The sale runs until July 10th, meaning you still have plenty of time to explore the various offers. We’ve taken a deep dive and picked out the best deals currently available.

The post The Steam Summer Sale has started, here are the indie games you shouldn’t miss first appeared on IndieGames.

The inspiration for the name “yotsuba”, which means four-leaf clover in Japanese, comes from a desire to convey the excitement and joy of a child finding a four-leaf clover for the first time. In a time where players are faced with an overwhelming amount of games to play, Yotsuba Interactive aims to support games that feel hyper-personalised, as though the game was created specifically for you.

Yotsuba Interactive’s first title is indie game I Write Games Not Tragedies which is slated for release in late 2025. The game is developed by Studio Wife and Cornmandog, two female developers now living in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong after studying together in London. The game’s exploration of emo and goth subcultures is one that resonated strongly with the Yotsuba team, which led to the formation of this partnership.

I Write Games Not Tragedies explores three eras of life and lessons through the eyes of protagonist Ash. Players will both adore and cringe over him during his “baby bat” years in the late 2000s, resonate with his anxieties and battles with alcoholism in the 2010s then join him on his quest for the meaning of life as an elder emo in the 2020s. Relish in his humor, encounters with romance and discomfort through a visual novel meets rhythm game experience. True to the punkitude, players will not only be tasked with hitting lyrics to the beat at the right points but screaming out their frustrations in order to obtain a high score!

The name of the game itself is an homage to the 2005 song I Write Sins Not Tragedies by American pop rock band, Panic! At The Disco.

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Dark Queen of Samobor draws from the dark fantasy of Croatian folklore, weaving a linear narrative around the mythical Black Queen, Barbara of Celje, inspired by Antun Šenoa’s poem “Zmijska kraljica” and the works of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Josip and his brother Mato aim to create an atmospheric experience reminiscent of games like Inside, blending 2.5D visuals with a haunting story.

The game’s development has been supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), which provided crucial funding through a competitive grant, allowing the brothers to focus on their vision. However, Vincetić emphasized that financing remains their biggest challenge, describing it as a “marathon” that lasts the entire development cycle.

Dark Queen of Samobor may join Xbox Game Pass, as Josip Vincetić shared that they have talked with people at Xbox about a program that support games in development. This could greatly increase the game’s visibility to millions of subscribers. However, Vincetić noted that such deals need careful financial review, as some involve upfront payments but sacrifice royalties post-launch. “It’s a big chance to reach players”, he said, “but we must weigh if it’s financially better than selling directly after release.”

Optimization remains a big challenge, as the team works to make Dark Queen of Samobor run smoothly on various PCs. Vincetić said balancing optimization with core development is time-consuming, with much work still to do. Early on, they tried smaller side projects to fund the game, but this slowed progress. Instead, they secured support from HAVC, HAMAG-BICRO grants, and Zagreb’s tourism board, though these funds are limited.

The game is preparing for closed alpha testing in late 2025 on Steam and an open beta in early 2026. A Steam Next Fest demo is planned, along with potential releases on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, depending on funding and publisher support.

The post Dark Queen of Samobor: Josip Vincetić on Xbox Game Pass and Development Challenges first appeared on IndieGames.

They’re essentially dating sims where, alongside collecting cards through RPG mechanics and earning money, you follow the anime’s original story and battle opponents across different worlds. It was a brilliant way to leverage everything players love while introducing them to the main characters and game rules.

Seven Great Games, But Where’s the Eighth?

After delivering seven mostly excellent games, Konami, for unknown reasons, shifted to producing lackluster titles. This decade, we got Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, Yu-Gi-Oh! Cross Duel (which shut down quickly), Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection (bringing back some old games), and Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Saikyo Battle Royale Let’s Go Go Rush for Nintendo Switch.

Despite the anime still running and introducing new ideas and worlds, we haven’t had a truly great Yu-Gi-Oh! game in nearly five years. It’s unclear why Konami stopped making quality games and focused solely on mobile titles. Beyond poor marketing and underdeveloped English versions, games weren’t always released for PC or consoles beyond Nintendo and PlayStation. Even then, priorities kept shifting, often catering exclusively to the Japanese market. It’s baffling how someone can hold a goldmine like this and fail to capitalize on it.

Maybe Yu-Gi-Oh! wasn’t as popular a decade ago, but today’s landscape is different. A quality release with a touch of nostalgia would sell well, given the franchise’s massive following. When will we see another Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Tag Force 3 or Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s: Tag Force 5? Why not bundle individual collections for sale? Why not port to all consoles and PC, or release remasters or remakes, which are common today? So many questions, yet no answers.

It’s Time for a Modern Yu-Gi-Oh! Game

The main draw of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force games lies in their “Tag Force” mechanic, where you duel as a team rather than solo. While solo battles were possible, the heart of the game was partnering with characters like Jaden Yuki or Yusei Fudo for joint battles. Even if not everyone follows the latest anime, this is a perfect chance for Konami to reintroduce these characters. The games emphasized deck synergy, smart strategy, and featured impressive graphics for their time.

What made Tag Force stand out was its ability to bring the Yu-Gi-Oh! world to life. Beyond mastering complex dueling strategies, you could live as a duelist—attending classes, following the story, competing in tournaments, and feeling the thrill of opening booster packs to perfect your deck. These games deepened your understanding of Yu-Gi-Oh! card rules.

Imagine exploring an open-world Duel Academy or New Domino City on Nintendo Switch 2 or PlayStation 5, with stunning visuals and fully voiced cutscenes. Picture online co-op tag battles and cross-generational tournaments — endless possibilities. With modern gaming embracing cozy RPGs, simulation elements, and card-based tactics, now is the ideal time to revive the Tag Force series in a fresh, modern form.

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Combat in Netherworld Covenant demands precision, not button-mashing. You’ll need to master parries, dodges, and an Ethereal Dash to avoid incoming attacks, aiming for critical hits at just the right moment. This risk-reward system punishes mistakes, making stamina management crucial against varied enemies like beast hunters, archers, and even soul-devouring ones.

The Soul Companion system allows you to summon allies such as Swordsmen, Rangers, Guardians, or Rogues. Each companion has unique abilities, letting you bypass obstacles, ambush enemies, or evade powerful attacks. With over 100 skill combos, 15 main weapons, and five sub-weapons, you have plenty of options to craft diverse builds that match your preferred playstyle.

Exploration in Netherworld Covenant happens within procedurally generated labyrinths. The Early Access version features four distinct chapters: Dungeons, Village, Coastal Fishing Hamlet, and Black Tower. Each chapter boasts unique landscapes, two elite bosses, and a final chapter boss. Defeating bigger enemies, such as giant beasts or fallen heroes, grants temporary boosts and resources, helping you improve your progress.

Between runs, you’ll return to a borderland camp where you can craft demon-blood weapons, gather supplies, and form new spectral allies. Developers at MadGoat Game Studio plan to add new chapters, weapons, relics, and difficulty levels while fixing bugs.

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Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a cozy life sim by Sunblink and Sanrio, released in 2023 on Apple Arcade and January 2025 on Switch and PC, with PS4/PS5 versions planned. You crash-land on a deserted island, joining Hello Kitty and over 40 Sanrio characters to restore Big Adventures Park. Gameplay blends Animal Crossing-style exploration, crafting, and decorating with 3D platforming and puzzle-solving. You will also be able to befriend characters like Kuromi and My Melody through quests, cook dishes, customize avatars, and uncover island mysteries.

Spilled!

Spilled! is a cozy, hour-long indie game by solo developer Lente, released March 26, 2025, on PC via Steam. You pilot a small boat to clean ocean waste, like oil spills and litter, across eight biomes. In the game you earn coins to upgrade your boat’s scoop, tank, or speed, and rescue 16 animals. With a 95% positive Steam rating and a donation to Whale and Dolphin Conservation per sale, it’s a heartfelt eco-friendly adventure.

Doloc Town

Doloc Town is a cozy pixel-art farming sim by RedSaw Games Studio, set in a post-apocalyptic world. Launched in Early Access on Steam on May 8, 2025, you build a farm, plant crops, craft tools, and explore a vibrant wasteland with valleys, wetlands, and ruins. You will be able to engage in bullet-hell combat with a drone companion, interact with quirky townsfolk, and uncover hidden stories – it blends Stardew Valley charm with Terraria-style platforming.

Wanderstop

Wanderstop is a narrative-driven cozy game by Ivy Road, released March 11, 2025, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. You play as Alta, a burnt-out warrior running a magical tea shop in a forest, guided by the cheerful Boro. In the game you will grow ingredients, brew unique teas, and chat with customers like Gerald and Nana, whose stories unfold over 12-15 hours across five chapters. While tea-making and gardening are relaxing, the game’s focus is Alta’s emotional journey through burnout and self-discovery.

Ithya: Magic Studies

Ithya: Magic Studies is a cozy background app by Blue Turtle, released May 7, 2025, on PC via Steam. Set in the magical city of Oltak, you play as Ithya, a wandering mage, customizing a study room and exploring hand-drawn scenes like forests and ancient cities. With lo-fi and fantasy playlists, ambient sounds, and productivity tools like task lists and a Pomodoro timer, it’s perfect for focused study or creative work.

Urban Jungle

Urban Jungle is a cozy simulation game by Kylyk Games, released March 21, 2025, on PC via Steam. You transform small apartments into lush, green havens by strategically placing plants, with puzzle-like elements to maximize coziness. No watering or upkeep is needed, just find the perfect spot for each plant. The game follows Ayta Borisova’s life, weaving a heartfelt story through environmental storytelling across 3-4 hours of gameplay.

Locomoto

Locomoto is a cozy life-sim adventure by Green Tile Digital and Amplifier Studios, released April 8, 2025, on PC via Steam, with a Switch version planned. You play as a customizable animal conductor, managing a train in a unique world. You will be able to craft furniture, serve passengers, and explore 25+ stations to save Barrenpyre from environmental collapse.

Kabuto Park

Kabuto Park is a cozy, bite-sized bug-catching game by Doot and Zakku, released May 28, 2025, on PC via Steam. You play as Hana, a girl on summer vacation, catching over 40 bug species like beetles and butterflies in a charming, hand-drawn world. You will be able to train your bugs, level them up with candies, and compete in card-based sumo-style battles to win the Summer Beetle Battles Championship.

Trash Goblin

Trash Goblin is a cozy shopkeeping sim by Spilt Milk Studios, launched in Early Access on Steam in November 2024, with a full release on May 28, 2025. You play as a goblin in a fantasy world, uncovering, cleaning, and upcycling trinkets to sell to quirky customers. With no time pressure or fail states, you manage a shop, upgrade tools, and customize your space.

Small Spaces

Small Spaces is a cozy interior design sim by Niklas Tomkowitz, released in Early Access on Steam on May 27, 2025. You will transform small apartments, from Tokyo flats to New York lofts, using hundreds of furniture pieces and materials. With no timers or penalties, you creatively arrange modular kitchens and decor in a relaxing, top-down or first-person view.

Honorable Cozy Mentions

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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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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.

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