Don’t you love video games in the fall? It makes me want to add more games to my wishlist.
I started writing this article on a sunny September morning when the temperature reached a whopping 85 degrees, and not a single cloud was found in the sky. I’m ready for the brisk morning temperatures and the leaves to start falling, that’s for sure. There’s some gloom, not so much doom, and I rate all of these worth your time (and a pumpkin spice latte).
(I’m hitting publish on this on Monday, September 22, the “First Day of Fall.” It’s going to be 80 degrees outside again.)
*Gloomy Eyes (Atlas V, Be Revolution Gaming, 3Dar, Fishing Cactus, ARTE France)
Gloomy Eyes was just released this month on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles, so I haven’t spent much time in it, but it has captured me wholeheartedly. The art direction is unmistakably Tim Burton-esque, and I fell in love with Gloomy and Nena very quickly. There’s no gore or cheap jump scares, just a heartwarming story about bringing light back to the world.
( Steam / PlayStation / Xbox )
*Jenny LeClue (Mografi)
I’ll warn you about jumping into this one: it does end on a cliffhanger, and there’s no sequel. Yet? FINGERS CROSSED. NOTE: Just after writing that line, Mografi announced they’re working on a new game, and sadly, it’s not a Jenny LeClue sequel. However, it’s called Mirria, and it does look pretty cool, though.
Jenny LeClue is a fully voiced acted detective game where you play as the one and only Jenny. She’s the creation of author Arthur K. Finklestein, who has been tasked with making the series darker and edgier, sending Jenny on her biggest case yet: the murder of the Dean at the local college. If Bones had stayed on the air another few years, they could have done a Jenny LeClue-type spinoff with Christine Booth.
Hart Hanson, where you at!?
( Steam / Nintendo Switch / Apple / Android )
*The Night School Studio Trilogy (Night School Studios)
Ok, this one is three games, but they’re all fitting for a playthrough during the brisk Fall months. Oxenfree and Oxenfree II lean very much into Twin Peaks/X-Files vibes, so if you want a supernatural thriller with excellent voice acting and a cool art style, look no further.
Afterparty’s premise is simple. You and your bestie had a heck of a night of partying after graduating college, and you’re now dead. What’s worse? You end up in hell. There’s a bright side, though: if you can out-drink and out-party Satan, you can get out. While I spent most of the Oxenfree games on the edge of my seat trying to unravel the mystery, I spent most of Afterparty laughing at Lola and Milo’s hijinks (and misfortunes), and the wild cast of characters around them.
Oxenfree ( Steam / PlayStation / Xbox )
Oxenfree II ( Steam / PlayStation )
Afterparty ( Steam / PlayStation / Xbox )
*Traveller’s Rest (Isolated Games)
I told myself I wasn’t going to write about anything I featured on the TikTok I made last Fall. Still, with the recent addition of the first full chapter of Traveller’s Rest to the Early Access build, it’s a great time to jump in. (I plan on starting a new save to experience it from scratch.) It’s a Stardew-esque game about becoming a tavern owner, where you farm, mine, craft, cook, and brew your way to becoming the most popular tavern in the kingdom of Rilia and taking down a secretive Fellowship.
( Steam )
*Wytchwood (Alientrap)
A game I found fairly recently, Wytchwood is a gothic-style crafting adventure game and will especially appeal to those who like picking up everything in their path. (It’s me.) The art style is excellent, but the dialogue between characters is what keeps me playing. And your character, the old witch of the woods, is fantastic, and I love her no-nonsense, “fine, I’ll do it myself” attitude.
( Steam / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation / Xbox )
What are your favorite games to play when the seasons change? Let me know!
Thanks for stopping by The Indie Game Cafe! Pull up a chair, grab a cup, and let’s find your next favorite game together. 💖