Come on in, get yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and pull up a chair.
It’s such fun to see so many updates and DLC with Christmas and Holiday themes are being made by developers. I clearly remember a time when only a few games had Christmas vibes, so this is a good change to get in the mood! Let’s check them out!
Find a Little Piece of Paradise
Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is coming! It will be released on 22nd February 2024 on PS4&5, Xbox and Steam, with the Switch version later in 2024. In the game, you will have free reign to create your oasis of tranquillity with fitting techniques and tools. Plant and decorate as you see fit.
In story mode, you can fulfil requests from fellow villagers in exchange for rewards. This can be used to expand the garden and acquire new tools, seeds and decorations. Sounds good, right? The gameplay trailer is below.
Santa’s Workshop Free Update PowerWash Simulator
PowerWash Simulator has a free Christmas update for PC, PlayStation and Xbox players. The update includes one brand new map of Santa’s Workshop with over 500 dings – more than any other PowerWash Simulator level! Plus, new cosy cosmetics and one elf’s Christmas tale of chaos. In the update, you will find:
- Santa’s Workshop Map – Uncover a whimsical workshop beneath layers of muck, soot and…ice cream.
- Unwrap a whole new look – Experience the cosiest clean yet in a new power washing suit, gloves and festive washer skin.
- A Christmas Story – How did the place become covered in soot and ice cream anyway? Discover the story from one of the elves as you clean!
- Ding ding ding! – Over 500 Dings! More Dings than in ANY other PowerWash Simulator Level yet.
Piczle Cross X Story of Seasons
Japan publisher Rainy Frog has announced the next instalment of the Piczle series Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons. Releasing on Nintendo Switch and PC Steam, this puzzler offers a feast of fun, compelling challenges and beautiful settings, paying homage to our favourite farming sim. The release date is 27th February 2024.
Christmesstime comes to A Little to the Left
The Merry Mess holiday event is free for all players of A Little to the Left. It features a new puzzle in the Daily Tidy mode every day between 22nd and 26th December, and all puzzles will be added to the Archive from 27th December.
A Little to the Left is available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Kind Words 2 is in the Works
Valerie in our team is very excited at the news that Kind Words 2 (Lofi City Pop) is under development. This is an MMO game about being kind to real people. From your cozy room, you can send nice letters, and you can go outside and say hi to your neighbours. You swap recommendations, dress up and add your dream to a sky full of wishes.
The first game was popular, with over 5 million letters written, and it even won a Bafta Award. These are real people who make each other feel seen, heard and less alone.
Rusty’s Retirement is Close
Well, I don’t know whether Rusty is retiring soon, but the game with that title is planned for Q1 2024. In this relaxing idle farming sim, you can plant crops, produce biofuel and automate. The cool thing is that the game sits at the bottom of your screen while you are busy doing other things!
Watch as Rusty gets to work as he waters, nurtures harvests, and unlocks new crops as you progress.
Harvest Moon 64 on Switch Online
Can’t get enough farming sims and longing for a retro kick? Harvest Moon 64 is now available on Nintendo Switch Online. Flowerbud Village is waiting for you!
Ebenezer and The Invisible World on Sale
With Christmas around the corner, it’s nice to know that Ebenezer and The Invisible World is on sale on Steam with a discount of 21%. This 2D metroidvania game, featuring hand-drawn art based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, was reviewed by James. You can find his thoughts here. The sale lasts until December 21, 2023.
Anniversary Edition DLC for Kainga
PC game Kainga: Seeds of Civilization combines elements of rogue-lite and village-building and celebrates its first anniversary this month. In honour of this milestone, solo developer Erik Rempen, in collaboration with Green Man Gaming Publishing, is launching a special Anniversary Edition supporters pack DLC.
Now available, players who have been enjoying Kainga over the past year can access the official Kainga Anniversary Edition. This edition comes with a new cosmetic-only DLC that lets players change the outfits of all 8 Thinkers to freshly designed alternatives. This addition allows players to add a touch of extra style to the leaders of their in-game world.
Station to Station Photo Mode Update
Mina absolutely loved Station to Station, so she will be pleased with the 1.2 update, which includes in-game photography, tiny levels and a full revamp of the Custom Game mode.
The update includes four new levels spread over the existing regions already available in the critically-acclaimed game (such as lushly forested Greendale, idyllic Sunforge Sands or the wild west of Nugget Creek). Perfect for those looking to experience bite-sized gaming trips rather than a cross-country extravaganza! In Photo Mode, snap happy train fans can select from a variety of options to capture the perfect pic.
This is just the latest in a series of updates planned, with even more content and exciting new features to be added during 2024 and beyond! Check out the trailer below!
Potion Craft on Switch and PlayStation
Even when it was in Early Access on Steam, we loved Potion Craft, as you can read here. The good news is that it’s finally coming to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 and 5. The release date is December 19th, and the game has a temporary discount of 10% when you pre-order.
Release date for CLeM
This summer, Lottie checked out the demo for CLeM. Now, we have a release date of 6 February 2024 on the Switch and Steam.
CLeM is a mystery puzzle exploration game in which you have to solve puzzles to get items to interact with in order to unlock items. The demo already featured many mysteries and puzzles to solve to acquire the requested beautiful item. You must explore the apparently abandoned house with only the voice and the notebook to keep you company. Meanwhile, you have to craft magic toys to delve into hidden secrets and spots you can’t otherwise reach.
Release Window A Garden Path
It’s been a while since we looked at the first demo of A Garden Path (find Elena’s thoughts on that here). But good things might take a little longer to come to fruition: the game just got a release window of late Spring 2024. And it’s coming to Steam and the Switch.
Designed to be played in short bursts, how and when you wish, time in The Garden Path runs in concert with the outside world. Stop by to wander around your garden whenever the mood takes you, and find new travellers, events, activities, and distractions waiting for you each day. Take your time, play for a little while, and experience it all at your own pace. It’s a space to call your own, to curate, and to reflect.
That’s it for this week; thanks for reading!