Welcome to our Wholesome gaming news!
This week, we have news about Instants, a puzzling and scrapbooking game, Streep and the power of the pen, the end of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Preserve Bundles on Steam and Harvest Moon on Mobile. A farming sim with a magical twist called Ritual of Raven, Kickstarter Outbound and quirky EcoGnomix coming. A Shin chan adventure, the release date for Fruitbus and logical connections in Linkito.
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Instants Puzzling and Scrapbooking Fun
I had the chance to try Instants hands-on at Gamescom, and what a lovely game it is!
Instants is a puzzle game that weaves puzzle-solving, crafting, and touching storytelling together. You’ll piece together family photo albums, uncovering the stories behind each picture as you go. The photos themselves act as clues to the timeline, guiding you to solve puzzles that gradually reveal the family’s history.
As you progress, you’ll also have the chance to add your own artistic touch by decorating the albums with various backgrounds, stickers, typography, washi tape and more. It really feels as if you’re doing a nice scrapbook project! You can find more info on the Steam page. Expect a puzzle and creative element in Instants to the backdrop of a heartfelt journey through time.
Streep: The Power of the Pen
Another game I saw yesterday at Gamescom 2024 was Streep, made by Stick Table. In this game that’s coming to Steam, you see the canvas of a magical paper world where you, as a pen, hold the power to change everything. Draw lines to alter the environment, reveal hidden secrets, and protect against evildoers. Each decision shapes a unique adventure. Will you be kind to the creatures you encounter and avoid them with your pen? Or will you draw a line through them, making them really mad? What kind of world will you create? A very interesting idea at work here!
The End of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
In a surprise move, Nintendo has announced that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will end its service on smart devices on November 28th, 2024, at 15:00 (UK time). In-game events and item distribution will continue until the service’s closure. The sale of Leaf Tickets will end on November 27th, 2024, at 06:00 (UK time), so be sure to use any remaining tickets before then.
Subscriptions to the Pocket Camp Club will stop being available on October 28th, 2024, at 01:00 (UK time). Existing subscriptions won’t renew after this date, but benefits will continue until the service ends for those with paid plans, except for certain features like the Pocket Camp Club Journal.
I’m pretty sure the players of Pocket Camp are heartbroken right now. Maybe some small consolation is in the fact that a paid version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is in development. This new version won’t require a constant internet connection, won’t include in-app purchases, and will allow players to transfer their save data. More details will be revealed in October 2024.
Preserve Bundles on Steam
We checked out Preserve in Early Access and loved it. And if you are eager to deepen your green exploration, the developers of Preserve have teamed up with several other games for some nice bundles!
There’s a bundle with Terra Nil with a 40% discount, with Townscaper with a 22% discount, with Terrascape with a 18% discount, and with Polylithic with a 28% discount. Check it out through their Steam page.
Harvest Moon on Mobile
From August 23rd, Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home will be on the App Store and the Google Play Store. Natsume also released a new trailer, so if you’re a fan of the farming simulation genre like I am, be sure to check it out. They also promised no microtransactions, but as it’s not yet visible in my app store, I don’t know the price yet.
Kickstarter Outbound
Outbound is an upcoming open-world exploration game set in a utopian near future, developed by Square Glade Games from Groningen, Netherlands. In this game, you start with an empty camper van and gradually turn it into your dream home. Whether you’re playing solo or with up to four friends, you can live sustainably off-grid by crafting workstations, sourcing renewable energy, and customizing your vehicle to suit your style.
As you explore a vibrant world, you’ll scavenge materials, build with modular parts, and adapt to different landscapes and environmental conditions. The game offers endless possibilities, from creating a cosy multi-level home with a terrace to setting up a greenhouse. It’s a relaxing experience that lets you build and explore at your own pace.
Outbound is set to release on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. While the Kickstarter campaign is already funded, there are still stretch goals to achieve, so it’s worth checking out if you’re interested!
Farming Sim with a Magical Twist Ritual of Raven
Ritual of Raven is an upcoming story-driven farming sim with a magical twist: you won’t be doing the farming yourself! Instead, you’ll enchant Arcana Constructs to tend to your herb garden, ensuring that your mystical plants maintain their magical properties. Using a special deck of cards, you can command these Constructs to handle everything from ploughing and sowing seeds to watering and harvesting.
In this game, you’ll also find yourself in a new land where you can decorate both your village and farm with unique furniture from Pistachio’s shop. Along the way, you’ll meet a quirky community of outcasts, uncover their backstories, and trade with them for valuable ingredients.
Ritual of Raven is set to release on Steam and Nintendo Switch, with the launch date yet to be announced.
Quirky EcoGnomix Coming
Irox Games and Untold Tales have announced that EcoGnomix, a quirky hybrid of city-building and turn-based roguelite gameplay, is set to release on September 30th, 2024. The game will launch on Steam, GOG, and Epic, with a Nintendo Switch version planned for later in the year.
In EcoGnomix, you’ll manage a lively gnome village by sending a team of specialist gnomes on rogue-lite expeditions into enchanted caves. These adventures help you gather resources to expand your city, but you’ll need to balance your strategy as the caves grow more unstable with each turn. Expect strategic turn-based gameplay, where you must decide when to retreat to avoid losing everything carefully.
For those eager to try it out, a free playable demo is available on Steam. And if you want to smile, be sure to check out the trailer!
Shin chan Adventure
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, a new adventure game based on the beloved Crayon Shin chan anime, is set to release on October 24th for Nintendo Switch and Steam. The game, which launched earlier this year in Japan to positive reviews, lets you explore two different realities with Shin chan—his everyday life in the town of Akita and the mysterious Coal Town.
Players can look forward to a variety of relaxing activities, such as fishing, bug hunting, and exploring scenic rivers and forests. You can also pick wild vegetables, create inventions, and race trolleys in Coal Town. You can find more info about the game here.
Release Date Fruitbus
Fruitbus will be released on Steam on October 28th!
Get ready for a journey of flavours and friendships in your cosy, customisable food truck! Set in the Gustum archipelago, explore an open world where taste is everything, using a fully customizable food truck to experiment with recipes, feed new friends, and unlock unique stories and memories through the power of food. Forage for new ingredients in ancient glades, secret groves and forgotten grottos; whip up your own unique dishes or take on local recipes; and upgrade your Fruitbus kitchen to gain loyal customers and fit your playstyle.
If you can’t wait to play it, there’s a demo available here.
Logical Connections in Linkito
Linkito is an upcoming puzzle game that centres around the theme of connection, giving you a variety of logic-based challenges. In the game, you take on the role of an engineer at Albatross Technologies, using your electrical and logical skills to solve over 50 puzzles. These puzzles range from machine repair to defusing a bomb and robot control. As you progress through the 6-hour campaign, you’ll encounter accessible puzzles that gradually increase in difficulty, with bonus levels available for seasoned players.
Linkito also features a sandbox mode where you can create your own intricate machines and puzzles, which you can share with the community. You can also play levels created by other players with just a click. For those who enjoy interactive gameplay, Linkito includes a Twitch mode where viewers can influence the game in real-time.
Check out the Steam page for more information, as the game is already out to very positive reviews.
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