Here’s a feel good story. A solo indie developer who lives on a boat made a game about a boat – or, more specifically, about cleaning up ocean waste and oil spillage while driving a boat – and it’s been a huge success.
Developer ‘Lente’ announced that their debut game called Spilled! sold a whopping 50,000 copies within its first month, fuelled mainly by how frequently it’s gone viral over the last few months. The trailer below gives you a sense of the game’s chill, contemplative vibe – and, honestly, with an art style like that, I’m not shocked that it’s attracted so many eyes on social media.
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In another post, Lente explains that they “stopped school” two years ago to fully work on the relaxing clean-up game. “It was around this time as well that I got my boat to live on,” they added, alongside a clip of their on-the-water home. “I am so glad I’ve been able to live my dream.”
Spilled! takes place across eight different areas and four different biomes – the general loop is that you’ll suck up black, goopy puddles of oil to generate enough cash to move on to the next level, where’ll find different kinds of waste over time. You can also buy some handy upgrades for your boat or spend as much time as you like looking for 16 lost animals.
The best part is that Spilled! costs as much as a cup of coffee: $6/£5. There’s also a free demo up on Steam if you’d like to dip your toes in the water before diving in. But based on the 2,000 and counting user reviews that are 95% positive, chances are, you’ll find something to enjoy here.
Interested in more? Read about cozy gaming: Why a wholesome trend became a recognized genre.
