It’s January, 2026!
It’s hard to believe 2025 is already over, but 2026 is looking like it will be a good one. I’m excited!
Lunadi’s entry for The Calling art competition
Do you remember these newsletters? They kind of fell off by the wayside as 2025 got underway but I’ve been wanting to revive them - if for nothing else but to keep my writing skills sharp. In this day and age of genAI, it’s all too easy to get lazy and let the machine think up the words for you. But you know, all that does is dull your senses and remove all meaning. I create to express myself. Letting a machine do it for me misses the point!
Anyway, with the advent of Tuesday Try-Outs and a set schedule that includes Monster Hunter Mondays and Work-Along Wednesdays, this newsletter is getting a bit of a make-over. Check it out!
THIS MONTH’S
TUESDAY TRY-OUTS
For those unaware, Tuesday Try-Outs is a monthly event held on the first Tuesday of every month where I play a mix of demos of up-and-coming games, usually indie. I wanted to set aside some time to check out games that I might not otherwise have time to play, and hopefully find some true gems. If you have a game that you would like me to check out, submit it in the Tryouts-Signup-Sheet channel in the Discord!
There were six games that we tried out this month - a mix of games signed up by the community and games I found myself. I had a great time with all of the games, but I had to make the difficult choice to narrow down my pick to two!
Bits & Bops
Bits & Bops is a collection of original rhythm mini-games. Released December 10th, 2025 on steam, it’s received very positive reviews and for good reason. While I may be a little biased - I love music rhythm games - this was a delight. The four games included in the demo were each a joy to get through. Nothing too challenging, but filled with a lot of charm. As advertised, the music was catchy and upbeat, and the hand-drawn art style and animations were all lovely. The only drawback, per other reviews, is probably how short the game is. There are a total of 21 mini-games, but as it’s not super difficult, most seem to have gone through the game in 3-4 hours. This is not a dealbreaker to me, and I’ll likely be picking up a copy of the full-game soon!
Find it on steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1929290/?snr=1_5_9__205
Master Lemon: The Search for Iceland
Full disclosure: the developer of this game reached out to me months ago to play the demo of their game, but I just never found the time. I am SO glad I finally sat down to play it! As an aspiring polyglot, I had a lot in common with the protagonist, but I also found the story compelling. The game front loads a kind of melancholy as it reveals that the game is a tribute to their friend who passed away - and you can see the care that the developer put into the story. In the game, we follow Lemon as he finds himself whisked away to this mysterious world where he uses the power of words to save the world’s languages from a memory-devouring plague. The demo was incredibly endearing, and I loved that I had to learn different words in different languages to progress the story. The end of the demo came too soon, but luckily for me, the game was released November 4th, 2025 so I can get right to the full game!
Find it on steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3070390/?snr=1_5_9__205
Honorable Mention: Caravan Sandwitch
I very much enjoyed exploring the environment of this narrative-driven adventure. In this game, you play as Sauge who is searching for her missing sister. The platforming was fun as I wandered around the beautiful world - it is SO very pretty - though as I noted during stream, I do get overwhelmed when games have such open exploration. That said, it’s a very cozy game and I wouldn’t mind learning more about the setting and finding out what happened to Sauge’s family!
Find it on steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1582650/?snr=1_5_9__205
THIS MONTH’S
MIDNIGHT MUSINGS
S.A.D. and Streaming
Legitimately, what could I add to this topic that hasn’t been said before? Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder subset in which the changes of the season bring about depressive symptoms, commonly associated with the reductions in total daily sunlight hours during the winter. Common symptoms include sleeping too much, having little to no energy, and losing interest in usual activities.
It’s pretty easy to see how this can affect streamers, whether streaming is their full-time career or just a fun hobby. A lot of the work involved is heavily driven by personal motivation and diligence, and if that is harder to muster, well - there goes the neighborhood. The problem is that any lapse in productivity can really be detrimental to a channel - no matter what people might say about prioritizing self-care over content creation. It’s already a thin line when trying to avoid burn out. That knife edge only becomes sharper when depression steps in.
It’s an experience familiar to me, though luckily I had already established my coping methods before I started streaming. Now, there is no catch-all cure for any kind of depression, but here are some things I do:
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Complete small tasks to get that satisfying feeling of accomplishment
Lacking motivation means it’s harder to do anything, which can make you feel like a waste of space - which is just a negative spiral because you feel even more depressed with even less motivation to do anything. Thinking of small - even tiny - accomplishments as wins can help towards turning that spiral around. Now, what tasks can you do? Well, what tasks can you do? Can you wash a dish? Put a book back on the bookshelf? Maybe just put pants on. Huzzah! You’ve got pants on! Now what else can you do? It’s all about getting that momentum going.
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Primp and preen, or maybe just clean
Your mind is a powerful thing. Mentally feeling awful can make you physically feel awful. To help counter that, sometimes it helps to clean yourself up. Brushing your hair, getting all dolled up, or maybe even just taking a shower can you help you feel refreshed and better capable to take on the day - no matter what your brain is saying.
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Be open and give yourself grace
You have seen me do this. I have been very transparent when I’m having an inexplicably blue day. I find it important to be open and not shove it down as if it were something to be ashamed of. Which is the heart of it. I feel bad, but that doesn’t make me bad. It’s not something I need to hide away from the world. That said, there is a difference with being candid and trauma dumping. In case of the latter, a close friend in a more intimate setting is my go-to.
Now, please remember that I am not a mental health professional and am by no means qualified to tell you what would be best for you to do. In severe cases, I definitely encourage you to seek out professional help. Or really, even in moderate cases, therapy is helpful. We have come quite a ways from the time when seeking mental health help was taboo. Let’s take advantage of it!
Question for you: What are your favorite self-care strategies?
THIS MONTH’S
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT
Hey, KitCats! Got something cool in the works? Got a party you wanna invite us to? Celebrating a stream/affiliate/partner anniversary? Fundraising?
Or did you have a cool experience you want to highlight? It doesn’t have to be on stream…
If you have some things you think the colony would be interested in or would like some extra eyeballs on a project you're working on, let me know! Every month I’d like to collect highlights from the community and feature it here!
THIS MONTH’S
GAME KEYS
Upcoming Events
February 1st, 2026 - Mark your calendars! It’s Luna’s three year affiliate anniversary / birthday event! More details to be announced soon! Last year, Luna was made to eat wasabi and tuna-fish cupcakes. What will we do this year?
https://www.twitch.tv/theladylunadi