Summer is just around the corner, and so many just released and upcoming games are filled to the brim with those lazy summer vibes. Here’s a list of some of my favorite, upcoming wholesome titles that make me excited for the warmest season of the year!
Dordogne
Release Date: June 13, 2023
Platforms: Steam, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Developer | Publisher: UN JE NE SAIS QUOI, UMANIMATION | Focus Entertainment
Genres: Walking Sim, Relaxing
Dordogne is a mix between a walking sim and a visual novel. This beautifully crafted, hand-painted game says on its Steam page that playing it is to “explore the thousand summer colors of Dordogne,” and I could not agree more. You can read our review of Dordogne here.
Botany Manor
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: Switch, Steam
Developer | Publisher: Balloon Studios | Whitethorn Games
Genres: Puzzle, Builder
We did an impressions article of Botany Manor‘s demo a little while ago, but I couldn’t leave this one off of the list. What a gorgeous-looking bit of summer it is! If players like builders and solving puzzles, this nature-filled game is a winner for beating the summer heat.
Another Crab’s Treasure
Release Date: 2024
Platforms: Steam, Switch
Developer | Publisher: Aggro Crab
Genres: Souls-like
I love Souls-like games, but I love them even more when they are beautiful and cute too! Another Crab’s Treasure is a cartoonish, challenging game where players must take on other crabs in nearly impossible battles against other crustaceans to be the king of the sea.
The Gecko Gods
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: Steam, Switch
Developer | Publisher: Louis Waloschek | Super Rare Originals
Genres: Relaxing Walking Sim, Puzzle
The Gecko Gods is a wholesome walking sim that allows players to slither like a gecko across a desert. This brightly-colored little friend will take us on a journey of beautiful discovery through an amazing array of landscapes.
Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: Steam
Developer | Publisher: Chibig, Talpa Games, Undercoders | Chibig
Genres: Platformer Adventure
If anyone here hasn’t played Summer at Mara or Stories of Mara, I would highly recommend it. However, if you just want to jump into the world of Mara with Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara, I don’t blame you! This platformer is all about celebrating the array of summer colors in the land of Mara while taking on puzzles and making friends.
Camper Van: Make it Home
Release Date: December 2024
Platforms: Switch, Steam
Developer | Publisher: Malapata Studio
Genres: Unpacking-like
With a massively successful Kickstarter just behind it, Camper Van: Make it Home is still a fair way off in terms of being released. That being said, this crowd-funding success story looks like everything we love about summer! Travel, decorations, and outdoor enjoyment are the basis of this Unpacking-like game.
Fae Farm
Release Date: Late 2023
Platforms: Switch
Developer | Publisher: Phoenix Labs
Genres: Farming and Life Sim
Who doesn’t love a good farm sim? Fae Farm looks like a magical simulation title with a lot of heart and just a pinch of alchemy. While the seasons will change just like they do in most farming sims, there is something about this upcoming title that just makes me yearn for a long summer day outdoors.
My Little Village
Release Date: September 2023
Platforms: Steam
Developer | Publisher: Pearl Box Games
Genres: Village Builder
My Little Village looks like a wonderful building simulation that takes place in the summertime! To keep all the villagers happy and healthy, players will need to build shelters, plant food, and really make their cute little village feel like a home.
Ducky’s Delivery Service
Release Date: July 2023
Platforms: Steam, itch.io
Developer | Publisher: C.T. Matthews
Genres: Platformer
Mail delivery simulation games are a little bit of a weakness of mine. And in Ducky’s Delivery Service, players get to play as an adorable little duck!? I’m in, 100%. This challenging-looking platformer will be available this summer, bringing along all the summer vibes with it.
Delivery Kore
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: Steam
Developer | Publisher: NARAENC
Genres: Open World Adventure
Delivery Kore is a weird little game where players have to deliver little turnip critters all over the forest. It’s anime vibes and brilliant colors really give this a summer vacation vibe. I hope that this gets a release date sooner rather than later.