Magnificent Magfest MiniGames!
I went to Magfest and made it my mission to check out all the indie games that stood out to me. I handed out business cards, tried demos, and even did a showcase of some of my favorites to share them with my community. And now I want to talk about every single game I tried out over the course of the weekend.
Thursday was my main day for gaming. I went solely to walk through and look, see which games stood out to me, and then doubled back to play each of those games. Of course, I still kept going back over the course of the weekend and trying more games, but Thursday was hella important for me.
This year I noticed a distinct lack of outright horror games which was a bit sad for me personally, but on the flipside there was a lot of coziness. There were even quite a few visual novels which is a genre I've been getting more into lately. As always, there were a lot of platformers and roguelites/ roguelikes. Not my usual genre but I'm open to any and all games and try to speak as objectively as possible on them.
And as a disclaimer: just because a game wasn't for me doesn't mean it was bad. Nor will I be speaking badly about any of the games I played over the course of the weekend.
With that being said: let's get on with the show!
Let's Cafe
In this cute and cozy game you get to run your very own cafe in a quirky little town. Take orders, create new recipes, and even customize your space to fit your own unique aesthetic!
I found this game to be super charming! I'm admittedly terrible when it comes to discovering new recipes and over the course of my time playing I actually needed a couple hints on it. The recipe system looks kinda like the Minecraft crafting system so I'm wondering if maybe that was the key detail I was missing. I've never tried Minecraft so my brain isn't wired for that!
One thing I loved is that there's Twitch Integration! There are two ways to go about it: using channel points and using crowd control. I got to try out the channel points so my community could actually place orders and force me to make a disturbing amount of Chicken Lattes. It had me a bit frantic but what's nice is that while there are time limits, you actually do have a chance to finish out the day and people aren't just forced to leave when the day timer runs out. This helps to balance things so that you don't feel overwhelmed, something the devs told me they wanted. This is supposed to be a cozy and relaxing game!
Speaking of the days, you can actually make them longer or shorter. I personally liked the 5 minute days since they felt fast paced to me and I happen to be a cozy min-maxer who likes the stress.
The characters are fun and I really enjoyed the different dialogue. I hope in the future more dialogue can be added because I did notice it started to repeat on the second day of playing. There's also some wait time between characters (if you aren't being harassed by your chat) that could be a little long. However, this also made for a good time to visit the shop to get more ingredients and even experiment.
Overall this was such a cozy game and I'm looking forward to playing more next time I need to relax!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3019270/Lets_Caf/
Red Thread
Weave the red thread of fate in this card game to see which path you tread down and who ultimately calls to you. Each character tells a different story with interwoven scenes to show a lush world.
Immediately the art of Red Thread stood out to me and I knew I had to go over. I loved that I could customize my character to look like me... or not like me and I would actually see myself in the overworld moving around. This added a nice, personal touch that helps you feel more immersed in the game.
Each character is also designed beautifully and I loved getting to see their stories start to play out. The game forces you to move through it slowly, reading dialogue as you go instead of clicking through it. At first I wasn't a fan of this but then I realized that this is the type of game meant to be enjoyed slowly and not something to rush through or min max. Once I realized that, I really fell in love with the system.
I think there are a few tweaks that need to be made like some basic settings and a small tutorial, but I appreciate that you can mouse over little ? to see what different things mean. This really helped me with the cards because for whatever reason anything close to deck building makes my mind go blank. However, the card aspect is simple in a good way. You're trying to get high rolls with characters to get better relationship building with them.
A few of the text boxes overlap at times but much of this just feels like some early release growing pains that come with the territory. The story itself though is so sweet and I really found it compelling to keep playing. I've actually gone back to it as recently as last night and I'm getting ever closer to my happy ending with Zera!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2993370/Red_Thread/
Heartlinks: A Puzzle Called Love
I'm sure you guys have heard of Doki Doki Literature Club and Miside. Well, imagine if those games were actually happy and wholesome! Well, that's Heartlinks, a sweet romance story that doesn't have some dark twist. You're actually just there to help Ai confess to her love Tokio!
I will admit, even after talking to the dev and explicitly being told it won't get dark, I'm still programmed to expect it.
Heartlinks was probably the cutest game I played over the weekend! Ai is such a sweetheart of a protagonist and is really giving bubbly anime girl. Plus I loved the little scenes with other characters that had so much humor woven into them. Each level is also a reference to an anime or game which was like a little bonus if you recognized them.
Now you might be wondering what I mean by levels. Well, Heartlinks is full of physics based puzzles. Ai has the power to freeze objects in place or unfreeze and move them out of the way. And of course she uses these powers to collect keys that allow her to progress further into the school and get ever closer to her love: Tokio.
It's a humorous and lighthearted story, made all the better through subtle storytelling. Also, there's a rewind mechanic. So if you mess up, have no fear because you can keep trying! You also don't need to collect every key unless you want the super secret bonus areas. This is nice for people like me who can occasionally be dummies when it comes to puzzle games. I swear I'm smart!
One thing I want to point out is that this game is absolutely gorgeous! I loved the character models and I might have to pull an Ai cosplay out in the future.
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1643800/HeartLinks_A_Puzzle_Called_Love/
Memoralysis: The Scorched Home
This murder mystery visual novel has you taking on the role of Philon, a private detective with a unique psychic ability that lets him delve into people's minds. He meets Celosia, a girl who may very well be cursed and has to figure out just what is happening in Liselle-Sur-Mer!
This was the first visual novel I tried at Magfest and it was definitely more traditional in that sense. The game is mostly built around dialogue between characters to help you get to know them and their relation to the murder victim. This makes sense since it starts you at the very beginning of the game where you know nothing.
I would love a few more dialogue options since I personally like to take an active role in the visual novels I play and sometimes it felt like I was more just watching the story unfold around me. However, the story that was unfolding was intriguing and I wanted badly to learn more about who Celosia is, why people keep dying, and why this nice sounding man seemed to have nothing but slightly sketchy "friends."
Another main part of the game is the "memoralysis" which is Philon's special psychic ability. This was a really interesting ability but I felt like I personally needed a little more of a tutorial. I'd like to go back and play the demo again outside of Magfest so I can take more time with it because I will say, playing in such an overwhelming setting definitely doesn't lend itself to concentration. So this is one I definitely want to revisit and take my time with.
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3299990/MEMORALYSIS_The_Scorched_Home/
Of The Devil
A visual novel is just more fun with murder and that's exactly what Of The Devil specializes in. This uniquely styled visual novel has you taking centre stage to defend clients against impossible odds, bet your reputation, and sass anyone who tries to claim you don't know your stuff.
This was the second visual novel I played at Magfest and this one stood out because of the striking visuals. Can you tell that I'm a visual girl yet? I love the neon and cyberpunk aesthetic of the game and Morgan is a fantastic protagonist with a strong will. The dialogue is witty and I really felt immersed as I was playing.
One thing I'd like to point out is that the Magfest demo was different from the actual free prologue of the game. Of the Devil was another game I played as part of my showcase and I was surprised to see that there was so much more to the actual prologue with far more interactions and build up. Meanwhile the demo jumps right in with investigating the murder scene.
What I really liked about the game was that I felt genuinely involved in all of it. The investigation was straightforward yet I still had to collect the evidence and make connections from it. Also, in the prologue there's various piece of literature in the world for you to find and you can earn bonus points for actually reading the lore. This is a downright ingenious way of getting the player to actually invest themselves in the lore of the world.
The game is episodic which each part being a standalone, which is great because you can play the ones that really speak to you and won't miss crucial details if you happen to not want to play the episode about conspiracy theories. But then again, who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2739630/of_the_Devil/
Deluge
This broody, story driven game is made using RPGmaker and follows a resurrected skeleton named Hudson. While Hudson is tasked with infiltrating a battered town, there will be multiple choices in the game that offer the ability for redemption or even ruin depending on how you want to play things out.
As someone who is a lover of RPGmaker games, specifically the horror ones, I really wanted to check out Deluge. I like that there's a good mix of mechanics and that you're eased into it. While magic becomes available later which you can see in texts that you find, you don't actually have to worry about it right away. There are also moments where you have a choice to run or fight, such as when the wolves are chasing you. This added tension and also showed that not every battle is worth fighting. Sometimes you just need to get to your destination.
I think the set up is good but with a 15 minute timer counting down, I definitely felt like I was rushing while I played the demo. I'd love to sit back and replay it one day to take my time and really take in the dialogue. But I will say, my speed reading was put to the test with how far I managed to get!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3779440/Deluge/
Reality Layer Zero
Remember when I said card games make my head spin, well that's exactly what happened when I tried Reality Layer Zero! I cannot stress enough that this game looked fantastic but card games just aren't for me.
The graphics are stunning and the story is intriguing. I was left wanting to know more about the world I was suddenly thrown into. And I actually think the card game mechanics were set up well with a good tutorial to walk the player through it. However, it's complicated and you'll have to use a lot of strategy to play it properly.
If you're a fan of card games and love solving mysteries, I genuinely think Reality Layer Zero is a great game. Just be ready to pay attention to everything because there's a lot going on in both mechanics and story!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1985290/Reality_Layer_Zero/
Dukkido
Now this is a game I actually wasn't going to play but some friends of mine were checking it out so when the devs asked if I wanted to give it a go, I figured why not. And what a wild ride I went on!
Dukkido reminds me a lot of Pikmin but 10 times weirder in a good way! The visuals are surreal and trippy really selling that you're in a truly unfamiliar land. As you progress, you recruit your minions and have them do your dirty work for you. Each type of minion is visually different and the slider at the bottom makes it easy to switch between them.
The controls could be a bit wonky and sometimes it was difficult to get my minions to obey my command. This was particularly noticeable in the tutorial boss where getting them to pull and launch that ball took quite a few tries. However, I think with some polishing it's a strong start.
The hub world was also interesting and I like how you can choose different missions to go on. The game will also support online co-op of up to 5 people. I think this will absolutely add to the game since you'll be able to divide and conquer. While this wasn't a game I actively sought out, it's one I'm glad I tried!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3186280/Dukkido/
Umami Grove
This is another game I didn't get to play but watched a full playthrough of and wanted to at least mention it. The reason I didn't play it was because it's a VR game and I happen to have really bad motion sickness.
In this cute game, you move through the world, helping various cute critters collect ingredients and make delicious food! It's a very hands on experience that's meant to make you feel immersed. I absolutely loved the concept and felt like they really used the VR element to the fullest potential.
While Umami Grove is only available for VR, the dev actually told me they have an upcoming game that will be for us non-VR players so I'll be keeping an eye out for that since I want to support them. Seriously, this was such a cute game and I really enjoyed watching it!
Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1394470/Umami_Grove/
In Conclusion
And that's the end! Those are the games I checked out at Magfest 2026!
There were some truly unique games there this year and I loved getting to check all of them out. I feel so lucky to have had so many wonderful conversations and my indie game stream after the con is one of my favorite streams I do. The world of indie games is rich with potential and every dev who presented at Magfest should feel proud of all they've accomplished. Now, I'm going to go back, play some more games, and see where I go next!
💛 Memento
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