An excellent puzzle-platformer, Enter the Gungeon on cell and different new indie video games value testing

Welcome to our newest recap of what is going on on within the indie recreation area. Fairly just a few intriguing video games dropped this week and a few high-profile ones have been ported to extra platforms. Earlier than we get to these, although, I might prefer to inform you about certainly one of my favourite video games of the 12 months up to now.

I battle to completely have interaction with many RPGs. By and huge, I am not excited by spending plenty of time optimizing my character, speccing out a ability tree or scouring for the easiest gear to match my playstyle. I discover it much more attention-grabbing when a recreation gives a restricted toolset and an enormous number of methods to make use of these mechanics, sometimes by offering a small variety of talents and powerups in addition to actually intelligent degree design.

Such is the case with Öoo, which arrived on Steam final week and is the most recent recreation from Elechead developer Nama Takahashi. This can be a puzzle-platformer that you may full in a single sitting and it is completely charming.

You play as a caterpillar that makes use of a bomb — and later a second one — to blow stuff up and transfer round. If you wish to attain the next platform, you may have to detonate a bomb you are sitting on. The controls are easy too, as you solely want to maneuver, and drop and blow up bombs.

The design of this recreation, although, is something however easy. There’s virtually no textual content right here, even within the menus. You study by experimenting and determining navigate what’s in entrance of you. You may should backtrack a bit to resolve sure puzzles. It is so mechanically tight {that a} 15-second trailer is all it is advisable perceive what Öoo is about:

I smiled your entire approach via this one — even once I acquired momentarily stumped — and I set free a happy chuckle or two once I found out options to issues. It helps that the visuals (by artist Hachinos) and audio are charming as hell. The title of the sport is completely terrific, too. The umlaut is essential as a result of it makes the lettering appear like your character with a pair of bombs trailing behind it. That is emblematic of the extent of thought, care and element that Takahashi and co. have put into Öoo. That extends to the tip credit, which lists a number of video games that impressed this one. Such an attractive contact.

Öoo jogs my memory a little bit of Animal Properly. It would not have almost the identical degree of depth as certainly one of our favorites of 2024, but it surely would not have to. It is good the way in which it’s.

It additionally brings to thoughts one other good recreation, Poinpy, with even composer Tsuyomi’s work reminding me of that recreation’s implausible music. I am nonetheless unhappy that it is not possible for me to play Poinpy proper now, because it vanished from Netflix’s catalog some time again. However Öoo did a bang up job of filling that gap in my coronary heart. I am unable to suggest it extremely sufficient.

Elsewhere, there is a beautiful little indie you’ll be able to decide up free of charge on the Epic Video games Retailer proper now for PC, Android and (within the EU) iOS. Hidden Folks is a soothing hidden object recreation by Adriaan de Jongh that options hand-drawn environments and humorous, voice-generated sound results. I am solely a little bit methods into this however I am having fun with it up to now. This week’s different Epic Video games freebie on PC is ragdoll physics sim Totally Reliable Delivery Service.

Additionally, as a fast reminder, there might be a ton of online game information dropping over the following week because the world’s greatest gaming occasion, Gamescom, is going down. Check out our Gamescom preview for particulars on what to anticipate and watch the varied showcases and streams, and possibly preserve your fingers crossed for a Hole Knight: Silksong launch date, when you’re so inclined. Be part of us on Tuesday as we liveblog our approach via Opening Night time Reside. We’ll be bringing you the tastiest information from the occasion all through the week too.

New releases

A bonafide indie basic hit cell gadgets this week. Bullet hell dungeon crawler Enter the Gungeon (iOS, Android) and its sequel, former Apple Arcade exclusive Exit the Gungeon (iOS, Android), are each free to strive and you’ll preserve enjoying them after making an in-app buy.

These variations embrace contact controls, with writer Devolver Digital mentioning that you may “swipe, faucet and poke your display to beat the depths of the Gungeon.” The builders have, in the end, added on-line co-op so you’ll be able to play with your mates with out having to be in the identical room. There’s additionally a crossover right here, because the Lamb from Cult of the Lamb turns into the most recent playable character.

The video games’ arrival on cell may additionally give veteran Gungeon gamers an honest purpose to revisit Dodge Roll’s collection. The iOS and Android ports may additionally assist them cross the time till Enter the Gungeon 2 arrives on Steam subsequent 12 months.

One other fashionable indie expanded to extra platforms this week as Dorfromantik (beforehand solely obtainable on PC and Nintendo Change) arrived on PlayStation and Xbox, because of the assistance of Headup. This technique puzzle recreation from Toukana Interactive is all about constructing out a world utilizing hex tiles, which makes my Takenoko-loving self glad. It is a chill, stunning recreation that’ll nonetheless get your cognitive gears turning a bit.

A cell model can also be in improvement, but it surely will not be a straight port of the PC and console recreation. As an alternative, Toukana is working with ClockStone on a reimagining of Dorfromantik that is constructed from the bottom up for touchscreen gadgets.

TMNT went turn-based for the primary time in collection historical past with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, which debuted on PC back in May. Unusual Scaffold has now introduced the sport to Nintendo Change (solely in North America for now) and Xbox Collection X/S. It is coming to Change in European areas at a later date.

PC gamers may need a purpose to return to the sport, as Unusual Scaffold has up to date it with a Remix Mode. This provides many extra enemy varieties with new strikes and assault patterns, in addition to more durable challenges.

Ra Ra Increase is a co-op, side-scrolling beat-’em-up from Gylee Video games that landed on PC (Steam and Epic Video games Retailer), Xbox Collection X/S and PS5 this week. I really like the premise, which sees ninja cheerleaders from outer area descending to Earth to free the planet from a local weather change-battling AI that maybe did its job too effectively by ridding it of people. Every of the 4 characters has their very own talents, together with a ranged weapon.

I’ve performed Ra Ra Increase for about half-hour and, sadly, it hasn’t clicked for me up to now. I would give it one other shot, however there are simply too many different video games on the market ready to be performed.

I do respect video games which can be about greater than giving gamers one thing enjoyable to do. There have been fairly just a few over time that purpose to assist folks study a language. One other arrived on Steam this week within the type of Wagotabi: A Japanese Journey, which debuted on cell final 12 months.

On this slice-of-life RPG from Wagotabi Restricted, you may discover Japan and its tradition. It is designed to assist gamers begin studying Japanese and it was made with newcomers in thoughts. It options mini video games, checks and is absolutely voiced in Japanese. The builders say that greater than 300 academics spanning greater than 60 nations have been reviewing the sport, presumably to ensure its classes are correct.

The Darkish Queen of Mortholme has been obtainable on Itch.io for a while, and it landed on Steam this week with new options, together with help for controllers and Steam Cloud, achievements and extra. On this brief expertise from Mosu and writer Monster Theater, you play as the ultimate boss of a online game who has to maintain warding off a pesky hero. There are a number of endings and the one that you simply see is set by your dialogue selections. The Darkish Queen of Mortholme appears fairly attention-grabbing, and I am wanting ahead to checking it out.

Upcoming

CrisisX is an ambitious-sounding survival crafting mission from Hero Video games. It options an 1,200 km² open-world map with 12 terrains and biomes, together with snowy mountains and hidden labs. You may forge groups, teams and communes that will help you fend off risks akin to contaminated and different gamers. What’s actually wild is that CrisisX will seemingly have the ability to help as much as 5,000 gamers on a single server.

It is coming to PC, iOS and Android within the second quarter of 2026. Those that are attending Gamescom subsequent week will have the ability to play it on the present, whereas a beta check is scheduled for later this 12 months. I am intrigued, not least as a result of CrisisX could be the closest we ever get to The Last of Us Online.

I really feel like I first heard about Henry Halfhead perpetually in the past, so I am glad that this sandbox journey lastly has a launch date. It is coming to Nintendo Change, PlayStation 5 and PC on September 16.

Henry is, surprisingly sufficient, a personality that’s half of a head. They’re capable of flip into any close by object, and you’ll play as greater than 250 totally different objects. There’s native co-op help too. It appears cute! Henry Halfhead is coming your approach courtesy of Lululu Leisure and co-publisher Popagenda.

If not for Öoo, The Approach of the Tray may need been my favourite recreation in a scorching minute. You may play as a waiter in a Japanese spirit world, the place you may serve orders to numerous spirits after catching and balancing them in your tray. Looks as if one for followers of the restaurant aspect of Dave the Diver. The Way of the Tray, which is from Who’s Terry and writer Targem Video games, hits Steam on August 25.

CloverPit is a grungy, slot machine-based horror recreation that appears proper up my alley. In any case, it is billed as a “demonic lovechild of Balatro and Buckshot Roulette.” Offered. It’s important to accumulate a sure amount of money every spherical to assist repay your debt, or it is off to the pit with you. It is not about playing a lot as it’s discovering methods to interrupt the principles of a slot machine that will help you attain your goals.

There’s fairly a little bit of buzz behind this one from Panik Arcade and writer Future Associates Video games. It is had greater than 700,000 demo downloads and is among the many prime wishlisted video games on Steam. CloverPit is coming to stated platform on September 3.

Let’s wrap issues up for this week with a recreation that has a really cool aesthetic. Zoe Begone! is a bullet hell shooter with hand-drawn visuals. The thought right here is that the motion performs out on a movie strip, with a devilish animator drawing and portray extra enemies for our heroine, Zoe, to beat. As you may think, solo developer Retchy took inspiration from drawn-on-film animation from the Thirties, significantly the work of Norman McLaren. As an admirer of Stan Brakhage’s work, this speaks to me.

Zoe Begone! is coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Change on September 17. A demo is available on Steam now.