iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 10h

Live now! 🔴 Hey folks, we're playing WELL DWELLER tonight! Come by and say hi, and all of that. As usual, all the signal boosts hugely appreciated. www.twitch.tv/caseyexplosion

15434

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, Glorious It's a movie in which JK Simmons plays a lovecraftian entity who speaks with a guy through a rest stop glory hole. Yes, you read that right. No, you don't need to know anything else about it.

A man bathed in purple lighting is staring through a hole

1724640

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

If I want one thing from my intermittent fame, it is to be as fondly remembered as Peter Lorre was; a staunchly pro-union actor who animators kept putting in cartoons as way of middle finger to their bosses. I can think of no greater honour.

372483523

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I'm putting extraordinary effort into my video about The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, I've been wanting to make this for years, and I'm not sure I'll ever do anything quite like it again because it's not just a video about The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, but an exploration of Folk Horror as a genre.

A figure stands in a large room with stone walls and floor, a staircase to one side.

922126

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I think everything was scary as fuck when I was a kid, and my parents absolutely didn't mind me watching horror, they let me watch IT when it first aired, I had nightmares for weeks and I loved it. But first...? This guy scared the shit out of me.

Ommadon the Red Wizard from The Flight of Dragons

1210811

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I'm losing it, is that an Angry Bird about to hit the twin towers?! :o

Red angry bird being flung at one of the Twin Towers

1838992

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Oh, I forgot to mention, there's a fully functional church organ in one of the levels. Do with this information what you will. Bonus points to anyone who recognizes the song.

1217945

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I... I don't know if this is only happening because I named a goat Black Philip or if any goat will start creepily talking to you, but if the former, bravo game. I only wanted to live deliciously.

An ominous looking goat I named Black Philip says "....below the town...."

2483

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Me feeding so many indie games to my backlog...

Achewood "Why did you send a check for $10,000 to "Oreos"" - "I like their product! I wanted 'em to have a little walkin' around money!"

11358

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Demo is over here on the right hand side for those wondering.

Picture showing where the demo is located

1160

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, 1408 John Cusack plays a writer who debunks hauntings, Samuel L. Jackson is the hotel manager who doesn't want to rent him an evil fucking room, it's an absolutely fantastic spookum perfect for Halloween.

Samuel L. Jackson 1408 "I never used the word phantom"

2217521

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

You need to see this game, trust me! And also, you need to come see me and say hi.

0359

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

God I absolutely adore Elderfield, I've not been able to put it down.

The Tax Man has strolled into town, atop his pallid Tax Horse

915522

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, City on Fire Ringo Lam's classic 80s Hong Kong thriller starring Chow Yun Fat, it's incredible. I think it's one movie that everyone should watch at least once, an essential for the mood and vibe of Hong Kong in the 80s.

A man is leaning against another man on the floor

4888

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Hi, here's a rare pic of me I don't hate ☺️

84168918

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Hey folks, I had a big thread about AI and art that really popped off, and now I have some attention, so why don't I make a little thread of upcoming indie games I'm looking forward to that have neat artstyles? And a lot of these games will have demos to check out, so maybe give them a try?

Screenshot from Tenebris Somnia showing a creepy guy with head candles bathed in shadow

Screenshot from Hymm to the Eyeless God, showing a party based RPG with a top down view of a path through some woods, and it appears as if one of the insect like player characters is casting a spell.

Screenshot from Mandrake showing an isometric view of the interior of a building, a character called Nessa's portrait is on the left side and says "Thanks for coming to Pevenny with me Morgan. I'd have hated doing that alone."

Screenshot from Hark The Ghoul, there's a gaslight street lamp in a dark alleyway, on a crate sits a big wheel of cheese, underneath the lamp is a small rat like guy who might be cheesed to meet us.

20719285

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And there's no way in hell I could explain to someone like that how something can be beautiful precisely because it is ugly. From the AI techbro perspective, developers only use "old" graphics out of a lack of skill and competence, and their input is valuable they can "fix" it for them. With AI.

Screenshot from Judero featuring a guy whose face is made of modeling clay, because it's a game where everything is made by hand and uses stop-motion animation and looks entirely unique.

677940

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

But I can't explain to someone who has no interest in art why someone would want to use specific artstyles, nor why someone would find that appealing. I love art from people who have something specific to express and to experience the feeling and texture of what that art evokes.

Screenshot from The Seance of Blake Manor showing a ghostly woman in red making "shush" gesture

Screenshot from Mundaun showing a room in the grandfather's house, all of the textures are hand-drawn with pencil.

Screenshot from Slay the Princess showing the princess looking all sad eyed, the player character's scaly hand is holding a dagger, probably for slaying, who knows?

Screenshot from Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog showing a stern looking blond woman, the text reads:

Captain Bartermews
"Forget what I just said, that's an order."

11100995

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Well Dweller is such a beautiful game There's clear inspiration from Hollow Knight, some Celeste in there, I think a bit of Little Nightmares, and it's got such a wonderful creepy/cute vibe to it, real creepy children's fairytale kinda thing going. I'd nearly immediately recommend it.

Screenshot from Well Dweller showing the little crow character traversing some water, the flame from his matchstick reflected in the water, and a large creepy skeleton is visibly behind him

1015127

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Come see this game folks, it's got so many horrible creepy monsters!

37520

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I also didn't want to promote anything I can't personally vouch for, so it was good fortune that I had played and was thoroughly impressed by the demo long before the offer was made, and I was more than confident in the game. After all, this was what finally got me to watch Twin Peaks.

0831

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Dexter is one year old today! I got him a purple dinosaur and he eated it

1825616

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I tire of "Dudes rock" posts, I wanna see ROCK DUDES!!!

7776690

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I love how there's creepy little mysteries you can investigate every day by watching a news report in the morning, more get added as you progress the game and unlock new areas, and sometimes repeat ones will have different outcomes, and I still haven't discovered them all.

News Anchor on the TV says "Today we are bringing you another report of anomalous activity spotted around town."

2311

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

There's a lot of Junji Ito in there, quite a few references to Japanese horror I've spotted so far like Audition, it's really not at all subtle with its influences here, and I can't help myself I'm a big fan of this kinda vibe. I'm a sucker, and Elderfield is hitting me where I live.

Mimic from Elderfield, a creepy head sticking out of a box with severe eyes and a wide toothy grin

Creepy monster kid with a wide maw of sharp teeth swiveling his head to look up.

1260

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I far prefer the combat in Elderfield than Stardew, it reminds me of World of Horror to a fairly large degree, where monster portraits are displayed prominently, and it's considerably more engrossing and challenging, especially the boss monsters and special event monsters. Incredibly creepy designs.

A weird corn headed husk man, the text says "A Cornstalker appears..."

2353

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Once you've done your farming (it doesn't take long) you can explore the town and forage for resources, you get to make friends with the town's local cast of weirdos, give them gifts and increase friendship, it's that usual kinda experience. There's a fishing minigame as well, because of course.

A skeleton named Alice says "You seem to be a normal one."

4380

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

So, what's Elderfield about? Well, if you've played Stardew you'll know what to expect, there's no getting around that comparison. You get to use a dilapidated farm, till soil, plant seeds, water them daily, sell crops when the time comes, buy more seeds, upgrade your tools, it's fairly simple.

1311

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Honestly, that's a pretty cool bunch of movies right there!

Screenshot of the list, showing the movies and a couple of TV shows:

Split Second, Death Machine, Hard Target, Hard Boiled, The Changeling, Inside, Shiki, Leviathan, The Ritual, Magic Crystal, Millionaire's Express, Stagefright, Sword of the Stranger, Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil, Dead Man's Shoes, Sinister, Razorback, Monkey Man, The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk, Man From Nowhere, Unleashed, Phantom of the Paradise, The Others, Exorcist 3, Crank 2: High Voltage, Running Scared, When Evil Lurks, Daybreakers, Yes Madam, Wing Chun, The Last Action Hero, Psycho Goreman, Cure, The Fall

8799

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, Lady Snowblood One of the greatest revenge movies of all time! Starring the great Meiko Kaji, it's a visual feast because the set design and costuming is incredible, and the cinematography is stunning. Essential viewing.

Screenshot from Lady Snowblood showing a woman in a white kimono holding a blade and an umbrella in front of her with a slice taken out of it, against a black backdrop while snow is falling.

1217634

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The highlight of the game was perhaps the hospital. It's a real classic Resident Evil Spencer Mansion style location, it's the game at its most intricate and well crafted, it was immensely enjoyable to explore, unlock shortcuts, and the vibe and atmosphere was impeccable. The area nailed it for me.

Screenshot from Sinking City 2 showing a map of the hospital, areas that are already visited are filled in with blue or red, indicating cleared rooms or rooms that still have puzzles/resources

1210

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

And I think what really made me enjoy the game as a whole, is that a lot of those primary locations are positively magnificent! Immensely impressive and intricately designed areas that take center stage for a while and don't outstay their welcome, each with their own mechanics and particularities.

2200

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Now, I didn't play the first game yet (I thought I'd have time to before the sequel released, but alas), and you don't have to worry if you didn't either, it's an entirely standalone sequel with a new protagonist and plot. We're playing as Calvin Rafferty, and we're fighting body hijacking woims.

Screenshot from The Sinking City 2 showing the protagonist, a rather average looking guy with a hat and brown leather jacket

4301

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Finished The Sinking City 2 tonight, and hurrah for me actually finishing a game I started, but yay there's me in the end credits! 🤘

41243

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Gather round, gather round, let's face the squiggly nightmares together! Come tell me what you've been playing lately in the chat, okay? As always, all the signal boosts hugely appreciated.

1316

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, Split Second Rutger Hauer stars in this very fun sci-fi action horror creature feature, set in a sinking London ravaged by climate change, he's hot on the trail of a suspected serial killer that turns out to be a very cool monster. Prime cut of stylish B-movie.

3618919

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, Death Machine Before he directed Blade, Stephen Norrington made one of my favourite silly B-movie horrors ever, Death Machine. Brad Dourif is on top form as the maniac scientist inventor who lets his ridiculous robot chomper stomper to much gore and silliness.

Brad Dourif in Death Machine, with the jaws of the death machine in view

2121136

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Come check this game out, because if the demo was anything to go by, it's gonna be an extremely cool Soulslike.

28218

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I know it's not his best, it's not even the best John Woo movie where the villain has that particular tournament pistol, that has to be Hard Boiled, but Henriksen is on fire in this and it's an action movie trope I adore. Like, it's visual storytelling; this is how serious the villain is.

2632

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Movie recommendation for tonight, Hard Target John Woo goes to Hollywood for this one, and it might be far from his best, but my god does Lance Henriksen rock as the main villain. He uses a fancy tournament pistol that only holds one bullet, 'cos that's all he needs. The aura.

Lance Henriksen in Hard Target reloading his single shot pistol

1517621

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Sometimes all I can see is my constant failure, and it scares me when people treat me as The Authority™ on indie games because that's so not how I see myself, and I don't want to be the only person some folks trust, like I am not and do not want to be this:

"All modern digital infrastructure" meme but infrastructure has been replaced with "indie games" and a picture of Casey Explosion is replacing the "project by someone in nebraska" text

71266

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

WELL I NEVER! Come check this game out folks, it's something special.

05914

Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Today's a real embarrassment of riches kinda day with Well Dweller, False Hero, and Nighthawks all just released. I'm gonna be playing Well Dweller on stream tonight, hopefully won't be too long before I play the others, but today alone is stacked. Wishing the devs of all 3 a happy launch day!

Well Dwell, False Hero, and Nighthawks in my Steam library

210117