Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s weekly catch-up news feature, the catch-up coffee. With each issue I will bring you the best news that you may have missed. Grab the biggest mug you’ve got, fill it with your favourite brew, and catch up with us (and our favourite news anchor, Dee Dee)!
Another witchy cozy game is on the way with The Cauldron Kids
The first game from a small indie studio, The Cauldron Kids is a short narrative RPG is about twin witches, home alone. They can turn the house upside-down, play games with each other, race to other dimensions, and bewitch a plushie. The entire game world is the chalet the twins live in, but it is full of magical and playful surprises.
Players can choose which twin to play as. There’s Cassie, who is chaotic and clumsy; and there’s Layla, a rational mastermind. Each twin’s story has its own set of dialogues. They wear colour-coded hats so you can tell them apart. All they want to do is steal mom’s wand to cast a spell on a frog plushie. There are several minigames, including bouncing off the staircase, racing across the kitchen, and opening doors to galactic voids.
Developed and published by Pet Golem Games, The Cauldron Kids will be coming to PC via Steam/itch.io in the coming months.
Cats are the protagonists in visual novel Kittengumi: The Thief of the Sakabato
Kittengumi: The Thief of the Sakabato is a hand-drawn visual novel where cats are the protagonists of a classic Japanese narrative. The Sakabato sword has been stolen, and Ryuudama plus other warriors needs to recover it. Try different narrative routes to get to know all the characters and scenarios. Here is the game’s announcement trailer:
Set in faraway Nyedo, Nyppon, the game begins at the headquarters of the Kittengumi, a group of samurai who are devoted to security and justice. But a commotion arises as the emblematic Sakabato sword is been stolen. The Kittengumi don’t hesitate to hit the streets in attempt to recover the treasure. Cat Ryuudama, panda bear Kumaneko, ninja Azuki, and others will have to overcome many challenges to uncover the thief’s identity.
Developed by Guarida Games and published by Gammera Nest, Kittengumi: The Thief of the Sakabato will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on October 13.
American Arcadia launches in November
Arcadia is a retro-futuristic ’70s metropolis at the centre of American Arcadia. It promises a life of luxury and comfort. The citizens don’t realize that they’re starring in American Arcadia, the world’s most popular reality TV show that is broadcast live, 24/7. A drop in someone’s popularity can be a death sentence. It’s like Big Brother amped up to 1000. And none of this is good for ordinary, mundane Trevor Hills. He’s got one hope in the form of a stage technician, Angela Solano, who is determined to help Trevor escape with his life.
Players control two different characters in two different worlds of gameplay. Trevor is fleeing Arcadia in a 2.5D puzzle-platformer, while Angela explores and hacks in a first-person view. They’ll have to work together to overcome the powerful corporation trying to take them down.
Developed by Out of the Blue and published by Raw Fury, American Arcadia will be released for PC via Steam on November 15.
Sandbox life simulation RPG Spirit of the Island launches later this month
In your homeland, there’s an old tradition where, to become an adult and complete the coming of age ritual, you must go on a journey of discovery. Begin on an island deep in a tropical Archipelago, which was once a popular destination but is now a shadow of itself. Explore, meet the locals, and lend them a hand to restore the island to its former glory while trying to uncover the mysteries of the past.
Start with some tools, find a source of food, chose a place to live, and build a farm to kickstart your tropical journey. There are ten skills to learn, including farming, mining, foraging, social, and fishing. Each has its own minigame. The island needs to be both a welcoming home to locals and a booming tourist paradise. The more tourists there are, the better the economy. This is crucial to fund your journeys to faraway islands. Some tourists will choose to move to the island. The game can be played in two-player co-op mode, where you can do everything with the help of someone else.
Developed by 1 Million Bits Horde, and published by PID Games and META Publishing, Spirit of the Island will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on October 19. It first launched for PC via Steam in mid-2022.
