GamesSimulationI built the most peaceful tiny homes in a cozy building sim that prioritizes creativity, and now I want to move inWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSimulationI built the most peaceful tiny homes in a cozy building sim that prioritizes creativity, and now I want to move inWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)
I think I could stay here forever. Summerhouse is the kind of indie game that makes you appreciate the little things, the tranquil spaces you can carve out from the chaos of everyday life. This is a tiny house building sim that has no challenges, no problems to solve, no budgets to meet or patrons to keep happy – it’s just you and your creativity, left alone to explore.
Home sweet tiny homes
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)
Indie Spotlight(Image credit: Firesquid)Persona aesthetics meets Hades and Baldur’s Gate tactics in this melting pot of an indie RPG
Indie Spotlight
(Image credit: Firesquid)Persona aesthetics meets Hades and Baldur’s Gate tactics in this melting pot of an indie RPG
(Image credit: Firesquid)
Persona aesthetics meets Hades and Baldur’s Gate tactics in this melting pot of an indie RPG
There’s a unique meditative quality about Summerhouse that pulls me in from the get-go. Solo developer Friedemann briefly greets me as the game loads up for the first time, explaining his vision: this is a game where there is no win or lose, but the promise of pure, relaxing innovation to pique your curiosity and creativity.
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)
This is a game where there is no win or lose
This is a game where there is no win or lose
One of the most magical things about Summerhouse has to be the day, night, and weather toggles. Whether you’re building homes on a sloped hill overlooking a bustling city, or amid the earthy orange hues of a desert environment, everything looks different when night falls.
The windows in your houses are suddenly illuminated, inferring life and excitement laying just beyond the doorstep. You can’t simply knock the walls down and take a peek for yourself, though, since Summerhouse is more about building towns and villages than detailed households. Still, this just makes me even more intrigued. Who lives here? What do they do for a living? Are they in love with the boy next door, or are they dreaming of life outside this placid community I’ve so lovingly constructed for them? I try out the rain weather toggle instead, and am distraught at the sight of my door-standing villager staying out in the cold. Luckily, I found a handy parapet to place above his head, and the shadow it casts assures me that he won’t catch a chill.
(Image credit: Future Friends Games)
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But maybe that’s the whole point of Summerhouse. It’s not about control and management, nor about creating something necessarily perfect, but the endless possibilities of play. It’s something I think many of us forget about as time goes on and the pressures of life mount, the constant pursuit of progress gnawing at our heels. When I play Summerhouse, though, I forget about everything else, and that in itself makes this a timeless indie experience.
Summerhouseis out now on PC. See what else we’ve been enjoying in ourIndie Spotlightseries, or check out what’s on the horizon with our roundup ofupcoming indie games.
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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3
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”