All the PC Games Shown at the Wholesome Direct Indie Game Showcase

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Getting tired... Eyesight failing... Coffee depleted... It's ok Oliver, you can do this... another summary, it's just another summary. Maybe these wholesome, light-hearted games are just what I need!

That's right, it's time for the round-up of all the PC games that were shown at the Wholesome Direct Indie Game Showcase today! It's rather obvious, but these are games that are specifically picked because of their wholesome content, so there should be plenty to uplift you in this batch of games! Let's get into it!

Mythmatch Puts You in the Role of Matchmaker, Artemis. Demo Out Now

Kicking off the Wholesome Direct is Mythmatch, a community-building sim set in Greek Mythology. Match items to transform them. Match people to unite them. Rebuild Ithaca, create cute creatures, and defy the gods.

It has full controller support and very easy-to-run system requirements.

Embark on a Journey in Narrative-Explorer Caravan SandWitch, Demo Out Now

In Caravan SandWitch, you'll journey across a Sci-Fi Provence-like world, driven by a mystery through your missing sister that unfolds with each step you take.

Interact with the communities on Cigalo, help them with their tasks, and meet new people along the way. Take your time to explore the world, whether in your van or on foot.

Life is simple: no combat, no death, no timer, just you, your van, and the world. And Controller support of course!

Manage your Tiny Bookshop in this Narrative-Management Game, Demo Out Now

Leave everything behind and open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game. Stock your tiny bookshop with different books and items, set up shop in scenic locations, and run your cozy second-hand bookshop while getting to know the locals.

Controller support is back again!

Paint the World in Été, Coming to Steam on July 23rd

This one looks especially beautiful to me.

Été (summer) is a relaxing painting game set in Montréal. Color the city to explore, create artworks on canvas, collect stamps in your album, decorate your studio, fulfill commissions from your neighbors, and unleash your inner artist!

It even has controller support, wow!

Run Your Own Supermarket in Discounty, Coming in 2025

Manage your own supermarket! Organize and restock shelves, check customers out, make local trade deals, and befriend a quirky cast of characters. Salvage a failing shop in the once-thriving town and grow it into a thriving business empire. But be warned: not everyone in town wants you to succeed.

In my head, it basically seems like you're playing as the Jojamart guy from Stardew Valley. Yikes!

Rooster is a Point-and-Click Narrative Adventure, Coming Early 2025

A heartfelt, story-rich casual puzzle adventure celebrating the best of ancient Chinese culture. Explore an exquisitely hand-drawn world with delightful surprises, from cooking, finding hidden objects, paper crafting, and more. Guide Rooster is an emotionally rewarding tale about family and love.

Into The Emberlands Launches June 19th, Demo Out Now

I covered this little game in a press release a few weeks ago, and I'm glad to see it appear in the Wholesome Direct near its release date.

Venture out into the Emberlands and uncover an ever-changing world filled with surprising encounters and mystical creatures! Save villagers who got lost in the Miasma, collect resources, and rebuild your village to create a safe haven for your people.

Squeakross is Picross... But with Cheese??? Coming 2025

In Squeakross: Home Squeak Home, solve and transform puzzles into furniture to decorate the perfect home for your rodent friend. Collect hundreds of decorations, accessories, and stickers in this cozy game full of charm!

This is a pretty unique take on Picross. I love these puzzles, and I'm glad that there's now some reward for completing them!

Run a Critter Rescue in Critter Cafe

Welcome to your Critter Café! Seek out fantastical Critters in need of your help and build a new home together. Renovate your café, bond with your Critters, and uncover the secrets of mysterious portals to give every Critter a cozy home.

Garden of the Sea Invites You to Build a Home and Relax, Later this Year

A chilled-out life sim where you play, craft, and explore across magical islands. Build a house, grow a garden, nurture animals, adventure across the surrounding ocean, and make yourself at home!

Weirdly, the end of the trailer mentions the game is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, rather than just Steam. I guess they're aiming for a handheld audience with this one!

Care for Endangered Fantastical Creatures in Fantastic Haven, Prologue Out Now, Full Game in Q3 2024

Restore the equilibrium of magic by saving endangered fantasy creatures. Build your shelter to welcome and protect them, explore unique regions, rally neighboring populations to your cause, and rehabilitate creatures in their natural environment.

Create Your Own Colony of Crabs in Crab God! Demo Out Now

Crab God is an atmospheric underwater strategy game. Guide your Crabling colony through wild ocean depths, and defend the egg of the next Crab God. Restore and protect diverse coral reefs, making a difference in the real world as you progress in-game. Make waves, praise the claw!

The Steam store page says the game is releasing on June 20th, but the trailer doesn't mention that, so we'll have to wait and see.

Ride Your Skatebroom to New Heights in ILA: A Frosty Glide, Demo Out Now

Set foot on a magical island and immerse yourself in a whimsical small open world as ILA, a spirited young witch-in-training with her trusty skatebroom. Explore, find secret places and collectibles, and improve your magic and flying abilities as you make your way to the summit.

Explore the Skies in Sally, Demo Out Now, Early Access in Q4 2025

Sally is a life-sim game about community and belonging. Embark on a grand journey aboard a magic flying ship. Navigate daily life as a kid with a diverse crew unique to every game. Craft, cook, farm, build, and explore the skies as you become who you want to be amongst your found family.

Dungeons of Hinterberg Gets New Trailer, Releases July 18th, Demo Out Now

Armed with a sword and a tourist guide, explore the beautiful alpine village of Hinterberg and uncover the magic hidden within its dungeons! Master magic, solve puzzles, slay monsters; all this and more await you in Hinterberg!

Run a Healthy Food Truck in Fruitbus, Coming October 2024! Demo Out Now

A journey of flavors and friendships awaits you in your cozy, customizable food truck! Forage for fresh ingredients to create your own menu, then feed tummies and souls with home-cooked meals. Change the world, one apple at a time.

Find Your Way in FREERIDE, Coming to Steam in Q1 2025, Demo Out Now

Freeride is a game about YOU. Board a train to the Spirit World in our oddball RPG where you make friends, use telekinesis, find secrets, consume ice cream, and chart your own path. Each character is uniquely troubled, and in helping them find their way, you might just find yourself, too.

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge Is Available Now!

Foster a sanctuary for frogs and restore the biodiversity of the wetlands in Kamaeru, a cozy farming sim where you raise frogs by playing mini-games and decorating your habitat. Hop right to it!

There are over 500 frogs for you to care for, so you'll have to find out the secrets of how to collect every single one!

Lost and Found Co. is a Hidden Object Game with Charm, Demo Out Now!

Lost and Found Co. is a hidden object adventure in a cozy and immersive world. Join a cast of quirky characters on their epic journey across countless magical locations. Find lost items, solve puzzles, and help a tiny dragon regain her power!

Adventure at Your Own Pace in Littelands, Demo Coming Soon

The Littlelands region is brimming with strange characters and magical landscapes to discover if you know where to look, for a big-headed little youngster like you every moment exploring, growing berries, searching for buried treasures, or walking through these lands can be an epic adventure.

While the trailer does say that the demo is out now, it appears that there was miscommunication between the developers and publisher and the demo has now been postponed for the time being.

POOOOL is a Physics-Puzzler Inspired by... Well, Pool. And it's Out Now!

POOOOL is a small, pool-inspired physics puzzler where you combine balls of similar sizes to create even bigger ones, all while trying to save room for more. Chase your hi-score, share scores with friends, and master your flinging skills!

Tiny Lands 2 Invites You to Spot the Differences in 2025

Take your perception into a new dimension with the relaxing sense of photorealistic miniature scenes in Tiny Lands 2. Find the differences and stories by exploring handcrafted 3D dioramas. Can you find them all?

Mmmmm, that bread looks tasty...

Run a Sushi Restaurant in Rolling Hills, Out Now on Steam!

Serve up sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills, a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!

This one actually came out a few days ago, but it was in the showcase, and I hadn't heard of it before, so here it is!

Meet Interesting Characters and Uncover Mysteries in On Your Tail, Coming Later in 2024, Demo Out Now

Embark on an intriguing seaside getaway you’ll never forget in On Your Tail™, a sleuthy story-driven 3D life sim of relaxation, investigation, and knowing how to play your cards right.

Set in the charming seaside village of Borgo Marina, On Your Tail™ follows the adventures of intrepid Diana in her pursuit of the perfect summer vacation. For a curious spirit like her, that means three things: explore her new surroundings as she gets to know the eccentric inhabitants, unwind with some of the area’s iconic recreational activities, and get to the bottom of some of Borgo Marina’s most puzzling local mysteries.

Clean the Ocean in Spilled!, A New Demo is Out Now!

Clean up ocean waste in this relaxing & satisfying cozy game! Recycle, earn coins, upgrade your boat, repeat! Explore and clean up new areas with more waste and new challenges!

The new demo update brought in new visuals, and the game is looking much nicer now, I must say!

The Palace on the Hill is a Unique Game Inspired by Rural India, and It's Out Now!

A heartfelt story of ambition, struggle, and friendship told from the perspective of a young boy in fictional 90s rural India. Explore ancient palace ruins, set up your garden, cook Indian food, run errands for quirky characters, and learn about your history by making art.

Travellers Rest Gets a Story in a New Update, Coming July!

Craft, farm, build and cook! In Travellers Rest you will have to use all the available tools to become the best tavern keeper in the realm. Create unique dishes and drinks to please your customers as you discover the world and its colorful characters.

The new update will add a story to the game, as well as a city to explore.

Track Down a... Stolen Potato... In SOPA, Coming August 2024

Miho steps into the pantry to fetch a potato for his grandma and falls into a magical world full of wonders. Meet quirky characters, venture through the depths of South America, and learn the importance of the things we pass along in this unforgettable emotional narrative adventure.

Everyone Has Amnesia in Tracks of Thought, Out Now!

Welcome aboard! A bad case of forgetfulness plagues the passengers - embark on a journey of self-discovery shaped by your own personality. As a lost ladybug, talk to everyone on board and uncover the train’s secret destination in a wholesome, card-based, talk-'em-up RPG!

Conclusion:

That's all for the Wholesome Direct! There were a couple of montages during the Wholesome Direct that went by pretty fast and didn't offer individual trailers, so I didn't include these in this list, but if you want to have a look at Wholesome games on Steam, you should check out this sale that's going on right now! They also list the games that were in the Wholesome Direct!

As always, I hope you found this round-up of titles at the Wholesome Direct useful, until next time!

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