indie gaming Archives

AppWizard

May 19, 2025

Cozy Food Puzzler Game Umami Announced For PC

Indie game developer Mimmox is set to release a cozy food-themed puzzle game titled Umami for PC in 2025. Players will engage in culinary creation by assembling meals from various food items in a timer-free environment. The game features 15 hand-painted dioramas, whimsical characters like Chef Bumblebake and Chef Sushiba, and opportunities to uncover hidden treasures. Umami promotes exploration and enjoyment without penalties for mistakes, aiming to provide a relaxing gaming experience. A trailer showcasing the game's mechanics and visuals is available for players.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Labyrinth of the Demon King review

Labyrinth of the Demon King is a first-person dungeon crawler developed by J. R. Hudepohl and published by Top Hat Studios, set to release on May 13, 2025, priced at £16.75. The game combines horror and adventure, drawing inspiration from the King's Field series and early survival horror games, featuring a visual style that evokes mid-’90s graphics. Players can use various weapons, including a katana, otsuchi, and rifle, with talismans providing additional combat complexity. The game includes a stalking figure named Nuribotoke, reminiscent of Resident Evil's Mr. X, and features puzzles that require backtracking and engagement with narrative elements found in scrolls about Buddhist folklore.

AppWizard

May 4, 2025

Star-trekking sandbox roguelike Approaching Infinity launches after more than 12 years in development

Approaching Infinity is a turn-based sandbox game developed by the micro-indie team at Ibology, which has been in development for over twelve years and has recently launched out of early access. The game allows players to assume the role of a customizable captain managing a modular starship, with the ability to assemble a crew of specialists. Players can engage in various activities such as surveying uncharted planets, solving problems, exploring shipwrecks, and interacting with alien species. Approaching Infinity is available on Steam for £15.

AppWizard

April 27, 2025

I miss old PopCap like you miss old BioWare

From 2000 to 2010, PopCap Games dominated the casual gaming market, influencing the design of many subsequent mobile games. The studio's notable titles included Peggle Extreme, featured in Valve's The Orange Box, and Gyromancer, a collaboration with Square Enix. PopCap's games often drew inspiration from earlier concepts, such as Zuma from Puzz Loop and Bejeweled from the Russian game Shariki. After being acquired by Electronic Arts, PopCap shifted towards mobile and free-to-play models, leading to the decline of its original PC titles. Despite this change, the spirit of PopCap's creativity persists in the indie gaming scene, with games like Donut County and Peglin reflecting its innovative approach. Bookworm Adventures remains accessible through the Internet Archive, contributing to PopCap's lasting legacy.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

Dwarf Fortress has sold over one million copies on Steam

Dwarf Fortress has officially sold over one million copies on Steam, as announced by its developers, Bay 12 Games, 26 months after its launch on the platform. The game, created by Zach and Tarn Adams, debuted on Steam in December 2022 and sold over 500,000 copies within the first month. By February 2023, sales exceeded 600,000. Kitfox, the game's publisher, acknowledged the community's support and the game's unique charm.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Get 8 Metroidvanias For Just $14 With This Great PC Game Bundle Deal

Humble Bundle has launched the Return to Metroidvanias Bundle, allowing players to pay what they want for up to eight acclaimed PC titles. Starting at a minimum price, buyers receive two games: Gato Roboto and Monster Sanctuary. At a higher tier, players can access three additional titles: Shantae and the Seven Sirens, Islets, and Astalon: Tears of the Earth. The complete bundle, available at the highest tier, includes all previously mentioned games plus Grime, Berserk Boy, and BioGun. All games are provided as official Steam keys, with most playable on the Steam Deck, although BioGun may have performance issues. The bundle is available until April 30.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

My biggest pleasant surprise of 2025 so far has been the free prequel to one of my favorite indie RPGs, made with FromSoft’s 25-year-old game making toolset

Lunacid, a first-person RPG inspired by the King's Field series, was released in 2023 by Kira LLC. A prequel titled Lunacid: Tears of the Moon is set thousands of years before the original game and was developed using the Sword of Moonlight toolset. The game features user-generated dungeon crawlers and has drawn comparisons to atmospheric exploration titles like Thief and System Shock. Players engage in melee combat without blocking or dodging options, and character progression occurs automatically upon leveling up. Mana regenerates through successful melee attacks, and health is fully restored at the home base. The game lacks a tutorial, prompting players to refer to a classic-style manual. Players must locate five shards of a legendary sword while navigating a world filled with secrets, including hidden doors and challenging enemies.

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

Cult of the Lamb audio director Johnson has passed away

Narayana Johnson, the audio director of the game Cult of the Lamb, has passed away, prompting a tribute from developer Massive Monster. They described him as a creative powerhouse whose contributions were essential to the game's unique experience. The team expressed that his absence will be deeply felt and requested kindness from the community as they cope with the loss.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

37-year-old studio behind iconic PC game Myst and one of the longest-surviving indies in the world just laid off “roughly half the team”

Cyan Worlds announced a reduction in its workforce, laying off twelve team members, which is approximately half of its staff. This change will take effect at the end of March.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

Hello Sunshine is a desert survival sandbox where you live in the literal shadow of the colossus

Red Thread Games, led by Ragnar Tørnquist, is set to release a new game titled Hello Sunshine, which is a survival sandbox set in a post-apocalyptic desert. Players will navigate the landscape with a giant war-bot, requiring them to stay in its shadow during the day to avoid the sun and seek warmth at night when the robot powers down. The game features an evolving relationship between the player and the robot, with challenges from hostile drones and mecha-crabs, as well as opportunities to repair friendly drones. There is potential for cooperative gameplay, possibly allowing a second player to control the robot, creating an asymmetric co-op experience. The game is available for wishlisting on Steam.