OneHourIn

#1 OneHourIn: Foolish Mortals & My Little Puppy

A wander through this week’s indiegame releases, spotlighting the games that charmed me in their first hour — featuring Foolish Mortals, My Little Puppy, and more.

Vasco De Mello

19 Nov 2025 — 5 min read

Gather round for the inaugural OneHourIn, a series where I admit (openly, boldly) that I don’t finish everything I install. Between work, sleep, and a Steam backlog that now judges me harder than my cat, I rarely play new indies on launch day. But honestly? Giving a game a week or two to settle often makes it clearer which ones are truly worth thinking about after the hour is up.

This week we’re looking at games from the 3rd to the 7th of November — a surprisingly stacked stretch that crammed almost a third of the month’s indies into just five days, with even VoidTrain steaming out of Early Access.

I ran my own tavern for a time in Tavern Keeper, debating the meaning of life with a guild member over a pint. Things got a little violent in Bloodgrounds, what with the whole overthrow-the-Emperor business. And I cracked more eggs than my weekly grocery shop while desperately rolling my way to the top of the coop in Egging On — and still only made it halfway.

But only two games left that “oh go on then, one more hour” itch: Foolish Mortals and My Little Puppy.

Let’s talk about why.

Part One of Foolish Mortals culminates in a big band jazz number that asks who I think is The Lover, The Pawn, and The Devil. It’s a question that’s been quietly floating through every conversation up to that point — mentioned as casually as the weather. Everyone in town has a theory about what happened that fateful night, but until the spotlight hit and the brass section kicked in, I’d never actually stopped to consider it.

That’s the beauty of Foolish Mortals. What seems like idle gossip or flavour text reveals itself as subtle foreshadowing. I thought I was collecting small-town rumours and charming bits of world-building; instead, the game was laying foundations for something much bigger. And now, heading into Part Two, I cannot wait to see where those threads lead.

Stepping back for a moment, let’s talk about the actual pointing and clicking. Any seasoned adventure fan knows the genre’s tendency toward “combine a rubber chicken with a pulley” logic. Solutions that are accepted as quirks rather than common sense. Foolish Mortals, thankfully, resists that temptation. Its puzzles aren’t easy, but they are grounded. I didn't need to pull a bone out of a fish to pick the lock on a door; I pried a window open with a poker like a sensible sociopath, and it felt deserved.

Lastly, the voice acting is brilliant. The cast gives the town real personality, and that closing jazz number, with different verses depending on your choices, has been stuck in my head ever since. I’m humming, I’m intrigued, and I want to know what comes next.

Steam Store - £16.75
Developed/Published by Inklingwood Studios

These are the first words I see upon starting My Little Puppy, and suddenly, I’m leaping through fields of clouds, ears flapping, heart racing. An angel tells me to gather everyone for the welcome party, and I stick my nose to the sky, following scents like a four-legged compass. There’s John Wick and his dog, and I’m pretty sure that’s Robert Neville from I Am Legend too — all the greats are here, and I shepherd them back to the gates of Heaven. We’re barking in excitement, new arrivals and teary reunions everywhere. But… where is my human? The emotions hit me hard. I nearly called the game a betrayal, until a new scent reaches me. It’s him! My human! And that’s when I broke out of heaven to search for him.

I could stop there and tell you to buy the game immediately. You’re probably already loading the page. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves — there’s more to the marrow of this little adventure. Sit, lie down, roll over, and I’ll continue.

Being a fluffy doggo, your approach to life’s problems is non-violent. You follow the way of the leaf, floating here and there without a care in the world. The first area outfits you with barrels on either side, and you spray water in the most exhilarating run, accompanied by music to make you feel alive. Green springs from the dry dirt, streams fill up, flowers bloom in all colours — it was incredible.

The next area demonstrates the clever simplicity of the puzzle mechanics. How do you make a maze that’s engaging without frustrating the player? You do what dogs do best: lift a leg, mark your territory. Simple, elegant, and thematically perfect — marking dead ends, cliffs, or just because it feels right.

Honestly, the only time my smile faltered was when I reminded myself I needed to write this article. I needed to tell you all about My Little Puppy — and then reward myself with a few more hours in the game. Is it my favourite game of the week? It’s pretty close. Honestly… I think it is.

Steam Store - £20.99
Developed by Dreamotion Inc
Published by KRAFTON Inc

And that’s this week’s little wander through the IndieGame woods — from haunts on the bayou and bad voodoo deals, to heavenly dog reunions and one very determined pup who simply refused to stay put.

Next week's OneHourIn looks a touch quieter, but there are still plenty worth pricking your ears up for. Rue Valley promises a narrative time-loop mystery about a man who can't escape his own yesterday. Goodnight Universe has me impossibly charmed at the idea of a six-month-old baby discovering psychic powers while some ominously humming tech corporation lurks just out of sight. Winter Burrow promises the sort of gentle woodland warmth I could really curl up inside right about now. And Little Corners looks like the perfect place to lose an hour sticking tiny shapes onto tiny scenes until the world feels right again.

I’ll return next week with more brief adventures and unexpected delights from the games that grab me in their first hour. Until then, may your evenings be cosy this autumn, and may at least one game catch you pleasantly off-guard.