indie projects Archives

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

John Wick Hex and Tron Catalyst dev Mike Bithell thinks licensed games have evolved past ‘lunchbox tie-ins’ because ‘the people who played licensed games are now bosses in the companies that are licensing IP’

Mike Bithell, founder of Bithell Games, discussed the changing landscape of licensed games, particularly with the release of Tron: Catalyst. He noted a significant divide in the gaming industry between smaller-scale spin-offs and large triple-A titles, indicating that the mid-tier game development has diminished. Bithell highlighted a shift in how companies view their intellectual properties compared to the '90s and early 2000s, affecting game development strategies. Tron: Catalyst was released on Steam after the Summer Sale, missing a promotional price drop, while other titles from Bithell Games, such as Thomas Was Alone and John Wick Hex, are available at steep discounts.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

Former Fable & Minecraft Dev Reveals New Zodiac Puzzle Adventure Game

The game "Ascend," developed by Miami Avalon and produced by Nareice Wint, is set to launch for PC via Steam on August 28th. It features a protagonist named Aurora who navigates zodiac-themed trials. A playable demo will be available during Steam Next Fest from June 9th to June 16th, and players can add the game to their Steam Wishlist for notifications about the demo.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

UnderDog reveals gameplay trailer for PS5/PC adventure game Mukti

Indian independent game developer UnderDogs Studio has unveiled the gameplay for its upcoming PS5 and PC title, Mukti, through a new gameplay trailer. Mukti is a first-person narrative adventure set in mid-2000s India, where players control Arya, a young woman searching for her grandfather in a museum while uncovering mysteries related to human trafficking. The game is part of Sony’s India Hero Project, with UnderDogs Studio collaborating with Sony for over a year. Players can wishlist Mukti on the PS Store for PS5 and on Steam for PC. The game is designed to utilize PS5 capabilities, offering immersive environments and 4K resolution, with optimized haptics and adaptive triggers for the DualSense controller. The tentative PC specifications include minimum requirements of Windows 10, Intel Core i5-9400F or AMD Ryzen 5 3500, 8 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 570, while recommended requirements include Windows 11, Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7700, 16 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT. The Steam version will feature achievements, family sharing, and full controller support. UnderDogs Studio was founded in 2011 by Vaibhav Chavan and has developed over 250 games across various platforms.

AppWizard

December 27, 2024

Siliconera’s PC Game of the Year 2024

The PC has become a supportive environment for indie games, as seen in the finalists for this year’s PC Game of the Year. The game 1000xResist is noted for its compelling storytelling. Crow Country, created by SFB Games, is a tribute to PS1 survival horror games while offering a unique narrative. The winner of the 2024 Siliconera PC Game of the Year is Balatro, which has gained recognition and is compared to timeless classics like Tetris.