5 Asian indie video games you should play this summer
By Isa Peralta
As the video game industry continues to grow, more and more developers from all over the world have taken on the challenge of creating their own unique games.
If you’re looking for something to help you pass the time this summer, check out the following list of wholesome indie video games either developed or published by Asian companies.
“Coffee Talk” (Indonesia)
“Coffee Talk” is a visual novel that was developed by Indonesian studio Toge Productions and released in January 2020. This indie game with “90s anime-inspired pixel art” is set in a fantasy version of Seattle and has players taking on the role of a barista in a coffee shop. Prepare different kinds of drinks while jamming to lo-fi chillhop and chatting with the coffee shop’s interesting array of customers.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, macOS, Microsoft Windows
“Window Garden” (Philippines)
“Window Garden” is a mobile game developed by Camilla Santiago and published by Filipino studio Clover-Fi Games. Released last month, the relaxing game with a “stunning cottagecore and lofi aesthetic” lets players create their own “indoor garden paradise” and also play fun mini-games.
Platform: Android, iOS (TBD) PC (TBD)
“Once Again” (Malaysia)
“Once Again,” released in October 2022, is a visual novel by Malaysian studio RB Wolf Games. It follows Sia, a teenager who wanders between past and present during the summer. Players can control Sia’s actions and even take photos, emphasizing the importance of photography in this nostalgia-invoking game with a gorgeously illustrated art style.
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS
“Aka” (South Korea)
“Aka,” which was developed by Cosmo Gatto and published by South Korean company Neowiz Games, is an open-world game that lets players garden, craft tools, relax in hot springs, help fellow villagers and play mini-games, among many other activities. It was released in December 2022.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
“Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery” (Taiwan)
“Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery,” which was initially released in August 2021, was created by Taiwanese developer Silver Lining Studio and co-published by Akupara Games and Akatsuki Taiwan Inc. This puzzle game “presents a profoundly interactive storytelling of characters’ emotions and plot development” and features “360-degree panorama techniques and an exquisite hand-painted art style” reminiscent of Studio Ghibli.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS
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