“A turn-based adventure game about a gang of kids investigating supernatural occurrences…
“It’s the summer of 1993. You and your friends set out to investigate the source of a mysterious crash. Complete quests, battle monsters and level up your party to save your hometown from danger in a heroic tale of childhood adventures.”
Platforms: Windows, Xbox, Xbox Series X
Release: 2020
“Brave the nightmares of the Quiet Ones. Do not panic…don’t even breathe! Maid of Sker is a first-person survival horror, set in a remote hotel with a gory and macabre history from British folklore.
“Armed with only a defensive sound device, you’ll utilise stealth tactics to avoid death amongst a cult of sound-based AI enemies. Set in 1898 and inspired by the haunting Welsh tale of Elisabeth Williams, this is a story of a family empire driven by torture, slavery, piracy and a supernatural mystery that suffocates the grounds of the hotel.”
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox (Nintendo Switch to come)
Release: July 28, 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
“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
“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
“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
“A management first person farming and driving simulator game on a floating farm in the middle of nowhere. Harvest crops and sell them in town. Transport everything you need in your VW Bulli 76. Prepare your food, drinks and decorate your little cabin with furniture that you can buy.
“Enjoy the peace and quiet of a lonely farm. Although you can be alone in the morning drinking a delicious cup of fresh coffee, you can also go to the town to buy pots, seeds, tools, food and small decorations for your cabin.”
Platforms: Windows
Release: TBA
“A woman alone in a house. A mystery and a love story. Explore the present to uncover the past, in a short story of love and loss and a life well-lived.
“A narrative exploration that examines a world where memories are constantly fading and jumbled. A game about dementia and what happens when you can’t hold onto the things you’ve done or the people you’ve loved.”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Release: July 16, 2020
“A tale revolving around a dark futuristic world, unfolding through platformer elements, stealth and investigation.
“In this videogame the player will embody Ludovik, a robotic entity sent to look for knowledge about human beings, extinct for millennia. Ludovik will have to interact with the beings of the jungle and explore it’s most dangerous recesses to resolve the dark mystery of the library.”
Platforms: PS4
Release: 2021