Wholesome Direct Indie Showcase E3 2021 Recap

I personally love Wholesome Directs, they show off so many Indies that you may have never heard of that you instantly know you need to play, as well as just games that fill your heart with mostly joy. I’m really glad that they are presenting another one at E3 this year, here is our recap of all the Indies shown off, 75 in total!

• Bird Problems is a sitcom narrative game focused on birds living humanoid lives including one called Tweeter Greggory and Lola van Dove. The colourful cast of characters are rendered in 3D and you can wishlist the game on Steam now.
• Recolit is an adventure game where you explore a mysterious town by following trails of light and help its residence by using items to illuminate the story. It has great looking pixel art and can also be wishlisted on Steam.
• Snacko is a cute farming life sim where you all the characters are 2D cats in a 3D world. This colourful cat-venture will be launching in 2022.
• Alekon is a photography game with mini-games and quirky creatures that you can even dress up in custom hats. Alekon is available now on Steam.
• A Little to the Left is the puzzle game that might be the nirvana or hell of people with OCD. The aim of the game is to stack, sort and organise things in just the right spot. You can wishlist it now on Steam.
• Ooblets is receiving its a big content update (version 0.8) which includes two new ooblets and a new area Port Forward. The update is out now on Xbox and the Epic Game Store.
• Cast spells, be queer and crash the biggest concert of the year in Sprit Swap, an action puzzle game. The game is set in a lush world full of witchy-demons, with a lofi soundtrack that you need to swap spirits to the beat of. It can be wishlisted now on Steam.
• Behind the Frame is a narrative driven puzzle game which features a unique painting mechanic, 360º panoramic scenes and a totally custom soundtrack.
• Little look at upcoming Skate Bird, we get to see how the game should be accessible to people less familiar with the genre by simplifying the controls. It’s coming soon.
• Here Comes Niko is a cozy 3D platformer with colourful animal characters but your a human. Oh and your boss is a frog by the way. Here Comes Niko is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch and can be wishlisted now.
• Pekoe is a cute tea making simulator where you run a teahouse in a town full of cats. The game looks really chill and who doesn’t need to a cup of tea every now and again.
• In Lake you are Meredith, a career woman who goes back to her home town and becomes a mail carrier? You have to drive around town and meeting all different kinds of people, new, familiar, happy and busy is just part of the job. Lake releases on September 1 on Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox Series X/S.
• Yokai Inn is an adorable life sim set in a traditional Japanese-esc village with charming pixel art. You can forage, mine, cook, give offerings, collect gatchapon, this game has it all and more. You can learn more about Yokai Inn by following ShibaPixels on Twitter.
• In Mythic Ocean you need to explore the ocean and meets its gods within this beautifully rendered environment. Mythic Ocean is coming soon to PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.
• In Kokopa’s Atlas you are a cat with a bespectacled bird companion on an adventure on an unknown planet. Kokopa’s Atlas has a awesome looking art-style and perspectives that really bring this unknown place to life. You need to explore, try new things you find and you can even have your own garden. You can wishlist the game on Steam and also follow the game on Kickstarter
• Button City is a game I have been following on Patreon for a while now and it’s coming to consoles! If Animal Crossing had the art-style of Donut County then you know what Button City looks like. Follow Fennel the fox and his friends as they play games at the arcade, explore different shops and over all save Button City. Button City releases in Q3 2021 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam and Nintendo Switch.
• Letters is a written adventure about a little girl Sarah from Switzerland who is writing to a pen friend. Depending on what key words you choose, as Sarah gets older there will be different sides of the story you can experience. You can even fight monsters in them! Letters is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch and is releasing Q4 2021.
• Hot Pot For One sees you alone on a cold Christmas night, stuck at home in a foreign country, but thats ok cause you can cook a hotpot! Hot Pot For One is a short experience about experiencing lonely times and the food that keeps us going.
• Garden Story is an RPG where you are Concord the grape, a guardian that needs to protect their friend, collect materials, make repairs and create social ties while you fend off the Rot. Is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch in Q3 2021.
• Tracks of Thought is an RPG shaped by your own personality on a train full of bugs. Find common ground in card based battles where you use different kind of responses (such as direct, logic, sensitive and inspiring) as cards and you can even face yourself! There is a demo out now on Steam until June 18.
• Beasts of Maravilla Island is a photography sim where you are an aspiring wildlife photographer armed with her Grandfathers camera and a field guide for the island. Explore, discover and interact with wonderful creatures and photographing unique behaviours. Beats of Maravilla Island is out today on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PS4 and Xbox One.
• We get to see more from the enchanting Ghibli-esc Hoa. We get to see some new platforming gameplay underground of our fairy friend Hoa. The game has come a long way since last years Wholesome Direct. Hoa is releasing on August 21, 2021 on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Series X/S, PS4 and PS5.
• In We are OFK is an awesome looking episodic narrative game about a band. The game looks spectacular, the characters all seem alive and the music is great. You can wishlist We are OFK on Steam now.
• Paralives is a construction sim that allows you to build the house of your dreams. You can support and follow its development on Patreon and Steam.
• KeyWe is a cute postal co-op puzzle game where you play is Kiwi birds in a crazy post office. KeyWe is releasing on August 31.
• In Walk with Yiayia you’re spending time with your grandmother but she has a fall and you need to build up her confidence again. The game has morose dynamic pixel art.
• Dordogne is a watercolour adventure following a young woman revisiting her childhood memories. through puzzles and letters. Everything was painted on paper before being brought to life and its really impressive. Launching later this year on PC and Nintendo Switch.
• The Gecko Gods sees you exploring and solving puzzles as a cute blue geckko through an ancient temple. You can wishlist the game on Steam.
• Tasomachi – Behind the Twilight you are Yukumo who needs to repair her beloved airship in a mysterious silent town. The visual style is really detailed and there is platforming and puzzles to solve. Tasomachi is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One in 2021.
• Please Be Happy is virtual novel a story of love and connections with four happy endings. A demo is available now.
• Witchy Life Story is a point and click narrative adventure where you play as a young woman trying to become a witch.
• BattleCakes is a turn RPG where all the characters are and enemies are all made out of cakes. Coming in Late 2021 to Xbox and Steam.
• Bear & Breakfast is a life sim where you play as a bear who brings a dilapidated bed and breakfast back to life plus you need to figure out whats hiding out in the woods. Bear & Breakfast is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam.
• Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist is a sequel to the quirky artistic puzzle game. You can signup for the beta and secret stuff on their website.
• Sally is a game set on a massive air ship that you need to explore and help its passengers reach their destination.
• In Rainbow Billy – The Curse of the Leviathan you have to bring the colour back into a 3D world with 2D Cuphead-esc characters. Rainbow Billy is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox.
• Unpacking is a game about unpacking possessions and learning about someones life over a series of moves.
• Soup Pot is a cooking game with a focus on creativity. Cook freely in a range of traditional kitchens.
• In Cloud Jumper you fly around to different islands in the sky in a boat no less, as you explore and solve puzzles to reach even more places.  You can wishlist it now on Steam
• Teacup is a wholesome narrative adventure where you play as a frog who needs help finding ingredients for her tea party. The game has a lovely painterly art-style and is releasing in Q3 2021.
• Moonglow Bay has a cute voxel art-style where you learn how to catch and cook an array of fish for yourself and other residents. Coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Game Pass.
• Pupperazzi is a game where you have to take photos of cute dogs, who are sometimes doing weird and wacky things. Explore the world to find them all. Coming Soon
• Luna’s Fishing Garden is a cozy fishing and building game where you can even talk to giant fish. Catch fish and trade them in for plants and trees to make the garden of your dreams.
• Witchery Academy is a life sim where you play as a wizard’s apprentice. Train your magical skills by attending classes, take care of a garden, bond with your spirit companion and more. Coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch.
• Amber Isle is an adorable Animal Crossing like game but instead of normal animals the villagers are all dinosaurs called the Paleofolk. You run your own shop for which you craft things, expand the village and help out your dino neighbours.
• Woodo is a puzzle game where you need to match items made out of wood to tell a story. Everything is beautifully rendered and wholesome. Coming in 2022.
• Wytchwood is a top down crafting adventure game with a really interesting art style. Releasing Q4 2021 on Steam.
• Moonshell Island is an action RPG where you need to build a community and save the island from Nomsters, food-like monsters.  Coming to Steam.
• Frogsong is a heartfelt adventure where it is ok to be small, talk to cute froggy characters and defend yourself from monsters as you journey to show that you can be a hero too. Frogsong is live on Kickstarter now.
• Now for a massive montage of games: Lego Builder’s Journey (June 22 to PC and Nintendo Switch), Clawfish (availiable now on Steam and itch.io), PowerWash Simulator (now in early access), Book of Travels (Steam Q3 2021), Toodee and Topdee (Steam), The Garden Path (Steam, 2021), Venba,  The Outbound Ghost (coming to Kickstarter, 2022), The Magnificient Truffelpigs (available now on PC and Nintendo Switch), Fossil Corner (out now on Steam), Dreamland Confectionery (2023), Freshly Frosted, Apico (2022), Cat Designer Mocha, Lone Farm (2021), Shashingo, RoboCo, Kotodama Diary, co-open (get it now on itch.io), Cat Cafe Manager, Game Director Story (Steam, 2021), Princess Farmer, KreatureKind, Seasonspree (Winter, 2021), Fire Tonight (Steam, August 12, 2021) and finally Floppy Knights.
• One more game! Loddlenaut is set on a trash ridden oceanic planet and you’ve been tasked with making it clean and making its Loddle residents happy. Loddlenaut is now on Kickstarter.

You can rewatch the showcase here for all the trailers:

Nothing like a bumper crop of Indies! I have almost 20 new games on my wishlist from this, how about you?