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We were treated to another Wholesome Direct this past weekend and now my wishlist is twice as long as it was last week.
On June 10, cozy gaming fans were spoiled with another Wholesome Direct showcase which gave us so many exciting games to look forward to. The presentation lasted a whole hour and featured a tonne of upcoming indies such as Mineko's Night Market, Venba, Unpacking, Button City, and many more.
There were a few games that stood out to me more than the others though. One of the first games to catch my eye was Fishbowl. This coming-of-age story takes place over a month and follows the daily life of twenty-one-year-old Alo. Players will need to stay in touch with friends via video call, work from home editing videos, sort through Alo's late grandmother's belongings, and take care of things around the house. We're currently still waiting on a release date for this one.
Next up, it was impossible for me to not include Sticky Business. In this simulation game, players will find out what it takes to run their own online sticker business as they design products, upload them onto the online store, interact with customers, package up their orders, and more. Sticky Business is set to release later this year, but if you can't wait until then there is a demo available now on Steam.
After that, we've got SANYA, a nostalgic narrative adventure set in the 90s that follows a young boy named Sanya and the stray dog he finds. This slice-of-life story lets you experience being a kid again (or being a kid in the 90s at all) as you explore your local area, meet with friends, play mini-games, and more. Sanya is set to release in 2024, but just like Sticky Business, it also has a demo available right now.
Along similar lines, we're now moving onto The Palace on the Hill, another slice-of-life adventure game this time set in 90s rural India - I'm sensing a bit of a theme here. In this game, players will take control of teenage boy Vir as he explores ancient palace ruins, tends to his garden, cooks Indian food, runs errands, learns more about his history by making art, and maybe even pursues a romance. You can play the prologue of The Palace on the Hill right now.
Last, but certainly not least, we've got Tiny Book Shop which, you guessed it, sees players manage a tiny book shop in picturesque locations. The cozy management sim will require players to keep the bookshop stocked up, get to know the locals, collect second-hand books to organize in your store, and more. Tiny Book Shop doesn't have a release date just yet so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled for more on this one soon.
Because I can't help myself here's a few honorable mentions that also featured in Wholesome Direct 2023 and that also belong on your wish list: Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge, Flutter Away, and Fields of Mistria.
