At its heart, Ritual of Raven feels like a love letter to cozy farming sims, but with a magical twist that sets it apart. Forget backbreaking farm work, this game lets you harness the power of magic to do the heavy lifting. By enchanting Constructs with Tarot cards, you’ll automate your farm’s chores, leaving you free to explore, and dive into a rich narrative.

You’ll will also meet a cast of colorful villagers, each with their own stories and personal growth arcs. Helping them out rewards you with new Tarot cards and ingredients for rituals, spell jars, and quests. Additionally, you can decorate your home and even parts of the magical world beyond, with plenty of customization options to make it your own.

Your trusty companion, a cheeky Familiar named Raven, will guide you through this enchanting adventure. Together, you’ll tend to your home, fill out your Book of Shadows, and unravel the mystery of the Portal Keepers. The game’s world is packed with things to do, from commanding the moon to shift its phases for your magical needs to fishing for otherworldly items through mysterious portals.

The post Magical Farming Adventure Ritual of Raven is launching this August first appeared on IndieGames.

Willow Guard is a single-player, story-driven action RPG, set in the fantasy world of Tersa, a land of anthropomorphic animals abandoned by their gods. The game blends hack-and-slash combat, light deckbuilding, and choice-based interactive fiction. You play as Ghweros, a veteran Willowguard tasked with protecting sacred Willow trees and investigating monstrous invasions tied to the fallen Moon Goddess, Louksna.

Story Choices Outweigh Bland Combat

It is split between intense dungeon-crawling battles and slower, dialogue-heavy exploration in the village of Woikos, where choices shape the story and Ghweros’s personality. It offers a 10-20 hour campaign with a branching narrative, plus a story-free Dungeon Run mode for combat-focused play. The core combat is retro-inspired, real-time, but not so challenging. The game is built around slashing, dodging, and casting spells against over 10 enemy types.

However, no matter how different each enemy might be, Willow Guard’s combat quickly becomes repetitive, even after just two hours. The combat is neither unique nor imaginative, and the minimal animations ruin much of the fun. Watching the same basic slashes while enemies remain overly static genuinely ruins the experience. Likewise, the dungeon design feels bland, with a monotonous layout that quickly becomes tedious to navigate. The mini-map only indicates how many zones remain.

There’s little need to time dodges carefully, as enemy attack patterns become predictable after a short while. The game also includes a “Honeybadger Mode”, which slightly boosts stats after deaths to help newcomers, but in truth, it’s unnecessary. Healing plants and skills are plentiful, stamina for card abilities refills quickly, and dying is not punishable enough. The only real threat comes from accidentally stepping on traps, but even then, it’s not a true game over. Instead, you’re simply teleported to the start of the map, forced to redo everything.

As mentioned, the game features a card-crafting system where you equip and upgrade ability cards. While this mechanic is a welcome addition, it suffers from poor explanation, mostly leaving you uncertain how to optimize it properly. The shared resource pool also adds to the further frustration, as Focus is used both for crafting cards and scanning the environment for hidden clue.

Pixel Art Meets Deep Story

Progression is non-traditional: instead of leveling up, you upgrade gear and expand your deck using materials gathered from enemies, dungeons, or quests. But the biggest issue is the unpredictable loot system. Since materials drop randomly from enemies, progression is sometimes baed on luck. You might clear entire dungeons and walk away with almost nothing, only to later stumble into a windfall of rare materials by sheer luck. This inconsistency can leave you stranded, unable to upgrade cards or craft new ones simply because the game refuses to cooperate.

Outside of combat, Willow Guard does have its strengths. The game excels in accessibility, offering smooth and easy navigation as traversal remains effortless whether exploring by day or night. There’s a huge amount of animal NPCs like wolves, badgers, and foxes that you can properly meet through dialogue trees. The Inclination system tracks your choices across four philosophies (empathetic, creed-bound, instinct-driven, or detail-obsessed), shaping Ghweros’s personality and story outcomes. Maintaining good relationships with NPCs is crucial, as your affinity level directly impacts how they treat you. Higher affinity can lead to better rewards, including more gold and improved loot opportunities.

The clue-and-item gathering mechanic adds detective-like depth. You collect hints from conversations or environments to unlock new locations, characters, or secrets, making exploration feel rewarding. The narrative is lore-rich, weaving a tale of absent gods, uplifted animals, and eldritch horrors inspired by the Voynich Manuscript and Cthulhu mythos. However, the sheer amount of reading required may feel overwhelming. While the story itself is merely passable, not particularly gripping or worth investing much time in, it’s surprisingly well thought-out compared to the uninspired combat system.

Willow Guard boasts a hand-drawn, pixel-art style that’s both nostalgic and lush, reminiscent of 16-bit classics like Secret of Mana but with modern polish. However, the game struggles to impress in this department. The color palette often feels dissonant and unappealing, while environmental designs lack variety, many zones blend together with little to distinguish them from one another. The soundtrack is simple, uses chiptune-inspired melodies to set the mood, shifting from serene village themes to tense battle tracks which change from time to time.

Ending Thoughts

Ultimately, Willow Guard is difficult to recommend. In today’s saturated ARPG market filled with higher-quality alternatives, this title settles for being merely “good enough”. While the world-building shows promise outside of combat, the repetitive gameplay loops and underwhelming battle system drag the experience down. The boss fights offer some refreshing moments of creativity, but they can’t compensate for the good storytelling.

That said, genre enthusiasts looking for a authentic indie ARPG experience will find this a worthwhile purchase at its price point. Despite its flaws, Willow Guard offers substantial content; the art style grows on you, the deck-building mechanics reward experimentation, and the NPC relationships develop surprising depth for those willing to invest the time. While not without its rough edges, there’s enough content here to merit a spot on your wishlist for when you’re craving a story-driven adventure.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.5

The post Willow Guard - Retro Vibe With Shallow Combat Loop first appeared on IndieGames.

The story follows a lone fox and its loyal raven companion on a perilous journey across the vast Northern Isles. Their mission is to free the lost Guardians from the clutches of the dark shaman Grimnir, all while uncovering ancient mysteries and using magical abilities to cleanse the land of corruption. With over 16 hours of atmospheric gameplay, every decision and discovery will bring the heroes closer to their destiny.

Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Spirit of the North 2 will feature a breathtaking open world with diverse locations to explore. A dynamic soundtrack will accompany every step, while mystical powers gradually unlock to help overcome obstacles and defeat spirits.

For those looking to immerse even deeper into this journey, the Signature Edition includes exclusive collectibles such as an art & lore booklet, lanyard and metal badges, and unique rune cards. This special edition is already available for pre-order via the official Silver Lining Direct store.

The post Spirit of the North 2 Continues Its Enchanting Journey This May first appeared on IndieGames.

Sports: Renovations is a first-person renovation simulator with a sports twist, placing it in the same cozy niche as titles like PowerWash Simulator and House Flipper. Your job is to bring run-down gyms, basketball courts, pools, and soccer fields back to life. You’ll pick up trash, scrub away grime, paint walls, fix broken gear, and set up sports equipment, turning forgotten spaces into top-notch facilities again.

I’ll be honest and subjective; I have very mixed feelings about this game. It’s nothing like PowerWash Simulator or House Flipper, and unfortunately, it ends up feeling more tedious. Those games have a satisfying “before and after” payoff, but Sports: Renovation doesn’t really encourage creativity. The first few areas are fun and engaging, but the longer you play, the more sluggish and repetitive it gets. The game clearly tries hard to impress, but with so many bugs and questionable design choices, it just doesn’t deliver enough to keep me hooked.

Relaxing Yet Flawed Simulator

The game has two modes: Campaign and Free Play. Campaign Mode takes you through a series of levels with a light storyline (more on that later) as you progress, earn money to upgrade your tools and expand your headquarters. Free Play Mode lets you redesign your own gym and headquaters as well as a basketball court however you like. While there are no specific missions here, you’ll still need to clean and repair everything before the eventual inspection. Your tools, such as brooms, paint rollers, sledgehammers, and more can be upgraded to work faster and better. With no time limits or pressure, the game stays relaxing, making it perfect for unwinding after a long day.

However, the gameplay has some odd quirks. Tasks are simplified to avoid frustration, for instance, cleaning doesn’t require pixel-perfect precision, and you can automatically paint walls once you’ve covered 50%. While this keeps things moving, it can sometimes feel too forgiving. The cleaning mechanics quickly become repetitive, you’re constantly dealing with identical dust particles and generic trash items. Even stranger are the questionable environmental details, like the bizarre amount of random trash (rather than ashes and debris) after a fire at the climbing center for example. It’s particularly odd that you don’t even clean up actual ashes from the fire.

The demolition mechanic is fun but oddly implemented, why smash perfectly good lockers and chairs when selling them would make more sense? This feels like a missed opportunity for a more logical economic system. The game suffers also from numerous bugs that frequently hinder progression. One particularly frustrating example occurs when cleaning the main basketball court, sometimes required trash items fail to spawn, forcing you to exploit the system by collecting random trash from the entrance area just to advance.

Quirky Puzzle Mechanics with Bugs and Brooms

Other progression-blocking issues include unreliable ladder placement mechanics that prevent you from completing essential tasks like installing steel beams just because you can’t reach that spot without trying to jump. The bugs range from minor annoyances (like trash mysteriously respawning in freshly cleaned areas) to major functionality problems (such as being unable to properly dispose of large objects in the designated bins). These technical issues significantly disrupt what should be a smooth, relaxing experience.

The game introduces some creative mechanics, like the ability to throw trash like basketballs, a fun way to challenge your own high scores. However, it’s also full of weird choices. For instance, despite having plenty of money, you can’t purchase a power washer early on, forcing you to clean everything with what looks like a sponge taped to a broomstick. While you eventually unlock better tools, the cleaning mechanics often feel unrealistic.

The puzzles woven into the story add variety but are hit-or-miss. Though they’re introduced clearly, many are needlessly frustrating. Take the pool pump task for example: you must activate five pumps by positioning levers in exact spots, a tedious process that involves spinning wheels endlessly until you luck into the right alignment. These moments undermine what could otherwise be a satisfying gameplay loop.

Nostalgic Fight for the Court

Probably the main reason what’s going to keep you on playing Sports: Renovations is the narrative and story. You play as an unnamed protagonist returning to their hometown of Laketown, Illinois, where the local basketball court, a place of personal nostalgia and community pride, faces demolition by a greedy real estate developer intent on building a shopping mall. To save it, you take on renovation jobs at various sports facilities, earning funds to eventually restore the court and prove its worth to city inspectors.

The story is simple but effective, framed as a classic underdog tale. Your assistant provides commentary and context, hinting at fond memories tied to the court, though the protagonist’s backstory remains vague. The developer antagonist is a looming threat, but the game makes it nearly impossible to fail unless you actively avoid progress, resulting in two endings: one where you save the court and another where you don’t (though the latter feels more like a non-outcome). Radio DJ commentary and snippets of sports history uncovered during renovations enrich the atmosphere, giving each facility a sense of place and past.

The voice acting is inconsistent in quality. While some performances work well, like the Ukrainian swimmer character and your assistant, others fall flat. The radio DJ’s commentary, while informative about different sports, has an unpleasant, overly crisp delivery that makes it annoying to listen to. Surprisingly, it’s the story that ends up being the main motivator to keep playing, not the gameplay itself. As mentioned, what’s marketed as a cozy experience often feels more tedious than relaxing, with moments of frustration breaking the intended chill atmosphere.

Ending Thoughts

Sports: Renovations adopts a clean, practical visual style that complements its simulation gameplay. Facilities showcase thoughtful environmental storytelling, peeling paint, scattered debris, and broken equipment effectively sell the “before” state, making their restored versions genuinely rewarding. The color palette pops with vibrant gym floors, sun-bleached soccer fields, and sparkling pool areas, though the graphics remain comfortably within current-gen expectations rather than pushing limits.

To conclude, Sports: Renovations is a solid addition to the cleaning simulator genre, blending busywork with a sports-themed twist and a cozy narrative. Its gameplay loop is addictive for those who enjoy methodical tasks, however, inconsistent mechanics and minor frustrations with multiple bugs might keep you away from it. If you love transforming spaces and don’t mind a few rough edges, it’s a worthy pick, best enjoyed in short sessions.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.6

The post Sports: Renovations - Tedious cozy renovation simulator first appeared on IndieGames.

Wheel World is an open-world cycling game that combines high-speed racing, bike customization, and a quirky, cosmic storyline. You play as Kat, a young cyclist tasked with saving the universe by recovering stolen Legendary bike parts and performing the Great Shift ritual. The game offers a mix of exploration, racing, and customization, all set to an energetic soundtrack.

It's time to save the world by cycling

A few key features make this game stand out. First, the driving mechanics are smooth, while the game recommends using a controller, it’s also playable with a keyboard. Turning and controlling the bicycle feels easy, and your main focus is on tailing other drivers and managing your boost, which lets you speed up. Ramps are also scattered across the racing route, adding an extra layer of strategy. Second, the game avoids collisions entirely; you simply pass through other racers when driving close to them. Lastly, you can dismount your bicycle to collect chests and other items, which are used to upgrade your bike.

Since the demo version is quite short, it’s difficult to gauge the variety of races, terrains, obstacles, and opponents in the full game. It’s also hard to assess the overall difficulty at this stage. Given that races consist of only a few fast-paced laps, it’s unclear how long the full game will take to complete or how lengthy individual races will be.

The game revolves around your reputation and your ability to communicate with ghosts, which means that building good relationships with different gangs and characters is crucial. The demo demonstrates this well, if you have a solid reputation, you can pass through blocked zones. If you need to boost your reputation, racing against others is an effective way to do so.

Wheel World could become a real hidden gem

Apparently, you will be able to take on side quests, collect rare bike parts, and discover hidden areas that add depth to the game in the full version. You can also upgrade and modify your bike with an endless array of parts, from sleek speedsters to off-road beasts. This allows you to tailor your ride to your playstyle, whether you prefer speed, durability, or handling.

Visually, Wheel World has the potential to be stunning, though I wasn’t a fan of the extremely pixelated graphics, which can feel a bit tricky for the eyes. That said, the game’s world is filled with vibrant colors, detailed environments, and breathtaking vistas. The demo suggests that each area will feel distinct, from the lush greenery of forests to the rugged terrain of mountains. My favorite aspect, however, is the quirky and memorable character designs, which add a unique charm to the game.

Wheel World could definitely be a fun cycling adventure, blending racing, exploration, and customization. I’m looking forward to seeing what the full version has to offer, especially since the demo at Steam Next Fest provided a solid showcase of the game’s potential.

The post [PREVIEW] Wheel World – Annapurnin skriveni hit first appeared on IndieGames.

For those unfamiliar with Elflock, it takes place in a beautifully crafted fantasy world and provides a story-driven single-player experience. The gameplay blends classic mechanics like exploration, inventory management, and puzzle-solving with fully voiced and animated dialogue trees, enabling you to uncover secrets, tackle challenges, and engage meaningfully with other characters.

In this game we follow The Princess, which seeks to help her father, the king, expose treachery within the royal court. As she embarks on her journey, you will witness her emotional growth and face difficult decisions that ultimately shape the fate of the kingdom.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Elflock? What are some Hungarian motifs we’ll be able to find in the game?

Historical authenticity is a cornerstone of Elflock’s world-building, particularly in evoking the atmosphere of 12th-century Europe. However, the game doesn’t adhere strictly to historical accuracy, as magic plays a significant role in shaping the events and setting. Elusive magical creatures and rare artifacts with supernatural powers subtly influence the narrative backdrop.

Hungarian folklore is a key inspiration, manifesting in the portrayal of mythical beings, period superstitions, and in smaller details like traditional foods and beverages. Without giving too much away, I can hint that a uniquely Hungarian element will play a pivotal role in the story.

Would you consider Elflock to be similar to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but set in Hungary with less emphasis on combat?

While Elflock features strong Hungarian motifs, it isn’t set specifically in Hungary but in a fictional world inspired by that era. This approach gives us the flexibility to explore creative storytelling while preserving an authentic medieval setting.

There are some similarities to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, as both games share a medieval setting and emphasize historical immersion. However, Elflock differs significantly in its focus. The exploration of magic and its mysteries is central to the experience, and the game has no combat at all. Instead, it relies on classic adventure game mechanics and navigating expansive dialogue trees.

It’s also worth noting that while Kingdom Come: Deliverance was created by a professional studio, Elflock is being developed on a much smaller scale by a group of people contributing their free time. It’s a passion project that allows us to learn as we create.

The Princess is described as a deep and emotionally complex character. How did you use motion capture and voice work to help bring her personality and inner struggles to life?

Portraying the Princess’s depth and emotional journey is one of our greatest challenges. She is a young adult who must quickly mature as she returns to her homeland – a place she barely knows but is heir to – which is now under threat from the very kingdom where she was raised. To express her inner thoughts and struggles, we’ve had the luck of finding a very enthusiastic and passionate performer.

On the technical side, we leverage Unreal Engine’s facial motion capture for MetaHumans, a cutting-edge technology provided by Epic Games. This tool has been invaluable for developers working with limited budgets, enabling us to achieve emotionally compelling performances without the need for expensive equipment.

The plot, as you mentioned, involves uncovering treachery in the royal court. Without giving too much away, can you share some key themes or conflicts players can expect to explore?

One of the most interesting aspects of Elflock is the Princess’s tricky position of power, especially since she is young and inexperienced. She has to depend on a group of nobles who are older, more seasoned, and often looking out for themselves. With the kingdom on the edge of war, the Princess must handle complicated relationships, figure out hidden motives, and confront surprising moments of honesty and betrayal. Players will explore the complex agendas of the nobles and discover the truth behind them.

Are there any unique gameplay features or mechanics that you feel set Elflock apart from other narrative adventure games?

What makes Elflock stand out is how it combines traditional adventure game mechanics – like puzzle-solving and item gathering – with meaningful dialogue trees where the player’s choices directly shape a branching story. The game’s strong focus on court intrigue is something yet to be explored in this genre. Also, a low-fantasy setting is rarely used in other games similar to Elflock.

Can you give us a sense of the scale of the world? How much freedom will players have to explore beyond the main storyline?

The game is set entirely within the royal castle, including its courtyard and some surrounding buildings. While the world is more contained, the focus is on depth rather than size. The narrative structure is far from linear; in fact, it is more like a web. Players can explore different storylines, and the decisions they make during their exploration can lead to various outcomes. Activities that may seem like side quests in one playthrough can have significant consequences if pursued further in another.

Lastly, are you planning to release the game for consoles in the future, and is the game set to release in 2025?

We are currently aiming to release a playable demo for PC in the summer of 2025. While it’s difficult to predict the full game’s release, we’re aiming for a PC launch first, with potential console releases to follow, depending on reception and sales.

The post The founder of NovaSphera Studio revealed more details about the narrative adventure Elflock first appeared on IndieGames.

Slay the Alice

Slay the Alice is a horror game with a simple yet interesting approach. The game eliminates complex mechanics like action or logic puzzles, focusing entirely on choices and mouse controls. You guide Alice, a young girl who stumbles into a strange world filled with talking plants and eerie paths.

The game plays out like a storybook, with a roguelike map where every choice leads Alice down branching paths. The charming pixel art and delightful animations contrast with the suspenseful atmosphere, creating a hauntingly cute experience. Players are invited to uncover multiple endings as they explore this mysterious world.

Waiting in the Lime Forest

On the other side, set in 1920s suburban America, Waiting in the Lime Forest takes you into the role of Edward, a lawyer determined to clear his friend Oliver’s name after a false murder accusation.

As you navigate the story, you must make critical choices that influence the outcome. Oliver’s fragile mental state adds tension, as every decision could lead to salvation or doom. The game’s point-and-click mechanics, combined with a multi-ending system, could immerse you in a gripping thriller where uncovering the truth is paramount.

The post Why So Serious Inc. Launches New Label and Two Horror Titles first appeared on IndieGames.

Set in a beautifully crafted fantasy world, Elflock provides a story-driven single-player experience. The gameplay combines classic mechanics such as exploration, inventory management, and puzzle-solving with fully voiced and animated dialogue trees, allowing you to uncover secrets, tackle challenges, and engage meaningfully with other characters.

The game’s dialogue and choices significantly impact the branching narrative, leading to multiple possible endings. Your actions, the items you collect, and the protagonist’s traits all influence available options, enriching the storytelling experience. The plot follows The Princess, the protagonist, as she strives to assist her father, the king, in uncovering treachery within the royal court. Throughout her journey, you will witness her emotional growth and confront challenging decisions that ultimately affect the kingdom’s fate.

A playable demo of Elflock will be available this summer, and the game can also be found on Steam..

The post Elflock reveals it's first gameplay trailer, focusing on dialogue and choices first appeared on IndieGames.

In HYPERxFANTASY, you play as Dreamer, a character who explores a huge, futuristic structure. Your mission is to save people from the underworld by turning them into digital forms. You use a glider to move through strange places while discovering secrets about a big idea called the Singularity.

The game has different story paths, allows you to explore freely, and includes sword fighting that focuses on skill and strategy. It tells its story in unique ways, mixing 2D scenes and choices that let you shape the adventure, creating a constantly changing and unusual experience.

HYPERxFANTASY features a blend of dark and vibrant visuals, drawing inspiration from filmmakers known for their serious and thought-provoking works. The game prompts you to reflect on your identity and consider the extent of their control over their lives, while also exploring the implications of technology's transformation of humanity.

The post ONYXPRISM Reveals HYPERxFANTASY, a Bold Sci-Fi RPG first appeared on IndieGames.

The new update improves the stealth system. Unlike AtomTeam’s earlier games, Swordhaven has an active stealth mode, allowing you to see where enemies can detect you. This, along with a new stealth attack feature that causes double damage, makes stealth play important in the game.

Combat has also been upgraded, featuring new mini-bosses, smarter enemies, and better animations for a more exciting and challenging experience. You will need to use strategy and adapt during battles thanks to the flexible combat system, which allows both turn-based and real-time-with-pause styles.

AtomTeam is improving the open-world adventure with various encounters on the world map, including battles, hunting, and text-based stories. These activities not only add to the story but also give players unique rewards, experience, and loot, encouraging them to explore thoroughly.

You can also explore peaceful villages, hidden temples, creepy crypts, and strange dungeons, each with quests that offer multiple solutions and unique character interactions. Set in the largely unexplored land of Nova Drakonia, you take on the role of a lone adventurer drawn into a life-changing quest by a mysterious artifact, promising an epic journey filled with excitement, danger, and a plot that could change everything for the main character.

The post A Classic cRPG Swordhaven Set for Early Access Launch this December first appeared on IndieGames.