Bonus Action’s Summer Showcase Demo Favourites

Showcases have come and gone, games have been revealed, and anticipation has been set, and for everyone at Bonus Action, there were so many get titles we are eager to try.

Many of the games shown during the summer showcases also released demos, and seeing as we love and want to support our cozy indie dev friends, it only seemed right that we snatch up some of these demos and try them out ourselves!

Here we have listed some of our favorite demos we played, with some words from the team on what they enjoyed about their time with the games. Be sure to check them out yourselves and wishlist any that take you fancy.

Wax Heads – Cande’s Pick

Wax Heads dives headfirst into two of the most glorified clichés: band breakups and record store gigs.

You’re just a record store cashier, sipping on coffee and munching your favorite snack, hunting down the perfect album for each customer, and, above all else, obsessively checking on your Tamagotchi to keep it alive. Maybe my priorities are a bit mixed up.

Being a record store cashier, as Wax Heads‘ half-hour demo showed me, is tougher than it looks. I like to think I can read people well, but those skills don’t seem to work on a mumbling mascot-head dad or an overly excited, yelling teenage girl. Sometimes, customers will tell you exactly what they want. But other times, they’ll be vague, leaving you with no other choice but to awkwardly gawk at their clothing, tattoos, and fan memorabilia. Your job of reading faces and handing out records to win approval is interrupted by snippets of story and poster decorating. It’s a fun challenge, but what really hooks me is Wax Heads’ unmistakably punk style oozing from every corner.

I can’t wait to dive deeper into this art style and uncover all the gossip behind the band breakup. Wax Heads is a deliciously unique puzzle game, and I can’t wait to get a bigger bite when it comes out.

Tiny Bookshop – Amanda’s and Laura’s Pick

Amanda

Like many readers, I’ve always dreamed of owning my own bookshop. In Tiny Bookshop, we get to do just that – on the road. Play as the owner of a traveling bookshop caravan, curating your collection and recommending books to the locals. 

My only complaint about the Tiny Bookshop demo is that I wanted to cry when it was over. This sneak peek into the gameplay was a comfy cozy delight, and I sunk so far into it that I forgot it was just a demo. Each day in the game, you choose a location to set up shop and stock the shelves with the right genres to satisfy your customers. Then, you watch as customers file in and browse for books. Sometimes, they’ll even ask for recommendations – and you get to recommend an actual, real-life book title that fits the customer’s prompt. This game is everything a bookish cozy gamer wants and needs, and I can’t wait to sink hours into running my virtual bookshop.

Laura (Ez)

Tiny Bookshop might be my most anticipated game of the year – and those are fighting words when we have a new Dragon Age right around the corner.

I have waited for an excellent bookshop managing sim for years. As someone who worked in a physical tiny bookshop when I was younger, I deeply love these little, used book-peddling indie shops. Tiny Bookshop‘s demo is filled with details, from the purchasing of new books and placing them on the shelves, to the decoration of the little wagon.

I am so ready to dive into this game, explore every quest, build the perfect bookshop, and then start a new save and do it all again. My excitement is boundless, and I am waiting on bated breath for the release date announcement. I sincerely hope we get more news soon.

Dungeons of Hinterberg – Matt’s Pick

I’m always a sucker for an adventure, and Dungeons of Hinterberg looks to be the exact mixture of cozy, curiosity, and RPG goodness that I would want from my dungeon diving exploits.

The demo took me around an hour to finish, and in that time, I got a crash course on what I could expect from the full title. It ticked all the boxes for what I was hoping to see. There is exploration, with items and NPC to be found and discovered. A dash of combat, complete with gear, abilities, and some upgrades to add that spice. Dungeons, which had puzzles, chests, and some stunningly weird visuals. Lastly, some friendship, which has you interact with locals, improving relationships, and unlocking new perks like weapon upgrading as a result.

Of course, there is so much more to see in the full release, including additional stats, activities, environments, and dungeons, the whole smack. But, what I did see in this demo was a confident, colorful, and wildly creative indie that I can see myself grabbing on day one.

Yaoling Mythical Journey – Jordan’s Pick

My first instinct when starting the demo for Yaoling Mythical Journey was to compare it to Pokemon, like every other “monster” collecting game, but I realized quickly that this game is so much more. 

The game is set in a beautiful Eastern fantasy world that had me hooked from the start. There are Yaolings to befriend, demons and an evil organization to fight, and adorable civilians to save and bring back to your village. 

Once I finished changing up my character’s looks, I was dropped into a huge open world to explore. The demo shows the entire map, giving a glimpse of just how big this game is. Players will be able to fish and collect resources for crafting as they explore. Then there are a variety of Yaolings, adorable creatures that fight alongside you. They can even evolve when leveling them up. The combat system is automatic but players can take a more active role with the help of talismans that can either aid your Yaolings or deal damage to opposing Yaolings.

I was able to see a lot from this demo and I can’t wait to see even more of this game once it comes out.

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Matthew Fuller

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