ROUNDUP
HERMIT AND PIG
Developer/publisher Heavy Lunch Studio Format PC Origin US Release TBA
Indie RPGs inspired by the Mario &Luigi and Paper Mario series are ten-a-penny, but this tale of an elderly recluse and his porcine pet distinguishes itself in several ways. Here, attacks require you to pull off distinct input combinations before a timer runs out, while choosing the right move is crucial: stamping on a cockroach works better than punching it. Conversations for our introverted hero are equally fraught: you must pick the right answer to avoid damaging embarrassment. There’s a nod to cult DS favourite Contact, too, in the way you, the player, are a visible observer, with the old man addressing you directly.