From grabbing the wheel of a big rig, to taking some time out from racing to snap eye-catching photos, there’s no shortage of things you can get into while free roaming in Mario Kart World. One of these is finding question mark panels located around

Mario Kart World’s free-roam feature has plenty to do, but finding the question mark panels located around each track is one that stands out the most. These are fun to find and they’ll even reward you with stickers, so you won’t want to miss them if

Disparu il y a plus d'un siècle, la lettre Ꝃ "k barré", prononcé ker, continue pourtant de fasciner et se bat pour exister, même hors de Bretagne. L’article Le Ꝃ barré : la lettre interdite de Bretagne est apparu en premier sur Graphéine - Agence de

Balls, Dice & Stickers asks you to launch a ball at some dice that trigger a ton of ridiculous effects each time you hit them. I am not sure what I did to upset paperclips, mice, and the manifestations of the past, but they’re all here to give me a hard time unless I beat them up with some damaging dice. I won’t be rolling those dice, though. That would be a little too straightforward in this delightfully chaotic game. Instead, I’ll be launching a ball at the dice and trying to get the ball to bounce around the room, hitting the dice as much as possible before the ball pings out the bottom of the screen. Except THAT is also not all there is to it. Each round, you get a sticker you can apply to one of your dice. These stickers cause wildly varied effects that often build off of the other stickers. For instance, you can add a beehive to one of the dice. This can spawn a bee, which in turn will shoot needles at certain things and will like other objects. Tape adds a banana to the playing field which can provide you points. The Pub spawns a drunk driver, and that drunk driver might get caught by the police car that you spawn from landing on another die. And these dice effects all stack on top of one another as you progress through the rounds, resulting in a bustling field of dozens of bizarre, silly effects all working in tandem with one another. Balls, Dice & Stickers is really something to behold after you’ve got a few rounds under your belt. Describing it really doesn’t do justice to how much fun this game is once it gets rolling, so I highly recommend trying out the alpha build on itch.io. I can’t even imagine how much sillier it’s going to get in its full release. Balls, Dice & Stickers is availble now (in an alpha format) on itch.io. You can add the future full release of the game to your Wishlist on Steam. About The Author

Accessories firm PowerA have released a series of peripherals and items designed to look after your believed new Switch 2 console to avoid a broken, smashed machine while taking it on-the-goTech14:16, 15 Jun 2025The PowerA Slim case for Switch 2Gamers who have just snapped up their fancy new Switch 2 console need some protection for their latest purchase.Because this fine piece of tech can easily be dropped while gaming onto a hard floor.‌Thankfully, a host of peripherals and accessories are already hitting stores for the Nintendo machine just days after its summertime launch.‌And it means you’ve now got options to protect your pricey device from a nasty fall or screen smash early in its gaming life.The bods at Power A have dropped a series of items worth considering for you Switch 2.Our go-to here is the new Slim Case which is a bargain at just £14.99.Article continues belowOfficially licensed by Nintendo, it has a moulded interior with soft fabric lining that perfectly cups your console, keeping it tightly nested from movement when zipped in.The case has a clean, rugged designIt looks the part too, with a grey tough fabric feel and that all-important Switch 2 logo on the front, bottom right, so you can show off to your pals.‌Inside you can even tuck in 10 game cards for your favourite titles thanks to a dedicated rack area.And that has an integrated play stand for on-the-go gamers who want to put out the magnetic Joy-Cons and have the display stand up in the case at a nice viewable angle where it remains protected while you game outdoors with pals.The play stand doubles as a padded screen protector when the system is inside the case, which is ideal.‌We’ve tried this out and it feels of good quality and well padded to protect your console.You can also get a screen protector from the firm to cover your precious 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen form a break during a fall.There are two in a pack for £9 and, just like mobile phone screen protectors, they’ll give you an extra layer of cover while not affecting the touch screen mechanisms.‌The pack includes a microfibre cleaning cloth, placement guides, dust removal stickers and applicator.The Mario Time advantage controller for Switch 2Finally, if you want to avoid the Joy-Cons altogether there are new controllers for the Switch 2 to consider.Article continues belowThe best looking one is arguably the Advantage wired controller dubbed ‘Mario Time’ which costs £29 and boasts hall-effect magnetic sensor thumb sticks for fluid gameplay, on board audio controls for your gaming headsets and a cool Super Mario themed look.‌‌‌

ZDNET's key takeaways The Pixel 9 is Google's latest baseline flagship phone, with prices starting at $800. It comes with the new Tensor G4 processor, an updated design, a bigger battery, and a slightly higher asking price. The hardware improvements over last year's model are relatively small. more buying choices At Amazon, the 256GB Google Pixel 9 is on sale for $649, a $250 discount. This deal applies to all color options except Peony (pink).I had a chance to attend the Made by Google event back in August 2024, and after the keynote wrapped up, I was more excited to go hands-on with the baseline version of the Pixel 9 than the Pro or the Pro XL. Why? Because the Pixel 9's accessibility makes it a fascinating device, and one I recommend for a handful of reasons.Also: I changed 10 settings on my Pixel phone to significantly improve the user experienceI'm spoiling this review right at the top, but it's true. Google's latest entry-level flagship, the Pixel 9, is here, with prices starting at $799. Even though its hardware is a minor improvement over the Pixel 8, it's an impressive phone overall. It offers a new design, slightly upgraded performance, slightly better cameras, a slightly bigger battery, and a host of new AI features.Google has positioned the Pixel 9 as the default Android alternative to the iPhone 16, partly because it looks like one. Google gave the entire Pixel 9 family flat sides with rounded corners, which makes it look like something from a design lab in Cupertino. The good news is that it makes these phones look and feel great. details View at Best Buy In fact, they're my favorite-looking Pixel phones yet. The Pixel 9 feels especially unique while still offering a premium feel that's blissfully cold to the touch when you pick it up. The sides are aluminum, while the front and back feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The whole thing is IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, and it's just the right size for use with one hand. Max Buondonno/ZDNETAnother characteristic of the Pixel is its nice display, and the Pixel 9 definitely has one. It features a 6.3-inch Actua display that is a tenth of an inch bigger than the Pixel 8. The sharp 2424x1080 resolution, OLED panel, and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate give the Pixel 9 exceptional visuals, whether you're just reading email or watching your favorite movie. This year, the screen can reach way up to 2,700 nits of brightness, making it one of the brightest Android phones you can buy.Also: I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro XL with the 9a for a month - and it was pretty dang closeAlso, its performance feels better. Powered by the new Tensor G4 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of storage, the Pixel 9 is a screamer. It's one of the most responsive Android phones I've used all year, and that's just with the standard version of this phone.The cameras are also impressive. Google kept the same 50MP main camera as last year but swapped the old 12MP ultra-wide for a new 48MP 123-degree camera. Photos are simply stunning on this phone, and Google's post-processing algorithms do a great job of retaining details and contrast. Video quality is also very good, especially with the company's Video Boost technology. This phone can easily rival any device that costs $200+ more. Max Buondonno/ZDNETIf there's a downside to the hardware, it's the inclusion of the lower-quality 10.5MP selfie camera, whereas the Pro phones get a new 42MP camera. There's also an extra telephoto camera on the Pro model, so you won't get the same zoom quality on the regular Pixel 9.Regarding this phone's AI features, Google has jammed quite a bit into the Pixel 9. Not only does it ship with the company's Gemini chatbot out of the box, but thanks to the Tensor G4 processor, it also comes with Gemini Live, so you can have real-life conversations with it.Also: I found a physical keyboard for my Pixel 9 Pro that isn't a jokeIt requires a Google One AI Premium plan, but you'll get one for free if you buy a Pixel 9. I've asked it numerous questions that were similar to web queries ("What's the best place to live near New York City that's relatively affordable," "How many stars are in the sky -- wait, in the galaxy?") and it answered them all with ease -- even with speech interruptions. It's in the early stages, but it's exciting technology that could change how we use our phones.You also get features like Add Me, which allows you to take a picture of your friends, then have them take a picture of you in the same place, and merge the two so no one's left out. I've played around with it during my testing, which worked surprisingly well. There are also some nice updates to Magic Editor for framing your photos. Max Buondonno/ZDNETGoogle also included two new AI-powered apps on the Pixel 9 series: Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio. With the former, you can organize your screenshots and search through them with AI prompts, allowing you to easily reference information like Wi-Fi passwords or recipes. Meanwhile, the latter lets you generate images on the fly and customize them with text, stickers, and other effects. I've enjoyed using both apps in my limited testing time, but I'll need to play with them over the long run to see whether they're worth it.Also: The best Google Pixel phones to buy in 2025I found battery life to be quite good. There's a 4,700mAh cell inside that can last all day on a charge and then some, which means you won't need to worry about this phone's battery after a long day. Google includes 45W charging support on the Pixel 9 series, which is awesome, but you'll need to buy a separate wall adapter to take advantage of it. In addition, there's 15W wireless charging (not Qi2, notably) and 5W reverse wireless charging called "Battery Share."ZDNET's buying adviceIf your budget is $800, it's hard not to recommend Google's Pixel 9, especially while it's on sale at $250 off. Sure, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is a tough competitor, but I actually think this is the better buy. It gives you access to some useful new AI features, and you get all the perks of the Pixel experience, like excellent software, display quality, and cameras. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL models may be flashier, but the baseline version of Google's flagship phone should not be overlooked. This article was originally published on August 22, 2024, and was updated on June 6, 2025 What are the tariffs in the US? The recent US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.Smartphones are among the most affected by the new US tariffs, with devices imported from China and Vietnam facing steep duties that could raise retail prices by 20% or more. Brands like Apple and Google, which rely heavily on Asian manufacturing, may either pass these costs on to consumers or absorb them at the expense of profit margins. The tariffs could also lead to delays in product launches or shifts in where and how phones are made, forcing companies to diversify production to countries with more favorable trade conditions. Show more Featured reviews

Wholesome Direct 2025 - everything announced at this year's cosy indie showcase Big hops! Discount shops! Spooky pups! More! Image credit: Eurogamer Feature by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on June 7, 2025 If you're the sort who just can't seem to resist the soothing rhythms of turnip planting and interior design, you've come to the right place. This year's Wholesome Direct - which marks the fifth anniversary of the showcase - has now aired, unleashing a fresh wave of cosy games to stick on your wishlists. We've got vending machine management, adorable puppies on spooking adventures, cheese-based puzzling, geckos, goats, seasonal cemetery exploration, and a whole lot more. So if that sounds like it might help sate your idyllic yearning, read on for all the big announcements from Wholesome Direct 2025. And for more indies, you can check out our round-up of this year's Day of the Devs showcase elsewhere. Leaf Blower Co. Leaf Blower Co. trailer.Watch on YouTube Ever wished your PowerWash Simulator had a little less splosh and a little more whoosh? That seems to be the starting point for developer Lift Games' Leaf Blower Co., a game about making the untidy tidy come rain, snow, or shine, one mechanised gust at a time. It's got a story mode plus a variety to locations waiting to be blown debris-free, and if that appeals, a demo's available now on Steam ahead of its release later this year. Instants Instants trailer.Watch on YouTube Instants is a creativity themed puzzler about the intoxicating pleasures of obsessive scrapbooking. It sees players attempting to sort images into chronological order and then assembling them into a scrapbook to reveal a "heartwarming" story inspired by the way family history can be passed down using pictures. It's developed by Endflame and launches today on PC (via Steam and Epic), and Switch. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar trailer.Watch on YouTube Stardew Valley might be the face of farming sims these days, but the grandaddy of the genre - Story of Season (formerly Harvest Moon) - never went away, and another entry in the venerable series is looming. Grand Bazaar is actually a remake of 2011 DS game Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar, and it's got pretty much everything you'd expect from these kind of things - including turnips to fondle, animals to rear, and locals to dazzle with your impressive root vegetable collection. The main twist is you'll be selling all this yourself by setting up shop in the titular bazar. And if that sounds like something you'd enjoy, it launches for Switch, Switch 2, and Steam on 27th August. Gourdlets Together Gourdlets Together trailer.Watch on YouTube Perhaps you're already a fan of last year's Gourdlets or perhaps you're completely new to its vegetable-themed low-stakes thrills. Either way, there'll soon be a new way to play, thanks to developer AuntyGames' Gourdlets Together. Essentially, it takes the laid-back village-building vibes of the original, slings in a bit of a fishing focus - where earnings can be spent on upgrades or accessories to decorate your island home - then lets you do it while hanging out with friends online. Gourdlets Together launches on PC later this year. Luma Island Luma Island trailer.Watch on YouTube Don't think we're done with the farming sims yet - not by a long shot! Luma Island launched last year, offering an attractive mix of crop whispering, profession-specific activities, creature collecting, exploration, and puzzle-y dungeoneering. And come 20th June, it'll be getting just a little be more swashbuckling, thanks to its free Pirates update, introducing a new profession, new Lumas, new outfits, and a pirate cove filled with mini-games, temples, traps, and treasures. It'll also bring a range of different difficulty modes to suit players of all tastes. Is This Seat Taken? Is This Seat Taken? trailer.Watch on YouTube Think you're a dab hand at the old 'awkward family gathering' seating plan challenge? Well then, this might just be the game for you. In Poti Poti Studio's "cosy, silly, and relatable" logic puzzler Is This Seat Taken?, the goal is to satisfy the demands of a particularly fussy group of chair occupiers to find the perfect spot that'll keep everyone happy - be they on the bus, at the park, or in the office. It's coming to Steam, Switch, iOS, and Android this August, and a Steam demo's out now. MakeRoom MakeRoom trailer.Watch on YouTube Here's one for the aesthetic tinkerers and furnishing fetishists out there. MakeRoom, from developer Kenney, sees players decorating a series of miniature dioramas - from cosy indoor retreats to camper vans and even forests - to fulfil the requests of adorable NPCs. You might, for instance, be tasked with creating the perfect room for cats, or a suitably moody hideout for a vampire. Then it's simply a matter of hanging drapes, plopping down plants, and even crafting furniture to bring these spaces to life and satisfy your clients' whims. It all sounds very much like Animal Crossing's weirdly compelling Happy Home Paradise expansion, so if it's more of that sort of thing you want, MakeRoom comes to Steam on 7th August. Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell trailer.Watch on YouTube The apple bell - whatever an apple bell is - has been stolen, but luckily for apple bell lovers everywhere, renowned detective Ambroise Niflette is on the case. Over the course of Topotes Studio's investigatory adventure, Ambroise - and players - will roam the village of Touvoir, interrogating its inhabitants and searching for secrets, all while using a notebook of steadily amassing leads to reveal contradictions and unmask the culprit. It all sounds perfectly lovely, but the real draw is the delightful art style, which is heavily inspired by miniatures and stop motion. Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell is eventually set to launch on Steam, but first there's a Kickstarter, which is underway now. Let's Build a Dungeon Let's Build a Dungeon trailer.Watch on YouTube First there was Let's Build a Zoo, and now comes Let's Build a Dungeon. But while developer Springloaded kept its focus pretty tight for its debut release, Let's Build a Dungeon goes broad; not only is it a playable RPG creator where you can rustle up your own worlds and quests, it's also claiming to be an entire games industry sim too, where you'll need to manage all the malarky around releasing your game - from attracting funding right through to making a profit at the other end of the process. But if all that sounds too stressful, Springloaded has confirmed - as part of its latest showing - there'll be a cosy sandbox Build Mode too. There's still no release date for Let's Build a Dungeon yet, but it's heading to Steam (there's a demo here), Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Squeakross: Home Squeak Home Squeakross: Home Squeak Home trailer.Watch on YouTube What do you get if you cross adorable mice with classic grid-filling puzzler Picross? Well, this thing, obviously. Squeakross: Home Squeak Home is the work of developer Alblune, and it adds its own twist to the familiar logic-testing formula by introducing a home decorating element. The idea is each puzzle corresponds to an unlockable bit of decor - including furniture, accessories, and stickers - so you'll slowly amass new furnishings and trimmings as you give your brain a work out. Is there an in-game lore reason why puzzles equals furniture? Who knows! We'll soon find out, though, given Squeakross launches for Switch and PC (via Steam and itch.io) today. Monument Valley 3 Monument Valley 3 trailer.Watch on YouTube Ustwo Games' perspective shifting puzzle series Monument Valley has been a big old hit, amassing tens of millions of downloads since its iOS debut back in 2014 - so it wasn't a huge surprise when a third entry showed up on mobile last year. Initially, however, it was locked behind a Netflix subscription, but Monument Valley 3 - which we quite liked despite it offering little meaningful evolution for the series - is finally spreading its wings later this year. As announced during today's Wholesome Direct, it's coming to Steam, Switch, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 22nd July. Big Hops Big Hops trailer.Watch on YouTube If you immediately thought bunnies, you're wrong. Big Hops is, in fact, a frog-themed action platformer, in which players attempt to help the titular Hop find his way home. Each world he visits on his adventure promises its own self-contained story - involving everything from mountain cultists to desert ne'erdowells - all interspersed with plenty of agile platform action. You can grapple across gaps, hoist levers, rotate wheels, even pick locks - all using your tongue - and it's accompanied by some veggie-based gameplay that lets players introduce the likes of climbable vines and mushroom-based bounce pads into levels. Big Hops is currently raising funds via Kickstarter and a Steam demo's out now. Little Kitty, Big City Little Kitty, Big City trailer.Watch on YouTube Here's quicky for you. Little Kitty, Big City - the feline-focused open-world adventure from Double Dagger Studio - is getting a little bigger. That's thanks to a free content update coming to all platforms this "summer", promising new story content, a new neighbourhood to explore, and new oddball characters to befriend. That's alongside a new cat customisation feature for you creative sorts out there. Vending Dokan!: Kozy Kiosk Vending Dokan!: Kozy Kiosk trailer.Watch on YouTube What's in a name? Well, pretty much everything in this case. Aftabi Games' Vending Dokan!: Kozy Kiosk is, just as it sounds, a cosy, laidback game about managing your own vending machine empire. You'll choose where your machines go and what they sell, and hire staff to ensure they stay stocked, clean, and in working order. There's a heavy customisation element too, as you're free to decorate the areas surrounding your vending machines in order to attract new customers. Kozy Kiosk is officially referred to as an "idle simulation", and can be played both actively and passively. And if that appeals, it launches for Steam today. Winter Burrow Winter Burrow trailer.Watch on YouTube Developer Pine Creek Games' "woodland survival game" Winter Burrow was unveiled during December's Wholesome Direct, but it's back to announce it's now coming to Switch. If you missed its original reveal, Winter Burrow casts you as a mouse who's attempting to fix up their burrow and turn it into a toasty retreat from the cold. That requires exploring the snow-covered world outside, gathering resources, crafting tools, building things, making friends, baking pies, and more. Winter Burrow launches next year and will be available for Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch. Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game Tales of the Shire trailer.Watch on YouTube After multiple delays, cosy hobbit life sim Tales of the Shire is almost upon us, and developer Wētā Workshop is readying for its arrival with a brand-new trailer. It's been described as a game about "finding joy in the small moments", and features all the usual life sim activities - fishing, cooking, gathering, decorating, merrymaking - with a bit of a Lord of the Rings twist. So yes, you CAN decorate your hobbit's hole. Tales of the Shire launches for Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on 29th July. Haunted Paws Haunted Paws trailer.Watch on YouTube If your interests lie at the intersection of spooky mansions and adorable pups, prepare to have your day made. In developer LazyFlock's supernatural adventure Haunted Paws, players - either solo or with a friend - control two brave (and customisable!) puppies as they explore a creepy old house in search of their human, who's been kidnapped by sinister forces. It promises puzzles, lighthearted spookiness, and even a few emotional bits. There's no release date for Haunted Paws yet, but it's coming to Steam. The Guardian of Nature The Guardian of Nature trailer.Watch on YouTube This wholesome, hand-drawn puzzle adventure from Inlusio Interactive is all about the interconnectedness of nature, and sees players embarking on a botanical journey as the lovably be-hatted Henry. Not only does Henry know his stuff about the natural world, he's also able to change his size, meaning players can explore both above and below ground as they solve puzzles to assist nature. The Guardian of Nature launches into Steam early access today, and it's coming to Switch, Xbox, iOS, and Android too. Everdeep Aurora Everdeep Aurora trailer.Watch on YouTube If you've ever thought Dig Dug would be improved if its protagonist was a cat, Everdeep Aurora might be the game for you. It follows the apocalyptic adventures of a kitten named Shell as she explores subterranean depths in search of her mother. You'll obliterate blocks, do some platforming, play mini-games, and converse with peculiar characters as you investigate the dark secrets buried below, all without a hint of combat. Its limited-colour pixel art looks wonderful, and it's coming to Steam and Switch on 10th July. Seasonala Cemetery Seasonala Cemetery trailer.Watch on YouTube From the creators of A Mortician's Tale, the "meditative" Seasonala Cemetery is a "peaceful but poignant reflection on life and death". It's set in an expansive, living cemetery that changes dynamically based on your system's time and date. The summer, for instance, might see the world bustling with vibrant life, while the winter brings quiet and snow. You can interact with NPCs and animals, rummage through nature, learn the history of the nearby city through its gravestones, or simply relax to its ambient sounds. Seasonala Cemetery is out today on Steam and itch.io, and is completely free. Camper Van: Make it Home Camper Van: Make it Home trailer.Watch on YouTube One of (bizarrely) several camper-van-themed games currently in the works, developer Malpata Studio's Make it Home is a pretty self-explanatory thing. You've got a camper van to make your own as it journey across beautiful, idyllic landscapes. Part of your goal is to solve organisational puzzles, but there's laidback interior design too. Camper Van: Make it Home is available today, alongside a demo, on Steam. Lynked: Banner of the Spark Lynked: Banner of the Spark trailer.Watch on YouTube FuzzyBot's Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a cheerily colourful action-RPG, that's part sci-fi roguelike, part relaxed life sim. At its most peaceful, you'll farm, fish, gather materials, and build your base with help from your robot pals, but that's all in service of its more frenetic hack-and-slash action. When you're ready for some proper adventure, you can brave the wilds, battle evil robot forces with a large arsenal of weapons, and search for helpful bots to bring back home. Lynked is already available on Steam, but it's coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S too. Omelet You Cook Omelet You Cook trailer.Watch on YouTube In this chaotic cooking roguelike from SchuBox Games, you're tasked with creating the perfect omelettes to satisfy your customers' increasingly peculiar demands. That involves combining ingredients as they fly by on a conveyor belt, from the relatively mundane to the rather more dubious, in the hope of earning enough money to increase your provisions, add useful relics to your pantry, and, hopefully, please the fearsome Principal Clucker. It all looks wonderfully ridiculous, and it launches on Steam today. Milano's Odd Job Collection Milano's Odd Job Collection trailer.Watch on YouTube Milano's Odd Job Collection (known as Milano no Arubaito Collection in Japan) is coming to the west for the very first time. It follows the adventures of 11-year-old Milano as she's left to her own devices over the summer. Free to do as she pleases, she embarks on a range of odd job - from pizza delivery to milking flying cows - in order to make money and have fun. Milano's Odd Job Collection, from developer Westone, is coming to Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC later this year. Fireseide Feelings Fireseide Feelings trailer.Watch on YouTube If you've got something to get off your chest, what better place to do it than by a roaring fire in a cosy forest glade? Fireside Feelings is described as a "mental wellness experience" promoting empathy, connection, and positivity between players. Situated cosily in your customisable camp, you're able to answer questions on a range of topics, taking part in conversations between people "separated in space and time". Conversations aren't live, and there's no direct interaction with others, but the goal, according to developer Team Empreintes, is to "share experiences, express your emotions, and be a part of a caring community". It launches today on Steam. All Will Rise All Will Rise trailer.Watch on YouTube Well here's something you don't see every day. All Will Rise is a "narrative courtroom deck-builder", in which you and your team take a corrupt billionaire to court, accusing them of a river's murder. That involves accumulating cards and using them to engage in conversation battles, attempting to charm, intimidate and manipulate those you meet around the vibrant city of Muziris. "Obey a dead river god's summons - or defy them," developer Speculative Agency explains. "Pass information to violent ecoterrorists - or maintain your pacifist ideals. Convince a corporate stooge to testify for you - or blackmail him with sensitive information. Your choices will determine the [city's] fate." All Will Rise is currently crowdfunding, but it's aiming to launch on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and Steam. Gecko Gods Gecko Gods trailer.Watch on YouTube It's hard to go wrong with a gecko, which immediately gives developer Inresin's Gecko Gods a bit of an advantage. What we've got here is a "serene lizard-sized puzzle-platformer" set on a beautiful archipelago, in which its tiny protagonist clambers across forgotten ruins, solving puzzles as they go. There are secrets of a lost civilisation to uncover, hidden paths, and more, all of which you'll be able to explore for yourself when Gecko Gods launches for Switch, PS5, and Steam later this year. But if you're an impatient sort, a Steam demo is available now. One Move Away One Move Away trailer.Watch on YouTube If you quite fancied the idea of Unpacking, but thought it had far too much 'taking stuff out of things' for its own good, you might enjoy Ramage Games' One Move Away, which is basically the inverse experience. Here, you play as three different characters, starting with a young girl in the 1980s, gradually learning more about them as you pack their belongings away ready for another chapter in their intertwining lives. All this plays out in first-person across 20 levels, and if that takes your fancy, a Steam demo's out now ahead of a full launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Heidi's Legacy: Mountains Calling Heidi's Legacy trailer.Watch on YouTube As you've probably already guessed, Heidi's Legacy: Mountains Calling takes inspiration from the classic children's stories. Which is why it's something of a surprise to learn its protagonist is called Adèle. Regardless, this is a game of grumpy old men, goat management, and alpine wandering, where you'll explore the beautiful countryside with your bleating pals, foraging for herbs, mushrooms, and more in a bid to help the nearby village. You can unlock abilities that open up more of the world, and chat to the locals in branching conversations'll that impact their lives. And as for those goats, they can provide milk, cheese, and wool. "Will you embrace slow living," asks developer Humble Reeds, "or push for bolder change?". Heidi's Legacy is coming to PC "soon". Hotel Galatic Hotel Galatic trailer.Watch on YouTube In Hotel Galactic, you're responsible for the running of a modular hotel on a strange cosmic island, which you'll customise and optimise in order to provide guests with the perfect stay. There are resources to manage, a workforce to build, and more, as you cater to the demands of your ever-growing colony, all with assistance from your ghostly Grandpa Gustav. There's a bit more to it than that, though, and the whole thing's framed by a tale of love and vengeance that's conveyed through some lovely anime-inspired art and animation. Hotel Galactic launches into Steam early access on 24th July, with consoles to follow, and a demo's available now. Out and About Out and About trailer.Watch on YouTube If it's serene forest meandering you're after, then look no further than Yaldi Games' Out and About. It's a "cosy foraging adventure" focused on exploring nature and identifying real-life plants and fungi. You'll cook recipes, make herbal remedies, and help rebuild your community after a devastating storm, all while hopefully learning a bit of botanical knowledge you can take out into the real-world. Out and About looks to be aiming for a 2025 release on PC, with a console launch to follow. And if it's piqued your curiosity, you can test out a Steam demo now. Discounty Discounty trailer.Watch on YouTube Forget the farm life; how about managing your own discount supermarket in a small harbour town? That's the premise of Discounty from Crinkle Cut Games, which sees you designing and organising your shop, managing stock levels, working the checkout, and striking trade deals. You'll make friends, navigate local drama, and expand your empire, but that doesn't mean you have to play nice. After all, can you really become filthy rich without making a few lifelong enemies along the way? Discounty launches for Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on 21st August and, yup, a demo's available now on Steam. Islanders: New Shores Islanders: New Shores trailer.Watch on YouTube We're big fans of developer GrizzlyGames' minimalist city builder Islanders around these parts, so news publisher Coatsink was developing a sequel earlier this year came as a pleasant surprise. It is, if you're unfamiliar, a game about attempting to squeeze as much onto a procedurally generated island as possible, maximising building synergies and minimising penalties to get the highest score. New Shores sounds like a gentle finessing of the formula, rather than a radical reinvention - it's got a sandbox mode as well as a high score mode now, alongside new power-ups called "boons" - but that's okay. The big news is it now has a release date and is coming to Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam on 10th July. Collector's Cove Collector's Cove trailer.Watch on YouTube VoodooDuck's Collector's Cove might be yet another farming game, but it does at least have a unique twist. For starters, your farm is on a boat endlessly sailing the oceans AND it's powered by an adorable sea monster who you'll need to forge a bond with. As you set out on a tranquil adventure across the water, you'll farm, fish, craft, and personalise your surroundings, sometimes stopping off at passing islands to catalogue their unique flora. Collector's Cove doesn't have a release date yet, but it's coming to PC and a Steam demo's available now. Town to City Town to City trailer.Watch on YouTube Fans of minimalist railway game Station to Station might want to pay attention here. Town to City is developer Galaxy Grove's follow-up to that earlier puzzler, sporting a similar voxel art aesthetic and vibe. This time around, you're charged with building quaint picturesque towns by placing shops, houses, amenities, decorations, and more - all in a bid to please your residents and encourage more to move in. Eventually, you'll have multiple towns under your care, helping the whole region grow and thrive. Town to City doesn't have a release date yet, but you can play a demo on Steam. Fishbowl Fishbowl trailer.Watch on YouTube And finally for the big, non-montage reveals, it's Fishbowl, a coming-of-age tale told over the course of a month. Developer imissmyfriends.studio describes it as a "warm and cozy story about living in isolation, nurturing friendships and understanding grief", and it's all focused on 21-year-old video editor Alo as she works from home while mourning her grandmother. As the days tick by, you'll video call loved ones, work to assemble videos, do care tasks, and solve puzzles to unpack your grandmother's belongings - recovering childhood memories as you do. There's no release date for Fishbowl yet, but it's coming to PS5 and Steam.