Honeycomb

Honeycomb

Day by day, technological progress changes not only the lives of people, but also the smallest life forms on our planet. In our project, we would like to direct your attention to a very important issue of our times - the extinction of wild bees, which despite their tiny size, has a huge impact on the entire Earth’s ecosystem.

Greetings explorer! You are going to spend quite some time in the laboratory - don’t forget to go on a research expedition into the unknown. A world full of exploration, building and crafting awaits you!

You are the last hope of Earthlings.

Research both flora and fauna - standard scanning is not enough. Explore the world of genetics and experiment with various possibilities to even create a new plant genera. Mutating plants and species promotes new raw material discoveries and blueprints. Experiment to master new technologies and settle your base in new environments.

This new world can be beautiful but dangerous as well - an undiscovered fruit or a contact with previously unknown, even the most innocuous-looking animals can provoke a disease, for which you’ll have to invent a cure. Some of them are tamable, some can only be feared and fled from - there is only one way to find out.

For optimal productivity, an explorer’s life has to be comfortable! Take care of your “workplace”, create the needed conditions by yourself and even decorate your base. Build drones, mobile laboratories, habitat, and research stations. Don’t stop there - create multiple stations in optimal locations, safety, weather or raw material wise, and ensure safe travel between them - hoverboard is the best way to start.

The planet stores the secret key that may help you in saving the earth and its inhabitants. Remember! It is up to you how you use that knowledge.


Read More: Best Exploration Building Games.


Honeycomb on Steam

Thousand Threads

Thousand Threads

Thousand Threads is a game about walking through beautiful landscapes and the mysteries that emerge in the distance. You deliver mail, and, if you’re curious, peek at the letters before passing them off. You discover ruins, and wander through the ancient stones hoping to find something that could tell you about the world you’re in. You stumble through woods into the path of a bear, and then flee the bear only to bump into a passing stranger. The bear attacks the stranger instead. Maybe you beat down the distracted bear, and heal the stranger if they fall. Maybe you let the bear subdue the stranger, and loot the body after.

Real player with 26.8 hrs in game


Read More: Best Exploration Relaxing Games.


This… is a weird recommendation to make. I had a lot of fun with Thousand Threads, but I don’t think it succeeds at being what it clearly, explicitly sets out to be. To give it a thumbs down would be dishonest - I enjoyed this game for what it is! But what it is involves a tremendous breakdown between intent and execution.

I wouldn’t call it a good game. I WOULD call it an interesting one.

Thousand Threads is a game that wants to be a human connection simulator and is instead more of a frontier justice simulator. You deliver letters between a fairly large number of ambulatory cardboard standees who are more or less machines of petty grievance and aggravated assault. You wander beautiful environments, picking flowers, beating wolves to death with the world’s strongest stick, and also beating whatever NPC decides to ambush you on the road to death, also with the world’s strongest stick.

Real player with 13.2 hrs in game

Thousand Threads on Steam

Trash Panda

Trash Panda

It’s garbage night, and there’s no human in sight! Explore neighbourhoods of Toronto as the unofficial mascot of the city: the Trash Panda.

Make a Mess!

As a mischievous raccoon, make the biggest mess you can knocking over trash bins lining the streets. The bigger the mess, the higher you score. Some of the trash is yummy-yummy treats giving you additional points. Find power-ups too!

Explore the Real-World Streets of Toronto

The maps of Trash Panda are created from real-world street data of Canada’s most populous city. See if you can visit every street on the map!

Challenges!

Some crescents and dead-end streets are home to territorial raccoons that don’t want you knocking over their bins. Should you enter these areas, a nemesis raccoon may challenge you to a match! Which of you can knock over the most bins? Winner takes all!


Read More: Best Exploration Cute Games.


Trash Panda on Steam

Castle Rock Beach, West Australia

Castle Rock Beach, West Australia

Beautiful, Teleporting is very broken as you fall through the map a lot and the items seem to have a lower resolution as soon as you teleport to the place. On the other hand, walking regularly in game is soothing, beautiful, the movement is realistic and you can hear your footsteps on different surfaces, it also never falls through the surface and every item has time to render in so it’s resolution is much better. The only downside to walking is it makes a high percentage of people who play VR motion sick. Teleporting doesn’t make you as sick, but again, it is broken. I luckily don’t get motion sickness from VR at all, so I can write a great review for this outstanding game.

Real player with 2.8 hrs in game

Matt Newell is a young talented 3D artist who deserves more fame. In April 2020 I experienced for the first time his interactive fully explorable virtualscapes on Steam. I started with the exploration of Myrdalssandur, an outwash plain in the south of Iceland. Then I experienced all of his works on Steam: Fushimi Inari, Wakamarina Valley and Castle Rock Beach.

Photorealism is not enough to describe the experiences. Matt brings out the best from Unreal Engine 4; assets, textures, rendering of light and shaders are at the state of the art. Oh yes, rendition of light is superb! He succeeds to create a virtual Nature that is more beautiful than real Nature! It’s not properly Nature, it’s an idealization of Nature! It’s a Nature without perils, without insects, without dangerous animals, without smells, where you don’t risk getting dirty with mud, you don’t get wet even if it rains. It’s a Nature expressing just an outstanding aesthetic beauty able to enjoy your eyes and lull your soul. Walking in such virtual world at sunset or at sunrise or when raining, it is satisfactory, relaxing, charming. There are just you and Nature, accompanied by an ethereal soundtrack and environmental sounds! You just take a stroll, discover interesting places, take a few photos, enjoy beautiful seascapes and landscapes with different lighting and weather conditions. Today, contemplating wild and unpopulated landscapes or seascapes is impossible, tourists are everywhere and everytime; and it’s not rare to find trash even in the more remote lands, reminding you how many two-legged pigs are in the world! Plus, you have to organize and afford long and stressful travels! On the contrary, thanks to Matt’s artworks you need just to turn on your PC and sit on your sofa for enjoying elegiac and spiritual experiences; they are well suited for people searching for a break from the everyday stress in our crowded society, especially during pandemic emergency! “Walden: A Game” (USC Game Innovation Las, 2017) gives you similar feelings.

Real player with 2.3 hrs in game

Castle Rock Beach, West Australia on Steam

Das Balkonzimmer

Das Balkonzimmer

⠄⠄⠄⠄⣠⣴⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⡠⣴⣶⣶⣶⣦⡀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄it’s good

⠄⠄⠄⣴⣿⣿⣫⣭⣭⣭⣭⣥⢹⣟⣛⣛⣛⣃⣀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄Play it

⠄⣠⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⢯⡓⢻⠿⠿⠷⡜⣯⠭⢽⠿⠯⠽⣀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄Christmas

⣼⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣥⣝⠂⠐⠈⢸⠿⢆⠱⠯⠄⠈⠸⣛⡒⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄started!

⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣶⣭⡭⢟⣲⣶⡿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠋⠄⠄⣴⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⢶⡀

⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢟⣛⠿⢿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡄⠄⢰⠇⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠈⣧

⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡹⣭⣛⠳⠶⠬⠭⢭⣝⣛⣛⣛⣫⣭⡥⠄⠸⡄⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⢇⡟

⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣭⣛⣛⡛⠳⠶⠶⠶⣶⣶⣶⠶⠄⠄⠄⠙⠮⣽⣛⣫⡵⠊⠁

⣍⡲⠮⣍⣙⣛⣛⡻⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠖⠂⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⣸⠄⠄⠄⠄

⣿⣿⣿⣶⣦⣬⣭⣭⣭⣝⣭⣭⣭⣴⣷⣦⡀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠠⠤⠿⠦⠤⠄

Real player with 2.2 hrs in game

YOU PLAY AS THE SINGER OF THE BAND SKINDREAD CAW AW

REMEMBER SKINDREAD CAW CAW? ANYWAY THIS GAME IS BASED CAW CAW, ALSO ILLBLEED IS A VERY HARD GAME AND I’VE DIED AT LEAST 4 TIMES ON THE FIRST STAGE CAW CAW

Real player with 1.2 hrs in game

Das Balkonzimmer on Steam

Feather

Feather

As Robin Sharma said - ‘The very nature of being a human is we are built to progress, we are built to want. Our brain craves novelty and we are most alive when we are progressing towards our mighty mission.’ The modern society embraces this same idea and it applies to every known medium, including video games. You all are familiar with this - achievements, quests, invisible pointers, to, well, point us to do something to keep occupied. Q is, how the one can play & enjoy the game with ‘no enemies, no combat, no threats’ and basically, without any goal? The answer is - you get away from the familiar.

Real player with 423.7 hrs in game

Feather is not particularly entertaining. It’s not traditionally fun, or thought-provoking, or complex. You’ve seen most of it within an hour. There’s not much to do and you don’t walk away thinking about it, or eagerly awaiting the next time you can play it.

And it’s worth every cent.

Feather may not be my favourite game in my library, but it is undoubtedly one of the most important. I have plenty of games that are relaxing, and yet, whenever I’m feeling sad, or stressed, or anxious, or whenever I’m so bored that absolutely nothing seems appealing, or so deep in depression I don’t feel much, or even just when I want a break- I always turn to Feather.

Real player with 9.6 hrs in game

Feather on Steam

Lushfoil Photography Sim

Lushfoil Photography Sim

Experience detailed, true-to-life recreations of various landmarks around the world. Each environment is authentically recreated using reference photos taken on location, and includes detail at both a small and large scale.

  • Capture Every Detail

Use a realistically inspired DSLR to observe and capture the world around you. Includes an abunance of settings that you’d expect from a real-world professional camera, including Auto/Manual Focus, Exposure, Contrast, White Balance, Aperture and a selection of filters, for full creative control over your shooting. All photos are saved to your hard drive, like a collection of real photos.

  • Leave no Stone Unturned

Objectives are not the first priority in the game, but it will reward the types of players who are patient, observant, and like to venture off the beaten path. Each environment is filled with Unlockables, Secret Objectives, Collectibles, and Easter eggs that not everyone will find.

  • Smooth as Butter

Each environment is very efficiently optimised and doesn’t need the latest hardware to run. There are extensive custom settings that will help the game run on a wide range of systems, and will still take full advantage of high-end cards.

  • VR Support

A Virtual Reality DLC will be released in Early Access shortly after the game comes out. I’m a huge advocate for VR and I would love to give everyone the opportunity to experience the level of immersion that VR offers.

Lushfoil Photography Sim on Steam

Overland Weekend

Overland Weekend

It’s the weekend and you want to get away from the city!

You have your grandfathers old off-road vehicle and some camping gear. It’s time to spend the weekend exploring the local forest and do some wild camping.

In Overland Weekend you travel the wilds in your old off-road vehicle and camp. You can upgrade your overland vehicle and your camping gear to get the most our of your weekend in the woods. You will need to find the balance between the journey and relaxation, and use your budget to slowly upgrade your overland vehicle.

Overland Weekend on Steam

Paper Beast

Paper Beast

[initial review after 1.5 hours, 2nd review after completion follows, scroll down for it…]

Paper Beast is not quite like anything else, which I guess is why I’m enjoying it so much.

The world is somewhat open (though the player is herded into a fairly narrow pathway through it) and feels spacious. The low-poly graphics are almost abstract, yet well-lit enough and with good enough ambient sound support to feel convincing and provide immersion. Lighting and sky effects are remarkably good, with dawn/sunset fx and thunderstorms over a vast desert landscape. Water doesn’t really try to be realistic, yet is remarkably wet and believable. Occasional “special” items in the landscape cause instant teleportation to nearby spots. It’s a world of constant discoveries. My initial experience was a delightful sense of disorientation and wonder, like walking into a strange but enjoyable dream.

Real player with 8.7 hrs in game

I firmly believe this is the game to change the future of VR.

Yes, HL: Alyx was the most well-recognised recent step into AAA VR titles, but this game shows that effort and heart can be poured into such a game without the weight of an already established intellectual property behind it. Paper Beast stands on its own and succeeds in everything it tries to achieve.

There is a moment early in the story, standing in a blackened cave, hearing the wind whistle from a gap to the crisply thunderous and opaque outside world. Just the notion that you’re led to this location because you can hear the DIRECTION the wind is coming from shows that this game could never have been any form of success outside of VR. It uses every aspect of the ‘present’ experience of VR to its advantage. And so this game curates an experience of unique curiosity; of turning your head and stepping towards a dark and windy crack in the cave wall to be met with a vast, oily, pitch-dark ocean swelling and crashing below you, lightning illuminating the twists of video-tape seaweed just below the surface through the peaks of the waves. And what can you do with it? Nothing. It’s untouchable.

Real player with 7.3 hrs in game

Paper Beast on Steam

Path of Kami: Prologue

Path of Kami: Prologue

Path of Kami is a relaxing puzzle exploration game following the spirit of recently-deceased Japanese wolf Kazeyo as he navigates the trials of the Mortal and Spirit World through puzzles. He is accompanied by Wisp companion who is there to guide him on his journey. Path of Kami contains elements of both traditional Japanese folktales (Momotaro, Issun-Boushi), as well as a more personal journey for the main character.

The prologue features a portion of Kazeyo’s journey through the Mortal realm and an introduction to the Path of Kami world!

Features

  • Explore beautiful landscapes set in ancient Japan

  • Find and collect a variety of collectibles

  • Solve puzzles by lighting lanterns

  • Enjoy a heartwarming story about a wolf and his Wisp companion

  • A handcrafted 3D painterly world

  • A beautiful relaxing soundtrack

Path of Kami: Prologue on Steam