I don't know about you, but I made the most of spooky season last month by watching a horror movie every single day. Am I going to keep watching a movie every day in November? Yes, but I definitely need a break from all the screaming. There is one frightfest in this month's roundup, however, which is fine because taking a break from horror movies has no bearing on playing horror games.
Remember, we have no insider information or financial interest in any of these projects, and no one at Retronauts has been compensated for including anything on this page (with one quasi-exception, see below). Also, in light of the ongoing pandemic, we recommend only backing crowdfunding campaigns if you feel comfortable with your own security and stability.
Dewdrop Dynasty (ends November 2 estimated reward date March 2024)
Despite the D-alliteration, Dewdrop Dynasty starts a bee, and it's an indie Metroidvania inspired by "the Paper Mario series, Hollow Knight, Cave Story" and other such titles. The bee has a gun, by the way, but no wings, so you'll need to fire your weapon to help propel yourself to higher ground. Try the demo!
Tears of Magic (ends November 3 estimated reward date January 2025)
This RPG prides itself on its robust character creation, allowing players to customize their on-screen avatar's appearance, outfit, and personality. You will have to turn into a dragon at some point—that's non-negotiable—but you will have a say regarding what kind of dragon you can become. The campaign cites "Breath of Fire and BioWare games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age" as inspirations, and the developers have even hired former Capcom composer Yukino Aoki to help with the soundtrack.
Ninty Fresh issue #8 (ends November 4 estimated reward date November 2022!)
We highlighted Ninty Fresh magazine last spring when they sought support to publish their third issue which included a look back at 25 years of Pokemon. For this campaign, Ninty Fresh looks to publish their eighth issue which will cover 30 years of Star Fox. This issue, which they plan to ship by month's end, will also include material from Retronauts' own Stuart Gipp, but in his own words, "don't let that put you off backing it."
They Speak From The Abyss (ends November 24 estimated reward date November 2023)
"Classic dungeon crawlers have unfortunately become a dying art," declares developer Nikki Kalpa, so her project looks to revive that genre. The short demo includes a number of chatty creatures to meet and walls made of…something alive, possibly. Halloween may be over but They Speak From The Abyss is certainly spooky, and promises "exploration, engagements and executions" in the full game.
Rubato (ends November 12 estimated reward date August 2024)
Finally, the frog action platformer that the world has been waiting for, featuring "the style of a long lost DSi game mixed with an early 2000s soundtrack." Rubato stars a frog who can jump and use his tongue as a grappling hook and there's already a demo for you to try it right now.
Pocket Penguin (ends November 29 estimated reward date March 2023)
Longtime readers of this monthly column might recognize Pocket Penguin as a campaign we highlighted back back in 2018. Four years ago, the developers failed to meet their funding goal, but they persevered and ran a second, successful campaign in 2020. Today, Pocket Penguin DX is available on PC, but it has always been designed to look like a Game Boy game. Hence the developers want to port it to Nintendo's handheld console as Pocket Penguin Pocket Edition, and they're even working on a physical edition in a cute blue cartridge. A demo of the authentically retro version is available now on itch.io.