Displaying off over 70 indie video games with positivity and compassion at their core, right this moment’s Healthful Direct had fairly a couple of neat video games to keep watch over, whether or not right this moment marked their world premiere or simply the debut of a model new trailer. A handful of video games even acquired shock releases, and there are fairly a couple of extra demos out proper now!
From a cheese-filled adorning simulator for mice to an exploration recreation the place you play as a home on a date (and a powerful variety of video games with “lands” someplace of their titles), listed here are 15 of our favourite video games from this yr’s Healthful Direct.
Squeakross: House Squeak House
Receiving a world premiere at right this moment’s Healthful Direct, Squeakross: House Squeak House is an adorably named mixture between a puzzle recreation and a adorning simulator. Gamers will clear up furniture-shaped puzzles fabricated from cheese, watch because the cheese turns into furnishings, after which use it to embellish rooms for his or her mice. With a whole lot of furnishings objects, stickers, and equipment out there, I’m already decided to gather every thing and be one of the best mouse guardian I will be.
Squeakross doesn’t have a launch window but, however it’s headed to Steam (and can run on Steam Deck).
Fruitbus
Within the upcoming journey recreation Fruitbus, gamers will get to customise their very own meals truck, drive round and collect substances from an open world, and assist lovable clients by means of cooking. Whereas the core recreation loop is concentrated round cooking and experimenting with recipes, there’s additionally a story concerning the earlier proprietor’s previous to uncover, stirring up what seems to be a tasty stability between open-ended gameplay and story.
Fruitbus is headed to Steam and consoles this October, and it additionally has a demo out now.
Wax Heads
I’ve all the time been on the hunt for a recreation that authentically nails the sensation of simply actually caring about music, and Wax Heads appears to have it down completely. Set within the struggling retailer Repeated Data, gamers will assist quirky clients discover the right album to take house. Alongside the best way, they will play minigames, get distracted by the store’s secrets and techniques, and find out about every musical act (like Scandinavian metallic band Jarhead, which can or could not have… murdered their very own singer and stored his head in a jar).
It’s headed to Steam and has a demo out proper now — no phrase on a launch date but, although.
Constructing Relationships
Flaunting what’s probably the weirdest idea I’ve ever seen in a Healthful Direct, Constructing Relationships is a courting and exploration sim the place you play as… a home. Whereas exploring a 3D island and its many biomes, you’ll seek for eligible bachelor pads, fish for vehicles, uncover secrets and techniques, and unlock motion expertise that allow you to lumber up mountains.
Constructing Relationships is headed to Steam, Itch.io, and consoles later this yr.
POOOOL
Sitting someplace between final yr’s viral Suika Sport and GamePigeon 8-Ball is POOOOL, a tiny physics puzzler about combining pool balls with faces whereas saving area for extra. It’s clear, colourful, and filled with satisfying sound results. It’s additionally simply unexpectedly difficult to get the cling of, as pool balls get heavier and slower as they develop, which provides a neat dimension of ability to the rising camp of 2048-like video games.
Receiving a shock launch throughout right this moment’s Healthful Direct, POOOOL is out now on Steam.
Littlelands
The whole lot seems like a toy in Littlelands, an journey recreation with detailed, stylized environments that simply make the characters look… so small and cute! It’s slightly bit like Animal Crossing — gamers can catch bugs, fish, develop berries, and befriend their neighbors — however it additionally has an exploration factor, and gamers may even head to harmful areas inhabited by goblins.
Littlelands doesn’t but have a launch window, however it’s headed to Steam.
Tiny Lands 2
What’s even smaller than Littlelands? Tiny Lands 2! On this discover the distinction puzzle recreation, gamers will discover the variations between photorealistic miniature worlds that inform their very own tales. Every scene made up of massive objects is inhabited by little folks, whether or not they’re conducting visitors amid a cluttered desk filled with artwork provides, gathering round a hearth beneath a tea kettle, or diving right into a cup of espresso.
In the present day’s Healthful Direct marked the world premiere of Tiny Lands 2, which is headed to Steam, the Epic Video games Retailer, and Swap.
Sally
There’s quite a bit to do in Sally, which doubles as the secret in addition to its topic, a magical ship that’s in quest of floating islands. Gamers can prepare dinner, handle animals, work within the machine room, and disembark to collect sources from floating islands, all whereas main the Sally to its vacation spot. Better of all, although, they’ll make mates and discover a sense of neighborhood amongst a roster of characters that modifications with each recreation — “everybody’s in the identical boat.”
Sally has a brand new demo out now and is headed to Steam and Swap.
Misplaced and Discovered Co.
Misplaced and Discovered Co. is a hidden objects recreation that takes place in a fantastically hand-drawn world filled with persona. Alongside a forged of quirky characters, gamers can seek for objects in bustling boardwalks, eating places, properties, gardens and extra, getting to embellish their workplace (and restore the celebrity of a forgotten goddess, no huge deal) as a neat little reward.
With a brand new demo out proper now, Misplaced and Discovered Co. is headed to Steam, consoles, and cell.
Into The Emberlands
Into The Emberlands is an exploration recreation about bringing gentle again to a procedurally generated world engulfed by darkness (and serving to deliver house the villagers who acquired misplaced alongside the best way). As soon as they’re house, gamers may also help their newfound neighbors thrive by repairing homes, operating errands, and increasing the village. Simply don’t let the lantern gentle fade!
Into The Emberlands is slated for launch on Steam later this yr and acquired a brand new demo right this moment.
Tracks of Thought
Tracks of Thought is a comfy thriller that’s set on a practice. After the practice goes by means of a mysterious tunnel, each bug on board in some way forgets the place they’re headed. By card battles, gamers (taking part in as a extremely cute ladybug) may also help their fellow bugs resolve conflicts, attain a consensus, and clear up the thriller, all whereas making their method to the management room by means of the practice’s many various vehicles.
Tracks of Thought additionally acquired a shock launch right this moment, and it’s out now on Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer.
Curiosmos
A photo voltaic system seemingly made out of clay is the participant’s canvas in Curiosmos, an lovable area journey recreation that acquired a brand new trailer throughout right this moment’s Healthful Direct. Gamers can chip away at planet surfaces with meteors, drag particles into black holes, and add gravity (and even life) to lovable planets with faces. Whereas there isn’t a lot details about Curiosmos out there but, I’m curious to see what sort of sandbox journey it would form as much as be.
Curiosmos isn’t but slated to launch on a selected platform, however extra data will be discovered on its web site.
Rooster
Receiving a brand new trailer throughout right this moment’s Healthful Direct, Rooster is some extent and click on narrative journey concerning the animals of the Chinese language zodiac. Every degree has utterly totally different gameplay that ranges from cooking and courting sims to tower protection and hidden objects (all depicted within the recreation’s beautiful watercolor artwork fashion), and all of it culminates in a narrative about serving to others and sharing love.
It’s headed to Steam and consoles early subsequent yr.
Caravan SandWitch
Caravan SandWitch is a story journey a few younger girl looking out the desolate world of Cigalo for her misplaced sister. Whereas the trailer reveals off the sport’s exploration, together with driving the sport’s signature yellow caravan by means of fantastically modeled futuristic environments, using on a zipline, and traversing by means of huge storms, the Steam web page additionally guarantees a significant narrative about dwelling in concord regardless of over-exploitation.
Caravan SandWitch is headed to Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer together with Swap and PS5, and it acquired a model new demo throughout right this moment’s Healthful Direct.
Goodlands
Goodlands is a recreation about being a dinosaur and unearthing fossils of different dinosaurs in an open world impressed by the Badlands. With an artwork fashion vaguely paying homage to A Quick Hike, gamers will customise their very own dinosaur, clear fossils in minigames, and restore an empty museum by donating their model new digs.
Goodlands was briefly proven off in the course of the direct’s montage part and is headed to Steam and Itch.io.
Discover extra data on all of those video games (and the remaining we couldn’t match on this roundup) on the Healthful Video games web site or on the Healthful Direct Steam curator web page. Healthful Direct can be a part of IGN’s Summer season of Gaming, which incorporates fairly a couple of showcases and runs by means of the top of June.
Amelia Zollner is a contract author at IGN who loves all issues indie and Nintendo. Exterior of IGN, they’ve contributed to websites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun, and so they’re presently creating a recreation referred to as Storage Sale. Discover them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.
