RPG Archives - myPotatoGames
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  • svgMar 14, 2024Reviews

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    Spirittea is a cozy life sim all about helping out mischievous spirits. Developed by Cheesemaster Games, this relaxing sim is perfect for anyone looking to branch out from the usual farming sim. You play as yourself with some customization options, and you’ve just moved to a tiny town in what feels like the middle of nowhere. It’s generally a peaceful town, but the spirits have become restless and lost now that the townspeople have stopped worshiping them. It’s up to you to not only restore the bath house to give the spirits an outlet, but you’ll need to track them down and solve their problems, too!

    Overall, It’s an Enjoyable Game

    I’ve followed the development of Spirittea for a while, because as much as I love farming sims, having something different in the cozy game category is great. Plus, I love the idea of living in a rural Japanese-inspired town and running a bath house for spirits. It’s like my own personal Spirited Away without the consequences and bad guys. 

    The game starts with you meeting all of the townspeople, much like every other life sim out there. This time, though, you have Jan the dog to show you around. Speak to Jan and they’ll lead you to the villager, instead of aimlessly wandering around the town looking for people. It was an enjoyable way to force you to meet everyone and get a chance to see the town as you do it. 

    Being able to sleep at any time of day to advance the day by a few hours, or all night, is seriously one of Spirittea’s best assets. Sometimes you don’t want to open the bath house. Instead, you want to go fishing and catch some bugs, but you also want to do it at night. So, hop in your cozy bed and advance the clock! It was great when I was just done with the day and wanted to move on period. 

    Throw in the spirits with their different storylines and histories, and Wonyan being a sassy bit of comic relief, and it’s an intriguing game overall. Each of the spirits shows up in their own way, and requires some type of help that differs from the last. Plus, they look unique and have some great dialogue of their own. The character designs are done well, so everyone looks different from each other and easy to distinguish. The town is easy to navigate and explore, too. Everything together makes for a delightful experience. 

    There Are Some Cons, Though

    As much as I enjoy Spirittea, there are some problems with the game. I thankfully didn’t encounter any bugs or glitches, so I suppose these are more gripes than anything. However, there’s definite room for improvement in some aspects. 

    My biggest issue is the map. It sways. When you open it, instead of the landmarks, houses, and trees being stationary, the sway and bounce to the music. It was a motion-sickness dilemma that posed a problem throughout my whole play. Plus, trying to find someone in the apartment building can be difficult because the sprites stack on top of each other so it’s hard to distinguish who is who. And if you’re at the apartment trying to see if your target townsperson is there, your marker is huge and covers up a good portion of that stack. 

    I enjoyed Spirittea’s addition of mini-games, and that they were unique. There was no carbon copy with a slight difference. I initially picked the hardest song possible in karaoke and wondered why it was SO hard, until I realized my mistake. The controls for that mini-game are great, though. My problem was with the fishing mini-game. You move your thumbstick the opposite direction instead of in the direction of the circle you want to select. It’s not very intuitive, and it wasn’t very cozy to have to stop and struggle every time I fished. Worse was the drinking mini-game not telling you anything about how to play or what controls to use. You just have to figure it out. Good luck!

    Final Thoughts

    I would still recommend Spirittea to cozy gamers looking for something different than the usual farm sim. It really is a delightful game, despite some of the issues. The storyline is unique, the characters are fun, and the visuals are nice. I really enjoy running my own bath house, too. It was simple and easy, and just overall fun! 

    I give it:

    You can find Spirittea on Steam, Switch, and Xbox!

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  • svgMar 13, 2024Indie Highlight

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    Embark on a vibrant journey full of mystery in Enelia: Dawn of Madness by developer Indra Studio. You play as Enelia, a young druid who belongs to the Za’ani race. Each member of this race possesses special organs in the palms of their hands that allows them to interact with their environment. Those who can use the organs skillfully become druids, and Enelia has dreamed of becoming a druid her whole life. However, she’s not very good at it, so to fulfill her dream she’ll need to defy Za’ani traditions. 

    While working on becoming a druid, though, you learn a dark and deadly secret. It not only threatens your life, but the lives of all of your people. And it’s up to you to save everyone! Explore the beautiful visual novel of Enelia: Dawn of Madness as you set out to achieve the goal of becoming a druid. Play dozens of minigames and collect items to learn the history of this mysterious world. Meet and build relationships with a cast of charming characters, including mythical creatures. Plus, experience dramatic moments with those characters as you pick and choose your path. Your choices matter to how your journey ends, so choose wisely. Even use your astral vision to aid you in your journey to becoming a druid and saving your people! 

    Ready for a journey that could lead you to your end?

    Release Date

    Enelia: Dawn of Madness is set to release on Steam in Q2 of this year!

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  • svgMar 7, 2024Indie Highlight

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    Tracks of Thought is a charming adventure RPG where you play as an adorable ladybug. Your usual commute has taken a strange turn when your train plunges into a mysterious tunnel. Everyone has forgotten the final destination. Where is everyone going and what happened? It’s up to you to investigate and find out! 

    There are dozens of passengers on the train with you that you can talk to. They can help you solve the mystery, but not everyone in Tracks of Thought is interested in talking! Use a card-based battle-of-wits system to resolve any conflicts and find common ground with them. You might need to be logical, sensitive, or charismatic depending on the person. Choose your cards (and words) wisely to get their help! Each encounter will reward you with new cards or pieces of information necessary to solve the mystery of the train, so get to know everyone and help them out as you make your way to the Control Room.

    Release Date

    Tracks of Thought is coming to Steam sometime this year!

    If you want more train-based games, take a look at Overcrowd: A Commute ‘Em Up, or Unrailed 2!

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  • svgMar 6, 2024Indie Highlight

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    In Nora: The Wannabe Alchemist by RedDeer Games you play as Nora, a young witch who’s made some reckless, questionable decisions in her life. Set out on a journey to right those wrongs, and even become a licensed witch! This whimsical point-and-click adventure will have you exploring a beautiful world as you work to earn a living, restore your grandmother’s beloved garden, and uncover secrets. 

    Take on the role of a budding alchemist by caring for magical gardens. Care for each plant and gather them when they’re ready. Then, Nora: The Wannabe Alchemist lets you craft a variety of potions using the plants you’ve grown! These potions can be used to overcome obstacles in your adventures, or be sold to earn you some cash. Spend your hard-earned cash on some useful magical items from the magic shop next door, or spend that money on decorations and customizations for your home. As you progress, uncover new locations for Nora to visit and materials to use on your journey. 

    Release Date

    You can find Nora: The Wannabe Alchemist on Switch and Steam now! 

    Homestead Arcana is another witchy RPG you should check out!

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  • svgMar 6, 2024Indie Highlight

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    Little Witch Cat Kiki by developer TinyBoxGames is a perfectly casual and adorable decorating phone game. If you’re looking for a super simple, but interactive game, this one is perfect! You play as Kiki, a cute little witch cat. Catch a variety of fish on a boat, and gather mushrooms and grass from the forest. Fulfill villager requests using what you’ve caught and gathered to earn money for decorations and house upgrades. You’ll unlock more characters, places to visit, and items to buy as you progress. Decorate each room of your house with different wallpapers, flooring, furniture sets, and placeable characters you unlock and buy through playing to create some really cute rooms! 

    Release Date

    You can find Little Witch Cat Kiki on the Google Play store now!

    And take a look at the developers other game, Tiny Boutique!

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  • svgMar 6, 2024Indie Highlight

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    Embark on an exciting journey in Brocula by developer Destroyer Doggo where you play as Brocula, a vampire who has just woken from a 500-year slumber. This world is bizarre and unrecognizable to him, plus his wealth has been stripped from him. Even his ancestral castle has been ravaged by time and is in ruins. Not everything is so simple and mundane as surviving in this new society, though. Can you figure out the times, settle in, and thrive?

    You’ll need to navigate the unfamiliar capitalistic society in Brocula in order to be successful. Take on a series of part-time jobs at the coffee shop, garage, and restaurant to earn a little pocket money. Not only will you need this money to repair your castle, but you’ll need to wrestle ownership of it from the local mayor. You can also earn money by starting a farm next to the castle and selling your crops. Catch a variety of fish which you can turn into a bunch of tasty meals, too. And when you’re not busy with the mundane tasks of everyday life, you need to revive your cult. Restore the forgotten church and start giving sermons in order to attract members again. Or, go explore the everchanging forest to fight enemies and collect treasures!

    Release Date

    Brocula is set to Release on Steam March 27th. It is also listed on Xbox, and the developer’s website lists PlayStation, so hopefully that will come soon too!

    Check out Voltaire: the Vegan Vampire for more vampire fun!

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  • svgFeb 29, 2024Reviews

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    I got to experience the closed beta version of this game thanks to the developer and publisher!

    If you missed the last time I talked about Time & Galaxy, then let me get you up to speed! This game is a vibrant, quirky visual novel where you play as the galaxy’s first robot reporter. You’ve just begun your internship at the renowned holopaper, Times & Galaxy, and you need to prove your worth. Take on different assignments and brush up on your journalism skills as you investigate the scene of a crash, interview contestants in a contest, or gather quotes from onlookers. Then, use the Build-a-Story tool to create your piece! 

    Gameplay

    Times & Galaxy is a visual novel, so you just need WASD keys to move, and your mouse to click. Interact with your crewmates, as well as the people you want to interview using the mouse, and that’s it! It’s simple and easy to play, which is perfect for focusing on the engaging dialogue you’ll come across.

    I was immediately captivated by this game. Every single character design is unique. Personalities are different from each other. Plus, you interact with over 100 different characters across the whole game. I experienced a limited closed beta version, so did not encounter all 100+ characters, but if you like visual novels, you need to! The characters I did get to interact with were fun to get to know. Some were grumpy, some upbeat, and every other flavor of personality you can think of. And all of the dialogue was interesting. Not a single conversation made me bored, so there’s clearly been a lot of thought and care put into this game. You can even flirt with people, or robots, or aliens! You, a robot, exhibiting flirting skills was possibly the highlight of interacting with folks, too. 

    I really enjoyed traveling to the different locations in Times & Galaxy, too. Each assignment let me see a small peak at the different planets in the galaxy. Not to mention, each assignment was super unique. One was a shuttle crash site where I examined the shuttle and interviewed people. Another was a cat show fluff piece where I got to visit with the cats and talk to their owners. I don’t think there’s a single thing in this game that I can call boring. It’s quirky, fun, humorous, and overall just great. 

    Visuals and Soundtrack

    If you aren’t as charmed by the beautiful visuals as I am, then we need to talk. They are vibrant without being overwhelming and just fit the story and setting so perfectly. I couldn’t imagine playing this game without these lovely graphics. They’re clever and add so much life to what is ultimately a limited view of the galaxy. You spend most of your time on the ship or at specific places for your stories, often a single room or area. So, it’s important that the visuals (and dialogue) make an impact. And they do! 

    Pair everything with the great soundtrack and Times & Galaxy has really nailed what it was aiming for. The music fits each scene and situation perfectly. It doesn’t overwhelm, either. You’re not listening to the same track over and over again. Nor is anything obnoxious. Each track fits well where it is and sits perfectly in the background like it should. 

    Final Thoughts

    If you don’t have Times & Galaxy on your Wishlist already, what are you waiting for? It’s so charming and funny. The characters and situations are fun. The visuals are gorgeous. The soundtrack is great. What more could you ask for from a game? 

    I give it:

    You can find Times & Galaxy on Steam!

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  • svgFeb 22, 2024Indie Highlight

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    Garage Sale by developer Bug Burrow welcomes you to the curious little hamlet of Lettuce Village! You play as Juniper, a young girl who’s shy but eager to make friends. You’ll do that by exploring the town during the town’s communal garage sale, picking up some fun trinkets along the way. 

    This peaceful town is in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by beautiful forest lands. Therefore, the townspeople of Garage Sale are a bit… weird. Get to know your neighbors by completing quests for them, and they will reward you with bits of history about the town. Lettuce Village might be tiny, but it harbors a very interesting past. If you play your cards right, you might just uncover its secrets. While you’re hunting down town secrets, search every nook and cranny for treasures and coins. Then, use that money to purchase fun knick knacks from the different garage sale tables you come across!

    What can you discover from your neighbor’s old trinkets?

    Release Date

    Garage Sale is coming to Steam in Q1 of this year, so hopefully very soon!

    Bug & Seek has you catching bugs for the museum like in ACNH, but has the same toned-down visual style this game has!

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