Day of the Devs does know how to put on a good show, and its latest indie games spotlight - officially a special The Game Awards edition - was another winner, bringing release dates for the long-awaited likes of Open Roads and Flock, plus a bunch of other reveals. We got a psychedelic sequel to 2021's acclaimed jazz adventure Genesis Noir, the second entry in Digital Eclipse's stellar Golden Master Series - this time focusing on the legendary Jeff Minter - plus a load of weirdness, from landlord witches to callcentre horror, to enjoy. And if you missed the showcase live (which is still worth watching, seeing as some of the footage included hasn't yet been published as standalone trailers), you can see everything you missed below.
Yes, the big policeman game is back for another showing and it continues to look wonderfully, beautifully weird. The gist, if you're unfamiliar with developer Tall Boys' Militsioner, is that you're trying to find a way to catch a train and escape the city, all while trying to not rouse the suspicions of the aforementioned massive law enforcement officer looming in the sky. The city has a routine, with people, trains, and even the policeman all operating on their own schedule that you'll need to work with if you're going to escape (perhaps triggering a car alarm at night to wake the slumbering policeman so he falls asleep during the day), and you can also befriend the locals using a Tamagotchi-style mood system. Militsioner doesn't have a release date yet (you can wishlist it on Steam though), but I'm watching this one closely.
Loose Leaf is a tea witch simulator from Kitfox Games, the team behind the acclaimed Boyfriend Dungeon, and sees players managing a tactile tea room in what the studio calls the "most in-depth tea-making sim ever". You'll need to control temperature, timing, ingredients, and more to make the perfect brew and soothe your customers, unlocking new ingredients, tools, and recipes as you go. But remember that witch part? You'll also spend time with your customers, reading their fortunes through tarot cards to help them make sense of their problems and anxieties. There's no release date for Loose Leaf just yet but you can wishlist it on steam.