It takes a lot, I know, to keep up with indie games. Every month seems to have a day that just explodes with releases. May 9 offered Animal Well, Crow Country, Cryptmaster, Little Kitty, Big City, and more. The week of July 23 brought us Cataclismo, Été, The Star Named EOS, and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure. And this month, August 15 is set to unleash more than a dozen titles I have an eye on. But before we get to that, I want to take a moment to breath in some promising games you might otherwise miss.
Nowhere
Get ready to get spooky, because Midnight Forge is working on a horror-mystery game daring to explore the fates of the Norse Gods following Ragnarök. Step into the shoes of a detective lost in the Scandinavian mists while looking for a group of lost tourists when reality begins to unravel.
Phantom Spark
Joining in on the August 15 festivities, Phantom Spark’s release is just days away. The high-octane racer lights the way for players to blaze through the neon-showered raceways in its single-player campaign or build up the competition with a friend in split-screen couch co-op.
Mother Machine
I’ve got a fresh-out-of-the-oven announcement today! Mother Machine won’t get into fans’ hands until next year, but I got a chance to see the game in action last week. The slightly silly action-RPG platformer asks one to four players to take on missions for a lonely Artificial Intelligence. Stranded after a failed mission, the mechanical matriarch decided to create a bunch of “chaos gremlins” to do its bidding. You’re the gremlin, and you’ll have to play nice to fulfill your maker’s requests.
Burn
I’m ready to burn through this wild-looking, recently released visual novel. The story — which has sixteen different endings tempting anyone jumping in to replay the events over and over — stars Nina Burn. The pop star’s narrative, dialogue, style, and musical stylings transform as you make choices, and the more you play, the more you reveal.
Beyond Galaxyland
It’s creators describe this upcoming titles as “a bold new take on the classic sci-fi caper.” Which immediately has me asking, is classic sci-fi caper a real genre? Either way, the soft pixel cosmos and turn-based battles are worth keeping an eye on. And that’s before I mention the game features a “gun-toting” guinea pig.
Slash Quest
Aspiring to cut through the competition to grab attention on August 15 is Slash Quest. Luckily, the game’s brave — but totally unqualified — knight wields a comically large sword, making cutting pretty easy. The bright, bold visuals should also help it rise to the top.
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