“Set out on an adventure through the changing landscapes of memories lush with feelings of love and loss. Every moment of this rollercoaster ride is a new challenge and a chance to see your life in a different light.
“Control the flow of time and change your surroundings from the shifting of seconds to entire seasons. Fast forward, move back or pause time to relive your memories and overcome every obstacle on your journey.”
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox
Release: December 3, 2019
“Punch, whip, and zipline your way through a post-apocalyptic America in this retro-style action platformer! Play as Taro Takahashi, a resistance soldier on a revenge mission against the dictator who lords over the ashes.”
Platforms: Windows
Release: 2020
“The ground starts shaking, light bulbs are breaking – and something rather unusual is happening right behind the walls of your very room. Equipped with nothing but wit and courage, you slowly descend into a world inhabited by avian folk and seemingly deadly furniture monsters.”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple Arcade
Release: July 22, 2020
“A mix of two games that I love, Jumping Flash and Pilot wings. Explore with Polpo a destroyed 1990s Japan. Complete each area to discover the meaning of life… before Polpo’s energy runs out! Fly and shoot in this alternative version of the 90s.
“99.9% of the world and its population has disappeared a mysterious explosion caused by Dr. Prometheus, the inventor of Pink Energy. You and Polpo, your flying delivery robot, have survived, and together you must face the silly army of Dr. Prometheus to recover memory cubes and discover the meaning of life.”
Platforms: Windows, Nintendo Switch (hopefully)
Release: 2020
“An exploration and adventure game about wildlife sprung from the depths of the internet. An unknown power seems to upset its balance. Join forces with exotic creatures to unravel the mysteries of this universe.”
Platforms: VR (PC & PSVR)
release: July 24, 2020
“A reverse horror game in which you assume the role of an amorphous creature of unknown origin. Stalk and consume those that imprisoned you to spread fear and panic throughout the facility. Grow and evolve as you tear down this prison and acquire more and more devastating abilities on the path to retribution.”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox, Switch
Release: July 23, 2020
“An adventure game inspired by Scandinavian folklore – a dark contemporary fairy tale underpinned by a touching narrative, an alluring art style, ancient puzzles and atmospheric exploration.
“Join Tove on a fantastical journey to save her family; one that takes her deep into a hidden, long forgotten world of folklore, filled with strange locations and even stranger creatures. Explore the ancient wilderness, solve its mysteries, and save your family in this modern adventure game for all.”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch
Release: July 23, 2020 (Switch & Mac TBA)
“In a back-alley cafe, the dead are granted one last night to mingle with the living. Necrobarista follows a dynamic and diverse cast of characters as they navigate Melbourne’s hipstery coffee culture, the questionable ethics of necromancy, and the process of letting go.”
Platforms: Windows, iOS (PS4 & Nintendo Switch to come)
Release: July 22, 2020
“Upcoming medieval strategy game for PC that combines deep, organic and realistic city building with large scale, tactical battles.
“Manor Lords aims to provide a gridless, organic city-building experience with full freedom of placement and rotation, but utilizing snapping tools to make the planning more comfortable. The building mechanic is motivated by the growth of real medieval towns and villages, where major trade routes and landscape often influenced how the settlement shaped and developed.”
Platforms: Windows
Release: fall 2020
“In Afterparty, you play Milo and Lola, recently deceased best buds who suddenly find themselves staring down an eternity in Hell. But there’s a loophole: outdrink Satan and he’ll grant you re-entry to Earth.
“What adventures will you stumble through in the underworld? Every step is up to you. Time to go on the best bender ever, uncover the mystery of why you’ve been damned, and drink the big guy under the table.”
I recently played through this with a friend on Xbox and loved the story, setting (lots of dark humour going on), and the voice acting. There are some very light gameplay mechanics but this is definitely all about conversations and narrative. Even though they are quite different games, the humorous corporate underworld along with the charming characters brought up a lot of Grim Fandango nostalgia.
We were really enjoying it until we hit a game breaking bug halfway through and it was a bit depressing to have to restart. That being said, due to the branching nature of the story we decided to take a different path the second time through which turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than our previous choices, and saved us a bit from having to go through all of the same dialogue again.
I am still very much in love with the game and I’m going to go have a peek at their previous game Oxenfree, which I missed out on before. Other than the bug it was a really enjoyable trip, and if not for that I would fully recommend it to anyone looking for a very narrative focused adventure that touches on mental health in an interesting way. Hopefully you will have better luck than we did. 🙏
Platforms: Windows, Mac, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Release: October 18, 2019