Squeakross: Indie Gaming with Pride

And very cute rodents

Customized rodent companion and “Home Squeak Home” screen of Squeakross.

Note: No AI assistance was used to write this article.

Are you in the market for an accessible, affordable, casual puzzle game?

Are you a rodent lover?

Are you a queer or trans gaymer or ally?

Have I got a treat for you…

**Squeakross* is a game where you solve nonograms, logic puzzles also known as picross*, each of which reveals and unlocks an item. The items include pieces of furniture, articles of clothing, and other fun things for your adorable, customizable rodent companion and their home.

A nearly-completed puzzle reveals the rough shape of a candelabra. (Many of the puzzles do not resemble the final item this closely.)

The final form of the candelabra is revealed.

When I first read about Squeakross a few months ago in an article on the feminist gaming site *Mothership , I had never even heard* of nonograms, much less tried to solve one. Thanks to a free demo on Steam and a friendly tutorial, I was soon making slow, but steady progress. There were no time limits or other pressures, just chill music, and help from my rodent companion was always a click away.

The puzzle solving is fun and challenging, but the real joy of this game is customizing your companion and environment. I had a hamster and gerbils as pets in my youth, but I decided to make my Squeakross rodent resemble a plump mouse. (Photos of actual pet rodents are included in messages sent during the game.) As I progressed, I enjoyed trying on new accessories and decorating the newly unlocked rooms.

The heart-shaped glasses are stylish, but I decided to stick with the simple red-and-black scarf and beret.

The first room unlocked, which I eventually made into a complete living room/dining room/kitchen.

I normally hate pastels, but who could resist this adorable theme?

The perceptive viewer might notice that each of the above rooms includes a mouse-eared version of a Blåhaj, the shark plushie that has become an unofficial trans mascot. You can also decorate with a variety of LGBTQ+ pride flags, including the Intersex Inclusive Progress Pride Flag I chose for my home screen. This game is not just queer- and trans-friendly, but queer- and trans-celebratory.

You can unlock hundreds of colorful stickers for decorating your game screens.

It’s no accident that this game is so queer-friendly, as its developers, Luka Lescuyer and Alexandre Stroukoff, are queer themselves. They make up the two-person indie studio Alblune, based in Montreal. I’ve long preferred indie games, and these folks are indie plus: Alblune has an active account on Mastodon; a presence on the chat app Stoat, an alternative to Discord; and Luka has written instructions on how to remove Google from your life. Even more importantly, Alblune has prioritized accessibility in their game design.

[embed]Presentation from the 2025 Game Accessibility Conference (GAConf)

Squeakross is celebrating their one-year anniversary this month, and is on sale for 20% off on Steam and itch.io until July 9. As a macOS gamer, I’m grateful that both the full game and the demo are available for that platform as well as (the ubiquitous) Windows. Steam players also have 70 achievements available to unlock. (ETA: Also available for Nintendo Switch!)

Hooray for indie games, and Happy Pride Month! Squeak!