Fellow Traveller games that pleasantly surprised me

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Monday marked the end of another successful LudoNarraCon, bringing with it a wealth of new titles and discounts. Indeed, Fellow Traveller publishes extraordinary games, and after playing many demos and discovering some new titles during this event, I found myself increasingly admiring their work. Since I’ve been following this publisher for a while, I decided to share six games that pleasantly surprised me. I hope you’ll have the chance to play them someday.

1000xRESIST

While I’m still preparing a full review for this game, I was struck by its exceptional quality. It’s a walking simulator and narrative-driven game rich in puzzles, introducing you to an intriguing world full of mysteries. You’ll experience a unique and complex story exploring themes of identity and intergenerational trauma, enhanced by incredible plot twists and elements of psychological horror. Additionally, this title combines third- and first-person gameplay with visual novel storytelling. It offers over 10 hours of gameplay, with more than 15,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue performed by talented Asian-Canadian actors, accompanied by music from two composers.

You play as a sister named Watcher, tasked with reliving and interpreting the memories of your ALLMOTHER through a process called Communion, aided by a companion named Secretary. 1000xRESIST is a dark and thrilling narrative set in a distant dystopian future, where humanity has been wiped out by a disease spread following the arrival of a mysterious alien race.

The game is currently receiving very positive reviews, and interestingly, most players highlight its excellent atmosphere and high-quality voice acting. Be sure to check it out on Steam and discover what this game is all about.

Nirvana Noir

This title represents a significant step forward from the first game, Genesis Noir, offering a similar concept enhanced with stunning graphics, animations, and interactivity, and filled with unique puzzles. As players explore the secrets of the Big Bang, they will face a variety of challenges, including reconstructing collapsed buildings and even investigating skeletons in closets. Notably, in Nirvana Noir, we will explore the world through two dimensions.

I had the opportunity to play the demo a bit earlier, and I must admit it pleasantly surprised me. While the demo only partially reveals what awaits in the full game, exploring the mysteries surrounding the city’s butcher shop and the concept itself drew me in just as much as the first game did. Nirvana Noir blends noir and neo-noir aesthetics, while also offering music-focused puzzles and interactions.

Genesis Noir explored the creation of the universe and humanity, offering only brief but intriguing insights into Constant. Although the events of Nirvana Noir take place after the original, this game tells a standalone story. Dive deep into the city and the cosmic beings that inhabit it, bringing a deeper level of gameplay, exploration, and mechanics while expanding everything that made Genesis Noir so compelling.

Nirvana Noir will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam sometime this year, with no specific date announced.

Wander Stars

Who says a slightly different Dragon Ball-style game can’t look great? Jokes aside, in this game you’ll embark on an adventure with Ringo, a young “witch” of martial arts, and Wolfe, a mysterious rogue trying to escape his past. Across 10 anime-inspired episodes, as they search for the pieces of the legendary Wanderstar map, they’ll need to cooperate, correct past mistakes, and travel through space to achieve their goal.

Trained in the ways of Kiaij, a powerful martial art that delivers the most exciting forms of televised entertainment in the universe, Ringo uses a combination of words to perform custom attacks in intense turn-based battles. As you travel through space, you’ll expand Ringo’s vocabulary, earn Pep Up bonuses through honorable victories, and raise her spiritual power level. On the path to mastering Kiaij, you’ll face a variety of opponents, including space pirates, mysterious rogues, witches, high school delinquents, talking crows, and skilled fighters.

The demo version of Wander Stars is available to play today on Steam.

Citizen Sleeper

Two years ago, the first game was released, which is now soon getting its sequel – Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. The original game was one of the most acclaimed indie titles of 2022 and received a nomination at the Game Awards. It is a narrative RPG inspired by tabletop games, set on Erlin’s Eye, a derelict space station that houses thousands of people trying to survive on the fringes of an interstellar capitalist society.

You play as a Sleeper, a digitized human consciousness in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants you back. Placed among the station’s unknown and colorful inhabitants, you must build friendships, earn a living, and navigate the factions of this strange metropolis if you hope to survive and see the next cycle. Citizen Sleeper uses dice, clocks, and drives to create an experience where you choose your path in a rich and sensitive world.

Citizen Sleeper is currently 50% off on Steam, available for €9.75. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to grab the game while it’s discounted. The game is also available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

Suzerain

This is a game that will keep you engaged for hours, offering endless depth. You take on the role of President Anton Rayne as you lead Sordland through key challenges in its history. You will face border conflicts, corruption, and economic upheaval, managing complex political dynamics—and it is through your decisions that you will shape the fate of Sordland.

The game features over 900,000 words of in-depth dialogue, where you make crucial choices regarding security, the economy, welfare, and diplomacy. Your values will also be tested beyond the office—guide Sordland toward one of 9 unique main endings and more than 25 sub-endings. Meet over 50 characters, each with their own personality and ideology. Track the state of affairs through national or interactive city tokens, policies, events, news, and reports to see the impact of your decisions.

This year, Suzerain received its first DLC, where you take on the role of King Romus Toras and lead the Golden Kingdom into a new era. The goal is to reclaim lost territories through diplomacy or force, collaborate with royal houses, and manage the resources of Rizia. More details can be found on Steam. Additionally, the game is currently 75% off, available for just 4.87€.

Beacon Pines

One of this publisher’s standout titles, Beacon Pines is an exceptional creation with outstanding writing, enchanting art, and a unique approach to storytelling. This sweet yet eerie adventure takes place within a mysterious book, where you play as both the reader and the protagonist, Luka. Strange things are happening in an old warehouse, and Luka and his friends seem to be the only ones who notice. Explore late into the night, form new connections, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will shape the outcome of fate.

As you investigate the strange occurrences in Beacon Pines with Luka, you’ll discover special golden charms, each engraved with a word. These spells can be used at key moments in the story to fill in gaps in words and drastically alter the course of events.

As the book’s reader, you’ll track pivotal story points using The Chronicle, an interactive story tree that branches and evolves based on your choices. By exploring one sequence of events, you can unlock new spells for use in another sequence, allowing you to jump back and forth between completely different versions of the story to uncover the secrets of Beacon Pines.

If you’re interested, the game is available on PC via Steam, as well as on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.