on Etsy as we initially thought, there is still hope that homemade items could be available for purchase in the future. For now though, Meowza games have joined with The Yetee (who also sell Ooblets merch) to bring fans some cat-themed goodies.
The collection can be browsed here.