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Wanderful is a Simple & Happy Indie Out This Year DEMO

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Daedelic Entertainment is a huge high-quality game publisher featuring a range of developers from small to major, including the new Gollum game and also Wanderful from the German developers Tiny Roar. I have my eye on this publisher as an unbiased indie gamer because while, yes, the smaller indie community is my foundation, I also like really good games. So, when you can, there’s a great game you need to try from them… Read the rest

Cult of the Lamb is Weird but a Good Game REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’ve been waiting way too long to try Cult of the Lamb. From its conceptual uniqueness to its popularity, I’ve been waiting (shudder.) I like to ask why people do certain things–like why everybody from a certain culture believes in the same thing but others don’t. OR: Why does this cute indie game exist about a tiny lamb who is forced to destroy hordes of cultists and collect woodland creature followers to build… Read the rest

Jaded is A Hidden Gem Worth Playing REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I love these platformer games that emerge from the woodwork every single day. Today, that game is Jaded by Shellsnore games, up on Steam. It’s a standard platformer with directional keys, jump, attack, and a special mechanic which is a time warp. Although the time warp mechanic is more of a cacoon slingshot kinda thing, it works pretty well. I was able to bind my controller to the basic keys with no problem.… Read the rest

Peglin – Pachinko Goblins Make This A Great Game REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Peglin is a great game where you complete levels by dropping a ball into a destructible pattern of mechanic-activating orbs. You can activate critical strike boosts, or replenish the board. And, before I gloss over too quickly, the purpose of this strategy is to rack up points that can then be used to attack mob health points, in effect winning the level and moving on. I was lucky enough to find the demo… Read the rest

BIOTA is a One of A Kind Retro Game Made by Expert Indie Lovers REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’m going to try something new here. I have been known to review demos in the past, but they get kind of buried under other projects. I really want to dedicate time to as many as I’d like to. All things relevant, I made a post on Twitter about needing to play for Game Boy-style indies. I got a great tip from cshPinecone of Indie Game Collective about the game BIOTA from “small… Read the rest

Dogurai is Not Easy but It’s Great & Worth Sharing REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Dogurai by HungryBear is a Game Boy-style indie Metroidvania. I know about it through, a couple of co-creators from Indie Game Collective. Thank you, Jaunty Adventures and Pursuing Pixels. Their taste is superb, as this turned out to be an exciting game. I’ve covered very few Game Boy titles here, aside from Lasagna Boy and… actually, that might be it. It’s a great genre if you want to get into indies. In summary,… Read the rest

Mago is a Really Fun and Colorful New Game REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Let’s take a look at Mago: The Villain’s Burger. It’s filled with so many fun easy-to-learn but masterable abilities and unique mechanics that you just don’t find in every game. The best way to understand it is most likely visually, but today I’ll be talking about why Mago is a promising look at how its developers are creating something that is, possibly, capable of going big if they wish. So, let’s get started.… Read the rest

What Lies in the Multiverse is a Unique & Cool Indie REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
We’ve got a big event going on right now for THE BIG ADVENTURE. Many demos, and many great indies. I set my eyes on What Lies in the Multiverse first. It’s a collaboration between Studio Voyager, IguanaBee, and Untold Tales. Everything you’ll see in this game has a silvery thread of classic games like Fez, Owlboy, etc. But it’s a little more than technicolor flashing pixel animations, it’s dealing with a really awesome… Read the rest

Soul Delivery is a New & Promising Cyberpunk Thrill REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Alright, folks, I am compelled to write about this. Last night I posted a video of a game on itch.io called Soul Delivery. Yes, it is true, the graphics in this game are so stunning, it’s enough to short-circuit. Though, until now, I’ve never even heard of it. I don’t know who the dev is, and I don’t know anything more than what’s covered on the itch.io page. But, since there’s a demand… Read the rest

Figment 2: Creed Valley is a Vibrant & Unique Game REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
It seems that Figment 2: Creed Valley, is a new game headed to Nintendo Switch in February of 2022. I’ve been all about checking out these Switch demos right away, and when I saw this listed today I downloaded it immediately. I wasn’t quite sure what I was dealing with here, as it seemed somewhat derivative but also cozily familiar, the reason of which I discovered later. This game is really pleasant-looking though.… Read the rest

The Last Friend is a Great New Game With Dog Buddies Out Now REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
In between monitoring my every action, eShop suggested I check out what demos were out. I had really been looking for them though! So, this game The Last Friend showed up as a demo out. The art looked cool and didn’t seem too derivative of anything course. So, I downloaded it and loaded it up. The Last Friend is a brawler kind of game with some turret defense mechanics. Most importantly, however, is… Read the rest

The Lightbringer (Demo) is What I Played Today REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Okay, let’s talk about The Lightbringer. This is kind of random. No, really, it is. Might as well roll for initiative. Anyway, I’ve been spending a ton of time on the Switch lately, since I was traveling with the handheld recently and got kind of used to it. However, I recorded it while playing on my TV, so I don’t know. Anyway, was looking back through some of my YouTube videos and realized… Read the rest

Beacon Pines is Finally Out Now and It’s Astonishing REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Beacon Pines is interactive fiction, but really it qualifies with a new level of cozy interaction and fathoms deep optimistic complexity to its characters. The basic structure of the story relies on an interesting plot device made of… well, plot devices! You start in a storybook tale of a young fawn, though I’d say that’s up for interpretation, named Luka at his grandmother’s. Through exploration and experimentation and interacting with those around you… Read the rest

Kick Bot is a New Indie That I Played & it is Awesome REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
“Kick Bot,” it’s an exciting precision platformer on the way from Two Scoops games. It’s time for Dave Pizza to step outside his comfort zone and try some of these more challenging game foes. And I’ll tell you, I thought it was broken because I didn’t know how to play it. It’s definitely challenging, but definitely possible. And with the retro-tastic sound effects and neon robot package, it’s exciting to look at and… Read the rest

Big Boy Boxing is a Great Game Homage That You Have to See DEMO

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Big Boy Boxing is a cartoony indie boxing dev inspired by Cuphead and the classic late 80’s NES game Punch-Out!! The concept is polished and shiny for contemporary indie players who thrive on retro quirks in new games. You play as a new boxer, trained up through the earnest beginning in the ring with a trainer, Coach Hank. At this stage of development, the demo is pretty short with only one contender, but… Read the rest

Dark Dragonkin is A Little, Simple Indie I Played DEMO

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Dark Dragonkin is an indie dev project from Twintertainment that is a top-down pixelized fantasy RPG/dungeon-crawler. Players control multiple characters in a group to make them work together to defeat enemies and advance the story. This game is still deep in the dev process with a potential audience of RPG fans and general indie gamers. It feels very attended to as a solo dev project though, and the potential to scale abilities and… Read the rest

Universe for Sale Looks Like a Good Sci-Fi Game DEMO

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Universe for Sale is an upcoming title that combines sci-fi themes and metaphysical themes into a quirky and compelling visual novel/interactive fiction. I already do not recall the main character’s name, and neither will you, as the shroud of mystery is an important part of this introduction. He is a self-described “cultist” with a floating head who drops into a tea shop on Jupiter to meet with a young lady named Lila. The… Read the rest

Space Mechanic Simulator is a Really Terrific Game I Tried REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Let’s talk about an upcoming space game! Space Mechanic Simulator is a 3D space-sim in outer space. So far, this game is still in development, but that may have changed by the time you read this. It is currently in development with a demo on steam that I am reviewing here. Your job is to repair space stations, spaceships, and presumably other space vehicles with a sophisticated drill and a meter. Obtain parts… Read the rest

Forgotten Fields is a New Indie About a Young Man’s Private Life REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Forgotten Fields is an indie-developed story-rich interactive game by Frostwood Interactive. It is about a young Indian author seeking inspiration for his next book in the midst of a major family transition at his childhood home. The character, Siddharth, visits home which at first seems a distraction but may help him re-think his writing completely. The game design is aesthetically pleasing low-poly 3D modeling combined with interactive puzzles and visual novel-style dialogue. It… Read the rest

Rail Route is a Train Dispatcher Simulator Railfans Love REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Rail Route is a railroad dispatch strategy game for PC. Trains that travel between stations, railyards, and tracks do so at the discretion of railroad dispatchers. They use special display maps to direct traffic. This game takes most of the nuances of this real technology and has created a simulation. It uses simple mechanics to build a railroad empire. With many options, an informative tutorial, and room to expand, you’ll be keeping an… Read the rest

CRASH Autodrive is A Really Unique Interactive Fiction I Played REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
CRASH: Autodrive is a point-and-click interactive fiction that takes place in Pittsburgh, PA, in the year 2027. You are a passenger in a robot auto cab that hosts you and three other passengers on your way to your respective destinations. The car takes an unanticipated detour and strikes a crossing bicyclist on a deserted back road in the city. With the aid of a host full of clues from your cab sharers, you… Read the rest

Coffee Talk is the Greatest Alternate Fantasy World Dating Sim REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Coffee Talk is an interactive visual novel released in the pumpkin spice season of 2020. You play a barista in Seattle in a futuristic/alternate universe. Your customers range from humans to succubus, and it is your job not only to make them coffee in your coffee shop but also to help talk them through their personal problems. The gameplay is interspersed with actual barista beverage-making with various ingredients and you can even make… Read the rest

Read Only Memories is a Colorful Cyberpunk Indie Now Here REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER is an indie interactive fiction visual novel project. Play as ES88 a psychic therapist who recovers lost memories for clients using the help of an organic “neurodiver.” You’ll start as a hybrid client named Crow. Crow has a mysterious background but is trying to restore a memory that has been tampered with to recover a memory chip at the center of a secretive trade he took part in. The… Read the rest

A Cottage Story is a Hidden Gem & Terrific Little Visual Novel REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
A Cottage Story is an indie fantasy-style visual novel currently in development by indie developer LadyMeowsith on itch.IO. The theme is what is described as, “Cottage-Core.” You’ll play as Emory, or whichever moniker you choose. Your form is selectable as well. You are a human/changeling grown up far away from humans. You live within a fantastic forest of goblins, satyrs, elves, and maybe more. Meet characters and treat their ailments by mastering herbalism… Read the rest

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is One of the Best Serious Interactive Fictions REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is an interactive visual novel. It spans the lifetime of a character named Sir Brante. Progress through the stages of life starting with childhood. You will forge deep experiences that will shape the course of your entire life later on. Your actions will affect your own character and also how others interact with you. Try to live true in a world dominated by an esoteric caste… Read the rest

Henchman Story is that Terrific & Bizarre Visual Novel About Super Heroes REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I’ve been trying to give visual novels a place in my catalog. It’s a fun game style that is conducive to some good storytelling. Incidentally, I keep finding more and more edgy but good-natured humor in them. Pick a theme and go, that’s where I’d like to see these go. Most of these games are also tagged as dating sims. But that is pretty much secondary to my interest in them, however, it… Read the rest

Indie Demo Reviews 3/4/2021

Posted on by Dave Pizza
So here’s a brief compilation of some cool indie demo reviews of games I played recently, which deserve a little cred. (Please note: some of these games have been released since I tried them, so they might be associated with a price in the Steam Store links.) Indie Demo Reviews 1: Jennifer Wilde: Unlikely Revolutionaries This demo is super short, but it lets you try out the mechanics and the art style. It’s… Read the rest

Phoenotopia is the That Terrific Pink Hair Indie Game REVIEW

Posted on by Dave Pizza
I sat down this morning, had something to drink, and thought, let’s play that really cool game that makes me feel good whenever I see art from it. Let’s play… Phoenotopia: Awakening. Heads up: this is based on the demo on Steam. There’s quite a bit of content in the demo though. Don’t contemplate the parallels of one or the other too much, at least for this review. Probably better to get the… Read the rest