Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator（2022）
Developer: Niceplay Games
Compatible platforms: Xbox/PC
Deep in the swamp of potion creation
Players become alchemists, creating potions familiar from fantasy works and opening a pharmacy. Potion creation involves combining various ingredients, but this game uses a unique system called the "Alchemy Map." There are no set ingredients required to create a specific potion, and players can create original recipes by changing the ingredients themselves, diluting them with water, or adjusting the grinding method.
"The process of operating the tools is strangely realistic, and it makes you feel like you're making a magical potion." (Pear)
VA-11 Hall-A：Cyberpunk Bartender Action（2016）
Developer: Sukeban Games
Compatible devices: Switch, PS5, PS4, PC
Cyberpunk bartender from Venezuela
VA-11 Hall-A (Valhalla), a bar located in a corner of the ruined near-future city of Glitch City, is visited by customers from all sorts of backgrounds, including a cool talking Shiba Inu and an android sex worker. While listening to their stories, the bar serves cocktails according to their requests.
"The world setting and the events that occur within the game reflect the situation in Venezuela, where the creator is from. By listening to the characters' personal worries, you can get a fuller picture of what is happening in the town." (Yamada Shuka)
DREDGE（2023）
Developer: Black Salt Games
Compatible devices: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC
Catch something that is better left unknown
For the protagonist, who lives on an island, the nearby waters are perfect fishing grounds. However, there is something sinister lurking in these waters... Deformed fish are mixed in with the fish he catches, and strange incidents gradually begin to occur. This is a unique work based on the Cthulhu Mythos, combining fishing and horror. Skillfully maneuvering fishing gear, he faces the terror that approaches from the depths of the sea.
"It has elements of a steady work-based game, but the contrast with the fear of being attacked by creepy monsters is unique! The unrealistic feel of the tools you can use is also appealing." (Pear)
Papers,Please（2013）
Developer: 3909 LLC
Compatible devices: PC/iOS/Android
Become an inspector and check the passports of people entering the country
The player takes on the role of an immigration inspector in a fictional socialist country. They inspect passports for defects and forgeries, and reject any that are found to be problematic. As the story progresses and the political situation becomes more tense, more inspections become necessary, making the game more complicated. If you make a mistake, you won't receive your reward, and your family could starve to death. You can also be given bribes, or you can cooperate with anti-government organizations while trying not to get caught.
"The game tests the player's sense of justice as they are caught between human feelings and the political system." (Sawayaka)
Graveyard Keeper（2018）
Developer: Lazy Bear Games
Compatible devices: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, iOS, and Android
Experience the dark side of the Tomb Guardian, dabbling in forbidden magic
This game is a follower of Stardew Valley, which was influenced by Story of Seasons. What sets it apart is that the place you run it is a graveyard. The protagonist is reincarnated into a different world reminiscent of medieval Europe, and leads the exciting daily life of a graveyard keeper, digging up corpses from their graves, carving off the flesh to sell, using alchemy to create potions that turn corpses into zombies, and starting a mysterious religion.
"It has a dark worldview, but it also has a strong black humor feel to it. Even people who don't like horror should be able to enjoy it." (Sawayaka)
