If you’re not a fan of slow-paced games, Danchi Days might test your patience. However, it’s a smaller, less overwhelming experience. It remains simple, focusing on exploration, interactions, and meeting many people in one city. Perhaps the biggest highlight is the Sensing ability and the NeighborNet (a retro internet system) to help you meet residents’ and uncover their problems. Its charming visuals will likely draw you in, but the real question is, will it hold your attention?

The demo provides plenty of content to explore and try out

The demo was surprisingly well-crafted, guiding you through the game with a tutorial and a full day where you meet the first 10 neighbors. Puzzles aren’t too difficult; they usually involve information you gather from interactions or searching the in-game internet. For example, you might learn how to create a puddle or use a “muddle ball” to stop wasps. The game presents solutions subtly, so you’ll rarely get stuck, as the answer is always within reach.

Danchi Days features two key mechanics for Hoshino’s exploration. The “looking” mechanic allows her to observe everyday details, objects, and living things like puddles, buildings, items, and people. On the other hand, the “sensing” ability lets you interact with designated objects to collect five stars, which then starts a mini-game. These mini-games are crucial for progression. There are many to discover, for example, one involves collecting water droplets by shaking baskets. You’ll need to manage your stamina and reach 100% focus to complete the game successfully.

The story in Danchi Days is a mix of linear and non-linear. You get to choose which residents to invite first, but the game’s hint system will occasionally guide you toward what’s important for the main story. While the demo didn’t offer a full map, progression will likely involve unlocking new zones or festival features. The computer mechanics were easy to use as well; you can check mail, search keywords, and store various items in your inventory. Most things you find on your journey can be used later, and every mechanic is connected with one another.

Packed with potential – a hidden gem?

Danchi Days is enjoyable, and I didn’t encounter major issues playing it. However, it’s not ideal for faster readers. If you try to skip dialogue, it instantly moves to the next line, meaning you can’t load an entire text box with one click; you have to wait for it to finish. The world does feel a bit empty, despite the game indicating the city is “dying”. I wished for more interactive objects beyond those focused solely on the story.

My favorite part is how unique each resident is, with distinct personalities and problems you can help them solve. For example, you can explore residents’ pasts to understand their stories, like with old grandpa Pete, who is a friend of your grandma. I also loved the occasional pixelated picture snippets that act as charming cut-scenes, like Hoshino with her grandma and her friend Rio. Additionally, everything in the game has its own voice, which truly adds to the overall experience.

It truly feels like you’re playing a GBA game, with its distinct square play area and background color. I’m excited to see its full potential. It’s cute, fun, and could easily become a hidden gem many players usually miss. Cozy gamers especially will find a lot to love in this title.

The post [PREVIEW] Danchi Days – Cute slice-of-life adventure game first appeared on IndieGames.

In MOTORSLICE, you control “P,” a girl tasked with a routine job: enter an abandoned megastructure, eliminate rogue machines, and leave. But upon arrival, she encounters a menacing, colossal machine, revealing that this mission is far from ordinary. The game unfolds in liminal, brutalist landscapes, where you use parkour skills like climbing, running, and sliding to navigate vast environments.

You will also face epic boss battles against massive machines, scaling them in various encounters. The game’s challenges extend beyond combat, incorporating physics-based puzzles that require creative problem-solving. Its gorgeous pixelated low-poly visuals create an atmospheric, minimalist world, while the slice-of-life narrative grounds the adventure in P’s personal journey through the megastructure’s mysteries.

The post Parkour and Action Game MOTORSLICE Releases Late 2025 on Steam first appeared on IndieGames.

Valentine’s Day – a perfect date to release games centered around love. While the immediate thought would be about carefree dating simulators, sometimes the attachment to another person is associated with confusion, pain and even a loss. Afterlove EP is special in terms of doing both of these things by creating a mix of narrative adventure, dating sim and rhythm game, which compose an extraordinary journey through everyday life.

Afterlove EP is a slice-of-life adventure from the creator of Coffee Talk and What Comes After. Set in a city of Jakarta, it tells the story of Rama, a young musician struggling to move on with life after the death of his girlfriend, Cinta. While his close friends and bandmates are all determined to help him move on, Rama has been stuck for more than a year and now he’s facing a serious challenge: either he rejoins the band for the next gig and delivers the new songs he has been promising or the band will move on without him. Over twenty-eight days and nights his choices will play crucial role in coming to terms with the past and shaping the new future.

A matter of life and death

The prologue is concise and direct: we’re introduced to the main characters, their relationships and roles in the story, as well as elements that will accompany them in later parts, like the rhythm games which we’re getting used to since the very beginning. That’s also when we experience the core event of this tale: death of Cinta and Rama’s struggle to accept it. It only takes around 10 minutes in the game to learn basic information, get accustomed to manga-inspired art and feel emotionally invested in the narrative (but don’t worry, the real emotional damage will arrive at the very end, when the elements you saw at the start will gain much more significance.)

Now proceeding to the major part, which is our slice-of-life adventure over the course of one month. We find ourselves one year after the events from the prologue, but still struggling with the past. The first few days are serving as an introduction to the new reality with different mechanics and ways for development, you’ll have to manage side-scrolling exploration of the city and meaningful conversations with old and new characters, through which you’ll be guided at initially.

For the most part however, players are given plenty of freedom, you can do two activities per day which consist of finding memories, busking, going to therapy session, doing shift at work or meeting with one of three romance candidates. While you organize your schedule it’s important to keep in mind that some events are scripted and cannot be omitted, for example, band practices and conversations with the bandmates. I know, it’s a lot of elements to bear in mind, that’s why we’re equipped with a phone to sort everything out; the apps such as map, calendar and Messenger are intuitive and useful when it comes to making choices.

Numerous voices of Indonesia

Narrative is undeniably a key factor in this game, however it wouldn’t be quite as effective without interesting setting and style. Afterlove EP does great job at creating an atmosphere of modern urban life: we can visit different districts of the city, enter various buildings and have a small chat with passersby. Jakarta is lively, dynamic and full of surprises, although it also has a room for coziness and simplicity of everyday life. Besides, including things such as language, traditions and customs from Indonesian culture adds authenticity and personal touch to the whole experience.

Both graphics and soundtrack are beautiful and compatible with each other. The visuals utilize aesthetics of manga such as bubbles with text and separate panels, which is adorable and fits the narrative (as soon as there was a rock band and comic book connection it reminded me of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, even though both stories don’t have much more in common.) The design is simple and clean, which can be seen especially during cutscenes with smooth movements.

It is safe to say that Soyatu’s art and original soundtrack from indie band L’Alphalpha make a good match, I loved how for practicing we got instrumental versions of the songs and for performances vocals were added. Unfortunately, the rhythm sections of the game could be more fun if they offered any challenge, there was no score to achieve and missing notes didn’t affect anything, which made those parts unsatisfying, repetetive and quite boring.

The echoes of past melodies

Let’s take a moment to focus on the actual gameplay. It took me around 7 hours to finish the game, which is relatively short for a narrative-driven production. And I have to say it: it simply fell short. It had ideas with potential, but failed to execute them. I went through different parts of this game in the beginnig to give you a glimpse of what it’s trying to do. I think those concepts are original, they’re relatable, they sound really cool, but incorporating them into the game didn’t do them justice. I figure it would make more sense to do a comparison between how these elements work on paper and in effect.

This game borrows features from other styles enriches the experience but can cause confusion. Rhythm game elements are present but repetitive and overshadowed. The dating simulator offers three routes, but it’s often unclear how choices impact the story. The narrative adventure shines, focusing on loss, saving the band, and repairing friendships. However, juggling everything at once limits deeper development of ideas. Once again, quality over quantity.

Freedom of choice keeps players engaged, but Afterlove EP lacks clarity. For instance, collecting photo memories (never hinted at) feels pointless, how do they impact the story, gameplay, or ending? The game doesn’t explain. Other activities suffer similarly, with no feedback on what helps or matters. Without clear goals, actions feel like time-fillers, making the story drag and emotions fade.

I appreciate how the game tackles serious themes like loss, mental health, and grief while balancing humor. The therapy sessions, focusing on understanding emotions, were the narrative’s strongest part. However, if the goal is to move on from Cinta’s death, why is she present throughout the game? While it reflects being stuck in the past, her constant presence—sometimes mean or manipulative—dilutes the impact of her death. At least the voice acting is solid.

Our choices regarding the dating should determine the outcome in the end, right? So I picked my romantic route, which ultimately led to break up ending. So I blew it, okay, but how do I know when and how? Not enough dates? Wrong timing? Focused too much on other activities? Even if I wanted to load a save file to fix it, I wouldn’t know where to start and that’s what makes it confusing.

Ending thoughts

Muddled – that’s the impression I got from this game. It’s not bad, presentation is amazing, themes are deep, and the points made are truly valid. But again, it all loses an impact when vision is unclear. I would say that in general, Afterlove EP is a positive experience and I’m sure there will be gamers who will enjoy it to the fullest. For me, it was too unfocused and chaotic to deliver its message, although I see the love and care put into this story. In the end, it might not be memorable, but what it did regarding the exploration of life is something you might not want to overlook.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.5

The post Afterlove EP – Moving on to the rhythm of rock first appeared on IndieGames.

In I Have No Change, you play as Matvey, a 27-year-old working the night shift at a small kiosk. Through the kiosk’s window, you meet a variety of customers, familiar faces, wandering strangers, and everyone in between. Each customer brings their own story, from tales of love and betrayal to the mundane struggles of daily life. As Matvey, you’ll serve customers, manage the kiosk, and reflect on your own life.

The game combines stark cinematic visuals with vibrant, fantastical sequences inspired by anime and beloved games. These shifts in style reflect Matvey’s imagination, offering a contrast between the mundane reality of the kiosk and the colorful worlds of his thoughts. The story is a philosophical dramedy, exploring themes of stagnation, lost dreams, and lingering hopes. It’s a tale that balances humor and sadness, creating a deeply emotional experience.

The post I Have No Change Lets You Explore Life as a Russian Kiosk Worker first appeared on IndieGames.

In Closer the Distance, players follow the story of Angela, a young girl from the town of Yesterby. After a tragic car accident, Angela watches over her family and friends as they cope with grief. She has an ethereal ability to influence the people she knew, and her choices shape the fate of Yesterby.

The game combines emotional storytelling with choices that significantly impact the gameplay. Themes of empathy, community, friendship, grief, and closure are woven into the narrative, creating a deeply immersive experience. Each decision players make affects the outcome, ensuring that every playthrough is unique.

The post Slice-of-life game Closer the Distances launches in August for PC and consoles first appeared on IndieGames.

The mission was simple: get in, eliminate all the machines, get out. However, upon entering the abandoned megastructure, P discovers a formidable and dreadful machine, realizing that this job is far from ordinary. She partners with a mysterious malfunctioning Orb Drone, embarking on the daily routine of a Slicer. Equipped with nothing but her chainsaw, she is determined to bring the place down, no matter what it takes.

MOTORSLICE, an upcoming slice-of-life action-adventure game, features fluid acrobatic gameplay where you can climb, run, and slide around the environment. The combat is brutal and fast-paced, where one mistake can lead to death, but P can also quickly eliminate enemies. Boss fights involve climbing massive machines and slicing them apart. The game includes solving puzzles with physics-oriented objects and features a banger atmospheric DnB/Jungle OST by Pizza Hotline.

Developed by a small team of two, MOTORSLICE aims to deliver a minimalist atmospheric adventure with hardcore challenges. Currently, the game is in its early stages of production, with plans to release next year on Steam.

The post MOTORSLICE is an action-adventure game inspired by Prince of Persia, poised to take Steam by storm first appeared on IndieGames.

Designed to be played in short bursts, how and when you wish, time in The Garden Path runs in concert with the outside world. Stop by to wander around your garden whenever the mood takes you, and find new travellers, events, activities, and distractions waiting for you each day. Take your time, play for a little while, and experience it all at your own pace. It’s a space to call your own, to curate, and to reflect.

The game brings us a humble gardening simulation slice of life with real-time progression even when you're away. Designed with short gameplay in mind, expect 10-30 minutes of daily tasks, meeting new visitors and more. In addition, it features a flexible gameplay style including gardening, fishing, home design and mission solving, while the lavishly illustrated visuals and engaging soundtrack invite you to take a break and stay a while.

We are also greeted by a charming cast of characters, all with their own stories, and the best thing is that you don't have to play this game alone, but you can invite another friend and nurture your garden together.

Don't forget to get your copy of the game here (200 copies available on itch.io): https://carrotcakestudio.itch.io/thegardenpath

The post Cozy slice-of-life sim The Garden Path is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch first appeared on IndieGames.