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)!
Farming/life sim SunnySide will be released for PC in May and consoles in July
The developer of farming/life sim SunnySide believe the game will push boundaries of the entire genre. That’s TBD at the moment, so for now all we have is a demo, some written information, and some trailers. The game features a cast of anime-inspired characters, modern farm sim gameplay, and cozy turn-based combat. Set in a small yet diverse Japanese town, SunnySide isn’t all gameplay mechanics: there is a compelling story to uncover. It will be time to discover what lurks underneath the town when the game launches for PC in May and consoles in July.
A sassy drone has saved you from a cave and you’re tasked with helping it retrieve its lost memories and learn about humans. Your first purchased plot of land can be found in an aging town deep in the countryside. Use modern technology (the “hang out” system) to balance time between the farming and life sim aspects. There are over 100 types of crops to grow and 25 characters to meet.
Developed by RainyDay Games and published by Merge Games, SunnySide will be released on May 24 for PC via Steam. It will be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on July 10.
Atmospheric narrative future-noir thriller Let Bions be Bygones launches later this month
Terrahive. A planet that never should have existed, it is encrusted with the disease known as humanity. It is overseen by ancient brains on apparatuses that are driven by greed, corruption, progress, and immortality. In Let Bions be Bygones, a retired detective sets off on his final case: finding a missing upper-class girl in the lowest parts of Terrahive. I’m not going to lie, the game is super intriguing to me since I have recently found that I love retired hardboiled detective stories – and I won’t have to wait long for the opportunity to see it all play out. Let Bions be Bygones will be released for PC at the end of April.
John Cooper has lost everything, but this one case still needs solving. Let Bions be Bygones allows the player to blaze their own path through the game by making decisions from four personalities (logical, muscular, empathetic, cynical), each with their own pros and cons. There are no wrong choices, technically speaking… only consequences. There are multiple, drastically different endings. Gameplay is a new take on classic narrative point-and-click games as character building, puzzles, and inventory are blended into the narrative. And no time limits! Rejoice!
Developed by Bohemian Pulp and published by MicroProse, Let Bions be Bygones will be released for PC via Steam on April 30. A console version has not been announced.
New Caledonian open-world adventure Tchia is finally, actually coming to Nintendo Switch
While Tchia has been available on PC and PlayStation for about a year, ! I know I’m not the only one who still relies on their Nintendo Switch for all/most games. Because of this, I really hope the game’s incoming Nintendo Switch launch gets even more eyes onto it. Tchia’s world is inspired heavily by New Caledonia, a tiny Pacific island where the development studio’s co-founders are from. Inspiration was found everywhere: real varied local landscapes, cultures, music, languages, folklores, and traditions are all represented in the game. And that world will finally be available for Nintendo Switch towards the end of June.
Tchia is a young girl called to adventure when she needs to rescues her family and home after a series of islands are attacked by strange fabric-made creatures who also kidnapped her father. She’s got common tools at her disposal, like a slingshot, but she can also Soul Jump. Soul Jumping allows Tchia to jump into nearby creatures and objets to control them. With her tools and special ability, she might just be able to drive the monsters away and help any inhabitants who’ve gotten caught up in this disaster.
Developed by Awaceb, Tchia will be released for Nintendo Switch on June 27. I’m not entirely sure who the digital publisher will be, but physical editions will be released in partnership with Maximum Games. Tchia is already available – and published by Kepler Interactive – for PC via Steam/Epic, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.
Reigns: Beyond launch date for PC and Nintendo Switch confirmed for this week
Apple Arcade seems to be losing games at a rapid pace. While it won’t necessarily be losing Reigns: Beyond, it will no longer be the only way to access the game as it gets released on two new platforms this week. The Reigns series has been around for years now, getting players to make decisions for the kindgoms (or, in the case of Reigns: Beyond, the ship) by swiping left and right. It’s like Tinder for pretend politics, and it is very easy to get carried away while playing. Five minutes is never five minutes.
You’re part of a intergalactic indie rock band and it’s time to make your star rise by traveling to various planets. Play gigs, recruit members, and rock out in a guitar mini-game. You can also fight “villains” like pirates or tax collectors in swiping dogfights. But it’s not all fun, as the ship’s resources need to be managed. One wrong decision and you’re all dead. With more than 1400 decision cards, the story paths can vary with each playthrough.
Developed by Nerial and published by Devolver Digital, Reigns: Beyond will be released for PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch on April 17. The Apple Arcade version is still available, too.
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