2023 wholesome direct
so as some of you (gamers) may know, its e3 season i mean summer game fest season still cannot believe e3 has been replaced by something else and with that comes new game reveals and such! i actually watched the main presentation of the summer game fest on the 8th of june and i personally got nothing out of it 
BUT! i did check out their other schedules on their site and i saw this, the wholesome games direct, a live stream dedicated to cutesy chill games!! and you know whats the target demographic for this? ME !!!!! 
so in this blog i wanna talk about the games that caught my attention that i’ll be looking forward to in the future. lets get started!
i am a caterpillar by devfatigued
Crawl up trees, leap between lily pads, and wriggle through underground caverns as you journey towards your destiny as a caterpillar. Today is the day of your transformation - and you will do anything to stop it. ~ steam page desc
this was the first game that spoke to me. a game about being a caterpillar and exploring the world on the day of your transformation. it seems like its also a game about self identity since the caterpillar does not want to transform into a butterfly and I AM SOO on board with that. i want this. i actually cant wait to play this it looks so cute.
pekoe by kitten cup studio
Blend tea and friendship in the flavorful world of Pekoe, a cozy cat-filled tea-making simulator about taking the time for self-care and connecting with what makes you happy. Build relationships, upgrade your teahouse, and discover new recipes as you work towards creating a place you can call home. ~ steam page desc
CATS! i think this will be a common theme in this page. im pretty sure that i took note of every game that included cats, and this is one of them! a nice game about making tea for other cats and building your own tea shop!! sounds so wonderful
bubblegum galaxy by smarto club
Bubblegum Galaxy is a cozy narrative building game about rebuilding the galaxy tile by tile. Discover and design new planets, complete missions, explore your office and befriend your co-workers... all while trying to find out who deleted the galaxy! ~ steam page desc
another cat!!! the premise of this one just sounds really cool! the puzzle part of this game looks very intriging to me, and i like how you can also know more about the characters and the place as you play it. and the art style looks awesome as well :3
there's a demo available on steam and i got the chance to play it and its pretty fun and charming! i liked the puzzle aspect too, i found it very calming
sticky business by spellgarden games
Experience the joy of running your own cozy small business: Create stickers, pack orders and hear your customers’ stories. Time to build the cutest shop on the internet! ~ steam page desc
you know whats another thing i love besides cats? STICKERS! i dont think i have to say anything else like i get to run a small shop where i make stickers and ship them? OKAY!!!! no need to say anything else i am already sold. im very excited for this one
there is a demo available on steam! i played it for a bit and while it is a pretty early demo (theres not a lot to it) i do found it pretty fun nonetheless
usagi shima by pank0 aka jess yu
You’ve been tasked as caretaker of an abandoned island — as you decorate it over time, curious (but adorable!) bunny visitors start to appear! Discover, take photos, and make friends with a variety of bunnies that visit based on how you’ve decorated and arranged the island. ~ website presskit desc
the art style of this one is just so nice to look at. while i am not exactly the biggest gamer for idle games (example: neko atsume, i just forget about them very easily!) i am willing to give this one a try bc it just looks beautiful and i also read on the website that is inspired by a place in japan called Ōkunoshima which has a lot of bunnies!!! and it is also being developed by a single person. i have a lot of respect for solo devs. jess yu has clearly poured a lot of love into this so i really wanna check it out when its ready!
flutter away by runaway play
Embark on a five-day trip to the Amazon rainforest, as a butterfly researcher excited to escape the city! Explore nearby tracks, take photos, meet animal friends and journal your discoveries! ~ website desc
a short adventure game about taking pics and exploring nature. and you also have a capybara bestie
a little to the left: cupboards & drawers(dlc) by max inferno
open up a world of items tucked away in small forgotten spaces ~ trailer vid
i've actually played this game :) its super nice i love playing it for a little bit when im about to go to sleep. its very nice that its getting a dlc with more levels! i do wanna finish the main game (which might take a while cus im really slow) before getting this dlc but its still nice.
gourdlets by auntygames
Gourdlets is a city-building sandbox. Place buildings and scenery, and then watch visiting gourdlets arrive and interact with the world. No objectives, no points, just building. ~ steam page desc
a city building game!!! also have i ever mentioned that i LOVE pixel art? i LOVE pixel art. this game just looks soooo cuteee i love the little guys
lakeburg legacies by ishtar games
Take fate into your own hands in Lakeburg Legacies, a social-based village management sim where love is your favourite resource. Play matchmaker to create the most effective, and most loved up, couples and help your kingdom thrive. How long will it take you to crown a sovereign? ~ steam page desc
i dont have much to say about this one but the concept seems really cool!
a demo is available on steam!
smushi come home by somehumbleonion
Play as a tiny lil' mushroom who's lost in the forest and can't find its way home. Explore unique areas freely at your own pace, chat with friendly inhabitants, and take on different adventures to get back home! ~ steam page desc
cute mushroom game cute mushroom game cute mushroom game
this one just got released!!! i hope i can get it soon since i dont exactly have the money to get it but it looks so charming. this is something i would play before going to bed so i could wind down
grimoire groves by stardust
Become a masterful witch as you grow cute plant creatures with your magic in this cozy rogue-lite dungeon crawler. Craft powerful spells and items, discover new plant types, befriend magical creatures, and restore the magical forest. ~ steam page desc
i dont even know what to say about this one i just love the art style so much and im a fan of roguelite games so here i am!!!!
a demo is available on steam!
garden buddies by jampics
Unleash your inner gardener and immerse yourself in the serene world of Garden Buddies, cultivating a vibrant flower garden alongside your new friend Mutsy. Discover an enchanting and fulfilling experience to release your stress. ~ steam page desc
oh to tend a garden and befriend little creatures................................
a tiny sticker tale by ogre pixel
A Tiny Sticker Tale is a cozy miniature adventure about changing the world, using the power of stickers! ~ steam page desc
another sticker game lets fucking gooooooo!!!!
a demo is available on steam!
everdeep aurora by
nautilus games
An ongoing apocalyptic meteor shower has forced the world’s population to settle underground. As Shell, a feline child who awakens to find her mother missing, drill downward from the surface layer through a tile-based underground and discover the Everdeep. ~ steam page desc
this is one of my trailers shown in this direct. everything about this is so good. the art, the animation, the music, the CAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this might become a Certified Hit when it comes out. i can smell it. i really cant wait for it. it looks so magical
magical delicacy by skaule
A wholesome pixel art platformer. Cook magical delicacies from a vast collection of ingredients in your own shop. Explore an unfamiliar town and deliver tasty treats to the townsfolk. Learn new ways to traverse, discover secrets, and experience a unique witchy world. ~ steam page desc
a game where you cook and have to explore to find ingredients with a beautiful pixel art style yes yes yes yes yes!
snufkin melody of moominvalley by hyper games
Join Snufkin in this musical adventure about restoring harmony and balance to Moominvalley, protecting it from the industrious Park Keeper. ~ steam page desc
MOOMIN GAME??????????????? i almost jumped when i saw this!!!!!!!!!! i dont know much about moominvalley if im being honest but i have watched some episodes of the show, and seen panels from the comic strips and moomin just radiates this vibe of calmness and comfy-ness :] the art style used here looks beautiful as well. so i hope i get to try it at some point
cato by team woll
Cat + Toast = Cato = Buttered cat paradox = Anti-gravity 🍞🐈🧩 ~ steam page desc
cat puzzle game and their toast?????????????? i will be there no matter WHAT
a demo is available on steam!
quilts & cats of calico by monster couch
Quilts & Cats of Calico is a wholesome digital adaptation of the award-winning puzzle board game for 1-4 players. Meet adorable cats and sew the coziest quilts. Compete with other players in multiplayer mode, play solo, or delve into the story of a quilter sewing their way through the city of cats. ~ steam page desc
super cute + you can make your own cat HELL YEAH
a demo is available on steam!
life after magic by team starlight
Can you save magic before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve? Life After Magic is a queer, retro visual novel that follows jaded ex-magical girls as they reconnect, deal with young adulthood, and face off against one last threat before Y2K hits. ~ steam page desc
a free to play visual novel about magical girls having to deal with.... not so magical girl. i hope to play it soon this month!!!
garden life by stillalive studios
Use appropriate gardening techniques, express your creativity, and experience the serenity that cultivating your own garden brings. ~ steam page desc
sandbox game about having a garden :3 it features a cat
window garden by camilla santiago
Create a cozy, aesthetic indoor garden paradise in a lofi chill game with plants ~ website desc
an idle game about tending plants and playing lo-fi music?? its currently available on the play store so im downloading it on my phone as we speak!!! the art style looks very cute too
and those are all the games (and singular dlc...) that interested me from the stream!! i hope whoever is also reading this can also find something for themselves as well!
background pic taken from wholesomegames.com, by Saffron Aurora
written with love by des on 10.jun.23, published on 11.jun.23