Shio And Mysterious Forest (2019)

Developer: Inu to Neko
Publisher: Starship Studio
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Casual, Indie, RPG, Simulation, Strategy
Rating: 4.2 of 5, 57 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 4.0 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A punishing survival simulation where each trek into a mysterious forest demands careful management of resources and status ailments to gradually conquer its depths.

survivalcraftingchallengingatmosphericresource managementproceduralstrategic

What players say

Players describe it as a grindy idle game with light RPG and management elements, carried by cute pixel art and familiar characters. Many say it is repetitive, with little novelty after the mid-game, and that the early hours feel clunky or unclear. Fans of the developer's earlier titles recognize the template, while others find the loop too shallow.

Screenshots

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More by Inu to Neko

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.