Cyberpunk platformers, gallivanting geckos and different new indie video games value testing

Welcome to our newest roundup of what is going on on within the indie sport area. As soon as once more, there are some neat new video games so that you can take a look at this weekend. We have got a bunch of updates and bulletins for upcoming titles to inform you about too.

There have been a bunch of strong indie showcases currently (and highlights from one other one to inform you about beneath). If you wish to study a ton of different video games ASAP, you may need to set your alarm fairly early on April 25.

Beginning at 5AM ET that day, the newest version of Indie Life Expo takes place on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Bilibili and elsewhere. This one will function greater than 200 video games! A rapid-fire Indie Waves section will energy by way of 160 of them. Organizers acquired 1,100 submissions for this installment, so hats off to them for that includes a large proportion of these.

Earlier than that, you may take a look at one other showcase on April 21. High Hat Studios Presents: Spring Showcase 2026 will begin at midday ET on the writer’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

The stream will function Motorslice, Effectively Dweller and survival horror sport Becrowned, as nicely premieres and different High Hat video games. I have been wanting ahead to Motorslice, which has a Might launch window. I wager we’ll get a exact launch date for that in this stream.

In the meantime, there’s an attention-grabbing Steam occasion happening quickly. InterfaceX26 will run from April 27 till Might 4. This one is concentrated on video games that take care of made-up working methods and different customized interfaces. Organizers have introduced collectively greater than 150 builders and publishers, who’re asking Valve to introduce an official “Pretend OS” tag for video games on Steam.

Some neat video games will likely be included in a sale and a showcase on Might 2, together with Blippo+, TR-49 and The Roottrees are Useless. Count on demos and related new releases too. Talking of which…

New releases

We have been ready a very long time for Changed. This cyberpunk journey from Unhappy Cat Studios and writer Thunderful finally landed this week on Steam, GOG, Xbox on PC and Xbox Series X/S. It is on Sport Go Final and PC Sport Go. In any other case, the bottom sport prices $20. A supporter version that features the soundtrack is $25. It’s going to hit the Epic Games Store at a later date.

The sport was initially alleged to arrive in 2022. It actually did not assist that Unhappy Cat Studios was pressured to relocate from Belarus to Cyprus after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However the sport is lastly right here and it debuted to typically constructive opinions.

Changed is a 2.5D motion platformer set in an alternate model of Nineteen Eighties America, through which you play as an AI trapped in a human physique which will or could not dream of electrical sheep. I have never but had an opportunity to correctly leap into this gorgeous-looking sport, however I am hoping to take action this weekend.

Talking of video games I’ve lengthy had on my wishlist, Gecko Gods arrived this week. I believe I first clapped eyes on this round 2022. Numerous trailers charmed me with the thought of a puzzle exploration platformer that casts you within the function of a gecko that is capable of run alongside partitions and ceilings.

I’ve performed round 90 minutes of this one to date. I dig the look and the gecko could be very cute (having the ability to customise its look is a pleasant contact). I really like that you simply “gather” several types of bugs by consuming them. It is a pretty stress-free sport, which is broadly what I would like on the minute.

I believe there are some points right here, although. I’ve explored two of the principle 5 islands within the open world and it feels a bit sparse to date. The enjoyment of having the ability to clamber up and round any object complicates issues relating to extra exact platforming sections. Whereas the crusing sections are fairly, the boat is clunky to regulate on the uneven water. I bumped into some delicate technical points as nicely on PS5 with occasional framerate dips and objects popping in. Hopefully, that is one thing the builders at Inresin are capable of tackle.

Gecko Gods — from publishers Tremendous Uncommon Originals and Gamersky Video games — is obtainable now on Steam, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. It is usually $20, however there is a 10 p.c launch low cost till April 30 (on PS5, this solely applies to PlayStation Plus members)

One other extremely anticipated sport landed this week within the type of Mouse: PI for Rent. We have had our eyes on this first-person shooter/detective sport with luxurious rubberhose-style animation for fairly a while. Opinions have been typically constructive to date, and plainly there’s sufficient substance right here to stay as much as these stellar visuals.

Mouse: PI for Rent — from Fumi Video games and writer PlaySide — is out now for $30. It is obtainable on PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Thirsty Suitors developer Outerloop Video games and co-publisher Outersloth served up the cooking-themed Dosa Divas this week. It tells the story of two sisters who set out on a journey with their mech to take down a quick meals empire and reconnect communities by way of cooking.

It caught my eye once I noticed it throughout a showcase some time again and it has an amazing idea, although I do not precisely love turn-based fight. I’ve learn a couple of lukewarm reviews of the sport, and the consensus appears to be that the cooking mechanics and fight maybe wanted some extra time to simmer.

If you would like to strive Dosa Divas your self, you may choose it up on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. It’s going to often run you $20, however there is a 10 p.c launch low cost till April 28.

For those who’re searching for a puzzle sport that may be stress-free or slightly darkish, relying in your temper, it is perhaps value testing A Storied Life: Tabitha. As you pack up the house of a late liked one, you will must determine which gadgets to maintain within the restricted cupboard space you have got and discard the remainder. You may must wrap fragile gadgets in bubble wrap and vacuum pack tender gadgets to save lots of room within the packing containers.

As you save gadgets, you will unlock phrases that you should utilize to fill within the blanks of the one you love’s life and inform their story, Mad Libs-style. Given that you’re going to discover gadgets like a blackmail letter and a shirt with lipstick on the collar, it looks like there’s quite a lot of selection to the sorts of tales you may inform.

A Storied Life: Tabitha is obtainable on Steam now. It’s going to usually run you $15, however it can save you 10 p.c when you purchase it earlier than April 28.

To spherical out this part, I’ll rapidly word that Hades 2 is out now on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for  $30, with a 20 p.c launch low cost. It is on Sport Go Final, Sport Go Premium and PC Sport Go too.

I purchased Hades 2 when Supergiant Video games introduced it to Steam early entry two years in the past, telling myself I would wait till the total sport was out. However I nonetheless have not gotten round to it but. There are at all times too many video games tugging at my fragile consideration span and Hades 2 pale into the background for me. I actually should play it, I do know!

Upcoming

I am retaining a watch out for Agefield Excessive: Rock the College from Refugium Video games. This religious successor to Rockstar’s Bully is about to reach this summer season on Steam. It emerged this week that it’ll hit PS5 and Xbox Sequence X/S later within the yr.

It is a coming-of-age journey through which you play as Sam, a younger lad who has moved to a brand new college within the early 2000s. He desires to make his previous couple of months of highschool a time to recollect.

There is a branching narrative with a number of endings right here — you may decide to go to lessons and be a superb pupil, or skip college and trigger hassle. As a largely rule-abiding pupil method again when, I would be tempted to go for the latter. This looks like a little bit of a life sim with a broad array of actions and methods to get into trouble. I’m wanting ahead to it.

The most recent version of the Galaxies Showcase — yet one more indie highlight occasion — passed off this week and The Backworld caught my consideration. It is a Mother-inspired RPG from Numor Video games and writer High Hat with charming artwork course (sure, I did see that one character doing a Naruto run), an intriguing mixture of characters and…

Oh no, why did the music cease? Why did it get so darkish swiftly? What are these horrifying beasts which are chasing my character? Yup, there is a heavy horror ingredient right here. Numor took inspiration from The Backrooms as nicely.

The Backworld will likely be launched later this yr. A demo simply hit Steam.

A Research in Blue, from Relate Video games, was one other spotlight of the Galaxies Showcase, thanks largely to that spectacular animation. It is a point-and-click journey through which you play as two characters with advanced pasts: non-public detective Kenneth and runaway Blue.

You may discover a semi-open world and remedy crimes by gathering clues and calling out characters’ lies. There are three intertwined story acts and a number of endings. A Steam demo that includes a aspect quest from the principle sport that’ll take round two hours to finish is obtainable now.

I am at all times going to be excited by any sport that riffs on The Legend of Zelda: A Hyperlink to the Previous. On the face of this trailer, Elementallis developer AnKae Video games appears to borrow fairly a little bit of the design language and different concepts from the SNES traditional. Nonetheless, if you are going to crib from something, it could as nicely be one of the best sport of all time.

This 2D motion RPG, which can also be revealed by High Hat and has a heavier deal with elemental powers than A Hyperlink to the Previous, appears very very similar to my type of jam. It is coming to Steam, GOG, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Sequence X/S and Xbox One on April 28. Per the eShop itemizing, it’s going to value $18.