3/29/24 ~ Newsletter
✨ Upcoming Games ✨
Cozy Co-Op Steam Game With ‘Very Positive’ Reviews Getting a Sequel 6 Years After Release (2 minute read)
Farm Together, a well-received co-op farming game on Steam, is getting a sequel called Farm Together 2. Planned for early access on PC in Spring 2024, the sequel promises to improve upon the original in different ways. After the early access period, Farm Together 2 will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and potentially the Switch 2. The developer aims to create a relaxing and accessible farming experience, similar to the first game.
Palworld and Sons of the Forest’s Resource Systems Collide in This Upcoming Open-World Survival Game (2 minute read)
Omega Crafter, a cute, open-world survival crafting game, is coming to Steam Early Access on March 28th, 2024. Players will explore a colorful world and befriend creatures called Grammi who can help gather materials, build structures, and fight enemies. Grammi can be programmed to perform specific tasks, giving players control over their helpful companions.
Tropical Open-World Adventure ‘Tchia’ Glides Onto Switch This Summer (1 minute read)
Tchia, an open-world adventure game originally released on PC and PlayStation in 2023, is coming to Nintendo Switch this summer. Inspired by New Caledonia, the game lets you play as Tchia who can “soul jump” into animals and objects. You’ll use your glider, raft, and ukulele to explore the vibrant world and save your kidnapped father. While the game received positive reviews for its unique concept and charm, it sometimes lacked direction. Hopefully, any launch bugs will be fixed for the Switch release.
🎮 Game Updates 🎮
Stardew Valley Releases Update 1.6.3 (3 minute read)
Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone released patch 1.6.3 for PC to fix bugs and improve the quality of life in the game. This update addresses some issues introduced with the major 1.6 update in March, such as the creepy bear glitch. Players can now access Clint’s shop while upgrading tools and moss grants foraging experience when harvested. The update also includes minor bug fixes and improvements. Barone is still working on ensuring the game is bug-free before moving on to his next project, Haunted Chocolatier.
My Time At Sandrock Lands Enhanced Visuals & New Content In Latest Update (2 minute read)
My Time at Sandrock for the Nintendo Switch received a major update to address performance issues and unappealing visuals. The game now runs smoother with improved frame rates, sharper visuals, and better textures. The update also adds new content such as quests, weapons, hairstyles, a roguelike dungeon, theme park rides, and a new planting system. This update is free and developers plan to add more free seasonal content throughout 2024.
🍄 Game Reviews 🍄
Distant Bloom Review (5 minute read)
Distant Bloom is a cozy exploration and management game on an alien planet. You, the Assistant, are tasked with finding your crewmates and helping to restore the planet’s ecosystem by planting seeds. The game focuses on exploration, puzzle-solving, and creating a healthy environment. You’ll collect seeds, craft items, and cook food for your crewmates. The world is beautiful and the soundtrack is great. Overall, the reviewer enjoyed their time with the game and recommends it.
Open Roads Review (5 minute read)
Open Roads is a road trip adventure about a grieving daughter and her distant mother. You explore locations and interact with objects to learn about their family history. The game has a good story about family and loss, but the puzzles are easy and the mystery predictable. The reviewer felt that their choices didn’t matter much and the ending felt rushed. It’s pretty to look at and well-acted, but short and forgettable.
💌 Worthy Mentions 💌
Cozy Games Make First Days of Spring More Pleasant (4 minute read)
Featured are 5 cozy games: city builder Minami Lane, cat-themed logic game Quilts and Cats of Calico, insect-raising Bugaboo, planet-designing Bubblegum Galaxy, and farming exploration game Lightyear Frontier.
Dark & Lovely Partners With The Sims And Multi-Award-Winning Creator Ebonix To Advance Diversity & Inclusion in Gaming (2 minute read)
Hair care brand Dark & Lovely partnered with The Sims 4 to improve Black representation in gaming. A new documentary “Play in Color” highlights diversity issues and Ebonix, a gaming content creator, helped design new hairstyles for the game. The Sims 4 will also offer new hair colors inspired by Dark & Lovely’s products. This collaboration aims to empower Black gamers to express themselves more in the game.
Dorfromantik Devs Tease New Space Game ‘Project Mango’ (1 minute read)
Dorfromantik developers, Toukana Interactive, are collaborating with Kurzgesagt – In A Nutshell on a new space-based game called Project Mango. The game will have unique building mechanics and is expected to be a management-themed city builder. While details are few, the teaser trailer is now available to watch.
Palia Is Finally On Steam but It’s Not All Roses (2 minute read)
Palia, a cozy MMO, recently launched on Steam with mixed reviews. While the game offers new content like flower seeds, the Temple of the Roots, and wedding outfits, players are critiquing overpriced cosmetic items, lack of progress carry-over, frequent updates causing bugs, and a lack of endgame content. The article’s author acknowledges these issues after playing for over 200 hours.
Margot Robbie To Produce The Sims Movie (2 minute read)
There is a Sims movie in the works being produced by Margot Robbie’s production company. The movie will be set in the Sims universe but plot details and cast are unknown. The director is Kate Herron, who directed Loki. No release date has been announced at this time.