This has been an particularly thrilling week for indie game information, regardless of the lack of GDC this March. The two primary contributors to this deluge of attention-grabbing games are Nintendo’s Indie World showcase Direct, which highlighted quite a few 2020 Switch games, and Steam’s second Game Festival, which brings over 40 playable demos to everybody this weekend.
Although we did cowl each of those individually, there are much more games we’re going to provide extra-special consideration to on this weekly indie gems characteristic. So let’s dive in.
Hot indie games week of March 16
Fights in Tight Spaces
Even after they’re not creating attention-grabbing, distinctive games themselves (like Frozen Synapse), the oldsters at Mode 7 all the time have a watch for cool. The studio’s newest is a game about fist preventing in confined areas.
Created by RICO developer Ground Shatter, Fights in Tight Spaces is a turn-based brawler (simply saying that outloud is bizarre) the place you construct a deck of playing cards representing the completely different strikes and drop in to tactfully deploy them in opposition to AI in turn-based fight.
The strikes are well-animated, and carry the load you’d anticipate from a melee-based game whereas trying fashionable – to the purpose I want there was a real-time model, although that will in all probability shortly flip into a large number given the restricted area.
Fights in Tight Spaces has over 150 playing cards with the completely different strikes, together with a couple of that contain utilizing the setting, and even power enemies to assault one another. It has a superb Superhot-like clear look that solely helps amplify its coolest moments.
Fights in Tight Spaces is coming to PC and consoles sooner or later this 12 months, and you may wishlist it on Steam now.
Creature within the Well
Creature within the Well is a part of an rising style of games that discover attention-grabbing methods to work pinball into acquainted game mechanics. Unlike Yoku’s Island Express and comparable games, nevertheless, Creature within the Well doesn’t merely disguise elaborate pinball tables as ranges.
Instead, it’s a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler that occurs to a have the very satisfying pinball and breakout mechanics weaved into its cloth. The game’s completely different arenas characteristic bumpers, which you’ll be able to bounce your ball off of to cost them. This is the way you primarily remedy puzzles, and navigate the completely different fight challenges.
It’s a novel game set in a desolate world lined in sand, and its dungeons are hand-crafted and never procedurally-generated. Creature within the Well launched on Steam and Switch final 12 months, nevertheless it’s lastly coming to PS4 on March 31, for simply $15.
Games you possibly can play this weekend
Project Genesis
We love a good space game right here on VG247 and Project Genesis is one I’d been maintaining my eye on. Project Genesis is a multiplayer spaceship dogfighting game with an attention-grabbing twist: you get to truly board enemy capital ships and take them out from the within.
The transition between area fight and first-person taking pictures is seamless, and also you’ll be doing it as a part of a squad of gamers. The ship fight half is impressed by Dreadnought, whereas CQC taking pictures mechanics are extra much like Halo. Though it’s nonetheless comparatively early in-development, Genesis already has nice visuals and a strong total presentation.
The game has been in closed testing for some time, and developer 8 Circuit has been sharing common updates on the completely different additions that make it into each new construct. 8 Circuit is, nevertheless, practically able to carry it to Steam Early Access. Project Genesis doesn’t hit Early Access till April 24, however you possibly can truly play the present construct this weekend.
The developer is providing free Steam keys to this pre-launch take a look at to anybody keen to sign up on the official site. The even higher information is that this specific take a look at will final all the way in which till launch subsequent month, so be sure you get a key now even in the event you’re not leaping on this weekend. Just needless to say this isn’t a key for the complete game.
Over 40 free demos
We’d be remiss if we didn’t dedicate this a part of the weekly characteristic to highlighting a few of the games included in Steam’s Game Festival, presently underway. If you’re unfamiliar, this digital occasion brings lots of the game demos builders would have proven at this 12 months’s GDC and different occasions, however couldn’t due to the entire coronavirus factor.
Many builders are collaborating in what might eternally change the character of pre-release demos, and we needed to carry you a couple of of the standout games participating. Once once more, these demos are solely obtainable till Monday.
Eldest Souls
It’s been a a number of weeks since I used the phrase “Souls-like” on the positioning, so I’m breaking it out now for Eldest Souls. Eldest Souls is a punishing, top-down Souls-like that’s basically a sequence of boss fights.
It has a novel mechanic of charging up sword assaults that creates quick, dangerous fight and units its cadence other than the stamina dance typical of Souls-likes. You can additional customise your strikes with a number of skills, and utilizing the rewards you get from defeating bosses. It appears to be like like a bleak good time. Hit up the game’s Steam page to obtain the demo.
Going Under
Going Under is a dungeon crawler with a novel premise. Rather than ship you down ruins of some historic civilisation, Going Under’s dungeons are as an alternative the ruins of failed tech startups.
It’s an motion game the place you’ll be scrambling for weapons in dungeons, and having fun with some trendy satire about America’s West Coast tech increase within the overworld. The humour can be mirrored within the game’s artwork fashion, which helps it actually stand out as you scroll by means of the Festival’s web page. Going Under’s demo could be yours on Steam.
Neverinth
Neverinth has truly been in Steam Early Access for practically a 12 months, however that is the primary I’ve seen of it. It’s an motion game the place you get to play as completely different Valkyries in fight challenges arrange by Yggdrasill within the aftermath of Ragnarok. I don’t want to elucidate why any of that is cool to Norse mythology followers.
If you’re not utterly offered, Neverinth’s fight appears to be like kick-ass, and it is best to undoubtedly give the demo a attempt. It has a ‘very positive’ ranking on Steam, and all indicators level to it being a strong motion game.
Heavenly Bodies
Heavenly Bodies is a physics-based area routine simulator the place you play as a 70s astronaut as he tries to carry out any of the widespread duties a cosmonaut would have in these days. You know, repairing satellites and so forth. The lack of gravity, and the astronaut physique’s flappy nature make for a pleasant combo as you wrestle their weightless limbs to interrupt their pace and try to get the job accomplished.
If you performed Heave Ho from final 12 months, or the traditional QWOP, you realize what to anticipate. Heavenly Bodies isn’t out till subsequent 12 months, so that you greatest give the demo a go whilst you can.
