December Defender 2023
Writing
Indiegames
I dropped a couple posts in November for Standout Games from the IndieCade Festival Awards 2023 here and Demos You Need to Know About from Cozy Quest here, both of which are free to read! Overall I think indiegamers are eating good this year and have much to look forward to in 2024. The industry isn't afraid to dig deep into their feelings, personal experiences and sources of joy to drive the heart of these games. Even the cozy scene is leaning into gameplay as simple as cleaning up or tidying. There's truly something for every level of game experience and it's wonderful! As for new posts coming this month, I'm going to be keeping an eye on the results from INDIE Live Expo and their possible Steam sale page to provide another curated list for you all.
Video
Streaming
We didn't quite get to finishing Final Fantasy IX by the end of November so we'll keep at it in December! I did some calculations and we should be moving on to Roadwarden close to Monday, December 18th. We may also have bonus streams the last week of December so keep an eye out on those notifications.
Some special streams from our previous fundraising efforts incentives are scheduled as well, with Board Games making an appearance on Saturday, December 9th and Kirigami on Sunday, December 10th. Even more special is my affiliate anniversary party on Wednesday, December 13th where I'll be setting off on a boat in Dredge for the first time!
For those of you who enjoy this time of year, I'll be bringing back the Subscriber Tree so you can help me decorate my office space with your subscription! Ornaments carry over year after year so we can see how long you've been a part of the subscriber friends.
Long Form
A community member requested a playthrough of Slay the Princess recently, so that should be coming soon! I have about 5 hours of experience with the game already but haven't seen everything yet, so I'll be trying to follow some new paths for Youtube.
Short Form
I'm still giggling about having met Quina in Final Fantasy IX for the first time, and so is Tiktok! After playing such zombie-heavy games this was a nice opportunity to revive the clock app account with the goofiness of their fork.
Personal
Currently Playing
I've taken a break from Yakuza 0 after being very focused on it for weeks. Loddlenaut has officially taken over my interest and I'm so determined to clean up the ocean and befriend all the loddles. There's something about peacefully swimming through the deep ocean and cleaning up goop that melts all my troubles away.
IRL
The month ahead for me is full of Secret Santa exchanges, which are one of the best ways I've found to celebrate the season without breaking the bank with friends. I've also been trying to move daily whether it be yoga, rowing, kickboxing or dancing in addition to pushing that movement harder based on feedback from my Apple Watch. It's been such a big help on telling me whether I'm really working hard enough. Protecting my heart and taking care of my body has become a big priority for me as time passes so anything that keeps me in check leads me on the right path.
November was also a great time with family, and my first experience making a wreath for our front door. I can't believe how much you can end up paying for pre-made wreaths at the store versus creating warm moments together crafting it yourself! I don't think I'll ever go back to store bought.
Picture of the Month
It's been a while since I've had a proper Turkish coffee and this one did not disappoint!
Feel free to reply directly to this email to let me know your thoughts, or perhaps any content that you'd like to see or questions you might have. Otherwise, sending you all my seasonal thoughts for the month and I look forward to writing to you in 2024!