EntertainmentgamingGame Releases
Running an 1930s newspaper, martial arts fights, new indie games
Alright, let's dive into this week's indie game scene, which is absolutely popping off with releases that feel like they're tailor-made for late-night Twitch streams and deep Steam library dives. First up, a game that somehow flew under my radar for two decades: Torn.This text-based online RPG has been quietly building a dystopian metropolis since 2004, and the stats they dropped for their 21st anniversary are wild. We're talking over 3.6 billion criminal offenses committed in a world where you can run a hair salon or become a doctor, but let's be real, everyone's just out here assaulting each other—410 million times, with a solid 12 percent targeting the groin, because of course they are. It’s the kind of chaotic sandbox that makes you wonder why we even bother with real life when you can be a digital crime lord with 80,000 daily players.Then there’s News Tower, a management sim that’s got me hooked faster than a speedrun of Celeste. You’re thrown into 1930s New York, post-stock market crash, trying to salvage a family newspaper while mobsters are literally smashing up your newsroom.I’ve spent hours building offices, hiring reporters, and wrestling with political influence—it’s like if Papers, Please had a baby with The Sims, and the depth is insane. Assign a crime-focused reporter to a story, and you’ll get a gritty expose; swap in a politics guy, and it’s all backroom deals.This isn’t just busywork; it’s a nuanced take on media ethics that’ll have you questioning every headline you publish. On the action front, Forestrike is a 2D martial arts roguelite that’s giving me serious Katana Zero vibes, but with a twist: you can practice fights endlessly, but you only get one shot to execute them perfectly.It’s a puzzle-action hybrid where figuring out the sequence is half the battle, and pulling it off feels like landing a flawless combo in Street Fighter. Published by Devolver Digital, it’s that kind of sleek, challenging indie that’ll have you screaming at your screen in the best way possible.For something chill, Umami offers a zen-like escape with its food-themed diorama puzzles—think virtual LEGO for cake lovers, set to laid-back beats that’ll soothe your soul after a rage-quit session. And speaking of rage, A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad lives up to its name; it’s a precision nightmare where one wrong flip sends you back to the start, and the demo had me tossing my controller faster than you can say 'Dark Souls'.But the real gem in the rough? Drywall Eating Simulator. Yeah, you heard that right.It’s a physics-based adventure that satirizes late-capitalist despair, where munching on drywall is your escape from mind-numbing small talk. It’s bizarre, relatable, and somehow deeply philosophical—like a David Lynch film mashed into a game.Plus, with titles like Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury bringing dog samurai antics to multiple platforms, and Erosion’s time-shifting roguelike mechanics promising a fresh take on the genre in 2026, this week proves indie devs are the real MVPs, pushing boundaries while AAA studios play it safe. Grab your controller; it’s gonna be a wild ride.
#indie games
#game releases
#News Tower
#Forestrike
#gaming news
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