The partnership started after Galla Studio’s initial Kickstarter for Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo didn’t succeed. When funding was tough, a “scout” from Fellow Traveller saw promise in their work and reached out. Following positive meetings, they made a deal, which was a big turning point for the game. Paulo and Pavel were very thankful, calling Fellow Traveller a “blessing” and a “game changer” for their vital support with money and marketing, letting them concentrate on making their creative ideas a reality.

Reflecting on the indie gaming industry, the Lara brothers noted its challenging nature. They highlighted the scene’s diversity, where developers from different backgrounds bring unique ideas. However, they also noted that the market’s saturation makes it difficult for individual studios to gain attention amidst the numerous competitors.

While development tools and platforms have become more accessible over the last two decades, the brothers acknowledged that reaching audiences and achieving financial stability remain significant hurdles. They expressed admiration for anyone pursuing their passion projects in this unpredictable landscape, recognizing the considerable resilience needed to succeed.

Regarding Xbox Game Pass, Paulo and Pavel view it as a viable model, especially for smaller indie studios like theirs. They believe the service offers crucial visibility by making games seem “free” to subscribers, thereby greatly improving discoverability on the Xbox platform. For developers with less established profiles, this can create a beneficial situation, providing a consistent income while simultaneously introducing their creations to a wider player base.

You can read the full interview here. Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is currently available on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

The post How Fellow Traveller Helped Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, and Whether Xbox Game Pass Makes a Difference first appeared on IndieGames.

Why does this matter? The game has doubled the number of concurrent Steam players compared to its predecessor, which was released nearly three years ago. While the first installment holds a 93% positive rating with over 5,755 reviews accumulated during that period, the fact that this solo project has now spawned a second iteration highlights the enduring appeal of narrative-driven RPGs. Additionally, the game boasts an impressive Metacritic score of 85, further solidifying its success.

Citizen Sleeper: Starward Vector 2 places players as an amnesiac android on the run from their corporate creators and the gang that seeks to control them for nefarious means. With bounty hunters hot in pursuit, you must contend with the growing threat of danger and the Sleeper’s own malfunctioning body as you travel across the Starward Belt and survive its ramshackle set of habitats.

Players are praising the exceptional writing quality, noting that each character feels unique, relatable, and realistic. The interactions throughout the various locations are also described in impressive detail. However, some have pointed out that the gameplay doesn’t quite live up to the original game.

The post Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Launches to Very Positive Steam Reviews first appeared on IndieGames.

The recent sales spike appears to be driven by several factors, including positive word-of-mouth, listings on multiple “Game of the Year” charts, and a recent collaboration with the popular roguelike Balatro. Interestingly, Sunset Visitor suggested that 1000xResist’s absence from The Game Awards may have heightened interest, as fans outraged by the omission have passionately discussed the game’s merits, reigniting conversations around it.

The game’s appeal lies in its thought-provoking and emotional story set 1,000 years in the future. Through a dystopian lens, it tackles themes like generational trauma, immigrant experiences, and state violence. Inspired partly by the 2019 Hong Kong protests, its raw and specific narrative resonates deeply with players. Reviews on Steam have been overwhelmingly positive, with 97% of users giving it a thumbs up.

We adored this game upon its release and published a review stating that “If you’re interested in a game that challenges you to think deeply about identity, society, and the human condition, 1000xResist is a must-play”.

The post 1000xResist Finds New Life Months After Launch first appeared on IndieGames.

The game focuses on dice rolling, with an exceptionally deep story in which we take on the role of the Sleeper, a synthetic being escaping from a malfunctioning body. To survive in the dangerous galaxy of Starward Belta, we must secure a ship, recruit a crew, build relationships, and take on various tasks and contracts to successfully confront our pursuers.

However, Citizen Sleeper is not a simple game, as every decision has its consequences, and success depends on which narrative choice you make. Additionally, you will need to keep an eye on money and health, as you can become infected with "glitches" in your system, which further complicates the game itself.

The post Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector officially launches this January for PC and consoles first appeared on IndieGames.

The game is set in a world on the brink of apocalypse, where the gods normally gather to prevent the end times. But this year, chaos reigns as the god of communication causes havoc and disappears, leaving the other gods in disarray. Players take on the role of a new mail-carrier tasked with restoring order.

In Great God Grove, players use a unique “mail-cannon” to absorb and launch dialogue, solving puzzles by delivering key messages to a colorful cast of over 60 characters. The game also features quirky gods, like the god of teamwork and the god of love songs, and offers a mix of third-person and first-person gameplay as players explore vibrant areas.

The post Great God Grove Coming to Consoles and PC in November first appeared on IndieGames.

In Pine: A Story of Loss, you follow the story of a grieving woodworker who has recently lost his wife. Alone in the forest glade they once shared, he struggles to come to terms with her passing. You will help him navigate his grief, holding on to precious memories while trying to care for himself and his now-empty home.

The game is the creation of Tom Booth, a professional illustrator known for his work with DreamWorks and Nickelodeon, and Najati Imam, co-founder of Made Up Games. Inspired by Tom’s personal experience with grief, the game began as a simple illustration of a woodworker that resonated deeply with online audiences.

The post Pine: A Story of Loss will soon be available on multiple platforms first appeared on IndieGames.

LudoNarraCon 2024 is the sixth annual edition of the digital festival held exclusively on Steam to celebrate narrative video games and the developers that make them. Conceived and organised by indie label Fellow Traveller, the event is available for free to everyone to attend and free for developers to exhibit at.

U svakom slučaju, nemojte zaboraviti posjetiti ovaj događaj uživo na Steam.

Fireside chats:

• Kate Gray, journalist and writer for games such as Moonstone Island and Winding Worlds spoke with Jill Murray, the creative director for Invincible Presents: Atom Eve
• Katharine Castle, the managing editor of Eurogamer spoke with Jon Ingold, the narrative director and co-founder of Inkle, the studio behind 80 Days, Heaven’s Vault, Overboard!, the Sorcery! series, and A Highland Song
• Fellow Traveller’s own Jacob Burgess spoke with Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth and the Bram Stoker Award-winner, Breakable Things

Five panels covered a wide range of topics including Meaningful Combat Design in Action Games and The Ongoing Tension Between Story and Gameplay. You can catch all five panels below:

LudoNarraCon Day Two Highlights

The fireside fun continues on Day Two with three more Fireside Chats, including a discussion between Rob Zacny and Xalavier Nelson Jr., BAFTA-nominated studio head, narrative director, writer, and Forbes 30 under 30 luminary. There will also be a further series of panels including:

• Defining Choice in Branching Narratives
• Exploring the Intersection of Story and Music
• Narrative games: Exploring alternate realities in games to question real-world perspectives
• The Challenge of Harmonizing Narrative and Gameplay in Game Development
• Balancing Storytelling in Games With Player Choice

You can find the full schedule for day two below:

The post LudoNarraCon 2024 Day One Wraps Up first appeared on IndieGames.

Wholesome Direct is a showcase celebrating emotionally resonant video games that inspire optimism, joy, and introspection. Players are treated to a lineup of games with rich storytelling, innovative gameplay, and beautiful audiovisuals, created by developers from all across the globe. Previous Wholesome Directs have proudly featured beloved, award-winning titles including Venba, Unpacking, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Toem, and Dordogne, among many others.

The 2024 Wholesome Direct will host a vast array of trailers, exclusive announcements, demo reveals, and surprise game releases from independent studios of all sizes and renowned publishers including Humble Games, Fellow Traveller, Secret Mode, Curve Games, and more. The showcase will be presented by beloved Wholesome Direct regular Jenny Windom, along with more hosts yet to be revealed. The Wholesome Direct’s lineup will also feature news on Usagi Shima and Minami Lane, the first two projects within the new Wholesome Games Presents publishing initiative.

“We couldn’t be more excited to shine a spotlight on talented teams and their gorgeous games. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for our community’s enthusiasm, and the trust placed on us by participating developers to present their titles to the world. After receiving over 700 submissions, we have carefully curated a delightful selection of over 70 awe-inspiring games. We can’t wait to put on another great show this June!"

said Matthew Taylor, founder and organizer of Wholesome Games

The post Wholesome Games Direct returns in early June first appeared on IndieGames.

Story of Loss is an interactive and emotional short story told without words, through hand-drawn animations and music. The story follows a woodworker who is grieving the loss of his wife. Now alone at the place where they built a home together, trying to move on. His simple everyday tasks, like tending the garden or preparing wood for the winter, interrupt the memories of the happy times they spent together. Desperately trying to preserve the memory of her, the woodworker records these memories in the beautiful wood carvings he makes.

Interesting puzzles and minigames focused on memories and doing household chores await you. Through the mechanics of wood carving, you will have the opportunity to create beautiful sculptures with the hands of a woodworker, each aiming to revive the memories of a lost love.

The post Short story-driven game Pine: A Story of Loss to be published by Fellow Traveller first appeared on IndieGames.

Sunset Visitor's debut game, 1000xRESIST, comes from a majority of creators from the Asian diaspora with non-gaming backgrounds that include dance, theater, music, film, visual and new media arts. The launch of 1000xRESIST coincides with the sixth edition of LudoNarraCon, an annual festival celebrating innovation in gaming storytelling, hosted on Steam and organized by Fellow Traveller.

Revealed in a brand new trailer, this news comes after three nominations from the Independent Game Festival 2024. 1000xRESIST was born from a wide range of inspirations, such as the game NieR: Automata, the anime Evangelion and Paprika, and the theater of Robert Wilson (Einstein on the Beach). On the other hand, this game tries to bring simultaneously fresh ideas to interactive storytelling from the worlds of theatre, dance, performance art and cinema.

In the game, you will experience a unique and complex story that covers themes of identity, racism and intergenerational trauma, delivered with captivating narrative twists and elements of psychological horror. This exciting narrative experience combines third-person and first-person gameplay and interweaves visual novel storytelling. It provides over 10 hours of gameplay, with over 15,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue from talented Asian-Canadian actors and a soundtrack by two composers.

You play as a sister called Watcher, and your task is to relive and interpret ALLMOTHER's memories through a process called Communion with the help of a companion called Secretary. 1000xRESIST is a dark and exciting thriller, set in a distant dystopian future where humanity has been exterminated by a disease spread by the arrival of a mysterious alien race.

The post Narrative adventure 1000xRESIST releases at the beginning of May first appeared on IndieGames.