Townseek for Windows

Sail the skies in this free indie game

Townseek is a free simulation video game wherein you get to explore the skies and discover new locations to trade with. Developed by Whales And Games, this cute 2D indie game was created for the Global Game Jam 2021 and features fun exploration mechanics within a limited but colorful world.

Similar to Wing Commander: Privateer and No Man's Sky, Townseek’s gameplay consists of exploring a map and going into trade with several areas’ merchants. However, things are tame here and you only have to worry about collecting items—although it could still use a story to guide you.

The world is your oyster

In Townseek, you play as an eager explorer from the submerged city of Sharkdwell. Including your city, there are 8 locations you can visit to buy and sell goods. There are also 22 landmarks you can discover and 4 fishing spots you can unlock once you buy a fishing rod. The goal is simply to collect every item, fish, and skyship balloon there is.

The main downside to this game, however, is the lack of a story to guide you on your journey. As soon as you’re just given the controls: WASD to move, E or Spacebar to interact, and left-click to use the merchant window interface. You’re on your own when it comes to discovering new areas and the brief tutorial doesn’t even teach you more nuances about trading here.

Thus, it can take a while to realize that the colored prices indicate gains and losses on the item’s base price and that there are actually two types of currency you need to dabble in. The art style is adorable and easy on the eyes, though, and the different NPC merchants give you lots of information. You don’t have to worry about losing items to sell, too, as crates respawn.

The story is in the dialogue

All in all, Townseek is a fun little indie exploration game you can try out if you’re a fan of cute atmospheric trading games that challenge you to collect objects. It features relaxing gameplay of just going around discovering areas and picking up items. However, it severely lacks a storyline and a proper tutorial to teach you about how the trading system works here.