The Wholesome Games Direct just concluded, after showing off over 90 (!) games focused on cozy, welcoming, and generally, well, wholesome aesthetics. We got a handful of new game reveals, several announcements of release dates or windows, some free demos, and a whole heck-ton of new trailers. Everything was pretty rapidfire, but here's the basic rundown of what we just saw:
New Game Reveals
Three brand new games were revealed for the first time at the Wholesome Direct:
Bubblegum Galaxy
From the same studio as Wholesome Game alum Teacup, Bubblegum Galaxy is a city-builder of sorts…except you’re building galaxies and planets instead. It’s planned for release sometime in 2023 for PC and consoles.
Little Bear Chef
Little Bear Chef is a game about a very, very small bear working in a very large kitchen, trying to start a successful restaurant. In the first trailer, we get a look at the bear (really a sentient, bear-shaped honey container) trying to cook in a human sized kitchen. The game is being developed by BananaBox, and is coming to PC and consoles in 2023.
Melodyssey
Developed by Nel Pastel, Melodyssey follows the story of a child journeying through a musical landscape, looking for inspiration. Its gameplay uses block moving puzzles to progress, and is set to relaxing, ASMR music and sounds. It’s intended as a stress-free, exploration adventure game, and is headed to PC next year. A free demo is out now on Steam.
Games Getting Release Dates/Windows for the First Time
Several games that have previously been announced elsewhere received new trailers in tandem with new release dates and windows, and a few are even out right now. They are as follows:
LumbearJack
An exploration/puzzle game about a bear wrecking human-made objects that threaten to destroy nature and harm the habitats of its friends. You don’t have to wait long, as it’s out now on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, and is coming to Xbox on June 14th, in just a few days.
Freshly Frosted
A puzzle game where you build conveyor belts to decorate and frost donuts and guide them to the exit. It’s out today on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox, and PC.
Lonesome Village
A combination puzzle-solving and social simulator wrapped in a fantasy adventure with no combat. As Wes the coyote, you’re tasked with solving the mystery of a calamity that’s befallen your village. It’s coming to PC, Xbox, and Switch this fall.
A Walk With Yiayia
A light adventure game/visual novel about taking a walk with your grandmother, exploring the neighborhood, and talking with her as you help her regain her confidence after she has a scary fall. It’s out on PC and Nintendo Switch on August 20 of this year.
Melatonin
A story about self-reflection told through rhythm mini-games that merge reality and dreams together. It uses animations and sound cues to keep you on the beat, rather than overlays or interfaces. Melatonin is coming to PC and Switch on September 16, 2022.
Pekoe
A tea making simulator where you make tea for cats, take time for self-care, and bond with new friends as you build and customize your own tea house. It’s coming to PC in Q2 of next year.
Chicken Journey
Play as a chicken on a platforming quest to figure out what came first: the chicken, or the egg? Coming in Q4 of 2022 to PC and Switch.
Updates to Existing Games
A handful of already-released games got announcements of new content shown at the Wholesome Games Direct. They are:
Calico
The slice of life sim game about running a cat cafe is getting a new and improved cooking system with its “Pawsome Update” in Q3 of this year. The update also includes rug and wallpaper customization, and new collectible farm animals.
Princess Farmer
An upcoming DLC to this visual novel/match-3 game sends its characters off on an island vacation that is quickly interrupted by a shell-matching tournament. The Guardian’s Beach Break Part 1: Swimsuits and Shells and a Tournament, Oh My! launches as a free update later this summer.
Skatebird
The skating game about little birds trying their best has a ton of new, free content available right now, including a new Playground level, a new secret skater crossover from Among Us, and a ton of new hats to deck out your birds with. Skatebird is out now on PC, Switch, and Xbox.
Ooblets
The farming, town life, and creature collection game Ooblets is leaving early access and getting its 1.0 launch at last later this summer on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The update will include new regions, settings, characters, and systems.
First Look at Gameplay
A number of previously-announced games appeared at the Wholesome Direct that had, until today, not shown any actual gameplay yet. Here are all the games that debuted a first look at gameplay during the Direct:
Pixelshire
A farming sim/slice-of-life game that includes farming, animal raising, terraforming, and life sim elements, including cooperating with your neighbors to accomplish tasks and build a more beautiful town. It’s headed to PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox next year.
Toroa
Toroa’s trailer was elusive, but it showed a playable waterfowl taking off from floating in the water and soaring through the skies. It’s coming to consoles and potentially other platforms at an undetermined future date.
Paper Animal RPG
An RPG/roguelite homage to the Paper Mario games with a real-time, time-based battle system, cute characters, and pet dinosaurs. Headed to PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Android, iOS, and Xbox in 2023, with a Kickstarter campaign launching this summer.
Soulitaire
A relaxed, roguelike future game where your character can look into the future via games of Solitare. Interpret the future you read in the cards to tell the future of those who come to you to read it. It’s coming to PC, Switch, iOS, and Android at a future date.
Paper Trail
A top-down, puzzle adventure game about leaving home, where you solve puzzles by folding and tearing the paper world. It’s planned for release on PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox in Q1 of next year, and there’s a demo out now on Steam just for this weekend.
Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist
An adventure game where you play as a struggling artist, drawing and selling art to revive your lost art career, unlocking new studios and tools as you progress. It’s coming to PC at a future date, and there’s a public demo available on Steam from June 13 through 20.
Usagi Shima
A cozy, relaxing game about finding and collecting hidden rabbits, decorating an abandoned island, and befriending the found bunnies that inhabit it. It’s coming to PC, iOS, and Android.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley
A musical adventure game about restoring harmony and balance to Moominvalley, based on the Moomin comics and books created by Tove Jansson. It’s coming to PC and consoles in 2023.
Demo Announcements
Several games were shown that have free demos available either now or very, very soon, most through PC via Steam. They are: