Art has always been a big part of my life, and so stories about artists or the creative process are always sure to intrigue me. Of course, I was really excited when Devolver Digital announced they would publish All Possible Future’s The Plucky Squire. The colorful and bright graphics immediately appealed to me, and the idea of a character jumping between the 2D world of a storybook and a 3D environment held so much potential for clever mechanics that I couldn’t wait to see how the developers would execute the concept. Finally, I got to jump into The Plucky Squire…
Author: Camille Laguarde
Welcome to Cigalo, where mysteries and wonders await It’s difficult to believe that Caravan SandWitch, developed by the small French studio Plane Toast, is a debut title. Published by Dear Villagers, this exploration based game promises adventure, a captivating narrative and a mystery to solve. The team consists of less than 20 people, and tackles an interesting challenge with this project: how can you balance a relaxing experience focused on exploring a beautiful environment with the tension that comes with a post-apocalyptic setting and a narrative driven by a missing person’s case? A narrative focused around community Potential players are…
Start a new life in the idyllic village of Mistria The farming and life sim genre has enjoyed its fair share of success in the video game world. Many of us grew up with long-running franchises such as Harvest Moon, Rune Factory, or Story of Seasons, which have received many entries throughout the years. The release of Stardew Valley in 2016 only boosted the genre further, bringing it to the forefront of the world of indie games and heavily influencing the cozy gaming sphere in the process. Nowadays, cute farming sims are abundant, and setting yourself apart in the genre is becoming increasingly…
Unravelling the dark secrets of the idol world As something of an aspiring idol myself, the rise in media delving into the dark side of this inspiring and usually so cheerful industry has been fascinating. VN Heaven’s debut title, Whispers of the Luminaries, promises immersion into a blend of daily life and detective investigations, looking to unravel the dark mysteries hidden behind the shining façade of idol life. And so, with this intriguing premise in mind, I jumped into the 2 hour demo of Whispers of the Luminaries. Whispers of the Luminaries follows the titular idol group the “Luminaries”, consisting…
A Magical Experience in the Fields of Mistria To many, Fields of Mistria will feel nostalgic in more ways than one. Inspired by classic Farm-Sim RPGs of the late 90s, NPC Studio’s debut title promises to deliver a cozy farming and life sim experience set in an idyllic village and sporting really pretty pixel graphics. The character design is what first jumped out to me: reminiscent of anime I grew up with, such as Sailor Moon, I expected a nice magical twist to a familiar formula. The opening sequence is simple but effective. Adeline, the village leader, and the…
A Deeply Memorable Experience About Grief and Loss In recent years, I have felt overwhelmed with the number of amazing titles released every week. And so, no matter how fun a new title is, it is rare that one manages to leave a lasting impact on me. An impact so significant that, even if I never pick it up again, I will remember the way it made me feel. German indie developer Osmotic Studios, creators of Orwell as well as its sequel Orwell: Ignorance is Strength, excels at creating pervasive, narrative experiences that have stayed on my mind to this…
The city builder genre can seem pretty daunting and overwhelming to a newcomer. I am sure I am not the only one who has spent sleepless nights building up a new settlement, only to lead my people to their demise countless hours later. Fabledom, Grenaa Games’ debut title, aims to create a more wholesome and laid-back experience that will be a good fit even for inexperienced players wanting to dip their toes into the world of colony sims. A Whimsical Take on the City Builder Genre Fabledom’s concept sets itself apart not only with its relaxed vibes and more straightforward…
Preview: Pathless Woods – Exploring and surviving in an open world inspired by ancient China AniYa Games Studio’s Pathless Woods is a cozy, open-world crafting and survival game influenced by ancient China’s heritage. Inspired by Byron’s poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, ” Pathless Woods aims to let players find joy in exploring a new world far from civilization. As someone who enjoys the gameplay loop of gathering resources, building a base, and defeating enemies, this immediately appealed to me. Its cute graphics and interesting setting were a huge plus, and I was curious to see how this Chinese studio of two…
Preview: Always in Mind – An exploration based coming of age story about coming to terms with loss There is something about a good coming-of-age narrative that always resonates with me. Following a young character’s adventure through a turbulent time, discovering their thought process bit by bit, and being part of their journey of self-discovery brings me a lot of joy. Inevitable Studio promises all that with its debut title, Always in Mind, a surreal story about why true change comes from within, told via exploration-based gameplay and accompanied by gorgeous visuals. The demo starts off right at the beginning…
Preview: Until Then – A Side-Scroller with a Heart and Mystery Looking back at all the games I love, they all have one thing in common: They made me feel things. Sometimes, it was love for the characters and the setting; other times, joy, sadness, or, in some cases, fear. Jumping into the demo for Until Then, I was delighted by the emotion it elicited within me in the short hour I spent with the game. Until Then is a side-scroller scheduled for release in 2024. It is published by Modus Games and made by Polychroma Games, an indie studio.…
2023 has indeed been one hell of a year for video games, so chock-full of amazing releases that it’s hard to believe all of this has happened in one year. It has truly been a delight to see a medium I adore continue to thrive and develop, and it has brought me even more joy to be able to share this experience with more and more people. So, thank you to everyone reading or watching Noisy Pixel’s content for being part of this adventure! This year has been filled with surprises and unforgettable moments, leaving me impatient to see what…
A game with a unique and well-defined art direction is something that will always catch my eye, so it was no surprise that Tearyhand Studio’s debut title, In His Time, immediately piqued my interest. Japanese designer and programmer Yona, the person behind the studio, has endeavored to create a mystery-solving adventure game exploring themes central to Christianity, such as forgiveness, morality, as well as life and death. The game opens on a short cutscene with a narrator introducing us to one of the main themes: grief. A simple tutorial sequence teaches us the basic movement and puzzle mechanics while simultaneously…