December 2024 Progress Report

Inheriting the abandoned Haven Park from their grandmother, Flint takes on the duty of the old nature reserve’s caretaker to restore the island to its former glory. Rebuild broken-down campsites, repair bridges, and re-discover the winding paths, dizzying cliffsides, hidden coves, and brilliant mountain tops that once made this historical park so widely known.

.

.

3-5+ hours to complete, Haven Park is a casual walking and camp building sim. 12 campsites to discover and repair; the goal is to collect wood, metal, cloth, and money from campers to complete quests, requests, and re-build roads to access more of the island. As Flint builds and collects things, they gain EXP and level up to earn skill points the player can use to purchase skills. Overall, it’s a simple and cute game to play with only one complaint – It’s impossible to turn off the bubble noise that happens whenever you interact with something and after a few hours, it gets a bit exhausting.

.

Sigrid is a young girl raised by her grandmother on a small, quiet island with a lighthouse. Forbidden from going near the water, her life is simple, boring, and peaceful until one normal day a terrifying dark fog surges in like a tidal wave and monsters invade from the ocean. The lighthouse flickers and dies, and the dark fog seems like it would swallow Sigrid whole until something strange happens; There is a solid shadow in the water, a true reflection mirroring every step she takes until she steps into the sea. Leaving everything she has ever known, Sigrid walks on water leaving her island behind to find new energy sources to light the beacon, push back the fog, and save her home.

.

.

4-9+ hours to complete, Wavetale is a fairly linear game that takes place in a submerged city newly named Strandville and its lingering survivors. A simple, straightforward game that’s easy to beat and complete. Despite the presence of sea monsters, combat will rarely give a significant challenge as the storyline is the main focus just as much as the surfing and gliding on the water is. Character customization is available with a wide range of outfits, hats, and hair dyes that unlocks as you progress through the game. Overall, Wavetale is pretty enjoyable!

.

1-3+ hours to complete, Summerhouse is a casual sandbox game in which you build small dwellings, big houses, thriving hotels, and with a bit more creativity, towns, towers, and hobbit homes. You start with a small amount of walls, roofs, and decorations but by placing special blocks next to each other, you gradually unlock more building options. In addition, you can remove the pixilated graphics for more modern ones in the settings. There are four maps and three settings, daytime, rain, and nighttime.

.

.

Summerhouse is a lovely game worth its price tag, but it’s nothing extraordinary. Even with unlockable building options, it’s very limited in what you can do unless you get especially creative. There are only four types of rocks, a couple of trees, no bushes but you can make them by sinking a flowerpot into the ground. A handful of walls, a couple of stairs, and roofs that don’t always match up with the wall sizes – but regardless, it’s a solid way to spend a few hours.

.