Summer is heating up, and there's never been a better time to stay inside to keep cool. If you're looking for something to do while stay out of the sun, check out these five chill, summery indies.
Five indie games to chill with this summer
Clawfish
David Czar's Clawfish takes its combination of arcade and fishing games very seriously. You arrive at an isolated train station near a series of docks with one objective in mind: set every fish free and get back on the train.
The fish you're looking to free are in literal arcade-style claw machines. To free them, you have to buy tokens and catch them with the claw. Each machine has a set number of fish you can catch, and once you do the game provides some basic facts about the kind of fish you've captured. Their captivity is only temporary though, as once you step away from the claw machine the fish are released through the prize slot back into the ocean to swim back home.
Accompanying the extremely zen gameplay loop of buying tokens and fishing in the claw machines, is some very chill instrumental music that adds to the overall beach vibe of Clawfish. Playing it, you can almost feel the popsicle in your hand as you wander down the boardwalk, checking out the fish arcade.
A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986
As its title implies, Oracle and Bone's A Summer's End is set in late summer in 1980's Hong Kong. The story follows two twenty-something women as they navigate falling in love and society's expectations for them.
A Summer's End's visuals are absolutely stunning, capturing the feel of classic anime and pinups. This is accented by a stellar electronic soundtrack that perfectly captures the 80's feel and heightens already emotional moments. This game is perfect for taking a break from fast-paced action for something a little more lowkey, but just as real.
Going Under
It's not uncommon for people to take on internships over the summer, and what better way is there to escape the heat than in a nice air conditioned start-up building? Going Under is just the thing! This roguelike dungeon-crawler from Aggro Crab Games follows Jackie, an brand-new intern starting at Fizzle, a drink company deeply immersed in start-up tech bro culture.
Using anything from keyboards to office plants, Jackie has to battle her way through various dungeons connected to the different companies in the building, all while dealing with a stifling corporate atmosphere. Going Under is both challenging and funny thanks to its clever takes on office culture and the roguelike genre.
Summer in Mara
Summer in Mara is about Koa, a young girl living on an island with her adoptive family. The game is a farming/crafting sim focused on caring for the island and the people who live there.
Everyday on the island of Mara is beautiful and sunny, while the nights are usually clear and full of stars. It's a tropical paradise you're responsible for caring for and learning about. As you progress, you begin sailing around the island and investigating the surrounding ones to learn secrets of the world.
Card of Darkness
Card of Darkness is an rpg deckbuilder from Zac Gage, Adventure Time's Pendleton Ward, and Choice Provisions. The player character is a sort of stereotypical wannabe hero who is told that they are the chosen one of prophecy, destined to defeat a great evil and save the world.
To do this, you set out on a grand adventure through various lands, tackling dungeons and taking down bosses by mastering the uses of each area's unique cards. In addition to your deck itself, you can equip the titular Cards of Darkness to further enhance your build.
This is another title with chill boppy music, which is only further enhanced by its hand-animated graphics, which are reminiscent of, but distinct from Adventure Time.
