Indies for the weekend

Irori

In a world full of magic and monsters, a hero boards a train. They are traveling to the next leg of their adventure, but their journey up to that point has left them worn and weary. As they doze in and out of sleep in their seat, an intoxicating scent wafts through their train car and into their nose. Following that scent back brings them to the food car, where a chef sits in front of a small fire, a metal grate, and an assortment of delicious skewers. In most games, the player would assume the role of the weary adventurer on a mission to save the day, but in Irori, you are the chef who cooks reinvigorating skewers that give those heroes the energy they need to continue on their journeys. And boy, will this game make you hungry.

Players are presented with an assortment of ingredients, a knife, and a cutting board. There are no strict rules for what you need to make, so you’re free to make all kinds of combinations with what you are given. This demo only runs for about 5 minutes, but the atmosphere, gameplay, and dialogue are very promising for whatever PomePomelo creates from this prototype.
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Greenfinger!

In the name of variety, we are taking a look at something a little unconventional today: a rhythm game! It’s called Greenfinger!, and it was put together by a small team in just 72 hours for Ludum Dare 52. In Greenfinger!, you’ll grow a ska-loving artichoke (called a skartichoke) into a prize-winning plant using the power of music! But in order to do that, you’re going to have to warm up those A,S,D,F fingers.

This cheerful little game has adorable art, endearing characters, and ska. How you feel about that last part will largely determine your enjoyment of the game, but you won’t be subjected to it for very long either way, as Greenfinger! has just three tracks to play. The beat syncing seems to be just a little off, but if you like rhythm games, you can’t go wrong with a cute, free game! Greenfinger! is the product of a team comprised of five talented devs: chunderfins, jummbus, Mirage, NomnomNami, and npckc.
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Harvest Festival 64

Our last game this week is a brand-new game from indie developer Warkus. It’s called Harvest Festival 64, and it might look familiar to fans of Animal Crossing. Though, it’s not as cute and cuddly as the game that inspired it all the way through. Players will take control of the newest addition to a small anthropomorphic animal community, and immediately be welcomed into it by five creatures who live there. They give you a place to stay and invite you to the harvest festival happening in just a few short days, an event that is incredibly important for the community…

Gameplay consists of exploring the small playable area, speaking to the inhabitants, and collecting various items strewn around. It’s not difficult, and you can complete the game in just a few minutes, but the payoff for the growing, festering sense of dread at the beginning of each day is definitely worth it. Harvest Festival 64 is essentially creepypasta brought to life, and it’ll haunt your dreams.
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