Guerrilla Collective Publisher Spotlight – Freedom Games (Recap)

Immediately following the Guerrilla Collective Showcase on Wednesday was a smaller “Publisher Spotlight” special that had three segments focused on three different publishers: Freedom Games, Hype Train Digital, and Tiny Build. I’ll be doing a separate post for each Publisher Spotlight, starting with this one that will go over everything Freedom Games brought to show. Some of these games overlap with the main Guerilla Collective Showcase, but there are also several games saved specifically for the Spotlights. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what Freedom Games is cooking.

One Lonely Outpost

Opening the Publisher Spotlight was One Lonely Outpost, a sci-fi colonization-life sim where you travel to a barren planet in order to bring it back to life. You spend your time harvesting materials, farming produce, exploring the wastelands that make up your surroundings, and interacting with a colorful cast of characters that follow you on your mission. It’s a jolly-looking game, but the end of the trailer also teases a dark presence on the planet, so maybe don’t get too comfortable. While the release date for the full title has yet to be announced, One Lonely Outpost is entering Early Access on June 26, 2023. A console release is undetermined, but PC players will have a few options of where to play it: Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.

Echoes of the Plum Grove
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/CUyEct8yUV4

Echoes of the Plum Grove is another farming/life sim, but unlike the pixel art style of One Lonely Outpost, this looks more like Paper Mario. Although there are some nice atmospheric shots of walking around a town and through the woods, this looks considerably more focused on managing your farm, with a large emphasis on tilling the soil, planting seeds, and harvesting your crops. Platforms have yet to be announced, but it’s shooting for a 2024 release.

Sugar Shack
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/R_idLuo161o

Keeping the farming game train rolling, Sugar Shack is all about running a maple syrup business. Not only do you have to manage and tap your maple supply, but you also have to learn recipes involving your syrup and create/sell them inside a cozy little restaurant. The best part? The whole game can be played in co-op, so you and a friend can fully realize your dreams of running a maple syrup enterprise. No release date has been set, but you can now Wishlist it on Steam, GOG, and Epic Game Store.

Dwarf Delve

Dwarf Delve was first shown in the full Guerrilla Colective Showcase but popped up again here… with the exact same trailer. This first-person mining game looks eerily similar to Minecraft and has a gameplay loop of mining for resources, selling your finds for new gear, and building your own living quarters. There doesn’t seem to be any combat, so if you’re looking for a more chill type of mining game then this might be one worth keeping an eye on. No release date has been announced, but Dwarf Delve is coming to Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, and you can Wishlist it now.

Everholm
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/-zjm1Axf_YM

Clocking in at only 30 seconds, the trailer for Everholm flies by in the blink of an eye. This cozy little farming gaming might seem like it’s playing it safe at first, but then we learn there’s a magic-based combat system and world exploration component that adds an extra layer of depth. There’s no release date at the moment, but you can now Wishlist it on Steam.

Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/yA2cWyV6RVs

Another “short but sweet” trailer, Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint is a beat ’em up inspired by Korean action movies. It has some of the most brutal pixel art violence I’ve seen in some time (you can punch people’s faces to a bloody pulp) and has some incredibly smooth animation that should make it feel really good to control. It’s currently listed as “Coming Soon” for Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.

Dark Deity II

Dark Deity II is another game that first showed up in the Guerrilla Collective Showcase, but the showing here dived deeper into the mechanics and features and how they differ from the first game. As someone who admittedly hadn’t even heard of the first game when watching this trailer, a lot of the talk about comparison went over my head, but fans of the first game will probably want to check this video out. No release date has been set, but it’s coming to PC on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG and can be Wishlisted now.

Good Heavens
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/qKT-w2vN57E

Good Heavens is a procedurally generated open-world crafting game for up to 8 players. While most games in this genre tend to have a specific path/goal to chase, Good Heavens seems to have more player freedom, allowing you to spend your time farming or go out of your way to get in fights and start killing things. There hasn’t been a release date announced yet, but you can currently wishlist it on Steam.

Vertical Kingdom
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/8HOinFAkV9o

Vertical Kingdom is a card-based city builder where limited space forces you to build your kingdom vertically. From the looks of it, there doesn’t seem to be a time limit or fail condition, so it’s more of a relaxing puzzle vibe as you try to figure out the best way to build your kingdom. Vertical Kingdom can now be Wishlisted on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, although no official release date has been set.

Critter Crops

Critter Crops puts you in the shoes of a young woman who arrives in Mur Mur Town, a seaside locale that’s seen better days. The inhabitants seem to be missing, a strange figure in a black hood sits by an abandoned shop, and there’s a general sense of unease about the town. At the same time, it’s up to you to run a small farm and bring life back to Mur Mur Town. It’s a cute little game that’s apparently being made by a single person, and while it still needs a little time in the oven and doesn’t have a release date, you can Wishlist it on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.

March of Shrooms
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/RkcQxZnrQd4

I’m honestly not 100% sure what March of Shrooms is supposed to be. The trailer is only 15 seconds long and the gameplay goes by so fast that it’s hard to grasp what you’re even doing. It looks like you take control of a small group of mushrooms, hop around, and fight enemies, but I think we need to see more to be sure. No release date has been set, but you can Wishlist it on Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Symphony of War – Legends DLC
Full trailer here: https://youtu.be/dW7zoM9nD0w

Symphony of War is a 2D turn-based strategy RPG that’s receiving a new DLC that adds 8 new characters, a new army, 13 unit classes, and New Game+. The DLC is “Coming Soon”, but without an actual release date it’s hard to know when that will be.

Airship: Kingdoms Adrift

Closing out this Publisher Spotlight was Airship: Kingdoms Adrift, and this might be one of the most intimidating games I’ve seen in ages. This game is all about raising and managing a fleet of airships and taking them into battle, with countless menus and customization options that feel as deep as an ocean. This probably isn’t a game for me, but if you’re looking for something challenging and full of depth, then this might be a perfect fit for you. Lastly, keeping in line with everything else in the show, no release was given, although you can Wishlist it on Steam.


FINAL VERDICT

While I can appreciate these types of games from a distance, almost everything in this Publisher Spotlight was for a genre I don’t typically play. There were a TON of farming/building sims, which I’m glad exist for those who enjoy them, but if you aren’t into those genres then there wasn’t much for you in this show. I also wish we could have gotten some actual release dates for these games, with most of them just saying “Coming Soon” or telling you to Wishlist them. It wasn’t a terrible show, I just don’t think I was the target audience for it, which is totally fine.

– Zack Burrows