Wishlist Day 11/23/2022-12/1/2022
Welcome to Wishlist Wednesday, a biweekly feature that often comes out on Thursdays! Look, it’s still Wednesday in my heart. I’ve been getting over a viral crud/secondary infection. I finally seem to have kicked. It only took a 30 hour long nap. My brain hasn’t quite adjusted to it being Thursday yet–and now Thursday is almost over! Therefore, we have no time to waste. So here we go! Five games to put on your radar and add to your Steam wishlists!
$19.99 on Steam
It’s been a year since The Calamity™ tore apart the very foundations of soccer as we know it, and since then, Soccer Inc. has made dang well sure that not a soul has been allowed to even look at a soccer ball, let alone kick it.
Soccer may have been banned across the world... but now there is hope! A magical soccer ball has chosen you, our Savior of Soccer!
Soccer Story is a physics-driven adventure RPG, where every problem can be solved with your trusty magic ball. Along the way, you’ll need to best bad guys in 1v1s, compete in a range of different sports (with your soccer ball, of course), and sometimes use your brain just as much as your balls.
In a world that has long forgotten The Beautiful Game, can you remind them why soccer is top of the table, and best the most formidable teams, including the local toddlers and a group of sharks?
The team behind Golf Story did not make this. Surprisingly, they’re actually the team behind Not Tonight. Soccer Story caught my interest as I quite like soccer role-playing games. I always have since some Lego soccer game that I’m pretty sure only I played. This seems like a nice game to scratch that always-present itch.
Many of the reviews cite issues with bugs, so I should note that the devs are actively working on fixes with the first patch dropping today. I’ll give them some time to fix things, otherwise, I’d really like to pick it up at some point.
$9.99
Hongye has been long ignored by the Emperor and you have been tasked to revive it! Securing profit and stable growth is key to reviving Hongye. Every choice you make will contribute to your destiny, as well as the land you rule. A small, split-second decision may cause a completely unanticipated event. Tend to council requests, manage your advisers, lead your people and continuously nurture and use your lands to prosper while fighting against natural and urban disasters.
Take advantage of industrial chains, use your advisers, decide on your investments and build your way to victory. Keep your people happy, your treasury full, and your cities secure, because the evaluation council will surely grade you for everything you do! But as you develop Hongye, you may notice there is a force working against you and everything is not what it seems to be. You may take a thorough analysis of the conspiracy and find the truth for yourself and your people.
What will you sacrifice to revive Hongye? Will you be a fearsome leader or respected through love and admiration? The choice and the stage are yours!
This game has been on my radar since it was announced. For good reason too, after all, it’s gorgeous. Ballads of Hongye launched a few weeks, and while it intrigued me, I was hesitant to feature it for a couple of important reasons. One of those is that reviews cited many bugs. The other was the gameplay was pretty inflexible–there was only one mode which was a brutal city-building experience, and personally not what I look for in city builders. The devs are apparently really cool, and when they received the criticism, used it to better the game. So now, a few weeks out, this game earned its spot on this list.
As of today, the game features three modes. The original mode is now hard mode and now comes with an easy mode, and even a serene mode (perfect for people like me who just want to build a pretty city). Even better, there are many bug fixes. I definitely think with a dev studio *this* responsive, the sky is the limit for this game.
$14.99…but you have to own Tropico 6 first!
We are over the moon to announce that Tropico 6–New Frontiers is out now for PC. Whilst a certain billionaire is distracted by the chaos at Twitter, El Presidente has decided that now is the perfect time for a little space exploration of his own if he truly wants to become the richest man in the universe. SpaceX who?
In Tropico 6–New Frontiers, players are tasked with ensuring Tropico stays ahead of the international competition. It’s a wide world out there and El Prez is taking his persuasion tactics to galactic heights. With the new Space Port Complex, players will embark on launching Tropico into a glorious new future as they construct rockets and delve into research. Take on the Space Race, walk on the Moon and establish the first Mars colony of humankind with the all-new Mission Mars campaign. New characters, buildings, and edicts open countless possibilities to make more money, keep your citizens happy and improve upon that Tropican perfection. You can even customize a fresh look for El Prez and his palace which is out of this world. But be warned, even with a stellar plan, there is no greater risk than space exploration and who knows what unforeseen circumstances await? You’ll need to be creative if you want to claim glory for Tropico.
Okay, the Elon Musk joke is like shooting fish in the barrel, but I laughed. Tropico 6 gets some DLC today! I’ve never played a Tropico game, so I’m not sure if I’m missing out on anything. I know it’s a city builder, there’s an island and a dictatorship and that’s it! Maybe this is where I come on board. The idea of having a space program option is pretty neat.
Okay, you got me. I featured it cause the certain billionaire joke made me smile that much. I’m kinda scraping my own barrel for games to feature this week. Also, yes, we’re two-for-one on the barrel sayings.
21.99
It’s time to work towards that goal of enlightenment, faith, and money… lots and lots of money! Become the ultimate tycoon - create, customize, and manage your own cult whilst listening to funky music. Welcome to Honey, I Joined a Cult!
One of the cool things about writing for The Geekly Grind is watching games I found in early access grow up and leave early access. This is the case with Honey, I Joined A Cult. I definitely need to go back and revisit it. To the game’s credit, it was already pretty solid in early access! I’ll be excited to see where the devs went with it.
$19.99
Following the passing of Bernard Mason, the patriarch of the family, all the remaining Masons return to their childhood home for one last time.
As Aspen, the cat of the household, players will take a journey across the hopes, disappointments, and regrets of the enigmatic Mason family, traversing through a rich narrative that spans over decades.
The game embraces a simple yet intuitive point-and-click play style, celebrating a design approach based on the behaviors of common house cats living all around the world.
Is the cat just a pet, or does this creature play a more mysterious role in our lives?
A narrative adventure with beautiful pixel art, a creepy Lovecraftian air to it, positive reviews, and CATS?!?!? How have I not heard of this until now? I haven’t done too much research into it. I just have a feeling going in blind is the best way to experience this.
Well, that’s what I got on tap for this week! Let us know if you check out any of these games and what you think, either in the comments or on our discord. Personally, I really want to try Ballads of Hongye’s serene mode, but if I had to buy one, I’d be Cats and the Other Lives. Cats and Lovecraft are always a winning combo for me.
See ya’ll in two weeks!
