Explosion Network may receive a commission when you purchase something via a link on our site
A sitcom narrative game about a group of friends (just like Friends) who are birds.
Release date TBD.
In this game, you explore a strange town and help the residents by following the mysterious lights.
It is releasing in 2021.
You play Momo, a former big city kitty who has now moved to an island seeking a more fulling life than a 9-5 desk job.
In this Pokemon Snap inspired adventure, you snap creatures, solve puzzles and collect different poses.
Release today via Steam.
Hi, we're Annie & Lukas and we're making a tidy puzzle game💕A Little To The Left💕!
Stack, sort & organize things to just the right spot… ahh, that's better✨😌✨
Wishlist on Steam https://t.co/IU3ZgOuKRc
-or-
Play the demo https://t.co/VqogMcRhYz#indiedev #gamedev #puzzle pic.twitter.com/yLtMjxidEl— Max Inferno // A Little To The Left (@MaxInfernoGames) June 12, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
If you’re the type of person who hates when a photo frame is hanging just off-balance, this is both the best and worst game for you. It’s all about finding the balance and precise arrangements of various objects.
Releasing on October 22, 2021.
Ooblets just entered patch 0.8, the Port Forward update, which brings dance battles and arcade machines, among other things.
In early access now via Epic Games Store or Xbox.
Spirit Swap is a match-three puzzle game with lo-fi beats and a colourful art style.
It is releasing in 2022.
In this painting game with Ghibli-inspire art design, you guide the brushstrokes as a form of puzzles to help an aspiring artist complete her masterpiece.
It is releasing in 2021.
We’ve seen a bit of Skatebird at this point, and we even know its release date now, which is August 12, but in the Wholesome Direct, the accessibility controls and options were outlined, which are excellent.
Releasing on August 12.
Described as a “3D platformer for tired people,” my E3-tired self was instantly intrigued by Here Comes Niko.
Coming in 2021.
Do you like tea and cats? Do we have the game for you!
We’re Kitten Cup Studio and we’re hard at work on Pekoe! Blend tea and friendships in the flavorful world of Pekoe 💖 pic.twitter.com/Ur24NlCofq
— Kitten Cup Studio (@KittenCupStudio) June 12, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
You blend tea and take time to care for yourself and your friendships in this cosy cat game.
Coming in 2022.
In Lake, you play as Meredith, who returns to her hometown and takes up her family job of mail delivery person while her parents take a holiday.
I’ve previewed Lake already, and you can read that now.
It is releasing on September 1.
This is a slice of life sim game inspired by games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing.
Yokai Inn is still early in development.
Although Mythic Ocean released last year on PC, the underwater adventure is now coming to consoles.
Mythic Ocean is releasing on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on July 2.
In this open-world farming and building sim, you play Kokopa, who crash lands on a mysterious planet and must build and make new friends.
Kokopa’s Atlast is coming soon.
In Button City, you play as a fox who’s teamed up with his friends to save their local arcade.
Button City is set for a Q3 2021 release. And now coming to Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, alongside the previously announced PC.
Letters is a word puzzle game about friendship where you follow Sarah and move through her letters and pen pal chat messages to help decide who she will grow up to be.
Letters is scheduled to release in late 2021.
Hot Pot For One is set during a cold Christmas night where you’re stuck in a foreign country and have to get through the night by cooking a dish intended for six people.
Cook-up now as Hot Pot For One released on Steam today.
In Garden Story, you play as Concord, the youngest grape in The Grove who’s had the duty of protecting their island home from The Rot fall upon them. To do so, you must father materials, build, collect fruits and more.
Tracks of Thought is a card-based conversations game in which you battle your personality to dive deeper and discover yourself.
In this 3D adventure game, you explore the Maravilla Islands to take pictures of the wildlife and discover its secrets.
Hoa features hand-painted art paired with puzzle platforming.
Hoa is releasing on August 21 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
We Are OFK will tell the behind the scenes story of how four friends came together to form OFK and release their first hit song, ‘Follow/Unfollow.’
We Are OFK is releasing later in 2021.
In Paralives, you create a character and build your dream house before managing their lives the way you want. It sounds like The SIMS, but it’s not.
The release date of Paralives is yet to be announced.
In this adorable co-op puzzle game, you play as either Jeff or Debra, two kiwi birds who work in a post office together.
KeyWe is set to release on August 31.
In this novel, walking simulator, you play as someone who’s taking their Greek grandmother for a walk after she’s lost her confidence following a scary fall.
The release date of A Walk with Yiayia is yet to be announced.
Dordogne is a puzzle game featuring hand-painted artwork where you play as a woman visiting the house of her recently deceased grandmother.
Dordogne is set to release sometime in 2021.
Explore a mysterious island as a small lizard and complete puzzles in The Gecko Gods.
The Gecko Gods is releasing in 2022.
You play as Yukumo, a young girl whose airship breaks down in an abandoned town, and she must explore it to look for parts and traces of those who are missing.
TASOMACHI: Behind the Twilight is releasing on April 14.
Please Be Happy is a visual novel about friendship and how to be happy.
Please Be Happy is releasing later in 2021.
In this story focused, plant-based narrative sim, you grow ingredients to craft spells and help the village of Flora.
Witchy Life Story is releasing in 2022.
In this turn-based RPG, you do battle as cupcakes, or you can try and befriend your enemies.
BattleCakes is releasing in 2021.
In this management game, you build and run bed and breakfast as a bear.
Bear & Breakfast is set to release in 2021.
In Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist, you attempt to solve your father’s disappearance while exploring his art shop.
I think this is a game about a young girl travelling in an airship. But I couldn’t gather the exact type of game it is, and there’s currently no Steam page I could find.
Rainbow Billy is a 2.5D adventure game with RPG non-battles where you attempt to make friends with everyone.
I recently played the demo for Rainbow Billy, and you can read all about it here.
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about unpacking possessions and finding places for them in your new home.
I’ve played Unpacking a couple of times now, and you can read my preview for it here.
Unpacking is set to release in 2021.
You have access to over 100 recipes in Soup Pot, and you’re free to tackle these authentic recipes as you see fit.
Soup Pot is set to release in Q3 2021.
Cloud Jumper is an exploration game where you explore the sky and an assortment of floating islands.
Cloud Jumper is releasing soon.
Teacup is a narrative game where you help a small, shy frog on her journey to find ingredients for her tea party.
Teacup is releasing in 2021.
In this fishing RPG, you work with Moonglow’s residents and family to grow and build the community.
Moonglow Bay is releasing in 2021.
A simple premise for Pupperazzi: find dogs, take cute pictures.
This pixel-art fishing game is all about catching fish and planting trees.
Luna’s Fishing Garden is releasing in just a couple of days on June 16.
Witchery Academy is a witch/life simulator where you live life, make friends, train on brewing potions, and grow vegetables and catch spells.
Witchery Academy is releasing soon.
On Amber Isles lies a prehistoric group of residents who need a shopkeep. And that’s where you come in.
Amber Isle doesn’t have a release date at the moment.
It seems like Woodo is all about building a room however you see fit with nicely detailed objects. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a Steam page for this game.
In this crafting adventure game, you explore a land that is based upon gothic fables while gathering ingredients, and you can brew spells.
Wytchwood is set to release in 2021.
Moonshell Island is an action RPG with Zelda-inspired gameplay.
Moonshell Island is set to release in 2022.
This game is about playing a small frog, exploring a town, finding friends and doing frog things.
Frogsong is set to release in 2022.
The following games were shown in a montage near the end of the show. Each got between 10-20 seconds each in the showcase. Some of them are already out, being kickstarted, or available via itch.io.
Lego Builder’s Journey
Clawfish
🎣🐠 Clawfish is out now as a surprise release for #WholesomeDirect! Come hangout at the Clawfish arcade and relax for a while 🐠 🎣
Now available on Steam and itchiohttps://t.co/pMjmZA9HOGhttps://t.co/zFjkU2GafW pic.twitter.com/PkUTr9AXQK
— David Czar (Clawfish) (@davidczar_) June 12, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
PowerWash Simulator
Book of Travels
Toodee and Topdee
The Garden Path
Venba
The Outbound Ghost
The Magnificent Trufflepigs
Fossil Corner
Dreamland Confectionery
Freshly Frosted
APICO
Cat Designer Mocha
Lonefarm
Shashingo
RoboCo
Kotodama Diary
co-open
Cat Cafe Manager
Game Director Story
Princess Farmer
KreatureKind
Seasonspree
Fire Tonight
Floppy Knights
You play as an astronaut exploring an ocean planet that’s cleaning up its polluted surface and helping re-build a safe and healthy environment for the alien creatures.
Loddlenaut is currently running a Kickstarter, so the release is still some time away.
That’s all of the trailers and games that were shown during this year’s Wholesome Direct. There’s a lot of them! If you’d like to watch the show in full, it’s below.
Which game, or games, stood out to you the most? Let me know in the comments section below.
