What I played this month, wishlisted games, showcases, gaming news that caught my attention and more.
Hi and welcome to my first monthly gaming roundup!
I want to start off by saying a big thank you to everyone that read the blog this month. People in the gaming communities I am a part of have been so supportive during this first month of the blog – I appreciate every kind word or piece of advice I got from you!
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🧠 The Game That Stuck With Me in September was…
I decided that every month I will award one of the games I played with the title “The Game That Stuck With Me”. This month I’m awarding it to Many Nights a Whisper and, if you’ve already played this game, you probably understand why it left a mark on me.
I can’t remember exactly how I learned about this indie gem but I’m so glad I did. This short interactive essay takes about 1 hour to complete and will have you play as someone that takes part in an ancient archery ritual that will help shape the future of your people. I might write a post about this game in the future, so stay tuned.
My September gaming log
I played a considerable number of short games this month (with the exception of Hollow Knight, which it’s still going to take me a while to complete). Here is the list, including both completed and incomplete games:
Split Fiction, currently playing with my partner. I got Split Fiction after it went on sale for a 10% discount on my Xbox. This 2025 hit co-op game has been as fun as I’ve heard from people. I chose to play as Zoe and it’s kind of funny how much we feel alike.
PEAK, playing casually. I’ve never laughed so much playing a game as I do with PEAK. I never play online multiplayer games and it was really fun to play this one not only with my in real life friends but also with folks from The Cozy Gaming Club Discord server! I still gotta reach the peak though.
NAIAD, completed. I mentioned this one and some other games I played this month on my Autumn/Spring recommendations post. It was incredibly relaxing to play this stunning game, to the point that I almost fell asleep while playing it (which I mean as the best compliment here). Even though the main mechanics from this adventure game involve solving puzzles, they’re perfectly integrated into the environment you’re exploring.
Hollow Knight, currently playing. I faced my Metroidvania fears and finally picked up this one up while everyone else started playing Silksong. I do expect it to take me a good amount of hours to finish it (so far I’ve played it 25 hours), as I’m just taking my time with it.
Flowers and Favours: Florist Simulator, casually playing. I didn’t know I would like this almost-sandbox bouquet making game as much as I did. I love the art and the customers’ cute character design. My only tiny complaint is that the music can get repetitive after playing the game during a longer session, so I’m hoping that more songs can be included in future updates.
Ithya: Magic Studies, productivity game. When I saw that Ithya was releasing a version for MacOS, I grabbed it right away. The art and the music of the game sold me on it. Even though I don’t use all the productivity features from the game, it turns out I really like the body doubling aspect – there’s something very soothing about having Ithya study at a cafe or at the library while I work.
A Tiny Sticker Tale, completed. This was a short and sweet game with a super cute art style. In this puzzle adventure, you are a little donkey called Flynn and use stickers that you collect from the world to solve different kinds of puzzles in your path. I was expecting it to be a fully wholesome experience as I was playing it, but the ending surprised me with how emotional it got.
Whisper of the House, completed. You move to Whisper Town, where you help locals move, unpack and organize their things. As you work your way through tasks, you slowly uncover weird mysteries from this new place. I’ve written a mini review on Whisper of the House if you want to know more about the game.
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, completed. I played this one as the Slow Burn podcast’s game of the month. In this short game you play as a Turnip, that after failing to pay taxes, needs to complete some tasks to pay back your debt to Mayor Onion. You also have an obsession with ripping off papers.
Demos I played and recommend
Little Corners. Peel, place, and arrange stickers across tiny windows into different worlds. Played it on the Steam Deck.
Release date: 2025
Spooky Express. Take charge of the Spooky Express. In your new role you’ll plan routes and lay train tracks to meet your creepy commuters’ demands, and create a rail network spanning more than 170 thoughtfully designed levels. Played it on the Steam Deck.
Release date: 21st of October, 2025
Wishlists
I saw myself wishlisting a crazy amount of upcoming games after watching some indie showcases this month. Here’s a (small) selection:
Gecko Gods. Explore a forgotten land in Gecko Gods, a puzzle-adventure built for curiosity. Climb walls, solve ancient puzzles and uncover a lost civilisation in a world full of hidden paths, quiet secrets and natural wonder.
Release date: Q4 2025. ✅ Demo available
Embroideryvania. Bring your own non-gamer and explore a one-of-a-kind embroidered metroidvania world in split-screen, local couch co-op, with a companion. You play as a snail visiting a plant park, identifying plants you’ve never seen before.
Release date: Q4 2025. ✅ Demo available
Truckful. Truckful is a single player car delivery adventure game based around completing errands and quests for villagers and uncovering the ancient mystery that surrounds the nearby old forest.
Release date: 2026
Arcane Eats. A roguelike deckbuilder with a delicious twist. Think like a master chef, balancing resources as you strategically combo ingredients to subdue hungry hordes. Recruit a legendary kitchen crew, and rise through the heroic cooking guilds—before The Hunger consumes us all!
Release date: To be announced
The Regreening. The Regreening is a cozy simulation game about healing the world. Restore animal habitats, befriend nature spirits, and regrow the wasteland. Upcycle everything and craft your own paradise. Can you transform this deserted world into a joyful home again?
Release date: To be announced
Showcases
Nintendo Direct, September 12
I don’t even own a Nintendo Switch but regardless of that I love watching Nintendo Directs, and this time it was even more fun as we had a little watch party at The Cozy Gaming Club’s Discord server.
My highlight was the announcement of Pokémon Pokopia, which seems like a mix of Pokémon with Dragon Quest Builders (rumor has it that the same engine was used since both games are developed by Koei Tecmo).
Six One Indie, September 18
Good Game Lobby co-streamed this indie game showcase that had a lot of gems and significantly increased the size of my wishlist.
Indie Fan Fest, September 24
This indie game showcase had a focus on unreleased games that will have demos soon on Steam Next Fest so it made me even more hyped for it in October!
Gaming news & fun facts
Silksong was released on September 4 and it had a peak of 587.150 concurrent players on Steam. This number is comparable to the population of Malta or Cape Verde.
Looking forward to in October
As I write this, I actually can’t believe we are starting the last quarter of the year. Since Q4 starts, I’m looking at you, Q4 2025 / Autumn releases 👀 I’m also really looking for Steam Next Fest which starts on October 13th!
I would love to hear about the games YOU played this month – was there a game that stuck with you? Let me know in the comments here or on social media.
Thank you for reading,
-Luna
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