Indie Game Studio making story focused games & cool stuff. Founded w/โค๏ธin Toronto. Creators of
@lilguardsman
๐ฐ๐ฆ๐๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ, RN cooking up something really cool.
In case you missed it, our accolades trailer dropped yesterday! This is a great time to pick up our cozy & chaotic, critically-acclaimed game Lil' Guardsman, available on PC and consoles.
Proud to share our brand new trailer, and to announce release date! This is so big for our team, and for all the folks who have collaborated with us to over the last two years to get to where we are today. Can't wait for you to play in 2 WEEKS (Jan 23)!!! Tell everybody!
To celebrate
#LilGuardsman
's 5 month anniversary, we're giving away 5x Steam keys June 24! To play:
- Like and retweet
- Follow
@PlayHilltop
and
@lilguardsman
- Tell us what character from a game, cartoon or literature you could see Lil go toe-to-toe with, and how it would go!
Do you know who rocks? Streamers and creators, big and small!
Early on we pictured Lil' Guardsman played live with an audience and the reality has absolutely exceeded what we imagined.
Our game was released quietly, and so much its success so far is thanks to you!!!
It was a once in a lifetime feeling pushing the 'make it so' button this morning. We are so excited for you all to meet the cast and experience (and shape) Lil' story!
This is a dream come true for our team: thanks to our friends at
@SuperRareGames
, Lil' Guardsman will receive a physical release on Nintendo Switch!!!
As a kid I was obsessed with displaying my game boxes, and in this era of digital storefronts this is SUCH A COOL THING. Go Lil!
Incredible first week for
#LilGuardsman
! We hope you've loved alternately helping and/or hindering the denizens of the Sprawl. If you've enjoyed, it would mean a lot to our small team for you to review it on any platform. And if you haven't tried it yet... GET ON IT!
Yes our game's been out for a bit, but it was still pretty neat to hit 100k wishlists on Steam last night!
Safe to say Lil' Guardsman falls into the 'hidden gem' category, and we're aiming to someday in the 'cult classic' one. Help us by continuing to spread the word!!!
We are shocked and heartbroken to lose our amazing friends and collaborators who believed in us and helped bring Lilโ Guardsman to life. To anyone in the gamedev and publishing spaces, please keep your eyes open for these talented folks.
Today is a sad day. After 10 wonderful years, Versus Evil is shutting its doors. We've loved bringing you the best indie games we could find & sharing so many happy memories with you all, our amazing community! From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for everything! โฅ๏ธ
#Xbox
contest time: giving away 3x Xbox keys for Lil' Guardsman. All you have to do is:
- Follow
@PlayHilltop
and
@lilguardsman
- Reply with a character from another Xbox indie who would be the ultimate 4th advisor - pics help
Winners chosen April 9 by our eccentric writers!
Meet Lil (or rather Jillian Welsh, the actor who brings her to life!)
The rest of the cast had about ten characters each but Jillian just had one. Her performance as Lil is funny, grounded, and real. She certainly brought the magic!
#voiceactor
#gameaudio
#lilguardsman
Teaser for our first game Lil' Guardsman. Meet Lil, our protagonist, and the royal guardshed in all its glory. Follow for more adventure game goodness!
#adventuregames
#indiegame
โญCONTEST TIME!โญ
Weโre giving away 3x Lilโ Guardsman steam keys!
To enter:
๐Retweet this
๐ฅFollow
@LilGuardsman
&
@playhilltop
๐ฌPitch us a BRAND NEW tool to add to Lil's arsenal in the replies. ๐ ๏ธ๐ฅ
Writers Matt & Jeremy will pick their three faves March 10. Good luck!!!
What a cool milestone! We are thrilled at how many people have discovered our lil' game. Thanks to everyone who's played and who's following along. Every little bit helps us find our audience!
We are currently at 498 user reviews on Steam... So close to the 500-review threshold where 'overwhelmingly positive' becomes possible!
If you're playing
#LilGuardsman
on Steam, take 2 minutes to leave us a review. They have a big impact on indie studios like ours! ๐น๏ธ๐๐ง๐ฉท
VERY proud to announce that
#LilGuardsman
just won the Studio Award "for the best commercial game of the season made by larger development teams" at the Game Development World Championship! GO TEAM and GO LIL!!!
@TheGDWC
@lilguardsman
HOLY SHIT! Lil' Guardsman is on NPR's 'Best Games of 2024 so far' list. My nerdy, liberal heart is beaming!!! So proud of the team and of our lil' game!
Happy Friday folks! If you haven't already, give
#LilGuardsman
(our chaotic, surprisingly heartfelt, legitimately funny game) a wishlist, review, or get off the fence and try it.
And THEN do the same for five more indies made with heart. It can have such an incredible impact!!!
We've had such fun watching people discover our game. We've crashed streams, we've read every player review... it's been a dream. Every wishlist/review/deranged shouting into a crowd of people helps. If you're on the fence about
@lilguardsman
don't just take it from us:
Sincere thank you to everyone who messaged with support and concern about
#LilGuardsman
. We are still working our butts off to release early in the new year, and when we have more details to share we will! Have a safe and happy holidays from our team.
3 Days after release, we couldn't be more proud ๐ of the team and our Lil' game.
@lilguardsman
is at a "Mighty" 86% on Open Critic with amazing critical response to the game. AND we now on the NOW AND TRENDING PAGE OF STEAM. ๐
What an incredible week! Despite being spread across continents, the team and some of our amazing cast did a virtual toast to celebrate launching
@lilguardsman
on Tuesday.
Thank you to everyone who has already checked out our game. Keep spreading the word and happy guarding!!!
Lil' Guardsman is STILL holding on to its spot on the
@Open_Critic
2024 Hall of Fame! Proud to be shoulder to shoulder with some really phenomenal games released this year.
We are part of the
@_wholesomegames
event this week, and LG will be on sale. Perfect chance to try it out!
Is it a wholesome tale about the love between father and daughter? Yes. Can you get a game over if you dumpster dive for crystals too many times, devoured by rats? Also yes
To celebrate Wholesome Direct we're sharing the wholesomest thing we could think of: game creator Scott Christian's son in the Lil' Guardsman sweater his grandmother knitted!
Grab LG on sale RIGHT NOW and check out the other amazing games that are part of the festival!
#LilGuardsman
is teetering on the edge of 'overwhelmingly positive' reviews on Steam! If you're enjoying and that's where you're playing, it would mean a lot if you could review us there to help get us up over the edge!!!
Oh hi there Matt Bernard, one of the writers of
@lilguardsman
! Here we are doing our best to enjoy summer in Toronto while cooking up the next cool thing from Hilltop.
(I guess this prototype is powered by Guinness!)
Happy Friday! Go live your truth this weekend, unless your truth is the same truth as this small British goblin child.
TO BE CLEAR: Please do NOT rob the elderly at knife-point this weekend if that is in fact your truth.
#LilGuardsman
๐ง๐ก๏ธ๐ต
We got a rave review in the latest
@debugmagazine
(4.5 stars!!!).
Nothing captures that 'Nintendo Power' nostalgia quite like a physical magazine. Also cool to share an issue with our friends
@BloodyGoodRev
and
@astralberryy
who each contributed great articles.
Check it out!
It's almost Lil' Guardsman's 2-month anniversary so at this point it's a nice surprise when new reviews drop. Robby's write up at totally made our day. Thanks for loving Lil, and sorry for the $#%^ing swears!
Fun fact: our game's co-creator Scott is married to the voice actor/singer who plays Chloe the Singing Psychopath in the game. ๐ถ๐ฅ
The ULTIMATE gift at their baby shower this weekend was this hand-knitted lil' sweater. Talk about merch goals!
There's nothing quite like seeing your game in a real life, physical magazine. Our copies finally arrived from the UK to Toronto last night, and it was a thrill to read Lil' Guardsman's rave review in
@debugmagazine
!!!
Looking forward to getting my mitts on as many
#SteamNextFest
demos as I can!
#LilGuardsman
being part of last June's fest was a blast, and I'm feeling nostalgic remembering the very first write-ups and streams of our demo. Good times!!!
What have you loved playing so far?
Lil' Guardsman is SO close to hitting a major milestone in terms of wishlists on steam, and we are right on the cusp of the 500-review threshold that unlocks 'overwhelmingly positive'.
Help our lil' game out if you've been playing and enjoying (or plan to!)
๐ฐโ๏ธ๐ฅ๐
Extremely disheartened by this news, especially since our studio has friends directly affected. I'm ready for our multi-hundred billion dollar industry to stop fucking doing this to people.
Humble Games (publishing label) was reportedly closed down this morning, and its 36-person staff was laid off entirely.
No official comment yet from Humble and unclear what happens to games yet to be released
Hey fellow
#indiedevs
: Everything is buttoned up for launch tomorrow, the builds are ready to go, we know where we need to push the button and where we don't; and yet... HOW DO YOU DEAL with the creeping sensation that you've forgotten something important? Or are we just nuts :P
Happy Friday, folks!!! This is your sign that if you've been waiting to try out Lil' Guardsman, this weekend is the time. Protect the Sprawl the way that only a 12-year-old inappropriately thrust into a position of authority can!
Happy Monday! Pictured: the happy faces of two game designers who've sent the prototype for their second one out into the world! *Cross your fingers for us!*
The
#Juiceathon2024
is COMING SOON! July 5th!
UNCAPPED. NO sub time reductions, NO Miracle Minutes, just us and the clock.
This time we've done away with subgoals, in their place is a "Daily Fanfare" schedule, reach that day, unlock that day's goals.
SEE YOU THERE! ๐
We need your help: if you enjoyed Lil's adventure, reviewing it on Steam is an amazing way to give us a boost! It makes it easier for more people to find
#LilGuardsman
and laugh their butts off!
Investing in pro voice actors for our game was a big part of our budget, but it was ESSENTIAL for the magic of our game. Collaborating with our HUMAN cast brought LG to life. Hope to see this changed considering all of the pushback
#gamedev
#voiceactor
#AI
Happy Pride Month!!! ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
And shout-out to certified badass elvish ice sculptor Iris Lapidary, who will certainly be dancing her butt off at her favourite club in the Little Ogre Town neighbourhood of the Sprawl this month!
Happy Sunday folks! If youโre enjoying Lilโ Guardsman and looking to support our team, one of the best/easiest ways is by reviewing the game on whatever platform youโre playing on. HUGE thanks to everyone who has already, and to everyone who is playing.
Meet Sarah O'Brecht, the voice of the adorable and deranged Teeny Thom MacGoblin (and many more characters)! We love our incredible Lil' Guardsman voice cast!!!
#LilGuardsman
#voiceactor
#BehindTheScenes
Just 38 reviews from LG tipping over into 'overwhelmingly positive' on Steam! Gathered some recents that made us proud or made us chuckle.
If you can take a second to review on whichever platform you're playing on it's a gift to our team. Thanks for spreading the word! ๐ฐโ๏ธ๐ฉท
#LilGuardsman
is literally a handful of wishlists away from a big milestone. If you're into funny, fantasy, cozy, and chaotic wishlist and badger your loved ones to do so as well! Our game is special, and we hope people find it when it launches soon!
The PHYSICAL Switch release of
#LilGuardsman
drops today with our friends at
@SuperRareGames
!
"What's Lil' Guardsman" you ask? Well, this nifty new trailer has all the answers!
Now's a great time to get your (PHYSICAL) hands on our gem of a game, or wherever you play! ๐ฐโ๏ธ๐ต
For the fifth day of the Wholesome Games Celebration (two more days to get Lil' Guardsman on sale!), we're showcasing its heart and soul: the relationship between Lil and her dad Hamish.
Although our game leads with humor, it has lots of touching and moments and heart. โค๏ธ
What's the coziest location you can think of in a game?
When we created Lil's room and the tavern, we tried to capture an ultimate warm, cozy vibe (especially for once the chaos ratchets up outside!)
Check out this pencil sketch -> final v by our amazing BG artist Bruno ๐จ
Throwing back to one of the first big pieces of coverage our game received post-release. A badge of honour to have been reviewed by
@SecondWindGroup
- an initiative and folks we really believe in! Check it out:
(Mind the grumpy comments lol!)
Chloe the Singing Psychopath gets lots of love, but there's definitely a fandom for Buttface the farmer. We are proud of our 8-bit homage to Stardew Valley!
Who's your favourite NPC in Lil' Guardsman?
#justiceforbuttface
#StardewValley
#pixelart
#LilGuardsman
๐ง๐งโ๐พ๐ฐ (๐)
This is undoubtedly the most important question you'll ask yourself today: Which
#LilGuardsman
character are you AND WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT YOUR VERY SOUL!? Pause to find out! ๐ง๐งโโ๏ธ๐ต
We are pleased to share that Lil' Guardsman will be fully Steam Deck compatible at launch! It's one of our very favourite ways to play.
#indiegame
#IndieGameDev
#SteamDeck
"Witty banter, evocative storytelling, whimsical art, and spot-on voice acting makes Lilโ Guardsman a game not to be missed. Is it too soon to give it my Game of the Year?"
No, it's definitely not too soon. Thanks
@GameLuster
for the amazing review!!!
Attention
#PlayStation
folks: Lil' Guardsman is part of the PlayStation Storeโs Spring Sale, starting today through April 10th!
There are many AMAZING games participating, and this a great chance to support our award-winning game.
Happy to share that Lil' Guardsman is part of the Wholesome Games Steam Celebration (Aug 15-21)!!!
Our team really dug into what makes a 'cozy game', and how we fit (and don't fit) neatly into the genre. Proud we've been embraced by the community, and this event means a lot!
Really proud that Lil' Guardsman got such an excellent shoutout and breakdown on episode 34 of the
@IndieCouncil_
podcast "Overlooked Indies".
Really appreciate the love for our game's comedy! Check it out at 1:15:10 in the episode
Fun fact: in order to capture the right 'well intentioned but hastily assembled and therefore kind of crummy' quality for Lil's celebratory banner in level 11, our right-handed background artist
@brunoishiishi
drew it with his left!
Digging deep into the
#LilGuardsman
archives to share some of the earliest concept art of townspeople of the Sprawl. If you've played, you know there's no such thing as generic NPCs in our game!
#conceptart
#BehindTheScenes
Question: how many people straight up assassinated Saruna Goodfoot to rig the outcome of the goblinball match?
I am delighted by how bizarre this question sounds if you haven't played
#LilGuardsman
, which you should remedy immediately!!! ๐งโก๏ธโข๏ธ (๐)
Looking back at the OG trailer for
#LilGuardsman
from early last year
-"Burning Man" in so many promo materials, NOT in the final game
-Malcolm sounds different!
-Jillian hadn't totally locked in Lil's voice yet (still great!)
Old marketing assets are such a time capsule!
Happy Sunday! We are obsessed with the Lilโ Guardsman
#fanart
we are seeing - itโs such an honour!
We want to showcase Grimsonโs amazing work - itโs giving the Netflix cartoon adaptation of our dreams! Follow them (@)Grimson333 on TikTok
There are a couple of wonderful 'mother figures' in our game, but we're thinking about Denise D'Cyclops this mother's day. There's nothing this towering mother bear wouldn't do to protect her cubs! ๐ง
#LilGuardsman
ICYMI: Lil' Guardsman is a finalist in two categories at the
@BIG_Festival
in a few weeks at
@gamescomlatam
in Sao Paulo!
Keep an eye out for LG's art team
@brunoishiishi
and
@raffagallardo_
who will be repping the game on the event floor!!! ๐ฐโ๏ธ๐๐ง๐ท
Lil's going to Brazil! ๐ง๐ท๐ฅณ
We are a finalist at the Best International Games Festival this June for 'Best Narrative' and 'Best Sound'. Proud to be repping Canada, and excited that our Sao Paolo-based artists Bruno and Rafa will attend the festivities!
This hilarious piece of
#LilGuardsman
#fanart
PERFECTLY captures Lil's feeling if she discovers Teeny Thom MacGoblin's "stabbin' knife". Thanks for cracking us up today
@beto110x
!
HOLY SUMMER SALE, BATMAN! You can get the award-winning, critically acclaimed, certifiably insane
#LilGuardsman
for its biggest discount yet, as part of the Steam Summer Sale.
If you've played already, please retweet. Help the world discover Lil and her adventures! ๐ฐโ๏ธ๐
Final
#screenshotsaturday
before launch: this is the Goblin Liberation Army Headquarters, located inside an abandoned theatre. We love how background artist Bruno brought art director Rafa's initial sketches to life. Can't wait for you to explore on TUESDAY!
HAPPY SATURDAY! Hope you're surrounded by people who recognize your AWESOME POWER this weekend (at least more than folks recognize Lil's in level 1!) Incredible fan art by
@Kenny_G45x
This is a localization appreciation post! A big Canadian 'sorry' to the AMAZING GameScribes who worked their butts off making our jokes work in German, Chinese and Spanish. These are just a handful of the hundreds of their questions we fielded to make the game funny 4 languages!
For the fourth day of the Wholesome Games Celebration, I want to shout out
@brunoishiishi
's cozy-as-heck backgrounds in
#LilGuardsman
My favorite games are ones I can picture visiting and spending time in, and Bruno made this dream come true with his beautiful BG art!
Happy Friday, folks! May the odds be ever in your favour (especially if you're headed down to the pub to place a bet on goblinball with Hamish).
#LilGuardsman
๐ง๐
We are frankly gobsmacked at this super-cut of
@OwengeJuiceTV
being on the EXACT same wavelength as the writing team.
We love watching streamers and creators play Lil' Guardsman. When it 'clicks' like this it's such a great feeling!
We are obsessed with the finished version of paper-Denise by
@pyropixie
The cyclops single mom wants to make sure you know she's just $%^&*#@ tickled!
#LilGuardsman
#fanart
I spy
#LilGuardsman
hanging out right there with some of the absolute coolest indies.
We are so proud to be an official selection bringing the comedy+storytelling to
#LudoNarraCon
this year!!!
Our narrative games festival
#LudoNarraCon
kicks off on
@Steam
in two weeks, time to announce our line-up of ๐ฎ games & ๐ฃ๏ธ speakers!
Head over to now & check out all what's to come - or join the discussion over on our Discord: โจ
Happy Friday! We are rolling out our interview series with Lil' Guardsman's award-winning voice cast.
Meet David, the voice of the imperious (and ominous) mage Tyronius.
Which character's voice do you want to meet next? (๐)๐ฐโ๏ธ๐ฝ๏ธ๐ญ
#GameAudio
#VoiceActors
#BehindTheScenes