The goal of Magnificon Expo is not only to promote Japanese traditions, trends and works of art, but also to shape Polish cultural scene in general. While video games are not the main focus in that case, the festival still offers an unique insight into the world of gaming with conferences and panel discussions concerning specific titles and franchises, cultural context of those games and also gaming industry in general.

As usual, during this event participants can also attend theme zones dedicated to different kinds of games. There will be a CFA Gaming Zone with fresh Xbox premieres (DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Avowed), Slayer Bites snacks and photo op with Duchess from Elden Ring: Nightreign. Another attraction will be run by Project Genshin, an initiative that brings together fans of the titular open-world RPG. For this section, they’ll create a real life Genshin village full of characteristic objects, different quests and locations straight from the game. Moreover, there also will be an area filled with rhythm games of all sorts, so that visitors can choose between various kinds of genres.

The post We will be present at Magnificon Expo 2025 in Poland! first appeared on IndieGames.

The story unfolds in a non-linear, handcrafted narrative of reunion, revenge, and redemption, set against a world fractured by music, fame, and betrayal. Ten years after the band’s breakup, the living members of Dead as Disco plan a reunion concert to honor Charlie, unaware that he’s back to confront them and uncover the truth behind his death.

Combat is the heart of the game, with punches, kicks, and takedowns syncing seamlessly to the soundtrack, creating a rhythmic flow dubbed “Beat Kune Do.” Mastering this musical combat unlocks new talents, moves, and dances, enhancing Charlie’s abilities. You can customize the experience by adding your own songs, alongside a streamer-safe original soundtrack and licensed tracks spanning multiple genres.

The game’s world is rich with customization, allowing you to collect flamboyant fashion inspired by the stars of Disco’s universe, ensuring Charlie always looks the part. You can also personalize the Dive Bar, a hub where collecting memorabilia unlocks pieces of the band’s true story, deepening the narrative. The hand-drawn, neon-soaked visuals bring the chaotic world to life, blending retro and modern vibes.

The post Dead as Disco Unveiled Rhythmic Beat ’em Up Combat in its First Trailer first appeared on IndieGames.

The Ruby Armour Upgrade, released on March 13, 2025, isn’t just a cosmetic tweak, it’s a full-on reinvention of ReSetna’s core mechanics. The standout feature is the reworked combat system, which now feels fluid, responsive, and downright satisfying. The new Ruby Armour doesn’t just make ReSetna look striking with its sleek, crimson design; it enhances her combat capabilities in meaningful ways. Attacks are sharper, with tighter controls that make every swing of the machadinha, slash of the sabre, or thrust of the naginata feel impactful.

Like precision platforming? Use Gravity Grip – this Chip gives you way better control when wall-jumping.

Want to get back in action quicker? Use Spark Recoil Chip – your shield recharges faster when it's off. Stay mobile, take cover, and boom!

Dodge and leave a little present… pic.twitter.com/DzDF9HqtrO

— ReSetna ▶ available NOW on Steam || indie 🎮 (@tgdevs_official) March 26, 2025

The update makes ReSetna’s combat faster and more fluid. Chain attacks are quicker now, aerial counters have been added, and combos hit harder. My favorite addition is the projectile reflect move, it creates smart new opportunities for parries and counters. Whether dashing between enemies or chaining air attacks into powerful finishers, the combat flows with a new rhythm. It’s clear Today’s Games really listened to player feedback when making these improvements.

Beyond combat, the Ruby Armour Upgrade brings a few of quality-of-life improvements. The final boss fight, another pain point from my first playthrough, has been rebuilt from the ground up, offering a challenging yet fair conclusion to ReSetna’s journey. Side quests now feel worthwhile, doling out rewards and upgrades that encourage you to explore every corner of this haunting, mechanical realm.

Since ReSetna first launched, the team has released 14 updates in just one month, they’ve been incredibly quick to listen and improve things. The rough spots I noticed during my first playthrough are now smoothed out, creating a much better experience that mixes fast combat with satisfying exploration. The chip upgrade system (which lets you change ReSetna’s abilities anytime) works perfectly with the new combat options, giving you more freedom to play your way.

The story, with its deep psychological themes and cool boss designs, feels even better now that the gameplay lives up to it. For me, this update transformed ReSetna from a promising game into something that everyone should give a try. It’s not just about the Ruby Armour addition, it’s about a small indie team getting another chance and absolutely nailing it.

The post I Returned to ReSetna After the Ruby Armour Upgrade and I Loved It first appeared on IndieGames.

In Billie Bust-Up, characters sing as they move through the world, whether in rhythmic sequences or boss battles set to villainous musical numbers. This approach, inspired by classic animated musicals, brings fresh energy to platformers while paying homage to Disney-style songs.

One of the reasons Billie Bust-Up has already gained popularity is its exceptional animation and music quality. Songs like “I’ve Had Enough of You,” and “The Pirate Queen’s Cave is the Worst” have drawn attention not only for their lyrics but also for their outstanding performances. The game’s music is composed by the renowned Daniel Ingram, best known for his work on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, with orchestration by Trevor Hoffmann.

Beyond its impressive soundtrack, Billie Bust-Up also boasts a top-tier voice cast. The lineup includes Michael Kovach, Ed Bosco, and Gabriel Brown, all known for their work on the pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel. Kovach, recognized for roles in The Amazing Digital Circus and Murder Drones, brings his charismatic voice to the main character, while Bosco and Brown add depth and charm to other key roles.

The post Billie Bust-Up is an Interactive Musical Game That Revives the Spirit of Classic Animated Musicals first appeared on IndieGames.

The demo offers a glimpse into Antro’s dystopian world and its protagonist, Nittch, as he navigates the city streets on a mission that will change his life forever. You will join the fight against the oppressive regime known as La Cúpula and attempt to liberate Antro and its people from tyranny. The regime has allegedly banned art and music, making resistance even more vital.

As you descend into the dark depths of this underground world, you will overcome obstacles using parkour, solve various puzzles, and escape relentless pursuers, all in sync with a dynamic soundtrack featuring hip-hop, drill, R&B, and electronic beats.

The post Antro Showcases New Gameplay Trailer and Announces Console Demo During Humble Games Showcase first appeared on IndieGames.

Instead of automating factories and traditional resource mining, Future Vibe Check lets you gather resources through rhythm and pitch-based interactions. The game features an intelligent music system that ensures everything sounds harmonious, even without prior knowledge of music theory. The rhythmic minigames are designed to be accessible rather than overly difficult, while defending against the Vibe Stealer becomes crucial as the factory expands.

Manik Bhat, the game’s creator and founder of Unwise, emphasized that Future Vibe Check is a product of his desire to create something that his younger self would have loved. The game transforms the instinctive drive for optimization and growth, common in automation games, into something deeply human - creative energy and music-making.

The post Future Vibe Check Brings Musical Automation Later This Year first appeared on IndieGames.

Unique city-builder determined to redefine the genre

The Whims of the Gods is a city-builder designed with an online co-op mode in mind. The goal seems quite simple: you have to obtain resources, build an ancient city and meet the needs of its inhabitants. However, when your plans are dependent on the fantasies of the Ancient Whimsical Gods, the situation quickly becomes much more complicated.

In this case, managing a growing civilization involves creating complex production systems, battling frightening enemies and even adapting to a mystical calendar. It is your chance to join forces with another player in order to create a thriving metropolis. If you wish to gain more insight into the details of this game, make sure to check out our interview with the devs here.

I got to play the game twice: first in co-op mode with one of the testers from Juggler Games team, then a second time by myself. While in both cases my gameplay was centered around completing consecutive tasks from a tutorial, the impressions I got from these two playthroughs are quite different. But before we get to that part, let’s first take a look at the basics.

The gameplay loop is surprisingly fun

The game begins with an intro dialogue between four ancient deities who are discussing their previous creations and failed trials. Now they came up with a new idea: placing humans on an island full of dangers as a way to prove their worth to the Gods. Since the very beginning we can sense heavy inspiration from the Aztec and Mayan cultures – the names of the Gods, their depictions, drawings located on the moving circles and soft melody playing in the background all resemble elements we immediately associate with those civilizations.

Whilst this short bit serves mainly as an introduction to the story, it also foreshadows some components of the gameplay: not only spinning circles look similar to the one from mystical calendar, but also the conversation highlights whimsical nature of the Gods and its consequences, which players will soon get to experience in form of either blessings or curses. Another neat detail can be spotted during the loading screen which shows us a glimpse of a fully advanced city that we’ll be able to achieve in later parts of the game.

After the brief introduction, we move on to the tutorial. Starting with simple things like operating the camera, getting used to the interface and main mechanics, we then waste no time learning essential features like gathering resources, constructing various buildings, hiring workers, increasing the population and expanding the territory. After completing those steps, you’ll need to research more advanced buildings to sustain the economy and progress the Quest Objectives.

While at first it seems like a typical city-builder progression, you soon get to discover some original solutions: like making sacrifices at the shrines and completing rituals in order to unlock new areas or receive a surprise. Or activating the ancient calendar that warns players about upcoming events, which can as well turn into something unexpected due to the titular whims of the Gods. In my opinion, generally the instructions are clear and straightforward, however I would prefer to have more guidance at the moment of assembling and turning on the calendar’s mechanism, as it introduces kinetic and thermal energy to the gameplay.

It has cozy elements?

As I mentioned at the beginning, the experience you get from this game when you’re playing alone is not the same as in co-op mode. Picking a singleplayer option definitely maintains the challenging nature of the game, even though you get access to a wider range of actions, ensuring the prosperity of the city becomes pretty difficult. However, it’s the cooperative system that makes this title stand out amongst other productions in this genre.

I really enjoyed how the game adapted to having two players, and even encouraged them to reach a consensus: for example when defining each other’s responsibilities, you have to agree on which buildings, resources, and technology trees you’re assigned to, and then also make sure that the other person benefits from your contribution and vice versa. This fresh twist on a multiplayer feature definitely made the whole gameplay more dynamic and absorbing – no wonder it’s treated as the game’s primary attraction.

While I was playing, I learnt that one of the participants of the playtests provided the team with an interesting observation: that The Whims of the Gods has qualities of a cozy game. While this might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re struggling with overcoming challenges (especially when your inhabitants are dying – not really something you expect from cozy titles), I agree that the overall atmosphere of the game has some casual feeling to it. With the vibrant and colorful setting, relaxing sound of a waterfall and a rhythmical gameplay, I can totally see somebody getting into the swing of it for hours.

Definitely worth keeping it on your radar

Reaching the conclusion, this build of The Whims of the Gods offers a genuinely strong and enjoyable experience. And, more importantly, it is a fully functional version: no bugs, no crashes, no major technical difficulties, which is worth pointing out given that the issues reported during the second playtests have already been fixed. Although, there is still a room for improvement: the instructions during later parts should be more precise, the notifications were appearing even though the residents were in the middle of taking care of these matters, and at some points there was no animation.

However, those things didn’t affect the overall experience with this game, which I believe grows on you with every playthrough – not only you get used to the mechanics and complete the tasks faster, but also it’s easier to notice the details that you might’ve missed before (like the fact that you can see every inhabitant’s name in their hut, which is kind of cool).

I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing how the auto-battler combat will work and in which direction the game will be heading storywise – the volcano and multiple endings bit does sound pretty promising. Talking about promises: while there is no exact release date yet, there’s a high chance that we’ll receive the full game sometime in Q3 2025. And as far as it’s going now, I can assure you: it’ll be worth the wait.

The post [PREVIEW] The Whims of the Gods – Tenochtitlán wasn't built in a day first appeared on IndieGames.

In Cash Cleaner Simulator, you play as a professional money cleaner, tasked with washing dirty banknotes, coins, and treasures to make them look brand new. Using a wide selection of experimental tools, you can scrub, stack, and sort piles of cash to the beat of rhythmic trap music. With no time limits or pressure, the game offers a laid-back experience focused on the art of cleaning.

Additionally, you’ll be able to browse the darknet on a hacked phone to find new clients and convert a portion of their currency into untraceable crypto. These resources can be used to purchase new cleaning tools, upgrade existing machines, and customize your lab. Available gadgets include a washing machine, dryer, UV lamp, workbench, and furnace. The lab itself can be decorated with plants, basketball hoops, and other furnishings.

Beyond cleaning money, you can use excess cash to create basketballs, make confetti with the “Money Gun,” or even burn money in a fireplace to keep your lab warm. UV lights and other tools allow you to explore the lab in search of hidden treasures and secrets.

The post Relaxing Money-Laundering Simulator Cash Cleaner Simulator Finally Has Official Release Date first appeared on IndieGames.

Ratatan is a rhythmic roguelike action game developed in collaboration with Hiroyuki Kotani, the game designer behind the beloved PATAPON series. You take on the role of the Ratatan, using magical instruments to command armies of Cobun in battle. By following rhythmic sequences, you deliver commands to attack, defend, and perform unique character skills, creating a dynamic blend of music and action.

The game also features richly detailed graphics and a variety of characters, thanks to Nelnal, the illustrator and character designer. The addition of new content, including multiplayer mini-games and a brand-new system, further enhances the experience. Utilizing TVT’s proprietary “Theory Engine,” Ratatan promises a fast and stable environment for online multiplayer, making it a perfect choice for co-op gaming.

The post Ratatan Gameplay Trailer Showcases Rhythm-Based Combat Sequences first appeared on IndieGames.

This visually stunning and musically electrifying game invites players to dive into a heart-throbbing, head-banging pop soundtrack while engaging in epic battles and fast-paced chases. For those experiencing it for the first time or returning for another ride, Sayonara Wild Hearts on PS5 brings a fresh twist with its brand-new Remix Arcade mode, exclusively available on the new console.

This mode offers infinitely replayable levels where players can chase high scores through random song segments, all without loading screens. Enhanced for the next-gen console, the game now boasts 4K resolution, a smooth 120 FPS, and haptic feedback through the DualSense controller.

Since its initial release in 2019, Sayonara Wild Hearts has garnered widespread praise and numerous accolades. It won Portable Game of the Year at the 2020 D.I.C.E Awards and received an award for Artistic Achievement at the BAFTA Games Awards. The game also earned three nominations at The Game Awards 2019, including Best Art Direction, Best Score/Music, and Best Mobile Game.

The post Action Rhythm Game Sayonara Wild Hearts Dazzles on PlayStation 5 first appeared on IndieGames.