As someone new to the series, I dove into Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark with no expectations. This sequel changes from a straight-line “Classicvania” to a full Metroidvania with a bigger, connected world. It’s a 2D action title with great pixel graphics and voice acting that matches the detailed characters. In this game, you play as demon maid sisters Kirika and Masha. They must travel through the Demon Realm to bring back their master, Demon Lord Maxim, by finding his bones and beating the rival Demon Lord Lyzenorg.

The combat is solid, but it doesn’t stand out in any special way

The combat system is cleverly built around the interplay between Kirika and Masha. Kirika, a ranged fighter, uses a submachine gun for distant attacks and a shotgun-like blast while dodging, but she needs to reload her ammo. Masha, a melee specialist, wields a thorny vine whip with a satisfying three-hit combo, alongside magical sub-weapons like summoned spiders. You can swap between the sisters instantly in solo play, or control one each in co-op mode.

Sub-weapons, which are found in chests or dropped by enemies, consume Demon Points (DP) and offer diverse effects, from grenades to auto-targeting swords. Additionally, the “Sister Rescue” mechanic lets you revive a fallen sister by reaching her corpse. However, combat pacing suffers on normal difficulty due to repetitive enemy types and overly easy encounters; some sub-weapons also feel unbalanced. It doesn’t help that enemies are easily stunned out of their attack patterns. Once you learn their moves, like the Grim Reaper teleporting behind you, encounters become very simple.

Each boss fight has many stages. For example, a spider boss might first use web traps, then call small helpers, and finally fill the room with poison. The game has over a dozen bosses, from rival Demon Lord Lyzenorg’s helpers to creepy, gothic-looking creatures like dragon maidens, and moving statues. These fights happen in special areas made for each boss, often with environmental dangers that make battles harder.

Some bosses have shields that only Masha’s whip can break, while others need Kirika’s precise shots to hit weak spots from far away. As mentioend, in co-op mode, you and a friend each control one sister. This lets you attack at the same time, making fights quicker, but it needs good teamwork. Bosses also often need special sub-weapons to stop their attacks or do extra damage. For example, you might use ice grenades to freeze a lava-spitting dragon or homing swords for enemies in the air.

“The combat system is cleverly built around the interplay between Kirika and Masha.”

Exploration is really confusing

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark has a big, connected map with different areas like castles, forests, and lava zones. You explore to find Maxim’s bones, hidden chests, and Demon Relics. These relics unlock new areas and abilities, like double jumps or air dashes. The map is also easy to use even while moving, showing rooms you’ve explored, chests, and save points.

However, moving around can be confusing. The game doesn’t tell you much about where to go or how to use sub-weapons to get past obstacles. This lack of guidance often means frustratingly going back, and there aren’t many fast-travel points. Some areas feel plain or same too, with confusing paths and dead ends that slow down your exploration.

Maxim bones can be traded at the throne room for stat boosts and new abilities, encouraging more in-depth exploring, but it’s often slowed down by needing to go back to the castle, usually without easy fast-travel. While Demon Relics and sub-weapons offer some ways to customize, the upgrade system feels too simple. The game also has three difficulty modes: Casual, Veteran, Legend.

The visuals are a bigger strength here than the gameplay. Kirika and Masha look great, with distinct designs: Kirika has a cool, crimson look, while Masha shows off green, playful energy. Enemies are diverse and detailed, blending gothic and anime styles, and the art style echoes Castlevania: Symphony of the Night with its colorful, sometimes suggestive touches. Additionally, excellent Japanese voice acting really stands out here, adding a lot of charm to the characters.

“The visuals are a bigger strength here than the gameplay.”

Solid Metroidvania that doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking

I didn’t run into any bugs or issues with the game; it felt like a pretty average Metroidvania to me. The biggest selling points are probably the graphics and voice acting. However, with odd fast-travel options and combat that’s just okay (even if the characters themselves are fun), this game might not be for everyone. Since I haven’t played the first game, I can’t compare them, but this sequel was neither disappointing nor amazing.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.3

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Dotemu’s track record with retro-inspired games is impeccable, as seen in their work on Streets of Rage 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, which reflects a deep understanding of beloved classics while pushing boundaries with modern mechanics and visuals. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a side-scrolling entry, seamlessly blends the classic lore and gameplay of the original series with the depth and intensity of its modern 3D counterparts, offering the perfect mix of nostalgia and innovation to refresh the franchise’s appeal without alienating its core fans.

Ninja Gaiden has always been notorious for its difficulty, and Dotemu’s statement that Ragebound features mechanics that are “easy to learn but hard to truly master” suggests they are staying true to this tradition. The involvement of The Game Kitchen, further reinforces this. Blasphemous is a game that demands precision and strategy, qualities that align perfectly with the Ninja Gaiden ethos. I expect Ragebound to offer a similarly demanding experience, where every move counts, and every enemy encounter tests your skills to the limit.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound introduces a new protagonist, Kenji Mozu, a young ninja from Hayabusa Village. He must form an alliance with Kumori from the Black Spider Clan to combat a demonic threat. This narrative twist, combined with the ability to control two characters simultaneously through a mechanic called Ninja Fusion, adds a layer of depth new to the series. It’s a bold move that could redefine how players experience the Ninja Gaiden universe.

Finally, Dotemu’s partnership with Koei Tecmo, the current holders of the Ninja Gaiden IP, is a testament to their credibility. Koei Tecmo’s trust in Dotemu to handle such a beloved franchise speaks volumes about the company’s reputation and capability.

The timing of the demo release during Steam Next Fest on June 9, 2025 is a strategic move. It allows players to get a taste of Ragebound before its full launch on July 31, 2025 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. his builds anticipation and gives Dotemu and The Game Kitchen valuable feedback to fine-tune the game.

The post I’m Convinced The Game Kitchen Will Add a Unique Twist to Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, State of Play Confirms Release Date first appeared on IndieGames.

Chronicles of the Wolf throws you into a world where myth and history intertwine. As Mateo, you’ll navigate treacherous landscapes and battle monstrous abominations. Journey through humble villages, opulent mansions, dank cave systems, and dark forests riddled with ghouls and ghosts. The game is packed with everything fans love: tight combat, gothic storytelling, and boss fights.

Adding to the game’s immersive experience, the narration is brought to life by Robert Belgrade, legendary for his work in the Tekken series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (as Alucard), Mega Man X7 (Signas), and Soul Blade (Rock), while the illustrated cutscenes and haunting soundtrack are composed by Jeffrey Montoya.

Chronicles of the Wolf is set to launch on June 19th, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC (Steam). Physical editions will be available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles.

The post Chronicles of the Wolf drops this June, showcasing a new gameplay trailer first appeared on IndieGames.

POPUCOM

Release Date: June 2, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Multiplayer / Platformer

POPUCOM is a multiplayer co-op platform adventure game. As an adventurer, you are summoned to an unknown planet to embark on an exoplanet expedition with your friends. Face various enemies and use engaging items and techniques to eliminate threats and restore the world to its former glory. The game features two main modes: a narrative-driven story mode designed for two players, and “Party Mode” for three to four players, perfect for chaotic fun and shared laughter.

DELTARUNE

Release Date: June 4, 2025

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2

Genre: RPG

DELTARUNE is an episodic RPG by Toby Fox, a spin-off from Undertale, set in a parallel universe. You control Kris, a human teenager in a monster-filled town, who enters the “Dark World” with classmates Susie and Ralsei to seal Dark Fountains and save the world. The game blends turn-based combat with bullet hell mechanics, allowing you to fight or spare enemies. Unlike Undertale, it has one ending, emphasizing limited player choice. Chapters 1-2 are free on PC, Mac, Switch, and PS4, with Chapters 3-4 set for a paid release.

The Alters

Release Date: June 13, 2025

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Genre: Survival

The Alters is a sci-fi survival game. You play as Jan Dolski, a miner stranded on a hostile planet, piloting a mobile base to escape deadly solar radiation. Using Rapidium, you create “Alters”—alternate versions of Jan with unique skills based on different life choices. The game blends base-building, resource management, and exploration with a branching narrative, where choices shape Jan’s relationships with his Alters and lead to multiple endings.

Date Everything!

Release Date: June 17, 2025

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Genre: Dating Sim

Date Everything! is a sandbox dating sim by Sassy Chap Games. After losing your job to AI, you receive magical “Dateviator” glasses that transform household objects like your bed, fridge, or even existential dread into 100 fully voice-acted dateable characters. With branching narratives and at least three endings per character, you can romance, befriend, or feud, crafting unique stories in a vibrant, pun-filled world.

Crown Gambit

Release Date: June 18, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Tactical RPG

Crown Gambit is a narrative-driven tactical RPG. Set in the dark fantasy kingdom of Meodred, you guide three paladins – Aliza, Hael, and Rollo – through a chaotic capital torn by a war of succession. Choose a side among throne contenders, wielding ancestral relics in card-based combat against knights, nobles, and rebels. Your choices shape the story, paladin personalities, and multiple endings, blending strategy, visual novel elements, and Celtic-inspired art by Gobert.

Broken Arrow

Release Date: June 19, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Strategy / Tactical

Broken Arrow is a large-scale, real-time modern warfare tactics game by Slitherine. Set in a fictional Eastern European conflict, it features U.S. and Russian factions with over 300 customizable units across six categories, offering 1,500+ combinations. You build armies, deploy via land, sea, and air, and engage in strategic battles on realistic, large maps like cities and refineries. With deep unit customization, a scenario editor, and 5v5 multiplayer, it blends Company of Heroes-style action with Arma-like realism.

REMATCH

Release Date: June 19, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Football / Multiplayer

REMATCH is a fast-paced, arcade-style 5v5 multiplayer football game by Sloclap. You control a single character in a third-person perspective, with no fouls or offsides, ensuring non-stop action in futuristic VR arenas. Emphasizing skill-based gameplay and teamwork, it features manual passing, shooting, and dribbling, with modes like 3v3 and 4v4 alongside competitive 5v5. Customization options include cosmetics, and the game, priced at 30 €, avoids pay-to-win mechanics.

Star Overdrive

Release Date: June 19, 2025

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Genre: Action-Adventure

Star Overdrive is an open-world sci-fi action-adventure, in which you play as Bios, a spacefarer stranded on the alien planet Cebete, searching for your lost lover, Nous. Using a hoverboard and keytar, you speed through diverse biomes, solve puzzles, and battle enemies. The game blends Zelda: Breath of the Wild-style exploration with Tony Hawk-inspired traversal, featuring a retro-futuristic aesthetic and synth-rock soundtrack.

BitCraft Online

Release Date: June 20, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: MMORPG

BitCraft Online is a sandbox MMORPG. Set in a single, procedurally generated world, you are awaken as mystical beings, building shelters to survive. The game emphasizes crafting, farming, hunting, and city-building over combat, with a freeform skill system where you master abilities through practice. You can create towns, trade, or unite cities into empires, shaping a dynamic, player-driven world.

Shuffle Tactics

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Deckbuilding

Shuffle Tactics is a roguelite deckbuilding tactical RPG. Set in the cursed kingdom of Asteria, you battle the Glimmer Curse as heroes like Doberknight or Catalina, using strategic card combos and grid-based positioning. With 500+ cards, 20 sidekicks, and diverse biomes, it blends Final Fantasy Tactics and Slay the Spire for deep, replayable combat.

DREADZONE

Release Date: June 26, 2025

Platforms: PC

Genre: Survival

DREADZONE is a survival game by Eshed, set in a post-apocalyptic quarantine zone ravaged by the Zeno-29 virus. Players scavenge resources, craft tools, build shelters, and fight zombies, mutants, animals, and rival survivors in a gritty open-world. With first-person combat, base-building, and co-op multiplayer, it offers a tense, atmospheric experience.

Ruffy and the Riverside

Release Date: June 26, 2025

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch

Genre: Platformer

Ruffy and the Riverside is a open-world 3D platformer. You play as Ruffy, a bear with the magical SWAP ability to copy and paste textures, for example, turning ice into lava to solve puzzles and explore Riverside. Joined by friends like Pip the bee, you battle villain Groll to save the World Core. With hand-drawn art, playful side quests, and collectibles, it blends Banjo-Kazooie-style charm with innovative mechanics.

The post Top 12 Indie Games Releasing in June 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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Instead of relying on cheap jump scares, the game focuses on a slow, creeping sense of dread. Your goal is to solve puzzles to escape these maze-like environments, which are clearly inspired by the viral “backrooms” phenomenon. It’s less about fighting monsters and more about the quiet, disturbing horror of spaces that just feel wrong.

The Playrooms expansion takes that familiar formula and twists it into something much more personal and deeply unsettling. You’ll find jungle gyms, finger paintings, and playpens all rearranged into a bizarre, dreamlike nightmare. “We’re exploring the infinitely imaginative mind of a child”, says Valentín Iribarren, the game creator at Montraluz. “Mixing those shared memories of childhood into something unsettling was really exciting for us.” The result is a new level that adds about 50% more content, making Dreamcore feel bigger and even weirder than before.

Right now, Dreamcore costs 8.99 € across all platforms. But with the Playrooms expansion arriving on June 17, that price is going to jump to 11.99 €. Here’s the really good news: if you buy the game before that date, you’ll get Playrooms and two more chapters planned for 2026 completely free.

“We wanted to reward our early adopters,” explains Iribarren. “Current and new players can still grab the game at the entry price and enjoy every expansion as a free update.” It’s a pretty sweet deal for a game that’s already earned an impressive “Very Positive” rating on Steam from over 680 reviews.

The post Playrooms Expansion Is Coming To Dreamcore This June, Dives into Childhood Nightmares first appeared on IndieGames.

In the town of Spatterville, you launch a painting business to bring color to its dull corners. Story Mode puts you in the shoes of an entrepreneur meeting various clients, like homeowners, robot fanatics, and more, each with their own unique requests. You’ll prep surfaces, fix objects, mask areas, and choose the perfect paints before letting your creativity loose to keep customers happy.

Between jobs, you can upgrade tools, vehicles, and equipment like ladders and scaffolding to tackle challenging jobs, painting everything from rooms and cars to bridges and giant robots. On the other side, Free Spray Mode unlocks a sandbox where you, solo or with a friend in co-op, can paint the entire town without limits.

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The game features dynamic elements like tire wear, fuel management, track rubbering, damage simulation, and changeable weather, while it also lets you to drive iconic open-wheel cars across 14 reimagined circuits inspired by historic tracks. The game includes 16 unique car models, each offering seven liveries for a total of 112 vehicles, spanning decades of motorsport history.

Formula Legends also offers a rich Story Mode where you relive pivotal moments in racing history through era-based championships, mastering legendary cars to etch you name into the sport’s legacy. Beyond the campaign, you can create custom races and championships, compete in Time Attack for global leaderboard glory, and personalize your experience with modding support for liveries, helmets, and trackside sponsors.

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First-party game prices will remain unchanged for now but are set to rise from $70 to $80 starting with the holiday season, though international pricing details are still unclear. Existing game prices will not be affected. In the US, the standard disc-based Xbox Series X will increase from $499.99 to $599.99, marking its first price hike since the console’s launch nearly five years ago.

The disc-free Series X model will rise from $449.99 to $549.99, and the 2TB model will jump by $130, from $599.99 to $729.99. The Xbox Series S will see an $80 increase for both its 512GB model, now $380, and 1TB model, now $450. In Europe, the Series X disc edition will climb by £20/€50 to £499.99/€599.99, following a previous increase in 2023, while the 2TB model rises by £40/€50 to £589.99/€699.99. The 512GB Series S in Europe will increase by £50/€50 to £349.99/€349.99.

Accessories are also affected, with Xbox controllers seeing global price increases. In the US and Canada, headsets will cost more, though specific figures were not disclosed. Microsoft acknowledged that these changes are “challenging” but necessary to address economic pressures.

The post Microsoft Announces Xbox Series Price Hikes and Game Price Increases for 2025 first appeared on IndieGames.

Throes of the Watchmaker brings back protagonists Zale and Valere, alongside the mysterious Watchmaker from the original story, for an eight-hour adventure set in Horloge, a miniaturized clockwork world crafted by the Watchmaker. While the DLC takes place after Sea of Stars’ main events, it functions as a standalone experience, complete with a new progression system, unique classes, skills, and combos.

Additionally, a new companion, Artificer, joins the duo on their journey. The expansion also introduces new maps, puzzles, and enemies. Like the previous Dawn of the Equinox update, Throes of the Watchmaker will be entirely free for all Sea of Stars owners.

The post Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker DLC Arrives Free This May first appeared on IndieGames.