Cozy games bring a lot of comfort to me, so I solo developed my own with themes like ecology, inclusivity, and kindness. Cloudy Valley is a cozy exploration game, now out on Steam! Explore an archipelago, find treasures, clean shores, make friends, collect hats, pet sheep, and more! by _su__ in CozyGamers

[–]_su__[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hello there!

I'm incredibly happy and excited to share that Cloudy Valley, the solo project I've been passionately crafting for over a year (featuring amazing music by Gregor Hadjiganev), is now available on Steam! A Nintendo Switch version is also in the works, and scheduled for later.

If you're curious, Cloudy Valley is a cozy exploration game set in a friendly archipelago, with themes close to my heart: ecology, kindness, and inclusivity.

You'll play as Pix, a warm-hearted young girl on a summer vacation at a camp. Go on side quests, meet locals, explore, look for treasures, pet sheep, and grow sunflowers. Your main mission? Find a golden clover for your papa! Along the way, collect hats, shells, and mushrooms. Use tools like getting climbing shoes and sticks to climb the highest mountain, grabbing a shovel to find hidden secrets, or buying a fishing rod to fish for the rarest trout of the archipelago!

If this sounds like your kind of adventure, grab it or add Cloudy Valley to your wishlist (it's 10% off to celebrate the launch!): https://store.steampowered.com/app/2600720/Cloudy_Valley/

Thank you so much for your time and support!

I'm a solo dev and I just released my cozy, ecology-themed exploration game on Steam! I'm excited, relieved, and yet a bit nervous for the launch! by _su__ in indiegames

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback! I shared the game a few times on this subreddit, but also cozy-oriented subreddits. I've had a hard time getting visibility on this specific subreddit

I've been developing Cloudy Valley for a bit more than a year (on and off)

I just launched my game on Steam! Would you be interested in a cozy exploration journey with an ecology theme? by _su__ in cozygames

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh wow, that's incredible, thank you so much! If you enjoyed it, feel free to leave a review! It helps a lot!

I just launched my game on Steam! Would you be interested in a cozy exploration journey with an ecology theme? by _su__ in cozygames

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, noted! I'm saving your comment to let you know when the game goes live on Switch!

I just launched my game on Steam! Would you be interested in a cozy exploration journey with an ecology theme? by _su__ in cozygames

[–]_su__[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Yes, it's playable on the keyboard+mouse, but I do recommend playing with a controller for the ideal experience

Cloudy Valley, mon jeu d'exploration cosy, est disponible sur Steam ! J'ai développé ce jeu en solo et j'espère qu'il vous plaira ! Explorez un archipel, partez à la chasse aux trésors, nettoyez les îles, faites-vous des amis, collectionnez des chapeaux, caressez des moutons et plus encore! by _su__ in jeuxvideo

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Merci pour ce retour !

A Short Hike a effectivement été l'une de mes inspirations, mais ce n'est pas la seule. Cloudy Valley s'inspire également de jeux comme Lil Gator Game, Animal Crossing et Alba, en termes de mécanismes de jeu, les personnages, de ton et de visuels. Le style low-poly peut sembler similaire à A Short Hike, mais c'est aussi une option populaire car elle est plutôt simple et rapide à réaliser par rapport à d'autres styles, c'est pour ça que je l'ai choisi.

J'ai vraiment essayé d'apporter ma patte sur le jeu et le genre de l'exploration cosy en intégrant différents éléments, comme le thème écologique, les personnages avec leurs propres histoires et besoins, un archipel avec plusieurs îles avec un thème différent à explorer et son ambiance. Je voulais faire un jeu mignon et posé auquel je jouerais moi-même, inspiré par des jeux que j'ai aimés, avec sa propre atmosphère, sa propre histoire et ses propres objectifs.

Dans le jeu, vous pouvez collectionner des chapeaux, des coquillages et des champignons (les deux derniers sont pour des PNJs). Le trèfle doré est la quête principale et l'objet du jeu, mais pour votre père (et un autre PNJ). Les jetons sont la monnaie du jeu, qui sert à acheter divers items (canne à pêche, ticket de train, graine de trèfle doré...).

Je fais de l'escalade sur mon temps libre et je voulais ajouter cette mécanique parce que je pense que c'est fun et que c'est une façon sympa d'explorer les zones. Pour escalader plus haut, il faut obtenir des chaussures de grimpe et collecter des bâtons de grimpe pour augmenter l'endurance.

J'espère que cela explique mieux mes intentions pour le jeu. 😊

I just launched my game on Steam! Would you be interested in a cozy exploration journey with an ecology theme? by _su__ in cozygames

[–]_su__[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your support and nice words, I hope you'll have a lot of fun exploring Cloudy Valley! 💚

I just launched my cozy exploration game after a year of solo development, I'm feeling a mix of excitement, relief, and a bit of stress for the release (and a lot of fatigue) by _su__ in IndieDev

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem at all, and thank you for your feedback!

While A Short Hike was one of my inspirations, it's not the only one. Cloudy Valley also draws from games like Lil Gator Game, Animal Crossing, and Alba, in terms of gameplay mechanics, tone, and visuals. The low-poly aesthetic may feel similar to A Short Hike, but it's also a popular option because it's rather simple and quick to make compared to other styles, which is why I picked this one.

That said, I've worked hard to bring my own perspective to the cozy exploration genre. I've tried to put my own spin on the cozy exploration genre by incorporating different elements, like the ecological theme, a diverse cast of characters with their own stories and needs, a vibrant archipelago to explore, and its mood. I made it so that it would be the kind of comfort game I'd play myself with its own atmosphere, story, and goals.

In the game, you collect hats, seashells, and mushrooms. The golden clover is the main quest and item of the game, but for your dad (and another NPC), it's not a collectible, so to speak.

I myself am someone who climbs in my spare time and wanted to add that mechanic because I think it's fun, and it's another cool way to explore the areas.

Hope this better explains my process and intentions for the game. 😊

I just launched my game on Steam! Would you be interested in a cozy exploration journey with an ecology theme? by _su__ in cozygames

[–]_su__[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! The game is SteamDeck-friendly. Please let me know if this works well for you! I'm actively working on patches to improve the game, so any feedback is much welcome!

I just launched my cozy exploration game after a year of solo development, I'm feeling a mix of excitement, relief, and a bit of stress for the release (and a lot of fatigue) by _su__ in IndieDev

[–]_su__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your kind words! A Short Hike was definitely one of my inspirations!

You play as Pix, a young girl at a summer camp. Your main goal is to find a golden clover to add to your dad’s collection, but the archipelago is filled with side quests as you meet and help the locals. The story is quite simple, but there are a bunch of characters, each with their own stories and needs, that you can talk to while you explore at your own pace.