We return with an replace on the world of indie games and one other episode of hidden indie gems, our weekly function highlighting the perfect trailers and most attention-grabbing reveals of the week.
Some of these games you’ll be able to even play this weekend, and we’ll inform you about these, too.
Hot indie games week of May 11
Neversong
Neversong (beforehand Once Upon a Coma) is a side-scrolling motion journey with a heartfelt story about slightly boy who wakes up (or does he?) from a coma to seek out himself in a nightmare world.
He’s joined by a pet chicken and a few of his childhood associates in exploring six hand-crafted worlds, filled with disturbing (and typically fantastic) areas and characters. Little Peet is spry and can bounce round smashing issues together with his baseball bat, which makes up the game’s fight.
Neversong appears to be like incredible, with visuals paying homage to Hollow Knight and Ska Studios’ work, however with sufficient thrives to face by itself. It’s totally voiced as effectively, which is uncommon for games of that dimension, nevertheless it provides one other layer to the nightmarish conditions you’ll end up in.
Neversong involves Steam subsequent week, on May 20. You can wishlist it now.
No Straight Roads
We don’t see a number of music-based games as of late. Sure, there are many outright rhythm games, however hardly ever do you get music-infused motion games. Last yr’s Sayonara: Wild Hearts was a selected spotlight, and No Straight Roads appears to be like to be carrying the torch this yr.
No Straight Roads is an action-adventure set in a world the place individuals have seemingly forgot all about rock, because of an EDM-loving evil company that guidelines the world, making EDM the one music style. Our hero, a revolutionary rocker, is on a quest to indicate individuals what they’ve been lacking.
The motion in No Straight Roads is made up of a number of completely different genres. Though it’s principally third-person, it switches to Guitar Hero-style segments, platforming, bullet hell-type sequences and extra. Of course, gameplay is accompanied by a kickass soundtrack and barely over-the-top voice performing. The game is directed by Final Fantasy 15’s lead game designer Wan Hazmer, with artwork by Street Fighter 5’s Daim Dziauddin; fairly the pedigree.
This week, the developer debuted a brand new take a look at gameplay and confirmed that No Straight Roads is coming to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, alongside the beforehand introduced PC and PS4. In reality, the Switch model consists of unique options like an help mode the place a good friend might help the primary participant by choosing up objects and calling in buffs. The Switch model additionally helps single-Joy-Con gameplay, and contact controls.
No Straight Roads will probably be out on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch on June 30. Check it out on the Epic Game Store.
Games you’ll be able to play this weekend
Steam Indie Celebration
It looks as if each different week there’s a brand new indie-focused digital occasion on Steam, not that we’re complaining! The Steam Indie Celebration kicked off on Wednesday and wraps up later at present.
Outside of the developer panels and gameplay walkthroughs, the Steam Indie Celebration additionally options 25 free game demos. Some of them embody games we coated on this function like Roki, and Eldest Souls in addition to games we’re wanting ahead to equivalent to Uragun, Unto the End and plenty of extra.
If you’re extra fascinated by games already launched on Steam, you’ll additionally discover demos for a variety of current indie titles like Elderborn, and For the Warp. That type of occasion continues to be a incredible approach to take a look at games hassle-free, and I’m glad to see it proceed.
Just head over to the Steam Indie Celebration page to test all of them out for your self.
Black Book
Black Book is a brand new card-based tactical RPG from Morteshka, the crew behind 2017’s The Mooseman. Morteshka’s aptitude for distinct, hand-drawn visuals hasn’t waned, as a result of Black Book is one other outstanding-looking game.
Black Book is steeped in Slavic mythology, with its characters and tales based mostly on Slavic folklore. It’s a hardcore, darker tackle one thing like Slay the Spire, with deeper RPG methods and the power to convey alongside companions.
As you play, your deck of playing cards will broaden with new playing cards which you can mix in fight. Out of fight, Black Book’s narrative follows Vasilisa, a younger girl in search of out the titular Black Book, stated to grant the needs of anybody who holds it.
Black Book not too long ago kicked off a Kickstarter campaign that already raised greater than its cheap objective of $35,000. The developer launched a prologue, obtainable for free on Steam, that showcases the game’s important mechanics.
Download it, and think about contributing to the marketing campaign should you like what you discover.
Miner’s Mettle
Miner’s Mettle is a real-time technique about mining for minerals on a hostile alien planet – this sounds a bit unoriginal, nevertheless it’s the way it works that’s attention-grabbing.
The focus isn’t on micro-managing harvesters or establishing environment friendly provide routes, it’s about primarily smashing and grabbing. In Miner’s Mettle, you are taking management of an armada of armed trains. All trains – other than transporting the products – are stacked with artillery cannons, and you’ll already think about the place this goes. Railway artillery just isn’t a sci-fi idea; having truly existed in WW1.
Unlike these monstrosities, although, the trains you’ll have entry to in Miner’s Mettle are decked out with the newest in sci-fi destruction. They additionally run on a closed loop so you’ll be able to maintain alternating between them.
This is how the game works; you are taking command of a provide prepare and attempt to safe a mining space, whereas warding off assaults earlier than they occur because of your long-range capabilities. It’s a game about predicting enemy motion and pondering a number of steps forward.
Miner’s Mettle will be performed solo or with associates in co-op. You can even take the battle to different gamers on-line. The game entered Steam Early Access this week, the place it’s obtainable for $18.
