Fellow Traveller’s Story-Rich Showcase 2026 Roundup

I’m a sucker for games with immersive, enthralling stories. I always love getting so deep into a game because of its story that I end up playing it for hours on end with no clue how much time has passed, even though that can be inconvenient when I have deadlines to meet. Relatedly, Fellow Traveller has assembled a showcase devoted entirely to story-heavy games, entitled – wait for it – Fellow Traveller’s Story-Rich Showcase. Fellow Traveller managed to pack quite a lot of games into the span of less than an hour. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so let’s begin!

First is A Line Held Tight (presumably because love isn’t always on time), developed and published by Humble Grove. A Line Held Tight is “a dynamic sci-fi visual novel” in which you play as The Canary (I see what they did there) who finds that “tensions both political and personal are rising at the Brightworld mining colony.” In light of those developments, “you must decide where your heart and loyalties lie if you’re to shape the future and save yourself.” A Line Held Tight has a free demo available on Steam now, and the full version will purportedly be “coming soon” to Steam.

Following that, we have Am I Nima, developed and published by HO! Games. I think Jim Duggan would approve of them. Anyway, Am I Nima is “a psychological-horror game where you must convince your mom that you really are her daughter.” In order to do that, you’ll need to “combine words together in your brain and use them to talk,” and hopefully ultimately “get her to trust you.” In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t be making jokes in light of that subject matter. Am I Nima has a demo on Steam, and the full version is slated to launch on October 8th, 2026.

Next up is Ambrosia Sky: Act Two, developed and published by Soft Rains, which may or may not be the kind they bless down in Africa. Ambrosia Sky is “an immersive sim about exploring an asteroid colony devastated by an unknown contamination. Survive and harvest strains of hostile alien fungi, explore treacherous environments, and find meaning and beauty in so much death.” Ambrosia Sky: Act One is out now on Steam. Act Two, the final story update, is planned to release on August 6th, 2026, and it’ll come in the form of a free update to the base game.

That’s followed by Apple Crumble, developed and published by Happy Broccoli Games, the same studio behind the Duck Detective series. Apple Crumble “is a fully-voiced interactive mystery thriller inspired by the likes of MOUTHWASHING and Knives Out” in which “it’s your grandma’s 84th birthday and nobody is trying to murder her. Stop suspecting your family members, and don’t worry about the strange man in your bedroom.” Well, if that’s what the Happy Broccoli tells me to do, it would be foolish not to oblige! Apple Crumble is purportedly “coming soon” to Steam, though that’s the most concrete release information we currently have.

Next up is Building Relationships, from developer and publisher Tan Ant Games. Building Relationships is a “silly adventure game” in which you “play as a building and roll, jump, and wave-dash across a cozy island. Meet eligible structures, romance them, and experience a bizarre, yet oddly familiar story.” Now, why on earth would I want to romance a building? That would be one-sided, unless — oh, “Building” Relationships! I see what they did there! Building Relationships has a free demo available out now on Steam. Building Relationships is reportedly coming to Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S at some point in “2026.”

Our next entry is one you should definitely not burn after reading: it’s Burn-9, developed by 14 Hours Productions and published by Fellow Traveller. Burn-9 is “a spy thriller where you’re not the spy.” Instead, you’re “safe behind your screen,” and you’ll need to “guide the last survivor of an elite black-ops team in a desperate attempt to salvage a mission gone horribly wrong.” Sounds kind of like Operation: Tango, then, but without the co-op gameplay. Burn-9 has a playable demo available now on Steam, and it is planned to launch on that same platform at some point in “2026.”

Next is Catechesis, developed and published by Baroque Decay. I misread Catechesis’ title at first and thought it was a weird onomatopoeia for sneezing, but I digress. In any case, Catechesis is a “horror RPG” where you’ll “embrace the darkness as a demon-possessed altar boy, explore the city, battle demons, upgrade your weapons, and embark on an unforgettable journey with unique characters and anime-style cutscenes.” Catechesis has a free demo on Steam. There’s no release window for it whatsoever just yet, but Catechesis is currently planned to come to Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Next up comes the announcement that Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, both developed by Jump Over the Age and published by Fellow Traveller, will soon make their way to Nintendo Switch 2. Citizen Sleeper and its sequel, Starward Vector, are story-heavy RPGs that revolve around the player “roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism.” Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are currently planned to launch on Switch 2 on June 25th, 2026. If you already own either or both games on Switch 1, you will be able to upgrade to the Switch 2 versions for free.

Following that, we have Danchi Days, developed by Gingham Games and published by Analgesic Productions. Danchi Days is a “story-driven slice-of-life adventure set in 2000s Japan” where you will have to “bring your hometown back together, reconnect with neighbors, surf the web, and play minigames in a comedic-yet-bittersweet tale about a girl and her grandma living with Alzheimer’s.” Danchi Days has a free demo available on Steam now, and its soundtrack is also available as free downloadable content. As of the time of writing, Danchi Days is currently planned to launch on Steam at some point in “October 2026.”

That brings us to the announcement that Demonschool, developed by Necrosoft Games and published by Ysbryd Games, will soon be getting new downloadable content. This downloadable content is known as Puzzle Killers, and it has a focus on puzzle battles, which are “battles in which the player must ‘solve’ a board by clearing it of enemies using the characters given, within one turn. Each puzzle is carefully set up to have one solution.” Furthermore, Demonschool (and this DLC) will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2, though we currently have no release dates for the DLC or the Switch 2 version.

Next up is Desktop Explorer, developed and published by Recurring Dream. Desktop Explorer is a psychological horror game where you will be expected to “rummage through the abandoned profiles of an old PC to unravel an inherited mystery” in order to ultimately discover “what secrets hide in this eerie adventure of cryptic games and outdated software, who was using this computer, and what happened to them.” Desktop Explorer has a free demo available on Steam now, and the full version is currently planned to launch on Steam on July 17th, 2026.

Next is Detective Turner: If Looks Could Kill, developed by Riker and published by ALL DAY ALL NIGHT (jeez, no need to shout!). Detective Turner: If Looks Could Kill is “a text-driven noir murder mystery where you’ll “search for clues in the text, photograph evidence, and interrogate suspects to solve the murder of fashion icon Margot Voss.” If Looks Could Kill “casts players as an old-school detective investigating the death of a powerful magazine editor.” Now I’m imagining Cole Phelps investigating the murder of Calvin Klein, and it’s glorious. Detective Turner: If Looks Could Kill is planned to reach Steam in “2027.”

Sticking with detective games momentarily, our next entry on the list is Duppy Detective Tashia, developed and published by Spitewrench. In Duppy Detective Tashia, you will have to “help Tashia unravel the case of a heinous murder and (more importantly) find her cell phone.” Bah, I would expect nothing less of the blasted kids these days; they just can’t bear to be without their newfangled cellular telephones. In any case, Duppy Detective Tashia is a “point & click, mystery adventure based on Caribbean folklore.” Duppy Detective Tashia is available now on Steam, as is a playable demo version.

Next, we must prepare to face Grave Seasons, from developer Perfect Garbage and publisher Blumhouse Games. Grave Seasons describes itself as “a narrative farming sim with a terrifying twist – someone in the town is a supernatural serial killer. Farm, romance, and investigate your way through the unsettling town of Ashenridge” – and do all that without getting supernaturally slain yourself, I presume. I mean, I’ve heard the euphemism “pushing up daisies” used to refer to the deceased and buried, but come on now. Grave Seasons is currently planned to launch on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 sometime in “Q3 2026.”

Next, we have what may be the game with the longest title on this entire list: Janet DeMornay is a Slumlord (and a Witch), developed by Fuzzy Ghost. Janet DeMornay (to abbreviate its title) is an “escape room, comedy-horror with a classic survival-horror, set camera” that describes itself as “inspired by films Beetlejuice and Poltergeist, and games like Resident Evil 2 (without the zombies), it’s a ridiculous but horrifyingly relevant story about found-family, queer lives, landlord overreach, and television shopping network divas.” Janet DeMornay is a slumlord, she’s a witch, and she’s coming to Steam and PlayStation 5 in “2026.”

Next up is Lost in the Roots, developed and published by Trioskaz. Set in the same universe as No, I’m not a Human, Lost in the Roots is a “2D adventure with psychological thriller elements exploring guilt and fear. A young girl wakes in a stranger’s attic, lost in the middle of nowhere. Who took her—and why? With no way out and something lurking in the shadows, escape may be just an illusion.” If you fancy wandering into the forest and winding up Lost in the Roots, it’s currently planned to release on Steam sometime in “Q3 2026.”

Let’s now waddle over to Penguin Colony, developed by Origame Digital and published by Fellow Traveller. “Set in 1939, two years after H.P. Lovecraft’s death,” Penguin Colony follows “a colony of penguins as they observe the horrors uncovered by Nazi scientists searching Antarctica for the architects of mankind. Opposing them are the Indigenous Kaitiaki, who seek to return this ancient power to its slumber before it can be exploited.” You’ll play as one such penguin. I expected none of this from a game called “Penguin Colony,” but regardless, there’s a demo out now on Steam. The full game is planned to launch in “2026.”

You likely won’t find a penguin employed as a Servant of the Lake, developed and published by Rusty Lake. Servant of the Lake is a “single-player point-and-click adventure in the Rusty Lake series” in which you will be expected to “begin your new job as a servant at the mysterious Vanderboom estate, solve puzzles, serve the family, and uncover their dark alchemical secrets.” Servant of the Lake has a playable demo available now on Steam. As of the time of writing, Servant of the Lake is currently planned to launch on Steam, Android, and iOS on August 13th, 2026.

I’d imagine the alchemical experiments going on at the Vanderboom household will be different from SHE: Seraphim Helix Experiment, developed and published by Rocket Adrift Games. SHE is “a unique blend of tactical stealth action and survival horror inspired by Metal Gear Solid. Trapped in a missile silo with an angelic entity and mutating personnel, new life grows in the belly of the lead researcher, the Sergeant has given you his orders, and an eerie voice sings through the walls.” SHE has no release window as of the time of writing; perhaps SHE needs time to prepare for all that.

Next up is ShelfLife: Art School Detective, developed and published by Fnife Games. “Set in the year 201X at Cruston Beaux-Arts Academy (in the fictional New Zealand town of Cruston), ShelfLife is a goofy, nostalgic exploration of art school life, queerness, romance, and the paranormal. ShelfLife features relationship-building, branching story routes, mixed-media graphics and 2.5D pixel art.” ShelfLife has a 50-minute-long playable demo out now on Steam you can try out if you’re interested. ShelfLife: Art School Detective is currently planned to launch on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S in “2027.”

Our next game is one I’ve had on my Steam wishlist for a good while now: The Hearth and Harbour, developed by Saltstone Studios and published by Fellow Traveller. The Hearth and Harbour is a management RPG in which you will “transform a run-down restaurant and build a new life for yourself, decide what kind of restaurant you want to create, and what kind of person you want to be.” You’ll have to keep in mind that “as a storm brews outside, every choice you make has consequences.” The Hearth and Harbour is currently planned to reach Steam in “2026.”

Next up is The Mermaid Mask, developed and published by SFB Games. “Set aboard a strange submarine off the coast of the abandoned fishing town of Silkwirm-on-Sea, The Mermaid Mask is a handcrafted point-and-click with sharp humour and tricky puzzles” that “follows Detective Grimoire and his sharp-tongued sidekick Sally as they investigate the impossible locked-room murder of the enigmatic Captain Mortuga.” It doesn’t take Mermaid Man to figure out that there’s evil afoot here. The Mermaid Mask has a demo on Steam, and it’s scheduled to launch on Steam, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, and PlayStation 5 on July 16th, 2026.

Next up on the list, we’ve got The Telwynium, coming to us from developer Dave Lloyd and publisher Powerhoof. The Telwynium describes itself as a “fantasy adventure epic” in which “it is your first night away from your home of Willows Dene, you have first watch, and the village of Willows Dene burns at the hands of the Shadowfell.” Book One of The Telwynium, entitled “Winter’s Dawn,” is available now on Steam as a free demo. As of the time of writing, the full version of The Telwynium is currently planned to launch on Steam at some point in “2027.”

Next up onstage is Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists, “a tactical narrative game from developer A Sharp and publisher Kitfox Games.” In Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists, you will be expected to “form a team and face the trials of hell in an anthology of Underworld stories with over 200 unique dynamic narrative encounters and hundreds of hand-painted illustrations.” All of that stuff is set inside “a new systemic storybook experience blending mythology and surrealism.” As of this article’s publication, Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists is planned to launch on Steam at some point in “Fall 2026.”

The Story-Rich Showcase’s penultimate offering is Truth Scrapper, developed and published by insertdisc5, who you might know as the studio behind In Stars and Time. In Truth Scrapper, “you have a case to solve, your memories reset each day, and two mysterious guides are vying for your attention.” Thus, you’ll need to figure out “who you will decide to remember, and you will decide to push aside.” Truth Scrapper’s release window is listed as “to be announced” as of the time of writing, though there is a playable demo of Truth Scrapper available on Steam now.

For the grand finale, we’ve got Wicked Delights, a “rhythm horror game” from developer and publisher Hiding Spot Games. In Wicked Delights, “It’s the early 2010s. Ander and her dad Marcel run a struggling video shop. To make matters worse, characters from an old re-used VHS tape are breaking out into their world. What unfolds is a frightening supernatural mystery that can only be solved through epic rhythm games.” You’ll experience “anime battles, sitcom coffee shop shenanigans, retro sci-fi adventures, and campy horror gore.” The release window for Wicked Delights is listed as “to be announced” as of the time of writing.