https://www.thegamer.com From titles you're eagerly anticipating to those you may never have heard of, TheGamer's news team brings you all the latest on the freshest indie games. Thu, 01 Jun 2023 01:57:31 GMT en-US hourly 60 Stardew Valley creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has been hard at work on his next game Haunted Chocolatier for quite a while now, but recently announced that he'll be taking a break to make one last update for his popular farming sim. In this announcement, Barone claimed that Update 1.6 will be mainly to make it easier for modders to add their own content, yet Barone may be about to add something himself that fans have been wanting for a long time, and a new tease has sent the entire fanbase into a frenzy.

]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 01:57:31 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-fans-going-wild-over-iridium-scythe-tease/ Disco Elysium was released to rave reviews in 2019, but developers say that it only made its release date at all because they were under "mega crunch". The game's lead director even says that the development of Disco Elysium "destroyed lives", with another writer saying that it "changed" people and hurt relationships.

]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 12:16:47 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disco-elysium-crunch-zaum-development/ For months, Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM has been locked in a bitter legal dispute between the studio's current leadership and the original creators of the beloved RPG. On one side is Robert Kurvitz, Disco Elysium's lead designer and writer, and on the other ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus, a man Kurvitz accuses of stealing control of the studio through fraudulent means.

]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 16:57:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disco-elysium-2-jeopardised-zaum-scandal/ Earlier this month, farming and life simulator Roots of Pacha was delisted from Steam due to a dispute between developer Soda Den and the game's publisher Crytivo. Soda Den claimed that Crytivo asked Valve to remove the game from the platform without its knowledge, while Crytivo claimed that Soda Den was attempting to void a contract the two were working under for the past three years of development. Thankfully, the two have now come to an agreement.

]]> Sat, 27 May 2023 00:17:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/roots-of-pacha-back-on-steam-developer-publisher-part-ways/ Beat Saber is finally available on PS VR2 three months after the headset's launch, complete with a brand-new Queen music pack that comes with a new custom environment and light show. The pack will cost you $13.99 if you fancy some classic rock.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 20:54:38 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/beat-saber-is-finally-coming-to-ps-vr-2/ Almost a year on from Stray's console exclusive launch on PlayStation, it seems that exclusivity may well be coming to an end. Annapurna's cat game was recently rated for Xbox, implying those of you who exclusively do your console gaming on PlayStation's rival platform will likely be able to experience Stray soon too.

]]> Tue, 16 May 2023 11:03:27 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stray-looks-like-finally-coming-xbox/ The developer behind the farming and life simulation game Roots of Pacha, Soda Den, recently took to social media in order to explain the sudden disappearance of the Steam page, pointing to an ongoing "dispute" with publisher Crytivo. According to Soda Den, “Crytivo went to Valve and authorized them to remove Roots of Pacha from Steam without our knowledge or consent.”

]]> Sun, 14 May 2023 20:05:46 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/roots-of-pacha-taken-off-steam-dispute-developer-publisher/ After months of radio silence, Team Cherry dropped a bombshell on Tuesday and announced that Hollow Knight: Silksong will no longer be launching in the first half of 2023 as was previously expected. It came as very little surprise, as fans of the series had already given up hope of seeing the game launch before June, but it was still a bit of a gut punch for many as Silksong's release date is now up in the air once again.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2023 01:35:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-fans-wishing-team-cherry-best-silksong-delay/ When it comes to highly-anticipated game releases, there aren't many fans out there as ravenous as Hollow Knight players. Silksong has been in development for what feels like an eternity, and combined with a lack of updates from developer Team Cherry, any morsel of official news sends the fanbase into overdrive. Even a minor development update is enough to whip up a frenzy, as showcased by Matthew Griffin, a person in charge of marketing and publishing for Hollow Knight: Silksong.

]]> Wed, 10 May 2023 02:32:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-silksong-delay-pushed-back/ Dark and Darker's situation is a murky one as the lawsuit surrounding it remains and right now, that makes it almost impossible to play. Seems that's going to go on a little while longer as Ironmace has issued a short statement on the game's early access launch, apologizing for everything that's going on and for having to confirm early access will be delayed.

]]> Tue, 09 May 2023 12:28:54 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-dev-early-access-launch-delayed/ Zelda's Adventure, the 1996 Philips CDi game and a rare instance of Nintendo licensing out its IP to another publisher, is now available to play for free. But instead of the awful FMV graphics of the original, it's been demade into a proper Game Boy game. Best of all, it's available for free.

]]> Tue, 02 May 2023 17:24:55 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/zelda-cdi-game-boy-port-free-to-play/ Mobile auto-shooter Vampire Survivors is going to become an animated series. Believe it or not, the game actually does have enough of a story that somebody thought they could turn it into a TV show.

]]> Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:23:39 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivors-animated-tv-series/ Hollow Knight is a truly special game and widely regarded as one of the best Metroidvanias of all time. With how popular it is nowadays and fans ravenous for Hollow Knight: Silksong, it can be easy to forget that it was created by indie developer Team Cherry and funded via Kickstarter. It only managed to amass a little under $60,000CAD, meaning more expensive features like voice acting simply weren't possible. Instead, the bugs of Hallownest simply make little grunts and hums to let you know they're speaking.

]]> Tue, 25 Apr 2023 02:19:06 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-voice-acting-mod/ We know, for sure, that Hollow Knight: Silksong is coming. It's been confirmed for Xbox, PlayStation, and even the Nintendo Switch. We know that testers are plugging away, squashing bugs and tuning gameplay, and we know it'll hit Game Pass on day one when it eventually arrives. At last year's Summer Game Fest presentation, Xbox showed off a new gameplay trailer and then promised that every game shown--including Silksong--would be playable within the next 12 months.

]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2023 18:14:39 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-poll-silksong-release-june/ Square Enix wants to be at the forefront of technology when it comes to video games. While that would be admirable and even exciting for gamers, it's unfortunately the technology that no one asked for. First it was NFT-based games that former CEO Yosuke Matsuda couldn't stop talking about, and now the company is dipping its toes into Natural Language Processing AI.

]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:02:56 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/square-enix-ai-tech-preview-portopia-serial-murder-case-game-bad-reviews/ Stardew Valley fans have been treated to a rare glimpse into the creative process behind the game, thanks to creator Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe on social media. In a recent post on Twitter, Barone shared a small selection of his original sketches, the seeds that eventually grew to become the beloved farming simulator. Stardew Valley fans have since been asking for an official artbook.

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2023 20:32:23 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-creator-concept-drawings-fans-artbook/ Dark and Darker fans are worried about the future of their beloved multiplayer dungeon crawler, wondering what could happen if Nexon successfully sues developer Ironmace. This comes as the legal situation surrounding Dark and Darker's development bleeds into the United States, with Nexon suing Ironmace and two individual developers, continuing from action taken in South Korea.

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2023 11:51:41 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-lawsuit-what-happens-if-nexon-wins/ Dark and Darker developer Ironmace says it is spending "thousands of dollars a day" to keep the playtest running, despite no longer being able to make any money from Steam. This also comes after the game's GoFundMe was taken down, raising concerns over how long development can sustain itself.

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:39:25 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-servers-cost-devs-thousands-of-dollars-every-day/ Dark and Darker developer Ironmace has responded to Nexon's lawsuit, saying it is "entirely without merit", and accusing the publisher of being a "bully." Ironmace has also lodged a counterclaim to Valve, calling on the company to allow Dark and Darker on Steam again after it was taken down last month.

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 10:41:06 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-back-on-steam-ironmace-lawsuit-nexon/ Another Nintendo Indie World showcase has come and gone, which means Hollow Knight fans are once again dismayed about the lack of Silksong news. If we're being sensible, Silksong will likely be reserved for a much more prestigious event like Summer Games Fest or one of the big three's summer showcases given how massive a title it's going to be, but that didn't stop some Hollow Knight fans from setting their expectaions way too high. One of them now seems to fed up of waiting.

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 02:20:51 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-silksong-wait-fan-made/ Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach is finally available on Nintendo Switch, but this news wasn't met with excitement by fans. Instead, the announcement was flooded with memes as many joked that the game would cause their console to explode in a ball of fire.

]]> Thu, 20 Apr 2023 10:55:21 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/five-nights-at-freddys-security-breach-nintendo-switch/ Dark and Darker was removed from Steam after asset stealing accusations, then its unauthorised GoFundMe page got taken down after raising $46,000, so the devs made it possible to torrent the alpha build of the game, which was... shut down due to copyright claims. If you've somehow gotten into the playtest after all of this, you may find that the servers aren't working, since it is now being DDoSed.

]]> Tue, 18 Apr 2023 10:43:43 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-ddos-attack-playtest/ You probably don't need me to tell you the Dark And Darker situation is one big mess right now. However, despite the takedowns and ongoing legal issues, Ironmace is determined to make sure Dark And Darker fans can continue to play its game. Just as important, those players appear to still be enjoying it, sharing what they love about the latest playtest even though actually finding a way to access it involves jumping through various hoops and, for some, learning how to use somewhat outdated tech.

]]> Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:46:58 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-fans-pleasantly-surprised-with-playtest/ ConcernedApe is taking a brief break from Haunted Chocolatier's development in order to make a new update for Stardew Valley, one that will mostly focus on changes for modders.

]]> Sun, 16 Apr 2023 18:46:40 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/concernedape-taking-break-from-haunted-chocolatier-for-stardew-valley-update/ It's official - the Dark and Darker legal drama is extending into the US. Weeks after the feud went public, Korean game publisher Nexon is suing Ironmace over copyright infringement. Nexon is demanding a jury trial, and has amassed a team of lawyers to take on Ironmace, as well as two of its higher-ups are named individually in the lawsuit.

]]> Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:50:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/nexon-sues-dark-and-darker-ironmace-copyright-infringement/ Feeling nostalgic for the 2000s? Then the Dark and Darker Discord server is perfect for you. Now that the game's most recent playtest has been released via a torrent, the chatter amongst fans is equally chaotic and exciting, as everyone uses lingo I haven't heard since the early days of pirating music.

]]> Sun, 16 Apr 2023 14:24:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-discord-mess-playtest-torrent/ Dark and Darker's incredibly unique playtest faces another blow, as the torrent link is copyright claimed on Twitter. Now, it's largely up to the fanbase to circulate the download link, which could make the process of joining the playtest much riskier

]]> Sun, 16 Apr 2023 12:45:06 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darkers-playtest-torrent-copyright-claimed/ Peppa Pig: World Adventures, as the name suggests, takes Peppa across the globe to explore different counties, cultures, and traditions. It's a neat little way for kids to learn a little about the world, and have fun while doing so. The London section of the game saw Peppa Pig and her family being taken on a tour by Queen Elizabeth herself, after which she joins them in a little puddle splashing.

]]> Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:40:29 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/peppa-pig-world-adventures-dev-explains-queen-elizabeth-tribute/ Dark and Darker, the extraction-based multiplayer fantasy game that was briefly one of the top early-access games on Steam, has had to resort to extreme measures after the game received a DMCA takedown. Unavailable on Steam, developer Ironmace has been forced to distribute the latest build of Dark and Darker through a method normally associated with game piracy: torrents.

]]> Fri, 14 Apr 2023 17:55:41 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-devs-torrent-game-legal-drama/ Video game ports don't always work as intended. You'd think it would be easier to run a game on a more powerful device, but the recent fiasco with the PC port for The Last of Us Part 1 showed us that it's not that simple. Sometimes, ports are impossible due to the very nature of the device a game was created for. However, that didn't stop Crave Entertainment from trying to put The Holy Bible on the Game Boy Advance.

]]> Mon, 10 Apr 2023 11:25:51 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-holy-bible-almost-ported-to-game-boy-advance/ For a game that's ostensibly about surviving on a demon-infested island, Sons of the Forest sure does like to give its players new and interesting ways to get around. First, there was the notebook bug, which allowed players to slide down mountains as though they were bulletproof bobsleighs, and then came sharks you could surf on. Last month's update added a hand glider, and just yesterday, Sons of the Forest developer Endnight Games added something you'd hardly expect to find on a remote island.

]]> Fri, 07 Apr 2023 14:52:56 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forests-new-unicycle-spring-trap-catapult/ It's been barely over a month since No Man's Sky had its Fractal update, bringing PS VR2 support to Sony's new VR headset along with a variety of visual and technical improvements across every platform the game is played. Now, Hello Games has returned with yet another update that focuses on everyone's favorite intergalactic robot police force, the Sentinels.

]]> Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:00:58 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/no-mans-skys-interceptor-update-corrupted-sentinels/ Monster Energy markets itself as a drink for gamers. You've surely noticed it as a sponsor for various events, and even placed within some games – most notably, Death Stranding. However, despite its outwardly image of a brand for gamers, Monster Energy doesn't really seem to like video game developers. The energy drink is once again going after a developer for using the word 'Monster' in its game title.

]]> Mon, 03 Apr 2023 09:57:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/monster-energy-goes-after-glowstick-entertainment-for-using-the-word-monster/ Vampire Survivors, the award-winning auto-shooter that just beat out both Elden Ring and God of War at the BAFTAs, is getting its second paid DLC. Tides of the Foscari will send adventurers to Foscari Academy, a school where powerful wizards learn to weave arcana in ways that bend the very fabric of reality to their will. Sadly, the Academy has fallen on hard times and is now infested with monsters. You know where this is going.

]]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:35:52 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivors-dlc-tides-of-foscari/ The British Academy of Film And Television Arts (BAFTAs) has hosted its annual game award ceremony today, with several of 2022's heavy hitters up for numerous awards in a variety of categories. However, it was the year's indie hit that managed to take the grand prize, as Vampire Survivors has fended off the likes of God of War Ragnarok and Elden Ring to take home the award for Best Game.

]]> Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:26:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivors-bafta-best-game-ahead-of-god-of-war-elden-ring/ When Amnesia: The Bunker was first revealed at the end of last year, fans were surprised to see the protagonist wielding a gun. Amnesia famously kept its players on edge by withholding any meaningful means of defense, and having a gun just seemed like an easy way out.

]]> Thu, 30 Mar 2023 16:33:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/amnesia-the-bunker-gun-annoys-monster/ Stardew Valley is an indie star. A phenomenon that has inspired countless amateur and semi-pro game developers the world over. Developed by Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone, the incredibly popular simulation RPG is available on a legion of platforms including PC, Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

]]> Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:43:00 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-smartwatch-surprising-quality/ Ironmace has been having a tough couple of months after it was accused of stealing assets from a game that was cancelled at Nexon. The studio is reportedly made up of former Nexon employees who were fired for leaking code and breaking confidentiality agreements. According to reports, they allegedly stole assets from the shelved game and went ahead and developed it as a new game at a new studio. Of course, the devs denied any such allegations. However, Ironmace has now taken a major hit, as Dark and Darker has been delisted from Steam.

]]> Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:24:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-removed-from-steam/ Players of the city builder Ostriv are showing their support for the game's Ukrainian developer Yevheniy, purchasing a brand new piece of downloadable content called Patron of the Arts. This features a single building, but has been flying off the digital shelves on Steam, due mostly to its unique purpose.

]]> Sat, 25 Mar 2023 23:43:11 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/players-buy-ostriv-dlc-support-ukrainian-developer/ What if instead of controlling one character in a MOBA like League of Legends or Dota 2, you controlled three? That sounds like it'd make the game a lot harder than it already is, but what if we then simplified the game further by limiting movement to a hexagonal grid and also gave each character two moves instead of four? And let's say we got rid of the laning and farming and just kept the teamfights. Then you'd probably get something like Spellcraft, the new game coming from One More Game.

]]> Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/former-diablo-starcraft-devs-one-more-game-spellcraft/ We're barreling towards the release of Fallout: London, the ambitious DLC-sized mod that'll bring the British capital to Fallout 4. As inch nearer to the mod's 2023 release, the Fallout: London team has returned with an update video showcasing some new weapons, a new ride, and an update Mysterious Stranger who fights for king and country long after that country was erased by nuclear war.

]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:08:27 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/fallout-london-legally-distinct-james-bond-reference/ High on Life developer Squanch Games just dropped a teaser for an upcoming DLC, and there's no sign of disgraced studio founder, Justin Roiland, anywhere. In the short trailer, we hear the voice of Michael Cusack's Knifey rather than Roiland, despite his own character playing a much more significant role in the game.

]]> Sat, 18 Mar 2023 15:28:18 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/high-on-life-dlc-update-knifey-no-justin-roiland/ Photo mode is a beloved feature which lets you capture the thrill of an in-game moment. The feature has evolved over the years to allow players to customise and edit their desired image to fit what they have in mind. You can choose the time of day, weather, special effects, and even the pose your character will take. This feature is beloved by all, and is a welcome addition to any video game – except Disco Elysium it seems.

]]> Sat, 18 Mar 2023 12:38:56 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disco-elysium-collage-mode-harry-and-kim-kiss/ Bleak Faith: Forsaken unexpectedly found itself at the center of some significant controversy earlier this week. Its developer was accused of lifting animations from Elden Ring and using them in its own game. The studio claimed the assets had been purchased through Epic Marketplace. Epic has since responded to those claims and removed the assets from its store.

]]> Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:49:22 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/epic-store-removes-stolen-elden-ring-animations-bleak-faith-controversy/ Valheim's long-awaited console port is now with us, as it launches on Xbox via Game Pass. This comes more than two years since its initial release on PC, although the game is still technically in early access across all of its available platforms.

]]> Tue, 14 Mar 2023 14:03:35 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/valheim-xbox-one-series-x-launch-game-pass-crossplay/ The beloved character in Sons of the Forest Kelvin has undergone a significant change with the latest patch, leaving some players unhappy with the result. Kelvin's endearing clumsiness and adorable blend of energy and childlike friendliness have been replaced with somewhat more intelligent behavior. This naturally has many fans feeling like he's lost his charm.

]]> Mon, 13 Mar 2023 23:06:29 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-players-hate-kelvin-helpful/ The classic Fallout games are an acquired taste - as in, if you don't like them, you should acquire some taste. Ha. But seriously, despite how much modern audiences might struggle with their old isometric RPG design, these classics have retained a strong following - and even a dedicated modding scene.

]]> Sun, 12 Mar 2023 15:00:06 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/fallout-2d-fan-game-shooter-metroidvania/ Bleak Faith: Forsaken is a recently released Soulslike. Developed by indie studio Archangel, the game has drawn admirers for bleak gothic environments and heavy atmosphere. Similarities to FromSoftware games can be a winner as we've seen for the likes of Nioh, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and Steelrising. But in the case of Bleak Faith, similarities could be too close to comfort when it comes to the game's animations.

]]> Sun, 12 Mar 2023 13:34:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/bleak-faith-dev-fromsoftware-animations-off-store/ The survival horror game The Forest by developer Endnight has seen a significant increase in player numbers on PS4 and PS5 in the wake of the stunningly successful Sons of the Forest launching into Early Access on PC. The demand for a PS5 and PS4 version of the game is clearly high as players have been flocking to The Forest, causing the count to rise nearly 150 percent on PS4 and PS5 ever since the launch of the sequel.

]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2023 23:41:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-success-original-150-percent-boost-sales/ Sons of the Forest just got its first big patch, adding a hang glider, the ability to lock doors, and several quality-of-life tweaks. But if you've been relying on the shotgun, you might want to be a bit careful the next time you take it to a group of cannibals, since its damage has been halved.

]]> Fri, 10 Mar 2023 13:03:55 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-hang-glider-door-locks-update/ Despite being three decades out of production (and all of its stars being dead--we miss you, Betty) The Golden Girls remains a timeless classic for just having an absolutely bonkers premise. Three widowers and a divorcee are all roommates in a Miami home getting up to the most bizarre scenarios one could imagine for a group of female geriatrics. It’s almost as bizarre as the premise for the Persona series, which perhaps explains the inspiration for the personal passion project of one Joey Pagano.

]]> Thu, 09 Mar 2023 15:16:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/persona-5-parody-golden-girls-take-manhattan-dx/ Untitled Goose Game was one of the unexpected hits of the year when it launched in 2019. Unfortunately, the quirky puzzle game didn't arrive on Apple's Mac Store, but that wasn't for lack of trying. One of the devs who worked on the game has revealed that Apple's initial rejection was based on whoever tested it not knowing how to skip the credits.

]]> Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:33:34 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/untitled-goose-game-apparently-rejected-apple-couldnt-skip-credits/ Do you like sailing? Are you fond of the ocean? Ever wanted to live on it? Now read all of that in the tone of an upbeat American infomercial, followed by a flat, 'too bad'. There are no boats in Sons of the Forest, not yet anyway. But its fans are an inventive bunch, so that isn't stopping them from sailing the seas (or, more accurately, surfing).

]]> Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:31:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-riding-shark-no-boats-reddit/ Releasing a game in another country isn't as simple as putting all the dialogue through Google translate. In fact, it's not even enough to hire a team of pro translators - some lines are just too region specific to ever work in another language. Such was the case with Undertale, and Sans' iconic "get dunked on" line.

]]> Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:38:32 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/undertales-japanese-translation-sans-get-dunked-on/ Among the waves of massive triple-A titles that come out in droves, and often feel like the same game, there's inadvertently always a tiny indie that does something different. These titles may tell touching stories, hit upon a great gameplay mechanic, or give you an NPC follower named Kelvin. Whatever it may be, they remind us that you don't always need a ton of money and high-end visuals to make a good video game – Just look at Vampire Survivors.

]]> Sat, 04 Mar 2023 07:22:26 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivors-sequel-needs-something-radically-new/ After recently celebrating Stardew Valley's seventh anniversary, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone is back with the first Haunted Chocolatier update of 2023. Where last year we learned about how players will explore the world of Haunted Chocolatier while questing for ingredients, this year we're learning more about what those ingredients will make.

]]> Fri, 03 Mar 2023 17:23:26 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-concernedape-confections-haunted-chocolatier/ The developer behind Stardew Valley, Eric Barone, will be celebrating the seventh anniversary of the game with a massive sale. The game is currently on sale for its lowest ever price of $7.49 where it will remain for a total of 12 hours until midnight on February 26, 2023.

]]> Sun, 26 Feb 2023 22:45:50 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-sale-lowest-ever-price/ Sons of the Forest continues to take Steam by storm, now rising to be the fifth most popular game on the platform this weekend. At the time of writing, it has almost 100,000 more players than sixth place's Hogwarts Legacy, and sits behind Steam chart mainstays like PUBG and Apex Legends.

]]> Sun, 26 Feb 2023 15:24:19 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-steam-charts/ Sons of the Forest has become Steam's new darling. Endnight Games' survival horror title created headlines by becoming the most wishlisted game on Steam, despite being an indie title by a relatively small dev. However, this didn't seem to matter to many people, as the numbers just kept rising, despite the game receiving multiple delays. The gameplay trailer, which came out nearly two years ago, really worked wonders with its stunning visuals and animations.

]]> Sun, 26 Feb 2023 07:40:53 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-2-million-copies-sold-24-hours/ Sons of the Forest has only been out for a day and people are clearly obsessed with the survival-horror indie. Not only has the game reached huge concurrent player numbers, but those players are eager to share their love for the game. The game currently sits with over 18,000 verified reviews, and almost 90 percent of those are positive.

]]> Sat, 25 Feb 2023 20:07:32 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-18000-positive-steam-reviews/ Sons of the Forest is a smash hit already, reaching 253,509 players only a few hours after launch, but at the same time, Steam started going down. 2,896 people filed reports of outages one hour from launch - maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe Sons of the Forest is just that powerful.

]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:51:50 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-quarter-of-a-million-players-steam-crash/ Despite only being in our hands for a couple of days, PlayStation is already showing all you PS VR2 owners what you can look forward to over the course of 2023. One of the five PS VR2 titles shown off during today's State of Play showcase was Synapse, a mind-bending first-person shooter that lets you devastate your enemies with telekinetic powers.

]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:06:22 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/synapse-ps-vr2-fps-telekinetic-powers-launches-2023/ Earlier this week, Dark and Darker was accused of stealing code and assets from a canceled, Nexon-developed game, but Ironmace CEO Park Terence Seung-ha said, "ABSOLUTELY NO stolen assets or code were used to make our game".

]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:52:08 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dark-and-darker-developer-ironmace-denies-stealing-assets-nexon-p3/ Hollow Knight has been around since 2017, and it's almost constantly being tinkered with by a dedicated community that still loves playing through the title to this day (we have to do something while we wait for Silksong). Most of its hidden secrets and development quirks have been found over the 6 years since release, but a new discovery involving a telescope found in the Watcher's Spire in the City of Tears has the game's subreddit in stitches.

]]> Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:42:49 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-watchers-spire-telescope-shrek/ There's no community quite like the Sonic fanbase when it comes to taking matters into their own hands if they want to see a project Sega has no interest in come to life. There are loads of fanmade Sonic games out there, and potentially being added to the mix soon will be one called Super Sonic System.

]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:21:34 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sonic-new-look-donkey-kong-country-inspired-fan-game/ A mob boss bear, a cheetah with a nose for a scam, and a mariachi band made out of toucans. These are just some of the colorful characters you'll meet in Blooming Business: Casino, the new management simulator from French indie studio Homo Ludens and Curve Games. Oh, and it also has a demo out that you can play right now.

]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:00:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/tycoon-sim-blooming-business-casino-free-demo/ When you think Amy Pond, you probably don't think of her standing in an American gas station buying a bag of vaguely labelled "potato chips" and beer, with her husband trailing behind in the queue. But that's where she is in her latest (definitely Doctor Who canon) appearance, thanks to a bizarre Gas Station Mechanic Simulator TikTok ad.

]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:26:29 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/doctor-who-gas-station-mechanic-simulator-tiktok-ad-amy-pond-rory-williams/ The concept of being some sort of non-human entity attempting to pass themselves off as a normal human is nothing new to games, but doing so while wearing a truly enormous hat? That's new. And it's super weird, and it'll be showcased at The 2023 Game Developers Conference.

]]> Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:32:38 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/haber-dasher-co-op-game-huge-real-life-hat/ Kim Kitsuragi is gay, we find out as much in Disco Elysium when we venture into the HOMO-Sexual underground. Here, Harry can ask if his partner is queer, to which he responds with, "I'll spare you another 20 hour mind-project - yes, I am." And ever since, fans have been shipping him and Harry together as more than just work partners - making them partner partners.

]]> Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:39:28 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/disco-elysium-kim-harry-kiss-photo-fans-frenzy/ Hogwarts Legacy released last week and it's become one of Steam's most popular games. But you know what else was released last week? Itch.io's Trans Witches are Witches bundle, which provides you with 69 super nice magical games for the price of one triple-A title from a terf.

]]> Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:41:25 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/trans-witches-game-bundle-smashes-fundraising-goal/ The best indie game from 2018 is about to get a whole lot better. The Celeste Strawberry Jam Collaboration is an upcoming mod that will add over 100 levels and eight hours of original music, including new biomes and brand-new game mechanics.

]]> Sat, 11 Feb 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/celeste-mod-strawberry-jam-launches-february-17/ If you've been on social media for more than five minutes recently, chances are you've stumbled upon controversy surrounding Hogwarts Legacy. Transgender people have called for a boycott of the game due to the views of Harry potter creator J.K. Rowling, and while she's had no involvement in development, many feel that supporting the title is an admission that you agree with Rowling or simply don't care about her affect on the community.

]]> Fri, 10 Feb 2023 22:26:52 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/trans-witches-bundle-69-games-hogwarts-legacy/ Figment 2: Creed Valley is coming in March. Originally set for February when it was announced at the Game Awards last year, developer Bedtime Digital needed a teeny bit more time to get the cerebral sequel ready for the big time. Now that we're a month out, they're ready for a cinematic reveal showcasing Figment 2's enhanced gameplay.

]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:00:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/figment-2-creed-valley-gameplay-trailer-march-launch/ It's been announced that during the latest Nintendo Direct that Omega Strikers, the 3v3 competitive multiplayer football game developed by several former leads from Riot Games, will launch on April 27 later this year for both Nintendo Switch and PC, as well as Android and Apple devices via Google Play and the Apple Store. Better yet, it's also going to be free-to-play, meaning you can dive right into a few matches once the game launches later this year.

]]> Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:01:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/omega-strikers-release-date/ The last three years has perhaps seen the most delays in the entire entertainment industry as a whole. Movies, TV shows, and video games, all had to take a pause due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ensuing lockdown. However, while the pandemic is thankfully behind us, many are still feeling the after effects of it. Primarily among these are indie game developers, many of whom had to delay projects multiple times – and that's the best case scenario.

]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2023 08:13:47 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/sons-of-the-forest-early-access-february-avoid-another-delay/ Among Us might not be the same juggernaut it was during the pandemic, but that doesn't mean Innersloth plans to wind down its hidden role game. Innersloth has big plans for Among Us in 2023, including updates to the game's user interface, a brand-new map, improvements to quickchat, and more.

]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:06:25 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/among-us-2023-roadmap/ If you haven’t heard, Dead Cells is bringing the heroes of Castlevania into the game for an upcoming DLC. That’s right, Alucard and Richter Belmont are once again taking on the forces of Dracula, this time accompanied by the Beheaded. While an official release date beyond early 2023 is not yet known, we are getting some new information about what this DLC will look like, and it is going to be huge.

]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2023 17:15:54 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/dead-cells-return-to-castlevania-biggest-dlc-yet/ How much studios should charge for video games has been a hot topic ever since triple-A developers began to make $70 the industry standard. There are plenty of games cheaper than that, of course, but also a few that are slightly more expensive. That latter category includes an indie game on Steam which would have briefly set you back more than $500,000.

]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:43:26 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/indie-game-megajump-more-than-500000-steam/ Amnesia: The Bunker has a release date. Although developer Frictional Games said that The Bunker would arrive sometime in March, the latest update delays the game slightly to May 16. A two-month wait isn’t too long in today’s era of game development, so there’s no complaints from me

]]> Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:00:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/amnesia-the-bunker-launches-may-16-2023/ The emulation scene seems more vibrant than ever with interest in older games growing as an increasing number of specialist consoles and retro handhelds come out every season. Emulation for Sony's handhelds remains strong while there is a wave of dedicated coders who are taking on the challenge of reverse engineering classic titles.

]]> Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:37:58 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/the-legend-of-zelda-link-to-the-past-reverse-pc-port/ Super Mario 64 modder Kaze Emanuar uploaded a video on their Twitter account last month that left viewers astonished. It showed off a level he'd created for Super Mario 64, but it looked extremely good. So good in fact that viewers thought that it was a level created to run on PC. But no. It was a level that ran entirely on the nearly 27-year-old console.

]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:12:17 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/n64-modder-graphically-impressive-mario-64-level/ Rimworld has a feature where you can name an in-game colonist by purchasing a special DLC pack. It's a sweet way to support the indie devs and put a little piece of yourself in if you want. One player has used this feature to add their late husband to the game. As an avid gamer, they believe this will be a good way to celebrate and honour his life.

]]> Sun, 29 Jan 2023 15:00:14 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/rimworld-player-adds-late-husband-to-game-wants-others-to-make-him-a-part-of-your-stories/ Games are getting pricier these days. New triple-A releases are going for £70, and that's not including deluxe edition packages and season passes that add even more weight, but one indie developer has upped the ante with The Hidden and Unknown, a new Steam game that's retailing for $1,999.90 or £1,679.09.

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:16:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/steam-new-indie-game-most-expensive-1999-dollars/ O2Jam was a rhythm game franchise from the 2000s that died and was largely forgotten except by a dedicated group of loyal fans. Those fans were very excited to experience O2Jam’s rebirth in O2Jam Online, which was released on Steam just last week, but to say they’ve been disappointed would be a massive understatement. O2Jam Online is a technical disaster that’s so heavily monetized that it makes most mobile games look like baby’s first slot machine. Worse yet, those technical issues appear to have affected the game’s monetization such that players are paying out the nose.

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:00:39 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/steam-o2jam-online-lowest-rated-game-billing-players-every-day/ Skyblivion may have been in development for some time and will continue to be for another few years, but it is a big undertaking when you consider the team is made up of non-professional developers and volunteers. Yes, this is the project that seeks to remake the entirety of Oblivion in the Skyrim engine. The roots of the project may be a decade old but in the past couple of years things have accelerated.

]]> Sun, 22 Jan 2023 17:53:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/skyblivion-four-hour-long-gameplay-video/ Cult of the Lamb has detailed all of the new additions coming to the game in its Relics of the Old Faith content update which is launching in Early 2023. We don't have a specific release date for you at this time, but developer Massive Monster has revealed that new combat options, dungeons, and endgame content will be included, as will a couple of little secrets for you to uncover.

]]> Thu, 19 Jan 2023 20:13:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/cult-of-the-lambs-relic-of-the-old-faith-update-early-2023/ As the industry standard price for new triple-A games is pretty much $70 across the board now, grabbing everything you want to play when it launches can really start to add up. Particularly if you want to play Ball Race 2: Ramp on your Xbox which is currently listed for $2,000.

]]> Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:05:09 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-accidentally-lists-indie-game-2000-ball-race-2/ Stray and its feline protagonist captured the hearts of many last year, even picking up Best Indie and Best Debut Indie at The Game Awards. Now, the developer behind it, BlueTwelve Studio, is helping to raise money for real-life stray cats through charity streams and rescue centre sponsorships.

]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:06:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stray-is-helping-to-raise-money-for-real-life-stray-cats/ The Elder Scrolls Skyblivion is Oblivion remade in the Skyrim engine. The massive fan undertaking has been in the works for a while and will continue to be as a new trailer reveals the launch date for the project.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2023 18:24:32 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/skyblivion-gets-release-date/ There are a lot of great fan-made Half-Life games out there, which is great since Valve doesn’t seem too interested in giving us a Half-Life sequel outside a VR game (which admittedly might just be the best VR title ever made). However, not every Half-Life game can be a Black Mesa. Some of them turn out to be Hunt Down The Freeman.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2023 12:00:15 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hunt-down-the-freeman-demake-mod/ Do you remember the original Legend of Zelda game on the NES or are you blessed with youth? The title that spawned one of the biggest names in gaming launched in 1986, and it's now available to play in VR thanks to a Doom mod - yes, really.

]]> Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:09:42 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/original-zelda-fan-made-vr-port/ Animal Crossing isn't that creepy, unless you play it at 3am in pitch black on an old fuzzy monitor. Even then, nothing bad will happen - at most, you'll stumble on a friendly ghost, or a (maybe literally) night owl neighbour doing some chores. Cue Harvest Festival 64, where an ordinary town of animal folk start to ascend, talk about having their belly sewn back together, garble "I ate them all", and light bonfires at midnight.

]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2023 10:51:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/animal-crossing-itch-io-horror-harvest-festival-64/ A few months ago, Jason Yevgeniy Gastrow, better known as videogamedunkey, announced a new publishing company with his wife Leah 'Leahbee' Gastrow. Bigmode started in September 2022, focusing on bringing high-quality indie games to those who'd love them most.

]]> Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:19:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/videogamedunkeys-bigmode-publishing-animal-well/ One of the most anticipated titles launching in 2023 is Hollow Knight: Silksong. Still without an official release date, if you receive an email offering the chance to try the sequel early, you'd be best advised to hit delete rather than reply.

]]> Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:14:07 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/hollow-knight-silksong-early-access-email-scam/ If you have ever played Stardew Valley and thought “this game would be so much better with more Shrek”, then I have some great news for you! A new mod allows you to transform the Standard Farm Map in the sim into Shrek’s Swamp. Now, you can live out your green ogre dreams from the comfort of your own, presumably less smelly, home!

]]> Sun, 08 Jan 2023 21:20:16 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/stardew-valley-mod-adds-shreks-swamp-house/ At last year’s Tokyo Game Show, PowerWash Simulator developer FuturLab promised their game will be coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and the Nintendo Switch in the near future. That future may be January 30, according to some recent PlayStation posts.

]]> Fri, 06 Jan 2023 19:03:34 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/powerwash-simulator-playstation-switch-january-30/ Vampire Survivors was an indie hit last year, earning itself the bronze medal in TheGamer's own game of the year rankings. It got an iOS and Android port last month, but developer Poncle had originally wanted to release it much earlier. Predatory business partners slowed it down, then carbon copies of the game forced its hand and led to the mobile version being developed in-house.

]]> Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:51:29 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivor-mobile-port-clones-copies/ RimWorld is a fun colony simulator game that lets you build a little group of people as you try and escape a planet on the outer edge of the galaxy, a rim world, if you will. As with many PC games, you crafty bunch have an excellent time modding it and shaping it to your specifications. However, the Vanilla Trading Expanded mod seems to be causing some issues, such as one player flooding their home map with 140,000 units of uranium.

]]> Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:33:00 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/rimworld-player-140000-uranium-trading-mod/ One of the best indie games of 2022 isn’t stopping in 2023. Although Vampire Survivors fans can expect updates to come with slightly less frequency this year than they did last year, players can also expect more DLC to add more characters, weapons, and stages, as well as something "weird and big" coming soon to Vampire Survivor's Steam public beta.

]]> Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:39:06 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/vampire-survivors-weird-and-big-update-soon/ Among Us-like Goose Goose Duck has usurped its inspiration as it overtakes the social murder game in Steam's all-time player records. This marks one of the very few times this has happened where an Among Us clone has beaten the original.

]]> Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:04:50 GMT https://www.thegamer.com/goose-goose-duck-overtakes-among-us-all-time-concurrent-steam-record/