Indie Video Game Round-Up #9 - Playdate, DOKAPON KINGDOM: CONNECT, SIFU, and More
There have been a ton of announcements and launches for indie video games the past couple of weeks. I’m going to do my best to cover some of the ones that I think are bigger, but if I miss any, please share more in the comments. Indie video games are a very important part of the industry. What’s the indie game you’re most looking forward to?
Offworld Industries launched a new trailer for the squad-based FPS Starship Troopers: Extermination. Based on the 1997 film, Extermination will see you playing as a member of the Deep Space Vanguard fighting the Arachnids. You’ll be able to start your military career some time this year when it hits Steam Early Access.
Riot Forge announced a 2D RPG from developer Digital Sun called The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story. The game was then revealed to be launching on April 18 for Nintendo Switch, PC (Epic|GOG|Steam), PS4/5 and Xbox consoles.
The Mageseeker is a gritty 2D hi-bit pixel action RPG, set in Demacia, a mighty kingdom in the world of Runeterra that seeks to curtail what it deems as forbidden magic while wielding magic themselves to maintain order. Play as Sylas, an escaped mage who joins a band of rebels in the deep forest. Their revolution will shatter Demacia's deceptive peace - a peace built with the blood and sweat of mages. The Mageseeker provides an action-packed fantasy gameplay experience for those looking to experience a story of power, identity, and justice.
Humble Games and Adam Kareem announced that the 3D action-platformer Protodroid DeLTA will be releasing on April 27. The game will be available on Nintendo Switch, PC (Humble [affiliate link]|Steam), PS4, and Xbox One.
Protodroid DeLTA is a fast and fluid 3D action-platformer set in a beautiful and hopeful solarpunk world, featuring a colorful cast of characters to meet, bosses to defeat, and hidden upgrades to discover. Adam Kareem was one of the first developers to receive funding from Humble’s Black Game Developer Fund, and will be the first BGDF partner to launch under Humble Games next year.
The point-and-click game Genesis Noir from Serenity Forge and Fellow Traveller is getting a physical release for Nintendo Switch with extra goodies like a lenticular card and sticker sheet.
Genesis Noir, a point-and-click adventure now available physically on Nintendo Switch, sets players in the shoes of No Man, an eternal watch peddler stuck in a love triangle with two other cosmic beings: Miss Mass and Golden Boy. When an ensuing gunshot sets off the Big Bang, players will have to destroy the universe to save their love.
Atari launched a new and improved version of MobyGames website. This is a site that is a database of video game history. Fans can submit game data to be added in order to help catalog all kinds of information regarding video games.
The launch of the improved website comes less than one year following Atari’s acquisition of MobyGames, which came with the commitment to invest in improving the platform. The support from Atari enabled the MobyGames team to accelerate the development of the new site, which adds updated functionality for ease of use and an optimized approval workflow. The new desktop and mobile user interface make it easier to explore and contribute to the database. In addition to more robust game data, users with a MobyGames account can rate, review, and manage their game collection.
Ziggurat Interactive announced two more voice actors joining Slave Zero X: Sung Won Cho (God of War: Ragnarök) and Anjali Kunapaneni (Apex Legends). Cho will voice Hercules J. Thorman and Kunapaneni will be the voice for Ayesha. You can watch the reveal trailers below and get ready to play Slave Zero X on Nintendo Switch, PC (GOG|Steam), PS4/5, and Xbox.
The newest title in the classic Dreamcast Slave Zero™ franchise will bring a whole new side-scrolling hack-and-slash experience to fans of the original game. A satisfyingly punishing game, Slave Zero X sees players donning a death-dealing biosuit to do battle against the violent forces of the tyrannical SovKhan. Featuring multiple gameplay modes and a variety of futuristic 2.5D dystopian urban levels to battle through, players will string together brutal combos and fight through waves of genetically enhanced biopunk opponents — all to the tune of a gnarly synth soundtrack.
Aces & Adventures is an upcoming deckbuilding RPG with combat powered by poker. It looks like an interesting idea and features 5 characters to enjoy and 13 fully-voiced campaigns. The game is developed by Triple.B.Titles and published by Yogscast Games. You can play the game now on Steam.
Aces & Adventures is an immersive fantasy RPG that pairs up poker-powered combat with strategic deckbuilding, leveraging players’ familiarity with playing cards to offer gameplay that’s immediately rich, yet intuitive to casual card gamers.
Developer Overflow and publisher HOOK launched a rogue-lite shooter called Madshot Road to Madness for only $2.99 and it looks fun. This is a standalone game, so you don’t need to have played Madshot to enjoy this game. It looks incredible and like a game that would be perfect to port over to the Switch. For only $3, I think I need to stop writing and just go play this one now.
Madshot Road to Madness pits you head-to-head against endless abominations while moving stylishly through a Lovecraftian nightmare. Combine a multitude of unlockable weapons, abilities and upgrades in order to survive as long as possible, and reach the top of the leaderboards. To see if you’ve got what it takes to take on this unfathomable challenge, there is a demo available to download on Steam to try out the awesome acrobatic rogue-like shooting action for yourself. Check out some of the unlockable weapons, ultimate abilities and sidearms available, with around 150 upgrades at your disposal as you battle through endless hordes of hideous enemies.
nDreams announced a new action shooter Synapse which will be launching this year exclusively on the recently launched PlayStation VR2. This looks pretty incredible and features motion-controlled, 1:1 telekinesis with eye-tracking-enhanced aiming.
Synapse places players in a beautifully abstract world with dual-wielding combat that evolves Fracked’s acclaimed run and gun gameplay, putting expressive 1:1 telekinesis in one hand and deadly, tactile weaponry in the other. Players harness this lethal combination as they master their own combat style to fight their way through a hostile mindscape.
What happens when you combine the complexity of a 4X game with the added layer of a deckbuilder and a hex-based board game? You get Hexarchy from Yogscast Games. The game is set to release on PC (Steam) in 2023.
Build a deck to your own style, playing cards from your hand to perform actions on the board. Construct on your hexes to collect resources and broaden your empire or play technology cards to expand your deck. Develop an economy which fuels your objectives, balancing the happiness of your civilization with the demands of war.
Save heaven while stuck in a time loop in The Holy Gosh Darn. Also from Yogscast Games, you’ll be able to play the game soon on Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam), PlayStation, and Xbox.
Anyaroth: The Queen’s Tyranny is an upcoming game from Yggdraseed Studios and Firenut Games. It will be releasing on PC and Nintendo Switch in Q1 2023. The game looks pretty fun and gives off some Metroid vibes to me.
Anyaroth, a planet entirely under the control of the Queen, is dying. From the once lush forests and historical cities of its surface to deep down to the planet’s core, the Queen has spun a complex web of barracks, factories and mines to exploit all the planet’s resources as well as its population. The Queen’s Regime is spreading, and it must be stopped.
As a rebellion fighter, you must take on the challenge of bringing down the Regime and returning the planet to harmony. Utilising and combining an arsenal of weapons, special objects and abilities, you must explore the game’s fighting system to dispatch your enemies in stylish ways. Use your links with the rebels to learn more about the mysterious world of Anyaroth, its history, and the Rebellion’s cause. Between fights, pay attention to your surroundings as you may find artefacts containing key information or materials for crafting a long-lost weapon and unveiling the secrets this strange planet hides.
Outright Games released a new trailer for DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos which releases on March 10 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4/5, and Xbox (affiliate link) consoles.
River Tails: Stronger Together from Kid Onion Studio and Gravity Game Arise was announced to be hitting Early Access on March 16. The Early Access version will have the first two worlds, with three levels each, and a final boss level.
The coming-of-age RPG Loop8: Summer of Gods from SIEG Games, Marvelous Inc., and XSEED Games is launching on June 6 for Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam), PS4, and Xbox One. You can check out the opening movie trailer below.
A coming-of-age RPG, Loop8: Summer of Gods follows protagonist Nini and his classmates as they try to defeat the Kegai, demonic entities who have forced humanity to the brink of extinction. Raised on a failed space station known as “Hope,” Nini returns to Earth to spend his summer in Ashihara, one of humanity’s last remaining sanctuaries. Gifted with “Demon Sight,” Nini can use his special connection to the gods to reset the world, with each loop allowing him and his allies to relive the 8th month over and over until they get it right…or the Kegai overwhelm them entirely.
SIRO Games is getting ready to release an adorable 3D action-adventure game called Wéko the Mask Gatherer. This game looks fantastic and I’d definitely check it out. The game will be available to play on PC (Steam).
Hop into the boots of Wéko, an adventurer and collector of magical masks, in this adorable 3D action-adventure that mixes exploration and real-time combat. Help the titular Wéko hunt down the seven primordial masks — each of which grants him special powers and abilities that are necessary for unlocking the different areas of a gorgeous and mysterious fantasy world. With splashes of Zelda and Banjo-Kazooie, Wéko the Mask Gatherer is the perfect throwback for players looking to re-ignite the magic of childhood exploration.
In case you missed it, Crunchyroll Games launched Street Fighter: Duel for Android and iOS. This is a mobile RPG featuring your favorite characters from the fighting game franchise like Ryu and Sakura.
Street Fighter: Duel is a new take on the famed franchise with features and gameplay mechanics for new, returning, and long-time fans. Be prepared to travel the globe to recruit and level up over 40 iconic characters from across the Street FighterTM series—including Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy and more. With a team of champions, strategize with real-time RPG combat or turn on auto-battle to take down Seth and the Shadaloo’s army of mech clones in an extensive story mode.
Humble Games (affiliate link) and Nikko Nikko announced that the rhythm RPG Infinite Guitars will be releasing at the end of this month. On March 30, fans will be able to play the game on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox (and Xbox Game Pass).
In Infinite Guitars, a world shredded by the devastating war against the Mechs, the remnants of humanity scavenge and fight to survive. Now, the metal war machines have reawakened—and only your electric guitar can turn their technology against them! Gather up the party, tune up your favorite axe, and get ready to rock in Infinite Guitars, a genre-melting rhythm RPG featuring vibrant anime-inspired art, adrenaline-fueled Mech battles, and a blazing original soundtrack.
NIS announced a new IP called CRYMACHINA from developer FURYU Corporation. The game is an Action RPG with a planned release on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS4/5 this fall. They even released the opening movie for you to check out.
In a world where humans went extinct thousands of years ago, synthetic beings known as Dei ex Machina have been tasked to bring mankind back.
Join three E.V.E, the recreated psyches of deceased humans instilled in synthetic bodies, as they seek their full-fledged humanity and explore Eden to discover the secrets hidden within.
The hit action game Sifu is getting the free Arenas Expansion on March 28 alongside the Steam and Xbox release. The game was developed by Sloclap and prorders for the Xbox version (affiliate link) are now live.
With nine new locations and 45 merciless challenges spread over five game modes, the Arenas Expansion is packing up to 10 extra hours of gameplay into the already demanding title. Masters of Kung Fu will be pushed to their limits as waves of enemies crash upon them in Survival mode, or pushed to perfection in the Performance mode. With Time Attack, players can also battle against the clock on a path filled with enemies. Sifus looking for a twist on the game’s impactful combat can also try the new Capture mode - where players must take and hold a marked area - or Manhunt mode, where a specific target surrounded by protectors must be taken down.
Years ago, I played a game on the Wii called Dokapon Kingdom that combined gameplay from an RPG with the board game style from Mario Party, but the game was always pretty hard to get. Thankfully, Idea Factory, Compile Heart, and Sting are releasing Dokapon Kingdom: Connect which I think is supposed to be a remake of the original game on Nintendo Switch. You’ll now be able to play the game online with friends and I’m excited for this spring. You can learn about the Jobs on the official site and watch the opening movie below.
Everyone in Dokapon Kingdom loves money.
One day in this peaceful land, monsters suddenly appeared and began attacking nearby towns. The economy collapsed, and people were at their lowest. Taxes were no longer being paid, of course.
So that's when the King took action!
He decided to gather the bravest warriors to rescue these towns so he can get paid! In exchange, the one who collects the most shall be rewarded with the Princess' hand in marriage and the throne.
And thus, an adventure for money begins, where absolutely anything goes!
WayForward has announced that the sci-fi cinematic platformer Lunark from Canari Games will be available to play on Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam), PS4/5, and Xbox consoles (affiliate link) starting March 30. In addition, physical versions for the Switch and PS4/5 versions are in the works from Limited Run Games.
Set in a distant future in which Earth's moon has been transformed into the vessel for humanity's survival, LUNARK is a modern take on the 2D cinematic platformer genre of the 1990s, exemplified by games such as Prince of Persia, Flashback, and Out of this World. As Leo, a courier with unique abilities and a mysterious past, players will run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot through pixel-art environments that come to life through detailed animation and dynamic rotoscoped cutscenes. While exploring locations such as a dystopian megalopolis, sweltering crystal caves, and an alien forest, players will overcome traps, solve puzzles, earn upgrades, and battle enemy droids as they get caught up in a struggle for survival against the totalitarian LUNARK regime and its ruling AI, NOAH.
For fans of the Playdate, there was a recent update. For starters, the price will be increasing to $199 starting April 7. However, they also launched their curated store called Catalog with 16 games and apps to enjoy. 11 of those titles are brand new and two of them are free to Playdate owners. I’ve heard that the Playdate is a very interesting and unique handheld for gaming.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is an upcoming RPG from developer Nihon Falcom and publisher NIS launching on July 7 for Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS4/5. A new character trailer was recently released and you can check it out below.
Embark on legendary adventures in Trails into Reverie and follow the stories of Lloyd Bannings, Rean Schwarzer, and the enigmatic "C"!