Founded in May 2022 by JRPG fans, Studio Camelia aimed to create Alzara Radiant Echoes, a 3D turn-based RPG inspired by Golden Sun and Final Fantasy X. Set in a Mediterranean-inspired fantasy archipelago, the game promised dynamic combat with hero-swapping and elemental magic combos, focusing on themes of camaraderie and unity. Led by industry veterans from Ghost Recon and Dead Cells, the studio funded half the project with personal savings, business angel support, bank loans, and Microsoft’s Developer Acceleration Program.

To cover remaining costs, Studio Camelia launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2024 with a €100,000 goal. It raised €294,428 from 5,089 backers, becoming one of the year’s top-backed video game projects. The funds helped create a new demo, shown at events like Tokyo Game Show and DICE to attract partners. Despite a playable demo, experienced team, and strong fan support, no publishing deals were secured.

“We are creatives, but we need funding to keep creating. Sometimes, even having a promising game concept with proven market interest and a strong team is not enough.” Studio highlighted the tough reality that even a successful Kickstarter can’t ensure a game’s completion. They expressed regret that neither they nor Kickstarter can refund backers, including those who pledged up to €800 for premium rewards, leaving some fans upset over unclear communication about the campaign’s goals.

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Tron: The Catyclst

I’m not sure if this game is meant to be a joke or not. Disney… oh boy, where are you headed with this one? It was so boring I had to push myself to finish it. The combat was weak, the AI just stared at you from a distance instead of fighting back while you attacked. The dialogue felt super cringy, the characters were forgettable, including the main character (a woman, I think?), and the world looked the same everywhere. It felt uninspiring and disappointing to play. With Devolver likely just backing it, is this really the game Tron deserved?

Possessor(s)

Though Possessor(s) looks impressive and seems like a fun game, my experience was ruined by clunky controls and odd platforming elements, and I wasn’t a fan of the time-stopping on the final hit at the enemies either. I had high hopes, given its unique mix: a flooded city overrun with surreal interdimensional horror, fast-paced action side-scrolling, and unique characters. But for now, the controls definitely need some work.

Mycopunk

While playing this unique shooter, I kept wondering: “What the heck is going on here?” Hundreds of strange creatures flew at me, I had multiple guns to choose from, that reloaded each other’s ammo when used, plus there was a multiplayer option and huge, fun boss fights. The graphics, world, and enemies felt out of ordinary, like an interdimensional adventure, but it didn’t rank higher because I was left confused about what I just played. The pacing felt off, and I lost track when my boss got stuck in a building during my solo playthrough.

Stick It to the Stickman

Stick It to the Stickman offers a unique roguelike structure where, in the demo, you play as a stickman climbing the corporate ladder. Along the way, you can punch, kick, use weapons, and upgrade your abilities while battling small interns and big mini-bosses to become CEO. The premise is wild, but my only problem is the clunky combat, it’s not as smooth as I’d hoped. Still, that one level was super fun, and it was great to see my character getting richer over time.

Forestrike

I love it when games experiment, and Forestrike nails that vibe. Want to foresee the future or test your skills before a real fight? You can do it here. When the real battle starts, you’re ready to use your dojo skills to kick, dodge, block, and outsmart opponents. It’s a blast, with multiple sessions and approaches to each level, pushing you to apply what you learn and show off your skills.

Baby Steps

A new game from Bennett Foddy? Count me in! So, what’s it about? Though maybe not as rage-inducing as his other titles, this one will make you cringe with its awkwardness. You play as Nate, an unemployed failson with little going for him, teleported into a strange world. Walking isn’t easy, you need both left and right mouse clicks, but once you figure it out, it’s super satisfying. I even learned to run by the end of the demo!

BOTSU

It’s been a while since I enjoyed a solid multiplayer game packed with mini-games, and even if you don’t have friends to join, though it’s recommended, you can play against bots. You control robots in fun matches like basketball, football, or floor-is-lava, even hitting and holding each other for a good laugh. You can compete online or split-screen in a series of ragdoll, crazy physics-based battles to prove your mechanical skills, making it the wildest game idea I’ve loved.

BALL X PIT

I debated putting this first, but it does share the first place since it was just so much fun. Who knew blending flipper-based, rock-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite gameplay with the unique twist of beating up skeletons could be this entertaining? You battle hordes of enemies who attack while you grow stronger, using various skills and attacks, ricocheting balls, and gathering and building to unlock new heroes and generate resources.

Shroom and Gloom

What a blast Shroom and Gloom turned out to be! It reminded me why deck-building roguelike games are so much fun when done well, adding a unique twist as a “double-deckbuilder”. You can use cards while exploring and at checkpoints to unlock different weapons, rest, and eat food while scavenging through a bizarre world filled with ugly creatures, plants, and more. I can’t recall the last time a card-based game hooked me this much, and spending just enough time on the demo left me eager for the full release of Shroom and Gloom.

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Runa

Runa is a turn-based RPG by Fennec Studio, inspired by classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Persona. Set in a sci-fantasy world, you follow adventurers wielding “runas”, ancient tech controlled by adepts. It features a story-rich narrative, social links with over 15 romance options, and an “Elemental Break System” for strategic combat. Additionally, you’ll be able to explore diverse biomes, solve elemental puzzles, and build a base in Enyth with minigames like farming and fishing. Successfully funded on Kickstarter with 358,466 €, it’s set for release on PC via Steam in 2026.

Quartet

Quartet is a turn-based RPG by Something Classic Games, launching August 26, 2025, on PC, with PS5, PS4, and Switch versions in late 2025. Set in a steampunk-fantasy world, it weaves four intertwining stories like train robberies, a magical card deck, deadly airships, and an unlikely mage culminating in eight heroes uncovering a centuries-old conflict. You control four of eight characters in combat, swapping reserves for tactical advantage, and with no grinding and a focus on choice-driven narratives, it’s ideal for those who don’t have much free time.

CyberThreat

CyberThreat is an upcoming turn-based RPG with life sim elements by Aphelios, releasing on PC via Steam. Set in modern-day Edendale, you play a high school senior secretly battling viruses in Cyberspace as a hacker. In the game you will investigate mysterious student deaths linked to cyberbullying, using elemental hacks and physical attacks in turn-based combat. Juggle school life, explore 25+ voiced character stories, and engage in minigames like cooking or dating. CyberThreat features a dynamic calendar, day-night cycles, and anime-style visuals.

Legends of Starkadia

Legends of Starkadia is a turn-based RPG by Doom Turtle, set for release on PC via Steam in 2025. A bored Earth teen is teleported to the Starkadian Empire, thrust into an interdimensional battle against Niko’s evil armies. With 12 unique characters, strategic combat featuring quick-time events, and over nine planets to explore, it draws inspiration from EarthBound and Chrono Trigger.

The Time I Have Left

The Time I Have Left is a time-driven indie RPG by Ground Game Atelier, set for release on PC via Steam in 2025. You guide Aline, marked for death by “The Miasma”, through the deserted underground city of Colony 7. With only six hours to live, in the game you will explore in third- and first-person modes, solve puzzles, and face grotesque creatures in reactive turn-based combat. You will also be able to unlock abilities via clues, uncover secrets, and shape the narrative with multiple endings.

Kingdoms of the Dump

Kingdoms of the Dump is an indie SNES-style RPG by Roach Games, set for release in 2025 on PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam. You play as Dustin Binsley, a Trash Can Knight, in the garbage-filled Lands of Fill, spanning five and a half kingdoms. With Ratavia, your rogue friend, you aim to rescue the kidnapped King of Garbagia and stop the Toxic Grimelin Army to prevent war. Inspired by EarthBound and Final Fantasy VI, it features turn-based grid combat with timed hits, platforming, and character-swapping with unique abilities.

Escape from Ever After

Escape from Ever After is a genre-bending RPG by Sleepy Castle Studio, inspired by Paper Mario, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. You play as Flynt Buckler, a fairytale hero, teaming up with former nemesis Tinder to dismantle Ever After Inc., a megacorp exploiting storybook worlds for cheap labor. Explore secret-filled storybook realms, engage in snappy turn-based combat with timed action commands, and customize your party.

Nocturne

Nocturne by Pracy Studios is a story-driven rhythm RPG set in a digital afterlife, releasing in Q1 2026 on PC via Steam. You play as Karma, a newcomer in a corrupted world millennia after humanity’s extinction, battling twisted creatures and a sentient AI. The game features skill-based rhythm combat, blending Chrono Trigger and Guitar Hero with multiple difficulty options, pixel-art, and a deep narrative.

Seed of Nostalgia

Seed of Nostalgia is a pixel-art JRPG by Primitive Pixels, inspired by 90s classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. You guide Atilla, a young Spirit Blade, and allies like Aleister and Terra to save the withering Gaia Seed in the mystical world of Sylvara. Explore lush, non-linear landscapes, engage in tactical turn-based combat without random encounters, and craft weapons.

Colossus – Eternal Blight

Colossus – Eternal Blight is an action-adventure RPG by Rustic Panda Games, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. You play as Lucian, a young knight, traversing a vast, blight-corrupted world to save his brother Lance. Inspired by Hyper Light Drifter and Chrono Trigger, it features pixel-art visuals, fast-paced combat with customizable abilities (swordsmanship, archery, magic), and exploration of cities, ruins, and alternate dimensions. You will also be able to uncover secrets, battle corrupted creatures using sacred stones, and face optional mini-bosses.

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Attendees could explore various esports zones featuring games like Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, League of Legends, and Valorant. Additionally, there was a unique opportunity to test airsoft replicas or rifles with Trinity Airsoft in their enclosed space. Beyond video games, the event included anime attractions and a rich selection of board and tabletop games. Visitors could also purchase gear, from peripherals to computers and various accessories.

The indie zone once again showcased its diversity, presenting both familiar titles and promising new ones. Games Croatia shone with The Dunkers (by the artistic organization PET RUSA) and Bura: The Way the Wind Blows (by Tiny Meow Studio). Our attention was particularly drawn to Sime is Back 18+ (available for free on Steam), as well as Buckle Up! and the local FPS game SHROT, which was also playable.

Panels covered a range of topics, from the impact of tourism on the gaming industry and web3 technology in video games to explaining the concept of “cozy” games and their rising popularity. International guests shared their experiences and work practices. Additionally, quizzes, raffles, and giveaways were held throughout the event.

While this year’s Expo Gameri was somewhat smaller compared to last year’s event in Rijeka, where too much content was packed into a limited space with a growing number of visitors, it’s safe to say that Opatija proved to be an ideal location. Now, it’s just a matter of attracting some bigger players.

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The Thinky Direct spotlighted The Mermaid Mask by SFB Games and Echo Weaver by Akupara Games, both showing off new trailers hinting at their complex mysteries. Parallel Experiment from Eleven Puzzles locked in a June 5 launch, while Sunken Stones by Spritewrench is set for July 18. He Who Watches by Danga Games and EMUUROM by borbware are both planned for later in 2025. Also, a new demo for Strange Antiquities, the anticipated sequel to Strange Horticulture, drops on June 5, and 868-BACK by Michael Brough impressed with its latest trailer.

Kiko’s Apple Adventure by Paw Paw Games launched today, along with a surprise release of parts 2 + 3 DLC for Bonfire Peaks by Corey Martin and Draknek & Friends. City of Voices, a detective mystery from a Golden Idol designer at Kini Games, released a demo. Shape Sender Deluxe by Dead Teapot and The Button Effect by Frycandle offered limited-time demos during the Showcase. Plus, Railbound by Afterburn received a level editor update, letting players create their own puzzles, and Pup Champs added free, tougher puzzles for fans.

Other highlights included Isles of Sea and Sky’s Mysterious Update coming in July, packed with new areas and secrets. Birdigo, a roguelike deckbuilder by John August, Corey Martin, and GameTeam 6, debuted a trailer and demo. NONOLITH by JUSTCAMH teased its 2026 escape adventure, and CIPHER ZERO by Zapdot showcased over 300 minimalist puzzles. Draknek’s Spooky Express, a haunted twist on Cosmic Express, rounded out the show with a demo that’s live now, charming players with its creepy train-routing puzzles.

Thinky Direct also kicked off the Cerebral Puzzle Showcase, which runs through June 5. With discounts on games like Blue Prince and Animal Well, plus plenty of demos, it’s a great week for puzzle lovers.

The post Thinky Direct 2025: Everything Announced first appeared on IndieGames.

Fallen Fates

Fallen Fates is an upcoming top-down action RPG developed by Hibernian Workshop, the creators of Astral Ascent. Set in a sprawling, hand-drawn pixel art world, the game emphasizes exploration, intense combat, and epic boss battles. You can expect a rich, immersive experience with a focus on challenging gameplay mechanics, though specific details about the story, characters, or setting remain under wraps.

Cosmic Holidays

Cosmic Holidays is an upcoming 2D platformer adventure game developed by I AM A DOG Studio, set for release in 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Youguide Cibo, a lovable alien stranded on a mysterious planet after a shuttle crash, as he journeys to reach his vacation resort. The game features a hand-drawn art style with lush, interconnected ecosystems filled with unique flora and fauna. Cibo’s distinctive ability to inflate his head allows him to glide, bounce, roll, propel himself, absorb shocks, or get stuck in tight spaces, enabling creative interactions with the environment.

Death Tower

Death Tower is a 2.5D isometric roguelite tactical RPG developed by Headbang Club, set to release on Steam, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The goal is to ascend through the tower’s forbidden levels, each with unique ecosystems, challenges, and enemies. Gameplay blends stealth, hacking, and combat, utilizing melee weapons, special attacks, and heavy artillery. The game features 6 playable characters, around 30 enemy types, 4 distinct biomes with unique bosses, 10+ mini-bosses, 75 weapons, 75 hacks, and 10 class trees with 75 skills.

ENDLESS Legend 2 – Necrophage Faction Spotlight

Endless Legend 2 is an upcoming turn-based 4X fantasy-strategy game, a sequel to Endless Legend, developed by Amplitude Studios and announced for early access release in 2025. Set on the planet Auriga, the game builds on its predecessor’s legacy with a randomized world map, hexagonal grid-based gameplay, and a focus on empire-building through exploration, conquest, research, and diplomacy. The Necrophages return as a warmongering, insectoid hive faction, designed for aggressive expansion and military dominance. Their playstyle revolves around constant warfare, rapid growth, and consuming enemies to fuel their empire.

Paper Sky

Paper Sky is an upcoming semi-open world action-adventure game developed by solo developer Matthieu Houllier under Brute Force, set for release in late 2025 on PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. In this hand-crafted, physics-based game, you control a customizable paper plane, inspired by Disney’s Paperman, navigating stylized landscapes with advanced aerial dynamics. The core mechanic involves switching between a gliding paper plane and a rolling paper ball to build momentum, bypass obstacles, and uncover hidden secrets through jumping and gliding.

Cairn

Cairn is an upcoming rock-climbing simulation adventure game developed and published by The Game Bakers, known for Furi and Haven, with a planned release in 2025 for PC and PlayStation 5. Described as a “survival climber,” the game follows Aava, a professional mountaineer aiming to be the first to summit Mount Kami, an unclimbed peak. Played from a third-person perspective, Cairn emphasizes realistic climbing mechanics where players manually position Aava’s limbs to navigate rock faces, carefully planning routes and managing stamina to avoid falls that reset progress to the last checkpoint.

City Tales – Medieval Area

City Tales – Medieval Era is a medieval city-building simulation game developed by Irregular Shapes and published by Firesquid, launched in Early Access on May 22, 2025, for PC. You assume the role of a visionary leader tasked with transforming humble camps into a thriving medieval realm. The game breaks from traditional grid-based city builders by using an organic building system, allowing you to freely draw district outlines, within which villagers autonomously construct homes and paths based on their movement patterns.

Chase Tag – New Trailer

Chase Tag is a fast-paced, competitive multiplayer action game, available on Steam with a planned release in 2025. Drawing inspiration from the classic playground game of tag, it transforms the concept into arena-based PvP experience where players control candy-themed athletes in a colorful, cartoonish 3D world. The objective is to outmaneuver and tag opponents before a timer expires, using dynamic environments filled with platforms, trampolines, and ramps to gain tactical advantages.

The Funskin Project

The Funskin Project is a survival horror game developed by Studio Richoux, which will be available on Steam. Set in a strange, timeless universe, you explore a mysterious island in a non-linear fashion, solving puzzles, managing scarce resources, and fighting to survive deadly encounters. Time is also a precious resource. Be careful, when night falls, you could find yourself facing the most dangerous threats.

Tears of Metal

Tears of Metal is a medieval hack-and-slash co-op roguelike developed and published by Paper Cult, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. You lead a Scottish battalion to reclaim your island from invaders influenced by the mysterious Dragon Stone Meteor, which brings both enemies and dangerous powers. The game blends intense third-person combat with strategic elements, allowing you to strike, parry, and command troops in real-time across 45 handcrafted battlefields.

MIO: Memories in Orbit – Teaser Trailer

MIO: Memories in Orbit is an upcoming Metroidvania platformer developed by Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment, set for release in 2025 on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. You control MIO, a nimble android, exploring the Vessel, a massive, derelict spaceship overgrown with lush vegetation and rogue machines. Gameplay features challenging platforming and combat, with MIO gaining abilities like a grappling hook, air gliding, and wall-clinging to navigate the labyrinthine, interconnected ship.

Tenjutsu

Tenjutsu is an upcoming roguelike action game developed by Deepnight Games, led by Sébastien Benard, the designer of Dead Cells, and published by Devolver Digital, set for release in September 2025 on PC. The goal is to dismantle these syndicates in any order, using martial arts mastery and a diverse arsenal of weapons, including fists, melee weapons, and firearms. The game features fast-paced, fluid melee combat with tactical precision, emphasizing “one vs. many” encounters where players chain attacks, dodge, and use environmental tactics to defeat enemies.

The Lonesome Guild

The Lonesome Guild is an upcoming single-player top-down action RPG developed by Tiny Bull Studios and published by DON’T NOD, set for release in Fall 2025 on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The core narrative revolves around forming bonds with a quirky cast of six misfit companions, each with unique abilities, stories, and struggles, to restore hope and balance. Gameplay emphasizes switching between characters during exploration and dynamic combat, blending action, puzzle-solving, and teamwork-driven mechanics. R

Deadcore Reduxe

DeadCore Redux is a remastered version of the 2014 platformer-FPS DeadCore, being developed by 5 Bits Games and set to release Q3 2025 for PC via Steam. The game blends fast-paced first-person platforming, puzzle-solving, and shooting, using a SwitchGun to activate or deactivate mechanisms and enemies while navigating with jumps, double-jumps, and dashes. The remaster features overhauled graphics with Unity HDRP for PBR lighting and volumetric effects, revamped audio with remastered soundtracks, full gamepad support, a new expansive “Gateway” story level, and a solo ranking system with performance badges.

LavaLoop

LavaLoop is an upcoming music-based 2D shooter/platformer developed by solo French developer Louis Rigaud, set for release in 2026 on PC via Steam. You control three punk musician-fighters battling hordes of beat-bots in a retrofuturistic world. The game features intense, 2-3 minute combat sessions that flow like a concert, with fast-paced arcade-style gameplay blending shooting and platforming. Each enemy moves and attacks to its own musical score, creating a procedural soundtrack that you must sync with to counterattack stylishly.

Sheepherds!

Sheepherds! is an upcoming cozy co-op party game developed by a five-person indie team, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam, with potential future ports to consoles like Nintendo Switch. You take on the role of sheepdogs, guiding colorful flocks through vibrant, hand-drawn landscapes to dye their wool and craft stylish outfits. Core mechanics involve strategic positioning and barking to herd sheep, which behave realistically by following and influencing each other. The experience is stress-free, with no time limits, mandatory task-sharing, or peer pressure, ensuring a positive, collaborative atmosphere.

Crown Gambit

Crown Gambit is an upcoming narrative-driven tactical RPG with card-based combat, developed by Wild Wits and published by Playdigious, set for release on June 18, 2025, for PC via Steam. Set in the dark fantasy kingdom of Meodred, you guide three paladins – Aliza, a blood-bending swashbuckler; Hael, a mace-wielding cleric; and Rollo, an anchor-waving tanker— – hrough a capital torn by political unrest and a war of succession following the king’s assassination. The game features turn-based card battles where players use ancestral relics to defeat enemies like knights, nobles, and rebel commoners.

Otherskin

Otherskin is an upcoming third-person shooter with Metroidvania elements, developed by Game Atelier and published by FDG Entertainment, set for release in Q3 2025 on PC via Steam, with potential console versions later. Equipped with a high-tech AI-powered suit, Alex gathers intel to combat the Corruption, absorbing alien “morphs” from enemies to gain transformative abilities that enhance combat and movement, such as unique traversal mechanics inspired by earthly creatures. The game blends ranged and melee combat, allowing seamless switching between powerful firearms and fast close-quarters moves.

Elmin

Elmin is an upcoming serene first-person platformer developed by Dejima Games, a small studio led by Julien Ribassin and Gabriel Miller, set for release in 2026 on PC via Steam. You assume the role of the Rider, chosen by Elmin, a mysterious giant bird, to explore interconnected archipelago of islands frozen in time, remnants of an ancient civilization. The gameplay blends exploration, platforming, and flying, with you riding Elmin to soar between islands using wind gusts and unlocking wind routes through ancient technology to control elements.

Fish Stick Protocol

Fish Stick Protocol is an upcoming online multiplayer co-op action-adventure game developed and published by Maracas Studio, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. Supporting up to eight players, the game plunges you into chaotic, procedurally generated dimensions to collect artifacts for the mysterious Owner’s peculiar galleries. Expect unpredictable environments with weird gravity, killer plants, and nonsensical anomalies, creating a blend of controlled chaos and cozy fun, inspired by Rick and Morty and Happy Tree Friends.

Poem Ex Machina

Poem Ex Machina is an upcoming anime-style action-adventure RPG developed and published by Amaury Dangréau (under Amaury Hyde), set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. Set in a futuristic, dystopian city, you engage in fast-paced “Ride X Fight” gameplay, combining stylish combat and high-mobility mechanics like skating or grinding, inspired by titles like Devil May Cry and Jet Set Radio. The game features hack-and-slash and beat ’em up elements, with you battling gangs, soldiers, and abyssal creatures using a mix of melee and ranged attacks.

Guilty as Sock!

Guilty as Sock! is a chaotic online multiplayer party game developed and published by Démon Max, set to release on May 29, 2025, for PC via Steam. Players embody sock puppets acting as lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and other courtroom roles in a hilarious, absurd mock trial setting. The game supports up to nine players in a free-for-all where prosecutors make wild accusations, lawyers use evidence cards to defend or attack, and judges struggle to maintain order, wielding gavels to silence unruly players or toss out ridiculous evidence.

Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets

Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets is an upcoming indie action RPG developed by Deneos, led by Christophe Galati, and published by Deneos, set for release in 2026 on PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. A spiritual successor to Save me Mr Tako, it pays tribute to Game Boy Advance-era classics like Golden Sun and Illusion of Gaia, featuring 2D pixel-art visuals and a soundtrack by Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun) and Masanori Hikichi (Terranigma). You control six unique heroes, each with distinct abilities and “Symbiosis” powers, to confront a crisis involving disappearing wildlife, shadow voids, and the rise of the mysterious Order.

Bonaparte: A Mechanized Revolution

Bonaparte: A Mechanized Revolution is a turn-based strategy and tactical RPG developed by Studio Imugi, released in Early Access on May 21, 2025, for PC via Steam. Set in an alternate 1789 Paris, you embody Céline or César Bonaparte, reimagined versions of Napoleon, in a steampunk-infused French Revolution where steam-powered mechs called Colossi dominate battles. The game blends grand strategy, political simulation, and tactical combat, allowing you to defend the monarchy, reform it, or lead a radical revolution alongside historical figures like Robespierre and Lafayette.

Species: Unkown

Species: Unknown is an upcoming first-person survival horror co-op shooter developed and published by Wanadev, set for release in Spring 2025 on PC via Steam. Set in a dystopian late 21st-century, you control mercenaries sent to investigate a ravaged spaceship, tasked with high-risk missions like extracting black boxes, capturing or eliminating unknown threats, or destroying the ship to contain a creature. Playable solo or in online co-op with up to four players, the game emphasizes strategic collaboration, combining FPS action, stealth, and puzzle-solving to survive alien creatures, zombies, robots, and mutant monsters.

Pardon my French Toast

Pardon My French Toast is an upcoming 3D platformer developed and published by ReRolled Studio, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. You control a charming slice of toast who spreads sweets like honey, chocolate, or jam on its face to gain unique abilities, such as sticking to walls with honey for climbing or using hardened chocolate to break objects. The game features dozens of colorful levels where players explore, collect big candies to fuel the ship, and help friendly toasts with various goals.

Hell is Us

Hell is Us is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game developed by Rogue Factor and published by Nacon, set for release on September 4, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game blends intense melee combat with exploration, using swords, spears, and axes to fight chimeras immune to modern weapons, alongside a drone for distraction and puzzle-solving. Its semi-open world lacks maps, compasses, or quest markers, emphasizing “Player-Plattering”—a design philosophy encouraging intuitive exploration, observation, and NPC interactions to uncover clues.

Lifelong

Lifelong is an upcoming pixel-art adventure game developed by Scoppio Software, with no confirmed release date, though it is slated for PC via Steam. In this dystopian narrative, you control a low-level employee at Scoppio Software, a black company depicted in a monochrome world symbolizing its oppressive environment. Gameplay focuses on stealth and puzzle-solving, as you manipulate cameras and devices to orchestrate an escape with coworkers.

How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine

How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine is a cooperative multiplayer puzzle adventure game developed by Breakfirst Games and published by Maximum Entertainment, releasing on June 24, 2025, for PC (Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. It features an asymmetrical co-op experience where two players work together across separate devices to prevent a global war. One player, controlling either Haurée or Leroy, explores the interior of a lost submarine, interacting with the environment to uncover clues. The other uses a free companion app (available on PC, iOS, Android) to access maps, codes, and additional information, requiring constant communication to solve increasingly complex puzzles.

A Better World

A Better World is an upcoming interactive fiction adventure game developed by Ludogram Games and published by ARTE Interactive, set for release in 2025 on PC via Steam. In this alternate history narrative, you act as a time-traveling recruit for the A Better World Company, using a computer to alter historical events and reshape the future. Gameplay focuses on making impactful choices that change the course of history, navigating a timeline where each decision creates new outcomes, often with unforeseen consequences.

Lost in Prayer

Lost in Prayer is a traditional grid-based roguelike developed and published by Nine Dots Studio, set to launch in Early Access on July 15, 2025, for PC via Steam. The core mechanic allows you to unlock and play as any enemy that kills you, offering diverse playstyles with unique skill trees and abilities, such as a four-armed angel wielding multiple weapons. Gameplay emphasizes turn-based tactical combat, with push-and-pull mechanics, traps, and environmental interactions to outsmart foes. Procedurally generated levels, permadeath, and extensive loot (hundreds of weapons and armor) ensure high replayability.

Sydless

Sydless is an upcoming fast-paced first-person shooter developed by Opia Games, set for release in 2026 on PC via Steam. You control Diego, a fast-food worker at Randy’s Burger in the late 1990s, trapped in a surreal, reality-warping anomaly where the restaurant distorts into increasingly twisted versions of itself. The core mechanic revolves around a deadly bouncing ball as the sole weapon, which gains speed and destructive power with each hit, requiring precise momentum-based movement like wall-jumping, sliding, and dashing to navigate chaotic environments and defeat distorted customers.

Maseylia : Echoes of the Past

Maseylia: Echoes of the Past is an upcoming 3D Metroidvania platformer developed by Sol Brothers, a French duo, set for release in 2026 on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. You explore a vast, interconnected techno-organic labyrinth, blending classic 2D Metroidvania exploration with modern 3D mechanics. The game features open-ended exploration, allowing players to carve their own paths through diverse biomes filled with secrets, forgotten ruins, and wild creatures.

Dead in Antares

Dead in Antares is a turn-based survival management RPG developed by Ishtar Games and published by Nacon, releasing on November 4, 2025, for PC via Steam. The game focuses on managing interconnected systems like food, water, exhaustion, mental health, and energy, while building a camp from ship wreckage. You assign tasks, repair technology, and navigate relationships, where choices shape friendships, rivalries, or betrayals, leading to one of four endings.

Quantic River

Quantic River is an upcoming 2.5D cyberpunk action game developed by FluidFury Interactive, set for release in 2026 on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. The game blends fast-paced katana-based combat, focusing on parries, counter-attacks, and fluid attack chains, with deep exploration of dual-layered levels designed for both speedrunners and explorers. You can unlock cybernetic upgrades to enhance combat, mobility, or hacking, slice through destructible environments, and manipulate security systems to access alternate routes.

Fireside Feelings

Fireside Feelings is an upcoming narrative-driven life adventure game developed by Team Empreintes, set for release in late 2025 on PC via Steam. You embody a customizable, adorable character who creates a cozy safe space around a campfire to share and listen to stories in varied, hand-drawn settings. The game focuses on empathy and connection, inviting players worldwide to answer diverse questions, ranging from lighthearted to profound to craft a collective tale filled with compassion.

Ytash a Nocturnal Poem

Ytash: A Nocturnal Poem is an upcoming 2D Metroidvania action-adventure game developed and published by Sunnyside Games, set for release in late 2025 on PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. A spinoff of the acclaimed Nocturnal, you control Ardeshir, a master of the Enduring Flame, exploring the dark, forgotten city of Ytash on a compact island. The core mechanic revolves around a unique fire system: striking fire sources ignites Ardeshir’s sword, illuminating the pitch-black environment and enabling stylish combat abilities, but enemies can extinguish the flame, leaving you vulnerable with only one health point.

Follow my Steps

Follow My Steps is an upcoming narrative-driven open-world RPG developed by Midnight Games, set for release in 2026 on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. You control Sova, a mother wolf, and her pup Lou, navigating a dreamlike open world to find a new shelter while evading the dangerous Midnight Pack. The game blends exploration, stealth, and magical combat, with six elemental magics used to fight creatures and epic bosses. Core mechanics include using wolf senses to track scents, mark enemies, or uncover hidden treasures, and making moral choices that shape one of 27 unique endings.

HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon

HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon is an upcoming dark fantasy dungeon crawler RPG developed by Ars Goetia and published by PID Games, slated for release in 2026 on PC via Steam. A sequel to Hellslave (2022), it continues the series’ grim narrative where players make a pact with the Devil to combat a demonic invasion threatening humanity’s extinction. Ypi must stop six demon lords before a divine purge, choosing one to worship, which grants unique demonic powers and shapes character builds through an expanded passive skill tree.

Barda

Barda is an upcoming survival roguelike bag-building game developed by Mudita Games, the creators of Pilo and the Holobook, set for release in late 2025 in Early Access on PC via Steam, with planned versions for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. You control Barda, a young girl navigating dangerous forest to find her uncle. The core mechanic revolves around a “bag-building” system, where you collect items to fill a limited inventory, making strategic choices to balance survival resources and combat tools.

Short Announcements

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It’s confirmed that the showcase will feature titles from Hibernian Workshop, Focus Entertainment, NACON, Dear Villagers, Devolver Digital, Amplitude Studios, Nine Dots Studios, Ishtar Games, Playdigious Originals, The Game Bakers, Maximum Entertainment, and Sunnyside Games.

Attention will undoubtedly be drawn to Astral Ascent, an ambitious project from Hibernian Workshop that strongly resembles Final Fantasy XVI, as well as ENDLESS Legend 2 from Amplitude Studios, the turn-based survival game Dead in Antares, and Lost in Prayer from Nine Dots Studios, alongside new trailers for Hell is Us, MIO: Memories in Orbit, and Maseylia: Echoes of the Past.

Following the showcase, numerous games will be available on Steam as part of a special festival, where you can try out 20 demo versions and gain deeper insights through interviews and detailed previews.

The post AG French Direct is happening today, featuring 40 games by French developers first appeared on IndieGames.

The first thing that really stood out was how the world looked. Even though it was quite empty in terms of colorful decorations, it was still very well-crafted for the showcase, and the fast travel option definitely helped. You had the chance to visit multiple floors and get introduced to hand-crafted booths from indie studios and publishers like Raw Fury, Selecta Play, and Hypetrain Digital.

While it was definitely interesting to discover different games and just walk around, doing silly emotes with other people, and being able to talk to them and even use chat, I can’t shake the feeling the booths didn’t offer much. Sure, there was a QR code to wishlist the game, instant access to a demo you could download via Steam, and each had a distinctive look suited for the game – like fog or characters you’d find in the actual game, with trailers running in the background. But, it felt like they could have been more interactive.

The Alters, The Knightling, Mortal Crux, Liftlands, Beyond the Board, Post Trauma were just a few of the 40 games in total presented during the showcase. I did, however, wish there were more events set inside the world. Since you had to download a special launcher, it felt a bit like you were just left there to join and do whatever you wanted. The event would have been better with organized Q&A sessions, or even meetings where people could gather in one place.

Endix 2025 wasn’t just a showcase; it actually provided a cost-effective, inclusive platform, empowering small studios to compete with industry giants without the hefty price tag of physical events. Considering how ridiculously expensive real-world events are, it’s often too costly just to buy a ticket and find a nearby hotel or place to stay, this could definitely be the future for showcases.

The post We Visited the Endix Indie Showcase 2025 first appeared on IndieGames.

Właściwie czemu by nie zacząć od spotkania z kimś legendarnym? Na przykład z Mikiem Pondsmithem – twórcą znanym z takich projektów jak Mekton, Castle Falkenstein czy Cyberpunk. Ten ostatni tytuł często pojawiał się w trakcie jego prelekcji o franczyzach z perspektywy ich autorów. Mieliśmy więc okazję poznać podstawowe elementy zarządzania franczyzą (takie jak wartość finansowa, widoczność kulturowa i przepustowość informacyjna – czyli słynne „trójkąty śmierci”) oraz zadać sobie naprawdę kluczowe pytania, przykładowo: „Czy Chris Pratt mógłby zagrać w Cyberpunku”?

Indie Zone miała wiele do pokazania

Po wykładzie postanowiliśmy ponownie zajrzeć do Indie Zone. Nie trzeba dodawać, że w ciągu kilku godzin zgłębiania kolejnych tytułów doświadczyliśmy całej gamy emocji. Moją pierwszą grą tego dnia był kosmiczny survival z elementami eksploracji Cosminers. Ze świata science fiction przeniosłam się następnie do uniwersum Vranygrai, wypełnionego słowiańską mitologią i baśniami. Pewne alternatywne wersje rzeczywistości pojawiły się także w Turbo Liar: Rust & Fast, grze wyścigowej osadzonej w Polsce lat 70. i 80.

Potem miałam ochotę spróbować czegoś naprawdę trudnego, więc wybrałam… A Difficult Game About Letters (niezbyt łatwa platformówka 2D). Kolejnym wypróbowanym przeze mnie tytułem był AbstractPunk, który również oferował graczom różne wyzwania – w końcu to soulslike z kolażową grafiką. Następnie moją uwagę przyciągnęło Sheeple – autobattler z elementami roguelike i budowania talii, a także dużą ilością owiec. Eksplorację Indie Zone zakończyłam przy stanowisku z Be My Horde – dwuwymiarową grą typu roguelite z potężną nekromantką w roli głównej. Krótko mówiąc, istniało wiele powodów, by uczestnicy często odwiedzali Indie Zone.

Kolejne wydarzenie, na które się wybraliśmy, poświęcone było psychologii w marketingu. Prelekcja prowadzona przez konsultantkę ds. marketingu gier, Martę Matyjewicz, dotyczyła decyzji podejmowanych przez graczy w trakcie pierwszych spotkań z daną grą. Okazuje się, że rzeczywiście mamy w sobie dwa wilki: jednego odpowiedzialnego za logiczną analizę, i drugiego, który ulega hasłom w stylu „Dodaj do listy życzeń!”, „Zagraj w demo!” czy „Naciśnij F, aby wejść w interakcję”!

Cyberpunk, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2., The Thaumaturge

Następny wykład wyraźnie różnił się od poprzednich, gdyż skupiał się na wykorzystaniu alternatywnej historii we współczesnym storytellingu, co pokazano na przykładzie gry The Thaumaturge. Katarzyna Władyka, zajmująca stanowisko quest designera w Fool’s Theory, wyjaśniła uczestnikom jak historia, kultura i wyobraźnia powinny ze sobą współgrać w opowieści. Największą uwagę zwracano przy tym na to, że jakiekolwiek elementy fantastyczne, jak nadprzyrodzone moce czy istoty, powinny wzmacniać prezentowaną historię, a nie ją zastępować.

Naszym ostatnim wydarzeniem z konferencji była prezentacja o artefaktach w grze S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Jegor Ostapenko, projektant gier z GSC Game World, opowiedział o swoich doświadczeniach przy pracy nad tym konkretnym aspektem projektu. Mogliśmy więc poznać nie tylko kulisy tworzenia tych ikonicznych obiektów, ale również uzyskać wgląd w zarządzanie zespołem oraz wyzwania związane z realizacją tego tytułu.

I tak oto Konferencja Digital Dragons 2025 dobiegła końca. Wydarzenie to było pełne możliwości, niespodzianek i inspirujących spotkań z ludźmi z różnych zakątków świata. Cieszymy się, że mogliśmy być częścią tej niesamowitej inicjatywy, która dostarczyła nam wiele cennych doświadczeń i wspomnień, ale również sporo nadziei na kontynuację tej przygody. Choć twórcy i gracze zdążyli już opuścić miasto, my zostajemy z legendarnym smokiem w Krakowie, aby wypatrywać kolejnych okazji na rozpalanie naszej pasji do gier.

Do zobaczenia następnym razem!

The post Czego doświadczyliśmy na Konferencji Digital Dragons 2025 – Dzień Trzeci first appeared on IndieGames.

To był naprawdę mądry ruch ze strony organizatorów, by rozpocząć dzień od konferencji prasowej w Media Corner. Nie tylko więc oficjalnie powitano wszystkich zgromadzonych, ale również przeprowadzono krótką wycieczkę po głównych atrakcjach. Dzięki temu dotarliśmy do strefy wykładów, gdzie natknęliśmy się również na fascynującą wystawę zrzutów ekranów z gier wideo wykonanych w trybie fotograficznym. PHOTOmodeBOOK vol. 1-18 autorstwa Rafała Szrajbera to projekt, który naprawdę zapadł mi w pamięć, a myśli o tych zróżnicowanych ujęciach towarzyszyły mi jeszcze w drodze na pierwszy wykład.

Dźwięk i efekty specjalne na straży gier

Nie spodziewałam się, że prezentacja na temat przekształcania plików midi w nagrania z wykonań na żywo może być tak interaktywna. Iavor Pachovski, kompozytor uczestniczący w produkcji takich projektów jak Darksiders Genesis, FrostPunk czy seria Wiedźmin, podzielił się swoimi wskazówkami na temat muzyki w grach wideo, odtwarzając przy tym robocze pliki audio oraz kompletne nagrania orkiestry.

Śledząc po kolei każdy etap komponowania, mogliśmy zaobserwować cały proces tworzenia muzyki na żywo i późniejszego wdrażania jej do projektu, co było wciągającym tematem również dla osób, które zazwyczaj nie przywiązują dużej wagi do muzycznego aspektu tworzenia gier.

Poniedziałek był zdominowany przez muzykę z gier, co potwierdza nasz następny wykład na ten temat. Tym razem mieliśmy okazję przyjrzeć się konkretnemu przykładowi, mianowicie ścieżce dźwiękowej do Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Jan Valta, główny kompozytor muzyki do KCD I & II, zdradził nam swoje sposoby na opowiadanie historii za pomocą dźwięków.

Uczestnicy mogli również wysłuchać najbardziej rozpoznawalnych utworów muzycznych z gry, takich jak Saint Barbara Theme czy Sasau Monastery, którym towarzyszyły komentarze samego autora. Jak to często w grach bywa, na sam koniec obejrzeliśmy cutscenkę, w której zwróciliśmy uwagę na balansowanie między ciszą a emocjonalną melodią.

Muzyka zdecydowanie odgrywa ważną rolę w grach wideo, jednakże nie zapominajmy również o ogromnym znaczeniu atrakcyjnej oprawy wizualnej. W celu zdobycia wiedzy na ten temat wybraliśmy się na wykład prowadzony przez Pawła Charzyńskiego, eksperta od efektów VFX z 11 bit studios. Jego prezentacja skupiała się na systemach spawnujących w grze Frostpunk 2, ich optymalizacji oraz cechach charakterystycznych z punktu widzenia twórcy. Mimo, że wykład był przeznaczony głównie dla osób posiadających już pewne doświadczenie z efektami VFX, to również miałam szansę dowiedzieć się czegoś nowego – np. że w systemie Niagara nie chodzi o słynny wodospad.

Perełki indie i wielcy wygrani

Poza wykładami znaleźliśmy również czas na odwiedzenie Strefy Indie. Nie było łatwo dokonać selekcji spośród prawie 50 gier, chociaż udało mi się wybrać kilka interesujących tytułów. Najpierw wybrałam się do świata inspirowanego snami w grze point-and-click Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken. Następnie przeniosłam się do wirtualnej rzeczywistości, aby w Sheep Fall Flat poprowadzić stado owiec do celu.

Potem przyszedł czas na zmianę klimatu i połączenie horroru z elementami gatunku cozy w Vale’s Echo. Ostatnią grą, jaką wypróbowałam tego dnia, był tytuł łączący elementy Roguelike, Tower Defense oraz budowania talii – Wandering Monolith. Słowem: niesamowita różnorodność już na samym początku, co skłoniło mnie do wypróbowania więcej tytułów we wtorek.

Wydarzeniem wieńczącym ten dzień była legendarna już gala Digital Dragons Awards, która za sprawą występów muzycznych oraz ogłoszenia zwycięzców tegorocznego konkursu wzbudziła wiele emocji wśród fanów gier wideo.

W tym roku statuetka powędrowała do następujących tytułów:

• Best Polish Game of 2024: Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios)
• Best Polish Game Design of 2024: Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios)
• Best Polish Visual Game Art of 2024: Nobody Wants to Die (Critical Hit Games)
• Best Polish Game Audio of 2024: Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios)
• Best Polish Narrative of 2024: Nobody Wants to Die (Critical Hit Games)
• Best Polish Mobile Game of 2024: Tomorrow: MMO Nuclear Quest (Rage Quit Games)
• Best Foreign Game of 2024: Balatro (LocalThunk)  
• Special Recognition Award: Magdalena Cielecka

Ponadto główną nagrodę dla gier niezależnych Indie Dragons Awards otrzymał tytuł Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken (Scriptwelder Studio).

Emocjonalny, Epicki i Edukacyjny – drugi dzień Digital Dragons Conference 2025 skłonił nas do przyznania mu autorskiej kategorii EEE w kontekście inspirujących wydarzeń ze świata gamedevu. Mimo ogromnej ilość poniedziałkowych wydarzeń znaleźliśmy w sobie jeszcze zapas energii na ostatni dzień konferencji, który wyniósł nasze dotychczasowe doświadczenia i wrażenia na jeszcze wyższy poziom. Wkrótce dowiecie się dlaczego.

The post Czego doświadczyliśmy na Konferencji Digital Dragons 2025 – Dzień Drugi first appeared on IndieGames.