Ten Promising Indies From Summer ‘22
The month of June has featured plenty of conferences and showcases alike. While the sheer amount of them may have been a bit much, it only means more and more games are on the horizon. An exuberant number of titles were announced, including intriguing new indies. Here are ten new indie titles announced this June that need to be on your radar.
Rollerdrome
First off is Rollerdrome, a hybrid skater-shooter. Roll7 describes Rollerdrome as a third-person shooter like no other, where kills grant you health and tricks earn you ammo. Players will engage in balls-to-the-wall combat, sound mechanics including your favorite tricks, a dark corporate mystery, an entirely original soundtrack, and an overall package that delivers a complimentary yet challenging whole set in the comic-book style retro-future in the year 2030.
Highwater
Demagog Studios' Highwater features a ragtag group of friends trying to escape a devastating flood. The ultra-rich are vacating the planet on their "Hope mission" rocket but leaving those less fortunate behind. Embark on a story-driven life or death expedition, including boat driving, exploration, turn-based combat, and the ever comforting voices and tunes of the one and only Highwater Pirate Radio as you and your friends do everything possible to get aboard that rocket.
American Arcadia
Have you ever seen the popular flic, The Truman Show? Well, Out of the Blue Games, American Arcadia takes some clear inspiration, but this time around, a simple drop-in ratings could be your end. American Arcadia features the 70's inspired retro-futuristic city Arcadia and secretly broadcasts anything and everything to the rest of the world 24/7 as the world's most popular Reality television show. Players will engage in two distinct play styles on your quest to uncover the truth: a 2.5D platformer and a first-person puzzler.
SCHiM
SCHiM is a simple little game set in an abstract world where you play as a lost soul traveling from one shadow to the next. Your schim, the title these lost souls take, has been separated from its human body, and it's up to you to return it. Each level has its own unique themes, objects, stories, and animations that keep the player engaged and returning to discover what more lies beyond the shadows.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Plot Twist's, The Last Case of Benedict Fox is a Lovecraftian Metroidvania filled to the brim with murder, exploring the subconscious, secret organizations, dark rituals, prodigious puzzles, demonic altercations, and even 20th-century jazz. Play as the self-proclaimed detective Benedict Fox and his demonic companion in a Burton Esque nightmare attempting to uncover the truth about the horrid murders of a young couple and the disappearance of their child.
Ravenlok
Delve into the crafted fable of Cococucumber's Ravenlok centering around an evil Caterpillar Queen's fallen kingdom, and a single girl plunged into her destiny of fulfilling one dangerous prophecy thanks to a magical mirror. In Ravenlok, take on beats in real-time arena-based combat, complete quests, and uncover the stories behind the enchanting beasts. Ravenlok is the final game in Cococucumber's stunning signature 3D voxel art trilogy.
Cocoon
From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE, comes COCOON, a slight twist on the typical formula. COCOON is a puzzle-adventure title that utilizes the traversal known as world-leaping to take you on a journey through worlds inside worlds inside worlds. These worlds exist in the orbs you carry. You then attempt to manipulate these orbs, alien technology, and how they fit together to solve a cosmic mystery.
Anger Foot
Free Lives' Anger Foot is a fast-paced FPS filled with dancing on your dead body, ass-kicking combat, fresh pairs of sneakers, and beats for days. Take on Shit City's callous anthropomorphic gangsters over and over again. Kick and shoot your way through a cartoony menagerie of locations as you upgrade your prowess and abilities. Anger Foot is as close as we've come to a first-person Hotline Miami in the best way possible.
Skate Story
Skate Story, a game by Sam Eng, is described as boarding your way through the ash and smoke as a demon made from glass and pain. Skate your way through the kaleidoscopic Underworld defeating demons, rescuing other lost souls, and tricking to your hearts' content. Destroy monstrous demons with your tricks while listening to the hallucinatory soundtrack by New York's own Blood Cultures and tracks by John Fio.
Six One Indie’s own Mike Towndrow went hands-on with Skate Story back in 2020:
“Skate Story is inspired by the story of Orpheus, as the central protagonist skates down into the depths of the underworld with the goal of retrieving a lost love. What this ‘lost love’ is, who’s to say? Given Skate Story’s impeccable art direction (which has only grown more impressive as the years went on), the carrot at the end of the stick can truly be anything.
In addition to Sam Eng’s intriguing narrative inspiration and remarkable art direction, the game felt incredible even in its early stages of development. Eng adapts what works so well with the beloved skate. series and adds his own authentic flavor to the mechanics. It’s fluid, tight, and most importantly, fun. Being a skater himself, there is no better person behind the development process than Eng.”
The Plucky Squire
All Possible Futures' very first title, The Plucky Squire, wowed viewers with its new debut trailer. You control Jot and his friend as they discover an all-new 3D world outside the pages of their storybook. In this delightful action-adventure, Jot travels between 2D and 3D environments taking on challenging puzzles, fights, and minigames as you attempt to save your friends from the Humgrump's desperation and become the rightful hero of this new story.
Countless exciting titles were announced this past month, so choosing ten was a challenge. Rest assured that even though many were not highlighted here, they are still worth your time and attention. Stay tuned to Six One Indie for all our indie game coverage, and check out our Indie Game Release Calendar to stay up to date on the latest indie games releasing soon.
Written by Austin Ernst, Skate Story Impressions by Mike Towndrow