Today’s Indie World brought the usual bevy of creative, inspiring, and inventive games. And while there wasn’t a new “big ticket” that livechat might clamor for, we did get Sports Story news and some titles releasing today. For everything else, though, we’ve got you covered — here are all the games that were shown off:
Venba (Visai Games – Spring 2023) – This narrative-based cooking game is set in the 1980s, following an immigrant Desi family who recently moved to Canada. Help a mother reconnect with her culture by cooking up a host of South Indian dishes, working through branching conversations to struggle through love and loss, and restore lost family recipes. Featuring a soundtrack inspired by Indian musicals!
Goodbye World (ISOLATION STUDIO and PM Studios, Inc. – Later This Month) – Kanii and Kumade are indie game developers, struggling to make it through the day-to-day while also searching for their next big game. Play a cutesy puzzle-platformer interspersed with the daily toil of their lives as their friendship is tested by the world around them.
Have A Nice Death (Magic Design Studios and Gearbox Publishing – March 22, 2023) – Play as Death himself — the CEO of Death Incorporated (imagine naming a company just [Your Name] Inc.) as you traverse a gorgeously hand-drawn 2D action roguelite. Venture through the various dark departments of headquarters, armed with weapons, hexes, and more on your mission to put a stop to rogue employees taking too many souls on Earth.
Aka (Cosmo Gatto and Neowiz – December 15th) – Play as the retired red panda warrior Aka in a tight open-world game as you look to find inner peace in an isolated island landscape. Aka can traverse mountains and forests as he grows plants, builds housing, crafts things, and even feeds dragons. You’ll unravel the ghosts of his past as he attempts to resolve his anguish.
Pepper Grinder (Ahr Ech and Devolver Digital – 2023) – Treasure hunter Pepper is left hung out to dry when she ends up robbed after a shipwreck, meaning there’s only one thing left to do: drill. In this action-side-scroller, Pepper will charge through surroundings with a trusty drill to get her belongings back. Unlock different drill bits to cause mayhem and solve puzzles, and use cash to unlock upgrades, new paths, or collectibles.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly (Toge Productions and Chorus Worldwide Games – Spring 2023) – The followup to the niche hit visual novel Coffee Talk is back for a second round of drinks. Brew drinks for customers (some non-human) as you learn about their lives, making sure to serve them the right concoction and even dazzle with latte art.
ONI: Road to be the Mightiest Oni (KENEI DESIGN and Clouded Leopard Entertainment – March 9th, 2023) – Pick up a club as the vengeful oni Kuuta seeking revenge against a Japanese folktale hero (Momotaro?) in this 3D action title. Kuuta will venture to a small island where he battles demons with the help of the spirit Kazemaru — you control both characters simultaneously with one Joy-Con. Attack with Kuuta before siphoning their souls with Kazemaru. Can you become the mightiest oni?
Desta: The Memories Between (ustwo games – Early 2023) – From the creators of Monument Valley comes something truly novel — a character-driven dream ballgame strategy roguelike. Follow Desta, who enters a mysterious dreamworld every night they go to sleep and encounters scatterings of memory. Use orbs to play a surreal turn-based ball game which can change with conversations and unravel the depths of Desta’s story.
A Space for the Unbound (Mojiken, Toge Productions, and Chorus Worldwide Games – January 19th, 2023) – Set in rural ’90s Indonesia, this classic boy meets girl story involves supernatural powers and mysterious forces, forcing protagonists Atma and Raya to unravel town secrets and maybe face the end of the world. Together.
Dordogne (Un Je Ne Sais Quoi, Umanimation, and Focus Entertainment – Spring 2023) – a painterly story-driven experience combining vivid landscapes and animation, you’ll follow Mimi, a young girl returning to Dordogne, the region of France she spend all her childhood summers. Experience both her past and present as she discovers mementos and recalls her relationships with her deceased grandmother to keep the thought of her alive.
Botany Manor (Balloon Studios and Whitethorn Games – 2023) – Arabella Green is a 19th century retired botanist who owns a manor. As Green, you’ll tend to the gardens by solving puzzles and preserving plants. Scrutinize the environment closely for clues and details as you learn more about your life.
Blanc (Casus Ludi and Gearbox Publishing – February 14th, 2023) – Making its second Indie World showcase, Blanc is a monochrome story of a fawn and a wolf cub working together to find their way home in a co-op adventure. Navigate the frigid barrens as you learn the value of friendship either with a buddy on the couch or a friend online.
There was also a sizzle reel of some other titles around the end. WrestleQuest combines the muscular theatricality of Pro Wrestling with the showy turn-based action of a RPG, featuring real life wrestling legends like Macho Man Randy Savage. Wobbledogs offers an off-beat raising simulator for blobby puppers, with tons of ways to mutate, raise, and breed in goofy ways. Storyteller is an inventive and award-winning puzzler about recreating stories both classic and cliché to humorous ends. Curse of the Sea Rats is a hand-animated epic sidescroller about swashbuckling cursed rats, which looks like the coolest thing ever honestly. World of Horror takes Junji Ito inspiration to craft a ghoulish and gory retro-styled adventure set against a backdrop of Japanese folklore. And last but far from least is the venerated Inscryption, which blends escape room puzzles, deck-building, psychological horror, and roguelikes into a critically acclaimed package.
That’s all for today’s presentation. We’ll be sure to report further on any games featured here down the road.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
