spiritfarer

Screenshot Survey: Splish Splash

Published: May 30, 2020 3:14 PM /

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It’s Saturday, and that means it’s time for another Screenshot Survey. Every week, we take a look at a few cool new games in the works by game developers tweeting with #ScreenshotSaturday. For even more games you might be interested in, check out the Screenshot Saturday hashtag on Twitter.

We take a look at some fresh new indies with connections to water and water critters, starting with an awesome water doggo. Then, we look at a classic-style RPG, procedurally generated salamander men, and a fat fish.

Spiritfarer

You might recognize this one from the recent Wholesome Direct; this is Spiritfarer. True to the name of the direct, Spiritfarer is wholesome for sure, and adorable. I love all things pinnipeds (like seals, sea lions, and walruses). The fact that you'll be hitching a ride with the adorable Alex—who is of course a pinniped—makes my prospects of playing Spiritfarer all the more likely. I love his happy animations and goofy tongue lolling out of his mouth. He's enthusiastic to do his job, for sure!

Spiritfarer is an upcoming adventure title developed and published by Thunder Lotus Games. Your character's job sounds strikingly similar to Charon, who would act as a boatman for the afterlife in Greek myth. In Spiritfarer, you will guide the deceased to to the afterlife in this maritime adventure. The premise might sound a bit somber, but don't let that keep you down. It looks cute, and there's plenty of awesome and wholesome characters to get to know.

SKALD

Look, SKALD might not be as heartwarming as Spiritfarer, but the art style is no less unique. You have pixel art, then you have true retro graphics. SKALD looks like it is able to emulate the style of old Ultima titles (which is listed as one of SKALD's inspirations) while being able to capture such great detail in its images. The briny horrors we see are like shrimps from Hell, and the visualization of them is fantastic. The waves crashing against the lighthouse with the rising sun in the background is another detailed, beautiful representation.

SKALD is an upcoming old-school RPG by developer Anders Lauridsen. Right now, SKALD is being funded on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, as well. In SKALD, you'll take command of a group of adventurers within a dark fantasy world. With a deep class-based system and classic turn-based combat from RPGs of yesteryear, fans of Ultima-style RPGs look like they're in for a wonderful experience. You can get your hands on SKALD when it launches late this year.

Curious Expedition 2

While I just gushed about how much I love seals when talking about Spiritfarer, I also have a soft spot for salamanders. They are such fascinating creatures, and are far superior to other amphibians. And indeed, look how glorious they are when they become bipedal! Curious Expedition 2's randomization for salamander people make for what look like fun and quirky encounters. It's hard to choose a favorite from the bunch, but I find that the yellow-and-black one with the spiked nose to be quite cool. As excellent as these salamanders are, it's my hope that we see more procedurally generated creatures in the final product.

Curious Expedition 2 is developed by Maschinen-Mensch and published by Thunderful. It is, of course, a sequel to the first title which had a distinctly different art style. Curious Expedition 2 trades the pixel art of its predecessor with a cartoonish style, but it retains the original's charm. In this roguelike title, get into the adventurer's spirit as you explore exciting and perilous foreign lands with your own group of daring individuals. Curious Expeditions 2 is slated to launch this year.

Ecosystem

As this tweet points out, evolution has not been kind to this poor fish. Look at those ridiculous fins! How can any creature survive with such things. I love the effect it has on the fish, however sad it may be. It seems that by the end of the GIF, it has completely given up any attempt at living a normal, fish life. Well, it might not be the most graceful thing ever, but it's certainly cute. And it doesn't seem like some of the fish in the background are having any better luck, but it's a charming underseas shot.

Ecosystem is an ocean simulation game developed by Tom Johnson and published by Slug Disco Studios. The science behind this title seems incredibly complex in order to make it a reality. Every creature has its own individual, in-game DNA, and that dictates all aspects of the creature's appearance and behavior. You might end up with ol' chubby fins above, but either way, it seems that the potential for sea life in Ecosystem is vast and quite amazing, really. As you play, creatures evolve and become—hopefully—more advanced and efficient at living. Either way, this looks like a fascinating scientific and entertaining game. You can play Ecosystem's demo on Steam now, and it is set to release some time in 2020.

Interested in any of these games? What's your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!