The endless heatwave melts the very streets, the air is thick and oppressive. No better reason to stay at home with a perspiring glass of your favorite cold drink and play some indie games, am I right? It's good enough for me, anyway. July marks the beginning of the Summer Holiday in earnest, as well as a great collection of stellar indies to come. If I had to include every game here, the post would be too long to digest for anyone with a busy schedule, so alas, had to limit myself to five games. The chosen five are the titles I am extremely excited about and you can expect the review for them to come as soon as I manage to digest them well. Without further ado, let's begin!
THE OPERATOR | Release Date: July
I already talked about my impression from the demo over here and by Jove, I am hyped. I do love a good sleuthing game, but they do not come often. Most of them can, at best, rely on a good story to hook you in, while the detective-based activities tend to be... Rudimentary, at best. And so, having a game with a good sense of presenting a case and an immersive way of actually digging through the data is a pleasure. I can't wait to toss myself in, hopefully, more and more demanding crimes and unknowns to solve. The demo story already managed to sink its hook into my mind, leaving on a delicious cliffhanger to get me invested.
As for my wishes, I cross my fingers for a story that will offer between 4 to 6 hours, with growing complexity that will satisfy any wanna-be private eye at home. The style is excellent. Full voice acting is a treat. And the whole operating system setup is highly immersive and well executed. So, hoping for the best and looking forward to this title!
FLOCK | Release Date: 16th July
I have been looking forward to this whimsical game since the day of its announcement. It has everything I enjoy - cozy vibes, a cute art style, and a big sense of colorful joy. The very idea is unique, or at least, I never encountered anything similar enough to strike a chord in my memory. Being an aerial shepherd for flying creatures seems fun! The multiplier aspect focusing on cooperation is a good touch that lets you proudly display your herd of colorful cuties. And even share them with your friends. It's like chill, zen Pokemon in a sense, where instead of battles, you rely on exploration and a keen sense of discovery to find your next goober.
It's still too early to say how engaging the gameplay will be. It might turn out that the whole collect and display aspect can be quick to lose its charm. However, I always give the benefit of the doubt and hope that the exploration aspect and maybe even puzzles to find the rare critters will be interesting to find and solve. Time will tell.
SCHiM | Release Date: 18th July
A precious idea, well executed - as far as we can see, at least. A dynamic 3D platformer where you can only move through shadows. Not even some shady assassin game, no stealth type of shadows, but just... Shadows are your platforms, the places your character can reside in. That alone would be neat, but if that was the whole gimmick, it would fade quickly in its engagement factor. The fun part lies in how alive the levels will feel - once again, insight based on what we've seen so far. Each stage is in frequent motion. Cars come and go, animals cross the pathways, and people wander around in their tasks. And since all of them cast their shadows, your environment to traverse is in constant flux.
This is the crux of the gameplay, the bit that might turn SCHiM from a fun idea to an exciting platformer. If this is executed well, I predict the sense of satisfaction from forging your own path being the main driver behind the fun.
LINKITO | Release Date: 23th July
Another precious game I checked the Demo of and fell in love with. I don't even know how to describe it genre well, so Puzzler will have to do it. I always enjoyed such logic-driven challenges - starting my journey with The Room series, then going through House of Da Vinci and games like Opus Magnum. Now LINKITO will join the fray, giving players a pretty hefty set of challenges, escalating both in difficulty and complexity. The visuals are gorgeous, the game has a bit of a story and that sense of freedom when given a toolbox of gadgets to build your solution from. Like all good puzzlers it thrives on those 'Eureka!' moments when the puzzle clicks in your mind, you connect everything right and the little machine starts working the way you need it to.
It's fun, I dare say, a LOT of fun. Puzzles escalated with great care in the demo, making sure the player was well-informed on how every new element worked. That impeccable onboarding is a must for a game of such type, and here, it is curated with great care. Very excited to get my hands on this title.
ÉTÉ | Release Date: 23th July
I didn't talk about this game yet, but I loved everything I've seen so far. I am an artist, by education and hobby, so having a game dedicated to painting brought a smile to my face. Of course, it's hardly the first with that in mind, but ÉTÉ seems to have a very tight focus on color and bringing it back to the little town you will reside in. The whole set of interactions looks very interesting on paper. You need to walk around and explore to find inspiration - like in real life! - and from the objects you observe you collect your visual library to paint from. You will do commissions for paintings, and do your own art pieces for your pleasure alone. Bring life, color, and decorations to your studio and apartment. It's a dreamy, cozy slice of life of an artist life in - of course - a bit idealized way. To relax. To unwind.
It has a vibe I definitely feel and yearn for, so looking forward to check the game in full and what kind of calm and soothing energies it can bring to my summer evenings.
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