From cosy wombats to farming roguelikes, this was my second week of backlog tackling.
2025 backlog challenge: week #2
Week number two, electric boogaloo!
This week, we’re trying to select games that have a link to each other.
Game #1: Paperbark
The game we’re starting with is Paperbark by Paper House.
Paperbark is a cosy exploration game developed by Paper House. It invites you to experience life as a wombat in the Australian bush, blending peaceful exploration with moments of suspense and discovery.
I chose this game because I was looking at how to install mods for Vintage Story, which is a game made of cubes (think: Minecraft), and then I thought, “you know who poops cubes? Wombats!” and that made me think of this game about a wombat. Plus, the wombat is super cute.
The game’s stunning hand-drawn, hand-painted visuals bring the bush to life, creating an atmosphere that feels immersive and deeply relaxing. Gameplay is intuitive and fun, with plenty of things to click on, from plants to bugs and birds. Each interaction reveals charming details or collectibles like stickers, adding to the joy of exploration.
Progression is simple yet engaging: guide the wombat through each level to unlock narrated tidbits delivered in a gorgeous and soothing Australian accent, as well as uncover the next piece of the environment. While there’s no overarching story, or at least a very simple one, the journey itself is the highlight, complete with delightful wildlife encounters and a relaxing, educational vibe.
It also gave me my spirit animal.
It’s perfect for a chill hour or so, though there’s also replay value for those who enjoy 100% completionism.
👍 Highly recommended for anyone seeking a soothing and charming game within the gorgeous vibe of the Australian shrublands.
Game #2: Bee Simulator
Bee Simulator is a flight simulator developed by Varsav Game Studios.
Coming from “experience life as a wombat”, I immediately thought about “experience life as a bee”. Bee Simulator has been suggested to me a few weeks ago and it was on my “play soon” list, so here we are.
You play as a bee in a vibrant world filled with flowers. At its core, the game offers a soothing experience, zooming around collecting pollen and navigating through beautiful, flower-filled environments. It provides a unique look at the life of a bee, incorporating educational mechanics such as bee vision, which enhances the immersive experience. While the gameplay can feel repetitive, with its “collecting through hoops” mechanics reminiscent of old-school Spyro flying levels, the game’s true strength lies in its educational message. It’s a great tool to spread awareness about the importance of bees in our ecosystem.
👍 If you’re in the mood for a calm and educational game that allows you to experience the world through a bee’s eyes, Bee Simulator is worth checking out. Its relaxing nature makes it perfect for anyone who enjoys immersive, low-pressure gameplay, and it’s especially great for players interested in learning more about nature.
Game #3: Apico
Staying within the bee theme, we’re moving onto Apico.
APICO is a beekeeping simulator developed by TNgineers that blends farming, house-building, exploration, and collectibles into charming and quite addictive game.
What stands out the most are the accessibility options, with features like optional automatic crafting and instant tooltips that don’t require holding shift, ensuring everyone can get buzz-y exactly the way they want or need to.
With its bee-autiful, vibrant pixel art that’s as cosy as it is stunning, it captures the charm of its world perfectly. It’s not a sting-y game, embracing a timeless design that lets players swarm around at their own pace. Buzzing around collecting bees, exploring the world, and setting up apiaries to (cross) breed more bees is endlessly satisfying.
The house-building system can be a little clunky at first, but it’s nothing you can’t work through with a bit of patience. The atmosphere more than makes up for it. Oh, and prepare for a swarm of bee puns—they’re un-bee-lievably delightful!
Apico has been on my ‘to play’-list for *so* long, it was getting a bit embarrassing. I am so glad I finally got around to it, because this is one of those games I will be returning to for a short obsessive hyperfixation.
👍 If you enjoy farming sims, exploration, gorgeous pixel graphics, and hunting for collectibles, APICO is a honey-sweet choice. It’s the perfect game for anyone with a soft spot for cosy, creative experiences and an appreciation for the wonders of bees.
Game #4: Zoeti
Zoeti is a turn-based roguelite developed by Dusklight.
How did we get here? Well, “zoet” is Dutch for “sweet” - and we did just play two honey-adjacent games, so…
This game blends poker mechanics with roguelike deckbuilding and immersive storytelling reminiscent of a classic JRPG. The bombastic adventurous music, the lore and character dialogue, including quirky insults like "you stinky hornbutt" that have now become part of my active vocabulary, add charm and personality, making Zoeti yet another succesful play on the genre.
Each poker hand corresponds to a battle move - offensive, defensive, buffing, or debuffing - that you can unlock and level up throughout your run. While the automatic suggestions system can sometimes make it feel less like a strategic card game and more like an automated process, the game remains engaging with its rich storylines and rewarding progression loop. Between which moves to unlock, which power-up relics to take along, which items to buy and which paths to follow, there’s a lot of decision-making going on that makes each run unique and challenging.
👍 Zoeti is perfect for players who enjoy deck-building, roguelites, and rich narratives all in one experience. It's a game for players who enjoy exploring new mechanics within familiar genres. I daresay, even, that this is one of those games that makes the roguelike genre accessible for people who haven’t yet discovered it.
Game #5: Another Farm Roguelike
Aww man, I had such high hopes for this game.
Another Farm Roguelike is a pixel-art farming simulator with roguelike mechanics, developed by Zabbo Games.
At its core, it stands out for merging two seemingly contrasting genres - farming sims and roguelikes - into a unique and engaging experience, offering a refreshing take by moving away from the combat-heavy mechanics typically associated with the genre. Instead of fighting monsters, you’re planting crops, raising animals, gathering resources, and working against a daily financial deadline. The gameplay is challenging but balanced, offering a mix of time pressure and strategic planning while retaining a cosy farming sim vibe. An addictive loop that has you thinking “just one more day!”.
While the core concept is intriguing, the game lacks a proper tutorial or in-game guidance, leaving players to figure out mechanics and resource locations on their own. For players new to the genre—or even veterans—it can feel frustrating to get stuck behind unclear progression. The absence of in-game information also forces many to turn to external guides or tutorials to understand how to proceed.
The overall experience feels incomplete, with rough edges that need polishing to fully realise its potential. If improved, this could become a standout title in its niche.
But it won’t. It seems to be abandoned in favour of a money-grabbing sequel.
The sequel, Another Farm Roguelike: Rebirth, is already planned for release in 2025, which is concerning given the current state of the first game. This makes it very clear that there is zero commitment to finishing the first game. It’s disappointing to see a game with such potential left in limbo, and it’s impossible to recommend it in its current unfinished state.
It’s a game with great ideas that haven’t fully materialised. If the developer addresses these issues—or if the sequel truly expands and improves on the original—it could become a gem. A gem that I’m unwilling to buy because of the moral values of the developers.
👎 If you can get the game for free, somewhere, I guess you could keep yourself occupied for half an hour or so. Would definitely not recommend buying it.
Game #6: Lucky Farm
After the sour taste that Another Farm Roguelike left in my proverbial mouth, I needed another cosy, snack-sized farming roguelike as a much needed palate cleanser. And Lucky Farm, developed by DIGEGames, delivered.
The game’s charm is undeniable. With soft, pastel pixel graphics and a soothing background score, it radiates a relaxing and wholesome vibe. Unlike some other farming roguelikes *cough*, this game begins with a proper tutorial, ensuring you understand the mechanics from the start.
The gameplay loop is simple and compact. There aren’t many tools or building options, which makes the game easy to jump into but also means it’s more of a short, contained experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it for about half an hour, but I don’t see myself revisiting it frequently after that.
To its credit, Lucky Farm feels complete and intended to be just the way it is. There’s no sense that it’s unfinished or in desperate need of updates. I didn’t encounter any bugs or design issues that detracted from the experience. It just happens to be a smaller game, which is fine, it delivers what it sets out to do and isn’t pretending to be more than it is.
While it may lack depth compared to larger roguelikes, Lucky Farm is a delightful little experience for anyone who enjoys a quick, relaxing romp through a colourful, pixelated farm.
👍 If you're looking for a cosy, charming farming roguelike to enjoy in short bursts, we definitely recommend Lucky Farm. Its soft visuals, relaxing soundtrack, and straightforward gameplay loop make it a delightful experience, but it doesn’t quite scratch the itch for a deeper, more complex farming roguelike. While it’s a lovely game for what it is, I’m still on the hunt for something that combines the depth of traditional farming sims with the roguelike twist.
This week was a fun experiment, trying to find a connection between the games I played, and I’m definitely looking forward to doing a full one-theme week next week. It's been an interesting journey, even though Another Farm Roguelike turned out to be my first ‘not recommend’ review of this backlog challenge. While that's a bit disappointing, it’s also a milestone I’m happy to pass as I continue discovering new games and figuring out my preferences.
Onto the awards. These games stood out for me this week.
Apico easily earns the title of 🔥 Most Addictive 🔥. From the moment I started, I couldn’t help but get lost in the cycle of collecting bees, exploring, building things, picking flowers, harvesting honey, rinse, repeat.
For 🌍 Most Immersive 🌍, it’s got to be Paperbark. This game takes you on a peaceful journey through the Australian bush, where the stunning hand-drawn visuals, soothing narration, and gentle pace create an experience that’s hard to leave behind. As a wombat navigating the bush, I felt completely enveloped in this charming world. New spirit animal unlocked.
When it comes to ⚙️ Best Mechanics ⚙️, Another Farm Roguelike stands out. Despite its unfinished state, the combination of farming with roguelike elements was a fresh and intriguing twist. The pressure to manage time, money, and crops created an engaging loop that kept me thinking strategically with every passing day. It’s a unique approach that could have been really special with more polish, and it’s definitely a concept I’ll keep an eye on in the future.
Want to tackle your backlog as well? Or just want to chat about mine?
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Not sure yet and want to see how I keep it up first? That’s fair, too.