After the long wait, Korean studio Topping Palatte has announced that their upcoming RPG-otome game, Salty Hounds is now available through early access on Steam. After an unsuccessful campaign in 2021, the team successfully crowdfunded Salty Hounds during their 2022 relaunch of the campaign.
While the game is still a work in progress, this early build provides a snapshot of the features gamers can expect in the next build of the game. The Steam page provides a roadmap that outlines key features planned for the upcoming 1.0 version.
Female founded and run indie studio Nochi Studios is working on their latest project, Sweetcore Brews! This is the team’s fourth game, coming on the heels of their exploration adventure romance, Untold Atlas.
Sweetcore Brews is an otome about a tea-brewing witch called “Milly”, whose dream is to open her own magical tea shop in the city. In this latest project, players can romance one of two love interests, Zero (female) and Kingsley (male). This is Nochi Studio’s most ambitious project to date, the team also plans to include AR gameplay mechanics that will bring the characters of Sweetcore Brews into the real world!
Story
Sweetcore Brews is an otome about a tea-brewing witch called “Milly”, whose dream is to open her own magical tea shop in the city. She is currently an apprentice witch working at an existing magical tea shop where the shopkeeper is rarely around. So Milly manages the shop full-time, practicing daily her new magical teas on her own by using them as solutions for her customers’ lives. She meets two love interests – Zero and Kingsley, both are also magical humans who run their own unique businesses. This game is a slice of life romance where Milly deals with the funny mistakes she makes from her magical teas causing problems, and she falls in love with Zero or Kingsley over time.
Official Game Synopsis
Characters of Sweetcore Brews
Meet the Heroine, Milly Blythe!
Millennium “Milly” Blythe is the bewitching new girl in town working hard at her new apprenticeship at Sweetcore Brews, a bustling tea shop managed by a shopkeeper who chats by cauldron, and where all teas aren’t just made with love… but with magic.
Fall in Love with Kingsley and Zero!
Key Features in Sweetcore Brews
Over 20 hours of Content to Enjoy
20+ Hours of Gameplay where you can romance complex and intriguing Love Interests to unlock spicy situations and various storylines! 10 Unlockable CGs. With 72 chapters of story content planned for the full game that can be played on your own time – no real time based management system! And there could be more chapters created, depending on stretch goal funding!
Available on both PC and Mobile
Previously, Nochi Studios has exclusively released their games on mobile. But, for Sweetcore Brews, the team plans to release on both mobile and PC – with the game being optimized for both platforms. The PC version will have mad lib styled mini-games, while the mobile version will introduce a unique AR gameplay experience.
Unique AR Gameplay Mechanic
But, the most exciting aspect of Sweetcore Brews is the inclusion of AR tech for the mobile version. Bring the characters of Sweetcore Brews out of your phone and into the real world, for a more immersive gameplay experience!
Nochi Studios is giving players a new way to interact with their favorite love interests, by giving us access to exclusive voiced content and scenarios. Hear amazing voice lines in settings like at a coffee shop or even before going to bed if they want to be cheered up with a lovely line about how awesome our players are!
Keep an Eye Out for More Sweetcore Brews
I am so excited for this latest release from Nochi Studios! Sweetcore Brews is the studios’ most ambitious project to date, with the inclusion of AR gameplay mechanics, male and female love interests, and finally being available on both PC and mobile. You don’t want to miss out on this game! Nochi Studios plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help fund Sweetcore Brews on June 28, 2023, so mark your calendars!
Find Nochi Studios
Nochi Studios is a female-founded and female-run game studio in Ann Arbor. Their goal is to develop “kickass games” that “challenge the status quo”.
Untold Atlas is an expedition adventure themed romance game developed by indie team, Nochi Studios. This is the team’s third title to date and features a brand new story and character to fall in love with! Join Riya Cross on an expedition with their crew to explore a mysterious island that resurfaced from the depths of the sea and discover the truth of the island’s ancient technology while diving into their own adventure and romances along the way.
TOUCHSTARVED is a gothic horror romance visual novel and debut game from Red Spring Studio: a small indie team made up of veteran game developers from Riot Games, Nix Hydra, Bungie, and more. The game will be crowdfunded via Kickstarter on March 21, 2023 for release on PC and Mac.
Game Details
Fantasy | Romance | Horror
Demo: 1st chapter of the full game + 7 unlockable CGs
Belle Automata is a sci-fi fantasy romance visual novel developed by Jellyfish Parade. Inspired by lore from the likes of Cupid and Psyche, The Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio and other beloved tales, Belle Automata is the journey of an android reinventing herself. Join Aureve and the others as they forge their own paths dealing with love, self-acceptance, and grief for a life left behind.
Aeterna: Rubra Plena is a magicpunk indie otome game developed by newbie indie studio, Quantum Velvet. The game is set in the world of Thealia, in a magicpunk universe with Persian undertones. You play a beautiful young noblewoman dealing with her current and past experiences while finding love. For their first project, Aeterna: Rubra Plena is visually stunning!
Indie dev, Rosemilk Studio recently launched the Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming indie otome game, Salvus: Aries. Salvus Aries is a mature slice of death and adventure fantasy otome visual novel that begins at the bad ending. It definitely gives me the same vibes as Even if Tempest, more of a dark fantasy story through a more mature lens.
Game Details
Mature | Fantasy | Romance
Available on Itch.io | Steam | Nintendo Switch (tentative)
Price: TBA
Tentative Release: TBA
Campaign Period: October 10, 2022 to November 9, 2022
Ballads at Midnight is a dark fantasy romance visual novel developed by indie studio, Synstoria. Follow, Abigail, a sarcastic bard after she is exiled to the castle of a blood-thirsty vampire. Completely at his mercy you must decide whether Abigail will escape her handsome, yet dangerous warden or fall for his charms…
Originally developed for the annual game jam, NaNoRenO 2022, this new updated release comes with a host of brand new features and improvements. Thanks to the Synstoria team I was able to check out the game ahead of it’s re-release, so here are my thoughts on the game!
The third game in Roseverte Games’ the Story of Eroolia series, How to Sing Open Your Heart (HTSTOYH) has been is now available in a definitive remastered edition. HTSTOYH is a cute fantasy visual novel that follows cat-eared princess, Myana as she attempts to bridge the gap between her people (the luccretia) and the citizens of Eroolia with her song.
Hey Blerdy Tribe!! There’s a brand new Kickstarter campaign for the complete edition of the psychological mystery indie otome game Heart Fragments from Starfield Gaming that needs our support! Follow Xani Green, a young woman whose world is turned upside-down when she discovers that strange supernatural powers. Currently Book One: Fantasy is available for $10.00 and includes Kay and Clive’s routes and offers 20 hours of gameplay. The KS campaign will help fun Books Two and Three and update art assets in Book One
