Welcome back to the itch.io Blog, everyone! We were out for most of last week, so there weren’t any posts, but we did have the Black Friday Not-Sale to keep you occupied. Did you pick up any new projects? Anyway, we’ve got a stack of new games for you to play this week that we think are worth your time. Read on for more details.

The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game

I’ve been pretty vocal on this blog about my love for detective games, but I understand that they can be a bit morbid for some folks’ taste. If only there was a goofy take on the genre that prioritized joy and charm over everything else. Enter: Detective Frog.

I love the sweet frog detective, Detective Frog and their antics in The Haunted Island. I love that they approach the wacky cast of character they’re surrounded by with patience and jokes. I also love the fact that they are unable to find a hat that fits them. There is nothing you can’t love about Detective Frog, and this becomes The Haunted Island’s biggest strength -- it creates a ridiculous world that has sunshine and fun baked into every aspect of it. My time with Detective Frog didn’t last long (my final runtime was around an hour) but it’s an adventure I’m glad I went on. In a year that seems bent on making us all cruel, it’s refreshing to spend some time with a carefree creature that can’t help but make everyone smile.

Tales of the Neon Sea Demo

I don’t know that I’m ever going to get tired of cyberpunk takes on mundane activities. As it turns out, walking around futuristic environments and feeling wistful is absolutely my jam. Luckily for me, Tales of the Neon Sea uploaded a demo last week for the upcoming cyber-noir detective comedy.

If this demo is any indication Tales of the Neon Sea is primed to be an interesting take on the formula made famous by Blade Runner. Yes the neon is here, and of course you’ll run into a bunch of characters who are chewed up and spit out by an unfair system, but Tales of the Neon Sea remains glib in the face of these traditionally serious themes. Tales of the Neon Sea operates in a world of crime and grit, but it’s also a game with mafioso cats and crass posters. It’s a game that borrows the aesthetics of a classic genre, and shows off how ridiculous some of its main conceits are.

I can’t say how well the finished build of Tales of the Neon Sea will be, but there’s a ton of promise inside of its free demo that should whet the appetite of fans of noir, pixels and comedy.

Beach Date

I don’t like the beach much. There’s sand everywhere, in my native San Francisco, it’s always cold, and any public bathroom near a beach is required to be an absolute nightmare. With this in mind you might understand my hesitance to play a game solely about going on a date on the beach. I’m really glad I did.

Beach Date is a quick, intimate look about two characters relaxing on a beach. The mechanics of this date are limited to: pouring sand on your partner, pouring wine on your partner, playing music on your phone, and pouring chips on your partner. This may not seem like much, but the end result is a silly and intimate look at the relationship between the two characters that is worth its quick playtime. If you’re in need of a quick dash of wholesome fun in your life, Beach Date is there for you.