Every year at Summer Game Fest, between splashy blockbuster shows, Wholesome Direct offers a nice change of pace. It’s similarly packed with performances — this year’s lineup had more than 50 — but the vibe is cool and, well, good. As in previous years, I’ve released some of the most impressive revelations and announcements, although you can watch the whole thing for yourself here. And if you’d like to check out some of the games – a few are available now, and many have demos – there’s a dedicated Steam page.
Back in 2017, Hidden People helped usher in a new genre of seek-and-find games – and now it’s getting a sequel. There aren’t many details yet, though Hidden People 2 it will feature “hand-drawn, interactive, mini-areas on a variety of new themes, as well as silly jokes, lots of spoken word sounds, and various quality-of-life improvements.” It launches in 2027 for both mobile and PC.
This adventure story comes from a new studio we’re helping Sable producer Daniel Fineberg. And the premise is interesting:
In Drift follows the story of Luna, a young woman who begins her new career as a communications engineer in space. Solve problems at work during the day, then spend the night hanging out with the crew back on the ship. In Drift it’s a story about trying to be a good person, and finding hope and purpose in a world that feels like it’s slipping away.
Moomin: Summer Madness
We already know that the Finnish Moomins storybook setting translates well to games set in winter, and now we’ll have something warm to enjoy. Summer Madness changes things up with a painted visual style, and an excellent premise that includes “an abandoned floating theater full of mysteries and mysteries.” It launches sometime in 2026 on both PC and Switch.
Described as “a puzzle game about interacting with people you don’t understand,” Patience is a virtue puts you in the role of a recent college grad who returns to his childhood home to learn that things are very different. Things get worse when he is attacked by a sensitive tape player. You can check it out for yourself with the Steam demo.
A cozy twist on city builders, Water he has dug rivers to direct water and revitalize desert valleys and attract wildlife. And since the areas are procedurally generated, they should offer plenty of replayability when you need to chill out.
Did I choose this game because of its cool title? Yes, but the game also looks great. It’s described as an open-world adventure where you play as a lost otter who will “meet strange animal friends, solve delicate puzzles, and enjoy simple platforming.” It gives me Here’s the Dolphin vibes, only in 3D, and launches on Steam in September.
The Wandering Village: The Last Leviathan
The Wandering Village it was a big spin on city builders where your city was behind a giant, moving creature. Now the game is getting a big expansion called The Last Leviathanyou guessed it, it gives you a new aquatic creature to build upon. This update also adds new mechanics built around the creature’s body temperature and attitude, as well as an arctic ocean to explore.
