Steam] Late summer heat is at home! Three new Steam indie games recommended for August!

1. Cute little Og's big adventure! Og and the Secret Forest," a hand-drawn action-puzzle adventure with an overwhelmingly large volume!

Have you had any "adventures" lately?
Whether it is a trip to a place you have never been or the purchase of an expensive item, adventure can be found in many forms in our daily lives, and "Og and the Secret Forest" is a title that will tickle your adventurous spirit to its fullest.

Ogg and the Secret Forest" is an action-adventure game with a 2D low-down perspective. The most distinctive feature of the game is its graphics. The cute, hand-drawn illustration-style visuals have a warm, heartwarming, picture-book-like feel, and just moving the characters around is soothing and captivating.

The main character in this work is "Chibi-Ogu," a cute platypus with a chubby white body. He puts on his hat as usual, grabs an insect net, and sets off on an adventure around the neighborhood, but when he follows a strange bird he sees, he ends up in a mysterious world beyond a strange door. There, Chibi-Og received a rainbow-colored feather from an unknown voice and was told to "save the broken world. The story is reminiscent of old tales and fairy tales, and the hand-drawn graphics are a perfect match, drawing the player in naturally.

Chibi-Ogg's basic actions are roughly twofold: moving and swinging his insect net. The net can be used in a variety of ways, such as to catch insects, cut flowers and grasses, attack enemies, activate gimmick switches, and catch fish. The setting in which it is both a tool and a weapon is very unique, and fits the warm and relaxed worldview.

In addition, as the story progresses, the little ogre also learns actions such as moving and lifting objects. The more he learns, the more he is able to do, and the more gimmicks he is able to solve, the more he is motivated to play.

One of the features of this title is the abundance of puzzles. While walking through maps and dungeons, little Og encounters puzzles everywhere.

Some puzzles involve activating switches and moving blocks up and down to create paths, pushing stones and dropping them into holes to create passages, navigating intricate mazes to reach a goal, and guessing what to do from clues given to the player. The puzzles are all very challenging and enjoyable.

Moreover, each puzzle is not unreasonably difficult or too easy, but has just the right level of difficulty to give you a sense of accomplishment when you solve it. On the other hand, the action elements, such as battles with enemies and bosses, are also well placed, so you can continue playing without getting bored.

The graphics, world view, quality action and puzzle elements, and many other aspects make this title very appealing, but in my opinion, the most important point is the "volume.

This title uses a quest system, and the story basically progresses by following and completing the main quests that appear on the screen, but there are also plenty of subquests to fulfill requests from NPC characters, so there is no shortage of side trips. The game is also characterized by its vastness, with more than 200 maps. The beginning of the game is a straight path, but once you get to a certain point, the scope of adventure and the things you can do will quickly expand, and the excitement will never let up.

Furthermore, there is an overwhelming element of collecting in this work. You can display the fish and insects you catch in a museum, learn to cook a variety of dishes, and so on.

Ogg and the Secret Forest" is a well-balanced fusion of action, puzzle and adventure elements with gentle, hand-drawn graphics and a mysterious, fantastical storyline. The game is carefully crafted down to the smallest detail, and it is a title that makes you want to play more and more. If you are interested in this title, please try it out and go on a big adventure with little Og.

• Og and the Secret Forest" (Moonlab Studio, Sinkhole Studio)
• Genre: Action
• Release date: July 29, 2024
• Price: 2,950 yen (as of August 14, 2024)
• Copyright: (C) Moonlab Studio, Sinkhole Studio

2、Farming experience on a strange planet! Sci-fi farm simulation "Planet Settlement - Farland" set in outer space.

A farm simulation game that will keep you playing for hours on end. You may think it's time to quit, but you just can't help but think, "Just a little bit more! The "Planet Settlement - Farland" game introduced here is a new version of such a farm simulation game. This game is in Early Access at the time of writing, so please keep that in mind.

Planet Settlement - Farland" is a 2D farm simulation game with a low-down perspective. The first thing that catches the eye is the graphics, which are vividly colored dots reminiscent of retro games from the 90's, giving the game a nostalgic feel, but also a new sense of novelty. It is sure to appeal to those who love retro games.

The protagonist of this game is "you," the owner of a planet. Tired of your busy and stressful life in an overcrowded metropolis, and looking for a change in lifestyle, you come across a (dubious) offer to acquire an entire planet for a bargain price, almost free of charge. It turns out to be an old farming planet that has been abandoned in a corner of the galaxy for years. You thus acquire the planet, and with the help of a worn-out spaceship and an android for personal support, you are now living the slow life. ...... is the story of this game. This unique story combines the classic situation of a slow life in the countryside in a farm simulation game with an epic sci-fi setting in outer space, and it will thrill you.

The first thing to do after starting the game is to explore a desolate planet. The first thing to do after starting the game is to explore the desolate planet and collect resources such as wood and stones that are scattered all over the place. You can use an axe for wood, a sickle for grass, and so on. Many people may play farm simulation games because they like this silent and mindless work.

Once the land has been cleared to a certain extent, the next step is to cultivate the farm. The next step is to cultivate the soil with a mulch, plant seeds, water them with a watering can, and wait for them to grow. The crops are harvested and delivered to a special box to earn income. The tools have no durability value and can be used as long as you want, which is very stress-free. However, players have stamina, which decreases as they work, so work in moderation and sleep on the bed to recover.

Incidentally, the fact that many things are different from those on Earth, such as the trees being blue, the grass being purple, and being able to grow crops that you have never heard of, is an interesting point unique to this game, which is set in outer space.

So far, this is a relatively orthodox farm simulation, but there is one major feature that is unique to the space setting of this title. The first is the " spaceship. In this game, you can travel to other planets in the solar system on your spaceship and land there to collect resources, interact with the inhabitants, and purchase items at the store. The resources that can be caught on different planets will change as the planets change, so the game will stimulate your curiosity and make you want to visit different planets. Farm simulation games are often set in relatively small communities such as towns and villages, but this game is a revolutionary creation that allows players to move between planets, allowing them to enjoy a grand world view while playing a box garden game.

However, the use of spaceships is not unlimited. Fuel is required to travel to other planets, and the time required depends on the distance traveled. Fuel can be accumulated by putting collected resources such as coal and wood into boxes inside the spaceship and processing them. As for the time, since staying up late at night can cause fatigue, planetary travel must be planned with the time it takes to return home. Incidentally, there is a cot in the spaceship and you can sleep there, but the amount of stamina recovery is low, so you will want to sleep in your bed at home whenever possible. This system, which requires a lot of preparation and planning before space exploration, gives a strong sense of realistic adventure.

In addition to farm management and space exploration, there are many other things you can do, such as collecting animals and plants on each planet and upgrading your spaceship. In addition, as you progress through the game, you will discover the reason why the planet was sold for as good as free. As the game is still in Early Access, we can expect even more volume and quality improvements when it is officially released, "Planet Settlement - Farland. Whether you like simulations or adventures, we encourage you to give it a try.

• Planet Settlers - Farland" (JanduSoft, Eric Rodríguez)
• Genre: Simulation
• Release date: July 24, 2024 (*Early Access)
• Price: 1,400 yen (as of August 14, 2024)
• Copyright: (C) 2024 JanduSoft, Eric Rodríguez

3, Conquer the 53 Stages of the Tokaido in Sugoroku! The multi-compatible digital medal game "Kosen Pusher Friends San" that gives you the feel of an arcade game!

Do you like arcade medal games?　If you are a gamer with children, you may go to the arcade with your children during the summer vacation season.

This title, "Kosen Pusher Friends San," is a Japanese-style digital medal pusher game set in the Edo period. Akiba Research Institute previously introduced "Kosen Pusher Friends 2", and this title is a sequel to that, with various new elements added while maintaining the same playability.

The controls and rules are as simple and clear as in the previous title "2. The player moves the ejector to the left or right to launch old coins (medals), which are dropped by pushers on the stage to be collected.

Note that simply dropping old coins or items from the board does not mean that you have won them; you need to catch them with the box attached to the ejector. This playing experience is basically the same as in the previous and previous two games, simple and easy to play. In addition, although the text cannot fully convey the charm of this game, the realistic sound of old coins jingling and sparkling is also very pleasant and adds to the fun atmosphere.

The most important point of this work is, without a doubt, the " sugoroku " displayed in the upper half of the screen. The theme of the game is the 53 Stages of the Tokaido Highway, which is well-known in Ukiyoe by Utagawa Hiroshige and Tokaido Chujuhi-Kurige by Yaji and Kita. Depending on the squares where the pieces stop, various events will occur.

Starting from Nihonbashi in Edo, the goal is to reach Sanshino Ohashi, the last stop on the 53 Stages of the Tokaido Highway, and a reward is awarded when the player reaches the goal. I have the impression that many of the medal games in game arcades are popular because they feature a sugoroku system like the one in this game, and it is very appealing to be able to enjoy that kind of fun at home.

The backgammon squares are filled with a variety of events, such as a box full of old coins that rains down on you, or a basket house that you can use to advance to the next square. One of the most unique events is the store event when you stop at the inn square. This square opens an RPG-like store menu where players can spend their coins to purchase a variety of effects. If you make good use of them, such as by making several dice appear on the board or by increasing the jackpot, you can gain an advantage in backgammon and earn a lot of old coins. In addition to events, items may also appear along the way.

Whenever an item is acquired, it has the effect of increasing the dice roll by +1 or doubling the advance on the next dice roll, so it is important to make good use of these items as well. In addition, there are several types of battle mini-games in which you have to hit enemies with old coins to defeat them, and in general, I felt that the events unique to digital medal games kept me interested in playing.

And we mustn't forget about the multiplayer aspect of the "Friends" series.
This title supports online multiplayer for up to four players. The old coins and items that fall down are asynchronous with other players, but the old coins that players eject are synchronized, giving the impression that it is easier to earn old coins and items than in solo play. Especially in battle mini-games against enemies, multiplayer seems to be much easier to win. Since the only means of communication is a simple stamp rather than text chat, the hurdle to multiplayer play with someone you don't know is low and easy to enjoy.

Another feature of this series is that there is an enhancement element that improves abilities. In this title, there are two types of upgrades: one that uses old coins, and the other that consumes the "kodama" (a kind of Japanese jewelry) earned along the way and at the finish line. These include expanding boxes, which are receptacles for old coins and items, increasing the movement speed of your ship, enhancing bonuses for stopping at special squares, installing additional ejectors on your ship, and more. The more you play, the easier it gets to play, so it is inevitable that you will become addicted to the game and lose the urge to quit. The self-enhancement element also functions as a challenging element, and in this title, there are backgammon pieces that can be changed with gradient balls as a further challenging element, making this title even more enjoyable than the previous and second titles.

Kosen Pusher Friends San" is an arcade-like medal game with an event-filled backgammon, which can be enjoyed solo or multiplayer. The jackpot generated by collecting koban (small coins) is a real brain juicer, and once you try it, you'll be addicted to it. The game requires no difficult controls and is reasonably priced at less than one coin, making it a good choice even for those who don't usually play games.

• Kosen Pusher Friends San" (STP WORKS)
• Genre Arcade
• Release date: July 26, 2024
• Price: 470 yen (as of August 14, 2024)
• Copyright: (C) 2024 STP WORKS

Did you find any of the new recommended Steam titles of interest?

So, we have introduced our recommended new Steam titles.

This time, we picked up three titles in very different genres: an action-adventure, a farm simulation, and a medal game. If you found a title that interests you, please check it out!