Hanako’s Flower Shop is a cozy visual novel with resource management elements, centered on Hanako, a young woman taking over her grandfather’s beloved flower shop. Set in a cute, anime-inspired village, the game blends heartfelt storytelling, bouquet-crafting puzzles, and light farming mechanics, focusing on themes of growth, grief, and connection through the language of flowers.

The main feature of the game is its bouquet-building system, a puzzle-like task where you create arrangements based on the symbolic meanings of flowers, like red roses for love, white lilies for modesty, or amaryllis for regret. Customers share their personal stories, and key phrases in their dialogue, which are highlighted via a transcript system reveal emotions like joy, grief, or kinship, guiding your flower choices.

Blending multiple genres while staying cozy and forgiving

There are no strict timers or penalties for wrong bouquets; instead, customers gently suggest alternatives if your arrangement misses the mark, keeping the game cozy. The June 2025 update introduced a “Flower Codex”, a journal tracking flower meanings and customer preferences, which helps new players by cutting down on guesswork.

On the other side, resource management in the game involves gathering flowers in three ways: planting them in your garden, foraging in the forest (limited to seven flowers per trip), or buying seeds and flowers for next-day delivery. Gardening is straightforward, you plant seeds, water them, and harvest once they grow, though some flowers take longer to grow than others.

Hanako’s Flower Shop also features a “Neighbor Assistance” option, where characters like the twins Aya and Sayuri can collect flowers for a small fee, meaning this feature really is simplifying resource gathering in a good way. Not everything here is about gameplay though, you can take breaks to listen to the radio or enjoy snacks, which boosts Hanako’s happiness, a small stat that influences your dialogue choices and improves your shop’s performance.

“Resource management in the game involves gathering flowers in three ways.”

Your choices slightly shape the story outcome

The story isn’t truly linear; your choices shape Hanako’s journey and the outcomes for customers. What you say during customer conversations or nightly chats with Grandpa (through flashbacks) impacts relationships and story paths, although major plot points remain consistent. For example, giving a “good” bouquet that matches a customer’s feelings can lead to positive follow-up letters or happy endings, while “non-fitting” bouquets might result in neutral or bittersweet outcomes. The launch version featured multiple endings based on Hanako’s growth and relationships, and the June 2025 update added two new endings.

Cute animations, like sheep jumping over Hanako’s bed at night, add a charming touch while community festivals, such as the Flower Festival, let you sell bouquets, play mini-games like flower-matching puzzles, and unlock unique decor items. The bouquet-building puzzles are forgiving, letting you retry without penalty as long as you listen carefully to customer stories. Also, the resource system is well-balanced, offering plenty of flowers.

A Hint System for these puzzles provides subtle clues if you struggle with flower meanings, while the game’s emotional depth explores themes of grief and self-discovery. For example, helping a customer process loss with a thoughtful bouquet feels truly meaningful. The absence of “wrong” choices reinforces the game’s message that growth comes from good intentions, not perfection.

“Your choices shape Hanako’s journey and the outcomes for customers.”

Best enjoyed in several sessions

Hanako’s Flower Shop features lush, hand-drawn 2D anime-style art, showcasing flower designs and cozy environments like the shop, forest, and village. Characters have distinct designs, and charming animations, though they lack variety. While the art shines, the UI’s text-heavy design feels dated compared to modern visual novels, and some animations, like customer movements, can seem stiff. Still, performance remains solid with no major graphical glitches.

In the end, Hanako’s Flower Shop is a heartwarming visual novel with no major issues, though it’s not for everyone. I believe visual novels need something truly special to draw you in and keep you playing, and while this game suits fans of Coffee Talk or Strange Horticulture, its overly forgiving gameplay might feel too easy. It’s best enjoyed in several sessions rather than one long sitting and perfect for fans of Visual Novels.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

The post Hanako’s Flower Shop – Cute visual novel focusing on themes like growth and grief first appeared on IndieGames.

Set on a mysterious island in a long-lost sea, Keeper follows the journey of a lighthouse, an unusual protagonist, who awakens from a deep sleep beneath a distant mountain peak. Accompanied by a seabird, the lighthouse embarks on an adventure of friendship and discovery. What sets Keeper apart is its complete reliance on visuals to tell its story, with no dialogue or text, challenging you to explore the island’s landscapes and decipher clues from the environment.

Keeper will be available on October 17, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam, and will launch day one on Game Pass.

The post Xbox Game Showcase Revealed Puzzle Adventure Keeper, Launching Day One on Game Pass first appeared on IndieGames.

In Out of Words, you control Kurt and Karla, two friends on the brink of romance who have mysteriously lost their ability to speak. Their mission is to find these lost words to save their relationship and the strange world they inhabit. The game demands teamwork, requiring cooperation to solve puzzles and overcome platforming challenges. Whether playing through online crossplay or local couch co-op, the experience emphasizes synergy, with every moment testing coordination and trust.

The game’s presentation is outstanding, featuring handmade visuals brought to life with stop-motion animation. This 2D adventure bursts with personality, with every environment and character carefully crafted to evoke the charm of picture books. The nonverbal narrative relies on expressive animations and an uplifting soundtrack to convey emotional depth, creating an experience that touches you without a single spoken word.

The post Touching Co-op Adventure Out of Words Unveiled at Summer Game Fest first appeared on IndieGames.

Mixtape follows three friends on their final adventure, guided by a perfectly curated playlist of 80s and 90s hits featuring iconic bands like DEVO, Roxy Music, The Smashing Pumpkins, Joy Division, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. This soundtrack fuels a series of dreamy vignettes, each highlighting key teenage moments: first kisses, late-night mischief, skateboarding, fireworks, and sneaking into abandoned theme parks.

The trailer, packed with amazing visuals, captures the era’s spirit, blending nostalgic realism with dreamlike, fantastical moments that evoke the emotional highs of adolescence. Echoing Life is Strange, the game uses abstract storytelling to amplify the pivotal moments shaping its characters. The distinctive style of Beethoven & Dinosaur, seen in the psychedelic flair of The Artful Escape, shines through in this title as well.

The post Nostalgična ’80-ih tinejdžerska avantura Mixtape ukrala je pozornost na ovogodišnjem Summer Game Festu first appeared on IndieGames.

You step into the shoes of Tobias, a young guy from a sleepy fishing village whose life gets turned upside down when he and his little brother discover a strange crystal. When his brother mysteriously falls ill, Tobias sets off on a desperate quest for answers, plunging into a world of shadowy forces. The story, which is expected to unfold over five to ten hours, is packed with twists and emotional weight, drawing inspiration from classics like Black Mirror and Kathy Rain.

What truly sets Two Realms apart is its dedication to making point-and-click adventures feel new and, more importantly, frustration-free. The developers Jaromír Janisch and Tomáš Létal have focused on puzzles that actually make sense, all rooted in logical character choices. Whether you’re solving a riddle or chatting with characters like Thaddeus, the law-obsessed mage, or Severin, the scruffy mystic who’s loyal to a fault, the gameplay feels intuitive yet still challenging.

The post Two Realms: Whispers from the Rift is a new emotional pixel-style game set in a medieval world, launching in 2026 first appeared on IndieGames.

Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a 3D adventure game where you embody Kulebra, a skeletal snake, in a Latin American-inspired afterlife called Limbo. Under the guidance of a mysterious Old Lady, you’ll explore papercraft-style settings, solving puzzles, gathering clues, and using stealth to aid the residents in moving on. Crucially, these souls are trapped in a 24-hour time loop, repeating their days due to unresolved regrets, trauma, and loss.

We explored brothers perspective on Game Pass and the indie gaming scene, what players can expect from Kulebra, and the core message they hope players will take away. You can find Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

Can you share the origin story of Galla Games? What inspired you both to leave the Dominican Republic and pursue game development in the United States, and how did that journey shape Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo?

Originally we started the studio in the Dominican Republic, over the particular coincidence of me (Paulo Lara) being an artist, who had a strong affinity for video game art. And Pavel Lara developed a strong interest in programming at the time, completely focused on video games. 

Besides us being huge video game “nerds,” we had very similar tastes when it came to media in general. So we decided that this was a great opportunity to explore the idea of developing games. And so we gave it a chance, starting with something fairly simple. 

Then through our mother, the opportunity to come to the United States became a possibility. It seemed like a great place to expand as developers, since the video games’ market in the Dominican Republic was non-existent back then. So we decided to take the opportunity and continue with our project here in the United States. And after some failed projects, reinventing ourselves in many ways, and some good surprises… Here we are!

An important question, as brothers, did you ever have disagreements or arguments when you were working on the game together?

We’ve had our minor differences here and there, but honestly, nothing outstanding. And thankfully, none of those have come from a bad place. We always try to push our ideas in the belief that  will increase the quality of the project. And as time goes on these disagreements have become less common and less impactful when it comes to game making decisions. It’s important to be flexible and open to each other’s opinions in order to have a proactive flow as developers. 

Which games, films, or other media inspired Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo? Were there specific titles that shaped its cozy yet emotional tone or its focus on helping others?

I can surely mention games like Ace Attorney, Paper Mario, and Professor Layton. But our main inspiration for the game was The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask. Especially the side quest elements of said game. They set a level of immersion that we can only hope to achieve.

From the changes in the environment as the time goes by, to the characters’ many surprises around this same schedule. One that may surprise you is Resident Evil as an inspiration source. A lot of the puzzle elements in Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo come from Resident Evil, believe it or not! I’ve personally noticed that once you remove the horror elements from this puzzle structure, it can make for a very cathartic experience when solving puzzles.

So we try to achieve a similar result through our game. Having difficult puzzles is not our goal in this case, but to make them engaging and fun as the player uncovers the story of the game.

Latin American folklore, particularly Day of the Dead aesthetics, plays a big role in the game’s world. Were there specific cultural elements you wanted to highlight?

I wouldn’t say so, the elements are there, but we’d much rather prefer to use the cultural elements as a vehicle to flesh out our characters and how each one of them have their own worlds within this shared environment and culture.  Although most of the game’s cultural influence has a Day of the Dead theme, we take some elements from the Dominican culture as well! I won’t spoil anything, but I sure hope some Dominican players get to spot these!

What is the game’s core message, and can you briefly introduce us to the main mechanics?

The game’s core message focuses on both the power of empathy and kindness, and the importance of doing the right thing, despite the sacrifices that it may bring. As for the main mechanics of the game, we have the time-loop and your trusty notebook.

Each soul trapped in Limbo has a set routine throughout the day, and you can gather information and items by talking with them and exploring the world. At the end of a day, everything resets, but you get to keep your knowledge and most of your items. Your goal will be to use everything you gather to figure out what’s needed to help the souls with their issues. You can think of it as doing some “detective work” in the afterlife.

There will also be many extra challenges on top of what I mentioned before that will give each of the game’s chapters their own flavor.

How challenging will the puzzles be, and what kind of stealth gameplay can players expect?

As briefly mentioned in a previous question, I would say that the puzzles do not focus on being challenging, but they’re more about having fun while you uncover the mysteries around Limbo. But I’m sure that our puzzles will have some cool twists to keep the experience fresh and interesting.

The stealth is a fairly common element in the game, more than we would have ever expected during the early days of development. The stealth is quite varied, in the sense that you may find some stealth sections to be very casual, but others may be the difference between “life or death”. So you can’t always let your guard down when exploring the world of Limbo! 

How does the day/night (or time) cycle impact gameplay?

A lot! In fact, most puzzles, and probably all the detective work that the player will be doing will in one way or another roll around the time mechanics. In order to properly understand how to progress and help the souls of Limbo, you have to truly understand their schedule, and what elements of these you may manipulate in order to make them move closer to your goal. 

I can think of many examples, in which in many cases in which the problem in hand, requires you to experience the cycle of a character in order to understand what leads them into breaking their respective patterns. 

You may see a character stuck through the day looking for an important item to solve a problem, but as it turns out, they would only come to find the item they need when it’s already too late to address the issue. The player may see this as a chance to instruct them early in the day’s cycle on where to find what they’re looking for, and so this breaks part of the pattern that keeps the character stuck in a loop. It’s all about creating cracks in the cycle of each character to help them get out. 

But instead of me going into obsessive detail, I can surely say that a lot of this is present in chapter one of the game. Which is available as a free demo, in case anyone is interested! 

The papercraft aesthetic gives Kulebra such a distinct look, what inspired this visual direction?

Earlier in production the 2.5D aesthetic came from certain limitations. We wanted to have a 3D environment that felt natural to explore, with a substantial amount of elements to interact with. So, in order to achieve this within our small team, we decided to simplify the complexity of character assets to 2D to make sure they wouldn’t become a detriment to the development of the game.

With that, we also wanted to make the character renders to stand out, leading us to sacrifice some level of 2D animation to have more complex renders for our characters. Then with these limitations in mind, we centered all the visual elements into a “Pop-up book” like visuals. Emulating a subtle feeling of storytelling throughout the whole game.

How did your partnership with Fellow Traveller come about?

As far as I recall, it all happened little after our First Kickstarter for the game. We did not meet our goal, so we were looking into ways to continue the development of the game. Thankfully, soon enough one of the scouts from Fellow Traveller discovered our team, and they proposed a partnership. After a few nice meetings, and getting into an agreement, everything was pretty much set!

Thankfully we couldn’t have asked for a better partnership. Fellow Traveller has been a blessing in the development of the game, and we can’t stress enough how much of a game changer this has been for us! 

What’s your perspective on the current state of the gaming industry, especially the indie scene?

That’s a very interesting question, but when it comes to the indie game industry, things get a bit complicated. Since it’s hard to pin the things into a specific state or category, given the flexible nature of it. Composed of countless backgrounds, budgets, and personalities developing all sorts of ideas. Anything goes in the indie market, and this makes for a very fertile environment for creative ideas of all kinds.

But one thing hasn’t quite changed throughout the years, and our opinion may not be uncommon, but we can certainly say that the current state of the industry brings its own sort of challenges. As you may know, there are more ways than ever to become an indie developer, and in the past two decades that has only become more prominent, but so is the constant struggle that comes with trying to reach an audience in such a rich and saturated industry.

All this makes up for a fairly volatile and hostile market when it comes to trying to establish a sense of stability, for any studio. So given these factors, to anyone willing to give this industry a chance, even if it’s just to make a dream project come true, they have our respect.

As developers, how do you view Xbox Game Pass? Do you see it as a sustainable model for games like yours?

As the model sits currently, yes. It can guarantee a decent degree of success within the Xbox platform, especially for low profile studios. All this while maximizing the exposure of the game to new players, since it would be the equivalent of a “free game” to the players in the program. It can be a win-win depending on the position of the studio. 

In the end, do you want players to walk away feeling like they’ve had a cozy experience, or an emotional journey they’ll reflect on?

We would say the latter. Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a game that sets a platform for introspection. In the end we want the players to experience the power of empathy, and what this can bring to their lives, and others. While understanding the sacrifice that may come with it, but knowing that despite it all, it is still worth it.

The post Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo: Paulo and Pavel Lara Share What Makes This Game Unique first appeared on IndieGames.

It’s hard not to feel emotionally attached to Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo. This isn’t just a video game, it’s a profound work of art with impactful storytelling that touches your heart and soul in unexpected ways. While the gameplay isn’t groundbreaking, the game brilliantly explores themes like trauma, guilt, and the struggle to move on, reminding us we’re never truly alone in our suffering, while offering a gentle push to keep going forward.

Paper Mario inspired graphics with amazing world-building

Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo features cartoonish graphics inspired by Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, with a rich color palette of bright pinks, greens, and oranges that enhance its tactile, emotional world. The Latin American influence, rooted in Día de los Muertos, also shines through festive details like confetti, masks, and decorations, complementing the game’s themes of trauma and healing. Three distinct times of day: morning, evening, and night each bring unique visual flair, seamlessly tying the environments to the heartfelt storytelling.

The game’s characters, from Kulebra with its heart-shaped spine to the messenger bird and others, are simple yet charmingly animated and truly stand out. You’ll likely find many to connect with, as the game expertly portrays each one without overwhelming you with information. What’s particularly engaging is how each character subtly provides details that can prove useful later in your journey. Although the art style isn’t as polished as a Nintendo title, its “passive beauty” is quite appealing. This is further helped by the detailed and well-integrated world-building; everything feels thoughtfully crafted and surprisingly cohesive.

This 10-12 hour singleplayer adventure focuses on exploring a time-looped Limbo, solving puzzles, and engaging in narrative interactions as you help souls overcome their regrets in towns and cities. While the initial prologue effectively introduces us to the game, the experience becomes somewhat repetitive and lacks deeper gameplay evolution as you progress.

“But no good deed goes unpunished”

Gameplay might not be impressive, but every dialogue matters

The core loop involves exploring connected areas and talking to NPCs to learn their stories. As mentioned, Limbo has a day-evening-night cycle, and a curse makes residents forget their actions each day. However, Kulebra remembers everything and uses a notebook to keep track of quests, NPC schedules, and clues. You manually advance the time cycle to influence events, like timing meetings with NPCs or solving puzzles that depend on the time. Paying close attention while exploring is key, as you can find items hidden in breakable objects or by talking to NPCs.

Clear quest system and dialogue hints make helping souls genuinely enjoyable. Most of your time involves reading and solving puzzles to achieve this goal. While the notebook eases memory, remembering details is crucial for boss fights. These encounters feature a fun mini-game where bosses quiz you on your knowledge, with a bar indicating your accuracy. Interestingly, they might even try to trick you with mismatched questions and answers.

Puzzles vary from simple item hunts to multi-stage challenges tied to NPC routines or the environment. Many puzzles are also connected to the story. Stealth sections, where Kulebra avoids enemies using light and music, create approachable but tense moments, though the repetitive “wait-and-move” can become tiresome. Kulebra’s rolling is key for fast travel and smashing pots to collect currency, which is also found hidden or falling from the sky and used to buy items.

“What hurts me the most… Is that I can’t see why he’d go without even a goodbye”

An unforgettable emotional journey

While avoiding spoilers, it’s worth noting that beyond the main story, there are engaging “side quests” crucial for completionists. To experience everything, exploring the entire map and entering each building to trigger dialogues is recommended, though you can skip some non-essential moments without affecting the main narrative. Another surprising aspect is how easily the game hooks you, making it difficult to stop playing. The cozy and casual atmosphere likely contributes to this, as you don’t need to do overly demanding tasks to progress, often leading to the urge to finish just one more chapter.

Ultimately, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo delivers a truly unique emotional journey. If you enjoy games with well-developed characters, surprising plot twists, and a blend of cozy atmosphere with proper mystery and storytelling, this title is for you. Its beautiful visuals and memorable moments shine, though those who dislike detailed exploration might find the repetitive puzzles and backtracking a drawback.

“I’ll forever be grateful… Thank you.”

Review copy provided by the publisher

4.3

The post Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo – Emocionalno putovanje koje nikada nećete zaboraviti first appeared on IndieGames.

The narrative centers on an ancient ritual where a single shot determines the fate of an entire community. The protagonist, known as the Dreamer, has trained for decades under the watchful eye of a mentor to master a sacred sling woven from human hair. Success brings prosperity, while failure can lead to unforeseen consequences.​

With a playtime of 50 to 75 minutes, the game emphasizes introspection over action, focusing on quiet conversations with the mentor and villagers whose hopes rest on the Dreamer’s abilities. The mechanics are based on precise aiming, but the true highlight is the atmosphere inspired by Iberian culture, blending low-polygon 3D models with pixel art textures reminiscent of vibrant frescoes.

Many Nights a Whisper doesn’t offer explosive action or complex systems but rather an emotional journey that raises questions about responsibility, destiny, and the price of perfection. With its minimalist approach and poetic storytelling, the title continues the tradition of auteur games that view this medium as a form of artistic expression.

The post Meditative Archery Adventure Many Nights a Whisper Launches Late April first appeared on IndieGames.

“The hardest part is not to speak up. It’s being heard.” Written by Pierre Corbinais (Haven, Road 96: Prologue, Bury Me, My Love), Wednesdays seeks to raise awareness about child sexual abuse through a surprisingly uplifting story. It is part video game, part graphic novel designed to be accessible to players of all kinds, and even non-players.

Wednesdays tells a fragmented story through multiple perspectives. Unveil a moving and sincere story dealing with intrafamilial sexual abuse without any taboo but with a lot of heart. Through the fragmented memories of a victim, Tim, this real-life game combines storytelling and the management of a theme park to raise awareness and help make amends with kindness and optimism.

The post Wednesdays has just been released for PC and Mac first appeared on IndieGames.

Longdue has confirmed that Lenval Brown, the unmistakable voice of the narrator in Disco Elysium, will be a key part of the project, lending his voice to one of the main characters in the game. In addition, Martin Luiga, founder of the ZA/UM cultural association and a writer who contributed to Disco Elysium, has joined the team to help craft Hopetown’s narrative and systems, aiming to tell a rich story rooted in the past, present, and future. Piotr Sobolewski, who led a 15-person team on Disco Elysium, is also involved in the project.

Set in a mining town undergoing decay and transformation, Hopetown presents a world where words are the most powerful weapon, and every choice leaves a lasting impact. Players take on the role of a journalist uncovering corruption, ambition, and the fragile systems holding society together. The town is a battleground of extremes—from the dark depths of the mines to the gleaming surface, promising progress yet riddled with corruption.

Additionally, the game introduces a psychogeographic system that reshapes how players interact with the game world. Emotions, memories, and conversations replace traditional mechanics like keys and levers, becoming tools to unlock doors, alter landscapes, and forge relationships.

The post Hopetown is a New CRPG and Spiritual Successor to Disco Elysium That Explores the Power of Words and Environmental Influence first appeared on IndieGames.