This summer I was fortunate to be able to play several new games coming to Steam. My first few game reviews from this series were posted back in July, and you can read the reviews here. Thank you to Keymailer for sending me review copies of the following games.
Super Farming Boy
Have you ever said to yourself, "I really want a game that combines the gameplay of Stardew Valley with the art style and humor of Cuphead"? Wait, you have said that? Well then, Super Farming Boy is definitely the game for you!
I'll openly admit that I had no idea what to think about this game going into it. I could see that it was going to be a unique take on the farming game genre that has now embedded itself forever in gaming culture, but I had no idea just how unique it would be. I can honestly tell you now that Super Farming Boy is one of the most unusual farming games I have ever played -- and that's definitely not a bad thing. The farming genre has admittedly grown a bit stale, with hundreds of Stardew Valley imitators popping up on Steam constantly. Super Farming Boy is NOT a Stardew Valley imitator by any stretch. Instead, it's one of the few games I've played recently that actually goes its own way and defies the expectations that modern day gamers might want to place on it. Honestly, I can't really think of any currently existing labels that actually fully fit this game. Even Steam seems to be having trouble defining Super Farming Boy -- the labels currently showing on its page are "farming sim," "arcade," and "match three." If I hadn't already played the game I would, frankly, be confused by those labels, and rightly so. Probably the most similar game I can think of would be Plants Vs. Zombies, but even that's a bit of a stretch. Basically all I can say is that you should play Super Farming Boy if the idea of crop-based-combat interests you.
Story:
There isn't a lot of story to Super Farming Boy, but the story that does exist is harrowing. The game opens abruptly with so much action on the screen you might get overwhelmed and quit before you even start (genuinely: if you are neurodivergent and get easily overstimulated by lots of bright, moving colors, activity, and sounds, be aware that those are the things that most define the aesthetics of Super Farming Boy). Shortly after you are dropped (or... spat out by your living, gelatinous home) into this world, an absolutely terrifying menace that personifies the evils of capitalism shows up, takes everything you own, and kidnaps all of your friends (including your mom!?). His name is "KORPO™®©" and he makes Tom Nook look like the nicest guy you've ever met. From here on, the story consists of working for the man and trying to buy your friends back from him.
TLDR:
Overall, I recommend this game to anyone who loves farming games but has become bored with the banality of recent farming game offerings. It's also a perfect game for those who love unusual indies, interesting combat styles, or Cuphead-style cartoon art. If you are looking for cozy games, however, I would warn that while Super Farming Boy could be described as cozy in a roundabout way, its bright colors and frantic time schedule could be off-putting to someone who is trying to wind down and relax.
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co
Gecko Gods
I was given a chance to play the demo for upcoming game Gecko Gods, and I'm very glad to have done so! At first glance, Gecko Gods looks like a basic platformer -- you play as a gecko, which is a really cool concept, but really, how different is that from games like Yooka-Laylee? It turns out Gecko Gods is very different from Yooka-Laylee and its anthropomorphized brethren, a fact that I might not have realized if I hadn't played the demo. For one, the gecko protagonist in Gecko Gods is a fairly realistic representation of a real-life animal, and I found it fun to run up the walls like a real lizard! But more importantly, the gameplay may be described as platforming, but it is really less like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro, where the focus is on traversing difficult paths and looking for collectibles, and more similar to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, with a focus on exploration, puzzle-solving, and story. Alongside Wind Waker and the earlier handheld Zelda games, I would say that Gecko Gods is also similar in feel to Shadow of the Colossus, though a tad more colorful. As a huge fan of the Legend of Zelda series and other Zelda-like games, I am excitedly anticipating the release of Gecko Gods in late 2025.
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