For every WASD show, I’ve had to look on with envious eyes as I’ve never been able to attend, but this year it finally happened; I managed to attend a WASD, and it was one of the best video game shows I have attended.
Held at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in London, it was a good venue for such a show. The floor was covered in a sea of glorious indie games, from the likes of Devolver Digital to solo devs.
Devolver Digital did have a big showing here, with six games to play, a photo area to dress up in a Cult of the Lamb themed set, a little merch store, and a themed bar with amazing plastic Cult of the Lamb cups. I very nearly caved when I saw the lamb plushie, but I resisted and walked away with just a pin.
But what about the games? I hear you cry, so here are our favourites from the show and ones that we think you should keep an eye out for: Where possible, we have included trailers and links to wishlist the games on Steam. So, without further ado, let’s take a look.
Set in a hospital, you take control of a sick child in this first-person narrative-driven game. To while away the time you play a 2D platform game that the child’s dad has left for them, with the child narrating memories and stories. The game also includes mini games based on objects you find in the hospital room. Pick up a toy car, and it’ll activate a little 3D racing track for you to race along, or you might make paper aeroplanes and see how many planes you can get into the bins on the other side of the room.
We loved the demo as it was filled with such charm and emotion, and the game looked fantastic, especially in its main 2D platformer game. This is also slightly biased as it’s set in between 1991 and 1992, so the console the child plays on is a Super Nintendo, the toy car you drive around the track is a DeLorean from Back to the Future, and we spotted other references to the time period like Super Soakers and Optimus Prime.
The game has been developed with Great Ormond Street Hospital, and admirably, fifty percent of the £10 asking price will go to the hospital. Not only is this supporting a great cause, but it’s also a very fun time to play.
The original Grapple Dog, which was released in 2022, was a fun Gameboy Advance-style platformer and one of the first reviews I wrote. With its fun characters, challenging stages, and well-implemented grapple mechanic, I was “hooked,” especially through its gorgeous artwork.
Joseph Gribbon has been hard at work since then on the sequel, Cosmic Canines, and I was thrilled to see a playable demo was available at the show. I made a beeline for the game as soon as I saw it, and I walked away wanting more.
This time around, Pablo is joined by Luna, who is not only wielding her own grapple, but she has brought her trusty firearm along with her. She was able to shoot obstacles and enemies blocking her path while swinging from her grapple, and Luna felt great to play as a welcome alternative to Pablo.
Pablo himself comes with a few new moves, with the new elemental power being my favourite. Through collecting a special stone, I experienced the electrical power in the demo. This gave me the ability to curl up into a ball and stick to the electrical boards scattered around the stage. In true Grapple Dog-style platforming, there were hidden areas to propel yourself off the boards towards, as well as the main path itself. Other elements will be available in the full game, spicing up the platforming even more.
Speaking of hidden areas, the first game was littered with them, and the sequel is no different. A couple of times I found a new hidden item—a massive treasure chest with a piece of food inside. What that is for is still a mystery. The big jewels return, with three hidden around the stage for you to find, and the berries make a welcome return too, with their satisfying sound effect.
Grapple Dog: Cosmic Canines is looking very nice; it ran really well in the demo with the characters controlling nicely, and with the new additions that have been added, it is looking to be one of 2024’s biggest releases. Make sure to stick this one on your wishlist!
A new point-and-click adventure awaits in this British-made game, which tells the tale of a work-addicted man whose world is crumbling around him thanks to him ignoring his family by continuously working. Through uncontrollable circumstances, he is transported to a childlike world filled with strange and magical creatures, where he will hopefully re-discover himself and what is really important in his life.
Sleepytime Village shows the usual point-and-click movement and puzzles, which are told through a unique graphical style. Speaking with the developer, he told me he was trying to make the puzzles not to obtuse, so you are not going to be spending ages trying to figure it out, but it will still be challenging. I am not the best at Moneky Island-esque puzzles, so this was great to hear, and I found this to be true when playing the demo.
The game is written in a very English way, with plenty of profanities. The developer is conscious of this, though, adding in a swearing and non-swearing mode to make it accessible to everyone. I did choose to add swearing, and it got me in stitches with the way the main character pronounced his swear words sometimes, and it was nice to see some proper English swear words make it in too. The voice acting addition helped immensely to place yourself in this world, with some wonderful over-the-top performances.
Sleepytime Village is currently in the process of a Kickstarter campaign, with the full digital game setting you back £14. I highly recommend checking it out through the supplied link and keep an eye out for its release around Halloween 2025.
Sleepytime Village Steam Page Sleepytime Village Kickstarter
Pine Hearts is a cosy exploration game made by Hyperluminal Games in which you seem to be reliving or piecing together memories of the past through the exploration of a caravan park. In the demo, you mostly explore a campsite, where you have to complete tasks to unlock new areas or gain new tools. These tasks range from finding four tent pegs that have been lost to gathering ingredients to create a burger so you can lure out a mythical creature.
The tools you gain give you new abilities, for example. In the demo, I gained the power to push over tree trunks to create bridges and was given a saw to cut down logs that were in the way once I had completed the associated task.
I loved the graphical style of Pine Hearts; with its A Short Hike-style aesthetic, it really popped and was a joy to experience. Tyke, the main characters “bop” as they walked was also very cute and aided to the cosy and wholesome vibes of the game. I’m not usually one for cosy games, but this one really got its claws into me and has made me curious about whether I will enjoy other games in the genre.
Pine Hearts releases on the PC and Switch on May 23rd, 2024 for £15.99
In Paper Trail, you play as Paige, a student who leaves home to pursue her studies. In this journey, you learn to fold the corners and sides of the screen, like paper, and use this to create new paths for Paige so she can continue on her journey.
Paper Trail is a pure example of how an indie game can turn a genre upside down with a totally unique hook and use that to create a magical world with interesting puzzles to solve. I learned that you can also see the other side of the paper to help you decide on how to fold the screen, so you can carry on with your travels. Not only can you fold the screen from the sides, but you can also fold from the corners too.
I really took my time to figure out the solutions to the puzzles, as I was greatly enjoying just folding the paper in any way that I could.
It’s all so smooth too; the developers have spent time perfecting the folding mechanic, as it just works, and is accompanied by this most satisfying folding sound effect. I also greatly appreciated the graphical presentation of the game; it’s a beautiful world and one I can’t wait to explore more of.
Paper Trail hits major consoles and PC on May 23rd, 2024.
Other notable games that we played at the show were:
Crows Country: This is a Resident Evil-style survivor horror game set in 1990. You’ll be tested against puzzles and riddles as you explore an abandoned theme park. Set to release on May 9th, 2024 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series
Thank Goodness You’re Here: This is a comedy “slapformer” set in the bizarre northern English town of Barnswirth. As a travelling salesman, you take in the sights and get given a set of increasingly odd jobs. This one is full of British humour and is one of Rich’s favourites from the show.
Thank Goodness You’re Here Website
Conscript: Another survival horror game, with this one set in the First World War. Navigate twisted trenches, scavenge for limited supplies, and solve puzzles, all while fighting for your life.
Block Strategy: This is an RTS defence game with a totally destructible world. Build your base and find fuel to power your reactor before waves of enemies try to take over your base. I am not the biggest RTS fan, but this one intrigued me, and I actually had fun playing the short demo, hence its inclusion on this list.
There were many other games at the show that I didn’t get around to trying, and I’m sure some of those would have ended up on this list too. One day was not enough, and we are sure to try and make it for two days next time.
The community vibe was strong while walking around the show, and it really showed a great light on video games as a whole, which was especially pleasing considering all the negativeness the industry can attract online. I would just like to thank the organisers of WASD for putting on a great show and for supplying us with creator passes. They really made us feel welcome with a creators lounge with free snacks and soft drinks—a really unexpected but very welcome treat, and I was very happy to see Cheese & Onion flavoured crisps!
We hope you’ll consider checking out our recommendations from the show, and if you do, then please let us know your thoughts on them through our socials; we really would love to hear them.
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