Old-school platforming, Metroidvania horror and other new indie games worth checking out

2 hours ago7 min read

Another week, another absolute firehose of indie game news hitting the scene, and honestly, trying to keep up feels like playing a bullet hell game on expert mode. Just this week, the nominees for the second annual Indie Game Awards dropped, and the list is a wild mix of heavy-hitters you've definitely seen dominating your Twitter feed and some seriously under-the-radar bangers.The Game of the Year category alone is stacked—we're talking about the long-awaited, mythic-level sequel *Hades II* from Supergiant Games going claw-to-needle with Team Cherry's equally legendary *Hollow Knight: Silksong*. But it's not just about the giants; smaller, poignant titles like Jenny Jiao Hsia's *Consume Me* and TearyHand Studio's *and Roger* are right there in the mix, proving that raw, emotional storytelling can stand tall next to polished combat systems.Personally, my backlog is screaming at me to finally boot up *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, which is shaping up to be the frontrunner not just here but potentially at The Game Awards next month, a testament to Sandfall Interactive's stunning art direction and ambitious RPG mechanics. The other categories are just as brutal, pitting the deeply satisfying, almost meditative grind of *Ball x Pit* against the sheer creative genius of *Öoo* in the gameplay design arena—a category that also includes *Absolum* and the two titans mentioned earlier.It's a bloodbath, and I'm here for it. Shoutout to the Playdate getting some love too, with *Taria & Como* earning a well-deserved nod; there's something special about seeing a tiny, crank-powered game hold its own.You can catch the whole award show spectacle on December 18th over on YouTube and Twitch—consider it your pre-holiday season gaming marathon planning session. Now, let's dive into the new releases that just hit digital shelves.The one I'm most hyped to sink my teeth into is *Windswept*, a precision platformer from WeatherFell that looks like it time-traveled straight out of the golden era of the SNES, channelling serious *Donkey Kong Country* vibes. You control Marbles the duck and Checkers the turtle, swapping between their unique movement abilities on the fly to navigate over 40 levels packed with secrets, animal buddies to ride, and that classic 'one more try' feel.As someone who cut their gaming teeth on this exact genre, seeing a modern take that understands the importance of tight controls and clever level design is a genuine delight. It's out now on basically everything—Steam, GOG, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox—for a cool twenty bucks.Then there's *Possessor(s)*, the latest from *Hyper Light Drifter* devs Heart Machine, and man, it's a bold, genre-bending swing. This isn't another bright, neon-soaked adventure; it's a horror-tinged Metroidvania where the combat takes cues from platform fighters, and you play as a high school student, Luca, who forms a pact with a demon after an interdimensional catastrophe.The visual style is, unsurprisingly, gorgeous, but the reception has been mixed, which is a bummer considering the studio's recent struggles, including laying off staff and ending development on *Hyper Light Breaker*. It's a tough spot for a talented team, and you have to wonder about the pressures in the indie space right now.On a much weirder and more wonderful note, Nice Dream Studios, the folks behind the tear-jerking *Before Your Eyes*, are back with *Goodnight Universe*, a game that, true to form, is best played with a camera. You play as a six-month-old baby with psychic powers, using your eye movements and facial expressions to interact with the world, trying to find familial love while a shady tech corporation tries to snatch you up.It's a brilliantly quirky premise published by Skybound Games, available on most platforms, with a standard Switch version coming later in December. And for the strategy heads, *Bonaparte - A Mechanized Revolution* just left Steam Early Access, offering a turn-based tactical romp through an alternate French Revolution where you get to command mechs.It immediately brought back memories of *Steelrising*'s clockpunk Paris, and the ability to choose sides—defend, depose, or reform the monarchy—adds a juicy layer of replayability. Looking ahead, the pipeline is just as exciting.I was thrilled to see *Barkour* pop up again during Steam's Animal Fest. You play as Agent T.H. U.N. D.E. R., a special ops dog with a full arsenal of gadgets, and you can approach missions with stealth, all-out combat, or, you guessed it, some good old-fashioned parkour (or barkour, if you will). A new demo is out now, and while the full game isn't slated until 2026, the wait might just be worth it.In the realm of cozy sims, we got release dates for two caffeine-infused titles. First, *Tailside* from solo dev Coffee Beans Dev, where you run a furry cafe, master coffee recipes, and create latte art, all at your own pace—no stressful timers.It's due on January 21st, with a demo available now. Then, revealed during the State of Play Japan showcase, *Coffee Talk Tokyo* is officially coming March 5th.The latest in the beloved series tasks you again with being a listening ear and a master barista, where your drink-making skills directly influence branching storylines, all set to another killer lo-fi soundtrack from Andrew Jeremy. And finally, *InKonbini: One Store.Many Stories*, a convenience store sim set in 1990s Japan, got an April release window. As a college student working the register, you'll manage stock and, more importantly, have conversations that subtly change your customers' lives. It looks incredibly charming and is a perfect example of the unique, intimate stories that the indie scene continues to champion, a world away from the blockbuster bloat.

#indie games

#awards nominees

#new releases

#upcoming games

#precision platformer

#metroidvania horror

#featured

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