My January log

It’s time for the first game log of the year!

Last month, I decided not to post a log partly because I wasn’t playing that much, and partly because I couldn’t fit it with my holiday break schedule.

If you’ve been following the blog, you might notice that this one is shorter than previous logs. January was a slower month for indie game announcements and I’m also just not up to speed with things as my move is basically taking over my whole free time. (I’m thankful that I’m still finding some time here and there to write, though.)

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I went to Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons!

In case you haven’t heard about it, Symphony of Seasons is a Stardew Valley concert that has an orchestra playing many of the songs of the game live.

I got to go with my best friend and our partners and it was truly special as we are big fans of the game. The concert hall was packed with other fans and the vibes were just wholesome all around. I definitely recommend the concert, if you ever get the opportunity to go.

My January gaming log

I started out the month playing mostly casual games, but in the last couple of weeks I finally had the head space to pick up something to dedicate more time to – and after browsing around, that ended up being Luma Island. Here’s the full list of games I played this month, in no particular order.

Kabuto Park, finished. Kabuto Park was developed by Doot, the same developer of another short game I loved and won’t stop recommending, Minami Lane. This one is an adorable creature collector game where you can battle other kids during your summer vacation with the bugs you collected. I finished the game in about 3,5 hours but I loved that the game allows you to keep playing if you want to battle more or collect shiny bugs.

PancitoMerge, finished/on hold. I reviewed PancitoMerge here on the blog a couple of weeks ago. This is an adorable merge game where you combine Mexican pastries (pan dulce) to form bigger pastries and earn points. I’ve mostly put it aside for now, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for future updates with more levels.

Dogpile, casually playing. Dogpile is another merge game, but with roguelike deck builder elements and lots of dogs. I’ve been slowly chipping away at it and having a lot of fun trying to unlock all the different decks. Don’t be fooled by the cutesy art, this game is harder than it looks.

Luma Island, playing. I had been itching for a new farming/life sim game and I landed on Luma Island. Pun not intended. At first I wasn’t very attracted to the art – the character styles seemed a bit too cartoonish for me – but I changed my mind really quick when I started exploring the gorgeous world and seeing the level of detail that the game has. I loved the profession system where you can choose to focus on mechanics you enjoy the most. The main downside of the game for me is that the NPCs don’t have much depth and there isn’t really a story.

ILA: A Frosty Glide, dropped (for now). I was so excited to play this beautiful and snowy 3D platformer after hearing so many good things from other indie gamers online, but unfortunately some camera movements triggered my motion sickness and I had to put it on hold. I’m hoping I can still pick it up in smaller sessions though, as I’d love to complete the game.

UMAMI, casually playing. I love puzzle games and UMAMI is such an original one! In this one, you manipulate wooden blocks to form 3D puzzles shaped as delicious treats. It’s another one I’m playing a little each time.

Cast n Chill, dropped/refunded. I got Cast n Chill but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. Even though I enjoy fishing mechanics, I am starting to conclude that idle games are not my cup of tea, as I play my games mostly handheld.

Camper Van: Make it Home, dropped/refunded. Another one that didn’t match my play style. I thought I’d like Camper Van as I like games such as House Flipper 2 and Unpacking, but I found out that the game isn’t optimized for playing with a controller – I had to use a virtual mouse on the Steam Deck at all times, and ended up refunding it because of that.

Wishlists

Milki Delivery. Another game by Doot and Blibloop so it was an instant wishlist for me. Grab your bike and milk bottles, let’s hit the road! Explore the countryside in this short cozy delivery adventure. Befriend folks and gently help them rebuild their community, one bottle at a time. Upgrade your bike, your dairy farm, and venture deeper into a once-lively region.

Release date: 2026.

Emberville. Awaken with no memories inside the Vitromotus, a vast underground world created as a magical dungeon where death no longer lasts. Explore its depths, battle dangerous creatures, rescue survivors, and rebuild the ruined town of Emberville while uncovering the truth behind this prison.

Release date: 2026.

Doloc Town. Doloc Town is a cozy pixel-art farming simulation set in a post-apocalyptic world. Build your dream farm from scratch and explore this mysterious wasteland. Harvest, plant, build, and uncover the untold stories of this forgotten land.

Release date: This one was actually released in Early Access since May 2025. I’m really hoping it will be finished some time in 2026!

Gaming news

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will be released on April 16, 2026 and will be priced at €59,99. I don’t even have a Switch (and I’ve never played a previous Tomodachi Life game) but I’m really curious about this one.

Looking forward to in February

There is a February release I’m looking forward to checking out: Hermit and Pig. And I’m SO READY to jump into Steam Next Fest, which will happen from February 23 until the 2nd of March.

How is your upcoming month in gaming looking like?

-Luna