Friday Follow-UP #2 2025
Featuring: Indie games releasing in Q1: Dead Static Drive, Building Relationships, and Demonschool, Amos Roddy's Citizen Sleeper Soundtrack, and the latest on Games Done Quick Merch!
Hello and welcome to the second edition of the Friday Follow-Up for 2025! I've decided to number these to avoid a long-winded scroll of featured games and to give it more of a newsletter feel. Let’s kick things off with games releasing in Q1 that you should wishlist. Thank you, and make sure to subscribe for next week’s newsletter!
Wishlist XP: Dead Static Drive, Building Relationships, and Demonschool
I just want to play it already! It's been over seven years since its first reveal, and there's still no release date for 2025. This is one of my most anticipated games—GIVE US A DATE, PLEASE! They’ve only got two and a half months left for Q1.
🎮Dead Static Drive | Steam
🗓️Release Date | Q1 2025
It’s a building dating sim—yes, you read that right. You flirt with houses and buildings, and it’s both hilarious and surprisingly steamy. Plus, it has a fishing mini-game, so what more could you need?
🎮Building Relationships | Steam | Demo Available Now
🗓️Release Date | Q1 January
An angsty, tactical, turn-based, demon-filled adventure. Check out this character trailer for a closer look at the students banding together to take down the demons invading the human world.
🎮Demonschool | Steam | Demo Available Now
🗓️Release Date | Q1 January
Crowdfunding Checkpoint
In ILA: A Frosty Glide, a witch uses her broom as a surfboard to glide around a wintry world—it’s as adorable as it is fun! I’ve posted about this lovely game a few times before. The demo last summer was a highlight for me, and the studio is set to launch its Kickstarter later this month. Head to the link below to save the project and get notified when it launches. I’ve also shared my complete demo playthrough so you can see how it looks and feels!
🎮ILA: A Frosty Glide | Kickstarter
🗓️Launch Date | January 28th
Quest Vibes
With the sequel coming out this month, I wanted to highlight the brilliant work of Amos Roddy, who returns to provide the soundtrack for Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. I’m currently playing it for review, and it is [REDACTED]. Amos Roddy’s futuristic compositions bubble with cinematic soundscapes that perfectly capture the essence of an outer-space world.
🎶Amos Roddy | Bandcamp
🎮Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector | January 31st | Steam
Quest Loot: Games Done Quick and Speedrun Science
Games Done Quick is back, along with a fantastic lineup of merch from Fangamer! GDQ is a semi-annual speedrunning charity marathon that raises money for great causes while showcasing some of the wildest gameplay out there. From drummers controlling consoles to speedruns directed by literal dogs, it’s always a fun and chaotic experience.
If you’re inspired to start speedrunning yourself, check out Speedrun Science by Eric Koziel—an insightful guide for perfecting your runs. There’s plenty of GDQ merch to choose from, including pins, NES cartridges, T-shirts, and more. Go support this amazing event!
🎮Eric “Omnigamer” Koziel | Speedrun Science | PDF Preview
🏪Fangamer | Website
25 Best Indie Games of 2024
If you haven’t checked it out yet, both parts of my 25 Best Indie Games of 2024 are out now. Take a look and let me know if you agree with the list or if there are any games I missed that I should review from 2024!
I just heard about the speed running event today. I’ll be checking that out! Thanks for also highlighting it!