Lake: Season’s Greetings Available Now on Epic Games Store

Text: Lake: Season’s Greetings (red, green, and white, covered in snow and a string of holiday lights | Image: The text is overlayed on top of a frozen lake, covered in snow, surrounded by snow-covered trees on a clear, sunny day.

Christmas is coming a little early this year, as today, we’re excited to share that Lake’s holiday-themed prequel, Lake: Season’s Greetings, is now available on Epic Games! Deliver the holiday cheer as Thomas Weiss in this cozy new chapter to the popular mail carrier sim! Grab a nice cup of cocoa and your favorite blanket, and jump right into the winter wonderland of Providence Oaks today!

Lake: Season’s Greetings takes place during 1985’s holiday season, one year before the original Lake game. Players take on the role of Thomas Weiss, an amiable mail carrier and father to Lake’s protagonist, Meredith Weiss. Changing the perspective from Meredith to her father, players will gain an understanding of the Weiss family dynamics and an insight into a snow-covered Providence Oaks from a long-time resident’s point of view. 

Not only will players learn more about the familiar faces they have grown to love from the main story, but Season’s Greetings introduces five completely new characters to the town of Providence Oaks, each with their very own storylines. The DLC will also provide more background to some unanswered questions that were teased in Lake. Following the ideals of the base game, Season’s Greetings will continue to focus on slice-of-life themes and relaxing vibes, this time embedded in a comfy holiday setting. So curl up with some hot cocoa and a copy of Season’s Greetings because it isn’t Christmas until Thomas Weiss has delivered the holiday cheer.

Key features of Lake: Season’s Greetings include:

• Travel back to 1985 and discover what Providence Oaks was like before Meredith’s story through the eyes of her father during the winter holiday.

• Enjoy a variety of after-work activities that include hanging with friends, staying in for a night of television, and going out like it’s 1985.

• Experience a branching story that doesn’t shy away from slice-of-life themes. Like life, there are no right or wrong answers.

Lake is available now on PC via Steam, or Epic Games Store, on PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S for $19.99 USD. Lake: Season’s Greetings is available now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series S|X for $9.99 USD.

Follow Lake on Twitter, Facebook, and visit the official website, for more updates.  

For more updates from Whitethorn Games, follow the publisher on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch, join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Metroidvania-lite Meets Cooking Game Magical Delicacy Coming to PC and Xbox This Summer

Text (white): Magical Delicacy | two girls, one with white hair and a red bow wearing a black jacket, jeans and a red shirt, one with blond hair wearing a purple shirt, are surrounded by kitchen utensils, vegetables, books and a bird, on a blue background.

Get ready for a delectable adventure as the highly anticipated Metroidvania-lite meets wholesome cooking game Magical Delicacy is coming to PC and Xbox — available day one with Xbox Game Pass — this summer!

Check out the new Magical Delicacy gameplay trailer below:

Take on the role of the young witch Flora, who travels to the adventurer’s town of Grat to grow her magical skills and cook enchanting delicacies for the townsfolk. Collect an assortment of inspiring ingredients from shops, foraging through the town, and by growing them in your garden, cook up a storm in your upgradeable kitchen using a variety of tools and deliver your meals to fulfill the orders from hungry townsfolk. Explore the unfamiliar town of Grat, learn new ways to traverse, discover secrets, and experience a unique and witchy world one dish at a time.

Key Features of Magical Delicacy include:

• Collect new recipes and ingredients through trade, questing, growing vegetables in your garden, and exploring throughout the town of Grat. 

• Learn an extensive cooking system, allowing for flexible creative choices to fulfill even the oddest orders.

• Build the kitchen of your dreams by commissioning new equipment to help you create even more delicious dishes.

• Experience a wholesome linear story filled with witchy wonder and intrigue, with many optional encounters and free play opportunities.

• Traverse a 2D platformer inspired by Metroidvanias, gain new abilities, reach new areas, and unlock shortcuts.

Magical Delicacy is coming to PC via Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S in the summer of 2024. Magical Delicacy will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Accessibility features for Magical Delicacy can be found here: https://whitethorngames.com/magicaldelicacy/accessibility. 

To stay spellbound, be sure to follow Magical Delicacy on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit the official website. Follow sKaule on Twitter and their official website.

Keep up to date with Whitethorn Games on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch, join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Check Out the Accolade Trailer for Botany Manor

The reviews are in, and Botany Manor's lush estate and relaxing puzzles are a hit with players! Today, in celebration of the botanical puzzle game’s recent launch on PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, developer Balloon Studios has put together an accolade trailer showcasing what top media outlets thought about their enjoyable experiences with the game. 

Watch the Botany Manor accolade trailer:

Having earned a "Very Positive" Steam rating of 9/10 and an 84% Metacritic rating, reviewers and consumers across the board have described it as “...a first-person puzzler worth tending to.” (IGN, 8/10), “...a beautiful puzzle game with the timeless allure of a summer's day stroll.” (Eurogamer, 4/5), and “...a blissful, smart, and creatively conceived puzzle adventure." (Gameinformer, 8.75/10). 

Want to check out Botany Manor for yourself? Try out the free demo on Steam!

Botany Manor is now available on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X, for $24.99 USD and Xbox Game Pass.

Botany Manor is available in the following languages on all platforms: English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

To keep your botanical research up to date, be sure to follow Botany Manor on TikTok,  Twitter and Instagram, and visit the official website. Follow Balloon Studios on Twitter and the official website.
Keep up to date with Whitethorn Games onTwitter,Facebook,Instagram,YouTube, TikTok, andTwitch, join the official Whitethorn GamesDiscord, and visithttps://whitethorngames.com.

The Forest Cathedral Gets a Limited Run Games PS5 Physical Edition

Text: Brian Wilson’s The Forest Cathedral is available in limited qualities for PlayStation 5, starting April 26 until May 26 through Limited Run Games.

We’re excited to share that we’ve partnered with Limited Run Games to release a PlayStation 5 physical edition of the environmental thriller that explores the dangers of DDT on the environment, The Forest Cathedral, this month. From April 26 until May 26, you can purchase your copy through Limited Run while supplies last.

Text: One of Little Man’s sequences in The Forest Cathedral

About The Forest Cathedral

A dramatic reimagining of the events surrounding real-life scientist Rachel Carson’s investigation of the harmful pesticide known as DDT, The Forest Cathedral is a dramatic reimagining of Carson’s environmental science book Silent Spring. Players will take on the role of Rachel, who has embarked on a field research biologist position on a mysterious island. While completing her weekly tasks, she quickly realizes things aren’t as they seem. Players will slowly uncover the horrific effects of the pesticide using advanced environmental technology to complete puzzles that weave together 3D exploration with 2D platforming. What secrets will Rachel discover on this island? Many will try to silence her, but the truth always finds a way.

Text: The fish tube area in The Forest Cathedral

Key features of The Forest Cathedral include:

• Hey, Little Man: Switch control between Rachel Carson in the 3D world and the Little Man inside the 2D world of her advanced environmental scanning tools to solve puzzles and platforming challenges

• Nature in Peril: Explore a meticulously crafted forested island, dense with trees, animals, fish, and insects, all impacted by the dangerous effects of DDT

• The Sound of the Silence: The game features a fully voiced narrative to invest players in the harrowing history of the attempted silencing of Rachel Carson, backed by an enchanting original soundtrack

Text: A butterfly lands on Rachel Carson, the main protagonist in The Forest Cathedral

The Forest Cathedral is available now on PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, Humble Bundle, Xbox Series S|X, and PlayStation 5 for $14.99 USD. A physical PlayStation 5 edition of the game can be purchased through Limited Run Games from April 26 through May 26, 2024, while supplies last.

To keep up with all things The Forest Cathedral, be sure to follow Whitethorn Games on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch, by joining the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and by visiting https://whitethorngames.com. 

Accessibility features available in The Forest Cathedral can be found here: https://whitethorngames.com/theforestcathedral/accessibility. 

New Industrious Update And OST For APICO 4.0 Coming to PC!

Text: A banner displaying APICO’s logo.

We have a swarm of news for you today as the final free content update for the bee-loved beekeeping sim APICO is coming to PC this May! APICO Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will introduce a new automation system, new seasonal events, new craftable materials, and, best of all, pets! All this and more will be available to players on PC on May 20.

Check out what’s coming to APICO in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry by watching the trailer below:

At the same time, Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will also be available on Nintendo Switch, along with Update 3.0: What Lies Beeneath, inviting Switch players to dive deep into the oceans of the APICO archipelago to discover new underwater bees, try their hands at fishing, and much more!

Watch the Update 3.0 and 4.0 coming to Nintendo Switch trailer below:

Bee-lieve it or not, that’s not all! As part of Update 4.0’s release, a brand new original soundtrack from Mothense will be available for your listening pleasure. The soundtrack will be available on Bandcamp on May 7. A release date for other platforms will be announced in the coming weeks.

Some of the new features coming to APICO in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry include:

• Automation Machines: Craft the Auto-sawmill, Auto-centrifuge, and Auto-squeezer, along with eight new automation machines — Hoppers, Shredders, Loggers, Pickers, Sprinklers, Condensers, Ploppers, and Shippers — on your new Crystal Workbench, which can be purchased from Bobbee, to bring your thriving industry to new heights.

• New Resource — Honeycore Crystals: Use the newly-added resonance meter and engage in its new mini-game to seek out different sounds throughout the various environments that will help you locate six different types of crystals. Melt them down in the forge and craft new crystal items, including Crystal chests, the Crystal axe, hammer, shovel, and more.

• Pets: Choose from 16 different adorable little companions to accompany you on your expeditions, including your very own tiny dinosaur! 

• New Seasonal Events: Celebrate Hivemas, active during the month of December, and Hallowbeen, active during the month of October, in the world of APICO with the NPCs! Each event brings new decor, new paints, and secret easter egg items for you to enjoy. There’s no need to bee patient waiting for each event, as you’ll be able to toggle each event in the settings menu

• …and so much more: TNgineers have added ten new quests, new decor, paints, new environmental events, and, of course, new bees and pollinators! There’s also a new 100% completion surprise that the most dedicated beekeepers can uncover through the Hive Mother’s door.    

Even more bee-guiling features await you in Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry, so check out full details here: https://wiki.apico.buzz/wiki/Patch_Notes#4.0.0.

About APICO

APICO combines resource gathering, biology, and minigames with ideas from both real-life and fantasy beekeeping and gardening, as it teaches players about the ins and outs of maintaining a healthy hive and the importance of our irreplaceable pollinating pals. The islands of APICO were once abuzz with different species of bees, and it’s up to players to rediscover lost species, cross-breed new ones, and repopulate each unique bee-ome. Progressing further into the game may also uncover some forgotten secrets. 

As well, a portion of the games’ profits goes toward bee conservation. Full details about these efforts can be found here: https://tngineers.com/charity.

Features of APICO include:

• Play together with up to four in online co-op, with cross-play available on all platforms!

• Unique crafting and beekeeping minigames that drive gameplay progression.

• Cross-breed different bees and other pollinators, including butterflies, moths, and solitary bees, to discover over 30 new species.

• Grow flowers — each with their own special effect on the environment — to keep your pollinators happy!

• Make and sell honey, Apicola, incense, candles, and other beekeeping products.

• Repopulate lost species and release them back into the wild.

• Multiple biomes to explore, each with its own unique pollinator species.

• A chill soundtrack by Mothense creates a relaxing atmosphere.

• Uncover the forgotten secrets of the APICO Islands. 

APICO is currently available on PC via Steam, Epic Game Store, Humble Games, itch.io, Utomik, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch™, and Xbox One and Series S|X for $19.99 USD. 

APICO Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will be available for free on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, Humble Games, itch.io, and Utomik on May 20, 2024. Update 3.0: What Lies Beeneath and Update 4.0: A Hive of Industry will be available for free on Nintendo Switch on May 20, 2024.

Follow APICO on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord for more updates. 

Keep up to date with Whitethorn Games on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch; join the official Whitethorn Games Discord, and visit https://whitethorngames.com.

Details about the accessibility features available in APICO can be found here: https://whitethorngames.com/apico/accessibility.