Five Awesome Indie Games to Look Forward to in 2023!
Written by: Ethan (@ChaoticAether)
Indie games are cool. A bold statement I know, but in this current never-ending pile of “Triple A” releases, I like to think about the unique smaller games that will palette cleanse the dozens of open-world RPG games infecting our screens. I mean that’s what indies do best. They have this way of taking concepts new or old and making something truly special with them. From passion projects to genre defining hits, I always look to indies as an experimental place for new mechanics and concepts to shine.
Saying that I never end up finding time for all the cool games I come across. I always say that I should play more indie titles but I always get swept up by the next big hit or just life in general. I’m aiming to change that. With the next year looking amazing for indies, I want to take some extra time playing them this year. There are already dozens of announced indie titles this year all looking to show us what amazing things can be made; and I want in on that. So I’ve put together a list of five indie titles I’m particularly excited to play over the next year or so. I’d definitely keep these games on your radar.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly
Lofi. Ambiance. Monsters? You just can’t beat the vibes of a coffee shop on a rainy Seattle night. The original Coffee Talk was one of my favourite games that I played last year, and another round of introspective conversation is just what I ordered. Coffee Talk has you playing as the barista and owner of a Seattle coffee shop called Coffee Talk, in a world where humans and monsters co-exist in modern society. Your role is to listen to your customers' stories, brew elaborate drinks, and fix whatever issues or ailments trouble your customers day to day, one drink at a time.
I just love the mood that the original sets. A chill playlist and a likeable set of characters make for a fun and relaxing time. With additional drinks and new characters to discover, Coffee Talk Episode 2 looks like a fun and relaxing second serving. Plus with it releasing tomorrow, there’s never been a better time to don your apron and perfect your latte art!
The Plucky Squire
A standout title from recent Devolver showcases, The Plucky Squire looks like a love letter to childhood fantasies and the wonders of your imagination. This game showed up on my radar thanks to my love of James Turner’s work, a lead designer on Pokémon who has gone on to create this game with his newly formed studio All Possible Futures. The unique storybook art-style has his name all over it, and the mixture of 2D and 3D animation make this game a visual delight.
The Plucky Squire has you traversing many 2D and 3D environments, similar to the 8-bit sections of mario odyssey. With a mix of Platorming, puzzles and other gameplay elements (I mean a twin stick shooter on a can?!), The Plucky Squire looks like a ton of fun and I can’t wait to play it later this year.
AK-xolotl
In Ak-xolotl, you are an Axolotl with a machine gun. Need I say more? Bullet hell has been a staple of the indie genre. From Gungeon to Hotline Miami, people have a love for these games and I’ve always wanted to try them. Ak-xolotl plays very much the same, with hordes of enemies and randomly generated rooms for you to blast your way through. With awesome Rogue-lite mechanics, you can grow your arsenal of weapons and -wait for it- baby Axolittles as you traverse every biome and beat every boss that stands in your way.
Did I also mention you raise the Axolotls too? This game looks like the perfect balance of fun, challenge and memes and I honestly can’t wait for this game to come out later this year. I’m sure it will be a lotl fun!
Eternights
Now I am what you might call a “Persona simp”. There’s something about the day to day life elements of those games that I cannot get enough of. Meeting new friends, hanging out and finding out more about them, I just love the way it adds to the story in such a meaningful way. Now take an indie hack and slash with these kinds of social link elements. Yeah, count me in!
Eternights is a hack and slash mixed with a Persona lifestyle sim, tasking you with finding the perfect balance between saving the world and deepening your connection with companions. From exploring dungeons to collecting supplies, you’ll have a lot on your plate and not a lot of time to do so. While I’m not huge of dating sims, which this game seems to be leaning hard on, the potential to be a Persona-like experience with an entirely different genre attached leaves me excited to see how this game turns out.
ANTONBLAST!
Move over Wario, there’s a new loud guy in town! AntonBLAST looks like a love letter and true successor to the classic 2D Wario Land platformers. It’s a retro platformer with an explosive twist, allowing you to smash your way through levels and hop between the background and foreground as you go. With Anton out for revenge on Satan himself, he must traverse a variety of worlds and reclaim what’s rightfully his!
From its bold personality to its amazing soundtrack, Summitsphere have created a game that both looks and sounds great! With its plethora of tight mechanics (including hammer bouncing and an awesome Crash Team Racing inspired drift mechanic) the game allows you to move with precision and speed in what looks like an incredibly fun 2D platformer. With Pizza Tower and now this, Wario Land fans are finally eating well and I couldn’t be happier. AntonBLAST should be out within the next year, and I honestly can’t wait!
There are honestly so many more games that I could cover so maybe we’ll do another in the future. In the meantime, which one of these games are you looking forward to most? Did I miss any indie games you are looking forward to? Let us know, and be sure to tell us if you end up picking any of these up!