Andre's Indie Game Chosen Ones Issue #10
Issue #10 features Wolfstride Review, Wytchwood, Archvale, White Shadows, Rubber Bandits, Kickstarter Spotlight: Boxville, Weird West, Venba
Welcome to Issue #10 of Andre’s Indie Game Chosen Ones!
This is a reminder that anything below that is underlined is a clickable link.
Not every section will be included in every issue. My Indie Game Discovery Roundup will always be included! This is explained in the About section.
Enjoy the issue!
Indie Game Discovery Roundup #59
Wolfstride
(PC)
Wolfstride, developed by Ota Imon Studios, is a RPG featuring mech battles and an ensemble of characters trying to win the mech Ultimate Golden Golden God Tournament. The game’s black and white visuals and fully voiced characters make this a game of high quality. I was lucky enough to play this recently, and right now this is in contention for my favorite game of 2021. My full review is linked later in the newsletter. Don’t overlook Wolfstride if you want a total package of mech combat and good storytelling.
Release Date: December 7, 2021 (OUT NOW)
Wolfstride on Steam
Wytchwood
(PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch)
Wytchwood, developed by Alientrap, is an adventure game that features a lot of crafting and exploration to complete quests. I played the demo of this months ago and generally enjoyed my experience. The colorful visual style and general art direction is what stands out the most about Wytchwood. If this was released earlier in the year I would definitely be playing this, but my gaming plate is too full at this time of year. Definitely check this out if you’re into fetch quest games.
Release Date: December 9, 2021 (OUT NOW)
Wytchwood on Steam
Wytchwood Launch Trailer
Archvale
(PC, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass)
Archvale, developed by idoz & phops, is a very unique bullet-hell RPG game. This is different than other games in the genre that are more roguelike experiences because there is a large explorable world with crafting, towns, checkpoints, and dungeons to conquer. I’m personally not into this genre, but the way Archvale is designed with checkpoints, crafted items, and various weapon types is one way to get me to try this. This is definitely a game you’ll want to play if bullet-hell games are your genre.
Release Date: December 2, 2021 (OUT NOW)
Archvale on Steam
Archvale Launch Trailer
White Shadows
(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
White Shadows, developed by Monokel, is a black and white puzzle platformer that uses light and shadows to tell the story of Ravengirl trying to escape oppression for a better life. The monochrome visuals are very well done, plus the factory design has a very realistic look. All of the moving parts in White Shadows make this a very lively and appealing experience. This is another game I would probably play if I didn’t have other games planned in December.
Release Date: December 7, 2021 (OUT NOW)
White Shadows on Steam
Rubber Bandits
(PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass)
Rubber Bandits, developed by Flashbulb, is a whacky multiplayer experience that involves destroying/stealing objects and trying be first to the finish line with the most loot. The game features single player arcade, plus multiplayer brawl and heist modes. Local co-op and cross platform online play is supported. Since this game is on Xbox Game Pass, why not try it out? I might.
Release Date: December 2, 2021 (OUT NOW)
Rubber Bandits on Steam
Rubber Bandits Launch Trailer
Kickstarter Spotlight: Boxville
I selected Boxville for this week’s Kickstarter Spotlight because I really like the art style of this puzzle adventure game. The main characters are shaped as cans, and the developers stated the game’s purpose is to “stabilize your emotional state with its atmosphere and story,” Definitely take a look at Boxville and judge for yourself! The Steam page has a demo that I’ll eventually play.
Checkout Boxville on Kickstarter
As of this writing: $2,889 pledged of $10,000 goal
ENDS Fri, December 17 2021 11:00 AM EST.
Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement of the Kickstarter, nor am I affiliated with the developers. Pledge at your own risk.
Trailer Impressions
Weird West
Weird West Gameplay Trailer
Weird West is a game that has flown under the radar for a while, but now the hype is starting to get there with new trailers and presentations like this. I really like the narration and isometric colorful style as shown in the trailer. You’ll be playing as multiple characters with different stories that intertwine and end up converging at the end. Your player actions will impact the story, so that will allow for more than one playthrough with different experiences. I can’t wait to play this in 2022.
Release Date: January 11, 2022 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass)
Weird West on Steam
Venba
Venba Wholes Games Trailer
I recently discovered Venba, a game about an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. I really like the art style and clear passion of this game. The game will feature cooking Indian dishes while telling the story of an Indian family with branching conversations. This trailer shows just enough to get me interested with the soundtrack and art. I look forward to a release date. Venba is exactly the kind of hidden gem of an idea for a game that I had in mind when I decided I wanted to showcase indie games.
Release Date: TBD (PC)
Venba on Steam
Review
Wolfstride Review (PC) - December 8, 2021
EXCERPT
…As a turn-based RPG gamer, that was my calling to play Wolfstride, but the game takes a bit of time to get to the core turn-based RPG gameplay I wanted to get to. Instead, you get treated to wonderful fully voiced cutscenes that help lay the foundation to the beginning of very good storytelling. You’re introduced to mech pilot, Knife Leopard, and the inciting event that gives you Cowboy, the mech you’ll be using and upgrading in the game, You’ll be playing as Dominic Shade, someone who is introduced with little background in the beginning, but more is revealed as you play. The game does a good job of slowly rolling out and introducing a solid ensemble of characters that you will care about and want to learn more. It doesn’t hurt that the entire game is fully voiced with very good voice acting and all of the characters have distinguishable personalities. The dialogue contains a lot of humor and some pop culture references, especially from Peepoo, a robot you’ll be meeting and interacting with a lot. The story is somewhat confusing at times in the beginning with many hidden voices, but stick with it because everything fits and falls into place by the end of the game…
Upcoming Content
What to Expect in Issue #11:
Indie Game Discovery Roundup (5 Games)
Kickstarter Spotlight
Trailer Impressions
Review Excerpt and Link: Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue (PC)
Next week’s Issue #11 may mark the end of the standard Indie Game Discovery Roundup in 2021 for the current time period, plus it will include my last full review of the year (Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue). Issue #12 will likely feature some games that came out earlier in 2021 that were skipped over due to not doing the roundup and newsletter back then. It’s getting to the time when my favorite games list needs to be put together. That will be a special issue in the beginning of the January.
Thanks for reading!
-Andre
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