Having played the demo of Ruffy and the Riverside at Steam Next Fest earlier this year, I had high expectations for the full version. The inspiration is clear: Paper Mario with hints of Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario 64 as the icing on the cake. However, this game brings something truly unique to the genre: a magical “SWAP” ability to copy and paste textures around you. Should everyone be playing it right now? Yes and no. However, it uniquely blends collectathon platforming, puzzle-solving, and free-form exploration in a semi-open world, ensuring you’ll keep playing long after the main story ends.

The game follows Ruffy as he teams up with friends like Pip the bee and Sir Eddler the mole to stop the villainous cube Groll from destroying the World Core and plunging Riverside into chaos. I have to be honest: there’s too much pointless dialogue. The characters ramble endlessly about everything, and I’m not ashamed to admit I skipped half of it without missing anything important.

Puzzles throughout the game use the SWAP ability

The SWAP Ability lets you copy a texture from one surface and paste it onto another, transforming the target. Eligible surfaces are highlighted, and you have about 15 seconds to use a copied texture before it vanishes. This mechanic is vital for puzzles and progression, for example, swapping a waterfall with vines creates a climbable path, or turning a stone pillar into wood makes it float. The ability evolves later with the “Pix” tool, allowing custom texture design for both aesthetic and functional purposes.

The main campaign of Ruffy and the Riverside unfolds across a central hub, Riverside, and seven distinct regions. Each area is filled with puzzles, side quests, and collectibles such as butterflies, dreamstones, Etoi creatures, and coins. The moment I realized we have the freedom to explore the map, I happily spent 30 minutes just exploring the first region.

The puzzles vary greatly, from simple tasks like swapping water with lava to burn a tree, to arranging precise stone patterns based on wall images. You might find Etoi hidden behind a wall, requiring you to transform a stone block into wood to breach the area. There’s even an entire puzzle section imprinted as 2D on a 3D wall, accessible via a portal that itself needs a puzzle to be solved. This type of gameplay will follow you through all regions, and you’ll find yourself spending 30-45 minutes exploring each area, which is definitely a lot of fun.

However, not every puzzle is straightforward or easy. You’ll definitely need to think more, and it can become frustrating, as solutions are often found by observing your surroundings. This is partly because the game doesn’t always clearly indicate when you can use the SWAP ability with certain platforms, and these opportunities aren’t always obvious. The SWAP ability also isn’t entirely flexible; you can only use it in designated spots meant for progression, collectibles or on elements that won’t break the game.

Exploration in the game offers many interesting ideas

Despite some drawbacks, exploration in Ruffy and the Riverside offers plenty of fun. Imagine riding a giant ice ball across the sea or atop a bale to win a race. The game also features dynamic shifts, reminiscent of Nikoderiko, like transitioning from 3D to 2D to dodge traps in a temple by hiding from rolling balls and leaping over spikes. In the Realm of Dead, for example, there’s a top-down section where you run from a ghost. The game truly introduces some interesting ideas and worth mentioning is the Buried City areas that combine multiple mechanics.

Ruffy’s moveset includes jumps, gliding with Pip, punches, spin attacks, and sprints, controlled via joystick or keyboard. While gliding and sprinting help travelling, their limited stamina requires coin upgrades. Combat is rather average; enemies pose little threat, and types are repeated. Given that combat isn’t a major focus, the game would have been better as a pure platformer filled with collectibles and puzzles. Boss fights don’t happen often and offer minimal challenge and usually feature predictable attack patterns and segmented health bars. The SWAP mechanic is also underused in combat.

The graphics are truly impressive

Ruffy and the Riverside ties progression to main quests and side content, with collectibles naturally appearing as you advance. While its collectathon structure rewards completionists, some collectibles like Etoi feel less impactful without specific quests, and coins become redundant after early upgrades. If you love collecting and puzzles, this game offers a satisfying experience. Expect about 10 hours for the main story, but around 20 hours to complete the entire game.

The graphics are impressive; just standing on a high hill overlooking the plains and buildings reveals the game’s detail and optimization. There’s an insane amount of content spread across regions, including beaches, farms, and graveyards, while characters like Ruffy and Pip are 2D sprites with thick marker strokes, animated with crayon-like charm.

A solid platformer with its strengths and weaknesses

The game definitely has its charm, especially in its humor and plot. There are moments where it genuinely feels like playing an old cartoon. While I admittedly skipped a lot of the dialogue, I grew quite fond of Sirsil the snake. Reaching the highest point of Riverside and playing barrel games, like riding one over a waterfall or jumping from barrel to barrel, was a surprisingly interesting part of the experience. Honestly, the game truly surprises you with these moments.

Another drawback worth mentioning are the controls. If you’re planning to play with a keyboard, forget about it — it’s not intuitive and quite difficult to manage. A controller is your best option. I’m still surprised how challenging it is to navigate the various cluttered menus, an issue that hasn’t been fixed since the demo. In the end, you won’t be entirely let down by this game. Is it perfect for everyone? Sure, if you can overlook some shallow mechanics and tolerate irrelevant dialogue. But if you enjoy collecting items and want a chill gaming experience, this game is definitely for you.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.8

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In Away Team, you play as a lone Duplicant (a colonist clone from Oxygen Not Included) who accidentally lands on a strange new world. You must build a base, scavenge resources, and survive a landscape where every tile is simulated in detail. Like Oxygen Not Included, Away Team thrives on dynamic interactions, creating physics-driven chaos. Liquids flow and evaporate, fires spread, and every action demands a careful understanding of thermodynamics.

The game’s side-scrolling view blends exploration with survival crafting as you explore procedurally generated environments. As mentioned, every tile reacts to your actions, creating a world where one mistake can lead to disaster.

The post Klei’s New Survival Adventure Away Team Blasts Off in the Oxygen Not Included Universe Soon first appeared on IndieGames.

You play as Mina, a renowned inventor and “digger,” tasked with saving an island from a curse. Inspired by Game Boy Color graphics, it offers exploration of a vast, interconnected world. You’ll jump, dodge, and dig to overcome obstacles and battle enemies. Mina’s trusty whip, Nightstar, is her primary weapon, but she can also use a variety of unique secondary weapons, each with distinct moves.

Additionally, the trailer highlighted detailed animations and visuals that enhance the retro aesthetic with a modern twist. A chilling yet touching story, inspired by Victorian gothic horror, sets the tone, while an electric MSX-style chiptune soundtrack by master Jake Kaufman adds to the atmosphere. You’ll encounter bizarre characters, uncover secrets in exotic locations, and face bosses while exploring a world filled with interconnected zones.

The post Adventure Game Mina the Hollower Gets Release Date at Summer Game Fest 2025 first appeared on IndieGames.

Inspired by Winsor McCay’s comics Little Nemo in Slumberland, Little Nemo and The Guardians of Slumberland takes you into a vibrant, hand-animated dream world of young Nemo. His once peaceful realm is now threatened by a mysterious force called Oblivion. As Nemo, you enter this dream world, explore it and battle strange creatures and bosses to prevent its destruction.

Exploration lies at the heart of the gameplay, with each area offering unique challenges and rewards. You’ll discover Nemo’s favorite toys, which grant him new abilities to evade dangers, defeat enemies, and unlock hidden paths. The game’s solid, responsive controls echo the precision of NES-era platformers, while its accessible design welcomes new players yet adapts to challenge Metroidvania veterans.

Led by DIE SOFT founder Dave Mauro, the game draws heavily from retro classics while infusing modern polish. “I’m very happy about how the game has come together since we last showed it off publicly and I’m excited for people to get a better look with this latest trailer.” accessibility.

The post Little Nemo and The Guardians of Slumberland Launches in Early 2026 for PC first appeared on IndieGames.

In SHADE Protocol, a rogue AI force is pushing the world towards total destruction, and you’re the key to stopping it. You’ll control a woman who can switch between two forms: DAWN and SHADE. Each form completely changes your combat style and abilities. Imagine DAWN as quick and agile, perfect for precise attacks, while SHADE unleashes raw, destructive power.

Your weapons, called Instruments, are anything but ordinary – every weapon is tied to a musical theme, making every fight feel like a symphony. The Protocols system is a true game-changer, letting you completely recode your playstyle and even enemies. You can combine specialized code fragments to tweak your attacks, defenses, or abilities, while also being able to hack foes to alter their behavior.

The post Cyber-Fantasy Metroidvania SHADE Protocol Revealed New Trailer, Set for 2026 Release first appeared on IndieGames.

Get ready for a blast from the past. Bubble Ghost Remake, a 2D action-puzzle platformer, is a reimagining of the classic 1987 Atari ST game, where you play as ghostly inventor Heinrich Von Schinker. Your mission is to guide a super fragile bubble through a haunted castle packed with tricky traps, spooky enemies, and clever puzzles. This remake sports a modern cartoon look, an expanded story, and comes with over 40 brand-new levels alongside 36 beautifully remastered originals. And if you’re looking for a game to really test your patience, the kind that makes you want to rage, smash your keyboard, or pull your hair out, well, you’re in the right place – theoretically (it’s not always like this while playing).

Bubble Navigation and Precision

The core of the game revolves around guiding your bubble by blowing air. Heinrich’s breath strength depends on how long you hold down the action button, whether you’re using a controller, keyboard, or mouse. You can move Heinrich freely through walls and manually rotate him using buttons or mouse clicks. There’s also an assist mode if you prefer him to automatically orbit the bubble. It was really comfortable to play with the mouse, rather than just constant clicking on various buttons on the controller to change his side.

The catch is that your bubble pops instantly if it touches hazards like spikes, electricity, or animals. This means you’ll need super precise puffs of air to navigate tight spaces or cleverly manipulate interactive elements like fans or switches. Levels gradually get more complex, evolving from simple corridors into bigger mazes with environmental puzzles, think toggling lightning or redirecting air currents. It all builds up to boss fights that use these unique blowing mechanics in really creative ways.

The boss fights were super interesting, always requiring you to really figure out their attack patterns and movements. The good thing is that you have multiple difficulties to choose from at the beginning for your bubble. For example, it can be easier by having more health, or by making your bubble pop instantly the moment it touches anything. My biggest issue, though, is that the bosses take a while to figure out. In most cases, you’ll really need to memorize their patterns rather than getting clear hints on how to beat them. So, definitely expect to fail quite a bit when you face them.

“The boss fights were super interesting and fun.”

The game offers three different ways to play

While I did mention the game can be a bit “rage-inducing,” it’s honestly not that terrible. There will definitely be moments where you’ll get frustrated, which is totally normal for this kind of game, but it’s actually very forgiving. You get checkpoints everywhere, so you can get right back into the action pretty quickly at the early stages of the game. The bubble’s physics-based movement is also really smooth, responding realistically to your command. However, later stages can feel like marathons because the checkpoints become much sparser, and the levels themselves just go on for longer.

Bubble Ghost Remake offers three different ways to play: Story Mode gives you over 40 brand-new levels driven by a narrative. Here, you follow Heinrich on his quest to find his missing wife, Sofia, guided by a bubble that carries a familiar song. These levels are much larger and more complex than the original’s single-screen design, and you’ll find collectibles like spectral hoops and hidden items that expand the story.

On the other hand, Original Mode recreates the classic 1990s Game Boy/Atari ST experience with updated visuals. You get three lives for your run, but if you fail, it’s back to the very start. Speedrun Mode is for competitive players, offering time trials with online leaderboards and a Hall of Fame to chase. The game also packs in extra content like secret rooms, alternate endings, and achievements, which definitely boost replayability. Sub-levels and collectibles also give you challenges to aim for that elusive 100% completion.

“There will definitely be moments where you’ll get frustrated.”

Bubble Ghost Remake ditches the original’s pixel-art minimalism

Important to point out is that Bubble Ghost Remake ditches the original’s pixel-art minimalism for a hand-drawn, cartoon aesthetic, led by illustrator Ken Niimura. This creates a storybook-like castle, and the visuals are definitely amazing. However, this shift from retro to a cuter style sometimes clashes with the game’s more serious themes, and the audio unfortunately isn’t very memorable. Heinrich himself, while a bit of a dorky ghost compared to the cute Game Boy or spooky Atari ST designs, might lack some of the original’s charm. And comic-book cutscenes tell Heinrich’s story with a simple, nursery-rhyme feel, adding emotional touch.

The soundtrack, put together by Fran Romguer, features orchestral and ambient tracks that are described as “light and mysterious,” fitting the castle’s vibe pretty well. You’ll hear remixed Game Boy tracks, including Hitoshi Sakimoto’s catchy original tune, but only in the Original mode as they’re absent from the main story campaign. The new music, unfortunately, feels “generic” and easily forgettable, often just fading into the background.

In the end, Bubble Ghost Remake is a bold, charming, and genuinely great reimagining of a cult classic. Nakama Game Studio’s love for the 1987 original really shines through, delivering an experience that feels both fresh and wonderfully nostalgic. If you’re a fan of puzzle-platformers and love a good challenge, this is a solid pick. Honestly, this is exactly how you should be doing a remake.

“Bubble Ghost Remake is a bold, charming, and genuinely great reimagining of a cult classic.”

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

The post Bubble Ghost Remake – Savršen primjer kako napraviti remake first appeared on IndieGames.

Elsie takes you to the planet of Ekis, a place filled with natural beauty and incredible scientific wonders, but one that’s now on the brink of disaster. The story kicks off with a scientist named Dr. Grey. He created high-tech androids called Guardians, powered by something called the Arclight Core, to handle the planet’s wild natural disasters. For a while, they were like superheroes, bringing peace by controlling the elements.

But then, without any warning, the Guardians just vanished. That’s where Elsie comes in. She’s a one-of-a-kind android built for one mission: track down the missing Guardians and save Ekis from completely falling apart. The gameplay in Elsie is a mix of intense bullet-hell action and the endless replayability you expect from a roguelike. You’ll be dashing, diving, and shooting your way through neon-drenched levels, needing lightning-fast reflexes to parry enemy attacks.

The team at Meridiem, who are putting out this physical version, are even making it extra special with a unique case, a sticker sheet, and a character book.

The post Elsie – Magitek Edition donosi neonom nabijeni kaos na konzole u srpnju first appeared on IndieGames.

Serving as a soft reboot, The Lost Crown moves away from the 3D action-adventure style of earlier entries like The Two Thrones and The Forgotten Sands, embracing the precision and exploration of classics like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Its success, with 1.3 million units sold in its first year, has sparked a revival for the franchise, with multiple new projects announced.

The official Prince of Persia Twitter account celebrated the 2 million player milestone, teasing future projects that may feature Sargon or other Princes. This promise aligns with recent developments, including The Rogue Prince of Persia, a roguelike spin-off by Evil Empire that entered Early Access in 2024 and will receive updates throughout 2025. Additionally, a long-delayed remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is now targeting a 2026 release.

Despite its critical acclaim and sizable player base, The Lost Crown reportedly fell short of Ubisoft’s sales expectations, leading to the disbandment of its development team. This financial disappointment reflects broader challenges for Ubisoft, which has struggled with recent titles. However, the game’s growing popularity, bolstered by mobile ports and positive word-of-mouth, continues to draw new players.

The post Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Hits 2 Million Players, Signals Bright Future for Series first appeared on IndieGames.

After Earth fell to ruin, the few remaining survivors had to rebuild civilization from the Stone Age. When they finally advanced to the age of space exploration, they decided to explore the far reaches of space, but the distance meant it would take them hundreds of years to arrive. For this expedition, humankind decided to send condemned convicts. On the way to an unknown red planet, the expedition’s spaceship breaks down, forcing two members of the crew to make a crash landing. They both have their own reasons for needing to return to Earth no matter what, but will they be able to make it back alive?

BOKURA: planet requires two players, who communicate and work together to solve puzzles. They need to share what they see on their own screens and cooperate to solve puzzles and progress through the stages, just like in BOKURA, but there is a new action: Push. You can now send the other player flying with the push of a button. Sometimes you might get in the other player’s way, or maybe even push them off a cliff… cooperating isn’t everything in this game.

The post Puzzle Co-Op Adventure BOKURA: planet Debuted on Steam Today first appeared on IndieGames.

Get ready for the fight of century! 🎮 Slain is BACK!

We are excited to announce our partnership with @MrAwolf to bring you the latest chapter in this intense, metal saga.

Stay tuned and don't forget to Wishlist to receive the latest updates! ⚔️🐺🌕https://t.co/L75PcmOWqY pic.twitter.com/qYF7oq0Da7

— Silver Lining Int 🦊 SOTN2 out 8 May (@silverliningint) April 16, 2025

In Slain 2: The Beast Within, you play as Prince Akran, the last of the Wolf Knights. Armed with a magical sword named Bathoryn, you’ll fight to save a dying kingdom from evil forces led by the demonic Lord Vroll. It is a hack-and-slash adventure, which means you’ll be slicing through enemies with attacks and using special powers like fire and ice.

The story takes you through three big quests, each with its own creepy locations like haunted castles, ghostly seas, and cursed catacombs. You’ll face off against terrifying enemies, from ancient spirits to giant monsters, in a world that feels straight out of a gothic fairy tale. The game’s art style is stunning, with detailed pixel art that brings the dark landscapes and creatures to life.

Slain 2 brings some fresh mechanics to the table. The werewolf transformation is a big addition, giving you a new way to fight as a ferocious beast. The sentient sword Bathoryn also adds depth, letting you use elemental powers to take down enemies in style. The game’s world is bigger and more detailed, with places like the shadowy streets of Wolftown and misty highlands to explore. Every area is filled with traps and challenges, so you’ll need to stay sharp to survive.

Another new feature we have in Slain2. To make your lives easier or your friends life hell.
Is Player 2 mode. Akran can now free spirits to fight alongside him. Allowing a second player or an A.I to join the Mosh.
Couch Co-op though. Player 2 will take all forms depending on… pic.twitter.com/npZfgtwKcK

— Andrew Gilmour (@MrAwolf) April 17, 2025

The post Merciless New Adventure Awaits in Slain 2: The Beast Within, Coming in 2026 first appeared on IndieGames.