[ horror / visual novel ]
Help a troubled girl get to bed, playing as a part of her psyche that only appears when she takes her medication.
[ falling block puzzle ]
A fresh take on a classic game, complete with one of my favorite video game features—powder physics.
[ exploration ]
An accessible and impressive PC port of the PS1 cult classic, LSD. Strongly faithful to the original, a game that helped expand my idea of what a video game was allowed to be.
[ exploration ]
A small Yume Nikki fan game in which you must find and serve drinks to customers by entering each of the surreal worlds they provide access to. This one is on the more humorous side of things, without forgoing that classic YNFG atmosphere.
[ exploration / horror ]
A Yume Nikki fan game in which a lost pistol must be returned. Still very early in development, but certainly worth keeping an eye out for—with a completely unique, grain-heavy, color-blasted aesthetic that sears the back of the brain and overwhelms the senses. A revitalizing experience for those looking for something fresh in their YNFGs.
[ raising sim ]
A lovely little life sim game built in Ren'Py about a lonely recluse wishing for a child, who seeks the help of a witch to help them grow one. From the soil she grows in to the decisions she makes as an independent fungus, there's a lot of fun and surprises in following your mushroom daughter's life path several times over!
[ turn-based RPG ]
A sad man named Phillip and the enigmatic (and very handsome) Leg Horse embark on a quest to the City of Forms in order to stop a strange force that's beginning to warp their reality. Decently short and extremely funny, an RPG Maker classic.
[ adventure ]
Destroy objects that seem out of place. They are parasites. Remove them.
[ tile-matching puzzle ]
Shift columns and rows on a grid of colored tiles to create crosses, clearing them. The gameplay is easy to learn and fairly simple, but it's engaging and getting faster is its own reward. Sleek as hell Y2K art direction, with a fantastic and fitting breakbeat soundtrack.
[ exploration ]
A bite-sized adventure game in which you explore the Nebula Resort, talk to its other visitors, and find the seven suns. Each one has a short affirmation to impart. The game has a wonderful "astral fantasy" atmosphere with a calming quality to it. It's also one of the most purple games I've ever played.
[ graphic adventure / psychological horror ]
A short Game Boy adventure game in which a girl needs to get back home after slipping into a void where lost souls wander and become corrupted. One of the most visually-impressive and atmospheric experiences for the Game Boy.
[ visual novel ]
A short VN about a man who wakes up without his memories—or his face—on a train traveling through the cosmos. Stylish and charming, with a small but enjoyable cast of characters.
[ turn-based RPG ]
A short RPG in which players must brave a "burrow" type dungeon—the kind that no explorers ever come back from the depths of, despite them only spawning the weakest kind of monster: slimes. Julius Anderson, a magic-hating crusader sent to the dungeon by the Church of the Holy Heart, it unwittingly teamed up with a magic-using healer, and tensions rise as the two travel deeper in. It's a worthwhile experience, and presents a unique take on traditional turn-based RPG combat—both characters have mechanics that work largely in favor of themselves and against each other, reflecting their incompatible worldviews and inability to work together in the face of Julius's prejudice.
[ 3D platformer / open world / vertical platformer ]
It's a nice summer day, and a bird named Claire intends to climb to the top of Hawk Peak. Of course, the island the small mountain rests upon has a lot more to do than just that—why not say hello to the other visitors, or maybe fish a while? Very much a good vibes game that does an excellent job of providing players with a lot of stuff they can do without ever making them feel like it's stuff they have to do.
[ digital zine / interactive fiction ]
An art program in the form of an operating system containing several executables, each one different in function but all largely following the same style—one of overtly eye-straining collage-work featuring cute and chirpy, but overtly mentally ill creatures. As they're led by bunny-like animals through miniature art software, a music toy, a collection of highly personal poetry, and more, viewers will find themselves subjected to the program's heavy themes with all the subtlety of a bomb. After all, for a person whose life is dominated by intense mental illness, there's nothing subtle about it—it's only natural that a piece of art about the subject wouldn't be, either. Sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing, sometimes both at once. It's a memorable one that has stuck with me since I first experienced it back in 2018.
[ graphic adventure / turn-based RPG ]
A hero is tasked with taking down HELL'S KNIGHT and their army of monsters. It's an RPG almost by technicality—really, its mechanics are simple enough to qualify as an adventure game. It's really funny and lighthearted, and definitely worth the small amount of time it asks of its players.
[ action horror / multidirectional shooter ]
A top-down survival horror game about Animal Village—which used to be known as Human Village. Its former inhabitants constructed a deep pit and began throwing everything they didn't want into it, until there was nothing left. You play as a vaguely bunny-looking friend exploring the pit. There's an interesting set of mechanics at play here, in which "blood" is not only health, but a resource with which to make bullets. The controls are a bit tanky as well—you can't move and aim your gun at the same time, so shooting must be done while stationary.
[ horror / visual novel ]
Student journalist Chase decides to write a report on a case of mass hysteria that occurred 100 years ago in the run-down desert town of Echo—his childhood home. He uses the assignment as an opportunity to get his old friend group back together, but the town's dark past and his friends' shared childhood traumas threaten to tear them apart again as old wounds reopen. It's hard to sell this one—it's a mix of psychological and supernatural horror, it's a large time commitment, and it's gay, and it's furry. It's definitely my favorite visual novel, though—and it's one I think any fan of this kind of horror story could appreciate.
[ graphic adventure ]
A traveler goes eastward in search of a treasure said to bring hope to who finds it, and ends up in the peaceful forest town of Wabika. One of my favorite free games on itch.io. It's a simple one, but its charm, character design, and overall art direction carries it into greatness.
[ graphic adventure ]
The four members of the Sacred Order, each wanting more control over the Ossuary, send the player out to perform various tasks for them. To join the four orders, find the four sacred treasures, learn the four words of power, and locate the four places of power, the player must utilize their unique ability to spread their sinful influence to others.
[ creative / sandbox ]
Low-res graffiti sandbox with several urban environments to work in. The limited tool set, unique settings, and optional pixelation filter make for an interesting and fun art-program-slash-game.
[ action / business management / typing ]
A cooking and restaurant management game requiring quick reflexes, good memory, and some typing skills. Pretty addictive, and offers a nice endorphin rush after a successful shift.
[ action-adventure / bullet hell / tennis ]
Bullet hell on a tennis court—defeat enemies shooting at you with just your racket and tennis balls. Once you're done doing that, the game becomes... something else.
[ turn-based RPG ]
Siffrin finds themselves stuck in a time loop, and must keep it a secret from the rest of their ill-fated group—a band of heroes determined to defeat The King, who has frozen the land of Vaugarde in time. Great characters with fantastic designs are paired with a worthwhile plot and a fun take on the turn-based RPG combat system.
[ visual novel ]
Two bandit scouts make a truce after they bump into each other while surveying a town rumored to have gold. As they investigate, however, they begin to envision a better future for themselves, and their loyalty to their respective bandit leaders is tested. Plot ties heavily into its gay and trans themes.
