No Small Games

Experience postal service Zen while you contemplate the life paths less traveled in this serene lakeside town...

In Lake, a narrative postal sim game developed and published by Whitethorn Games, you play as Meredith Weiss: a 39 year-old working in the tech industry in 1986, who has journeyed from the big city back to her hometown of Providence Oaks. Meredith is taking time off work so that her parents can go on a much needed vacation, while she covers the work at her father's job: the United States Postal Service. Deliver mail, get to know the quirky townsfolk, and decide which of many possible futures Meredith will explore during her two weeks as a mail carrier.

In the tenth episode of No Small Games, special guest Alissa aka Catsareme joins Kate and Emily to review their experiences playing this heartfelt and relaxing game. The three share challenges in their own lives that they see mirrored in Meredith's story, discuss the different endings they unlocked for the protagonist, and giggle over town gossip from good old Providence Oaks, Oregon.

Episode Timecodes

• Meet our Guest - Catsareme ✦ 00:00:450

Listen to the Lake soundtrack on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Hc8Ca4tZ3tNadmBA2sOVo?si=ed49c4aec3e24a20 

Catsareme is a content creator and variety streamer by night, PhD candidate studying genetics and neuroscience by day. She plays a wide variety of games, from action adventure, to cute and cozy indie games, and even horror games. Alissa also moderates a Discord community galled Gamer Guild, which brings together content creators, viewers, gamers, and everyone in between.

Follow Alissa on the following platforms:

• Twitch

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Something sinister is in the air on Edward's Island, very literally...

It's a No Small Games double feature, in which Kate and Emily review both Oxenfree and its sequel Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. In Oxenfree, you play as teenager Alex, on a beach trip to Edwards Island with her friends and new step brother, Jonas. The weekend quickly devolves into supernatural chaos as the teens uncover the dark mysteries of the island. In Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, you help Riley and Jacob to combat paranormal forces in the oceanside town of Camena.

In the ninth episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily review their experiences playing the supernatural narrative adventures Oxenfree and Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. The two discuss their favorite characters, most shocking twists, and best memories from playing these two games.

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:09:00

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

At the end of their days, on their way to the beyond, lost souls can always count on the Spiritfarer...

Follow Stella, the brand new Spiritfarer, as she learns the meaning of her role to the many spirits she encounters and befriends on their way to the after life. But a Spiritfarer's job isn't limited to getting to know these new friends, she must also care for them, provide them with food and lodging, and upgrade the ship on which they all live in order to accommodate these needs. Farm, cook, craft and sail your way through this beautiful indie game, but be sure to bring plenty of tissues on your way to say goodbye and send each spirit on to the next life.

In the eight episode of No Small Games, special guest Pink Umbrella joins Kate and Emily to review their experiences playing the 2D platformer and management sim game Spiritfarer, by Thunder Lotus Games. Learn who were their favorite spirits, which goodbyes hit them the hardest, and even their personal thoughts and feelings about death.

Episode Timecodes

• Meet our Guest - Pink Umbrella ✦ 00:02:45

Meet our Guest

Pink Umbrella is a French Canadian content creator and variety streamer, who mainly plays creative and cozy games like The Sims, Disney Dreamlight Valley, as well as indie games like Spiritfarer, Bear and Breakfast and more. Outside of content creation, Pink is also a grad student, studying Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Follow Pink on the following platforms:

• Twitch

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Do you have what it takes to build a loyal following, take on the old gods and become the one true cult?

Cult of the Lamb bridges multiple genres, bringing farming simulation, base building and resource management together with adrenaline-packed roguelike combat, to create an immersive and addictive gaming experience. Players serve an ominous figure, The One Who Waits, by cultivating a following and taking on the Old Gods.

In the seventh episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily review their experiences playing the cute and cozy roguelike Cult of the Lamb, by Massive Monster. The two discuss their favorite in-game weapons, the ideologies with which they guided their followings, and the dangers of modern-day cults.

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:13:58

Check out these Friends of the Podcast

• That's Tabu podcast, hosted by Emerald

A Quick Correction

In this episode, Kate mentions the "Federal Church of Latter Day Saints" but meant to say the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints.

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Experience the tug of nostalgia but be careful, sinister truths await you in the hearts of the analog devices in Stories Untold...

Developed by No Code and published by Devolver Digital, Stories Untold is an experimental narrative-driven horror game, told over the course of 4 distinct episodes.

In the sixth episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily welcome their first ever special guest, Krysta Hope aka HopingForHorrror, to chat about and review Stories Untold. The three discuss their history with the horror genre, what their boundaries are, and what scares them the most. Join the No Small Games hosts and special guest for thoughtful discussions, lots of laughs, and Siri-induced jumpscares.

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:04:20

Meet our Guest

Krysta Hope, your favorite final girl, is a horror content creator bringing cute and creepy vibes to your timeline! In her videos, she features horror video games, movies, TV and other media. Best of all, Krysta always brings her thoughtful and witty HopingForHorror-brand perspective to the horror space.

Follow Krysta on the following platforms:

• TikTok

Keep in touch with us on social media:

• Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Wholesome Games held their third annual Wholesome Direct Indie Game Showcase on June 10, 2023, featuring footage and announcements from 70+ cute and cozy indie games. In this episode, the No Small Games hosts recap the direct and discuss the announcements that got them most excited from Saturday's presentation.

After recapping their favorite announcements from the Wholesome Direct, our hosts review the demo of the upcoming cute and cozy roguelike game Grimoire Groves, developed by Swiss game development company Stardust.

You can watch the full 2023 Wholesome Direct - Indie Game Showcase on YouTube.

If you want to check out Emily's spreadsheet of the Wholesome Direct announcements, you can view it on Google Sheets.

Shoutout to AbleGamers, a nonprofit committed to making gaming more accessible to people with disabilities and improving their lives through the power of games. Wholesome Direct partnered with AbleGamers with two commemorative t-shirts, all of whose proceeds go to supporting the nonprofit. You can see and purchase the shirts on The Yetee.

Lastly, shoutout to our friend Marcy, who is an amazing content creator and player of The Sims, Stardew Valley and many indie games! You can find Marcy as MarcyLaycelle on Twitch and YouTube.

Looking for a certain segment in this episode? Use the timecodes below to jump straight there:

• Intro & Wholesome Direct General Recap - 00:00:40

Grimoire Groves is a cute and cozy action roguelike where you play as a young witch embarking on a quest to learn new spells, get to know the forest spirits, and ultimately restore the Grimoire Groves back to a lush, natural state.

Inspired by games like Animal Crossing and Cult of the Lamb, the core gameplay is action-packed and very true to the roguelike genre, while removing the element of violence from the combat. Rather than fighting, your character uses witchy spells to grow the plants they encounter in the forest.

This game is currently in development by Stardust Studios.

Check out Grimoire Groves Demo

Keep in touch with us on social media:

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games IG ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Happy Pride Month!!

No Small Games is celebrating Pride by sharing some of our favorite indie games featuring LGBTQIA+ stories and characters. Indie video games and their developers are uniquely positioned to be able to tell stories that are too frequently left out of the mainstream, and to tell them in authentic ways. Kate and Emily shared their picks for 5 categories including: Favorite Game with a Queer Protagonist, Favorite Game with a Queer Storyline, and Favorite Game with Gay Parents.

After recapping their favorite indie games for Pride month, our hosts review the demo of the upcoming arcade-style action roguelike Quiver Quarrel, developed by Cheeky Lions.

Looking for the hosts' picks for certain categories in their Pride Month favorites? Jump to the timecodes below to hear their choices:

• Intro & Catching up - 00:00:35

You can play the demo of the arcade-style action roguelike Quiver Quarrel for free on Steam!

"Guide five knights across increasingly treacherous terrain and through hordes of deadly monsters to save the royal children from marauding aliens, collecting as much precious goldfish as you can along the way."

Quiver Quarrel is in development by Cheeky Lions.

Check out Quiver Quarrel Demo

Keep in touch with us on social media:

Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Emily's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/aSpecificEgg

No Small Games Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/NoSmallGames 

No Small Games IG ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames 

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Turn the concept of a city builder on its head and revitalize regions stripped of their natural ecosystems...

Terra Nil is an environmental strategy game that puts you in charge of an expedition to transform barren, desolate lands and bring them back to life. The game takes the classic UI and gameplay of a city builder and applies them to a natural landscape in desperate need of a little TLC. Terra Nil flips the concept of "progress" on its head. Instead of winning through the process on industrialization and natural resource consumption, you win by enriching and purifying soil and water, improving climatological conditions, and returning native species to their habitats.

In the fifth episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily review their experiences playing Terra Nil, developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital. Kate describes the deep emotions that get conjured up for her at the site of wind turbines. Emily shares which endgame spoiler she just couldn't wrap her head around. Find out which aspects of the game were most challenging for the hosts, and which were most fun, in this indie game review of Terra Nil.

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:04:08

Keep in touch with us on social media:

• Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Your voice is a powerful thing, it can foster connection and drive back the darkness...

One Hand Clapping takes you on a journey alongside your little purple companion, to discover both your voice and your confidence in using it. Traverse beautiful 2D landscapes. Meet and learn from wise musical mentors. Sing your song to confront and banish the darkness without and within yourself.

In the fourth episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily review their experiences playing the vocal 2D platformer One Hand Clapping, developed Bad Dream Games and published by Handy Games. Learn about thee hosts' personal relationships with singing and music and how they were reflected in each of their playthroughs, Find out which game areas were most challenging, and which were most fun, for each of them. Most importantly, find out what the heck a peeper is!

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:03:50

Keep in touch with us on social media:

• Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Would you leave your whole life behind to go run a winery in Italy?

This episode's game protagonist, Emma, turns her whole world on its end when she gets an unexpected letter from an old friend of her grandfather. Through his notes to her and supportive members of her new community, she learns about the seasons on the vineyard, the complex decisions involved in winemaking, and the feeling of pride in tasting her very own new vintage.

In the third episode of No Small Games, Kate and Emily discuss their experiences playing the winemaking simulator Hundred Days, by Broken Arms Games. Learn about their take on wine culture and fine dining, their experiences wine tasting, and of course, their experiences playing this game.

Episode Timecodes

• Weekly Boss Battles ✦ 00:01:00

Shoutout to the great books we've been reading!

• Lockwood and Co. series, by Jonathan Stroud

Keep in touch with us on social media:

• Kate's Twitter ✦ https://twitter.com/katerblossom

Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com