2024/10/11

Hello, this is Futaba Tsukimori from the SKOOTA editorial team!

This time, I participated for the first time in Tokyo Game Show 2024, which was held at Makuhari Messe from September 26 to 29! As it was my first large-scale game event, I couldn’t stop feeling nervous the day before, but when I actually arrived at the venue, it seemed like other participants felt the same way. Two days passed in the blink of an eye, with so many attractive games that I found out I couldn’t visit all the games I had planned to! I had too little time and many games are still on my mind, but I made sure to grab some flyers.

In this article, I will share my impressions of the indie games that particularly impressed me during the two business days, in halls 9 to 11! The venue had general exhibition areas in halls 1 to 8, while halls 9 to 11 featured indie game booths and a cosplay area. I also participated as an exhibitor, ready to learn.

The Tokyo Game Show 2024 (TGS2024) is a global event where the latest information and new game announcements in the gaming industry are presented, and this year it was held at Makuhari Messe from September 26 to September 29. This year was the largest in TGS history, with 985 companies and organizations exhibiting from 44 countries, attracting approximately 275,000 visitors.

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【Selected Indie 80コーナー】

No One Dies in This Mystery ADV!? – Detective NEKKO – ディテクティブネッコ –

・Genre: Mystery, Adventure
・Exhibitor: Ara
・Playtime: About 15 minutes

The first game I played was the mystery ADV “Detective NEKKO – ディテクティブネッコ,” where no one dies. This game features a buddy story between a detective called NEKKO and a partner named Jikenbo, with the catchy tagline “No One Dies” being particularly impressive. The absence of death and the unfolding of a heartwarming mystery is a rare premise within this genre!

Game Features

This work is depicted in 3D graphics, featuring charming characters! I was particularly surprised that the character voices utilized the text-to-speech software “VOICEPEAK”! The natural pronunciation, while having a unique accent, gave the impression that the characters were speaking a language from another world. This fit perfectly with the game, and I developed a fondness for the characters while playing the demo.

About the Story

The story begins with NEKKO meeting a partner named Jikenbo, along with a special ability bestowed upon him. I look forward to how their duo solves cases and deepens their friendship through their interactions. The demo playtime was about 15 minutes at the start, but I’m very excited to see how the reasoning and puzzle-solving elements unfold from here!!

Impressions

After playing the demo, I speculate that in future developments, NEKKO will draw information from clients using his abilities, and the answers he obtains by easing the other person’s wariness might change. I want to pay attention to the parts that significantly influence the branching of the story and character choices based on those decisions!

🌱Futaba's Note: Personally, I found the character of the dog detective to be quite appealing, and since they aim to release the product version in early 2025, I’m secretly looking forward to seeing more of him in the final version ^_^

This Egg Might Explode My Maternal Instincts! – タマゴクエスト

・Genre: Simulation Game
・Exhibitor: タマゴクエスト Yolk Heroes: A Long Tamago
・Playtime: About 15 minutes

Next, I played the simulation game “タマゴクエスト,” where you act as a guardian spirit to raise a hero. This nurturing game features adorable characters depicted in pixel art, growing little by little as they complete various quests. The game’s system is somewhat reminiscent of the once-popular “Tamagotchi,” where players can enjoy the adventure while raising their characters!

Game Features

The quests are divided into about four types, including muscle training and dungeon exploration, and the controls are simple, alternating between pressing the Z key and X key or holding & clicking the mouse, making it accessible for anyone to enjoy. It appears to be a game where you challenge various adventures while growing your character through these simple controls.

Impressions

When I tried the demo, the characters were already at a child-like age. However, it seems in the product version, players will be able to raise their characters from eggs. The feature of raising from an egg evokes maternal feelings and attachment in players, which I believe is one of the attractions of “タマゴクエスト”! When the character completes a quest, their proud gesture is very cute, and it made me smile while playing the demo.

The product version is already released, and I would like to raise characters from eggs during my spare time. This game, with its warm charm of pixel art and simple, gentle controls, is highly recommended as a nurturing game that everyone can enjoy!!

🌱Futaba's Note: My maternal instincts might explode from raising characters from eggs. I'll be careful not to end up in a situation where I can't send my child on adventures or to dungeons due to excessive maternal instincts!

A Mysterious Cute Girl Claiming to be My Girlfriend, but I Don’t Feel Bad About It – Inverted Angel

・Genre: Adventure, Puzzle
・Exhibitor: SCIKA
・Playtime: About 20 minutes

The next game I played was “Inverted Angel,” where you have a dialogue with a mysterious girl who appears through an intercom. The game starts with this suddenly appearing girl claiming to be your “girlfriend.” Unlike regular puzzle games, this one allows players to input contradictions they notice to progress in an immersive puzzle adventure!

Game Features

The system where players input their answers directly was fascinating! I was surprised to hear that this AI was created using dictionary searches and natural language processing for language recognition. Additionally, the screen layout was very distinctive, resembling a conversation with a cute girl through an intercom, enhancing the immersion! I was drawn in while playing the demo, trying to uncover who this girl is and what the player is hiding!

Impressions

I found the input-based puzzle-solving refreshing and highly engaging! The system of pointing out contradictions in your own words offers a fun experience beyond simple choices! Moreover, the coexistence of the girl’s cuteness and eeriness adds to the charm, and I personally struggled between wanting to let her into my house and the anxiety about potential danger. The puzzle elements were also friendly, allowing players to revisit missed keywords in the backlog, which I found very considerate and enjoyable! The game has already been released in its product version, so I plan to play the main story when I want to chat with the girl through the intercom!

🌱Futaba's Note: The mysterious girl is so cute that I’m having an internal debate about wanting to invite her in and the warning against doing so! I ended up missing hints and had to ask for hints for hints...

A Game Pursuing Puzzle-Solving Unique to 3D Games – M.E.M.O

・Genre: Adventure, Puzzle, Mystery-solving
・Exhibitor: Team Viester
・Playtime: About 25 minutes

The next game I played, “M.E.M.O,” is a puzzle adventure game set inside a train. Players move around the train and solve various puzzles.

Game Features

The real and physical puzzle-solving elements using an actual notepad were quite interesting. The booth had notes left by other players who had solved puzzles after trying the demo, capturing the charm of off-event interactions.

Impressions

Playing “M.E.M.O” helped me realize the fun of physically taking notes in puzzle-solving! The difficulty was quite challenging, and I needed hints several times, but the pursuit of puzzle-solving unique to a 3D game, where you can roam around and change your viewpoint, was emphasized! A demo is scheduled to be released in mid-October, and I’m very excited about it!

🌱Futaba's Note: Realizing the fun of 3D puzzle games also made me aware of how out of practice I am; when accustomed to 2D, I tend to think of puzzles in a flat manner... I’ll try again when the demo comes out!

【インディーゲームコーナー】

A Nostalgic Japanese Streetscape – Last Time I Saw You 雨の薫り

The product version will be released on October 10.

・Genre: Adventure
・Exhibitor: Chorus Worldwide
・Playtime: About 30 minutes

Next, I played the adventure game “Last Time I Saw You 雨の薫り,” set in the nostalgic scenery of old Japan. The story unfolds around a boy named “Ayumu,” as a typhoon approaches, creating a unique atmosphere of nostalgia and bittersweetness.

Game Features

The charm of this work lies in the beauty of its 2D animation and the depiction of homes and streets, reminiscent of classic Japanese animation, creating a nostalgic expression. It has a calming atmosphere that feels as if you’ve time-traveled back to the Showa era, evoking direct memories of nostalgia.

The protagonist, Ayumu, is depicted as a relatable child who dislikes homework and desires to play games, and I felt a sense of nostalgia in his actions and words. The simplicity and child-like purity not found in modern games are depicted well, making it easy to empathize with his character setting, which I found beautiful.

Atmosphere and Story

Despite the approaching typhoon, the outside remains bright and quiet, highlighting the eerie contrast known as “the calm before the storm.” The intersection of this tension and the tranquility of everyday life creates a unique atmosphere throughout the game. As I played, I felt a mixture of relaxation while also being drawn into the sensation of what the future developments might bring.

Impressions

Overall, the game has a heartwarming flow that can be played in a relaxed manner, while underlying anxieties and mysteries like the typhoon and the identity of that woman maintain charm throughout. The nostalgic depiction of Japanese landscapes and the calmness before the looming typhoon reminded me vividly of summer vacation memories from childhood. I’m really looking forward to how the story will unfold amidst this peaceful atmosphere!

🌱Futaba's Note: Ayumu-kun, who procrastinates on homework, is going to regret it with an all-nighter (and end up pretending to forget it at home). As someone from the countryside, I found this game extremely nostalgic and heartwarming.

KemoMimi × ASMR × Tea Shop – This is the Healing I’ve Been Seeking! – けものティータイム

・Genre: Simulation, ASMR
・Exhibitor: Studio Lalala
・Playtime: About 15 minutes

“けものティータイム” is an ASMR experience simulation game that incorporates elements of managing a tea shop with KemoMimi characters. The concept of “KemoMimi × ASMR × tea shop” almost brought me to tears!

Game Features

The highlight is the combination of ASMR and KemoMimi characters. The sound effects like “gori gori… fasa” and character voices resonate in 3D audio, creating an immersive experience as if you are actually there! The realism of the sounds stands out, and the sensation of voices passing from right to left and left to right was enjoyable.

The main focus is on tea shop management, but a noteworthy feature is the ingredient blending system. Customers come to the shop, and you can blend tea to meet their requests! Combining tea leaves and herbs to create specific recipes is one of the joys. Sometimes customers themselves teach you new recipes, adding a fun point to the progression of new recipes!

Additionally, characters that regularly come to sell ingredients and cooking utensils introduce an element that impacts the shop’s growth! With the combination of tea shop management, blending creativity, and story development, I felt that the gameplay gained depth!

Unsettling Atmosphere?

Other people besides the KemoMimi characters appear and their conversations include elements of generational and past themes, suggesting that there might be upcoming unsettling developments… I couldn’t play through to there during the demo, but I’m very much looking forward to the product version!!

Impressions

The charming pixel-art characters move in the center of the screen, while conversations and systems are displayed in surrounding frames. Whenever new customers come in, I felt excitement and didn’t want to miss their adorable expressions! The game was filled with character charm, and during the play, my ears, eyes, and heart were healed. The simulation elements of blending and management added depth, ensuring that the gameplay was genuinely enjoyable!! I’m greatly looking forward to future developments and the evolution of the story!!

🌱Futaba's Note: KemoMimi, ASMR, tea shop simulation game = Divine, transcending!!!