Pretty, Little, Pixels - Tyrant's Realm, Dreamcore, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and Butcher's Creek
I can't imagine existing in a tyrant's realm. /s
« PRETTY, LITTLE, PIXELS is an independent newsletter about video games that are weird, different, pretty, and/or indie—by Juno Rylee Schultz (she/her).
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Edits: Morgan Shaver (they/them), Nathan Miller (he/him), and Bex Stump (she/her).
TYRANT’S REALM is smaller in scope than the average game borrowing inspiration from Dark Souls—while still playing by the familiar, modern rules of the Souls-like genre—conjuring up an interesting playground for fans of early 3D games and Dark Souls titles to hack and slash in.
A lack of enemy and combat encounter variety is mitigated, in part, by the interesting environments, the game’s retro aesthetic, and the roguelite elements.
You also can’t play as a female character, which affected my enjoyment of the game.
The stakes are lower for me if a man is being chased by monsters because—I don’t know—he might deserve it?
Tyrant’s Realm is available on Steam for ten bucks.
The ominous environments available for first-person exploration in DREAMCORE feel more like the inside of an early 2000s Windows desktop background than anything from a dream.
There are other games with a more cohesive premise in the same genre—like POOLS—but the fuzzy vibes and strange level design are weird enough for anyone looking for a different kind of trip.
Dreamcore is available on Steam for about ten bucks. The game is also available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and Xbox platforms.
HELLO KITTY ISLAND ADVENTURE is a life sim game that gives players the chance to kick back and relax with their favorite Sanrio characters.
Puzzle-solving, crafting, exploration, climbing, and baking cakes are all options in this Sanrio vacation getaway—each offering just enough depth without wading too far into the seaweed—keeping players in the shallow end without losing that tropical beach sparkle.
The game contains some of the elements from the more complicated life sims—like Animal Crossing and The Sims—while still understanding that you had a really long day and actually just want to chill on the beach with Keroppi and Hello Kitty.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is available on Steam for about forty bucks. The game is also available on Nintendo Switch and Apple Arcade. There’s also a deluxe version of the game available that includes cosmetic content and some items that can also be acquired through normal gameplay.
BUTCHER’S CREEK is a stylish and scary game that takes the melee-focused combat and vibes from Condemned: Criminal Origins and manages to create something new and wonderful. It’s also really funny… when it’s not being spooky.
Players are pitted against a cult of serial killers with nothing but a camera and whatever they can find on the ground to defend themselves.
With pipes, wrenches, and other tools you can use as weapons, you’ll need to gather all your courage as you push through dilapidated factories and forgotten farmhouses to survive this exhilarating fever dream.
Butcher’s Creek is available on Steam for eight bucks. This is a must-play for fans of Dusk, The Pony Factory, and other games from David Szymanski.
Love the light you shine on some indies. Looking forward to trying Tyrant’s Realm