Discover Toem 2 and 23 Other Irresistible Cozy Indie Gems from the Latest Wholesome Snack Showcase
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As the evenings draw you in and your jorts are swapped for some plush long johns, what could be a better way to warm those chilly insides than with some delightful indie games? Believe it or not, that’s precisely what the latest Wholesome Snack showcase has presented to us. So whether you desire comforting indies or already have some cozy ones, you can find everything highlighted during the event neatly summarized for your easy perusal, below.
Capy Castaway
Camp Castaway is developed by Kitten Cup Studio and invites players on a charming journey requiring them to assist a capybara cub and a clever crow find their way home. This adventure takes place in a vibrant world filled with “wonder, challenges, and tender friendships” waiting to be discovered, unearthed, and explored. While there’s no release date just yet for Capy Castaway, it is coming to PC.
Tales of Seikyu
This “transformational life simulator” from the creators at ACE Leisure aims to break free from the usual patterns of farming, exploration, and relationship building with a focus on the yokai inhabiting the world. Players can utilize their supernatural transformation abilities to assist in their everyday tasks, with hints of secrets, magic, and adventures awaiting. Tales of Seikyu launches for PC in “spring 2025.”
Fragment by Fragment
In developer Gamkat’s Fragment by Fragment, participants assume the role of a talented fox who operates a repair shop in a quaint little town. They will mend, invent, paint, and sell a wide assortment of curiosities – from a pair of binoculars to a model cat – all while uncovering more about the townsfolk. There is also a farming element as paint pigment can be acquired by cultivating plants, along with competitive games of “Bear, Fish, Bee.” Fragment by Fragment is currently anticipated to launch on PC and consoles.
Rusty’s Retirement
If you’re already sensing a farming theme in this year’s Wholesome Snack showcase, you might be on the right track – and we’re not done yet. For instance, Rob developer Mister Morris Games’ Rusty’s Retirement; this idle farming simulator (where players must generate biofuel to power their robotic aides) is already available, but a free winter update is launching soon, on December 10th. This update features new crops, new animals, a fresh snowy map where robots require additional biofuel, and a new character selling unique new items.
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping
Chuffed Broccoli Games’ Duck Detective is set to provide additional non-violent investigative excitement in the new standalone adventure, The Ghost of Glamping. This time, our protagonist is called to a haunted luxury campsite where something amiss is happening, prompting players to utilize their deduction abilities to “quack the case”. Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is currently available to pre-order on PC.
Lou’s Lagoon
If you seek an idyllic archipelago adventure, then Lou’s Lagoon is for you. Your Uncle Lou has gone missing, leaving you in charge of his seaplane delivery service – thus begins a journey of tropical island exploration, where players can run, float, fish, shop, scavenge, and create, all to complete missions and enhance their business. Lou’s Lagoon does not yet have a release date, but it is on its way to Switch, PlayStation, and PC.
Pine: A Story of Loss
In Made Up Games’ Pine: A Story of Loss, you follow a sorrowful woodcutter attempting to rebuild his life following the loss of his wife. This tale is told entirely without dialogue, using the game’s stunning hand-drawn animation, allowing players to solve puzzles and engage in simple mini-games as the woodcutter collects wood, tends to his garden, and reflects on memories of his wife—before carving those memories into wood. We have glimpsed snippets of Pine: A Story of Loss previously, but it finally has a release date: it will launch on Steam, Switch, iOS, and Android on December 13th.
River Towns
Do you appreciate rivers? Do you enjoy TOWNS? If so, then River Towns by Frogsong Studios is likely just what you’re looking for. It’s a puzzle-style city-building game where the goal is to place buildings and create vibrant districts to rejuvenate each level—complicated by the unique style and shape of each district. River Towns is on its way to Steam, and a demo is currently available.
Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To
Essentially everything you need to know about developer Comfy Not Broken’s Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To is contained within the title. However, if you seek a few additional key features, the game is characterized as an “action-puzzle experience set in a vibrant, narrative-rich realm of witchy demons,” focusing on casting spells to create the ultimate live performance of the year. Alongside its captivating video trailer above, Spirit Swap now has a release date: it launches on February 3rd on Steam.
Cold Weather Burrow
Winter Burrow, a “woodland survival game” by Pine Creek Games, is fully embracing the cozy aesthetic. Players step into the tiny paws of a mouse returning home to restore its burrow—transforming it into a warm refuge from the frigid outdoors. To accomplish this, players must gear up for exploration, gather resources day and night, craft items, connect with friends, cook and bake, and, naturally, snuggle by the fire when the snow begins to fall. Winter Burrow is set to launch on Steam next year.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley – Fuddler’s Courtship
Hyper Games unveiled its adorable musical adventure Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley would be receiving DLC back in November, making the announcement of Fuddler’s Courtship a delightful surprise—however, its appearance at Wholesome Snack serves as a timely reminder of its upcoming launch. This autumn-themed adventure involves the Moomins enjoying a final camping trip before Snufkin leaves for his annual journey while his friends drift into hibernation. It will be released for PC and Switch on December 19th.
Aikyam
Aikyam from Thousand Stars Studios not only showcases a unique visual style but also features an intriguing narrative. It revolves around charming the grumpy locals while enlisting their aid in the battle against a demonic menace—battles unfold in vibrant turn-based combat. This “Bollywood-inspired fantasy RPG” is poised for release on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with a demo available soon.
Little Rocket Lab
Little Rocket Lab, created by Teenage Astronauts, seems to encompass a range of elements. It combines isometric pixel art with crafting, automation, and community building, beginning as aspiring engineer Morgan returns to her hometown of St. Ambrose to assist her aunt in completing the rocket her mother always envisioned. It’s expected to be released for Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in 2025.
Loftia
And if the notion of building friendships with NPCs doesn’t entice you, how about connecting with real people? That’s the essence of Loftia, a “cosy, solarpunk, farming/life/social sim MMO” developed by Cloud Games. Players can cultivate crops collaboratively,trot to each other’s properties and neighborhoods, enjoy communities and host social events, all while striving to build a sustainable city. Loftia is set to launch on PC, Mac, and Switch, aiming to begin early access “late” next year.
Star Birds
If you have been curious about what Toukana Interactive, the team behind the fantastic puzzle game Dorfromatik, has been up to, here’s your answer. Star Birds is a “joyful asteroid base-building and resource management game” that allows players to explore “numerous” asteroids to establish production networks and guide their colony of spacefaring birds toward new horizons. If this has piqued your interest, it’s set to launch into Steam early access in 2025.
Locomoto
What if a village life simulator was set on a train? This is the fundamental concept behind Green Tile Digital’s Locomoto. In this game, you take charge of a “dream train” (whether that consists of literal dreams or is simply a very neat train is up for debate) and then refurbish and enhance it to bring joy to the animals that inhabit the stations along its route. Fishing and farming also play a role as your cross-country adventure unfolds, with Locomoto currently set to launch, fittingly enough, on Steam.
Naiad
A Waddleful Life
Ducklings are adorable. Protect the ducklings! This is the essence of A Waddleful Life, where players assume the role of a mother duck and guide their little ones from hatchlings to their first flight. It’s an adventure that unfolds within the safety of a compact, cozy park—players must explore as they gather food and collect sticks for stick-based activities. A Waddleful Life currently does not have a release date, but it is coming to PC.
Sky: Children of the Light
Acclaimed developer