Cozy Games

👋 Hi there! Welcome to the latest edition of SUPERJUMP Weekly. This week, we're delving into cozy games. While not quite a genre, it's definitely true that both gamers and developers have increasingly noticed the calming effect that games can imbue. Some developers deliberately set out to create relaxing vibes, too - you'll see a number of interviews with some of them presented here. In this issue, we also showcase the works of Benjamin Macready and feature Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire in our latest On the Radar update.

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IN THIS ISSUE

✍️ Story Showcase: Cozy Games
⭐ Author Showcase: Benjamin Macready
📡 On the Radar: Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire
📅 This Week on SJP
🏆 Backers

There are few consoles that inspire nostalgia as much as the Dreamcast, with plenty of people stepping up to try and replicate the games of the era. Sky Oceans, a sixth generation-inspired RPG with that distinctive Sega flavor, looks to be an extremely strong attempt.

Humanity lives in the aftermath of the Big Scattering, a cataclysm that reshaped the entire world. It started with the discovery of a mineral called Aerius, which yielded a massive amount of energy but also splintered the planet into a series of floating continents. It's the perfect world for Glenn Windwalker, the latest in a long line of explorers. With a mighty airship and a misfit crew drawn from across the shattered world, he's taken up the job of fixing everyone's problems.

Sky Oceans has the look of a traditional turn-based RPG with one aesthetic twist: The battles are dogfights. Glenn and his crew emerge from their airship in customized fighters to engage in high-altitude combat with rival pirates. Combat is visually far more dynamic than you'd expect from an RPG, with lots of action camera angles to track the movement of the fighters.

Sky Oceans also features a management-oriented side. Glenn can't operate his airship solo, leaving him to recruit colorful outcasts to fill various roles. As the crew expands and gains the loyalty of different towns, Glenn gains resources that can be used to expand the capabilities of the airship. With time and diligence, Glenn can end up piloting a flying city by the end of the game, providing everything an RPG protagonist could want and then some.

Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is scheduled for a 2024 release.

💻 Created by Octeto Studios
✍️ Andrew Johnston

Thank you to Berke, Brandon, CT, Cathie, Claire, Geena, Lexi, Nick, Oren, Peter, Troy, Radha, and Wes for supporting independent, cynicism-free games publishing.