10 Indie Games You Need at All Costs

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Video games

For a week, Steam users were able to try dozens of titles coming this year. Here are my favorites from the Steam Neo Fest.

NAKAWASHI / jvmag

During the Steam Neo Fest that took place this year from June 10 to 17, I was finally able to test games that were gathering dust in my wishlist. I wanted to share with you the 10 independent games that did not leave me indifferent.

In terms of flagship titles, Nintendo notably presented three upcoming games from its most famous universes.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus

>> Coming to Steam, PS5, Xbox X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

It’s a 2D platformer/adventure game with “metroidvania” elements (some passages are accessible to us after unlocking new gameplay elements) in a universe filled with Japanese folklore. I’ve been following Squid Shock studio on Twitter for a few years now, and they’ve been sharing their progress with us. So I was delighted when they offered us their demo to test on Steam.

On their Kickstarter page they mention some of their inspirations, such as the Okami games, Hollow Knight, Celeste or even Japanese anime like Attack on Titan, Spirited Away or Demon Slayer. You can also listen to the game’s soundtrack via this same page.

I totally found what I liked there. It’s a game with a pleasant universe that lets you easily be transported via the game art and sound design, a precisely balanced difficulty during combat, and a story that leads you to want to know more as well as great possibilities for progression.

>> His exit is scheduled for July 18, 2024on all platforms.

Albatroz

>> Coming to Steam, PS5, Xbox X|S

It was obviously the game’s visuals that got me interested in it. In Albatroz, we play Isla, a young woman who leaves her very ordinary daily life to go and find her missing brother by trying to reach a mountain called Albatroz.

In this third-person game, we will have to manage our food, thirst and energy gauges while having to survive surrounded by sublime landscapes, and discovering places full of mysteries.

I’m excited to see what Among Giants studio has in store for us with their full game. The Steam page tells us it’s an introspective tale, a story about knowing when to let go and start over.

>> You can still test the demo, it’s here. The game will be available on the following platforms: PS5. XBox X|S and Steam. It will be released in 2024.

Lost and Found Co.

Released on Steam.

Here’s a little gem that probably won’t please everyone, it’s an interactive “Where’s Waldo” – and not just for kids!

Bit Egg Games offers us this little game with boards full of details and secrets. It’s ultra-cute and yes, I’m totally a fan of it and they’re updating their demo very regularly at the moment. A toaster will be enough to run it, it’s very accessible for young and old and what’s more, it will be available in French, which is very pleasant especially for the youngest.

Unfortunately there is no no release date planned yet. You can already enjoy it quite a bit with their new demo. I’ll let you enjoy the trailer shown during the Wholesome Direct.

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie

>> Available on Steam, PS5, XBox X|S and Nintendo Switch

Here is a narrative adventure where we will make decisive choices, leading to different possible endings. We play Polly in search of her mother. She returns to her hometown after several long years, and realizes that many things have changed. Quickly, a particular event is triggered and we arrive at Reverie. I won’t say more here to leave you the pleasure of discovering for yourselves.

The system is similar to a visual novel with a tree allowing us to make our choices, freeing up unique branches to arrive at these famous different endings. I thought it was a good way to make us concerned about the Reverie situation.

The story is gripping, the game art is nice and I was immersed in the story very quickly: it seems full of twists and turns and I can’t wait for the sequel. Besides, I didn’t play the demo in full, to keep the fun once I can play the full game.

>> The game was released on June 8 on all platforms.

Phoenix Springs

>> Released on Steam (Windows, MacOS and Linux)

Like many, I have a great passion for point and click. The game art of this one is sublime, see for yourself. We play as Iris Dormer and we try to find our brother (there are definitely a lot of lost people in this article).

Here, there are no real puzzles to solve like in classic points and clicks, but we move forward in the form of an investigation.

A kind of mental map will then form, which will allow us to move forward and perhaps find traces of our brother. It is Calligram Studio that offers us this beautiful immersive and interactive experience. It is about three people between France and England and if I am not mistaken, it is their first game. To be continued!

>> The game will be released September 16, 2024 on Steam for Windows, Mac and Linux!

Tiny Bookshop

>> Released on Stream (Windows, MacOS and Linux)

Neoludic games, a studio based in Cologne in Germany, offers us a narrative and cozy game with management elements where we can open our small mobile bookstore by the sea. You will have to get in touch with the local inhabitants to learn more on what they like, to supply our stock and satisfy their daily bookish needs. It is possible to personalize our trailer depending on the day and perhaps also solve a mystery that hangs over the area.

>> The game was released on June 8, 2024.

Mirthwood

>> Released on Stream

180° change of atmosphere to tell you about Mirthwood: a farm simulation RPG in a hand-drawn medieval fantasy universe. We start by defining our character according to several initial characteristics. Like any self-respecting farm simulation game, we can build our farm, plant vegetables and other seeds, improve our tools, explore the region, fight and socialize with the other inhabitants of the island.

I still find it unique in its bloody and bizarre style, I would happily play it alongside Stardew Valley. A very nice entry for this Steam Neo Fest. We are waiting for its release during the third quarter of 2024.

Wax Heads

>> Released on Steam (Windows, Linux)

You’ve probably already played a restaurant management game: customers arrive with their order and you have to man the kitchen in order to serve them quickly.

Here, we’re not in Overcooked or Plate Up! to serve food: Patattie Games transforms us into vinyl sellers and I still find that rather original! We follow the lives of our customers on social networks (as well as what they think of our service, it’s quite funny). The visual universe fits the delirium absolutely well.

I recommend you try the demo on Steam! We don’t yet have a set date for its release unfortunately.

The Star Named EOS

>> Released on Steam, PS5 and XBox X|S and Nintendo Switch

Silver Lining Studio already amazed us with their game Behind the Frame in 2021. Here they are again with this new title filled with riddles and poetry on the theme of photography. The game starts with the young Dei: photographer wishing to follow in the footsteps of his (definitely) missing mother.

We are in her room and immediately we start to inspect the objects around us. The puzzles fall into place and I found the difficulty well measured and logical, absolutely not far-fetched. Each of them tells a part of Dei’s life. We then understand that not everything is clear with the disappearance of her mother. So we go in search of the truth about her disappearance.

>> The game releases July 23, 2024 on all platforms.

The Alters

>> Coming to Steam, PS5 and XBox X|S

11 bits studio had already offered us various rather notable titles like Frostpunk, This war of mine, Moonlighter and The invincible. Here they are back with The Alters, an intriguing new game which seems to contain plenty of mysteries, with complete and original gameplay. The latter being tested during the Steam Neo Fest.

We play Jan Dolski, the only survivor to land on an uninhabited and unexplored planet, and must reach our base as quickly as possible. A catastrophe is coming and we can’t do anything alone. That’s the tragedy: there is no one else.

As we explore the planet, we come across a rare and sought-after resource. It will then allow us to use a machine from our base used for cloning. I found this aspect incredibly well brought: the timeline of our own life, taking a new path in order to bring to life an alternative version of ourselves.

A new person in their own right? I feel like the game introduces a lot of interesting topics and I’m looking forward to playing the full version.

>> He will be released in 2024 on PS5, Steam and Xbox X|S.